A method, and an apparatus associated therewith, for detecting plastic tube ends clamped in a butt welding machine, the plastic tube ends being planed by means of a plane, which can be introduced between the plastic tube ends, and subsequently being heated by means of a heating mirror, which can be introduced between the plastic tube ends, and the plastic tube ends are welded together after removal of the heating mirror, the plane and/or the heating mirror being tilted in between the plastic tube ends by means of a controlled movement, wherein detection or sensing of the plastic tube ends during the controlled movement of tilting in the plane and/or the heating mirror is carried out by means of at least one sensor arranged on the plane and/or on the heating mirror.

A hose joint assembly includes a fitting, a hose receivable onto the fitting, and an adhesive for bonding the hose and the fitting together. For example, the adhesive is a microencapsulated two-part epoxy adhesive that functions as a lubricant when assembling the hose onto the fitting before curing.

A hose joint assembly includes a fitting, a hose receivable onto the fitting, and an adhesive for bonding the hose and the fitting together. For example, the adhesive is a microencapsulated two-part epoxy adhesive that functions as a lubricant when assembling the hose onto the fitting before curing.

A urinary catheter is disclosed. The urinary catheter comprises a catheter tube having a proximal insertion end and a distal end. The catheter also comprises a drainage member. The drainage member includes a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface defines a drainage lumen having an opening in a proximal end of the drainage member. The distal end of the catheter tube is inserted through the opening of the proximal end of the drainage member and is located in the lumen. The wall of the drainage member has at least one window therethrough. The drainage member and the catheter tube are welded to one another at one or more welding sites in the vicinity of the window(s).

A tubing system with a coupler join positioned between and joining tubing segments. The coupler join is formed to reduce dead legs and hold up volumes within, and/or to reduce materials used to form, and/or to simplify the manufacturing process of the tubing system. The coupler join may be sized, shaped, configured, and/or dimensioned to join tubing segments, such as pre-formed tubing segments, in a streamlined configuration, such as to substantially correspond with the outer and inner diameters of the tubing segments. The tubing system and coupler join may be formed with a mold configured to form a coupler join securely coupling spaced apart ends of tubing segments to be joined together in a configuration which reduces dead legs and hold up volumes within the resulting tubing system.

A system for coupling pipes includes a first pipe having a tapered, spigot end; a second pipe having a tapered, spigot end; a coupler having two tapered socket ends adapted to internally receive the respective tapered, spigot ends of the first pipe and the second pipe; and a resistive element. The first pipe, the second pipe, and the coupler are made from a reinforced thermosetting resin (RTR). The resistive element includes a first layer and a second layer of thermoplastic material; and an electrically conducting resistive heating element with positive and negative terminals for connecting electrical power. The electrically conducting resistive heating element is sandwiched by the first layer and the second layer of thermoplastic material. The resistive element is disposed between an interior of the coupler and at least one of: an exterior of the first pipe and an exterior of the second pipe. Upon application of electrical power to the positive and negative terminals of the resistive element, the electrically conducting resistive heating element generates heat sufficient to melt the thermoplastic material such that, when the heat is removed, the hardened thermoplastic material seals the first pipe and/or the second pipe to the coupler.

At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an earpiece having a balloon and a stent where the balloon is mounted on the stent and the stent incorporates two or more channels including at least an inflation channel and an acoustic channel. In some embodiments the stent is configured to pass audio signals through the acoustic channel where the acoustic channel is independent of the inflation channel of the balloon. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A butt fusion machine for joining of polyethylene pipe comprises a carriage assembly and a carriage controller disposed in the fusion machine. Programmed instructions stored in a non-volatile memory of the carriage controller control the carriage assembly for selectively operating in at least one of a manual, automatic, and semi-automatic mode of the butt fusion process.

A butt fusion process, after a setup sequence includes (1) selecting a sequence of operating steps of a manual mode, an automatic mode, and a semi-automatic mode; and (2) executing the selected operating mode. The semi-automatic mode includes at least one step requiring intervention by an operator to confirm proceeding to a next step.

Methods, apparatus or equipment and systems for lining conduits, e.g., preferably subterranean pipelines and passageways, such as sewers, with a liner impregnated with a curable resin in order to secure the conduit against ingress or egress of liquids.

A pipe adapter includes a first tubular element, a second tubular element, and an annular securing member disposed around and fixed to a second portion of the first tubular element. The annular securing member has a flange portion that contacts and secures the second tubular element axially relative to the first tubular element while also allowing the second tubular element to rotate relative to the first tubular element and the annular securing member. An annular sealing member is located around the first portion of the second tubular element to provide an axial seal along the adapter.