Apparatus and method for a plumbing connector
View Patent ↗The present invention provides an apparatus for a threaded plumbing connector to electrically ground pipes. The apparatus includes wire terminal block(s), connecting the threaded plumbing connector body to a wire or other conductive material. In the event that a pipe becomes electrically energized, the grounding connection of the threaded plumbing connector would be able to shunt the electrical current away from the pipes and reduce the risk of fire.
1. A pipe connector, which comprises:
a first end of a hollow cylinder, the first end of a hollow cylinder having a flared fitting;
a second end of the hollow cylinder, distal from the first end, the second end of a hollow cylinder having a flared or black iron pipe fitting;
a protruded section along an outer surface of the hollow cylinder, between the first end and the second end;
a wire connection terminal, affixed to one or more of an outer surface of the protruded section;
wherein the protruded section extends radially outward from the outer surface of the hollow cylinder along the entire circumference of the hollow cylinder; and
wherein the first end is for fastening the hollow cylinder to a first pipe fitting, and the second end is for fastening the hollow cylinder to a second pipe fitting.
2. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the protruded section is a hexagon.
3. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the protruded section is a polygon.
4. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein the first end is a first male thread pattern, and the second end is a second male thread pattern.
5. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein the first end is a first female thread pattern, and the second end is a second female thread pattern.
6. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein the first end is a male thread pattern, and the second end is a female thread pattern.
7. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein the first end is a female thread pattern, and the second end is a male thread pattern.
8. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein the wire connection terminal further comprises:
a block of electrically conductive material;
a hollow feedthrough through the block of electrically conductive material parallel in direction to the first end, and the second end;
a threaded bore through the block of electrically conductive material perpendicular to the hollow feedthrough; and
a fastener fit to said threaded bore.
9. The pipe connector of claim 8 , wherein the pipe connector and the wire connector terminal are made of one continuous material.
10. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein the hollow cylinder is made of brass.
11. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein the hollow cylinder is made of steel.
12. The pipe connector of claim 1 , wherein the hollow cylinder is made of an electrically conductive material.
13. A pipe connector, which comprises:
a first end of a hollow cylinder, the first end of a hollow cylinder having a flared fitting;
a second end of the hollow cylinder, distal from the first end, the second end of a hollow cylinder having a flared or black iron pipe fitting;
an outer surface cylinder, wherein the outer surface cylinder has a protrusion;
wherein the protrusion extends radially outward from the outer surface of the hollow cylinder along the entire circumference of the hollow cylinder; and
a plurality of wire connection terminals within the protrusion.
14. The pipe connector of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of wire connection terminals comprises:
a hollow feedthrough parallel to the first threaded end, or the second threaded end;
a threaded bore perpendicular to the hollow feedthrough; and
a fastener fit to said threaded bore.
15. The pipe connector of claim 13 , wherein a cross section of the protrusion is a hexagon.
16. The pipe connector of claim 13 , wherein a cross section of the protrusion is a polygon.
17. The pipe connector of claim 13 , wherein the first end is a first male thread pattern, and the second end is a second male thread pattern.
18. The pipe connector of claim 13 , wherein the first end is a first female thread pattern, and the second end is a second female thread pattern.
19. The pipe connector of claim 13 , wherein the first end is a male thread pattern, and the second end is a female thread pattern.
20. The pipe connector of claim 13 , wherein the first end is a female thread pattern, and the second end is a male thread pattern.
21. A method of reducing current along a pipe comprising:
(1) attaching a first pipe, the first pipe having a flared fitting, to a plumbing connector, the plumbing connector having a flared fitting corresponding to the flared fitting of the first pipe;
(2) attaching a second pipe, the second pipe having a flared or black iron pipe fitting, to the plumbing connector, the plumbing connector having a flared or black iron pipe fitting corresponding to the flared or black iron pipe fitting of the second pipe;
(3) connecting a wire to hollow feedthrough bored through the side of a protruded section of the hollow cylinder, wherein the protruded section extends radially outward from the outer surface of the hollow; and
(4) shunting current away from said first pipe and said second pipe.
22. The method of reducing the current along the first pipe of claim 21 , wherein the attaching step (1) further comprises attaching a female thread pattern of the first pipe to a first male thread pattern of the plumbing connector.
23. The method of reducing the current along the first pipe of claim 21 , wherein the attaching step (1) further comprises attaching a male thread pattern of the first pipe to a first female thread pattern of the plumbing connector.
24. The method of reducing the current along the second pipe of claim 21 , wherein the attaching step (2) further comprises attaching a female thread pattern of the second pipe to a second male thread pattern of the plumbing connector.
25. The method of reducing the current along the second pipe of claim 21 , wherein the attaching step (2) further comprises attaching a male thread pattern of the second pipe to a second female thread pattern of the plumbing connector.
26. The method of reducing the current along the first and the second pipe of claim 21 , wherein the shunting step (4) further comprises shunting the current away from said first and said second pipe, through the wire terminal block, and a wire attached to ground.
27. The method of reducing the current along the first and the second pipe of claim 21 , wherein the connecting step (3) further comprises:
inserting the wire into the wire terminal block; and
securing the wire to the wire terminal block.
28. A pipe connector, which comprises:
a first end of a hollow cylinder, the first end of a hollow cylinder having a flared fitting;
a second end of the hollow cylinder, distal from the first end, the second end of a hollow cylinder having a black iron pipe fitting;
a protruded section along an outer surface of the hollow cylinder, between the first threaded end and the second threaded end;
a hollow feedthrough, the hollow feedthrough bored through one or more of the outer surface of the protruded section;
wherein the protruded section extends radially outward from the outer surface of the hollow cylinder along the entire circumference of the hollow cylinder; and
wherein the first end is for fastening the hollow cylinder to a first connection, and the second end is for fastening the hollow cylinder to a second connection.
29. The pipe connector of claim 28 , wherein the protruded section further comprises a threaded bore connecting to the hollow feedthrough to the outer surface of the protruded section.
30. The pipe connector of claim 29 , wherein the threaded bore is filled with a setscrew to pressure a wire within the feedthrough.