Patent ID: 12196347

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.

Referring toFIG.1, there is illustrated a top plan view of the present invention grip lock connector. Referring toFIG.2, there is illustrated a bottom plan view of the present invention grip lock connector. Referring toFIG.3, there is illustrated an exploded view illustrating each of the components of the present invention grip lock connector. Referring toFIG.4, there is illustrated a side perspective view of the present invention grip lock connector.

Referring toFIGS.1through4, there is illustrated the present invention grip lock connector10including a cylindrical circumferential wall20with a leading end30having an interior surface34with a bore diameter defined as “INBORE” and numbered “INB-1” inFIG.1. The cylindrical circumferential wall20has an interior length of “INL-1”. The interior circumferential wall interior surface34surrounds an interior chamber18. At the interior end of interior chamber18is a gripper ring40. The gripper ring is preferably made of stainless steel. The gripper ring40retains a multiplicity of spaced apart gripper teeth42. Each respective one of the spaced apart gripper teeth42, also referred to as gripping teeth, includes a rear end44by which each of the respective spaced apart gripper teeth42is retained on the gripper ring40. Each of the respective spaced apart gripper teeth42includes a front or interior end46. Each of the spaced apart respective gripper teeth42are bent at an inward angle relative to the distal end290of the grip lock connector10. The gripper ring40is supported by a gripper ring retainer52. The interior diameter of the multiplicity of respective spaced apart gripper teeth42(also referred to as stainless steel teeth and/or gripping teeth) have an interior diameter named “GRDIA” and numbered “GTD-1” measured from the front or interior end46. Deeper into the interior surface34of cylindrical circumferential wall20is a rubber gasket or O-ring54which rests on an interior shelf56at the deepest end of the interior chamber18. The rubber gasket or O-ring54has an interior diameter, named “ORDIA” and numbered “ORD-1” inFIG.1. The interior diameter

ORD-1 of the O-ring54is smaller than the interior diameter GTD-1 of the respective spaced apart gripper teeth42. The respective spaced apart gripper teeth42are preferably made of stainless steel.

Referring toFIG.5, there is illustrated is a cross-sectional view of the connection location of the leading end210of the uppermost water supply pipe200of a water supply pipe assembly from a source of water and the multiplicity of spaced apart gripper teeth42of the grip lock connector10before the leading end210of the uppermost water supply pipe200of a water supply pipe assembly is retained in the present invention grip lock connector10.

Referring toFIG.6, there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the connection location of the leading end210of the uppermost water supply pipe200from a source of water and the multiplicity of spaced apart gripper teeth42and the gasket or O-ring54after the leading end210and a portion of the uppermost water supply pipe200is retained in the present invention grip lock connector10.

Referring toFIGS.5and6, the distance from the leading end30of cylindrical wall20to the location of the gripper ring40is INL-1. The distance from front surface30to the location of O-ring50is INL-2. The distance from front surface30to the deepest location where the water supply pipe200is positioned is INL-3.

Referring toFIGS.1through6, the interior chamber18has an inner diameter of INB-1 that is suitably sized to receive with a slip fit a section of the uppermost water supply pipe200. The multiplicity of spaced apart gripper teeth42has an interior diameter GTD-1 sized to interface with and affect a secure grip on the uppermost water supply pipe200. Finally, the gasket or O-ring54inside diameter ORD-1 is sized smaller than the exterior diameter LPED-1 of uppermost water supply pipe200to firmly press against the uppermost water supply pipe cylindrical surface230and affect a water tight seal.

Referring toFIG.2, there is illustrated a bottom plan view of the present invention grip lock connector10. Referring toFIGS.2,3and4, at the distal end290is a non-round nut70that has an exterior surface74which, by way of example, is shaped with spaced apart hexagonal walls76separated by exterior spacers78. The non-round hex nut70is made of metal. The non-round nut (also referred to as non-round hex nut)70has a cylindrical interior surface80with interior female mating threads82. The interior female mating threads82are sized to threadedly receive male threads on a fire sprinkler. The non-round hex nut70is retained in a collar60. The grip lock connector10has a multiplicity of reduced diameter exterior sections with exterior diameters decreasing to accommodate an exterior diameter “CEXD-1” of the collar60which is smaller than the exterior diameter EXD-1 of cylindrical wall20.

The first reduced diameter section100has a non-round exterior surface to facilitate gripping of the grip lock connector10. By way of example, the exterior surface of reduced diameter section100includes a multiplicity of hexagonal surfaces102separated by spacer members104. The interior sidewall106(seeFIG.5) of first reduced diameter section100is cylindrical and has the same diameter as INB-1 to facilitate a continued slip fit of exterior surface230of water supply pipe200.

The second reduced diameter section110has a cylindrical exterior surface112. The interior diameter of second reduced diameter section110has a portion of its interior diameter the same as INB-1 until the leading end210of uppermost water supply pipe200is stopped at interior surface114. The remaining interior of second reduced diameter section110has an interior wall116which is deeper than third reduced diameter section50which is sized to fit within collar60. Reduced diameter section50includes a first reduced diameter O-ring122and a second reduced diameter O-ring124which is smaller than first reduced diameter O-ring122. The second reduced diameter O-ring124is adjacent interior threads82to facilitate a leakproof connection when fire sprinkler male threads are threaded into female mating threads82. The first reduced diameter O-ring122provides additional leakproof functionality because the non-round hex nut70is made of metal.

As the water supply pipe200having an exterior surface230with an exterior diameter LPED-1 is slip fit into INB-1 of cylindrical circumferential section20and continues into the same diameter interior of first reduced diameter section100and second reduced diameter section110, the inwardly and downwardly spaced apart gripper teeth42grasp the sidewall230of water supply pipe200and prevent it from being removed from grip lock connector10. The gasket or O-ring54provides a leakproof connection of the water supply pipe200grasped and retention gripped by the innermost ends46of the multiplicity of gripper teeth42. The gripping ring40is embedded within interior sidewall34of cylindrical section20.

Referring again toFIG.4, there is illustrated a side perspective view of the present invention grip lock connector10. The grip lock connector10includes several descending sections100,110and the bottom cylindrical wall50surrounded by the collar60. The reduced diameter sections100,110and50are created to gradually reduce the bottom diameter50to accommodate the collar60which partially surrounds and encloses threaded nut70. Threaded hex nut70includes interior threads82to match the male mating threads of a fire sprinkler.

Referring toFIG.7, there is illustrated an exploded view of the water supply pipe200slightly above a ceiling400, the present invention grip lock connector10immediately below the uppermost pipe200and the fire sprinkler head500with a male threaded connector520below the lower portion of the grip lock connector10. Referring toFIG.8, there is illustrated an assembled view of the uppermost water supply pipe200above a ceiling400. The present invention grip lock connector10is fastened with a tight grip on the uppermost water supply pipe200, and the male threads520of the fire sprinkler head500threaded into female connecting threads82in a lower portion threaded nut70of the present invention grip lock connector10.

Further referring toFIGS.7and8, a structure includes a ceiling400with the uppermost water supply pipe200slightly above the ceiling. The present invention grip lock connector10is slid over the exterior sidewall230of uppermost water supply pipe200with the multiplicity of spaced apart gripper teeth42gripping and retaining the sidewall230of the uppermost water supply pipe200with the gasket or O-ring54providing a fluid tight seal. The multiplicity of spaced apart gripper teeth42are preferably made of stainless steel to grip the uppermost water supply pipe200with enough strength to exceed any hydraulic fluid pressure that might be used in a typical sprinkler system. The fire sprinkler500includes an upper end510with male threads520that are threaded into the female mating threads82of nut70. The present invention grip lock connector10has a central opening48within interior chamber18, which interior opening extends through sections100,110,50and collar60surrounding nut70having female interior threads82. The openings48ending in48-O are aligned with and in fluid connection with the central opening240in uppermost water supply pipe200and in fluid communication with central opening550in the fire sprinkler500. The fire sprinkler500includes the central opening550within upper end510leading to a seal and operating mechanism560leading to spray nozzles570in sprinkler500. The upper end510includes the central opening550surrounded by upper wall510having male exterior threads520which are threaded into female mating threads82.

Therefore, through the present invention, a firm tight connection is made with the interim connector connecting the uppermost water supply pipe200of a water supply pipe assembly from a source of water to the fire sprinkler500.

For example, a fire sprinkler system is plumbed in 1″ SDR 13.5 CPVC plastic pipe with pipe extensions that extend down from the space above a finished ceiling to just above the ceiling. The grip lock connector is assembled with a fire sprinkler head of appropriate size using the mating ½ inch NPT threads520and82to rigidly hold the head and the O-ring to effect a watertight seal.

The uppermost water supply pipe200is cut to the length desired for a finished assembled position of the sprinkler head500. The grip lock connector10is then installed over the pipe with a diameter of 1.315 inches using the interior bore diameter INB-1 of approximately 1.340 inches to effect a loose sliding fit. As the grip lock connector10slides up the pipe, the leading end of the uppermost water supply pipe200comes in contact with the gripper teeth42having an interior diameter GTD-1 of 1.260 inches causing the uppermost water supply pipe to force the fingers of the multiplicity of spaced apart gripper teeth42out and over the uppermost water supply pipe200making a tight contact. As the grip lock connector10is further assembled onto the pipe200, the leading end comes in contact with the O-ring54with an interior diameter ORD-1 of 1.250 inches, causing the leading end210of the pipe to force the O-ring54over the exterior surface230of the pipe200. Finally, with the grip lock connector10fully assembled over the uppermost water supply pipe200, the grip lock connector10is in full engagement with the lead pipe surface230restraining the assembly and the O-ring54is compressed tightly against the pipe outer surface230to effect a water tight seal.

Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention hereinabove shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated.