Torque limited fitting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11149890-B2
Application number	US-201615057915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2016
Priority date	Mar 12, 2012
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A torque limited fitting is provided having a head and a body, which in certain embodiments may be assembled by an operator. The body of the torque limited fitting has a passageway therethrough for receiving and removably holding tubing. The torque limited fitting may be adapted for use with a flat bottom port, such as in an analytical instrument, like liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, ion chromatography, or in in vitro diagnostic systems.

First claim

We claim:

1. A fitting comprising:
a head having a first head end and a second head end and a first passageway extending through the head from the first head end to the second head end, wherein at least a portion of the first passageway defines an inner wall and the inner wall further comprises at least one radially extending internal abutment; and
a body having a first body end, a second body end, a second passageway extending through the body from the first body end to the second body end, and forming a first wall surrounding the second passageway, wherein the first body end is adapted to engage with at least one of the first head end or the second head end;
wherein the first body end comprises a first end portion further comprising a plurality of curved slots extending longitudinally through at least a radial portion of the first end portion, wherein the plurality of curved slots are closed and define a continuous outer wall that surrounds the first wall and is joined to the first wall between adjacent ends of the plurality of curved slots, wherein the circumferential length of each of the curved slots is greater than the circumferential distance between the adjacent ends of the plurality of curved slots, and wherein the continuous outer wall further comprises a plurality of radially extending external abutments, each of the abutments adapted to engage the at least one radially extending internal abutment of the head and deflect a portion of the outer wall radially inward; and
wherein the at least one radially extending internal abutment and the at least one radially extending external abutment are adapted to engage, and wherein the at least one radially extending external abutment is adapted to deflect inward and adapted to deflect at least a portion of the outer wall into the curved slot when the at least one radially extending external abutment engages with the at least one radially extending internal abutment.

2. The fitting according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one radially extending internal abutment comprises a first ramped portion and a second ramped portion.

3. The fitting according to claim 2 , wherein said first ramped portion is steeper than said second ramped portion.

4. The fitting according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one radially extending external abutment comprises a first ramped portion and a second ramped portion.

5. The fitting according to claim 4 , wherein said first ramped portion is steeper than said second ramped portion.

6. The fitting according to claim 1 , wherein said head comprises a plurality of the radially extending internal abutments.

7. The fitting according to claim 1 wherein the at least one radially extending internal abutment of said head and the at least one radially extending external abutment of said body are adapted to prevent transfer of more than a predetermined torque.

8. The fitting according to claim 1 wherein said head and said body are adapted so that when a predetermined torque is applied, the at least one radially extending external abutment of said body deflects radially inward.

9. The fitting according to claim 1 wherein said head and said body are adapted to prevent transfer of more than a predetermined maximum torque.

10. A fitting comprising:
a head having a first head end and a second head end and a first passageway extending through the head from the first head end to the second head end, wherein at least a portion of the first passageway defines an inner wall and the inner wall further comprises at least one radially extending internal abutment; and
a body having a first body end and a second body end and a second passageway extending through the body from the first body end to the second body end, the second passageway forming a first wall surrounding the second passageway, wherein the first body end is adapted to removably engage with at least one of the first head end or the second head end; and
a first end portion included with the first body and further comprising a plurality of radially extending external abutments, each of the abutments adapted to engage with the at least one radially extending internal abutment of said head, such that at least one radially extending external abutment of the plurality of radially extending external abutments is adapted to deflect at least a portion of the first wall radially inward into a curved slot of a plurality of curved slots when a predetermined torque is applied, wherein the plurality of curved slots are closed and define a continuous outer wall that surrounds the first wall and is joined to the first wall between adjacent ends of the plurality of curved slots, wherein the circumferential length of each of the curved slots is greater than the circumferential distance between the adjacent ends of the plurality of curved slots.

11. The fitting according to claim 10 wherein said head comprises a plurality of radially extending internal abutments and said body comprises a plurality of radially extending external abutments.

12. The fitting according to claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of curved slots extend longitudinally through at least a radial portion of the first end portion.

13. The fitting according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the radially extending internal abutments comprises a first ramped portion and a second ramped portion, and at least one of the radially extending external abutments comprises a third ramped portion and a fourth ramped portion.

14. The fitting according to claim 10 wherein at least one of the radially extending internal abutments of said head and at least one of the radially extending external abutments of said body are adapted to prevent transfer of more than a predetermined torque.

15. An analytical instrument system comprising:
a fitting further comprising,
a head having a first head end and a second head end and a first passageway extending through the head from the first head end to the second head end, wherein at least a portion of the first passageway defines an inner wall and the inner wall further comprises at least one radially extending internal abutment; and
a body having a first body end, a second body end, a second passageway extending through the body from the first body end to the second body end, the second passageway forming a first wall surrounding the second passageway, wherein the first body end is adapted to engage with at least one of the first head end or the second head end; and
a first end portion included with the first body and further comprising a plurality of radially extending external abutments, each of the abutments adapted to engage with the at least one radially extending internal abutment of the head, such that at least one radially extending external abutment of the plurality of radially extending external abutments is adapted to deflect at least a portion of the first wall radially inward into a curved slot of a plurality of curved slots when a predetermined torque is applied, wherein the plurality of curved slots are closed and define a continuous outer wall that surrounds the first wall and is joined to the first wall between adjacent ends of the plurality of curved slots, wherein the circumferential length of each of the curved slots is greater than the circumferential distance between the adjacent ends of the plurality of curved slots.

16. The analytical instrument system according to claim 15 wherein the head of said fitting comprises a plurality of radially extending internal abutments and the body of said fitting comprises a plurality of radially extending external abutments.

Assignees

• Idex Health & Science Llc

Inventors

• Beemer Eric
• Graham Craig
• Hahn Mark

Classifications

• B01L3/563 Primary

  Joints or fittings; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors · CPC title

• B01L2300/0851

  Bottom walls · CPC title

• F16L15/08

  with supplementary elements (F16L15/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D15/10

  characterised by constructional or operational features · CPC title

• F16L19/0237

  specially adapted for use with attachments, e.g. reduction units, T-pieces, bends or the like · CPC title