Plumbing

Abstract

The invention relates to a plumbing fitting (1) for connecting at least two pipes (5) together, comprising a tubular element (2) made of metallic material formed of a peripheral wall (3) delimiting an internal passage (4) and having an internal face (30) and an external face (31), a first end portion (6, 7) of said tubular element (2) being shaped to cooperate with an end portion (8) of one of the pipes (5) while at least one other end portion is shaped to cooperate with an end portion of another pipe, at least one of the end portions, referred to as the "weldable end portion" (6, 7) being shaped to allow assembly by press fit and welding with the end portion (8) of the pipe (5) considered, the plumbing fitting (1) comprising at least one ring (9, 10) of a brazing material connected by fastening means to the weldable end portion (6,7) of the tubular element (2) and characterized in that it comprises means for indicating a given temperature of the end portion to be welded (6, 7) of the tubular element (2).

Description

[0001] [The invention relates to a plumbing and / or HVAC fitting intended to connect at least two pipes together, said fitting comprising a tubular element made of metallic material formed of a peripheral wall delimiting an internal passage and having an internal face as well as an external face, a first end portion of said tubular element being shaped to cooperate with an end portion of one of the pipes while at least one other end portion is shaped to cooperate with an end portion of another pipe, at least one of the end portions, called the "weld end portion" being shaped to allow assembly by tight fit and welding with the end portion of the pipe considered, said plumbing fitting comprising at least one ring of a brazing material connected by fastening means to the weld end portion of the tubular element.

[0002] Currently, many models of plumbing and / or HVAC fittings, specifically dedicated to a wide variety of applications or needs, have already been developed, so that there is a whole range of products on the market that differ from each other mainly in their structure, manufacturing materials, diameter and cost.

[0003] As mentioned above, a plumbing and / or HVAC fitting is a joining element that allows pipes, whether or not they have the same diameter, to be joined together, for example, in the extension of one another, to create an angle between two pipes when it is a bend, or to connect three pipes together, or to connect a pipe with a tube termination, etc.

[0004] As is well known, the installation of a plumbing and / or HVAC fitting represents a delicate operation whose aim is to achieve a fluid circulation network adapted to the particularities of the configuration encountered, and which must present both high mechanical resistance and impeccable sealing.

[0005] In this context, in order to prevent any leakage or untimely rupture of a pipe, the welding operation, classically implemented to assemble plumbing and / or climate engineering fittings, made of metallic material, with copper, steel, stainless steel or brass pipes, must be carried out with the greatest care.

[0006] As a reminder, this operation is commonly carried out manually by an operator and involves several successive stages of preparing the parts, including a stage of applying a pickling product, followed by the actual welding stage.

[0007] This process involves, after fitting the parts to be assembled, heating the joint area with a blowtorch or soldering iron to a specific temperature. Then, a wire or rod of filler material is placed in contact with the heated area. This material melts and is drawn by capillary action into the gap between the two parts. The solidification of the brazing material upon cooling then gives the joint the required mechanical strength and seal.

[0008] It has been observed that the welding stage itself is tedious, and has the disadvantage, in order to be carried out properly, of requiring great dexterity on the part of the operator.

[0009] The operator is expected to manipulate the torch with one hand while holding the wire or filler metal rod with the other. With both hands occupied, it is impossible to simultaneously hold the pieces being joined or to hold the torch with both hands, which can be a significant drawback in certain situations.

[0010] US publications 2021 / 180729, US 3 286 341, US 3 334 925 and GB 870 886 describe plumbing and / or HVAC fittings incorporating at least one ring of a brazing material, intended to address this problem.

[0011] Furthermore, to guarantee a quality solder joint, the solder material must not melt upon contact with the torch flame, but only upon contact with the metal of the parts being joined, which must not exceed a certain temperature to avoid potential damage to these parts. To achieve this, the operator must simultaneously ensure the proper positioning and stabilization of the solder material with one hand and control the torch flame with the other throughout the entire process, requiring both physical strength and concentration.

[0012] Furthermore, an additional difficulty arises from the fact that the parts to be joined must remain perfectly still and correctly oriented relative to each other until the joint area has completely cooled. Since the operator has both hands occupied during the process, they must therefore use an independent method to hold the two parts in position and then take care not to move them unintentionally. This is why the operator commonly uses a workbench or calls upon an extra hand to hold the parts during brazing, which requires additional equipment and / or manpower.

[0013] Furthermore, it should be noted that if the welded joint is defective, the entire assembly process must be repeated, thus increasing the project duration and the gas consumption for the blowtorch or welding torch, as well as the quantities of flux and filler material required. Moreover, in such cases, the affected parts may be beyond repair and therefore discarded, resulting in additional and unwelcome costs, as it then becomes necessary to use a new plumbing and / or HVAC fitting and undamaged pipes. Clearly, any failure in a welded assembly of plumbing and / or HVAC components is detrimental both financially and environmentally, making its avoidance a constant concern for project managers and operators.

[0014] The aim of the present invention is to overcome all the disadvantages mentioned above and to provide a solution to simplify the welding step involved in assembling a plumbing and / or HVAC fitting and a conduit made of metallic materials, in order to optimize the duration of construction sites and limit the corresponding costs while guaranteeing the quality of the joint obtained.

[0015] In other words, the present invention aims to provide an innovative plumbing and / or HVAC fitting that allows the welding step required for its assembly with one or more pipes to be carried out more quickly, more easily and with guaranteed quality.

[0016] Another aim of the invention is to provide a plumbing and / or HVAC fitting whose structure is designed to guarantee the success, on the first attempt, of the assembly operation with a conduit, whether this is carried out by an experienced professional or by a less experienced handyman.

[0017] For this purpose, the invention relates to a plumbing and / or climate engineering fitting of the kind indicated in the preamble, characterized in that it includes means for indicating a given temperature of the end portion to be welded of the tubular element.

[0018] Furthermore, depending on the case, the plumbing and / or HVAC fitting according to the invention may also have one or more of the following characteristics: The ring is fixed to the inner face of the peripheral wall of the tubular element. The ring is positioned at a distance D , D'of a free end of the end portion to be welded and has a volume between 1.4 and 2 times the volume of the gap intended to extend between the end portion to be welded and the end portion of the tube with which it is intended to cooperate, It comprises at least one strip of a material suitable for changing appearance during a welding operation and for presenting a final appearance representative of the completion of a welding operation, said strip covering at least partially the external face of the peripheral wall of the tubular element at the level of the end portion to be welded, The means for fixing the ring to the peripheral wall of the tubular element are defined by locking stops formed by stamping on the end portion to be welded of the tubular element, The ring is housed in a recess provided at the level of the end portion to be welded of the tubular element,The housing is defined by a shoulder extending into the internal passage of the tubular element or by a groove formed in the internal face of the peripheral wall of the tubular element. The ring is coated with a layer of a fluxing agent. Each of the end portions of the tubular element defines a "weldable end portion" and is shaped to allow assembly by press fit and welding with an end portion of a conduit, while the external face of each of them is at least partially covered with a strip of a material suitable for changing appearance during a welding operation and for presenting a final appearance representative of the completion of a welding operation.

[0019] Understanding this description will be facilitated by referring to the following figures: [ Fig.1 ] is a cross-sectional view of an example of the implementation of a plumbing and / or HVAC fitting according to the invention, just before its assembly by welding with a first conduit, and [ Fig.2 ] is a front view of the plumbing and / or HVAC fitting of the figure 1 .

[0020] With reference to the figures, in the illustrated embodiment variant, the plumbing and / or climate engineering fitting 1 according to the invention is defined by a copper T-fitting, intended to connect three conduits 5, also made of copper.

[0021] In a conventional manner, the fitting 1 consists of a tubular element 2 made of copper formed of a peripheral wall 3, having an internal face 30 as well as an external face 31 and delimiting an internal passage 4.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the tubular element 2 has a first end portion 6 of diameter d1and two end portions 7 with diameter d2 greater than d1.

[0023] As can be seen, the end portions 7 are aligned along an X axis, while the end portion 6 extends along a Y axis forming a 90° angle with the X axis. In short, after assembly with the plumbing fitting 1, two conduits 5 will be coaxial and located in line with each other, perpendicular to a third conduit 5.

[0024] It should be noted that the three end portions 6, 7 define "weldable end portions" in the sense that they are each shaped to allow assembly by tight fit and welding with an end portion 8 of a conduit 5.

[0025] To this end, according to the invention, the three end portions 6, 7 of the plumbing fitting 1 are each equipped with a ring 9, 10 made of a soldering material, such as tin, silver phosphorus, brox, or any other material with equivalent properties. The inner face of the three end portions 6, 7 can advantageously be coated with a layer of a suitable flux, allowing the protective varnish to be removed when the parts are heated during the soldering operation, thus promoting capillary action. It should be noted that the same effect can be achieved by coating each ring 9, 10 with a layer of flux before inserting it into the end portion in question.

[0026] With reference to the drawings, in the illustrated embodiment, the three rings 9, 10 are arranged in the internal passage 4 of the tubular element 2, at a distance D , D' of the free end 12, 13 of the portion 6, 7 of the end to be welded considered. They are fixed to the inner face 30 of the peripheral wall 3 of the tubular element 2 by several locking stops 11 made by stamping the tubular element 2 and extending into the internal passage 4. Of course, other types of means of fixing the rings 9, 10 in the internal passage 4 can also be provided, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that each ring 9, 10 has a volume between 1.4 and 2 times the volume of the gap 14 intended to extend between the weldable end portion 6, 7 and the end portion 8 of the conduit 5 with which it is intended to cooperate. Furthermore, each ring 9, 10 is housed in a recess formed in the weldable end portion 6, 7. In the illustrated embodiment, this recess is defined by a shoulder 15 extending into the internal passage 4 of the tubular element 2. Of course, another type of recess, such as, for example, a groove formed in the internal face 30 of the tubular element 2, can also be considered.

[0028] Another advantageous feature of the plumbing fitting 1 illustrated by the figures is defined by the fact that it includes means indicating the attainment of a given temperature by the end portions 6, 7 of the tubular element 2.

[0029] For this purpose, it was conceived to cover at least partially the external face 31 of the peripheral wall 3 of the tubular element 2, at the level of each end portion to be welded 6, 7, with a strip 16 of a material suitable to change its appearance during a welding operation and to present a final appearance representative of a given temperature corresponding to the completion of a welding operation.

[0030] Such a material can for example be defined by a test paint, where appropriate provided in a different color for each end portion to be welded 6, 7 and whose disappearance under the effect of the torch flame will signal to the operator the completion of the welding operation.

[0031] Thus, in practice, the implementation of the plumbing fitting 1 according to the invention consists for the operator in carrying out the following steps: fit an end portion 8 of a conduit 5 into a solder end portion 6, 7 of the plumbing fitting 1 until the end portion 8 of the conduit 5 comes into contact with the corresponding tin ring 9, 10, lock the fitted parts in position by appropriate holding means, apply the flame of a blowtorch or soldering lamp all around the junction area between the solder end portion 6, 7 of the plumbing fitting 1 and the end portion 8 of the conduit 5 until the test paint strip 16 has completely disappeared.

[0032] At this stage, the filler metal ring 9, 10 has completely melted and the metal has spread by capillary action throughout the entire gap 14 extending between the weldable end portion 6, 7 of the plumbing fitting 1 and the end portion 8 of the conduit 5.

[0033] Typically, a perfect seal and high mechanical strength are achieved after the junction area has cooled. The operator can then proceed similarly to connect the plumbing fitting 1 with the other two conduits 5.

[0034] As can be seen from the foregoing, the invention makes it possible to achieve the objectives mentioned in the preamble and to provide a plumbing fitting whose implementation is simplified and which guarantees the quality, in terms of sealing and mechanical resistance of the junction areas. Such a plumbing fitting thus optimizes construction costs and expands the market by allowing its implementation not only by trained professionals but also by novices.

Claims

1. A plumbing fitting (1) intended to connect at least two conduits (5) together, comprising a tubular element (2) made of metallic material formed of a peripheral wall (3) delimiting an internal passage (4) and having an internal face (30) and an external face (31), a first end portion (6, 7) of said tubular element (2) being shaped to cooperate with an end portion (8) of one of the conduits (5) while at least one other end portion is shaped to cooperate with an end portion of another conduit, at least one of the end portions, referred to as the "weldable end portion" (6, 7) being shaped to allow assembly by press fit and welding with the end portion (8) of the conduit (5) in question, said plumbing fitting (1) comprising at least one ring (9, 10) of a brazing material connected by fastening means to the weldable end portion (6, 7) of the tubular element (2) and being characterized in thatit includes means for indicating a given temperature of the end portion to be welded (6, 7) of the tubular element (2).

2. Plumbing fitting (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said ring (9, 10) is fixed on the inner face (30) of the peripheral wall (3) of the tubular element (2).

3. Plumbing fitting (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the ring (9, 10) is positioned at a distance D , D ' of a free end (12, 13) of the end portion (6, 7) to be welded and has a volume between 1.4 and 2 times the volume of the gap (14) intended to extend between the end portion to be welded (6, 7) and the end portion (8) of the conduit (5) with which it is intended to cooperate.

4. Plumbing fitting (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatit comprises at least one strip (16) of a material suitable for changing appearance during a welding operation and for presenting a final appearance representative of the completion of a welding operation, said strip (16) covering at least partially the external face (31) of the peripheral wall (3) of the tubular element (2) at the level of the end portion to be welded (6, 7).

5. Plumbing fitting (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means of fixing the ring (9, 10) on the peripheral wall (3) of the tubular element (2) are defined by locking stops (11) made by stamping on the end portion to be welded (6, 7) of the tubular element (2).

6. Plumbing fitting (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring (9, 10) is housed in a housing provided at the level of the end portion to be welded (6, 7).

7. Plumbing fitting (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the housing is defined by a shoulder (15) extending into the internal passage (4) of the tubular element (2) or a groove formed in the internal face (30) of the peripheral wall (3) of the tubular element (2).

8. Plumbing fitting (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring (9, 10) is coated with a layer of a stripping product.

9. Plumbing fitting (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Each of the end portions of the tubular element (2) defines a "weldable end portion" (6, 7) and is shaped to permit assembly by press fit and welding with an end portion (8) of a conduit (5), and in thatthe outer face (31) of each of them is at least partially covered with a strip (16) of a material suitable for changing appearance during a welding operation and for presenting a final appearance representative of the completion of a welding operation.