DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns an adapter for use in the fluid dynamics sector. In particular, the present invention refers to an adapter designed to connect two fluid-dynamic devices or a fluid-dynamic device to a user. More specifically, the present invention refers to an adapter designed to connect fluid-dynamic devices or a fluid-dynamic device to a user when the threadings of the elements to be connected are not uniform in terms of diameter, thread profile, pitch, direction or are both internal and external.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART

Since threadings are shaped like a helix internally or externally on cylindrical surfaces to couple two bodies in a releasable manner, each threading is normally distinguished by a plurality of parameters, including: form of the profile (or format) of the single thread, profile angle, mean diameter, thread pitch, direction of the helix. It is known that in the sector of threaded couplings it is common practice to use components readily available on the market, selected according to the field of use and the dimensions of the elements to be connected. When it is necessary to connect sealed hydraulic or fluid- dynamic devices, terminal members provided with Whitworth or Gas internal or external threading are normally preferred, whereas to couple mechanical members, it is normal to use screws and nut screws with metric type threadings, the construction and dimensional parameters of which are established by ISO standards. Different types of threadings will be preferred for use when providing more or less permanent connections of wooden or metal members, or a lamp to a lamp holder, or in the case of special applications.

Returning to threaded connections in the field of fluid dynamics, they are usually provided between tubular elements delimited by internally or externally threaded portions, which are placed in axial contact, where the fluid-tight connection is guaranteed by gaskets, while radially the seal can be obtained by using elastic rings, also called O-rings, housed inside internal or external grooves.

The most frequent drawbacks of this type of connection occur when the threaded tubular interfaces to be connected are not mechanically compatible, for example for the type of threading, or are not complementary, in the sense that they are both internal or external. In other cases the connection must be established between two or more rigid pipes, or between a pipe and an apparatus such as, for example but not limited to, a pump, where it is not permitted or it is inconvenient or difficult to rotate the threaded interfaces with respect to each other by multiples of 360°, so that it is not possible to ensure the hydraulic continuity of the connection through a sufficient number of reciprocally engaged threads considering the operating conditions.

In the majority of cases, it is not possible to intervene on the interface threadings to make them couplable and therefore, due to the above, the problem of easily connecting two interfaces for fluid-dynamic uses with different threadings in an agile and fluid-tight manner is currently unresolved.

In view of the situation described above, it would be desirable to have an adapter which, in addition to limiting and if possible overcoming the drawbacks typical of the state of the art illustrated above, defines a new standard for the connections described above.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention concerns an adapter for hydraulic use. In particular, the present invention refers to an adapter designed to connect hydraulic devices or a hydraulic device to a user. More specifically, the present invention refers to an adapter designed to connect hydraulic devices or a hydraulic device to a user when the threadings of the elements to be connected are not uniform in terms of diameter, thread profile, pitch, direction or are both internal and external.

The drawbacks described above are solved by the present invention according to at least one of the following claims.

According to some embodiments of the present invention a nipple is implemented to provide a fluid-tight connection between two mechanical members for the transport of fluids; said nipple being longitudinally delimited by a first coupling portion and by a second coupling portion that extend according to respective first and second longitudinal axes and having a through cavity concentric to the respective said first and second axes; said first coupling portion having a first external threading with a given first diameter, concentric to the respective said first axis, produced according to a first given profile with a first given pitch; characterised in that said second coupling portion has externally a plurality of bosses extending parallel to the respective said second axis, where each said boss has a given longitudinal extension. According to an embodiment as described above, the said first and second longitudinal axes are aligned or inclined at will. According to some embodiments of the present invention, an adapter is implemented to provide a fluid-tight connection between two mechanical members for the transport of fluids; at least one of said mechanical members comprising a nipple as described above.

According to an embodiment as described above, the adapter comprises a first ring that extends along a third longitudinal axis and has internally a plurality of cavities, each designed to couple with a said boss, and a sleeve coaxially couplable to said first ring in an axially rigid and rotatable manner and having internally a first seat coaxial with said first ring and with internal diameter greater than or equal to a diameter of said first threading to house it internally.

According to an embodiment as described above, in an intermediate position between said sleeve and first ring at least one of said sleeve and first ring has a circumferential crest made of plastic material fusible by means of ultrasonic welding technology to produce a first coupling joint.

According to an embodiment as described above, said bosses are prismatic, distributed with uniform pitch around said second axis, have constant cross section and given longitudinal extension; said first ring being delimited by a first face transverse to said third axis on the side opposite said sleeve and by a second face coupled to said sleeve; each of said cavities having a first longitudinal segment open on said face and section slightly larger than said cross section of said boss.

According to an embodiment as described above, said cavities are arranged circumferentially at a constant pitch and longitudinally open; each of said cavities furthermore having a second segment that extends transverse to said first segment and is open on the latter, and is longitudinally delimited by a second bottom transverse to said third axis for a transverse extension at least double a base width of said boss.

According to an embodiment as described above, said bosses and said cavities are arranged at a pitch angle of 45° around said third axis; each said boss having base width calculated so as to permit relative rotations of said bosses inside said second segments through a maximum of 25°.

According to an embodiment as described above, said sleeve carries coaxially a cylindrical interface on the opposite side to said first ring and coupled to said sleeve in an axially and angularly rigid manner.

According to an embodiment as described above, in an intermediate position between said sleeve and cylindrical interface at least one of said sleeve and cylindrical interface is provided with a circumferential strip made of plastic material fusible by means of ultrasonic welding technology to produce a second coupling member.

According to an embodiment as described above, said cylindrical interface is coaxial to said first axis and is provided externally with a circumferential groove in the end position.

According to an embodiment as described above, said cylindrical interface is coaxial to said first axis and is provided externally with a second external threading. According to an embodiment as described above, said cylindrical interface is provided internally with a second seat having diameter identical to a diameter of said first seat.

According to an embodiment as described above, said adapter comprises a modular ring nut provided with a coupling portion designed to couple with said circumferential groove in an axially fixed and angularly rotating manner; said ring nut being provided internally with a third threading coaxial to said first threading.

According to an embodiment as described above, said adapter comprises an annular extension longitudinally couplable with said second coupling portion in a manner angularly determined through a toothed connection; said annular extension and said second coupling portion being provided, in use coupled through a toothed connection, with at least a grooved guide that extends longitudinally between said annular extension and second coupling portion.

According to an embodiment as described above, in an intermediate position between said nipple and annular extension, at least one of said nipple and annular extension is provided with a circumferential strip made of plastic material fusible by means of ultrasonic welding technology to produce a third coupling member.

According to an embodiment as described above, said annular extension carries externally a second fixing ring provided with a tooth for each said grooved guide so as to be, in use, movable longitudinally in an angularly fixed manner with respect to said annular extension and said second coupling portion; said annular extension being provided with at least one elastic member designed to exert an axial thrust between said second ring and said first ring 40. According to an embodiment as described above, said first ring and second ring are provided with respective first and second toothed coupling members designed to interpenetrate each other when in use, said first ring housing said bosses in said second segments with a locking function .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Further characteristics and advantages of the adapter according to the present invention will appear clearer from the following description, provided with reference to the attached figures that illustrate at least one non limiting embodiment example, in which identical or corresponding parts of the adapter are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

- figure 1 is a schematic perspective view, with parts not shown for clarity, of an adapter according to the present invention;

- figure 2 is a view of figure 1 in longitudinal section on an enlarged scale and of a component couplable longitudinally to the adapter of said figure 1 shown from the side;

- figure 2a is a view of an inner portion of a detail of figure 2 shown in a rectified manner;

- figure 3 is a view of an assembly comprising figure 1 in section and on a reduced scale;

- figure 4a is a first exploded view of figure 3 on an enlarged scale;

- figure 4b is a second exploded view of figure 3 in longitudinal section;

- figures 5-7 are views of some embodiments of a particular excerpt from the preceding figures;

- figure 8 is a view of figure 7 coupled with a component of figure 1;

- figure 9 is a view of figure 8 coupled with the component longitudinally couplable with the adapter shown in figure

2;

- figure 10 is an assembly of figure 1 in combination with a plurality of details taken from the preceding figures;

- figure 11 is a three-dimensional schematic view of a variation of the component shown from the right-hand part of figure 2a; and

- figure 12 is a longitudinal section view of figure 11. DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Before describing in detail the preferred embodiments of the present invention or details thereof, it is useful to specify that the relative protective scope is not limited to the particular embodiments described below. The disclosure and description in the present document are illustrative and explanatory of one or more currently preferred embodiments and variations, and it will be clear to persons skilled in the art that various changes in the design, organization, order of operation, operating means, structures of the equipment and position, methodology and use of mechanical equivalents can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Furthermore, it should be understood that the attached figures and drawings have the purpose of clearly illustrating and disclosing currently preferred embodiments to one of the persons skilled in the art, but they are not drawings that illustrate how said embodiments should be carried out in practice or real representations of end products; on the contrary, said figures can comprise conceptually simplified views to facilitate understanding or provide an easier and quicker explanation. Furthermore, the relative dimensions and arrangement of the components can differ from those shown and still operate in the spirit of the invention.

It will be understood that various directions such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear" and so on are provided only with respect to the explanation in combination with the drawings and that the components can be oriented differently, for example during transport and production, and during operation. Since many different and distinct embodiments can be provided in the ambit of the concepts taught here, and since multiple modifications can be made to the embodiments described here, it is important to understand that the details provided below are to be interpreted as illustrative and non-limiting of the spirit of the invention.

In figures 1 and 2, the number 1 indicates, overall, an adapter that can be used in combination with a nipple 10, namely an intermediate mechanical connection member for fluid-dynamic uses which is made of plastic material and can be used whenever it is necessary to mechanically head connect in a fluid-tight manner two devices for hydraulic or fluid-dynamic uses, or a hydraulic/fluid-dynamic device to an interface PI (figures 3, 4a, 4b) of a pipe P.

The use of the adapter 1 is strictly necessary when the elements of the respective members to be head connected in a fluid-tight manner have incompatible threaded elements, by way of non-limiting example when the respective threadings are not uniform in terms of format, mean diameter, pitch, direction, or are both internal or external, or it is not possible to freely rotate the elements to be connected by multiples of 360° without creating installation or functional complications, and the use of a commercial type nipple, normally provided with two threadings at the respective ends, does not allow the connection to be made.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, the nipple 10 has a cylindrical through cavity 100 and is longitudinally delimited by a first coupling portion 102 that extends according to a first given longitudinal axis AX', and by a second coupling portion 104, that extends according to a second given longitudinal axis AX' . As shown in the attached figures, the two axes AX' and AX' are aligned due to the particular conformation of the nipple 10, so that the cylindrical cavity 100 is concentric with the first axis AX' and with the second axis AX'', although this characteristic should not be taken as a limitation of the scope of the present invention.

The first coupling portion 102 has a first external threading 106 with a first given diameter, concentric with the first axis AX', where said first threading 106 is produced according to a first given profile with a first given pitch. With particular reference to figure 2, the second coupling portion 104 has externally a plurality of first identical prismatic bosses 1040, extending along the second axis AX'', having constant cross section and given longitudinal extension. With particular reference to figures 2 and 4, the first bosses 1040 are uniformly distributed at a constant pitch around the second axis AX'' and the second coupling portion 104 is connected to the first coupling portion 102 by an intermediate segment provided with a circumferential groove 103 designed to house an O-ring type axial seal, known and not illustrated for the sake of practicality and for reasons of economy of drawing .

Furthermore, the second coupling portion 104 of the nipple 10 is provided peripherally with a plurality of prismatic external grooves 108, extending parallel to the second axis AX, having rectangular section, uniformly distributed around the second axis AX'' between the first bosses 1040. Furthermore, the nipple 10 is frontally shaped, again on the side of the second coupling portion 104, to couple in a rigid and angularly given manner with at least one annular extension 50, also made of plastic material, to elongate the nipple 10 as far as required, as can be seen in figure 3. The relative angular position between the second coupling portion 104 and the annular extension 50, and likewise between two annular extensions 50 (figure 10), is uniquely determined through a toothed connection 80, comprising concave toothed elements 82 and convex elements 84 obtained frontally partly in the second coupling portion 104 and partly in the annular extension 50 (figures 3, 4a and 4b). Each grooved guide 108 extends longitudinally between the annular extension 50 and the second coupling portion 104.

It may be useful to point out that in the intermediate position between the nipple 10 and the annular extension 50 at least one of the nipple 10 and the annular extension 50 is provided with a circumferential crest 11 (figure 2) made of plastic material fusible by means of ultrasonic welding technology to produce a first coupling member 1050 of the adapter 1.

According to figures 1, 2 the adapter 1 is made of plastic material and comprises a first ring 40 which is slightly larger than the longitudinal extension of each first boss 1040 and is provided internally with a plurality of second L-shaped bosses 41 arranged circumferentially at constant pitch, which separate a plurality of cavities 42, arranged circumferentially at constant pitch and open longitudinally. Further to the above description, with reference to figure 2a which shows a detail of the first ring 40 in rectified mode, the first ring 40 extends according to a third longitudinal axis AX''' and each cavity 42 is open on two faces 40' and 40'' which are transverse to the third axis AX''' and delimit the first ring 40 longitudinally. Furthermore, each cavity 42 is designed to house longitudinally a first boss 1040, on condition that the nipple 10 is oriented with the first axis AX' and the second axis AX'' aligned with the third axis AX''', but each cavity 42 is closed longitudinally by a sleeve 20 made of plastic material. In particular each cavity 42 is, in use, closed by a transverse end face 200 of the sleeve 20, where said face 200 acts as a longitudinal abutment for transverse faces 410 of the first bosses 41 (figure 2a) and is designed to act as a longitudinal abutment for each boss 1040 in given operating conditions. The sleeve 20 is couplable to the first ring 40 in an axially rigid and rotatable manner (as can be seen in the attached figures) and is provided internally with a first seat 22 which, once the coupling has been made between the sleeve 20 and the first ring 40, is coaxial to the third axis AX and has internal diameter greater than or equal to a diameter of the first threading 106 of the nipple 10. Due to this characteristic, the nipple 10 houses internally the first portion 102 with the threading 106 in a free manner.

It may be useful to specify that the rigid connection between the sleeve 20 and the first ring 40 can be provided by an ultrasonic welding, particularly effective and easy to obtain when the components are made of plastic material. In this regard, at least one of the sleeves 20 and first ring 40 has at the interface with the other component a circumferential crest made of plastic material (similar to the crest 11 between the nipple 10 and the extension 50, and not illustrated for reasons of economy of drawing) which is fusible by means of ultrasonic welding technology, so as to produce a second coupling member 2040 of the adapter 1.

Further to the above description, the first ring 40 is delimited by a face 40' transverse to the third axis AX on the opposite side to the sleeve 20 and by a face 40 coupled to the sleeve 20; each of the cavities 42 has a first longitudinal segment 420 open on the faces 40' and 40'' and with section slightly larger than the cross section of the first boss 1040.

Again with reference to figures 2 and 4a and 4b, each cavity 42 has a second segment 422 that extends transverse to the first segment 420, is open on the latter and is delimited longitudinally by a second bottom 4220 of the second boss 41 substantially transverse to the third axis AX''' for a transverse extension at least double a base width of the boss 1040. Naturally the longitudinal extension of the first bosses 1040 is substantially identical to the longitudinal extension of the second segment 422 calculated parallel to the third axis AX''', so that when the first bosses 1040 engage the respective second segment 422, the sleeve 20 and the first ring 40 are axially integral. Figure 2a illustrates, in particular, portions of the second coupling portion 104 and of the first ring 40 in a reciprocally facing position with the first bosses 1040 in the process of engaging the cavities 42 according to an L-shaped path, the shape of which depends on the combination of the shapes of the first segment 420 and the second segment 422. It should be noted that each second bottom 4220 acts as a shoulder for the corresponding first boss 1040 and is preferably inclined towards the face 40 of the first ring 40, so as to define a concave portion in the respective second boss 41 that gives greater stability to the engagement position of each first boss 1040 in the end part of the second segment 422 inside the cavity 42. The engagement of this position and the relative release by the first bosses 1040 are allowed given the possibility of axially moving the adapter 1 with respect to the nipple 10 (which carries the first bosses 1040 on the respective second coupling portion 104) both in the coupling phase and in the release phase (of the engagement portion) during the necessary phases of relative rotation between nipple 10 and adapter 1.

The pitch at which the first bosses 1040 and the cavities 42 are arranged measures 45° around the first axis AX' and, respectively, the third axis AX''', therefore the second coupling portion 104 of the nipple 10 and the first ring 40 are couplable through the combination of the eight second bosses 41 and the eight cavities 42. Therefore, when the first bosses 1040 engage the cavities 42 from the respective first segment 420, each first boss 1040 is allowed to rotate with respect to the first ring 40 by an angle that depends on the ratio between the extension of the second segment 422, in particular the working extension of the second bottom 4220 and the base width of the first bosses 1040 calculated on the outer surface of the second coupling portion 104 (from which they are elevated). In order to determine engagement and disengagement of the cavities 42 by the first bosses 1040 as described above, the preferred sizing of the bosses and cavities 42 entails the rotation angle being slightly smaller than 25°. Naturally the same applies to the nipple 10 which carries the first bosses 1040.

With particular reference to figures 3, 4a and 4b, the annular extension 50 carries externally a second fixing ring 60, made of plastic material, provided with a tooth 62 (figure 3) for each grooved guide 108 so as to be, in use, movable longitudinally and in an angularly fixed manner with respect to the annular extension 50 and the second coupling portion 104. The annular extension 50 is provided with at least one elastic member 52 (two in figure 4b) designed to exert an axial thrust between the second ring 60 and the first ring 40. The elastic thrust exerted by each elastic member 52 is useful, in use, for maintaining each first boss 1040 in longitudinal abutment with the respective second bottom 4220 and, for given rotation angles, with the concave portion of the respective second bottom 4220, avoiding reciprocal rotation between the nipple 10 and the first ring 40 and, ultimately, relative accidental detachment.

Furthermore, the first ring 40 and the second ring 60 are provided with respective first 86 and second coupling members 88 toothed frontally on respective opposite ends shaped to head/frontally couple when in use the first ring 40 houses the first bosses 1040 in the second segments 422, where the function of the first 86 and the second coupling members 88 is locking of the first ring 40 with respect to the nipple 10 in the event of axial thrusts greater than the axial force that can be exerted on the second ring 60 by each elastic member 52.

The sleeve 20 extends longitudinally on the side opposite the face 40 with a cylindrical portion 21 as in the figures 2, 3, 4a, 5 which can be provided externally with a circumferential groove 240 or a second external threading 242 according to requirements. As mentioned previously, by producing the sleeve 20 in plastic material, ultrasonic welding allows it to be constructed in two parts couplable by ultrasonic welding. This solution is shown in figures 6, 7 and 8, where the cylindrical portion 21 can be replaced by a cylindrical interface 24 which, in use, will always be located on the side opposite the first ring 40 and part of the sleeve 20 in an axially rigid and rotatable manner as described above.

Further to the above description, with reference to figure 6, the cylindrical interface 24 will be coaxial with the first axis AX' and will be provided externally, alternatively, with the circumferential groove 240 in an end position or will be provided externally with the second external threading 242 as in figures 7 and 8. The cylindrical interface 24 is provided internally with a seat 244 with diameter identical to a given diameter of the first seat 22 so as to freely house the nipple 10 as can be seen in figure 8 throughout the length of the sleeve 20 as in figure 1.

Also in this case, in an intermediate position between the sleeve 20 and the cylindrical interface 24, at least one of the sleeve 20 and the cylindrical interface 24 is provided with a circumferential crest made of plastic material fusible by means of ultrasonic welding technology (similar to the crest 11 between the nipple 10 and the extension 50, and not illustrated for reasons of economy of drawing) to produce a third coupling member 2024 of the adapter 1.

It may be useful to specify that the second external threading 242 can have, according to requirements, a diameter larger than the first threading 106, as in figures 9 and 10, or smaller, useful when the threaded member to be connected on the side of the first coupling portion 102 has a mean diameter smaller than the mean diameter of the threading 106. This solution has not been illustrated for reasons of economy of drawing, since the image would not have provided additional information crucial for understanding the solution.

With particular reference to figures 3 and 4a, where for reasons of practicality of drawing the sleeve 20 is made in one piece, two external threads have to be head-coupled, in particular, two nipples 10 on the side of the respective first threadings 106. In this case, it is useful to position between the two nipples 10 a flat gasket 70 (figures 3 and 10) that isolates the head of the two first coupling portions 102, preventing fluid leaks. Furthermore, the left-hand nipple 10 is provided with the adapter 1 which comprises a modular ring nut 30, made of plastic material, provided with a longitudinal end 31 which is C-shaped in section according to the first axis AX', to couple in an axially fixed and freely rotatable manner with the groove 240 of the sleeve 20; the ring nut 30 is furthermore provided internally with a third threading 32 coaxial to the first axis AX', and therefore to the first threading 106. The ring nut 30 is composed of two complementary half-ring nuts 30' (only one of which can be seen for practicality), each delimited by an end 34. The fact that said ring nut 30 is in two parts allows coupling with the groove 240 to be obtained and allows said coupling to be freely rotating with respect to the first axis AX', thus making operable the respective third threading 32 in axial rotation with respect to the groove 240. In particular, each half-ring nut 30' is provided with a hole 36 that can be used to house a peg 37 (figure 4a), necessary for determining correct coupling between the two half-ring nuts 30' and the helical continuity of the threads of the third threading 32.

The ring nut 30 is then stabilised by a safety ring 38, also made of plastic material, interlocked on the external profiles of the two half-ring nuts 30' and provided with a toothed annular external surface that improves adhesion when, in use, it is necessary to rotate the ring nut 30 by multiples of 360° to screw-couple it to an externally threaded interface of a hydraulic device or to another threaded element.

The use of the adapter 1 and the respective components can be easily understood from the above description and does not require further explanation.

However, it may be useful to specify that use of the adapter 1 in combination with the nipple 10 allows a series of hydraulic connection components to be provided, appropriate for the situation, when connecting two internal threadings, when the two threadings are external, when, although one is internal and one external, it is not possible to rotate the two devices to be coupled to allow the helical coupling, and when the threadings to be coupled have specific characteristics that make them incompatible. The combination of the nipple 10 and the adapter 1 is compatible with provision of the two devices to be coupled with threaded members applied to the adapter 1 or to one end of the nipple 10 having mechanical characteristics definable at will to create a set of fluid-tight hydraulic components with extension definable at will.

For example, whenever two hydraulic or fluid-dynamic devices have to be connected, inclusive of pneumatic devices, a nipple 10 of appropriate dimensions can be used and an adapter 1 axially delimited by the first coupling portion 102 and second coupling portion 104, where the first has the first threading 106 and the second the plurality of first bosses 1040 with the first ring 40 through the cavities 42. The coupling constraint between the nipple 10 and the first ring 40 is determined through a second fixing ring 60 which can be retained in the locking position by at least one elastic member 52 carried by an annular extension 50 rigidly coupled to the nipple 10 on the side of the second coupling portion 104 and designed to exert an axial thrust between the second ring 60 and the first ring 40.

The adapter 1 covers the threading 106 with the portion 21 of the sleeve 20 or with the cylindrical interface 24, based on the conformation of the coupling interface to which the nipple 10 is to be coupled on the side of the respective first threading 106. If the interface of the device to be connected through the nipple 10 has an external threading, then the sleeve 20 of the adapter 1 must be set up with the ring nut 30 provided with the third threading 32 which is internal and consists of the two half-ring nuts 30' coupled in an angularly free manner to the groove 240, locked crosswise by the safety ring 38. If, on the other hand, the threading is internal, with diameter different from that of the first threading 106, then the sleeve 20 must be set up with the cylindrical interface 24, produced in one piece or by permanent connection by ultrasonic welding, as in figures 6-9, said interface being threaded externally.

It is evident that being able to set up hydraulic components having given dimensions using extension members or provided with internally or externally threaded elements with specific characteristics determined based on the specifications of the members to be coupled with hydraulic seal is particularly agile and inexpensive, especially when working with members made of plastic material and therefore permanently couplable, as described above, by ultrasonic welding, the latter also being practical and inexpensive. By operating in this way, it is always possible to transform an external threading into an internal threading and, if necessary, increase the dimension of a threading to the pitch above the standard dimension with a set of pieces that are inexpensive and easy to construct ad hoc in plastic material by chip removal or by additive manufacturing technologies that can be implemented also at home by amateurs who are unskilled in the use of machine tools. Lastly, it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the adapter 1 described and illustrated here without departing from the protective scope of the present invention.

For example, the first ring 40 can be modified into the first ring 400 shown in figures 11 and 12 to stabilise the connection with the respective second coupling portion 104 of the corresponding nipple 10. In particular, again with reference to figures 11 and 12, as a substitute for the second bosses 41, the first ring 400 has a plurality of second bosses 41' arranged circumferentially at a constant pitch, also L-shaped to peripherally delimit a plurality of cavities 42', which are also arranged circumferentially at a constant pitch. Each of these cavities 42' is open longitudinally as can be seen better in figures 11 and 12, but each second boss 41' has a respective second bottom 4220' in the area of the respective second segment 422 which, contrarily to the second bottom 4220, is rectilinear and terminates in a tooth 410' so as to define the concave portion of the second bosses 41' alternatively with respect to what is described for the second bosses 41, where the second bottom 4220 was inclined.

In addition, the first ring 400 has a plurality of third prismatic bosses 411 which protrude from a respective face 400 designed to engage a sleeve 20 in respective frontal housings shaped in a manner corresponding to the third bosses 411 to ensure the angular rigidity of the coupling between the first ring 400 and the sleeve 20. In this way it is possible to lighten the mass of the first ring, since the third bosses 411 take the place of the circular crown with which the first ring 40 couples with the sleeve 20 (for example but without limitation) in figures 1 and 2. In this regard, it is expedient to point out that the above, since it concerns helical mechanical couplings or axially fixed but angularly rotatable couplings, can be applied also when replacing the plastic material to construct the adapter 1, the nipple 1 and all the other components mentioned above with metallic material, or even only a part of the components, unless, of course, a permanent coupling technology is adopted different from ultrasonic welding and identifiable taking account of the type of materials to be permanently coupled and the type of application.

Furthermore, it may be useful to specify that the adapter 1 and the set of components coupled in series in figures 3 and 10, in which all the axial connections between the components are fluid-tight either due to welding or the use of known gaskets like the flat gasket 70 (figure 10) and not illustrated for reasons of economy of drawing, like the O-ring which can engage the groove 103 of the nipple 10 when the latter is mounted internally to the cylindrical interface 24 carried by the first ring 40, as in figure 10, can be effectively used even when it is necessary to connect polyethylene pipes or electric boxes have to be connected in a sealed manner, isolating them from external dust, humidity or water.

Naturally, the adapter 1 described above can be used both when the axes AX', AX' and AX' are aligned and when they are not aligned; for example, but without limitation, when the elements to be connected are part of elbow-shaped or T-shaped mechanical fluid-dynamic connection members, on condition that at least one of the respective end portions is threaded and/or provided with bosses similar to the bosses 1040 and distributed circumferentially and axially as described with reference to each nipple 10 shown in at least one of the attached figures. Also in cases like these, it is considered appropriate to apply what is described above with reference to the nipple 10, it being appropriate to talk about a nipple even when the intermediate mechanical connection member for fluid- dynamic uses is elbow-shaped rather than extending axially, therefore with the first end portion 102 and the respective first axis AX' inclined at will with respect to the second end portion 104, and to the second axis AX''; or when the intermediate mechanical connection member for fluid-dynamic uses is T-shaped, without departing from the protective scope of the present invention.

Based on the above description, it is easy to see that the adapter 1 is necessary when hermetically sealed hydraulic or fluid-dynamic devices have to be connected but the respective interfaces have non-uniform threadings for at least one of the respective constructive and/or dimensional parameters, including form of the profile (or format) of the single thread, profile angle, mean diameter, thread pitch, helix direction.

In the claims, any reference sign placed in brackets shall not be interpreted as a limitation of the claim. The expression "which comprises" does not exclude the presence of other elements or phases in addition to those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the term "one", as used in this context, is defined as one or more than one. Furthermore, the use of introductory phrases like "at least one" and "one or more" in the claims shall not be interpreted in the sense that the introduction of another claim element by the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing said claim element introduced into the inventions that contain only one, even when said claim comprises introductory phrases like "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an". The same applies to the use of definite articles. Unless established otherwise, terms like "first" and "second" are used to arbitrarily distinguish the elements described by said terms. Therefore, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate the chronological or other priority of said elements. The fact that some measurements are described in reciprocally different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measurements cannot be used to advantage.