Patent US4234020A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4234020A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Heat recoverable closure assembly and method
Assignee: Raychem Corp
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Filing: 1978-12-06
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Granted: 1980-11-18
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Expires: 1998-12-06
Abstract
Abstract A wrap-around closure assembly for elongate objects such as pipelines including a length of heat recoverable material as the closure member and a fastening device extending lengthwise along the elongate object for holding the edges of the material in a nearly abutting relationship. The fastening device has channels which receive the edges of the heat recoverable material such that the retaining forces of the fastening device are in line with the tensile forces of the recovered closure member. Retaining means within the channels prevent the withdrawal of the edges during assembly and after heat recovery of the closure member. The legs of the channels are also forced against the interposed closure member to prevent extraction thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter J. Greuel, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 10:52
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C61/00; B29C61/06; B29C61/10; F; F16; F16L; F16L47/00; F16L47/20; F16L47/22; H; H02; H02G; H02G15/00; H02G15/08; H02G15/18; H02G15/1806; H02G15/1813; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S174/00; Y10S174/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A heat recoverable closure assembly capable of being employed about a substrate for enclosure thereof, comprising a heat shrinkable closure member extending to edges capable of being brought into nearly abutting relationship; and fastening means for cooperating with the edges of said closure member to retain the edges in nearly abutting relationship such that tensile loads on said closure member will approach mutual alignment with constraining loads on said closure member from said fastening means including gripping means for retaining the edges of said closure member in nearly abutting relationship, each said gripping means having first and second leg members arranged together to define a channel for receipt of an edge of said closure member, means for forcing said leg members against said closure member near an edge thereof when interposed between said leg members and retaining means positioned within said channel and associated with at least one leg member for gripping said closure member when interposed in said channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A heat recoverable closure assembly capable of being employed about a substrate for enclosure thereof, comprising a heat shrinkable closure member extending to edges capable of being brought into nearly abutting relationship; and fastening means for cooperating with the edges of said closure member to retain the edges in nearly abutting relationship such that tensile loads on said closure member will approach mutual alignment with constraining loads on said closure member from said fastening means including gripping means for retaining the edges of said closure member in nearly abutting relationship, each said gripping means having first and second leg members arranged together to define a channel for receipt of an edge of said closure member, means for forcing said leg members against said closure member near an edge thereof when interposed between said leg members and retaining means positioned within said channel and associated with at least one leg member for gripping said closure member when interposed in said channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 1 wherein two said gripping means extend in opposite directions from one another.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for forcing said leg members together include at least one of said leg members being resiliently biased toward the other of said leg members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 1 wherein said retaining means is integral with one of said leg members and extends toward the other of said leg members and inwardly against extraction of said closure member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 4 wherein said retaining means includes a flange at the outer end of said first leg member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 4 wherein said retaining means includes teeth extending from said first leg member toward said second leg member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 1 wherein said heat shrinkable closure member is capable of increasing in thickness upon heat recovery thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 1 wherein said fastening means includes two plates rigidly joined at their centerlines, said plates extending in either direction from their centerlines to form opposed gripping means, said first plate forming a first leg member for each said gripping means and said second plate forming said second leg member of each of said gripping means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 8 further comprising a protective sheet positionable between said fastening means and an enclosed substrate, said protective sheet extending beyond said leg members.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The het recoverable closure assembly of claim 9 further including adhesive on a first side of said protective sheet for adhering to said closure member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 8 further including a protective sheet disposed about said fastening means, the edges of said protective sheet extending into said channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 1 wherein said leg members are discontinuous longitudinally along said fastening means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 1 wherein said fastening means includes a plate deformed to provide alternate flat and raised portions along the sides thereof to form said first and second leg member defining two longitudinal channels therebetween.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The heat recoverable closure assembly of claim 1 wherein the edges of said heat recoverable closure member extend into said gripping means and said closure member has been heat recovered about a substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
144 words
A heat recoverable closure assembly comprising heat shrinkable closure member extending to edges capable of being brought into nearly abutting relationship; and fastening means for cooperating with the edges of said closure member to retain the edges in nearly abutting relationship such that closure member will extend to said fastening means in a nearly planar configuration at the edges thereof, said fastening means including gripping means for retaining the edges of said closure member in nearly abutting relationship, each said gripping means having first and second leg members arranged together to define a channel for receipt of an edge of said closure member, means for forcing said leg members against said closure member when interposed between said leg members and retaining means positioned within said channel and associated with at least one leg member for gripping said closure member when interposed in said channel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
144 words
A heat recoverable closure assembly comprising heat shrinkable closure member extending to edges capable of being brought into nearly abutting relationship; and fastening means for cooperating with the edges of said closure member to retain the edges in nearly abutting relationship such that closure member will extend to said fastening means in a nearly planar configuration at the edges thereof, said fastening means including gripping means for retaining the edges of said closure member in nearly abutting relationship, each said gripping means having first and second leg members arranged together to define a channel for receipt of an edge of said closure member, means for forcing said leg members against said closure member when interposed between said leg members and retaining means positioned within said channel and associated with at least one leg member for gripping said closure member when interposed in said channel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
114 words
A retaining device for joining two edges of heat recoverable closure member capable of being brought into nearly abutting relationship comprising first and second gripping means for receipt of edges of the closure member, each said gripping means including first and second leg members arranged together to define a channel for receipt of an edge of the closure member, said channels extending in opposite directions from one another; means for forcing said leg members of each said gripping means against the closure member when interposed between said leg members; and retaining means positioned within said channel and associated with at least one leg member for gripping said closure member when interposed in said channel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
114 words
A retaining device for joining two edges of heat recoverable closure member capable of being brought into nearly abutting relationship comprising first and second gripping means for receipt of edges of the closure member, each said gripping means including first and second leg members arranged together to define a channel for receipt of an edge of the closure member, said channels extending in opposite directions from one another; means for forcing said leg members of each said gripping means against the closure member when interposed between said leg members; and retaining means positioned within said channel and associated with at least one leg member for gripping said closure member when interposed in said channel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-11-18 | 1984-05-19 | 1984-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-11-18 | 1988-05-19 | 1988-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-11-18 | 1992-05-19 | 1992-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |