A hollow conduit is provided. In another aspect, a quick connector, suitable to carry fluid therethrough, is made of layers of material, a light curable material and/or multiple built-up materials. Another aspect uses a three-dimensional printing machine to emit material from an ink jet printing head to build up a conduit.

A hollow conduit is provided. In another aspect, a quick connector, suitable to carry fluid therethrough, is made of layers of material, a light curable material and/or multiple built-up materials. Another aspect uses a three-dimensional printing machine to emit material from an ink jet printing head to build up a conduit.

A flexible pipe fitting for joining a first length of pipe to a second length of pipe at an arbitrary angle is provided. The apparatus includes a primary fitting having a substantially circular opening at a first end thereof for receiving an end of a first length of pipe, and an enlarged opening at a second end thereof for receiving a first flexible coupling member. The first flexible coupling member includes an outer wall having an outer surface engaging an inner surface of the enlarged opening, and an inner wall having a lower end connected to a lower end of the outer wall. The inner wall further includes a substantially circular opening therein for receiving a second, rigid member. The inner surface of the second, rigid member is configured to receive an end of the second length of pipe. The enlarged opening in the primary fitting is preferably fish-mouth shaped, or alternatively, cone shaped. Adhesive, such as PVC cement may be used to bond the various fittings, and lengths of pipe together to form a sealed joint.

A fitting for a pipe has a cylindrical sleeve and a spigot fitted concentrically within the sleeve. The sleeve is slidable along the spigot in a proximal direction. The sleeve has a gripper ring cavity with a conical bearing surface with a diameter that is smaller at the distal end and a larger at the proximal end. One or more gripper rings fit within the cavity and slidingly engage the bearing surface. The spigot has an outer surface sized to fit within a proximal end of the pipe. The inner surface of the gripper rings and the outer surface of the spigot define an annular space with a first radial width sized to accept insertion of the proximal end of the pipe. When the sleeve is moved with respect to the spigot in the proximal direction toward a sealed position, the rings are inwardly compressed by the bearing surface to grip an outer surface of the pipe. The end of the pipe is drawn into a space between the sleeve and the spigot with radial width smaller than the first radial width.

A rigid coupler for use in electrically isolating an electrically conductive fluid conveyance system is described. The rigid coupler includes a nonconductive liner having a first end configured to couple to a first adjoining section of the fluid conveyance system, and a second end, opposite said first end, configured to couple to a second adjoining section of the fluid conveyance system. A reinforcing structure circumscribes the nonconductive liner and is coupled to a portion of the nonconductive liner extending between the first and second ends of the nonconductive liner. The reinforcing structure includes a multi-axial braided fiber material impregnated with a matrix material. A fiber overwrap is hoop wound about at a least a portion of the reinforcing structure between the first and second ends of the nonconductive liner.

A rigid coupler for use in electrically isolating an electrically conductive fluid conveyance system is described. The rigid coupler includes a nonconductive liner having a first end configured to couple to a first adjoining section of the fluid conveyance system, and a second end, opposite said first end, configured to couple to a second adjoining section of the fluid conveyance system. A reinforcing structure circumscribes the nonconductive liner and is coupled to a portion of the nonconductive liner extending between the first and second ends of the nonconductive liner. The reinforcing structure includes a multi-axial braided fiber material impregnated with a matrix material. A fiber overwrap is hoop wound about at a least a portion of the reinforcing structure between the first and second ends of the nonconductive liner.

A method for using a gland assembly includes sliding a gland assembly over an end of a pipe, the pipe defining an outer surface, the gland assembly comprising a gland, a joint restraint assembly, and a gasket, the joint restraint assembly comprising a gripper and a spring, the spring configured to engage the gripper and the gasket; inserting the end of the pipe into a socket of a piping element; fastening the gland to the piping element; disabling a deactivation mechanism of the joint restraint assembly; and engaging the joint restraint assembly with the outer surface of the pipe to prevent removal of the pipe from the piping element.

An apparatus for connecting two pipes in fluid communication includes a connector body having opposing open ends, with each open end configured for receiving a free end of a pipe, and a mechanical interlock arrangement for preventing or limiting axial movement of the connector body relative to a free end of a pipe when the free end of the pipe is received in an open end of the connector body. A mechanical seal arrangement provides a metal-to-metal seal between a pipe inserted into one of the open ends and the connector body.

Modular conduit systems in which a plurality of tubular link components are interconnected to form a continuous conduit. Each adjacent pair of tubular link components has a ball-and-socket joint that enables the pair of tubular link components to be pivoted with respect to each other. The ball-and-socket joint consists of a ball attached to a first one of the pair of adjacent tubular link components and a socket attached to a second one of the pair of adjacent tubular link components, where the ball is positioned within the socket. The amount of friction between the ball and the socket is adjustable, so that the amount of force required to pivot the pair of tubular link components with respect to each other, which is dependent upon the amount of friction between the ball and the socket, is variable.

A joint structure for steel pipes according to the invention includes a pair of steel pipes having male threads formed at end portions thereof, and a coupling having a pair of sets of female threads formed therein so that the male threads of the pair of steel pipes screw in the pair of the sets of female threads, respectively. Distal end surfaces at the end portions of the steel pipes have inner circumferential edges each protruding in a direction of a pipe axis with respect to outer circumferential edges thereof. When the pair of steel pipes are coupled to each other by the coupling and the inner circumferential edges of the distal end surfaces of the pair of steel pipes are brought into contact with each other, a gap is formed between the outer circumferential edges of the distal end surfaces of the pair of steel pipes.