Sprinkler head adapter
A two member plastic pipe fitting adapter for installing a threaded sprinkler head. The members are coupled together to form a chamber for housing an annular gasket. The gasket chamber includes an expansion void and bearing surfaces for the gasket. The adapter includes a receptacle with an internal thread for engagement with a sprinkler head to load the gasket and form a fluid tight seal. The engagement between the sprinkler and the adapter is formed by dissimilar threads to minimize the outward radial forces on the adapter.
1. A sprinkler adapter, comprising:
a body, comprising:
a first body end;
a second body end; and
a body hole extending through the body from the first body end to the second body end along a first axis, the second body end having a body surface formed about the body hole;
a cap, comprising:
a first cap end;
a second cap end; and
a cap hole extending from the first cap end to the second cap end along a second axis, the first cap end having a cap surface, the cap to couple with the body to coaxially align the first axis and the second axis such that the body surface is opposed to and spaced from the cap surface to define a gasket chamber, the gasket chamber comprising a first gasket bearing surface extending from the body surface, a second gasket bearing surface spaced from the first gasket bearing surface, and an internal wall extending between the first gasket bearing surface and the second gasket bearing surface, the first gasket bearing surface comprising a skewed portion extending radially outward from the body surface in a direction towards the first body end, the first gasket bearing surface comprising a curved or radiused portion extending from the skewed portion to the internal wall, the second cap end to couple with a sprinkler head; and
a gasket disposed in the gasket chamber, the gasket comprising a first gasket surface to face the body surface and a second gasket surface to face the cap surface, the cap surface is perpendicular with respect to the second axis to support the gasket.
2. The sprinkler adapter of claim 1 , comprising:
the gasket has an unloaded state and a loaded state in which the gasket moves into an expansion portion of the gasket chamber between the gasket and the skewed portion responsive to the sprinkler head engaging the gasket, the expansion portion defined by the skewed portion and the curved or radiused portion.
3. The sprinkler adapter of claim 1 , comprising:
the skewed portion defines an included angle of at least twenty degrees with respect to the cap surface.
4. The sprinkler adapter of claim 1 , comprising:
a height of the gasket chamber between the first gasket bearing surface and the second gasket bearing surface increases in a radially outward direction from the first axis along the skewed portion.
5. The sprinkler adapter of claim 1 , comprising:
the body and the cap are made of plastic.
6. The sprinkler adapter of claim 1 , comprising:
a ratio of a height of the gasket chamber to a height of the gasket is greater than or equal to 1.2:1 and less than or equal to 1.25:1.
7. The sprinkler adapter of claim 1 , comprising:
the gasket includes a chamfer along an outer edge of the gasket.
8. The sprinkler adapter of claim 1 , comprising:
the body and the cap define a snap fit engagement.
9. The sprinkler adapter of claim 1 , comprising:
the gasket is made of polyurethane.
10. A sprinkler adapter, comprising:
a first member made of plastic, the first member comprising:
a first end;
a second end; and
a first hole extending through the first member from the first end to the second end along a first axis, the second end having a first surface formed about the first hole;
a second member made of plastic, the second member comprising:
a third end;
a fourth end; and
a second hole extending from the third end to the fourth end along a second axis, the third end having a second surface, the second member to couple with the first member such that the first surface is spaced from the second surface to define a gasket chamber, the gasket chamber comprising a first gasket bearing surface extending from the first surface, a second gasket bearing surface spaced from the first gasket bearing surface, and an internal wall extending between the first gasket bearing surface and the second gasket bearing surface, the first gasket bearing surface comprising a skewed portion extending radially outward from the first surface in a direction towards the first end, the first gasket bearing surface comprising a curved or radiused portion extending from the skewed portion to the internal wall, the fourth end to couple with a sprinkler; and
a gasket disposed in the gasket chamber, the gasket comprising a first gasket surface to face the first surface and a second gasket surface to face the second surface, the second member is disposed around a portion of the first member in which the gasket is disposed.
11. The sprinkler adapter of claim 10 , comprising:
the gasket has an unloaded state and a loaded state in which the gasket moves into an expansion portion of the gasket chamber between the gasket and the first surface responsive to the sprinkler engaging the gasket, the expansion portion defined by the skewed portion and the curved or radiused portion.
12. The sprinkler adapter of claim 10 , comprising:
the third end is radially outward from the gasket relative to the second axis.
13. The sprinkler adapter of claim 10 , comprising:
a height of the gasket chamber between the first gasket bearing surface and the second gasket bearing surface increases in a radially outward direction from the first axis along the skewed portion.
14. The sprinkler adapter of claim 10 , comprising:
the second end defines a cavity to receive the gasket.
15. The sprinkler adapter of claim 10 , comprising:
the gasket includes a chamfer along an outer edge of the gasket.