Ferrule assembly for conduit fitting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11703165-B2
Application number	US-201917049455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2019
Priority date	Apr 27, 2018
Publication date	Jul 18, 2023
Grant date	Jul 18, 2023

Abstract

A ferrule subassembly for a conduit fitting includes first and second ferrules. The first ferrule includes a front body portion defining a forward tapered surface, a rear body portion defining an interior camming surface, and a retaining extension joined with the rear body portion radially outward of the camming surface and extending axially rearward and radially inward from the inner axial portion. The second ferrule includes a front portion having a tapered forward contact surface adjacent the first ferrule camming surface, an outer radial portion extending axially rearward of the forward contact surface, and a recessed portion axially rearward of the outer radial portion. An end portion of the retaining extension is received in the recessed portion of the second ferrule to retain the second ferrule with the first ferrule as a discontinuous subassembly.

First claim

We claim:

1. A ferrule subassembly for a conduit fitting, comprising:
a first ferrule comprising a front body portion defining a forward tapered surface, a rear body portion defining an interior camming surface, and a retaining extension joined with the rear body portion at an inner hinge portion radially outward of the camming surface and extending axially rearward and radially inward from the inner hinge portion; and
a second ferrule comprising a front portion including a tapered forward contact surface adjacent the first ferrule camming surface and an outer radial portion extending axially rearward of the forward contact surface;
wherein an end portion of the retaining extension engages the outer radial portion to retain the second ferrule with the first ferrule as a discontinuous subassembly;
wherein the inner axial portion of the retaining extension extends axially rearward and radially outward from the inner hinge portion to the outer hinge portion, and the outer axial portion of the retaining extension extends axially rearward and radially inward from the outer hinge portion to the end portion, such that the inner and outer axial portions form a V shape in cross-section, and wherein the end portion is received in a recessed portion of the second ferrule to retain the second ferrule with the first ferrule as a discontinuous subassembly
wherein the retaining extension includes an inner axial portion joined with the rear body portion at the inner hinge portion and extending axially rearward and radially outward from the inner hinge portion, and an outer axial portion joined with the inner axial portion at an outer hinge portion, the outer axial portion extending axially rearward and radially inward from the outer hinge portion to the end portion, such that the inner and outer axial portions form a V shape in cross-section, and wherein the end portion engages the outer radial portion of the second ferrule to retain the second ferrule with the first ferrule as a discontinuous subassembly prior to installation of the ferrule subassembly in the conduit fitting.

2. The ferrule subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer radial portion of the second ferrule defines a recessed portion, wherein the end portion of the retaining extension is received in the recessed portion to retain the second ferrule with the first ferrule as a discontinuous subassembly.

3. The subassembly of claim 2 , wherein the outer radial portion of the second ferrule defines a crown portion axially forward of the recessed portion.

4. The subassembly of claim 3 , wherein the crown portion is substantially continuous with the tapered forward contact surface.

5. The subassembly of claim 3 , wherein the crown portion is axially offset rearward of the tapered forward contact surface.

6. The subassembly of claim 2 , wherein the outer radial portion of the second ferrule comprises a forward cylindrical surface axially forward of the recessed portion.

7. The subassembly of claim 6 , wherein the forward cylindrical surface is separated from a rearward cylindrical surface by the recessed portion, the forward and rearward cylindrical surfaces being substantially equal in diameter.

8. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear body portion and the retaining extension together define an interior recess receiving the outer radial portion of the second ferrule.

9. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the retaining extension is circumferentially continuous.

10. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner hinge portion has a thickness smaller than a thickness of a remainder of the retaining extension.

11. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer axial portion of the retaining extension has a substantially uniform thickness.

12. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer axial portion of the retaining extension extends at an angle of between about 500 and about 20° with respect to a central axis of the first ferrule.

13. The subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner axial portion of the retaining extension extends axially rearward and radially outward from the rear body portion.

14. The subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the inner axial portion of the retaining extension extends at an angle of between about 60° and about −20° with respect to a central axis of the first ferrule.

15. The subassembly of claim 13 , wherein the inner axial portion of the retaining extension extends at an angle of between about 160° and about 70° with respect to the outer axial portion of the retaining extension.

16. A ferrule comprising:
a front body portion defining a forward tapered surface;
a rear body portion defining an interior camming surface; and
a retaining extension including an inner axial portion joined with the rear body portion at an inner hinge portion and positioned radially outward of the camming surface and extending axially rearward from the rear body portion, and an outer axial portion joined with the inner axial portion at an outer hinge portion and extending axially rearward and radially inward from the inner axial portion at an angle between about 500 and about 20° with respect to a central axis of the ferrule.

17. The ferrule of claim 16 , wherein when the ferrule is axially forced against a second ferrule, such that the end portion of the retaining extension engages a tapered forward contact surface of the second ferrule, the outer axial portion of the retaining extension bends about the outer hinge portion in an axially rearward and radially outward direction and the inner axial portion of the retaining extension bends about the inner hinge portion in an axially rearward and radially outward direction.

18. The ferrule of claim 16 , the inner axial portion of the retaining extension extends axially rearward and radially outward from the inner hinge portion to the outer hinge portion, and the outer axial portion of the retaining extension extends axially rearward and radially inward from the outer hinge portion to the end portion, such that the inner and outer axial portions form a V shape in cross-section.

19. A method of cartridging first and second ferrules as a discontinuous preassembly, the method comprising:
providing a first ferrule having a retaining extension extending axially rearward and radially inward from an inner hinge portion joining the retaining extension to a rear body portion of the first ferrule, wherein the retaining extension includes an inner axial portion joined with the rear body portion at the inner hinge portion and extending axially rearward from the rear body portion, and an outer axial portion joined with the inner axial portion at an outer hinge portion, the outer axial portion extending axially rearward and radially inward from the inner axial portion to an end portion of the retaining extension;
aligning a second ferrule with the first ferrule along a common central axis;
axially pressing a tapered forward contact surface of the second ferrule against the end portion of the retaining extension of the first ferrule, such that the outer axial portion of the retaining extension bends about the outer hinge portion in an axially rearward and radially outward direction and the inner axial portion of the retaining extension bends about the inner hinge portion in an axially rearward and radially outward direction to align the end portion of the retaining extension with a recessed portion axially rearward of the outer radial portion;
wherein the bending of the retaining extension about the outer hinge portion is at least partially elastic, such that

Assignees

• Swagelok Co

Inventors

• Bearer Mark D
• Campbell Ronald P
• Mcclure Douglas J
• Brown Cal R
• Williams Peter C
• Welch Douglas S
• Zaborszki Stephen J
• Mlinarik Richard J
• Fotta Robert A
• Messer Matthew K
• Kalata Gregory S

Classifications

• F16L19/103 Primary

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