Patent ID: 7144047

Claim:
A coupling assembly for flexibly joining pipes to one another end to end and permitting relative axial, torsional and angular deflection between said pipes, said coupling assembly comprising: a first ring attachable to an end of one of said pipes, said first ring having an outer diameter greater than said pipe and an outwardly facing circumferential groove therein; a first sealing member positionable within said groove of said first ring and extending circumferentially therearound; a second ring attachable to an end of another of said pipes, said second ring having an outer diameter greater than said other pipe and an outwardly facing circumferential groove therein; a second sealing member positionable within said groove of said second ring and extending circumferentially therearound; a band positionable in overlying relation with and surrounding said first and second rings, said band having an inwardly facing surface sealingly engageable with said first and second sealing members and having a width sufficient to allow a gap between said pipes; a housing positionable in overlying relation with and surrounding said rings and radially spaced apart from said band, said housing having a pair of first shoulders positioned in spaced apart relation, each said first shoulder being engageable with one of said rings for limiting axial and angular deflection of one pipe relative to the other, and a pair of second shoulders each said second shoulder being positioned on an opposite side of said band, each said second shoulder being engageable with an edge of said band for maintaining said band engaged with said sealing members; and a pair of circumferential rims positioned in longitudinally spaced apart relation, each said rim extending radially inwardly and being in spaced relation to said pipes, said rims being engageable with said pipes upon angular deflection thereof for maintaining said spaced relation between said housing and said band.