CONNECTING DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a connecting device (100) for connecting a first and a second tube, comprising a sealing sleeve (200), a plurality of support elements (300) and at least two clamping bands (401, 402). In order to form the connection, a first of two end portions (201, 202) of the sealing sleeve (200) receives a tube end portion of the first tube and the second end portion (202) receives a tube end portion of the second tube, which are connected to each other by means of the sealing sleeve (200). The sealing sleeve (200) has an inner face (210) and an outer face (220). The plurality of support elements (300) are disposed along the outer face (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) without being connected to each other. Each support element (300) at least partly consists of or contains a deformable material. Each support element (300) has a first support element contact portion (310) and a second support element contact portion (320). The first support element contact portions (310) are disposed one following the other along a circumference of a first circle (230) along the outer face (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) and form a first support element end portion (330) having a first opening (340) for receiving the first end portion (201) of the sealing sleeve (200), and the second support element contact portions (320) are disposed one following the other along a circumference of a second circle (240) along the outer face (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) and form a second support element end portion (350) having a second opening (350) for receiving the second end portion (202) of the sealing sleeve (200). At least one first support element contact portion (310) is connected to a second support element contact portion (320) by means of at least one deformable connecting portion (380). By means of the shortening or extending of the clamping bands (401, 402), which are in the form of a first clamping band (401) and a second clamping band (402), the first clamping band (401) being associated with the first support element contact portion (310) and the second clamping band (402) being associated with the second support element contact portion (320), the first support element contact portions (310) are positioned closer to or farther from each other along the circumference of the first circle (230) along the outer face (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) and thus compress or relax the first end portion (201) of the sealing sleeve (200), and the second support element contact portions (320) are positioned closer to or farther from each other along the circumference of the second circle (240) along the outer face (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) and thus compress or relax the second end portion (202) of the sealing sleeve (200).

Claims

1. A connecting device (100) for connecting a first and a second tube, comprising a sealing sleeve (200), a plurality of support elements (300) and at least two clamping bands (401, 402), wherein in order to form the connection, a first of two end portions (201, 202) of the sealing sleeve (200) receives a tube end portion of the first tube and the second end portion (202) receives a tube end portion of the second tube, which are connected to each other by means of the sealing sleeve (200), wherein the sealing sleeve (200) has an inner side (210) and an outer side (220), and wherein the plurality of support elements (300) are arranged along the outer side (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) without being connected to each other, and wherein each support element (300) at least partly consists of or contains a deformable material, and wherein each support element (300) has a first support element contact pressing portion (310) and a second support element contact pressing portion (320), and wherein the first support element contact pressing portions (310) are arranged one following the other along a circumference of a first circle (230) along the outer side (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) and form a first support element end portion (330) having a first opening (340) for receiving the first end portion (201) of the sealing sleeve (200), and wherein the second support element contact pressing portions (320) are arranged one following the other along a circumference of a second circle (240) along the outer side (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) and form a second support element end portion (350) having a second opening (350) for receiving the second end portion (202) of the sealing sleeve (200), and wherein at least one first support element contact pressing portion (310) is connected to a second support element contact pressing portion (320) by means of at least one deformable connecting portion (290), wherein by means of shortening or extending of the clamping bands (401, 402), which are in the form of a first clamping band (401) and a second clamping band (402), and wherein the first clamping band (401) is associated with the first support element contact pressing portion (310) and the second clamping band (402) is associated with the second support element contact pressing portion (320) and the first support element contact pressing portions (310) are positioned closer to or farther from each other along the circumference of the first circle (230) along the outer side (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) and thus compress or relax the first end portion (201) of the sealing sleeve (200), and the second support element contact pressing portions (320) are positioned closer to or farther from each other along the circumference of the second circle (240) along the outer side (220) of the sealing sleeve (200) and thus compress or relax the second end portion (202) of the sealing sleeve (200).

2. The connecting device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the support element (300) has at least one fixing projection (350) or at least one fixing receptacle (360).

3. The connecting device (100) according to one of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support element (300) has at least one holding projection (370).

4. The connecting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support elements (300) are the same among each other.

5. The connecting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plurality of support elements (300) is four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen or fifteen.

6. The connecting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing sleeve (200) has, on its inner side (210), at least one sealing lip (250), which projects inwards from the inner surface (210) and is arranged along a curve which is formed continuously between a first plane E1 and a second plane E2, and/or that the sealing sleeve (200) has, on its inner side (210), at least one sealing lip (250) which projects inwards from the inner surface (210) and is arranged in a straight line in a plane.

7. The connecting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing sleeve (200) has, on its inner side (210), at least one groove (260) in which a swellable sealing element (270) is received.

8. An assembly comprising a connecting device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7 and a first and a second tube which are connected to each other with the aid of the connecting device (100), wherein for forming the connection, a first of two end portions (201, 202) of the sealing sleeve (200) receives a tube end portion of the first tube, and the second end portion (202) receives a tube end portion of the second tube, which are connected to each other by means of the sealing sleeve (200).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Exemplary Embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail below based on the attached drawings.

[0051] Shown are in:

[0052] FIG. 1 a three-dimensional first illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a connecting device according to the invention;

[0053] FIG. 2 a three-dimensional illustration of a portion of the inner side of the sealing sleeve with the sealing lip;

[0054] FIG. 3 a three-dimensional second illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a connecting device according to the invention;

[0055] FIG. 4 a three-dimensional illustration of a support element.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional first illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a connecting device 100 according to the invention.

[0057] For the sake of clarity, the connecting device 100 is not shown in full; it can however be readily conceptually extended.

[0058] Thus only four of five support elements 300 are depicted on the connecting device 100.

[0059] The connecting device 100 according to the invention comprises a sealing sleeve 200 which is hollow-cylindrical and has an inner side 210 and an outer side 220. Sealing lips 250 project from the inner side 210 of the sealing sleeve 200, said sealing lips having a sealing effect with respect to the surfaces of the (not illustrated) tubes to be connected, which are inserted into the sealing sleeve 200.

[0060] For details about the arrangement of the sealing lips 250, see the description of FIG. 2.

[0061] The tubes can be inserted into the sealing sleeve 200 up to a stop 290.

[0062] On the inner side 210 of the sealing sleeve 200, a groove 260 is formed in which a swellable sealing element 270 is arranged.

[0063] With regard to the stop 290, the sealing sleeve 200 is formed mirror-symmetrically, and therefore the respective sealing lips 250 the groove 260 in which the swellable sealing element 270 is arranged, are in each case provided as pairs.

[0064] The sealing sleeve 200 has a first end portion 201 and a second end portion 202. On the edge 280 of the sealing sleeve 200, either sealing sleeve fixing projections 284 are formed, as shown in FIG. 1 on the edge 280 of sealing sleeve 200 facing the viewer, or sealing sleeve fixing receptacles 286 are formed, as shown on the edge 280 of sealing sleeve 200 facing away from the viewer.

[0065] It is to be noted that a sealing sleeve 200 is designed either entirely only with sealing sleeve fixing projections 284 according to the design described above, or alternatively only with sealing sleeve fixing receptacles 286.

[0066] However, it is also possible to design the sealing sleeve 200 in accordance with FIG. 1. Along the outer side 220 of the sealing sleeve 200, a plurality of—in FIG. 1, four are shown—support elements 300 are arranged.

[0067] The support element 300 omitted in FIG. 1 can easily be mentally added and is missing because the design of the sealing sleeve 200 can be shown in more detail at this point.

[0068] The support elements 300 are arranged individually, without being connected to each other, on the outer side 210 of the sealing sleeve 200.

[0069] For details about the support elements 300, see the description of FIG. 4.

[0070] To establish tightness between the connecting device 100 and the inserted tubes, not shown here, two clamping bands 401, 402 are arranged on the support elements 300. The length of the clamping bands 401, 402 can be reduced, to which end locks or other equipment, not shown but known to a person skilled in the art, are provided. When the length of the clamping bands 401, 402 is reduced, the support elements 300 are pushed onto the sealing sleeve 200 and are pressed against the outer surface of the inserted tubes, thereby establishing tightness.

[0071] The first support element contact pressing portions 310 of the support elements 300, which are shown and described in FIG. 4, but here in FIG. 1 are located under the clamping band 401, are arranged one following the other along a circumference of a first circle 230 along the outer side 220 of the sealing sleeve 200.

[0072] The second support element contact pressing portions 320 of the support elements 300, which are shown and described in FIG. 4, but here in FIG. 1 are located under the clamping band 402, are arranged one following the other along a circumference of a second circle 240 along the outer side 220 of the sealing sleeve 200.

[0073] An axis A extends through the connecting device 100 and can be in alignment with the axes of the tubes to be inserted and connected, but the flexibility of the connecting device 100 is so great that a max. angular deflection of 7° is possible without impairing the tightness.

[0074] FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional illustration of a portion of the inner side 210 of the sealing sleeve 200 with the sealing lip 250.

[0075] On the inner side 210 of the sealing sleeve 200, a sealing lip 250 is arranged such that it projects inwards from the inner side 210.

[0076] The sealing lip 250 is arranged along a curve which is formed continuously between a first plane E1 and a second plane E2.

[0077] In the present embodiment of the sealing sleeve 200, the curve along which the sealing lip 250 is arranged is approximately sine-shaped.

[0078] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the two planes E1 and E2 are parallel to each other and are both aligned perpendicular to axis A of the connecting device 100.

[0079] FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional second illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a connecting device 100 according to the invention.

[0080] For the sake of clarity, the connecting device 100 is not shown in full; it can however be readily mentally extended.

[0081] Thus only four of five support elements 300 are depicted on the connecting device 100.

[0082] FIG. 3 shows in detail the connection between the sealing sleeve 200 and the support elements 300.

[0083] In an embodiment of the sealing sleeve 200, said sealing sleeve has, on the edge 280, a number of sealing sleeve fixing projections 284, which correspond to the number of support elements 300 to be connected thereto.

[0084] The sealing sleeve fixing projections 284 project outwards from the edge 280 of the sealing sleeve 200.

[0085] The sealing sleeve fixing projections 284 can be inserted into correspondingly congruent fixing receptacles 360 on the edge of the support elements 300 and thus connect the sealing sleeve 200 to the support elements 300, as shown in detail a of FIG. 1.

[0086] In an alternative embodiment of the sealing sleeve 200, said sealing sleeve can have, on the edge 280, sealing sleeve fixing receptacles 286, the number of which in turn corresponds to the number of support elements 300 to be connected thereto. Correspondingly congruently configured fixing projections 350, which are formed on the edge of the support elements 300, can be inserted into the sealing sleeve fixing receptacles 286 and thus connect the sealing sleeve 200 to the support elements 300, as shown in detail b of FIG. 1.

[0087] The sealing sleeve fixing projections 284 or sealing sleeve fixing receptacles 286 on the edge 280 of the sealing sleeve 200 are distributed such that they are each equally spaced apart from their direct neighbor.

[0088] On the edge-side of the support elements 300, holding projections 370 are arranged which extend around the edge 280 of the sealing sleeve 200 and thus prevent an unwanted displacing of the sealing sleeve 200 with respect to the support elements 300. On the support elements, guide projections 375 are arranged which guide the clamping bands 401, 402. The guide projections 375 can be designed such that they engage to a certain extent over the clamping bands 401, 402, wherein the overlap can be between 2 and 3 mm (millimeters). In this way, the clamping bands 401, 402 are protected from undesirably sliding-off from the support elements 300.

[0089] The flexibility of the connecting device 100 of the present invention is mainly provided in that the connecting portions 380 of the support elements 300 together with the connecting arcs 390 permit a high mobility of the assembly and therefore tubes of different dimensions can be simply connected in a fluid-tight manner by means of the connecting device 100.

[0090] FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional illustration of support element 300. The support element 300 has an approximately rectangular curved shape and comprises five portions, which are connected to each other by connecting arcs 390.

[0091] On the left-hand side, FIG. 4 shows that the connecting arcs 390 are designed as single arcs, while on the right-hand side of FIG. 4, these are each designed as double arcs.

[0092] It is clear that a support element 300 is designed entirely in accordance with the design on either the left-hand side of FIG. 4 or the right-hand side of FIG. 4, or is designed as shown in FIG. 4.

[0093] The support element 300 comprises a first support element contact pressing portion 310 and a second support element contact pressing portion 320, which are connected to each other by a connecting portion 380. The connecting portion 380 has multiple perforations, and therefore a high degree of flexibility is provided there which allows the first support element contact pressing portion 310 to be moved relative to the second support element contact pressing portion 320.

[0094] FIG. 4 also shows that a projection 350 is formed and fixed on a support element 300 and projects laterally from the support element 300.

[0095] Alternatively, a fixing receptacle 360 can be formed on the support element 300, as shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 4.

[0096] To this end, the fixing projection 350 is shown as detail a on the left-hand side of FIG. 4, and the fixing receptacle 360 as detail b on the right-hand side of FIG. 4. The fixing projection 350 serves to be introduced into a correspondingly congruent receptacle on the sealing sleeve 200, not shown here, the fixing receptacle 360 serves for connection to a projection on the sealing sleeve 200, not shown here. An unwanted displacement of the support element 300 relative to the sealing sleeve 200 can thus be counteracted.

[0097] The clamping bands 401, 402, not shown here, can be arranged on the first support element contact pressing portion 310 and on the second support element contact pressing portion 320. To guide said clamping bands, guide projections 375 are provided which rise up from the support element 300. The guide projections 375 are designed such that they engage to a small extent over the respective clamping band 401, 402, in order to avoid an unwanted sliding-off from the clamping band 401, 402 when the support element 300 is tightened.

[0098] On the edges of the support element 300, holding projections 370 are provided which are bent by approximately 90° inwards in the direction of the sealing sleeve 200, not shown here. The holding projections 370 hold the sealing sleeve 200, not shown here, in position, wherein an unwanted displacement of the sealing sleeve 200 with respect to the support element 300 is avoided.

[0099] A first support element end portion 330 and a second support element end portion 340 are formed on the support element 300.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0100] 100 Connecting device

[0101] 200 Sealing sleeve

[0102] 201 First end portion

[0103] 202 Second end portion

[0104] 210 Inner side

[0105] 220 Outer side

[0106] 230 First circle

[0107] 240 Second circle

[0108] 250 Sealing lip

[0109] 260 Groove

[0110] 270 Swellable sealing element

[0111] 280 Edge

[0112] 284 Sealing sleeve fixing projection

[0113] 286 Sealing sleeve fixing receptacle

[0114] 290 Stop

[0115] 300 Support element

[0116] 310 First support element contact pressing portion

[0117] 320 Second support element contact pressing portion

[0118] 330 First support element end portion

[0119] 340 Second support element end portion

[0120] 350 Fixing projection

[0121] 360 Fixing receptacle

[0122] 370 Holding projection

[0123] 375 Guide projection

[0124] 380 Connecting portion

[0125] 390 Connecting arc

[0126] 401 First clamping band

[0127] 402 Second clamping band

[0128] A Axis

[0129] E1 First plane

[0130] E2 Second plane