A sealed joint assembly for transmitting high temperature and high pressure fluid between adjoining ducts in, for example, an aircraft bleed air system, includes a gimbal ring and two annular clevises. Each clevis includes a pair of axially-extending lobes that each includes a bore hole extending therethrough. The bore holes of the clevis lobes may each align with a respective bore hole formed within the gimbal ring, through which a pin may be inserted to couple the clevises to the gimbal ring. The clevises and gimbal ring may be formed using additive manufacturing, to produce component geometries and topologies that reduce the overall weight of the joint assembly while maintaining or improving its structural integrity. For example, the clevis lobes may include a plurality of gaps, such that the remaining material forms a shear web. The gimbal ring may also include strut or truss networks to enhance structural integrity.

A connecting system for connecting components in a vehicle includes a first elongate element with a first connecting face at a first end, and a second elongate element with a second connecting face at a second end. The first and second elements each comprise holding devices distributed along an annular connecting line. The connecting faces are congruent. The connecting faces and holding devices are configured to be brought into a flush superficial contact when the orientations of the elongate elements coincide, and the mutually opposing holding devices then connect with one another. One of the elements has a length adjustment component configured to change a position of the respective connecting face in a longitudinal direction of the respective element. The connecting faces comprise at least one pair of connectable interfaces which correlate with one another in pairs for transfer of a fluid, electrical or optical signals or electrical current.

A grooved-ended resilient expansion joint is disclosed. The expansion joint has a resilient expansion member with a central resilient portion and two resilient axially disposed cylindrical ends. Each cylindrical end has a radially outwardly raised distal cylindrical gasket portion with at least one inside shoulder having an inner diameter sized substantially the same as an outer diameter of a pipe to be joined. A pair of pre-assembled pipe couplings are provided for joining the expansion joint to a pair groove-ended pipe segments without disassembling the coupling.

A process for manufacturing a bellows, made of austenitic high-grade steel with high compressive strength and fatigue strength, forms a single-layer or multilayer sleeve into a bellows with hydraulic forming. The pressure resistance and fatigue strength are improved by the bellows being cleaned after the forming and by the bellows being exposed to a surrounding area containing carbon and/or nitrogen atoms at temperatures between 100° C. and 400° C., preferably 200° C. to 320° C. With this a hardening of the bellows takes place by means of the diffusing in of carbon and/or nitrogen atoms. A bellows made of austenitic high-grade steel with one or more layers created in this manner has the edge layer hardened by the incorporation of carbon and/or nitrogen atoms up to a hardening depth of at least 5% of the wall thickness.

An expansion compensator having a longitudinal axis, and having an elongate metal conduit with first and second spaced apart ends and an expansion/contraction section, an inner plastic liner positioned interior of the elongate metal conduit and having an expansion/contraction section and an interior volume extending from the first end to the second end, wherein each of the elongate metal conduit and the inner plastic liner have a stiffness along the longitudinal axis, and the stiffness of the elongate metal conduit is greater than the stiffness of the inner plastic liner.

A grooved-ended resilient expansion joint is disclosed. The expansion joint has a resilient expansion member with a central resilient portion and two resilient axially disposed cylindrical ends. Each cylindrical end has a radially outwardly raised distal cylindrical gasket portion with at least one inside shoulder having an inner diameter sized substantially the same as an outer diameter of a pipe to be joined. Each cylindrical end also has a neck portion between the central portion and the gasket portion that is sized to receive a grooved-ended pipe nipple.

An expansion joint fitting for conveying liquid includes a radially inner bellows defining a liquid-conveying passage for conveying liquid between the first and second longitudinal ends of the expansion joint fitting. A radially outer bellows is disposed radially outward from and extending around the radially inner bellows. An annular plenum is defined between the radially inner bellows and the radially outer bellows.

A thermal expansion compensating device has a conduit with a first opening and a second opening for connection to a first pipe and a second pipe of a hot water system, respectively, the first and second pipes being formed by removing a section from a length of pipe of the hot water system. A pre-tensioning force is applied to the device to axially displace the first opening from the second opening until after connection of the openings of the pipes. A resiliently deformable pipe segment defines a portion of the conduit between the first opening and the second opening and is resiliently deformed to a tensioned position by the application of the pre-tensioning force. Once the hot water system is activated, the pipes axially thermally expand such that the first opening moves towards the second opening and the pipe segment moves from the tensioned position towards a rest position decreasing the stress on the device.

A flexible pipe element is provided formed as a metal bellows with at least one corrugated bellows section and a bellows brim, which forms one end of the metal bellows, and a connection element for connecting the metal bellows to a continuing pipe part or to a connector, with the connection element having a connection area for abutting a contact area of the bellows brim. An annular bulge is formed in the contact area of the bellows brim and/or in the connection area of the connection element projecting beyond an average level of the contact area and/or an average level of the connection area in order to form a linear seal between the contact area and the connection area. A method for producing such a flexible line part is also provided.

An expansion joint of the present disclosure includes: a first flange disposed outside a pipe; a second flange disposed outside the pipe and is disposed away from the first flange in an axial direction of the joint; a main bellows connected to the first and second flanges and in which a flow passage of a fluid is formed; and a balancing device connected to the first and second flanges outside the main bellows and applies a thrust force opposite to a thrust force, applied to the first and second flanges in the axial direction by the main bellows, to the first and second flanges, wherein the balancing device includes a fluid supply unit, an elastic portion connected to the fluid supply unit and is allowed to expand and contract in the axial direction, and a connection portion connecting the elastic portion to the first and second flanges.