Abstract:
A replacement fitting assembly for a pipe is disclosed including a split connector with a first wall portion having a first externally threaded portion and a first support portion, and a second wall portion having a second externally threaded portion and a second support portion, the first and second outer wall portions being configured to be aligned with one another to form a tubular opening, and a fastener having a side wall defining a central longitudinal opening, the side wall including an internally threaded nut portion configured to engage the first and second externally threaded portions of the connector, and an extension portion adjacent the nut portion, the side wall having a gap configured to permit lateral entry of a pipe into the longitudinal opening. A method of replacing a fitting assembly also is described.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    A number of techniques have been developed for repairing leaks in plumbing systems without requiring removal of adjacent equipment and/or lengths of pipe. U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,266 describes a method for in-line repair of a natural gas pipeline or the like that employs a transition fitting to temporarily seal off the section of pipe to be repaired or replaced, and an expansion tool with an expandable portion that can be inserted through the transition fitting into an upstream pipeline to provide a temporary seal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,477 provides a method for repairing a tube that penetrates the wall of a drum or header without having to remove the entire tube. A new portion of tube material is welded to the outside of the header after a tube seat has been created by forming a recess in the outer wall of the header. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,353,840, a split nut is used to fasten a water supply valve assembly having a REHAU® hose barb fitting to an outlet box wall. 
         [0002]    It is known to use split connectors in plumbing fittings. U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,412 describes a conduit fitting with a divided tubular threaded connector in which the threads of the two pieces of the connector are aligned using complementary projections and recesses. The fitting is particularly well suited for use in the heating and air conditioning systems of trucks. U.S. Pat. No. 7,172,369 describes the use of a split pipe in conjunction with a thermoplastic liner. 
         [0003]    Plastic pipes and pipe fittings frequently are used in heat pumps, including those employed in swimming pool heating and circulation systems. However, the presence of high amounts of chlorine in pool water can cause deterioration of the plastic fittings, resulting in the need for replacement. Removal and substitution of conventional pool fittings often requires removal of the associated equipment, resulting in additional time and expense. It would be useful to provide a method and a system for replacing heat exchanger fittings that permit the associated equipment to remain in place. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    One embodiment disclosed herein is a fitting assembly comprising a split connector comprising a first wall portion having a first externally threaded portion and a first support portion, and a second wall portion having a second externally threaded portion and a second support portion. The first and second wall portions are configured to be aligned with one another to form a tubular opening. The fitting also includes a fastener having a side wall defining a central longitudinal opening, the side wall including an internally threaded nut portion configured to engage the first and second externally threaded portions of the connector, and an extension portion adjacent the nut portion. The side wall has a gap configured to permit lateral entry of a pipe into the longitudinal opening. 
         [0005]    Another embodiment is a method of replacing a fitting assembly, comprising removing a first fastener and a first connector from a pipe, and obtaining a second fastener and a second connector. The second fastener has a side wall defining a central longitudinal opening, and includes an internally threaded nut portion. The side wall has a gap configured to laterally receive the pipe. The second connector is a split connector comprising a first wall portion having a first externally threaded portion and a first support portion, and a second wall portion having a second externally threaded portion and a second support portion. The method further comprises placing the second fastener around the pipe and placing the split connector around the pipe adjacent the second fastener, with the externally threaded portions of the two sections aligned, forming a sleeve having first and second seams. The second fastener is threaded onto the split connector, tightened, and secured with the first and second seams of the split connector in contact with the internally threaded nut portion of the fastener side wall. 
         [0006]    Other embodiments of fittings and methods also are described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a fitting assembly according to one embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an end view of the fitting assembly of  FIG. 1 , taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the fitting assembly of  FIG. 1 , taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIGS. 4-12  schematically illustrate replacement of a fitting assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    The embodiments described herein include a replacement fitting proximate the inlet and/or outlet of plastic jacketed coils for an appliance, such as a heat exchanger, and a method of replacing a worn fitting at or near the inlet or outlet to an appliance that substantially reduces time and expense relative to conventional replacement techniques. 
         [0012]    As used herein, a “fastener” is a fastening device suitable for use with piping, including but not limited to a threaded nut. The fastener has a gap or a seam that enables the fastener to be placed around a pipe from the side of the pipe. As used herein, a “split connector” is a tubular segment that can be used to join two pipe ends together and is configured in multiple (usually two) pieces that can be fit around a pipe from the side of the pipe. As used herein an “inlet or outlet tube fitting” is a pipe fitting associated with an inlet line or outlet line for a component such as a heat exchanger, particularly a swimming pool heater. 
         [0013]    Referring the drawings and first to  FIGS. 1-3 , a fitting is shown and is designated as  10 . The fitting  10  includes a tubular connector  12  formed from first and second connector pieces  14  and  16 , respectively. When aligned, the pieces  14  and  16  form a side wall  18  with an outer surface  20 . Seams  21 ,  23  extend along the length of the connector where pieces  14  and  16  touch one another. Preferably, but not necessarily, the first and second pieces  14 ,  16  of the connector are symmetrical, arcuate longitudinal halves that form a tube with a circular cross section when aligned with one another. Before installation, the two pieces can be separate from one another, as in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , or can be pivotably attached to one another. 
         [0014]    The connector  12  has a first threaded portion  22  at one longitudinal end, including threaded portion  25  of piece  14  and threaded portion  27  of piece  16 . The threads can be external and/or internal, and are depicted as external threads in  FIGS. 1-3 . The connector  12  has a second externally threaded portion  24  at another longitudinal end, including threaded portion  29  on piece  14  and threaded portion  31  on piece  16 . The connector also includes and an intermediate gripping support portion  26  formed by the portion  33  of piece  14  and portion  35  of piece  16 . The gripping support portion  26  is configured to be gripped by a tool during fastening and unfastening of the fitting  10 . In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 , the gripping support portion  26  has a nut-shaped hexagonal cross section. The first threaded portion  22  is configured for engagement with an appliance component. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the first threaded portion is configured for engagement with an internally threaded opening  28 , such as, but not limited to, an opening in a wall  30  of an appliance housing  32 , shown in  FIG. 4 . The second externally threaded portion  24  is configured for attachment to a fastener  34 . The precise construction and shape of the connector can vary provided that it is threaded on at least a portion of its external surface, and has a section configured for gripping by a tool. In one embodiment, the connector  12  comprises polymeric material, such as polyvinyl chloride. 
         [0015]    The connector pieces  14 ,  16  are held together by a fastener  34 . The fastener  34  includes a nut portion  36  and a connecting portion  38  extending coaxially therefrom. The nut portion  36  has a threaded inner wall  37  configured for threadable engagement with the second externally threaded portion  24  of the connector  12 . After attachment of the fastener  34 , the terminal end  48  of the nut portion  36  of the fastener  34  abuts or is proximate an exterior shoulder  50  formed at the connection of the intermediate gripping support portion  26  and the second externally threaded portion  24  of the connector  12 . The fastener  34  has a longitudinal gap  51  formed along both the nut portion  36  and the connecting portion  38  that allows the fastener to be mounted on a pipe from the side of the pipe. The width of the gap  51  after installation depends upon both the diameter of the pipe around which it is to be mounted and the elasticity of the material used to form the fastener  34 . The fastener has an interior shoulder  52  forming a notch that abuts the terminal end  53  of the second externally threaded portion  24  of the connector  12  when the nut is completely fastened. The shoulder  52  helps to hold the connector  12  in place in order that the seams between the connector pieces stay in contact with the inner wall  37  of the nut portion  36  of the fastener  34 . In one embodiment, the connector comprises polymeric material, such as polyvinyl chloride. 
         [0016]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the connecting portion  38  of the fastener  34  has a smooth inner wall  40  and a smooth outer wall  42  and is tapered with a smaller diameter at the terminal end  44  than at the end connected to the nut portion  36 . The connecting portion  38  of the fastener  34  is configured to surround the pipe on which the fitting is mounted and to abut a Iokring joint  96 , (shown in  FIGS. 4-12 ). 
         [0017]    A fitting having the configuration shown in  FIGS. 1-3  can used to repair an appliance inlet using the method that is depicted in  FIGS. 4-12 . More particularly, the appliance assembly  60 , shown in  FIG. 4-6 , includes an appliance  62  with an inlet assembly  64 . The inlet assembly  64  includes an inlet tube  66  and an existing fitting assembly  68 . The existing fitting assembly  68  may have a conventional construction, including a one-piece connector and a fastener that does not have a gap or seam, as is shown in  FIG. 4 . More particularly, the fitting  68  includes a connector  70  and a fastener  72 . First, the existing fitting assembly  68  is removed. The fastener  72  is loosened from the connector  70  by turning the nut portion  74  of the fastener while holding the hex portion  76  of the connector  70  in place. When loosening begins, a first threaded end  78  of the connector  70  is still connected to the appliance  62  and the other threaded end  80  is connected to the fastener  72 . 
         [0018]    After the nut portion  74  of the fastener  72  is sufficiently loose to separate the fastener  72  from the connector  70 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , the elastomeric ferrule  82  that functions as a gasket, and a ring  86 , which reduces friction of plastic on plastic when tightening the nut, are slid away from the connector  70  along the tube  66 . The connector  70  is then loosened from the appliance  62  by turning the hex portion  76  of the connector  70 . After the fastener  72  and connector  70  have been loosened, the tube  66  is capable of being moved in and out of the appliance  62  by a length of about 1 inch, as depicted in  FIG. 6 . At this point, a second sealing cone  84 , which functions as a gasket, is visible. The connector  70 , fastener  72 , ferrule  82 , cone  84  and ring  86  also are cut away. 
         [0019]    The cone  84  is replaced with a tapered, flexible polymeric ring  88  with a slit in its side wall that enables it to be placed around the tube  66 . The ring  88  is installed by slipping it onto the tube of the heat exchanger with the smaller diameter end towards the appliance  62  as is shown in  FIG. 7 . A small amount of adhesive is placed in the slit of the ring  88 , and ring material on the two sides of the slit is pushed together. After the adhesive is dry, the ring  88  is slid toward the female threaded cavity  89  of the appliance  62 . The ring  88  is pushed into place until it seats in the cavity  89  of the appliance  62 . 
         [0020]    Next, a replacement fastener  34  is snapped into place on the tube  66 , with the nut portion  36  closer to the appliance than the connecting portion  38 , as is shown in  FIG. 8 . The first and second pieces  14 ,  16  of the connector  12  are then placed on the tube  66  as if they were one piece, with the first threaded portion  22  being closer to the appliance than the opposite end, as is shown in  FIG. 9 . The connector  12  is manually held with the threads of the two halves  14 ,  16  aligned, and the fastener  34  is threaded onto the connector  12 , until it looks as is shown in  FIG. 10 , i.e. with the fastener  34  abutting the gripping support portion  26  of the connector  12 . The nut portion  36  of the fastener  34  is threaded onto the connector  12  in a configuration such that the seams  21 ,  23  of the connector are positioned along the inner wall  37  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) of the nut portion  36  when the connection is tight, i.e. the seams  25 ,  27  are not positioned in the gap  50 . This configuration ensures that the connector  12  will stay in place when tightening the gripping support portion  26 . The threads on the inner wall  37  will help keep the split bushing in place when the seam is not positioned within the gap. The correct alignment of the fastener  34  relative to the connector pieces  14 ,  16  is shown in  FIG. 10 . A few drops of adhesive are placed in each end of the notched surfaces  92 ,  94  of fastener  34  on each side of the gap  50 , as is shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0021]    A zip tie  90 , shown in  FIG. 11 , is placed around the nut portion  36  of the connector  38  and is tightened until it holds the nut portion  36  in place. The zip tie  90  functions as a clamp. A tight seal is formed because the sides of the fastener wall in the area of the cap  50  are pulled together. 
         [0022]    Pliers are used to tighten the connector  12  in the threaded cavity  89  of the appliance  62  by rotating the gripping support portion  26  of the connector  12 . When the connector is tight, lokring joint  96  abuts the fitting. The assembly that includes the connector  12 , fastener  34  and zip tie  90 , mounted to the appliance  62 , has the configuration shown in  FIG. 12 . The fitting is then tested for leaks. If any leaks are present, the gripping support portion  26  of the connector  12  is tightened until the leaks stop. 
         [0023]    The embodiments described herein are particularly useful when employed with a tube-in-tube heat exchanger having an inlet or outlet connection that has been eroded by chlorinated water 
         [0024]    It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims. Unless specifically recited in a claim, steps or components of claims should not be implied or imported from the specification or any other claims as to any particular order, number, position, size, shape, angle, or material.