PLASTIC PIPE BODY OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL CONNECTED WITH A SEALING BODY OF A THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER AND PIPE PART OR FITTING CONNECTED WITH SUCH A PLASTIC PIPE BODY

Abstract: An annular sealing body 2, 12 of a thermoplastic elastomer is physically bonded to a plastic pipe body 1;11:4,5,6 consisting e.g. of a pipe part 1, or a retaining ring 11 or socket pipe 4, 5, 6 by injection moulding the elastomer onto the thermoplastic material of the pipe part 1, retaining ring 11 or socket pipe 4, 5, 6. The thermoplastic elastomer contains a portion based on a thermoplastic polymer being compatible with the thermoplastic material of the plastic pipe body 1, 11. Preferably the plastic pipe body 1, 11 consists of a polyolefin, e.g. polypropylene or polyethylene and the thermoplastic elastomer of a continuous phase of polypropylene incorporating cross-linked ethylenepropy­ lenediene rubber or of a polystyrene-polyethylenepropylene-­ polystyrene rubber. The intimate connection between the sealing body 2, 12 and the pipe body 1; 11: 4, 5, 6 is formed by an interfusion of the sealing body surface and the opposite surface of the pipe body 1; 11: 4, 5, 6. The retaining ring 11 is provided with means for forming a snap fit connection with a socket 4, 5, 6.

Description: The invention relates to a plastic retaining ring of thermoplastic polyolefin material provided with connecting means for removably connecting said retaining ring to a socket, said retaining ring being physically bonded over a portion of its length to a sealing body with a freely movable sealing sleeve of an elastomer comprising in its structure a portion based on a thermoplastic polymer being compatible with said thermoplastic polyolefin material and being bonded physically to the retaining ring by applying a flowable composition of said elastomer under pressure preferably by injection moulding. Such a plastic retaining ring is known from EP-A- 0 031 620. Such a retaining ring of polyethylene connected by moulding to a sealing sleeve of ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer mixed with polyethylene is known from EP-A- 0 030 062. This retaining ring presents the disadvantage that often the sealing sleeve separates from the plastic retaining ring due to high tensile forces to which the sealing sleeve is subjected during penetration of a male pipe part provided with such a retaining ring connected with a sealing sleeve. Moreover, the resilient material of the sealing sleeve is a copolymer to be post cured. Surprisingly it has been found that all the abovementioned disadvantages can be overcome by using a particular type of thermoplastic elastomer in combination with a particular type of plastic retaining ring. It is therefore the aim of the invention to provide a combination of a plastic retaining ring and a sealing sleeve of a thermoplastic elastomer which can be manufactured in a simple way thereby bonding the sealing body excellently to the plastic retaining ring without any risk of separation of the sealing body from the retaining ring and providing an excellent sealing between pipes, particularly thermoplastic pipes. This aim is attained in that the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic elastomer comprising in its structure an olefinic portion causing the thermoplastic or elastomeric properties of the thermoplastic elastomer, said sealing body with a sleeve having been formed by only applying a flowable composition of said elastomer onto said retaining ring. In this retaining ring with sealing sleeve a very strong bond exists between both parts, which is very surprising as the connecting surface between said retaining ring and said sealing sleeve is rather small so that high tensile forces in axial direction may easily damage this connection. A physical bond as used hereinbefore means an intimate connection between the molecules and various portions to be bonded, however, without a chemical reaction being involved. Examples of such physical bonds are welding, bonding by van der Waals forces etc. A thermoplastic elastomer comprising at least an olefinic portion means e.g. that the olefinic portion forms part of a chain comprising an olefinic group providing elastomeric properties to the elastomer, said group being chemically bond to a non olefinic group, e.g. a polystyrene group. The olefinic portion of the thermoplastic elastomer may also be in an elastomer wherein a cross linked ethylene-propylenedione elastomer is incorporated in a continuous phase of a polyolefin, such as polypropylene, which polyolefin forms the bond to the polyolefin of the pipe body. Preferably said olefinic portion of the thermoplastic elastomer causing the thermoplastic properties of said thermoplastic elastomer is polyolefin based or said olefinic portion is part of an elastomer, said olefinic portion giving the elastomeric properties to the elastomer, in both cases a very excellent fixation of the sealing body to the plastic retaining ring is obtained. Advantageously the plastic retaining ring comprises a polymer based on the same polyolefin as an olefin of the olefinic portion comprising thermoplastic elastomer. More particularly the plastic retaining ring consists of polypropylene and the olefinic portion of the thermoplastic elastomer is propylene based or the plastic pipe body is of polyethylene and the olefinic portion of thermoplastic elastomer is ethylene based as in both cases the thermoplastic material of the plastic pipe body and the thermoplastic elastomer adhere excellently to each other after having applied the elastomer onto the pipe body by injection moulding, the physical bond is obtained by interfusing of the thermoplastic material of the retaining ring and the olefinic portion of the thermoplastic elastomer. Very good connections between the sealing body and the retaining ring are obtained when the thermoplastic retaining ring consists of poly- ethylene or polypropylene and the thermoplastic rubber is a polypropylene and/or polyethylene portion comprising thermoplastic elastomer. At last the invention comprises a pipe part or fitting connected with a plastic retaining ring according to the invention. The invention will now be illustrated by means of an embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawing wherein: Fig. 1 shows a retaining ring with a sealing body according to the invention; Fig. 2 a retaining ring and a mould for connecting the retaining ring with a sealing body; and Fig. 3 another embodiment of a retaining ring with a sealing body according to the invention; Fig. 4 a socket pipe connected with a retaining ring according to Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 a socket pipe connected with another retaining ring according to the invention Fig. 1 shows a sealing ring 2 comprising a head portion 28 and a sealing sleeve 12. The sealing sleeve 12 is provided with sealing ribs 27. This sealing ring 2 is connected with a plastic retaining ring 11 provided with wave-like projections 20, 24. The retaining ring 11 consists of polypropylene and the sealing ring consists of a polypropylene based thermoplastic rubber (manufactured by Monsanto under the tradename Santoprene®) and consisting of a continuous phase of polypropylene incorporating crosslinked ethylenepropylenedienerubber. The integral connection between retaining ring 11 and sealing ring 2 has been obtained by placing the retaining ring 11 of polypropylene into an injection mould comprising mould parts 29 and 31 bounding a recess for forming the sealing body 2 (vide Fig. 2) and injecting the polypropylene based thermoplastic rubber into said recess. Fig. 3. shows a retaining ring 11 of polypropylene and a sealing sleeve 12 being fixed to the inner leg 16 of the retaining ring by injection moulding. The inner leg 16 of the J shaped retaining ring is connected through a bottom part 15 with an outer leg 14 having an inner annular projection 17. The retaining ring is connected with the outer side of a socket of a pipe part 5 (vide Fig. 4) by means of a snap fit connection of the retaining ring collar 32 with the first socket collar 8. Collar 8 is provided on the end of an end widening 6 connected with the socket 4 through transition part 9. A second socket collar 7 bounds the axial movement of the retaining ring 11. The interface 13 between the retaining ring 11 and the sealing body 12 is formed by interfused thermoplastic material of the retaining ring 11 and the thermoplastic elastomer consists of interfused thermoplastic rubber and polypropylene. Fig. 5 shows another retaining ring 11 with a sealing body fixed to the retaining ring. The inner side of the outer leg 14 of the retaining ring is provided with wave-like projections 24, 20 and 26 cooperating with adapted wave-like projections 19, 23 and depressions 22, 25 at the outer side of the end widening 6 of the socket 4. The retaining ring 11 consists of polypropylene and the thermoplastic rubber is a polystyrene- polyolefin-polystyrene rubber, the polyolefin portion being an ethylenepropylene polymer but of course an ethylenepolymer or propylenepolymer would also be convenient. A thermoplastic rubber of this type is manufactured by Shell under the trade name Kraton®.

Claims: Plastic retaining ring (11) of thermoplastic polyolefin material provided with connecting means (20,24) for removably connecting said retaining ring to a socket, said retaining ring (11) being physically bonded over a portion of its length to a sealing body (2, 28) with a freely movable sealing sleeve (12) of an elastomer comprising in its structure a portion based on a thermoplastic polymer being compatible with said thermoplastic polyolefin material and being bonded physically to the retaining ring (11) by applying a flowable composition of said elastomer under pressure, preferably by injection moulding, characterized in that the elastomer is a thermoplastic elastomer comprising in its structure an olefinic portion causing the thermoplastic or elastomeric properties of the thermoplastic elastomer, said sealing body (2; 12, 28) with a sleeve (12) having been formed by only applying a flowable composition of said elastomer onto said retaining ring (11) Plastic retaining ring according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermoplastic elastomer consists of a continuous phase of polypropylene incorporating precrosslinked ethylenepropylenediene rubber. Plastic retaining ring according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermoplastic elastomer is a polystyrene- polyolefin-polystyrene elastomer. Plastic retaining ring according to claim 2 and/or 3 characterized in that the plastic retaining ring comprises a polymer based on the same polyolefin as the olefin of the olefinic portion of the thermoplastic elastomer. Plastic retaining ring according to claims 2, 3 and/or 4, characterized in that the plastic retaining ring consists of polypropylene and the olefinic portion of thermoplastic elastomer is propylene based. Plastic retaining ring according to claims 2, 3 and/or 4, characterized in that the plastic retaining ring is of polyethylene and the olefinic portion of the thermoplastic elastomer is ethylene based. A pipe part or fitting (4, 56) with a plastic retaining ring according to any one of claims 1-6.

Inventors: BEUNE, JOHANNES HENDRIKUS
Applicants: WAVIN B.V.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: F16L47
IPC codes: B29C45, F16L47, F16L17