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A system includes an adapter configured to provide an interface between a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit. The adapter has an inner wall and an outer wall. The adapter has a first end configured to fit against a first inside wall of the first fluid conduit. The adapter also has a seco

A system includes an adapter configured to provide an interface between a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit. The adapter has an inner wall and an outer wall. The adapter has a first end configured to fit against a first inside wall of the first fluid conduit. The adapter also has a second end configured to fit against a second inside wall of the second fluid conduit. The inner wall of the adapter has a first curvilinear transition from a first inside diameter at a first opening of the first end to an intermediate diameter between the first and second ends. The inner wall of the adapter has a second curvilinear transition from a second inside diameter at a second opening of the second end to the intermediate diameter.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system comprising: a homogeneous integrally formed one-piece annular shaped tubular adapter configured to provide an interface between a plastic fluid conduit and a metal fluid conduit, wherein the adapter comprises: a longitudinal central axis along the length of the adapter;a first end compri

1. A system comprising: a homogeneous integrally formed one-piece annular shaped tubular adapter configured to provide an interface between a plastic fluid conduit and a metal fluid conduit, wherein the adapter comprises: a longitudinal central axis along the length of the adapter;a first end comprising a first terminal end, a first opening at the first terminal end, and a first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface along the entire length of the first end, the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface being devoid of radial protrusions and recesses, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface is configured to fit inside a first inside wall of the plastic fluid conduit;a second end comprising a second terminal end, a second opening at the second terminal end, and a second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface substantially along the entire length of the second end, the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface being devoid of radial protrusions and comprising a single spiral groove formed in the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface, wherein the spiral groove is configured to enable coupling to a second inside wall of the metal fluid conduit;an annular protrusion separating the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the first end from the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the second end, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the first end abuts the annular protrusion and the annular protrusion abuts the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the second end, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface has a first radial diameter, the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface has a second radial diameter, and the annular protrusion has a third radial diameter; wherein the third radial diameter is greater than the first radial diameter and the first radial diameter is different than the second radial diameter, and wherein the annular protrusion is configured to abut the plastic fluid conduit when the plastic fluid conduit is fitted on the first end of the adapter; andan inner wall that extends from the first opening to the second opening, wherein the inner wall of the adapter has a first curvilinear transition in an axial direction of the adapter from a first inside diameter at the first opening of the first end to an intermediate diameter between the first and second ends, and the inner wall of the adapter has a second curvilinear transition in the axial direction from a second inside diameter at the second opening of the second end to the intermediate diameter;wherein the first curvilinear transition decreases in diameter from the first inside diameter to the intermediate diameter, and the second curvilinear transition decreases in diameter from the second inside diameter to the intermediate diameter, wherein the first curvilinear transition begins at the first opening, the second curvilinear transition begins at the second opening, and the first and second curvilinear transitions each comprise a convex sloping transition; andwherein the first terminal end comprises a first annular surface transverse to the central axis of the adapter that extends radially from the first opening to the outer surface of the first end, the first annular surface having a first radial thickness, wherein the second terminal end comprises a second annular surface transverse to the central axis of the adapter that extends radially from the second opening to the outer surface of the second end, the second annular surface having a second radial thickness, and wherein the first radial thickness is different than the second radial thickness. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the adapter is curvilinear substantially in the axial direction along an entire length of the adapter between the first and second openings. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface is configured to fit inside the plastic fluid conduit and be affixed to the plastic fluid conduit using an adhesive. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the adapter is made from a material comprising polyvinyl chloride or stainless steel. 5. The system of claim 1, comprising an air blower coupled to the metal fluid conduit and an air knife coupled to the plastic fluid conduit. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the metal fluid conduit comprises stainless steel and the plastic fluid conduit comprises polyvinyl chloride. 7. A system comprising: an annular shaped tubular adapter constructed as a homogeneous integrally formed one-piece structure, the adapter comprising: a longitudinal central axis along the length of the adapter;a first end comprising a first terminal end and a first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface along the entire length of the first end, the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface being devoid of radial protrusions and recesses, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface is configured to fit against a first inside wall of a plastic fluid conduit and be affixed to the first inside wall using an adhesive; anda second end comprising a second terminal end and a second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface along the entire length of the second end, the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface being devoid of radial protrusions and comprising a single spiral groove formed in the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface, wherein the spiral groove is configured to enable coupling to a second inside wall of a metal fluid conduit;an annular protrusion separating the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the first end from the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the second end, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface has a first radial diameter, the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface has a second radial diameter, and the annular protrusion has a third radial diameter; wherein the third radial diameter is greater than the first radial diameter and the first radial diameter is different than the second radial diameter, and wherein the annular protrusion is configured to abut the plastic fluid conduit when the plastic fluid conduit is fitted on the first end of the adapter;wherein the first end comprises a first opening at the first terminal end having a first inner diameter, the second end comprises a second opening at the second terminal end having a second inner diameter, wherein an inner wall of the adapter has a first sloping transition that gradually decreases in diameter from the first inner diameter at the first opening to an intermediate diameter between the first and second terminal ends in an axial direction of the adapter, the inner wall has a second sloping transition that gradually decreases in diameter from the second inner diameter at the second opening to the intermediate diameter in the axial direction of the adapter, the inner wall is sloping substantially along an entire length from the first inner diameter at the first terminal end to the second terminal inner diameter at the second end along the axial direction, and the first inner diameter and the second inner are substantially the same;wherein the first sloping transition comprises a first curvilinear transition and the second sloping transition comprises a second curvilinear transition, the first curvilinear transition beginning at the first opening, and the second curvilinear transition beginning at the second opening, and the first and second curvilinear transitions each comprising a convex sloping transition; andwherein the first terminal end comprises a first annular surface transverse to the central axis of the adapter that extends radially from the first opening to the outer surface of the first end, the first annular surface having a first radial thickness, wherein the second terminal end comprises a second annular surface transverse to the central axis of the adapter that extends radially from the second opening to the outer surface of the second end, the second annular surface having a second radial thickness, and wherein the first radial thickness is different than the second radial thickness. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the inner wall is curvilinear substantially along the entire length from the first inner diameter at the first terminal end to the second inner diameter at the second terminal end. 9. The system of claim 7, comprising an air blower coupled to the metal fluid conduit and an air knife coupled to the plastic fluid conduit. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the adapter and the plastic fluid conduit comprise a common material of construction. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the adapter and the plastic fluid conduit comprise polyvinyl chloride. 12. The system of claim 7, comprising the plastic fluid conduit and the metal fluid conduit, wherein the plastic fluid conduit and the metal fluid conduit comprise the same nominal diameter. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plastic fluid conduit comprises polyvinyl chloride, the adapter comprises polyvinyl chloride, and the metal fluid conduit comprises stainless steel. 14. A system comprising: an air knife;an air supply assembly coupled to the air knife, wherein the air supply assembly comprises: an air blower;a plastic fluid conduit having a first inside wall, the first inside wall having a plastic fluid conduit inner diameter and coupled to the air knife;a metal fluid conduit having a second inside wall, the second inside wall having a metal fluid conduit inner diameter and coupled to the air blower, wherein the plastic fluid inner diameter is different than the metal fluid conduit inner diameter; andan adapter constructed as a homogeneous integrally formed one-piece annular shaped tubular structure and coupled to the plastic fluid conduit and the metal fluid conduit wherein the adapter comprises: a longitudinal central axis along the length of the adapter;a first end comprising a first terminal end, a first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface along the entire length of the first end, and a first opening at the first terminal end with a first inner diameter, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface is devoid of radial protrusions and recesses, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface is coupled to the first inside wall of the plastic fluid conduit;a second end comprising a second terminal end, a second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface along the entire length of the second end, and a second opening at the second terminal end with a second inner diameter, wherein the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface is devoid of radial protrusions and comprises a single spiral groove formed in the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface, wherein the second end is coupled to the second inside wall of the metal fluid conduit;an annular protrusion separating the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the first end from the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the second end, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the first end abuts the annular protrusion and the annular protrusion abuts the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface of the second end, wherein the first smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface has a first radial diameter, the second smooth right circular cylindrical outer surface has a second radial diameter, and the annular protrusion has a third radial diameter; wherein the third radial diameter is greater than the first radial diameter and the first radial diameter is different than the second radial diameter, and wherein the annular protrusion is configured to abut the plastic fluid conduit when the plastic fluid conduit is fitted on the first end of the adapter; andan inner wall that extends from the first opening to the second opening, wherein the inner wall is curvilinear substantially along the length of the adapter from the first inner diameter at the first opening to the second inner diameter at the second opening in an axial direction of the adapter, the inner wall has a first curvilinear transition in an axial direction from a first inside diameter at the first opening of the first end to an intermediate diameter between the first and second ends, and the inner wall has a second curvilinear transition in the axial direction from a second inside diameter at the second opening of the second end to the intermediate diameter;wherein the first curvilinear transition decreases in diameter from the first inside diameter to the intermediate diameter, and the second curvilinear transition decreases in diameter from the second inside diameter to the intermediate diameter, wherein the first curvilinear transition begins at the first opening and the second curvilinear transition begins at the second opening; and wherein the first and second curvilinear transitions each comprise a convex sloping transition; andwherein the first terminal end comprises a first annular surface transverse to the central axis of the adapter that extends radially from the first opening to the outer surface of the first end, the first annular surface having a first radial thickness, wherein the second terminal end comprises a second annular surface transverse to the central axis of the adapter that extends radially from the second opening to the outer surface of the second end, the second annular surface having a second radial thickness, and wherein the first radial thickness is different than the second radial thickness. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the adapter and the plastic fluid conduit comprise polyvinyl chloride and the metal fluid conduit comprises stainless steel.