Non-serviceable fluid coupling

• US 7,530,604 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems LLC
• Inventors: Brauckmiller, Ray, Kerin, Jim, Gunderson, Stephen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCHNA, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/748,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20080284164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 285/256, 285/382, 285/374
• US Class Current: 285/256
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/04 Arrangements of piping, valves in the piping, e.g. cut-off valves, couplings or air hoses traction couplings involving joints for supply lines, electric circuits, or the like B60D1/62; couplings peculiar to railway vehicles for, or combined with, couplings or connectors for fluid conduits or electric cables B61G5/06; pipes, cut-off valves, couplings, air hoses per se F16C, F16K, F16L
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/207 only a sleeve being contracted on the hose

Abstract

A non-serviceable coupling includes a body with a tube receiving end bore and a hose receiving end bore. The tube includes a radial upset with a seal and spacer supported on the tube. The outer cylindrical surface of the tube is press fit into the reduced diameter bore at the tube receiving end to connect the coupling to the tube. The coupling body is crimped to the tube and to the hose to secure the hose and tube to the coupling. The tube is axially restrained between the crimp and an annular wall in contact with the tube end. In another embodiment, a second seal, outward of the upset is employed to prevent entry of contaminants.

Claims

1. A connector coupling connecting a flexible hose to a rigid metal tube in fluid communication comprising:

a hollow flexible hose having an end;

a rigid metallic tube having a free end, an upset spaced from said free end, and an outer cylindrical surface extending between said free end and said upset;

said coupling having a body comprising;

a hose end defining a hose receiving bore,

a tube end defining a tube receiving bore,

a hollow barrel in said hose receiving bore,

said tube receiving bore including,

an enlarged diameter bore portion adjacent said tube receiving end, a reduced diameter bore portion inward of said enlarged diameter bore portion and in fluid communication with said hollow barrel, a radial annular wall separating said reduced diameter bore portion and said enlarged diameter bore portion, said reduced diameter bore portion terminating in an axially innermost annular wall spaced from said annular wall separating said reduced diameter bore portion and said enlarged diameter bore portion and said hose disposed on said barrel with said hose end disposed in said hose receiving bore,

said tube is disposed in said tube receiving bore with said free end of said tube in said reduced diameter bore portion in contact with said innermost annular wall portion and said upset is spaced from said radial annular wall separating said reduced diameter bore portion and said enlarged diameter bore portion and said upset disposed in said enlarged diameter bore portion and

a seal member is disposed about said cylindrical surface of said tube between said radial annular wall and said upset;

wherein said hose receiving bore of said coupling body includes an annular wall surrounding said barrel and said tube reviving end includes a reduced diameter annular wall portion adjacent said tube receiving end, said annular wall of said hose end of said coupling is crimped onto said hose and said reduced diameter wall portion at said tube end is crimped onto said tube.

2. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outer cylindrical surface of said tube is secured in said reduced diameter bore portion by interference fit.

3. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tube is restrained from axial movement between said crimp and said innermost annular wall portion.

4. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 3 wherein said coupling includes an annular spacer surrounding said outer cylindrical surface of said tube intermediate said seal member and said tube upset.

5. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 4 wherein a second seal member is disposed on said tube between said upset and said crimp of said reduced diameter annular wall portion of said body.

6. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 5 wherein said seal members are O-ring seals.

7. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein said seal member is an O-ring seal.

8. A connector coupling connecting a flexible hose to a rigid metal tube in fluid communication comprising:

a hollow flexible hose having an end;

a rigid metallic tube having a free end, an unset spaced from said free end, and an outer cylindrical surface extending between said free end and said upset;

said coupling having a body comprising;

a hose end defining a hose receiving bore,

a tube end defining a tube receiving bore,

a hollow barrel in said hose receiving bore,

said tube receiving bore including,

an enlarged diameter bore portion adjacent said tube receiving end, a reduced diameter bore portion inward of said enlarged diameter bore portion and in fluid communication with said hollow barrel, and said hose disposed on said barrel with said hose end disposed in said hose receiving bore,

said tube is disposed in said tube receiving bore with said free end in said reduced diameter bore portion with said outer cylindrical surface secured therein by interference fit, and said upset disposed in said enlarged diameter bore portion wherein said hose receiving bore of said coupling body includes an annular wall surrounding said barrel and said tube receiving end includes a reduced diameter annular wall portion adjacent said tube receiving end,

said annular wall of said hose end of said coupling is crimped onto said hose and said reduced diameter wall portion at said tube end is crimped onto said tube.

9. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 8 wherein said coupling includes a radial annular wall separating said reduced diameter bore portion and said enlarged diameter bore portion.

10. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 9 wherein said enlarged diameter bore portion is sized to receive said upset on said tube.

11. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 9 wherein said reduced diameter bore portion terminates in an axially innermost annular wall spaced from said annular wall separating said reduced diameter bore portion and said enlarged diameter bore portion and said tube end is in contact with said innermost annular wall portion.

12. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 11 wherein said tube is restrained from axial movement between said crimp and said innermost annular wall portion.

13. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 11 wherein the length of said reduced diameter bore portion from said axially innermost annular wall portion to said annular wall portion is less than the distance from the free end of the tube to said upset and said coupling includes a seal member disposed on said tube between said annular wall and said upset.

14. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 13 wherein said coupling includes an annular spacer surrounding said outer cylindrical surface of said tube intermediate said seal member and said tube upset.

15. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 14 wherein a second seal member is disposed on said tube between said upset and said crimp of said reduced diameter annular wall portion of said body.

16. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 15 wherein said seal members are O-ring seals.

17. A connector coupling as claimed in claim 14 wherein said seal member is an O-ring seal.