Field of the Invention

The present invention refers to a system to provide the simple and reliable connection between a hydraulic device, such as a gate valve, flush valve or mixer, having a body formed in metallic alloy, and a pipe generally formed in plastic material and having its parts joined without using threads and sealing tapes.

Prior Art

Nowadays, the pipes in plastic material, of the PPR, PVC or CPVC type, which are used for hot and cold water in different building installations, have the connections joined by thermofusion or by adhesive for the sealing and fixation of spigot-and-socket connections, without the need of providing threads or thread seal tapes.

When a hydraulic device, presenting a body in metallic material and provided with threaded nozzles, has to be coupled to said pipe in plastic material, for hot and cold water, each connection between the pipe and the device defines a "weak point" of the hydraulic installation, being subject to leakages which are not covered by the guarantee given by the manufacturer of the tubes and connections made of plastic material and used in said pipes.

The current solution for reliably carrying out the problematic coupling mentioned above uses especial hydraulic devices, presenting the body constructed in a plastic material compatible with the plastic material applied in the formation of the tubes and connections of said pipes. However, this solution presents the inconvenience of requiring, from the manufacturer of the hydraulic device, the ^' production of two or more constructive versions for the same size and type of device. In one of the versions, the device body is conventionally formed in metallic alloy, to be applied in pipes made of galvanized steel and copper, whilst in the other version the hydraulic device body is formed in plastic material compatible with the plastic material of said pipes .

There are also known different prior art constructions to provide the connection between the two pipe elements for conducting different fluids, without requiring the use of threads in said elements. These known constructions comprise, as common characteristics, a telescopic fitting between the two pipe elements and the provision of at least one sealing ring and one elastic locking ring or locking clamp, which are operatively associated with the two pipe elements, for guaranteeing the tightness and the axial locking between the two pipe elements. Connections of this type can be found in different former patent documents .

Document US 2,440,452 describes a quick fitting for pressurized fluid pipes, which allows quick operations for coupling and uncoupling the pipe elements. However, it is not suggested any construction in this document which leads to solve the mounting problem object of the present patent application.

Document US 6,932,391 describes a quick fitting arrangement to be preferably applied in the pressurized vessels used in water treatment systems, the invention relating the provision of means to avoid uncoupling the fitting parts while pressure exists in the interior of the pipe elements. It is not suggested any constructive arrangement for solving the problem aimed by the present invention, using the common generic concept mentioned above .

Document WO 2009/066335 refers to a connection arrangement for tubular manifolds of thermal -conditioning systems in buildings, said arrangement using the same concept of telescopic fitting, with sealing rings and elastic locking rings, to allow the relative rotation of the mutually- fitted pipe parts. However, this document does not suggest a connection system which allows this type of fitting to connect a pipe element in metallic material with another pipe element in plastic material, without using threaded connections.

Document US 7,772,089 describes a coupling for flexible conducts, using the same principle of the telescopic fitting between the two pipe parts, by interposing a sealing ring and an elastic locking ring. In this document, it is not described or suggested any constructive characteristic which allows applying said fitting for solving the problem aimed by the present invention .

Summary of the Invention

Due to the limitations and inconveniences of the known solutions, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connection system to be used in hydraulic installations for hot and cold water, which allows simply and reliably mounting a hydraulic device with a metallic body to a pipe which has its tubes and connections formed in plastic material, of the PPR, PVC, CPVC type or also in another material which allows joining the pipe parts by adhesive or thermofusion, for the sealing and fixation of spigot-and-socket connections which do not require threads or sealing tapes.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a connection system as defined above and which allows an easy and versatile rotational mounting adjustment of the hydraulic device body, even after its coupling to said pipe.

The invention has also the object of providing a connection system as mentioned above and which allows the device and the pipe to be easily and quickly uncoupled from each other, at any time, without causing any damage or destruction to the pipe parts which form the connection.

As already mentioned above, the present connection system is applied to a hydraulic device having a metallic body provided with at least one tubular nozzle to be coupled to a pipe in plastic material having connections obtained by sealing or thermofusion.

According to the invention, the tubular nozzle presents a cylindrical sealing surface provided with a circumferential channel, the connection system further comprising: a tubular connecting device, formed in a single piece of plastic material and provided with at least one end nozzle having a cylindrical surface to be telescopically fitted to a respective end of a pipe and hermetically attached thereto by sealing or thermofusion, and with at least one opposite end nozzle, presenting a cylindrical surface provided with a circumferential recess and to be telescopically fitted in relation to the cylindrical sealing surface of a respective tubular nozzle of the hydraulic device; a sealing ring, carried by one of the parts defined by the cylindrical sealing surface of the tubular nozzle and by the cylindrical surface of said opposite end nozzle and to be radially pressed against the other of said parts; and a retention ring, which is housed and locked, in at least one axial direction, in one of the parts defined by the circumferential recess of the opposite end nozzle and by the circumferential channel and projecting radially outwardly from said part, to be fitted and locked, in an opposite axial direction, in the other of said parts.

The constructive solution defined above allows a hydraulic device, with a metallic alloy body, to be easily and reliably coupled to a piping for hot or cold water, by using different tubular connecting devices, such as connections in the form of T, knee, Y-mixer, L, and spigot -and-socket nipples and others, said tubular connecting devices being generally formed in plastic material compatible with that of said piping and which can be mounted, by thermofusion or sealing, to the tubes and the other connections of said piping, simplifying the amount of parts involved in the hydraulic installations. The constructive solution used to couple the tubular connecting devices to the nozzles of the body of the hydraulic device allows said body to be rotated around the axis common to the nozzles, facilitating the rotational adjustment upon positioning the hydraulic device body in a support structure, generally a building wall .

In a way of carrying out the invention, one of the parts of hydraulic device and tubular connecting device is provided with a cutout, communicating a segment of one of the respective elements of circumferential recess and circumferential channel with the exterior of both parts of hydraulic device and tubular connecting device, when already coupled to each other. In this constructive embodiment, the retention ring incorporates a pair of grip tabs, projecting outwards from the respective parts of hydraulic device and tubular connecting device, through the cutout .

The constructive embodiment defined above allows the hydraulic device to be uncoupled from the pipe element at any time, it being only necessary that the operator produces the necessary deformation of the elastic locking ring. Thus, in case of occurring any error of installation, alteration of project or replacement of parts which require disassembly of said metal/plastic connection, it will not be necessary to destroy any of the parts of hydraulic device and pipe, in the coupling region therebetween, avoiding time-consuming and tiring operations and also loss- of material.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be described below, with reference to the enclosed drawings, given by way of example of some possible embodiments of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a hydraulic device body and of two tubular connecting devices, constructed according to a first embodiment of the invention and using a frusto-conical retention ring, for allowing connecting the two nozzles of the hydraulic device body to respective parts of a pipe in plastic material of the type in which the junctions are made by sealing or thermofusion;

Figure 2 is an exploded longitudinal diametrical sectional view of the hydraulic device and of the two tubular connecting devices illustrated in figure 1, with the latter already carrying the respective sealing and retention rings;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal diametrical sectional view of the hydraulic device and of the tubular connecting device illustrated in figures 1 and 2, in its final mounting position in the nozzles of the hydraulic device body;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal diametrical sectional view of the body of a hydraulic device to which are coupled two tubular connecting devices, one of them in the form of a knee at 90° and the other in the form of "T" , both using a cylindrical retention ring;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal diametrical sectional view of the bodies of two hydraulic devices of the type illustrated in figure 4 and in whose confronting tubular nozzles are coupled the opposite end nozzles of a tubular connecting device in the form of a Y-mixer, using cylindrical retention rings;

Figure 6 represents an exploded perspective view of a hydraulic device body and of a tubular connecting device, both constructed according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 represents a view similar to that of figure 6, but illustrating the tubular connecting device already coupled in the interior of a nozzle of the hydraulic device ;

Figure 8 represents a lateral view of the mounted assembly illustrated in figure 7, but with one of the nozzles of the hydraulic device and with the tubular connecting device coupled therein being diametrically cut ;

Figures 9, 10 and 11 represent views similar to those of figures 6, 7 and 8, but illustrating a third embodiment of the present connection system;

Figure 12 represents a perspective view of the hydraulic device, illustrated in figures 9 to 11 and coupling, in one of the nozzles, a T-shaped tubular connecting device, said view also illustrating, explodedly in relation to the other device nozzle, a tubular connecting device in the form of knee at 90°; and

Figure 13 illustrates a longitudinal diametrical sectional view of the two tubular connecting devices illustrated in figures 9 to 11, already coupled to the also cut nozzles of the hydraulic device.

Description of the Invention

As illustrated in the enclosed drawings, the invention is applied to a hydraulic device A having a body 10 formed in metallic alloy and provided with tubular nozzles 11, which preferably present a common axis. The tubular nozzles 11 are configured to couple respective ends E of a pipe T, formed in plastic material, for example, of the PPR, PVC or CPVC type, for hot and cold water hydraulic installations .

According to the invention, each tubular nozzle 11 presents a cylindrical sealing surface 12, preferably coaxial to the axis of the two tubular nozzles 11 and which is medianly provided with a circumferential channel 13 which, in the illustrated constructions, presents a rectangular cross- section, with an outer lateral wall 13a and an inner lateral wall 13b which project radially from the cylindrical sealing surface 12.

In the constructions illustrated in the drawings, the cylindrical sealing surface 12 is defined in the interior of each tubular nozzle 11 which presents the form of a female socket, to receive, by telescopic fitting, a male pipe element. However, it should be understood that the cylindrical sealing surface 12 can be defined externally to the respective tubular nozzle 11, in which case the latter presents the form of a male tubular spigot, to be fitted in the interior of a socket end of a pipe element. Further according to the illustrated construction, each tubular nozzle 11 presents a free end edge 11a, ^■ the cylindrical sealing surface 12 of each tubular nozzle 11 being defined between an axially and radially innermost annular stop surface 14, turned axially outwards and disposed transversally to the axis of the tubular nozzle 11, and the free end edge 11a of the latter.

The present connection system includes a tubular connecting device D, obtained in a single piece of plastic material, adequate to the formation of cold and hot water pipe elements and to be coupled to a tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A.

As already previously mentioned, the tubular connecting device D can take the form of any of the pipe elements defined by a T or knee connection (see figures 4, 12 and 13) by a Y-mixer connection (see figure 5) , by a spigot- and-socket nipple (see figures 1 to 3), or also by other forms of connections used in pipe fittings.

The tubular connecting device D is provided with at least one end nozzle 20, having a cylindrical surface 21 which is configured to be telescopically fitted and hermetically attached, by sealing or thermofusion, to a respective end E of a pipe T.

The tubular connecting device D is further provided with at least one opposite end nozzle 30 presenting a cylindrical surface 31 which is provided with a circumferential recess 32.

The cylindrical surface 31 is telescopically fitted to the cylindrical sealing surface 12 of a respective tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A.

In the constructions illustrated in the enclosed drawings, each end nozzle 20 of the tubular connecting device D is defined by a tubular sleeve 20a in whose interior is defined the cylindrical surface 21 to be telescopically fitted and- hermetically attached, by sealing or thermofusion, around an end E of a pipe T. On the other hand, in the constructions illustrated in figures 4, 5, 12 and 13, each end nozzle 20 of the tubular connecting device D is defined by a tubular neck 20b, forming a tubular spigot portion and around which, or in the interior of which (see figures 12 and 13), is defined the cylindrical surface 21 to be telescopically fitted and attached, by sealing or thermofusion, to a pipe end (not illustrated) .

In figures 4 and 5, said pipe end (not illustrated) is configured in the form of female socket, such as that illustrated as a tubular sleeve 20a.

In figures 12 and 13, said pipe end (not illustrated) must be configured in the form of male tubular spigot. Each opposite end nozzle 30 of the tubular connecting device D is generally defined by a tubular neck 30a, around which is defined the cylindrical surface 31, provided with the circumferential recess 32 and to be telescopically fitted and hermetically retained in the interior of the cylindrical sealing surface 12 of a respective tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A, as illustrated in the drawings.

Although not illustrated herein, it should be understood that the cylindrical surface 31 can be defined internally to the respective opposite end nozzle 30, in which case the latter presents the form of a female tubular socket, to be fitted around a neck-shaped tubular nozzle 11 of the body 10 of the hydraulic device A, as already previously commented.

In the preferred construction illustrated in the drawings, the cylindrical surface 31 of the tubular neck 30a is provided with at least one circumferential groove 33, axially external to the circumferential recess 32, to receive a respective sealing ring 40, preferably obtained in elastomeric material and which is partially housed and retained in the respective circumferential groove 33, so as to be radially pressed against the cylindrical sealing surface 12 of a respective tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A.

It should be understood that the at least one sealing ring 40 can be carried by the respective tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A, when said nozzle takes the form of a tubular neck, of the type illustrated herein and associated with the tubular connecting device D. In this case, the at least one circumferential groove 33 housing a respective sealing ring 40, would be provided on the cylindrical sealing surface 12 defined around the tubular nozzle 11 (not illustrated) , said circumferential groove being positioned axially external to the circumferential channel 13.

Each tubular connecting device D further comprises an elastically deformable retention ring 50, which is housed and locked, in at least one axial direction, in one of the parts defined by the circumferential recess 32 of the opposite end nozzle 30 and by the circumferential channel 13 and projecting radially outwardly from said part, to be fitted and locked, in an opposite axial direction, in the other of said parts.

In the illustrated construction, the retention ring 50 is housed and locked, in an axial direction, in the outer circumferential recess 32 of the tubular neck 30a and projects radially . outwards from said outer circumferential recess 32, so as to be fitted and locked, in an opposite axial direction, in the circumferential channel 13 of the tubular nozzle 11, when the latter receives the tubular neck 30a of the tubular connecting device D.

According to the present constructive concept, the retention ring 50 is housed in one of the parts defined by the circumferential recess 32 of the opposite end nozzle 30 and by the circumferential channel 13 of the tubular nozzle 11, each of said parts presenting an outer lateral wall 13a, 32a and an inner lateral wall 13b, 32b, respectively.

The retention ring 50, preferably formed in plastic material, has an internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of said part (of recess or of channel 32, 13) around which said ring is housed, and a external diameter which is radially and elastically deformable, from a value greater than that of the smaller diameter of the other of said parts to a value smaller than that of said smaller diameter. Besides the constructive aspect mentioned above, said retention ring 50 presents an end edge seated and axially locked against an outer lateral wall (32a in the example) of the part which houses said ring, and an opposite end edge seated and axially locked against an opposite outer lateral wall (13a in the example) of the other of said parts.

With the proposed construction, upon fitting the opposite end nozzle 30 in the interior of a tubular nozzle 11, the retention ring 50, upon reaching the free end edge 11a of the tubular nozzle 11, is radially and elastically deformed to retract in the interior of the outer circumferential recess 32 of the cylindrical surface 31 of the opposite end nozzle 30, in the form of tubular neck 30a, until said recess becomes aligned with the circumferential channel 13 of the tubular nozzle 11, when the retention ring 50 can be elastically expanded to penetrate in the interior of the circumferential channel 13, as illustrated in figures 4 and 5, axially locking the opposite end nozzle 30 in the interior of the tubular nozzle 11.

In the construction illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 3, the retention ring 50 is axially split and presents a frusto-conical shape, with the smaller base defined by the ring end edge which is seated against the outer lateral wall 32a or 13a of the part which houses the ring, which part, in the drawings, is defined by the circumferential recess 32 of the opposite end nozzle 30 of the tubular connecting device D. The larger base is defined by the opposite ring end edge, to be seated against the opposite lateral wall 32b or 13b of the other of said parts, which is illustrated as being the circumferential channel 13 of the tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A.

In the construction illustrated in figures 4, 5 to 13, the retention ring 50 is also axially split and presents a cylindrical shape with a rectangular cross-section, having a width slightly smaller than the distance between the outer lateral wall 32a or 13a and inner lateral wall 32b or 13b of the circumferential recess 32 or of the circumferential channel 13, and a radial thickness not superior to the radial ^' depth of said recess or said channel. In other words, the retention ring 50 is dimensioned so as to be retracted, by elastic deformation, in the interior of the circumferential recess 32 or circumferential channel 13, upon the telescopically fitting of the pipe parts to be coupled. Upon completion of the movement for fitting the parts, the retention ring 50 returns to a rest position, in which it remains housed in the interior of one of the parts of circumferential recess 32 and of circumferential channel 13, penetrating in the interior of the other of said parts, so as to axially lock the tubular connecting device D in the hydraulic device A.

As illustxated in figure 2, the tubular neck 30 presents an external contour with circular cross - section and an axial extension Y smaller than the distance X between the annular stop surface 14 and the free end edge 11a of each tubular nozzle 11, so as to allow the tubular neck 30a to axially penetrate in the interior of the tubular nozzle 11, by an extension sufficient so that the axially outermost end edge of the retention ring 50 can be radially expanded to the interior of the circumferential channel 13 of the tubular nozzle 11 and seated against the outer lateral wall 13a of said channel 13.

As illustrated in figures 6 to 13, the tubular connecting device D can incorporate, externally to the tubular neck 30a, a circumferential shoulder 35, to be seated against the free end edge 11a of the tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A and operating as a stop which limits the telescopic fitting between the connecting parts. For this purpose, the tubular neck 30a presents an outer contour, with a preferably circular cross - section and an axial extension Y, between the circumferential shoulder 35 and the end of the opposite end nozzle 30, smaller than or equal to the distance X between the annular stop surface 14 and the free end edge 11a of each tubular nozzle 11, so as to allow that the tubular neck 30a can axially penetrate in the interior of the tubular nozzle 11, by an extension sufficient so that the axially outermost end edge of the retention ring 50 can be radially expanded to the interior of the .circumferential channel 13 of the tubular nozzle 11 and seated against the outer lateral wall 13a of said channel 13.

As can be noted, in the construction illustrated in figures 1 to 5, it is not foreseen the disassembly of the coupled parts of hydraulic device A and tubular connecting device D.

However, the connection system can be constructed to allow the parts of hydraulic device A and tubular connecting device D to be easily disconnected from each other, at any time and without causing any damage or destruction to the already connected parts, in case said disassembly is necessary due to any error of installation, alteration of project or replacement of parts which require the disassembly of said metal/plastic connection .

According to the second and third embodiments of the invention, illustrated in figures 6 to 8 and 9 to 13, one of the parts of hydraulic device A and tubular connecting device D is provided with a cutout R disposed so as to communicate, radially and axially, a segment of the circumferential recess 32 of the opposite end nozzle 30 or of the circumferential channel 13 of the tubular nozzle 11, with the exterior of the respective part of hydraulic device A or of tubular connecting device D.

As proposed in the second and third embodiments, the retention ring 50 presents two portions of its circumferential extension that can be accessed by the outside of the respective part of hydraulic device A and of tubular connecting device D through the cutout R. In the illustrated constructive form, the two said accessible circumferential extensions portions are respectively defined by spaced-apart free ends 51 of the retention ring 50.

Each accessible circumferential extension portion of the retention ring 50 can incorporate, as illustrated, a grip tab 52 which projects outwards from the respective part of hydraulic device A and of tubular connecting device D, through the cutout R.

In these two embodiments, the retention ring 50 has each of its free ends 51 spaced from each other, in the ring rest condition, and each can incorporate a grip tab 52 which projects outwardly from the respective part of hydraulic device A and tubular connecting device D, through the cutout R, so as to allow said grip tabs 52 to be manually pressed against each other, to elastically deform the retention ring 50 to a retracted position in the interior of the circumferential recess 32 or of the circumferential channel 13, allowing said parts of hydraulic device A and tubular connecting device D to be uncoupled from each other. .

It should be understood that the grip tabs 52, when provided, can be incorporated to different parts of the retention ring 50 and not necessarily in its ends 51. As illustrated in figures 6 and 7, each grip tab 52 can be provided with a hole 51a, so as to facilitate its gripping through a tool which is adequate to provide the elastic deformation of the retention ring 50.

It should be understood that the retention ring 50 can be deprived of the grip tabs 52. In this case, the hole 51a which can be provided in each grip tab 52, in each respective accessible circumferential extension portion of the retention ring 50, can be replaced by an identical hole disposed in the respective free end 51 of the retention ring 50, so as to be accessible, through the cutout R, to a tool for elastically deforming the retention ring 50.

In the construction of figures 6, 7 and 8, the cutout R takes the form of a window 16 provided along a segment of the circumferential channel 13 of each of the tubular nozzles 11 of the hydraulic device A, communicating said circumferential channel 13 radially and axially with the exterior of the respective tubular nozzle 11. This construction allows the retention ring 50 to have its grip tabs 52 manually pressed against each other, so as to deform the retention ring 50 to a retracted position in the interior of the circumferential recess 32 of the tubular connecting device D, allowing the latter to be coupled and uncoupled in relation to a respective tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A. After coupling the two parts A, D, the grip tabs 52 of the retention ring 50 remain projecting radially outwardly from the window 16. In the construction of figures 9 to 13, the cutout R takes the form of a slot 36, provided along a segment of the circumferential recess 32 of the opposite end nozzle 30 of the tubular connecting device D, axially communicating said circumferential recess 32 with the exterior of the opposite end nozzle 30. In this construction, the grip tabs 52 project axially outwardly from the circumferential recess 32, through the slot 36, so that they can be manually operated with the parts A, D, before and after their mutual coupling. Thus, the grip tabs 52 can be easily and manually pressed against each other, to deform the retention ring 50 to the retracted position in the interior of the circumferential recess 32 of the tubular connecting device D, allowing the latter to be coupled and uncoupled in relation to a respective tubular nozzle 11 of the hydraulic device A. After coupling the two parts A, D, the grip tabs 52 of the retention ring 50 remain projecting axially outwardly from the slot 36.

While only some of the possible embodiments of the invention have been illustrated herein, it should be understood that alterations can be made in the form and arrangement of the component parts, without departing from the inventive concept defined in the claims which accompany the present specification.