Component retaining structure for conduit fitting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10359134-B2
Application number	US-201615248288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2016
Priority date	Aug 26, 2015
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

A conduit fitting preassembly includes an annular fitting component and at least a first conduit gripping device. The annular fitting component has an interior wall extending axially from a forward end to a rearward end, and a first projection extending radially inward from the interior wall. The first conduit gripping device is received within the annular fitting component and includes a second projection extending radially outward of an outer surface of the first conduit gripping device. The first projection includes an outward tapered rear surface and the second projection includes an inward tapered front surface. The rear surface of the first projection is radially aligned with the front surface of the second projection, such that when the first conduit gripping device is in a forward-most position, the first projection interlocks with the second projection to prevent axial withdrawal of the first conduit gripping device from the annular fitting component.

First claim

We claim:

1. A preassembly for a conduit fitting, comprising:
a fitting nut having an interior wall extending axially from a forward end to a rearward end, and a first retaining feature;
a front ferrule received within the fitting nut and including a second retaining feature extending radially outward of an outer surface of the front ferrule, a rear camming mouth, and an outboard axial projection extending rearward from a rear end portion of the front ferrule, entirely radially inward and axially rearward of the second retaining feature, the outboard axial projection defining a rear bore extending axially rearward from the rear camming mouth; and
a rear ferrule received within the fitting nut and disposed between the front ferrule and a rear drive surface of the fitting nut, with an outer radial front end portion of the rear ferrule received in slip fit engagement within the rear bore of the front ferrule and a front camming surface of the rear ferrule, forward of the outer radial front end portion, engageable with the front ferrule camming mouth;
wherein the first retaining feature is radially aligned with and axially forward of the second retaining feature to impede axial withdrawal of the front ferrule from the fitting nut.

2. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear bore is outwardly non-reducing.

3. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the front ferrule is in a rearward most non-retained position, a first axial distance between a backwards rear ferrule engaging portion of the fitting nut drive surface and a backwards rear ferrule engaging portion of the outboard axial projection is smaller than a second axial distance between a backwards rear ferrule engaged portion of the rear ferrule front camming surface and a backwards rear ferrule engaged portion of a driven surface of the rear ferrule.

4. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear bore is sized to permit insertion of the front end portion of the rear ferrule without the front end portion of the rear ferrule contacting an internal surface of the rear bore.

5. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a radial gap between an outer diameter of the second retaining feature and an aligned inner surface of the fitting nut is between about 0.00005 inches and about 0.003 inches when the front ferrule is in a forward-most retained position within the fitting nut.

6. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a radial gap between an outer diameter of the second retaining feature and an aligned inner surface of the fitting nut is between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.001 inches when the front ferrule is in a forward-most retained position within the fitting nut.

7. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a radial gap between an inner diameter of the first retaining feature and an aligned outer surface of the front ferrule is between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.001 inches when the front ferrule is in a rearward-most position within the fitting nut.

8. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a radial gap between the outer radial front end portion of the rear ferrule and an aligned interior surface of the rear bore is between about 0.00005 inches and about 0.003 inches when the front ferrule is in a forward-most retained position within the fitting nut and the rear ferrule is in a rearward-most position within the fitting nut.

9. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a radial gap between the outer radial front end portion of the rear ferrule and an aligned interior surface of the rear bore is between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.001 inches when the front ferrule is in a forward-most retained position within the fitting nut and the rear ferrule is in a rearward-most position within the fitting nut.

10. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a radial gap between a radially outer edge of a driven surface of the rear ferrule and an aligned interior surface of the fitting nut is between about 0.00005 inches and about 0.003 inches when the rear ferrule is in a forward-most retained position within the annular fitting component.

11. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a radial gap between a radially outer edge of a driven surface of the rear ferrule and an aligned interior surface of the fitting nut is between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.001 inches when the rear ferrule is in a forward-most retained position within the annular fitting component.

12. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a sum of a first radial gap between the outer radial front end portion of the rear ferrule and an aligned interior surface of the rear bore and a second radial gap between a radially outer edge of a driven surface of the rear ferrule and an aligned interior surface of the fitting nut is smaller than a third radial gap between an outer diameter of the second retaining feature and an aligned inner surface of the fitting nut.

13. The preassembly of claim 1 , wherein when the fitting nut and the first and second ferrules are centered on a longitudinal axis, a sum of a first radial gap between the outer radial front end portion of the rear ferrule and an aligned interior surface of the rear bore and a second radial gap between a radially outer edge of a driven surface of the rear ferrule and an aligned interior surface of the fitting nut is smaller than a third radial gap between an inner diameter of the first retaining feature and an aligned outer surface of the front ferrule.

14. A fitting assembly comprising:
an annular first fitting component having an interior wall extending axially from a forward end to a rearward end, and a first retaining flange extending radially inward from the interior wall;
a second fitting component that assembles with the first fitting component to define an interior volume surrounded by the interior wall of the first fitting component;
a first conduit gripping device disposed within the interior volume, the first conduit gripping device including a second retaining flange extending radially outward of an outer surface of the first conduit gripping device, and a rear camming mouth; and
a second conduit gripping device disposed within the interior volume between the first conduit gripping device and a rear drive surface of the first fitting component;
wherein the first retaining flange is radially aligned with the second retaining flange, such that when the first conduit gripping device is in a forward-most position with respect to the first fitting component, a tapered surface of the first retaining flange interlocks with a tapered surface of the second retaining flange to block axial withdrawal of the first conduit gripping device from the annular first fitting component; and.

15. The fitting assembly of claim 14 , wherein the fitting assembly comprises only metal parts.

16. The fitting assembly of claim 14 , wherein the fitting assembly comprises stainless steel parts.

17. The fitting assembly of claim 14 , w

Assignees

• Swagelok Co

Inventors

• Williams Peter C
• Bhamidipati Prasanna
• Rubinski Jeffrey Michael
• Clason Mark A
• Brown Cal R
• Rayle Jeffrey S
• Karkosiak John D
• Bennett Mark A
• Bearer Mark D
• Welch Douglas S
• Campbell Ronald P
• Mcclure Douglas J
• Kalata Gregory S
• Dorony Connor M
• Zaborski Stephen J
• Arstein Dale C

Classifications

• F16L19/103 Primary

  with more than one ring per pipe end being used · CPC title

• F16L19/06 Primary

  in which radial clamping is obtained by wedging action on non-deformed pipe ends · CPC title