Uponor has filed a patent for a press fitting that connects pipes. The fitting includes a cylindrical pressing sleeve with a pressing area and a stop ring that limits the pressing area. The stop ring has protruding and receding regions, with the protruding regions clamping the outer contour of the pressing sleeve. The patent aims to improve pipe connections. GlobalData’s report on Uponor gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Uponor, extrusion-based additive manufacturing was a key innovation area identified from patents. Uponor's grant share as of June 2023 was 1%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Press fitting for pipe connection with clamping stop ring
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230110392A1) describes a press fitting for a pipe connection. The press fitting includes a fitting body that connects to a pipe, a pressing sleeve fixed to the fitting body, and a stop ring fixed to the pressing sleeve. The stop ring has a cylindrical inner contour with protruding first regions and second regions that recede from the first regions. The first regions of the stop ring clamp onto the outer contour of the pressing sleeve, while the second regions are spaced from the outer contour.
In one embodiment, the pressing sleeve has a predetermined outside diameter with a tolerance range. The inside diameter between the first regions is smaller than the outer diameter minus a negative tolerance, while the inside diameter between the second regions is larger than the outer diameter plus a positive tolerance. The specified tolerance range is approximately 1% of the diameter of the pipe or at least 0.2 mm. The inside diameter between the first regions is smaller by about 0.5% and/or at least 0.1 mm than the outer diameter minus the negative tolerance, while the inside diameter between the second regions is approximately 0.5% and/or at least 0.1 mm larger than the outer diameter plus the positive tolerance.
The press fitting also includes a fitting body with a circumferential groove and a first projection on the pressing sleeve that engages in the groove to fix the pressing sleeve to the fitting body. The pressing sleeve has a second projection at the pipe-side end, which delimits the pressing region. The stop ring is arranged at the first axial end of the pressing sleeve and limits the pressing area in that direction. The stop ring has a third projection that engages in the groove of the fitting body to further secure the press fitting.
The press fitting can be made of various materials, such as a plastic material for the stop ring, stainless steel for the pressing sleeve, and a combination of metal and plastic materials for the fitting body.
In addition to the press fitting, the patent also describes an assembly group that includes the pressing sleeve and the stop ring fixed to the first axial end of the pressing sleeve.
Overall, this patent presents a press fitting design that provides secure and reliable pipe connections. The combination of the fitting body, pressing sleeve, and stop ring ensures proper clamping and spacing to create a tight seal. The use of different materials for different components allows for flexibility in manufacturing and performance.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
