Plastic Pipe Coupling With Gasketed Gap Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for connecting plastic pipe segments, such as butt welding and metal couplers, result in permanent connections that are costly, require specialized labor, lead to material waste, and suffer from thermal expansion mismatches causing leaks and mechanical failure, while metal couplers risk corrosion and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A plastic pipe coupler system using mirrored tubular hubs, a rubberized gasket, and a clamping ring to create a fluid-tight seal, allowing easy disassembly and uniform thermal expansion, reducing material waste and maintenance needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If butt welding or metal couplers are used to connect plastic pipe segments, then permanent and strong connections are achieved, but thermal expansion mismatches cause leaks and mechanical failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using uniform plastic material for both the pipe segments and the coupler body, eliminating thermal expansion mismatches between dissimilar materials. The coupler is made from the same plastic material as the pipes, ensuring consistent thermal expansion characteristics and preventing stress concentration at material interfaces that would otherwise cause leaks and mechanical failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the connection parameter from permanent welding to a removable mechanical coupling system. The coupler includes an internal threading mechanism that allows pipes to be screwed in and out, enabling the connection to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining a secure, leak-free seal through threaded engagement rather than rigid fusion.
2Strength
If metal couplers are used to connect plastic pipes, then strong mechanical connection is achieved, but corrosion and contamination risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates material incompatibility by constructing the entire coupling system (coupler body, sealing elements, threading) from plastic material matching the pipe material. This homogeneous construction removes the corrosion and galvanic reaction risks associated with metal-plastic interfaces, while maintaining mechanical strength through the plastic threading and coupling mechanism.
3Reliability
If specialized labor and equipment are used for permanent pipe connections, then reliable joints are achieved, but installation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection system into a modular coupler component with integrated threading and sealing features that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows standard plastic fabrication techniques to be used instead of specialized welding equipment, enabling reliable joints to be created through simple screwing operations that any worker can perform without specialized training.
4Reliability
If permanent connections are used to ensure system integrity, then leak-free operation is achieved, but material waste and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static permanent connection into a dynamic removable connection. The threaded coupler design allows pipes to be easily assembled and disassembled multiple times without damage or material waste. System integrity is maintained through the threaded sealing mechanism, while the ability to remove and reuse components eliminates the material waste associated with cutting and discarding permanently welded pipes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a durable, leak-free, and cost-effective connection that maintains integrity over varying temperatures, simplifies installation, and reduces operational downtime by using uniform material properties.
Implementation Method 1
an annular rubberized gasket configured to hold the first tubular hub and the second tubular hub in the mirrored arrangement, the rubberized gasket including a protrusion that touches each of the first tubular hub and the second tubular hub to wholly cover the gap
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses pipe coupling configurations including a plastic pipe coupler for coupling plastic pipe segments. The pipe coupler includes tubular hubs connected to the pipe segments, the tubular hubs being arranged in a mirrored arrangement such that a predesigned gap separates the tubular hubs; an annular rubberized gasket configured to hold the first tubular hub and the second tubular hub in the mirrored arrangement, the rubberized gasket including a protrusion that touches each of the tubular hubs to wholly cover the gap, such that leakage of a liquid, that is being transported via the pipe segments, through the gap is mitigated; and a clamping ring configured to annularly extend over the rubberized gasket and the tubular hubs to seal the mirrored arrangement and to couple the pipe segments. Various other aspects are contemplated.