Patent ID: 7320486

Claim:
A pipe clamp in combination with a a first pipe and a second pipe and for connecting the first pipe and the second pipe that are partially insertable into one another, wherein the first pipe has an insertion end section and the second pipe has a receiving end section, wherein the insertion end section is divided into a first spherical zone and a second spherical zone and wherein the receiving end section is shaped to form a third spherical zone, wherein the first spherical zone adjoins a free end of the insertion end section and has a first outer radius that is identical to a first inner radius of the receiving end section, wherein the first spherical zone is adapted to be inserted into the receiving end section, wherein the second spherical zone has a second outer radius that is identical to a third outer radius of the receiving end section; the pipe clamp comprising: a clamping strap that, when the pipes are inserted into one another, is configured to be placed circumferentially about the receiving end section and the second spherical zone, wherein the clamping strap has a first outwardly projecting clamping jaw and a second outwardly projecting clamping jaw, wherein the first and second clamping jaws each have a hole; a clamping screw having a screw head and a threaded shaft; the clamping screw extending through the holes in the first and second clamping jaws; wherein the head of the clamping screw is supported on a first side of the first clamping jaw which first side is facing away from the second clamping jaw; an intermediate part positioned at a first side of the second clamping jaw, which first side is facing away from the first clamping jaw, and having a threaded bore, wherein the threaded shaft of the clamping screw ( 10 ) engages the threaded bore; wherein the clamping strap is curved about a transverse axis, wherein the transverse axis, when the first and second pipes are coaxially inserted into one another and the clamping strap is adapted to rest in an untightened state against the receiving end section and the insertion end section, is positioned in a central plane of the clamping strap that extends perpendicularly to coaxial center axes of the first and second pipes at a spacing from a center of the first, second, and third spherical zones; wherein a second inner radius of the clamping strap in the untightened state is smaller than the second outer radius or the third outer radius such that a sum of the spacing and of the second inner radius is greater than the second outer radius or the third outer radius and wherein upon tightening the clamping strap forms a spherical zone in which its center of curvature coincides with the center and its inner radius is similar to the outer radii of the spherical zones.