FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present subject-matter discloses a puddle flange for laying and blocking elongate shaped parts, pipes, lines and/or cables with a circular cross section within the walls of equipment, housings or components provided with walls made of materials like concrete or other materials used in areas like construction.

[0002] In particular, the puddle flange of the present disclosure may be used to seal around the outside of pipes that are required to pass through concrete structures.

BACKGROUND

[0003] There are documents disclosing apparatus with the objective of blocking cylindrical member passing through structural elements like walls, but none of them has the ability of providing a satisfactory tethering effect, which has in consideration the irregularities that cylindrical elements normally have, in terms of shape and diameter asymmetries.

[0004] Document WO2015021959A1 discloses an apparatus which can immobilize the cylindrical element passing through the wall, by fixing the apparatus to the wall. This apparatus it is not efficient to block the rotational and longitudinal movements of the cylindrical element inside the wall, as the element of the flange contacting the cylindrical element is a sealing-press contour which has a very week blocking effect. Although this feature of the flange allows small variations of the diameter and asymmetries of the cylindrical element, it still fails on blocking the cylindrical element and has also the inconvenience of being applied outside the wall and exposed to the environmental conditions, like corrosion and other side effects.

[0005] Document GB1566641A discloses an apparatus which makes a water tight seal between and elongated cylindrical member and a chamber wall through which the cylindrical member extends. This apparatus it is not efficient to block the rotational and longitudinal movements of the cylindrical element inside the wall, as the shape of the surface of contact of the flange with the cylindrical element to be blocked is also cylindrical and smooth. This feature of the flange makes it inefficient in blocking the cylindrical element, mostly because it does not allow small variations of the diameter and asymmetries of the cylindrical element. However, it is suitable to be applied under water but not as a blocking element.

[0006] Document JPH1181664A discloses an apparatus with a similar blocking inability of the cylindrical member as performed by apparatus presented on patent GB1566641A. However, this apparatus is suitable to be embedded inside concrete instead of water. Despite the fact of being suitable to be used inside concrete, it is also inefficient on blocking the rotational and longitudinal movements of the cylindrical element inside. As in case of the apparatus of patent GB1566641A, this feature is also related to the cylindrical shape and smoothness of inner surface of the flange.

[0007] None of the apparatus presented in the prior art can solve the problem of blocking the cylindrical member efficiently by fixing it to a wall and prevent it from the damage of being exposed to the environmental conditions.

[0008] These facts are disclosed in order to illustrate the technical problem addressed by the present disclosure.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

[0009] One of the major problems of the flanges existing in the market for laying and blocking elongate shaped parts, pipes, lines and/or cables with a circular cross section passing through walls, is the inability to fix efficiently the cylindrical element to the wall and take in consideration the natural small variations of the shape and dimensions of the cylindrical element, while enabling on-site adjustment of the placement along the pipe. It is also important to prevent the degradation of the flange due to the exposition to the environmental conditions.

[0010] The present subject-matter discloses a flange suitable for blocking and fixing a cylindrical member to structural elements like concrete walls and to solve the problem of blocking the cylindrical element in an efficient and adjustable way. Also, it is important to prevent the damage of the exposition to the environmental conditions.

[0011] The disclosed flange is suitable for blocking and tethering a cylindrical member at an adjustable placement. This flange is especially adapted to be applied inside the wall and allows the cylindrical member to have minor differences on its shape and diameter without jeopardizing the ability of the flange to block relative to a wall.

[0012] The flange is composed of two separable co-planar half-flanges, each one having a omega shape (Ω), they connect each other in the meeting tabs with screws which are co-planar with the thus formed flange. The screws are substantially longer but less than half of the outer diameter of the flange and the cavities for the screws, which are on the two lateral tabs of both half-flanges, which are slightly shorter than the screws to allow them to be properly tightened. These features improve substantially the mechanical strength of the flange.

[0013] The present invention relates to a puddle flange comprising two separable co-planar omega-shaped half-flanges for blocking a cylindrical member defining an axis, each half-flange comprising two tabs each at an end of the half-flange, said tabs being configured for receiving screws for coupling said half-flanges together, wherein each half-flange has two lateral faces and an internal and external face, wherein the lateral face is longer than the internal and external faces, in order to create a 'beam' between said tabs to produce a blocking force between them towards the pipe.

[0014] In an embodiment, the puddle-flange allows the adjustment to one existent cylindrical element or that already been installed. When the flange is mounted on the cylindrical element to be blocked, it has the shape of a disc with a substantial thickness around the cylindrical element and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical element. Both half-flanges have a surface of contact with the cylindrical element which tends to be circular but it is also discontinuous as it has indents similar to steps with a rectangular shape and/or smoothed ramp transitions between steps. In the direction perpendicular to the plane of the flange, the indents have a profile which is circular shaped. In the direction perpendicular to the plane of the flange, the profile is rectangular, smoothed on the edges and the surface to contact with the element to be blocked has ridges in the middle of the thickness of the flange. The ridges and the discontinuities of the surface of the flange designed to contact with the cylinder element are very important as it improves the blocking effect and allows the existence of irregularities on the shape and diameter of the cylindrical element.

[0015] Both half-flanges have external edges with indents which are circularly shaped and have smoothed transitions. Besides the external edges, the half-flanges also have indents on both faces which may have a rectangular profile when seen in the radial direction of the flange when considering the flange as a disc. Both types of indents are adequate to block the flange, namely inside concrete to prevent the rotation of the flange in the axial direction. When the flange is properly mounted on the cylindrical element, the flange is efficiently blocked to the wall and as the flange is also capable of blocking in an efficient way the cylindrical element. So, it can be concluded that the flange is able to work as an efficient apparatus to fix the cylindrical element to the wall. The mentioned indents of the half-flanges also allow to save material without losing the mechanical strength and the flange thus becomes lighter.

[0016] The flange is suitable to be used inside concrete because it is conceived to improve the efficiency of the blocking effect inside the concrete and it is also conceived to tolerate the natural variations in shape and diameter of the cylindrical element and when inside the concrete, the flange is protected against the degradation of the flange due to the exposition to the environmental conditions.

[0017] It is disclosed a puddle flange comprising two separable co-planar omega-shaped half- flanges for blocking a cylindrical member defining an axis, at a perpendicular angle to said axis, each half-flange comprising two tabs each at an end of the respective half-flange, said tabs being shaped for receiving screws for coupling said half-flanges together, wherein each half-flange has an internal face for contacting with the cylindrical member, wherein the cross-section height, as measured transverse to said internal face, of each half-flange, is larger than the cross-section width, as measured parallel to said internal face, of said internal face. [0018] In an embodiment, the cross-section height, transverse to said internal face, of each half-flange, is shaped such that the half-flange acts as a beam between the respective half- flange tabs for applying a blocking force to the cylindrical member.

[0019] In an embodiment, said half-flanges are shaped to act as a beam between the respective half-flange tabs for applying a blocking force to the cylindrical member by indents in said internal face.

[0020] In an embodiment, said tabs are configured such that the puddle-flange is adjustable to a previously available cylindrical element.

[0021] In an embodiment, said internal face comprises internal indents for blocking against said cylindrical member.

[0022] In an embodiment, said internal indents are shaped radially in respect of said cylindrical member, in said internal face, for biting against said cylindrical member.

[0023] In an embodiment, the internal indents are recesses defining a recessed half-flange shape that has a convex curve in the axial direction and a concave curve in the circumferential direction.

[0024] In an embodiment, the internal indents are recesses defining a recessed half-flange shape in that has a concave circular curve in the circumferential direction having a radius that is smaller than the radius of the outer surface of the cylindrical member.

[0025] An embodiment comprises external indents for concrete fixation.

[0026] In an embodiment, said external indents are located radially in respect of said cylindrical member, in an external face of each said half-flange opposite to a respective internal face.

[0027] In an embodiment, the external indents are recesses defining a recessed half-flange shape that has a convex curve in the axial direction and a concave curve in the circumferential direction.

[0028] In an embodiment, each said half-flange comprises external ridges for concrete fixation. [0029] In an embodiment, said external ridges are located radially in respect of said cylindrical member and externally in respect of each said half-flange.

[0030] In an embodiment, a lateral face of each half-flange comprises a surface depression.

[0031] An embodiment comprises screws and corresponding hex nuts for tightening said screws.

[0032] In an embodiment, the puddle flange is in cast iron.

[0033] In an embodiment, the surface of the puddle flange is rugose.

[0034] In an embodiment, said tabs have a reinforced cross-section in respect of the rest of the respective half-flange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The following figures provide preferred embodiments for illustrating the description and should not be seen as limiting the scope of invention.

[0036] Fig. 1 illustrates two half-flanges of an embodiment of the puddle flange.

[0037] Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a half-flange with the hole screws and the indents that allows to accommodate the irregularities of the shape and diameter of the cylindrical element.

[0038] Fig. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the puddle flange having two half-flanges, wherein each half-flange has coplanar sections that allows the coupling of the two flanges with screws and hex-nuts.

[0039] Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the puddle flange having two half-flanges coupled together.

[0040] Fig. 5 illustrates the placement of an embodiment of the puddle flange having two half- flanges four coupling to a cylindrical tube. [0041] Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the puddle flange having two half-flanges coupled with the cylinder tube.

[0042] Fig. 7 illustrates an example of application where an embodiment of the puddle flange having two half-flanges is coupled with the cylinder with screws and hex-nuts.

[0043] Fig. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a half-flange.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The present invention relates to a puddle flange 1 comprising two separable co-planar omega-shaped half-flanges 2a, 2b for blocking a cylindrical member 3 defining an axis, each half-flange 2a, 2b comprising two tabs 4 each at an end of the half-flange 2a, 2b, said tabs 4 being configured for receiving screws 5 for coupling said half-flanges 2a, 2b together, wherein each half-flange 2a, 2b has two lateral faces and an internal and external face, wherein the lateral face is higher than the internal and external face.

[0045] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, may further comprise a cross section identical to the rectangular cross-section of one beam, wherein their height is higher than their width to offer a higher transverse resistance.

[0046] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, may further comprise external indents 6 for fixation to concrete.

[0047] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, said external indents 6 may be located radially in the external face to said half-flanges 2a, 2b.

[0048] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, may further comprise an internal indents 7 for fixation to the cylindrical member.

[0049] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, said internal indents 7 may be located radially in the internal face to said half-flanges 2a, 2b for contacting and arrest the cylindrical member 3 wherein said internal indents guarantee the fixation by biting the cylindrical member [0050] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, may further comprise external ridges 8 for fixation to concrete.

[0051] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, the external ridges 8 may be located radially and externally to said half-flanges 2a, 2b.

[0052] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, the lateral face of each half-flange 2a, 2b may comprise a surface depression 9.

[0053] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention may further comprise screws 5 and corresponding hex nuts 10 for tightening said screws 5.

[0054] In an embodiment the puddle flange of the present invention, the surface of the puddle flange 1 is rugose for guarantee the friction with de concrete.

[0055] The term "comprising" whenever used in this document is intended to indicate the presence of stated features, integers, steps, components, but not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0056] It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that unless otherwise indicated herein, the particular elements described is illustrative only and can be varied without departing from the disclosure. Thus, unless otherwise stated the steps described are so unordered meaning that, when possible, the steps can be performed in any convenient or desirable order.

[0057] The disclosure should not be seen in any way restricted to the embodiments described and a person with ordinary skill in the art will foresee many possibilities to modifications thereof. The above described embodiments are combinable. The following claims further set out particular embodiments of the disclosure.