Patent ID: 7434850

Claim:
A coupling system for corrugated pipe, comprising: (a) a section of pipe having a spigot end and an outer corrugated sidewall defined by spaced apart successive annular ribs with annular valley-defining portions disposed therebetween; (b) a gasket bed formed by said outer sidewall adjacent said spigot end of said section of pipe, said gasket bed being defined by and disposed between an annular rib wall and an adjoining terminal annular bed-forming rib located at said spigot end of said section of pipe, said annular bed-forming rib being of a substantially smaller diameter than said adjoining annular rib wall; (c) a gasket seated within said gasket bed and protruding outwardly therefrom beyond the outer confines of said bed-forming rib; (d) a sleeve element having a generally cylindrical sidewall and an open end into which said spigot end of said section of pipe is received, said sleeve element having an annular gasket sealing surface disposed adjacent said spigot end of said section of pipe, said gasket sealing surface extending generally radially inward from said sidewall of said sleeve element toward said bed-forming rib and compressing said gasket within said gasket bed; (e) a plurality of circumferentially spaced latch members located on said sidewall of said sleeve element and extending radially inward therefrom, each of said latch members engaging said section of pipe so as to assure proper compression of said gasket and resist axial uncoupling forces between said sleeve element and said section of pipe caused by the presence of internal or external fluid pressure on the coupling system; and (f) a first constricted pathway defined between said gasket sealing surface and said annular rib wall on one side of said gasket bed, and a second constricted pathway defined between said gasket sealing surface and said bed-forming rib on an opposing side of said gasket bed, whereby internal fluid pressure generated within said section of pipe will cause said gasket to wedge within said first constricted pathway, and external fluid pressure exerted on said pipe will cause said gasket to wedge within said second constricted pathway, thereby preventing fluid exfiltration or infiltration through the coupling system.