Snap-fit sealing gasket with rigid reinforcing ring and use of the same in forming a joing in a fluid conveying plastic pipeline

Abstract

A snap-fit pipe sealing gasket is shown for receipt within a preformed groove provided within the belled, socket end of a female plastic pipe. The snap-fit sealing gasket has a gasket body formed of resilient material with a rigid reinforcing retainer ring embedded therein which circumscribes the gasket body. The gasket body can be flexed so that it can be installed within the preformed pipe groove after pipe manufacture. The gasket body has a nose region which is precisely sized so that the rigid reinforcing ring ends up being positioned at a particular location relative to a lower, intermediate planar region of the gasket body and the nose tip of the gasket. This location provides needed support for the rigid ring, while avoiding interference with the deformation of the gasket lip as the mating male pipe end is inserted during the pipe joint assembly.