Fittings with redundant seals for aircraft fuel lines, fuel tanks, and other systems
First Claim
1. An aircraft system, comprisinga fuel tank having a tank wall with an inner surface, an outer surface, and an aperture extending from the inner surface to the outer surface;
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a first member having a flange and a barrel, the flange being aligned generally parallel with the tank wall, the barrel having a first portion extending through the tank aperture and a second portion extending away from the tank, the barrel further having a passageway;
a fastener connected to the first portion of the barrel;
a first flange seal between the flange and the tank wall;
a second flange seal between the flange and the tank wall, the second flange seal being disposed generally radially outwardly from the first flange seal;
a second member positioned within the passageway of the barrel;
a first barrel seal positioned between the second member and barrel; and
a second barrel seal positioned between the second member and the barrel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Fittings with redundant seals for aircraft fuel lines, fuel tanks, and other systems are disclosed. A fitting in accordance with one embodiment can be positioned adjacent to an aperture in a fuel tank wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. The fitting can include a first member having a flange and a barrel. The barrel can further include a passageway. A first flange seal can be positioned at a face of the flange and can be sealably coupled to a surface, for example, the tank wall. A second flange seal can be disposed outwardly from the first flange seal against the surface. The fitting can further include a second member (e.g., a sensor) positioned within the passageway of the barrel. The fitting can further include first and second barrel seals positioned between the barrel and the second member.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An aircraft system, comprising
a fuel tank having a tank wall with an inner surface, an outer surface, and an aperture extending from the inner surface to the outer surface; - and
a fluid-tight fitting positioned in the aperture, the fitting including; a first member having a flange and a barrel, the flange being aligned generally parallel with the tank wall, the barrel having a first portion extending through the tank aperture and a second portion extending away from the tank, the barrel further having a passageway; a fastener connected to the first portion of the barrel; a first flange seal between the flange and the tank wall; a second flange seal between the flange and the tank wall, the second flange seal being disposed generally radially outwardly from the first flange seal; a second member positioned within the passageway of the barrel; a first barrel seal positioned between the second member and barrel; and a second barrel seal positioned between the second member and the barrel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an aircraft fuel line having an aperture and a flow axis generally transverse to the aperture at the aperture; and a fluid-tight fitting positioned at the aperture, the fitting including; a first member having a flange with a flange face, and a barrel with a passageway; a first flange seal at the flange face, the first flange seal being positioned to sealably couple to a surface disposed generally radially outwardly from the aperture; a second flange seal at the face of the flange, the second flange seal being disposed generally radially outwardly from the first flange seal and being positioned to sealably couple to the surface; a second member positioned within the passageway of the barrel; a first barrel seal positioned between the barrel and second member; and a second barrel seal positioned between the barrel and the second member. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for installing a fluid fitting in an aircraft fuel system, comprising:
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coupling a first member of a fluid fitting proximate to an aperture in a wall, the wall separating a first region from a second region, with the aperture extending through the wall from the first region to the second region, the wall being a wall of at least one of (a) an aircraft fuel tank and (b) an aircraft fuel line having a flow axis generally transverse to the aperture at the aperture; securing the first member relative to the wall; placing a flange of the first member proximate to the wall in the second region, with a first flange seal and a second flange seal positioned between the flange and the wall, the second flange seal being generally radially outwardly from the first flange seal; inserting a second member of the fitting into a passageway of the first member, the passageway being in fluid communication with the first region; and sealing an interface between the second member and the passageway with a first barrel seal and a second barrel seal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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16. The method of example 15, further comprising removing the second member of the fitting from the passageway without accessing the first region.
Specification