Abstract:
A sealing ring and a method of preventing or stopping a joint leak between a pipe and a pipe fitting to minimize property damage as well as clean up costs occurring from property damage due to joint leaks by securing a sealing ring to the pipe and the pipe fitting to form a secondary joint that inhibits or prevent leakage between the primary joint between the pipe and the pipe fitting.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/965,612 filed Aug. 21, 2007 titled LEAKPROOF PIPE CONNECTIONS AND LEAKPROOFING PIPE CONNECTIONS. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to leak proofing pipe connections and, more specifically, to leak proofing joints between pipes and fittings such as PVC pipes and fittings. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     None 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The concept of a method of solvent welding is well known in the art. In solvent welding a thermoplastic polymer fitting, such as PVC, is coated with a thin layer of solvent that for a short time dissolves the surfaces of the polymer fitting creating a viscous liquid film on the surface of the fitting. While the surface of the polymer fitting is in the dissolved or liquid state it is joined to a surface of a polymer pipe that also has a thin layer of solvent thereon which also creates a viscous liquid film on the surface of the pipe. While both the surfaces of the polymer fittings have a thin viscous film the fittings are brought together and held in position. As the viscous film solidifies or cures it creates a solvent welded joint between the two fittings. If for some reason the film does not cover the entire shared surfaces between the pipe and the fitting a leak can occur causing property damage as well as clean up costs and time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises a sealing ring and a method of preventing or stopping joint leaks between pipes and fittings to minimize property damage as well as clean up costs occurring from property damage due to joint leaks. In one mode of the invention a sealing ring may be placed around the exterior cylindrical surface of a pipe prior to securing the pipe to a fitting. The sealing ring may then be secured to the pipe and the fitting at the time the pipe is secured to the fitting to prevent joint leaks between the pipe and the fitting. In another mode of the invention, the sealing ring may be secured around the exterior cylindrical surface of a pipe and secured to the pipe and the fitting after discovering a joint leak between the pipe and the pipe fitting to thereby stop the joint leak and thus prevent further joint leakage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a one-piece closed sealing ring for leak proofing joints between members; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a one-piece, split sealing ring for leak proofing joints between thermoplastic members; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a thermoplastic pipe secured to a thermoplastic coupling with a sealing ring in an unsealed condition; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a thermoplastic pipe secured to a thermoplastic coupling with a sealing ring in a sealed condition; 
         FIG. 5  is an alternate example of a sealing ring in an unsealed condition but secured to coupling by a runner; 
         FIG. 6  shows the sealing ring of  FIG. 5  secured to a thermoplastic pipe and a thermoplastic coupling to provide a leak proof seal between the thermoplastic pipe and the thermoplastic coupling; 
         FIG. 7  is an example of connectable ends on a one-piece, split-sealing ring; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial side view of the connectable ends of  FIG. 7  in an engaged condition; and 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of the sealing ring with the connectable ends of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In one mode the invention provides a leak proofing system for preventing or stopping joint leaks through a safety or sealing ring and a securement film, which may be a solvent welding film, so that the sealing ring may be solvent welded to both a pipe and a fitting. While the system is described with regard to using a securement film, which can be cured such as a solvent welding film, the leak proofing system is also well suited for fittings that are secured to each other other than by solvent welding films, for example adhesives or the like. In another mode the invention includes a method of leak proofing by securing a pipe to a fitting through a first surface-to-surface joint that may or may not be leak proof and placing a sealing ring around an exterior cylindrical surface of the pipe and then securing the sealing ring to the pipe and the fitting to form a further surface-to-surface joint with the further surface-to-surface joint located proximate to the first surface-to-surface joint and in series therewith to thereby inhibit a leak through the first surface-to-surface joint. 
       FIG. 1  shows a front view of an example of a one-piece leak proofing member such as a thermoplastic member comprising a PVC sealing ring or closed safety ring  10  for leak proofing a circumferential joint between thermoplastic members such as a PVC pipe and a PVC fitting. Sealing ring  10  includes an outer annular surface  11  and an pipe engagement surface  15  and an annular end face  14  for engaging the exterior surface of a pipe fitting. That is, annular surface  15  and annular surface  14  are at a right angle or at substantial right angles to each other to permit annular surface  14  to abut against the end of a pipe fitting and to permit annular pipe engaging surface  15  to engage an exterior surface of a pipe  31 . The annular surfaces are shown at a right angle to each other so they can be mated with pipe surfaces and fittings that are also at right angles to each other. In some applications, the surfaces of the sealing ring may be at angles other than right angles as long as the sealing ring  10  can be seated to a pipe and a fitting where a leak may occur. In the example shown the annular surface  15  has a diameter sufficiently large so as to slide along an exterior pipe surface but sufficiently small so that a diametrical clearance between the exterior pipe surface and the annular surface  15  permits joining an exterior pipe surface and the annular surface to each other with a securement film present therebetween. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of another example of a sealing ring comprising a one-piece split sealing ring  20  for leak proofing joints between members that have been previously joined together. Split-sealing ring  20  includes an outer annular surface  21 , an annular pipe engaging face  25  and an annular end face  24  that is perpendicular to annular surface  25 . In the example shown annular end face  24  can abut against the end of a pipe fitting and an annular surface  25  can engage the exterior surface of a pipe. In some applications, the surfaces of the sealing ring  20  also may be at angles other than right angles as long as the sealing ring  20  can be seated to a pipe and a fitting where a leak may occur. 
     The split-sealing ring  20  allows one to place the sealing ring around a pipe without having to slide the sealing ring over the end of the pipe. That is, the split-sealing ring  20  retains sufficient flexibility so that the end  28  and the end  29  can be separated or spread apart to allow lateral insertion of the split-sealing ring  20  around a pipe with the ring having sufficient resiliency to return to its original shape after the sealing ring is placed around the pipe. Thus, with the sealing ring  20  a user can laterally place the sealing ring around a pipe and seal a leak in a system without having to cut, remove and replace an existing leaking fitting and pipe since the split ring can be positioned next to a leaky fitting and secured to the pipe and the leaky fitting to thereby provide a secondary seal to inhibit or prevent leakage from a primary joint between the pipe and the fitting. 
       FIG. 3  shows sealing ring  10  positioned around a pipe  31  and proximate a fitting  30  in an unsealed condition and  FIG. 4  shows the sealing ring  10  having annular surface  14  of the sealing ring  10  abutting against the fitting  30  in a sealed condition to provide a leak proof seal/connection between fitting  30  and pipe  31 . More specifically,  FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a pipe coupling  30  and sealing ring  10 , which is located on the exterior surface  31   a  of pipe  31 , with sealing ring  10  in an unsealed condition and pipe  31  and pipe coupling  30  in a sealed condition.  FIG. 3  shows a solvent film  31   s , which can be applied by a brush or dauber, located on a portion of the exterior surface  31   a  of pipe  31 . The cured solvent film  31   s , which is located on the interior of fitting  30 , that secures pipe  31  to fitting  30 . A second solvent film  31   t , which can also be applied by a brush or dauber, is located on the portion of the exterior surface  31   a  of pipe  31  that extends outward from fitting  30 . If the solvent welding of the annular outer surface  31   a  of pipe  31  to annular inner surface  30   s  of fitting  30  do not provide a leak proof seal between the pipe  31  and fitting  30 , one can leak proof the connection therebetween with sealing ring  10  by securing the sealing ring  10  to the pipe  31  and fitting  30  so that when the solvent films  31   t  cures, it form a secondary seal or welded joint between pipe  31 , sealing ring  10  and fitting  30 . 
     To appreciate the system of leak proofing a connection between pipe  31  and coupling  30  reference should be made to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 3  shows the sealing ring  10  prior to the sealing ring  10  being brought into a sealing condition and  FIG. 4  shows the sealing ring  10  in a sealing condition with the sealing ring  10  positioned around the exterior of pipe  31  and secured to the pipe  31  and to the end of fitting  30  through solvent welding. Once cured, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the sealing ring  10  inhibits or prevents leakage in the primary joint between the pipe  31  and fitting  30  by providing a secondary joint between sealing ring  10  coupling  30  and pipe  31  which is in series with the primary joint. 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , pipe  31  is secured to a fitting comprising a coupling  30  through a cured solvent film  31   s . In order to prevent or stop a joint leak between pipe  31  and fitting  30  the sealing ring  10  can be secured to both pipe  31  and fitting  30 . In leakproofing a joint between pipe  31  and fitting  30  one can apply a conventional securement film such as a solvent film  31   t  to the exterior surface  31   a  of pipe  31 , which is located between sealing ring  10  and the end of fitting  30 , annular surface  15 , annular end face  14  of sealing ring  10  and to end face  30   c  of fitting  30 . Typically, the solvent film  31   t  may extend at least partially over any exposed solvent film  31   s  which was used to secure pipe  31  to fitting  30  if the solvent  31   s  has dried on pipe  31 . 
     While the solvent  31   t  is still in the viscous or flowable state the sealing ring  10 , which is in the presence of solvent sealant  31   t , is slid axially along pipe  31  and into engagement with the end of coupling  30  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The sealing ring  10  and coupling  30  are held in place until the film of solvent  31   t  solidifies thereby forming a second solvent weld, which secures the sealing ring  10  to both the pipe  31  and the end of the coupling  30 . It is noted that in the example of  FIG. 3  the second solvent welded joint between the sealing ring  10 , pipe  31  and pipe coupling  30  forms a secondary joint, which is a barrier for fluid to escape threrethrough. Consequently, if a leak exists in a primary solvent welded joint between coupling  30  and pipe  31 , the second welded joint between the sealing ring  10  and the pipe  31  and coupling  30  prevents or inhibits leakage therepast. Even if the secondary joint should have a leak the odds of an alignment of a leak in the primary joint and the secondary joint are small so that the chances of a pipe leak occurring have been greatly diminished. While the preferred method is to allow the primary joint to cure before forming the secondary joint in some instances, one may want to secure both the primary and secondary joints at the same time. 
     In the preferred method of providing a secondary seal, the primary solvent welded joint is allowed to set or cure before the secondary solvent welded joint is formed. It should be pointed out that while the invention is described in regard to solvent welding other methods used to secure pipes to fittings or the like using adhesives, such as glue, can also be used to leak proof a joint through the use of sealing ring and an adhesive. In addition, the leak proofing can also be used with systems wherein the primary joint is formed by other methods such as sonic welding or the like and the secondary joint is formed through other methods including sonic welding, adhesives, solvents and the like. 
     Thus in one example the invention includes a method of leak proofing thermoplastic members such as pipe  31  and pipe coupling  30  by securing the thermoplastic pipe  31  to a thermoplastic fitting  30  through solvent welding to thereby form a first solvent secured joint therebetween that may or may not be leak proof. One can then place a sealing ring around an exterior cylindrical surface of the thermoplastic pipe  31  and apply a film of solvent to the exterior surface of the thermoplastic pipe and to an annular cylindrical surface and a cylindrical end face of a sealing ring. One can then bring the sealing ring  10  into engagement with the fitting  30  before the solvent has set. By holding the sealing ring  10  and the fitting  30  in position until the solvent sets or cures a further solvent secured joint is formed with the further solvent secured joint located in series with the first solvent secured joint. 
       FIG. 5  is yet another example of a sealing ring  41  in an unsealed condition, which is secured to coupling  40  by a ruptureable longitudinal extending runner or web  41   a . In this example the pipe  32  the coupling  40  are located around pipe  32  and sealing ring  41  is not secured to pipe  32  but coupling  40  is secured to pipe  32 . However, if a leak is discovered between coupling  40  and pipe  32  or if one wants to ensure that no leaks occur therebetween, the ruptureable runner  41   a  can be broken and a securement film positioned on pipe  32  so that the sealing ring  41  can be axially slid to the end of the fitting  40  as shown in  FIG. 6 . While the fitting  40  is shown with a sealing ring  41  having an annular surface  42  that extends radially outward and can abut surface  40   a  the annular surface  42  can be partly or wholly angled so that when the sealing ring  41  is brought proximate the end of the fitting  40  the solvent is forced into the junction between the pipe  32  and the fitting  40  to thereby form a bead of securement film around the exterior of the pipe  40 . 
       FIG. 6  shows the sealing ring of  FIG. 5  secured to both a pipe  32  and a coupling  40  to provide a secondary leak proof seal between the pipe  32  and the coupling  40 . In this example the runner or web  41   a , which holds the sealing ring proximate the coupling is ruptured or removed and the sealing ring  41  is then secured to the end of the fitting  40  and to the pipe  32  Thus, when the sealing ring  41  and the coupling  40  are in an end-to-end condition with the sealing ring secured to the pipe  32  one leak proofs the primary joint between pipe  32  and coupling  40 . 
       FIG. 7-FIG .  9  show yet another example of a split sealing ring  60  having connectable ends  62  and  61 . The connectable ends  62  and  61  allow one to form sealing ring  60  into a closed ring for securing around a pipe.  FIG. 7  shows the connectable ends  61  and  62  in an unengaged condition and  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  shows the connectable ends  61  and  62  in the connected condition for securing to a pipe and coupling to provide a leak proof seal between the pipe and coupling. Split-sealing ring  60  includes a hook  51  and a hook  52 , which are shown in  FIG. 7  as identical, however they need not be. Specifically, hook  51  and hook  52  are located on connectable ends  61  and  62 , respectively. Hook  51  has an angled or canted face  81  and similarly hook  52  has an angled or canted face  82 . Angled faces  81  and  82  prevent the hooks from slipping apart or separating since a circumferential force will draw the hooks toward each other. That is, when the hooks are matingly engaged, face  81  of hook  51  and face  82  of hook  52  engage each other to prevents or inhibit separation of the connectable ends  61  and  62  of sealing ring  60 . Although canted faces are shown other methods and means of maintaining the connectable ends in engagement with each other may be used. 
     Split-sealing ring  60  also includes a tab  53  and a groove  54  for laterally securing the connectable ends  61  and  62  of split-sealing ring  60 . In the example shown both tab  53  and groove  54  are integral to split-sealing ring  60 . As one engages hooks  51  and  52  with each other, tab  53  and groove  54  engage with each other to prevent lateral movement of the connectable ends of the sealing ring  60  with respect to each other. More specifically, tab  53  with sidewall  53   a  and  53   c  matingly engage with groove sidewall  54   b  and groove sidewall  54   a . It is noted that the width of side wall  54   a  and the width of groove wall  54   b  are sufficiently sized to allow tab  53  to be inserted into groove  54 , preferably without the aid of tools. In the engaged condition, hook face  63  of hook  51  is proximate face  52   a  of hook  52  and hook face  62  is proximate face  51   a  of hook  51 . 
     It is noted that the hooks, tab and groove are just examples of mechanically securing the connectable ends of split-sealing ring  60  to prevent both longitudinal and lateral movement of the connectable ends with respect to each other. Furthermore, while  FIG. 7  shows sealing ring restraining members comprising a pair of hooks  51  and  52  that engage with each other to prevent longitudinal movement of sealing ring  60  and a tab  53  and groove  54  that engage with each other to prevent lateral movement of sealing ring  60 , in some instances only one or the other (for example, a pair of hooks or tab and groove) may be used to secure the sealing ring  60  around a pipe or the like. 
       FIG. 8  shows the split-sealing ring  60  in an engaged condition with the connectable ends joined to each other. The split-sealing ring  60  like sealing ring  20  shown in  FIG. 2 , allows one to place the sealing ring  60  around a pipe without having to slide the sealing ring over the end of the pipe. That is, the split-sealing ring  60  retains sufficient flexibility so that the ends  61  and  62  can be separated to allow lateral insertion of the split-sealing ring  60  around a pipe with a leaky fitting or in some cases a pipe that may develop a leak and also has sufficient resiliency to return to its original circular shape after the sealing ring is placed around the pipe. Thus, with the sealing ring  60  a user can seal a leak in a system without having to cut, remove and replace the existing fitting and pipe since the split ring can be positioned next to a leaky fitting and secured to the pipe and the leaky fitting to provide a secondary seal to inhibit or prevent leakage from the primary joint between the pipe and the fitting. 
       FIG. 9  shows a front view of sealing ring  60  having a hand grip comprising four curved radial hand or finger gripping protrusions  65  that are spaced around the outer circumference of sealing ring  60 . While four finger gripping regions are shown more or less may be used. The radial protrusion are finger friendly in that they allow a person to grasp and rotate the ring  60  as one slides the sealing ring into a sealing position. That is to position the sealing ring to prevent or stop a leak, the user may rotate the sealing ring around the pipe (not shown) with one hand while at the same time axially sliding the sealing ring toward a fitting with a leaky joint. The radial protrusions  65  may be smooth or contain axial groves to allow comfortable yet firm engagement of a user&#39;s fingers with the sealing ring  60  such that the user may rotate sealing ring  60  into a sealing condition against a pipe fitting. Radial protrusions  65  are also of sufficient height to provide ease of use for the user and also to ensure that the sealing ring with protrusions fits within the space wherein the sealing ring is used. While hand grip is shown with radial protrusions the hand grip may also be formed with relief regions in the sealing ring  60 . 
     While  FIGS. 1-9  show a one-piece or split sealing ring, if desired the sealing ring could be comprised of more than one piece. For example, the use of two sets of connectable ends on a sealing ring would allow one to place one portion of a sealing ring around a pipe and then secure the other portion of the sealing ring to the one portion of the sealing ring. 
     Thus, in one embodiment the invention comprises a combination, namely a sealing ring having an annular sealing surface, a pipe and a pipe fitting having a joint therebetween that may or may not leak; and a securement film present on either the annular sealing surface or the pipe or both, with the sealing ring positionable along the pipe and into engagement with the pipe fitting when the securement film is in an uncured state. When the securement film is cured the securement film secures the sealing ring proximate the pipe and the pipe fitting to thereby inhibit or prevent leaks through a primary joint between a pipe and a fitting.