Plumbing fitting adapter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9657874-B2
Application number	US-201514696040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2015
Priority date	Apr 25, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A coupling system for interconnecting a tube to a valve body is provided. The valve body has a body portion and a nipple extending from the body portion, and the nipple has a threaded external surface and an internal wall defining a bore. The coupling system further includes an adapter having opposing first and second ends, a nut defining a hole through which the first end passes, and a compression fitting located between the nipple, the adapter, and the nut such that when the nut is tightened onto the nipple, the compression fitting inhibits removal of the adapter from the valve body. The adapter defines a passageway extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the first end is received in the bore and the second end is configured to couple to the tube. The nut has an internally threaded surface configured to engage the threaded external surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling system for interconnecting a tube to a valve body, comprising:
a valve body having a body portion and a nipple extending from the body portion, the nipple having a threaded external surface and an internal wall defining a bore;
an elongated adapter having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the adapter defining a passageway extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the first end of the adapter is received in the bore of the nipple, the second end of the adapter is configured to couple to the tube, and the adapter includes a recess that extends inwardly from an outer surface of the first end;
a nut defining a hole through which the first end of the adapter passes, the nut having an internally threaded surface configured to engage the threaded external surface of the nipple; and
a compression fitting seated in the recess and having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion contacts the adapter and the nut, the second portion does not extend beyond the outer surface and contacts the adapter, and the compression fitting inhibits removal of the adapter from the valve body with the nut tightened on the nipple.

2. The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the passageway extends in a first direction at the first end of the adapter and extends in a second direction at the second end of the adapter, and wherein the adapter comprises at least one bend between the first end and the second such that the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the first portion of the compression fitting extends radially outward beyond an outer surface of the second portion of the compression fitting, and wherein the outer surface of the second portion is cylindrical and flush with the outer surface of the first end of the adapter.

4. The coupling system of claim 3 , further comprising a first O-ring seated in a first groove extending around the outer surface of the first end of the adapter, wherein the first groove is located between the recess and the first end of the adapter.

5. The coupling system of claim 4 , wherein the first O-ring sealingly engages between the adapter and the internal wall of the nipple of the valve body.

6. The coupling system of claim 4 , further comprising a second O-ring seated in a second groove extending around the outer surface of the first end of the adapter, wherein the second groove is located between the first groove and the first end of the adapter.

7. The coupling system of claim 3 , wherein the compression fitting includes a shoulder separating the first portion and the second portion of the compression fitting, the shoulder extending at an oblique angle relative to each of the outer surface of the first portion and the cylindrical outer surface of the second portion.

8. The coupling system of claim 1 , further comprising an O-ring located between the compression fitting and the first end of the adapter;
wherein continued tightening of the nut onto the nipple continues to compress the compression fitting but does not continue to compress the O-ring.

9. The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the adapter includes at least one of a rib and a recess configured for the tube to be crimped thereto.

10. An adapter kit for fluidly coupling a tube to a threaded nipple, the adapter kit comprising:
a nut defining a hole therethrough and configured to engage the threaded nipple;
an adapter body extending through the hole in the nut and having:
a first end configured to be received in the nipple and having an outer surface configured to support the threaded nipple and the nut, the first end having an annular recess extending radially inwardly from the outer surface;
a second end opposite the first end and configured to couple to the tube; and
a passageway extending within the adapter body from the first end to the second end; and

a compression sleeve having a first portion located between the adapter, the threaded nipple and the nut and a second portion located completely within the recess between the threaded nipple and the adapter.

11. The adapter kit of claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the compression sleeve contacts the threaded nipple and the nut; wherein the adapter body comprises a bend between the recess and the second end; and wherein the hole of the nut is defined by an internally extending flange that is trapped between the compression fitting and the bend in the adapter body.

12. The adapter kit of claim 11 , wherein the bend is greater than forty-five degrees.

13. The adapter kit of claim 10 , wherein the outer surface of the adapter body defines an annular U-shaped groove in which an O-ring is seated.

14. The adapter kit of claim 13 , wherein the groove is located between the first end of the adapter body and a first region of the adapter body, the first region configured to receive a compression fitting.

15. The adapter kit of claim 13 , wherein the O-ring is configured to sealingly engage between the adapter body and an inner diameter of the threaded nipple.

16. The adapter kit of claim 10 , wherein the second end of the adapter body comprises at least one rib to facilitate crimping of the tube thereto.

17. An adapter for interconnecting a tube formed of cross-linked polyethylene or chlorinated polyvinyl chloride to a threaded nipple on a valve body using a nut and a compression fitting, the adapter comprising:
an adapter body having:
a first end configured to be received in the nipple;
a second end opposite the first end and configured to couple to the tube;
a passageway extending within the adapter body from the first end to the second end; and
a cylindrical outer surface proximate the first end;
an annular recess that extends radially inward from the outer surface and is configured to receive the compression fitting; and
a groove that is located between the recess and the first end and is configured to receive an O-ring,

wherein the recess has a rectangular cross-sectional shape and the threaded nipple is configured to overlie the recess when assembled such that a portion of the compression fitting is trapped between the threaded nipple and the adapter.

18. The adapter of claim 17 , wherein the adapter body is rigid and comprises a third end configured to couple to a second tube, and wherein the passageway extends to the third end.

19. The adapter of claim 17 , wherein the second end of the adapter body comprises a structure to facilitate crimping of the tube thereto.

20. The adapter of claim 17 , wherein the outer surface has a second groove between the recess and the first end, the second groove configured to receive a second O-ring.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Brouwer Douglas J
• Smith Michael W

Classifications

• F16L19/0206

  the collar not being integral with the pipe · CPC title

• F16L19/048 Primary

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