The current invention comprises a flexible conduit means for an exhaust system of a combustion engine vehicle, comprising a bellows member (2), an outer flexible braided or knitted member (3) enclosing the bellows member, a resilient member (4), that is elastically deformable and encloses the outer braided or knitted member at least partially and abuts against it, whereas the bellows member comprises two corrugated portions (21), a connecting portion (24) between the corrugated portions, and the resilient member (4) encloses the connecting portion at least partially, the connecting portion (24) comprises flanks (25) that are formed at its axial ends and extend at least in a radial direction, and a curved portion (26) which connects the flanks with each other and which is at least partially enclosed by the resilient member (4).

The present invention provides a gimbal expansion joint for use in joining ducting. The gimbal expansion joint has a first clevis adapted to be secured to one end of a first piece of ducting, a second clevis adapted to be secured to an end of a second piece of ducting, and a gimbal arrangement to which the first and second devises are pivotably connected to form a universal joint between the ends of the pieces of ducting. The joint further has a flexible duct extending between the first and second clevises to form a passage for fluid communication between the ends of the first and second pieces of ducting. The flexible duct has a respective flange at each end. Each flange provides an axially-directed face across which a clamping load is applied to affix the flange to a corresponding axially-directed face of the respective clevis.

Methods and apparatus for installing an expansion compensator having a longitudinal axis, and comprising first and second spaced apart ends, an expansion/contraction section located between the first and second spaced apart ends, a first connector provided at the first end, a second connector provided at the second end, and an installation guard operable to inhibit axial compression of the expansion/contraction section during installation. The expansion compensator may be installed by coupling the expansion compensator to a piping system, and after the expansion compensator has been coupled to the piping system, adjusting the installation guard to permit axial compression of the expansion/contraction section during operation of the piping system. The expansion compensator or a portion thereof such as the expansion compression section may have a first coefficient of thermal expansion along the longitudinal axis and a thermal compression guard, which may be the installation guard, may have a second, lower coefficient of thermal expansion along the longitudinal axis and the thermal compression guard may be operable to inhibit axial compression of the expansion/contraction section due to thermal contraction of the expansion compensator.

The current invention comprises a flexible conduit means for an exhaust system of a combustion engine vehicle, comprising a bellows member (2), an outer flexible braided or knitted member (3) enclosing the bellows member, a resilient member (4), that is elastically deformable and encloses the outer braided or knitted member at least partially and abuts against it, whereas the bellows member comprises two corrugated portions (21), a connecting portion (24) between the corrugated portions, and the resilient member (4) encloses the connecting portion at least partially, the connecting portion (24) comprises flanks (25) that are formed at its axial ends and extend at least in a radial direction, and a curved portion (26) which connects the flanks with each other and which is at least partially enclosed by the resilient member (4).

A pipe connector including a compensator and a centering sleeve that, in the mounted state, extends along the entire length of the compensator.

An expansion joint for flexibly joining two tube segments for producing a tube for an evacuated tube transport system (ETT), wherein the expansion joint includes two annular rims and an annular flexible and airtight sleeve for rendering the expansion joint airtight wherein the sleeve includes two annular bead sections connected by an annular flexible carcass wherein each annular bead section includes a bead wire, and wherein the bead sections are designed to airtightly co-operate with rims that are fixed to the outside perimeter of each of the tube segments, wherein the rims are fixed at, or close to the opening of the tube segments.