Annette C Motherwell

US Patent:

20090162140, Jun 25, 2009

Filed:

Dec 21, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/962493

Inventors:

Jayant D. Patel - Lake Forest CA, US
Clifford J. Petersen - Irvine CA, US
Maggie E. Fuselier - Seal Beach CA, US
Alfred R. Wiratunga - Northridge CA, US
Annette D. Motherwell - Cypress CA, US

International Classification:

F16L 15/00
B23P 11/00

US Classification:

403300, 2952515

Abstract:

A coupling apparatus for coupling free ends of a pair of tubular ducts in flow communication with one another, the free ends of the ducts being separated by an axial gap. The apparatus includes a sleeve having a length sufficient to span the gap and to overlap portions of the free ends of the ducts when the sleeve is secured to the free ends of the ducts. The sleeve includes a first stretchable ply of material, a non-stretchable ply of material, and a second stretchable ply of material sandwiched together to form a unitary assembly. The non-stretchable ply of material has an axial length approximately equal to the axial gap to fill the axial gap. A pair of clamps may be used to secure opposing end portions of the clamp to the free ends of a pair of ducts. The apparatus enables the free ends to be couple together even if slightly misaligned, and the sleeve is highly resistant to ballooning, slippage and rupturing.