EP0076043A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electro-fusion fitting
Assignee: Fusion Group PLC
•
Filing: 1982-09-02
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2002-09-02
Abstract
Abstract An electro-fusion fitting for coupling thermoplastic pipes incorporates a heating coil (2) and has a resistor (6) with a value chosen in accordance with the power to be supplied to the coil connected between a main terminal (4) and an auxiliary terminal (5). Control apparatus is adapted to sense the resistance value and supply electric current to the coil for a predetermined time set automatically according to the resistance value.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric Bridgstock
- 👤 David Michael Anthony Kenworthy
- 👤 Brian Glaves
- 👤 David Alan Bilton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:03
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L47/00; F16L47/02; F16L47/03; B; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/34; B29C65/3404; B29C65/342; B29C65/3468; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/52; B29C66/522; B29C66/5221; B29C66/5229; B29C66/90; B29C66/91; B29C66/912; B29C66/9121; B29C66/91211; B29C66/91214; B29C66/9131; B29C66/91311; B29C66/91317; B29C66/914; B29C66/9161; B29C66/91651; B29C66/91655; B29C66/96; B29C66/961; B29C65/3472; B29C65/3476; B29C65/348; B29C66/70; B29C66/71; B29C66/91313; B29C66/94; B29C66/944; B29C66/949
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
An electro-fusion fitting comprising a body of thermoplastic material having an electrical heating element (2) disposed adjacent a surface of the body and to which an electric current may be supplied to fuse the material of the body to that of a member which is to be welded to the fitting, the ends of the heating element being connected to respective terminals (4) for supplying electric current thereto, characterised in that the fitting includes auxiliary terminal contact means (5) connected electrically to a device (6) having a characteristic electrical parameter the value of which can be sensed electrically by suitable apparatus and is selected in accordance with the electric power with which the fitting should be supplied.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
An electro-fusion fitting comprising a body of thermoplastic material having an electrical heating element (2) disposed adjacent a surface of the body and to which an electric current may be supplied to fuse the material of the body to that of a member which is to be welded to the fitting, the ends of the heating element being connected to respective terminals (4) for supplying electric current thereto, characterised in that the fitting includes auxiliary terminal contact means (5) connected electrically to a device (6) having a characteristic electrical parameter the value of which can be sensed electrically by suitable apparatus and is selected in accordance with the electric power with which the fitting should be supplied.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electro-fusion fitting according to claim 1, wherein said device (6) is connected between a terminal (4) and an auxiliary terminal contact (5).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
An electro-fusion fitting according to claim 2, wherein each terminal (4) is connected to an auxiliary terminal contact (5) through a respective device (6), said devices (6) having the same value for said characteristic electrical parameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An electro-fusion fitting according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the or each device (6) is a single electrical component.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
An electro-fusion fitting according to claim 4, wherein the electrical component is a resistor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
An electro-fusion fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the characteristic electrical parameter is the ohmic resistance value of the device (6).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A plurality of electro-fusion fittings each as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each fitting has a different electric power requirement and each fitting includes a device (6) with a different value for said characteristic electrical parameter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
158 words
An electro-fusion fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in combination with control apparatus (8) therefor, the control apparatus including main and auxiliary contacts for connection respectively to said terminals (4) and auxiliary terminal contact means (5) of the fitting, power supply means (27) for supplying electric current to said main contacts, switch means (RC 1 ) to control the supply of electric current to the main contacts, sensor means (FR,20) connected to said auxiliary contacts for sensing the value of said characteristic parameter of the device (6) of the fitting, and generating an output signal in accordance therewith representing the set time for which electric current is to be supplied to the main contacts, control means (23-26) connected to the sensor means for receiving a start signal therefrom and closing the switch means (RC 1 ) in response thereto and for opening said switch means (RC 1 ) when said set time has elapsed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A combined fitting and control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the sensor means includes a programmed memory device (22) for checking an input signal supplied thereto corresponds to one of a number of valid values, and in response to a valid input signal emitting said start signal and said sensor output signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
A combined fitting and control apparatus according to claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein said control means includes a comparator (23) having a first input (35) connected to receive said sensor output signal, a device (24) for emitting a time dependent output signal, the comparator having a second input (36) for receiving the time dependent signal and emitting a stop signal when said time dependent signal coincides with the sensor output signal, and a control device (26) connected to receive said start and stop signals and to close and open the switch means (RC 1 ) in response thereto.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
103 words
A combined fitting and control apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the device (6) of the fitting has a characteristic ohmic resistance value, the sensor means includes a resistor element (FR) of predetermined resistance connected in series with the device (6) when the main and auxiliary contacts are connected to the terminals (4) and auxiliary terminal contact means (5) of the fitting, the sensor means being arranged to apply a predetermined d.c. voltage across said series connected device (6) and resistor (FR) and to sense the voltage at a point between said device (6) and said resistor (FR).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A combined fitting and control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the heating element (2) and the device (6) are connected electrically in series between said point at which the voltage is sensed and the source of said d.c. voltage.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.