Lockwireless anti-rotation fitting

• US 6,857,665 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parker Intangibles LLC (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
• Inventors: Stroempl, Peter J., Vyse, Gerrard N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bochna, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNWOODY, AARON M
• Application Number:
  US10/444,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20040017077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 439/321, 285/86, 285/89, 285/92, 285/93, 285/276, 285/280, 285/307, 285/308, 285/309, 285/310, 285/321, 285/388, 285/387, 285/403
• US Class Current: 285/92
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/005 comprising locking means for the threaded member locking of screws or nuts per se F16B39/00

Abstract

A lockwireless, anti-rotation fitting for connection to a connector. The fitting includes a coupler having a series of circumferential engagement portions disposed about an outer peripheral surface, and a nut receivable coaxially over the outer peripheral surface of the coupler, and which is threadably engageable with the connector. The nut also has a series of complementary circumferential engagement portions disposed about at an inner peripheral surface. With the nut being received coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut is threadably engageable with the connector urging the coupler into a sealing engagement with a sealing surface of the connector, and with the coupler being engaged with the connector sealing surface, the first and second engagement portions are interengaged to delimit the rotation of the nut relative to the connector.

Claims

1. A fitting assembly for connection to a connector having a rearward sealing surface, the assembly comprising:

a generally annular coupler extending intermediate a first forward end and a first rearward end, and having a first inner peripheral surface and a first outer peripheral surface, and a series of first engagement portions disposed circumferentially about at least a section of the first outer peripheral surface, the first outer peripheral surface having a circumferential first groove formed therein intermediate the first rearward end and the first engagement portions, the first groove having a rearward end wall and a forward end wall; and

a generally annular nut receivable coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut extending intermediate a second forward end rotatably threadably engageable with the connector and a second rearward end, and having a second inner peripheral surface and a second outer peripheral surface, and a series of second engagement portions disposed circumferentially about at least a section of the second inner peripheral surface, and the nut having a thrust surface extending radially inwardly from the second inner peripheral surface,

whereby with the nut second rearward end being received coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut thrust surface is receivable within the groove in a first axial position of the nut intermediate the rearward and forward end walls thereof with the first and second engagement portions being interferingly engaged such that the coupler first forward end is drawn towards the connector sealing surface as the nut second forward end is threadably engaged with the connector, and in a second axial position of the nut in abutting contact with the groove forward end wall as the nut second forward end is further threadably engaged with the connector urging the coupler first forward end into a sealing engagement with the connector sealing surface,

whereby with the coupler first forward end being engaged with the connector sealing surface, the first and second engagement portions are interengaged delimiting the rotation of the nut relative to the connector.

2. The fitting assembly of claim 1 wherein the coupler has an indicia marked intermediate the first rearward end and the first engagement portions, the indicia being hidden by the nut as the nut second forward end is threadably engaged with the connector urging the coupler first forward end into a sealing engagement with the connector sealing surface, and the indicia being revealed by the nut when the coupler first forward end is sealingly engaged with the connector sealing surface.

3. A fitting assembly for connection to a connector having a rearward sealing surface, the assembly comprising:

a generally annular coupler extending intermediate a first forward end and a first rearward end, and having a first inner peripheral surface and a first outer peripheral surface, and a series of first engagement portions disposed circumferentially about at least a section of the first outer peripheral surface, the first engagement portions being provided as recesses formed in the coupler first outer peripheral surface;

a generally annular nut receivable coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut extending intermediate a second forward end rotatably threadably engageable with the connector and a second rearward end, and having a second inner peripheral surface and a second outer peripheral surface, and a series of second engagement portions disposed circumferentially about at least a section of the second inner peripheral surface, and the nut having a second inner peripheral surface has a circumferential second groove formed therein intermediate the second forward and rearward ends thereof; and

a spring clip received within the nut second groove, the clip having lobes which extend radially inwardly to define the second engagement portions and which are configured to interferingly engage the coupler recesses,

whereby with the nut second rearward end being received coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut second forward end is threadably engageable with the connector urging the coupler first forward end into a sealing engagement with the connector sealing surface, and

whereby with the coupler first forward end being engaged with the connector sealing surface, the first and second engagement portions are interengaged delimiting the rotation of the nut relative to the connector.

4. The fitting assembly of claim 3 wherein the clip is resiliently expandable radially within the second groove to be receivable over the first engagement portions as the nut second forward end is threadably engaged with the connector, and being resiliently contractible within the second groove for the lobes to be interferingly engaged with the coupler recesses for the interengagement of the first and second engagement portions.

5. The fitting assembly of claim 4 wherein the clip is further resiliently expandable radially within the second groove to be receivable over the first engagement portions as the nut second forward end is threadably disengaged from the connector.

6. The fitting assembly of claim 3 wherein:

the nut has a pair of radial slots formed therein, each of the slots opening into the second groove through the nut second inner peripheral surface; and

the clip ring is configured as a split ring extending circumferential from a first ring end to a second ring end, each of the ring ends having a extension extending radially outwardly therefrom, the clip ring being received within the second groove with each extension being received in a corresponding one of the slots.

7. The fitting assembly of claim 3 wherein:

the nut has a radial slot formed therein opening into the second groove through the nut second inner peripheral surface; and

the clip ring is configured as a split ring extending circumferential from a first ring end to a second ring end, each of the ring ends having a extension extending radially outwardly therefrom, the clip ring being received within the second groove with each extension being received in the slot.

8. A connection comprising:

a connector having a rearward sealing surface;

a generally annular coupler extending intermediate a first forward end and a first rearward end, and having a first inner peripheral surface and a first outer peripheral surface, and a series of first engagement portions disposed circumferentially about at least a section of the first outer peripheral surface, the first outer peripheral surface having a circumferential first groove formed therein intermediate the first rearward end and the first engagement portions, the first groove having a rearward end wall and a forward end wall; and

a generally annular nut receivable coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut extending intermediate a second forward end rotatably threadably engageable with the connector and a second rearward end, and having a second inner peripheral surface and a second outer peripheral surface, and a series of second engagement portions disposed circumferentially about at least a section of the second inner peripheral surface, and the nut having a thrust surface extending radially inwardly from the second inner peripheral surface,

whereby with the nut second rearward end being received coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut thrust surface is receivable within the groove in a first axial position of the nut intermediate the rearward and forward end walls thereof with the first and second engagement portions being interferingly engaged such that the coupler first forward end is drawn towards the connector sealing surface as the nut second forward end is threadably engaged with the connector, and in a second axial position of the nut in abutting contact with the groove forward end wall as the nut second forward end is further threadably engaged with the connector urging the coupler first forward end into a sealing engagement with the connector sealing surface, and

whereby with the coupler first forward end being engaged with the connector sealing surface, the first and second engagement portions are interengaged delimiting the rotation of the nut relative to the connector.

9. The connection of claim 8 wherein the coupler has an indicia marked intermediate the first rearward end and the first engagement portions, the indicia being hidden by the nut as the nut second forward end is threadably engaged with the connector urging the coupler first forward end into a sealing engagement with the connector sealing surface, and the indicia being revealed by the nut when the coupler first forward end is sealingly engaged with the connector sealing surface.

10. A connection comprising:

a connector having a rearward sealing surface;

a generally annular coupler extending intermediate a first forward end and a first rearward end, and having a first inner peripheral surface and a first outer peripheral surface, and a series of first engagement portions disposed circumferentially about at least a section of the first outer peripheral surface, the first engagement portions being provided as recesses formed in the coupler first outer peripheral surface;

a generally annular nut receivable coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut extending intermediate a second forward end rotatably threadably engageable with the connector and a second rearward end, and having a second inner peripheral surface and a second outer peripheral surface, and a series of second engagement portions disposed circumferentially about at least a section of the second inner peripheral surface, the nut second inner peripheral surface having a circumferential second groove formed therein intermediate the second forward and rearward ends thereof; and

a spring clip received within the second groove, the clip having lobes which extend radially inwardly to define the second engagement portions and which are configured to interferingly engage the coupler recesses,

whereby with the nut second rearward end being received coaxially over the first outer peripheral surface of the coupler, the nut second forward end is threadably engageable with the connector urging the coupler first forward end into a sealing engagement with the connector sealing surface, and

whereby with the coupler first forward end being engaged with the connector sealing surface, the first and second engagement portions are interengaged delimiting the rotation of the nut relative to the connector.

11. The connection of claim 10 wherein the clip is resiliently expandable radially within the second groove to be receivable over the first engagement portions as the nut second forward end is threadably engaged with the connector, and being resiliently contractible within the second groove for the lobes to be interferingly engaged with the coupler recesses for the interengagement of the first and second engagement portions.

12. The connection of claim 11 wherein the clip is further resiliently expandable radially within the second groove to be receivable over the first engagement portions as the nut second forward end is threadably disengaged from the connector.

13. The connection of claim 10 wherein:

the nut has a pair of radial slots formed therein, each of the slots opening into the second groove through the nut second inner peripheral surface; and

the clip ring is configured as a split ring extending circumferential from a first ring end to a second ring end, each of the ring ends having a extension extending radially outwardly therefrom, the clip ring being received within the second groove with each extension being received in a corresponding one of the slots.

14. The connection of claim 10 wherein:

the nut has a radial slot formed therein opening into the second groove through the nut second inner peripheral surface; and

the clip ring is configured as a split ring extending circumferential from a first ring end to a second ring end, each of the ring ends having a extension extending radially outwardly therefrom, the clip ring being received within the second groove with each extension being received in the slot.