SEALING ELEMENT FOR PIPES

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing element for pipes, comprising a body of injection-mouldable plastic material, being made up of a central stem section that has at one end a circular head region acting as a grip area, including on a stem section in a downward direction from said head region, a first centring region with a general inverted frustoconical shape, a second circumferential outer contour region that is defined by at least two flexible flaps formed from a pair of diametrically opposed grooves and a third circumferential outer contour positioning region, the second region having a larger diameter than the first and third regions. Said sealing element includes at least two spaced extensions, which protrude in one same direction perpendicular to the central stem section, which have a length equal to or less than the diameter of the third positioning region.

Claims

1. A sealing element for pipes, comprising a body of injection-mouldable plastic material, being made up of a central stem section that has at one end a circular head region acting as a grip area, including on a stem section in a downward direction from said head region, a first centring region with a general inverted frustoconical shape, a second circumferential outer contour region that is defined by at least two flexible flaps formed from a pair of diametrically opposed grooves and a third circumferential outer contour positioning region, the second region having a larger diameter than the first and third regions, characterised in that it includes at least two spaced extensions, which protrude in one same direction perpendicular to the central stem section, which have a length equal to or less than the diameter of the third positioning region.

2. The sealing element for pipes according to claim 1, characterised in that each of the extensions is located in a region close to the two opposite ends of the central stem section.

3. The sealing element for pipes according to claim 1, characterised in that the central stem has a cross-shaped cross-section.

4. The sealing element for pipes according to claim 1, characterised in that the cross-shaped cross-section comprised between the first and second regions has a decreasing configuration in a downstream direction from the first region towards the second region.

5. The sealing element for pipes according to claim 2, characterised in that the central stem has a cross-shaped cross-section.

6. The sealing element for pipes according to claim 3, characterised in that the cross-shaped cross-section comprised between the first and second regions has a decreasing configuration in a downstream direction from the first region towards the second region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a sealing element for pipes according to the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a side elevation and plan view from below of the sealing element represented in FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sealing element shown in the previous figures.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0017] In light of the aforementioned figures, and in accordance with the adopted numbering, one may observe therein a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, which comprises the parts and elements indicated and described in detail below.

[0018] The embodiment shown of the sealing element for pipes comprises a body (1) of injection-mouldable plastic material, for example, low density polyethylene (LDPE), with a degree of elasticity such that it makes it easier for the operator to assemble the cap since less effort is required to place it in the holes of a tube. Although this task is simple, it is important to bear in mind that this aspect is relevant when the operator must place a large number of sealing elements during a workday.

[0019] The body (1) is made up of an elongated central stem section (2), with a cross-shaped cross-section, which has at one end a circular head region (3) with a flat surface acting as a grip area for the user in the operations of placing and removing the sealing element at one end of the conduit, as well as abutment with the side wall of the tube, once it is assembled.

[0020] As can be seen, the head (3) notably protrudes radially with respect to the central stem section (2).

[0021] The central stem section (2) includes along the same and in a downstream direction from said head region (3) and separately, a first contour centring region (4) with a general inverted frustoconical shape provided to facilitate the fitting and therefore centring of the sealing element inside the conduit to be covered, a second circumferential outer contour region that is defined by two flexible flaps (5), which are formed from a pair of diametrically opposed grooves (6), and a third circumferential outer contour positioning region (7), the second region having a larger diameter than the first and third regions.

[0022] The cross-shaped cross-section comprised between the first and second regions has a decreasing configuration in a downstream direction from the first region towards the second region, as can be seen more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0023] Additionally, it includes at least two spaced extensions (8), which protrude in one same direction perpendicular to the central stem section (2), which have a length equal to or less than the diameter of the third positioning region (7). It should also be mentioned that these extensions (8) are parallel to the grooves (6), such that it also allows them to be used as reference or guide points during the insertion action of the sealing element in a corresponding hole.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment that is non-limiting from a dimensional point of view, the head region can have an outer diameter about 10 mm, the first centring region about 7.4 mm, the outer diameter of the flexible flaps about 10.2 mm, while the third positioning region can have a diameter about 7.4 mm.

[0025] The details, shapes, dimensions and other secondary elements, used to manufacture the sealing element of the invention, may be suitably replaced with others that do not depart from the scope defined by the claims included below.