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Title:
JOINT FOR CONNECTING TWO PIPES OF A WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR FOR WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN BUILDINGS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2022/097037
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A joint (1) for connecting two pipes of a water drainage system, in particular for water drainage systems in buildings, comprising a central female element (2), extending along an axis A and provided with a pair of axially opposed coupling seats (8), and two lateral male elements (3), extending from respective opposite axial ends (5) of the female element (2); wherein the male elements (3) are connected to the female element (2) by respective independent ball joints (33), defined by respective heads (16) of the male elements (3) having respective outer coupling surfaces (17) cooperating with respective inner lateral surfaces (11) of respective seats (8) of the female element (2).

Inventors:
TIBERTI LUIGI (IT)
ZANCA NICOLA (IT)
ERRANTI PAOLO (IT)
Application Number:
PCT/IB2021/060170
Publication Date:
May 12, 2022
Filing Date:
November 03, 2021
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
VALSIR S P A A SOCIO UNICO (IT)
International Classes:
F16L27/06; E03C1/122; F16L5/02; F16L27/04; F16L37/52; F16L47/18
Foreign References:
EP1925756A12008-05-28
EP3093545A12016-11-16
DE2547755A11977-04-28
DE1234104B1967-02-09
AT222958B1962-08-27
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
CERNUZZI, Daniele et al. (IT)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

1. A joint (1) for connecting two pipes of a water drainage system, in particular for water drainage systems in buildings, comprising a central female element (2), extending along an axis (A) and provided with a pair of axially opposed coupling seats (8), and two lateral male elements (3), extending from respective opposite axial ends (5) of the female element (2) and having respective tubular bodies (13); wherein the male elements (3) are connected to the female element (2) by respective independent ball joints (33), defined by respective heads (16) of the male elements (3) having respective outer coupling surfaces (17) cooperating with respective inner lateral surfaces (11) of respective seats (8) of the female element (2).

2. The joint according to claim 1, wherein the coupling surface (17) of each head (16) of the male elements (3) is formed by a plurality of surface portions (18) separated from one another.

3. The joint according to claim 2, wherein each head (16) comprises a rib part (23) formed by a plurality of longitudinal ribs (24) projecting from an outer lateral base surface (22) of the respective male element (3); the ribs (24) having respective root edges (26) joined to the base surface (22) and respective free profiles (27), opposite to the root edges (26) and shaped to define respective surface portions (18), angularly spaced from one another, of the coupling surface (17).

4. The joint according to claim 3, wherein said profiles (27) are curved, for example shaped as an arc of a circle, in the longitudinal direction on the tubular body (13) and also about the tubular body (13) of the respective male element (3).

5. The joint according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the head (16) comprises an end annular part (21), positioned at a longitudinal end of the tubular body (13) and extending radially from the base surface (22) about the tubular body (13) and adjacent to the rib part (23).

6. The joint according to claim 5, wherein the annular part (21) is shaped as a continuous ring closed in a loop about the tubular body (13) and has a radially outer annular surface (25) curved about the tubular body (13) and also curved in the longitudinal direction along the tubular body (13) and defining one or more first surface portions (18) of the coupling surface (17) of the head (16).

7. The joint according to one of claims 3 to 6, wherein each male element (3) has a first group of radial ribs (24a), extending perpendicular from the base surface (22); and one or more other groups of slanted ribs (24b), forming an angle other than 90° or respective angles other than 90° with the base surface (22). 14

8. The joint according to claim 7, wherein radial ribs (24a) and slanted ribs (24b) are arranged alternately along the circumference of the tubular body (13).

9. The joint according to claim 7 or 8, wherein each head (16) has four radial ribs (24a) arranged as diametrically opposite pairs on the base surface (22); and two pairs of slanted ribs (24b), positioned on opposite sides of respective diametrically opposed radial ribs (24a) and parallel to one another and to said diametrically opposed radial ribs (24a).

10. The joint according to one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the ribs (24) are parallel to a middle plane (M) of the tubular body (13), or perpendicular thereto.

11. The joint according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each head (16) is provided with a circumferential annular groove (28) housing a radial sealing ring (29) cooperating in a fluid-tight manner with the inner lateral surface (11) of the respective seat (8) of the female element (2).

12. Use of a joint (1) according to one of the preceding claims to connect two pipes of a water drainage system, in particular a water drainage system of a building.

13. The use according to claim 12, wherein the joint

(1) connects a bathroom drain pipe (34), arranged through a 15 bathroom wall (35), to a common drain column (36) that collects waste water from a plurality of users of a building.

Description:
"JOINT FOR CONNECTING TWO PIPES OF A WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM,

IN PARTICULAR FOR WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN BUILDINGS"

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102020000026164 filed on November 3, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a joint for connecting two pipes of a water drainage system, in particular for water drainage systems in buildings.

BACKGROUND ART

The joint of the invention finds a preferred application in connecting a bathroom drain pipe to a common drain column that collects waste water from a plurality of users in a building.

In a building's water drainage system provided for collecting the water used by the various users in the building and conveying it outside, it is normally necessary to connect pipe sections which, being in turn fixed to structures in fixed positions, can be misaligned with each other.

The problem of the possible misalignment between pipe sections to be connected may arise, for example, when the drain pipes of the bathrooms of a building, located on different floors, are to be connected to a central drain column. The drain pipes of the various bathrooms pass through walls and therefore have fixed positions; and they have also to be connected to the drain column in predetermined positions. It is therefore clear that construction and/or installation defects can lead to misalignments between the drain pipes and the respective couplings on the drain column.

The problem is particularly evident in the case of prefabricated bathrooms, consisting of modules that are made in the factory and then transported to the construction site and installed in the building under construction.

However, similar problems are encountered in other conditions and in other contexts.

In order to solve the problem of a possible misalignment between pipe sections, it is known to use flexible rubber joints, which, by elastically deforming, can adapt to different conditions of use.

However, flexible joints of this type can be poorly mechanically resistant and therefore less reliable and durable.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art described herein in a particularly simple and efficient manner.

In particular, the object of the invention is to provide a joint for water drainage systems in buildings, which allows misaligned pipe sections to be connected in a simple, fast, and effective manner, and is also simple and inexpensive to manufacture, simple and practical to install, and fully effective and durable in use.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention relates to a joint for connecting two pipes of a water drainage system, in particular for water drainage systems in buildings, as defined in appended claim 1.

Preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The joint of the invention allows misaligned pipe sections to be connected in a simple, fast, and effective manner, and is also simple and inexpensive to manufacture, simple and practical to install, and fully effective and durable in use.

In addition to carrying out the function of correcting any misalignments on the building site between pipes to be connected, the joint of the invention is also able to absorb vibrations and/or movements of the structure, for example due to seismic events.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a side view of a joint for connecting two pipes of a water drainage system, in particular for water drainage systems in buildings, in accordance with the invention;

- Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross view of the joint in Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is an enlarged scale view of a detail of the section in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side view of a component of the joint in Figure 1;

- Figure 5 is a perspective and cross-sectional view of the component in Figure 4;

- Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross view of the joint of the invention in use.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The numeral 1 in Figures 1 and 2 shows, as a whole, a joint for connecting two pipes of a water drainage system, in particular for water drainage systems in buildings.

The joint 1 comprises a central female element 2 and two lateral male elements 3, advantageously consisting of respective monolithic pieces, for example made of polymeric material.

The female element 2 consists of a hollow body 4 extending along and about a longitudinal axis A between two opposite open axial ends 5, having respective circular end front edges 6.

Also referring to Figure 3, the female element 2 is provided with an internal through cavity 7 extending along the axis A between the ends 5.

The cavity 7 comprises a pair of opposite coupling seats 8 and a central intermediate portion 9, located between the seats 8.

The seats 8 are arranged at respective ends 5 and have respective concave inner lateral surfaces 11, which are surfaces rotating about the axis A, for example shaped like a spherical portion.

The two seats 8 are joined by the central intermediate portion 9, which is, for example, substantially cylindrical.

The male elements 3 extend from respective ends 5 of the female element 2 along respective longitudinal axes B (Figure 2).

Each male element 3 has a tubular body 13 provided, at respective opposite longitudinal ends of the tubular body 13, with an insertion portion 15 for connection to an outer pipe section, and a coupling head 16 shaped to be housed in a rotatable manner in a respective seat 8.

In particular, the head 16 has an outer coupling surface 17 cooperating with the inner lateral surface 11 of a seat 8.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the surface 17 is not a continuous surface, but is formed by a plurality of surface portions 18 separated from one another.

In particular, as shown in greater detail in Figures 3 and 4, the head 16 comprises an end annular part 21, positioned at a longitudinal end of the tubular body 13 and extending radially from an outer lateral base surface 22 of the tubular body 13 about the tubular body 13; and a rib part 23, positioned adjacent to the annular part 21 and formed by a plurality of longitudinal ribs 24 projecting from the base surface 22 and angularly spaced from one another on the tubular body 13.

In the example shown, the annular part 21 is shaped as a continuous ring closed in a loop about the tubular body 13. The annular part 21 has a radially outer annular surface 25, not only curved about the tubular body 13 but also curved in the longitudinal direction along the tubular body 13 and defining one or more surface portions 18 of the coupling surface 17 of the head 16.

The ribs 24 have respective root edges 26 joined to the base surface 22 and respective free profiles 27, opposite to the root edges 26 and shaped to define further respective surface portions 18 of the coupling surface 17, the surface portions 18 being angularly spaced from one another.

The profiles 27 are curved, for example shaped as an arc of a circle, in the longitudinal direction on the tubular body 13 and, preferably, are also curved about the tubular body 13.

The ribs 24 can have various shapes and sizes.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the ribs 24 are not all the same and have different inclinations with respect to the base surface 22.

In particular, also referring to Figure 5, each male element 3 has a first group of radial ribs 24a, extending perpendicular from the base surface 22; and one or more other groups of slanted ribs 24b, forming an angle other than 90° (or respective angles other than 90°) with the base surface 22. Preferably, the radial ribs 24a and slanted ribs 24b are arranged alternately along the circumference of the tubular body 13.

For example, the head 16 has four radial ribs 24a arranged as diametrically opposite pairs on the base surface 22 (i.e., arranged at 90° from each other on the base surface 22); and two pairs of slanted ribs 24b, positioned on opposite sides of respective diametrically opposed radial ribs 24a and parallel to one another and to a pair of radial ribs 24a.

The inclination of the slanted ribs 24b also allows an effective and easy opening of the manufacturing mould in which the tubular body 13 is made, as well as the extraction of the tubular body 13 from the mould, while still ensuring the necessary mechanical strength of the tubular body 13. It is in fact advantageous to make the tubular bodies 13 of the male elements 3, as well as the hollow body 4 of the female element, by moulding a suitable polymeric material. The ribs 24b define respective drafts in the mould opening direction, in order to facilitate the opening of the mould. In the case shown, for example, the mould is closed on the tubular body 13 along a middle plane M of the tubular body 13 (Figures 4 and 5) passing through the axis B and dividing in half a first pair of radial ribs 24a, and is perpendicular to the other pair of radial ribs 24a and to the slanted ribs 24b. The opening of the mould occurs along an opening direction, schematically represented by the arrows in Figure 5, which is therefore parallel to the slanted ribs 24b.

The ribs 24 are therefore oriented so as to be parallel to the middle plane M, i.e., to the mould closing plane (first pair of radial ribs 24a); or perpendicular thereto (second pair of radial ribs 24a and slanted ribs 24B).

It is understood, however, that the ribs 24 can be organized differently from what is described and illustrated herein purely by way of example.

The ribs 24 may also have a different shape from each other.

The head 16 is provided with a circumferential annular groove 28 housing a radial sealing ring 29. For example, in the embodiment shown, the groove 28 is formed on the annular part 21 and divides the annular part 21 into two portions having respective annular surface portions 18.

It is understood, however, that the groove 28 housing the sealing ring 29 can be located in another position on the head 16, for example on the rib part 23.

In any case, the sealing ring 29, in undeformed conditions, projects radially from the groove 28 beyond the surface 17 so as to cooperate in a fluid-tight manner with the inner lateral surface 11 of the seat 8.

On each head 16, the ribs 24 are arranged longitudinally between a rear annular abutment 31 of the annular part 21 and a radially outer annular flange 32, which protrudes from the base surface 22 and defines a stop member cooperating with a front edge 6 of the female element 2.

The profiles 26 of the ribs 24 and the radially outer annular surface 25 of the annular part 21 define respective surface portions 18 of the coupling surface 17, coupled to the inner lateral surface 11 of the seats 8 so that each head 16 is rotatably housed in a respective seat 8, thus realizing a ball joint 33.

The joint 1 is therefore provided with two independent ball joints 33, defined by the heads 16 of the two male elements 3 and by the seats 8 of the female element 2.

In this way, both of the male elements 3, and therefore also the respective pipe sections connected thereto, can assume different orientations with respect to the female element 2, independently of each other, allowing the correction of any misalignments between the pipe sections connected by the joint 1. In particular, it is possible to keep the axes B of the male elements 3 parallel to but not aligned with each other.

A preferred application for the joint 1 of the invention is illustrated in Figure 6.

The joint 1 is used to connect a bathroom's drain pipe 34 (known and only schematically shown in Figure 6), arranged through a bathroom wall 35, to a common drain column 36 (also known and only schematically shown in Figure 6), in particular to a T-fitting of the drain column

36, which collects waste water from a plurality of users in a building. The insertion portions 15 of the male elements

3 can be connected to the respective outer pipe sections in any known manner.

Lastly, it is understood that further modifications and variations can be made to the joint as described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.