Fitting for use with corrugated tubing

• US 6,428,052 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OmegaFlex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: OmegaFlex Incorporated
• Inventors: Pike, Edwin E., Albino, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicholson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US09/598,568
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 285/903, 285/249, 285/334.5, 285/23, 285/382, 285/906, 285/256, 285/226, 285/331, 285/382.7, 285/116
• US Class Current: 285/23
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/048 specially adapted for use with attachments, e.g. reduction units, T-pieces, bends or the like branch units per se F16L41/02; bends per se F16L43/00; pipe units with cleaning aperture per se F16L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 25/0036 Joints for corrugated pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/903 Corrugated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/906 Equivalents

Abstract

A preassembled fitting including a body, a nut and a collet positioned within the nut. The nut is threaded on the body a predetermined distanced to allow the installer to snap the corrugated tubing into the nut and engage the collet. The nut is then further tightened to seal the body to the corrugated tubing. A tapered surface on the body engages the cut end of the corrugated tubing and flares the cut end of the corrugated tubing. The fitting will make a metal to metal seal by folding the convolutions of the tubing back against itself creating a double flare.

Claims

1. A fitting for use with corrugated tubing, said fitting comprising:

a body having a body sealing surface;

a locating sleeve extending beyond said body sealing surface, said locating sleeve being positionable within the corrugated tubing to align the corrugated tubing with the body, said locating sleeve having a locating sleeve surface at an angle relative to the body sealing surface, said angle being other than zero degrees;

a nut for engaging said body, said nut including an internal cavity; and

a collet positioned within said cavity, said collet including a unitary, collet body having a plurality of slots formed therein extending partially along the longitudinal axis of the collet body, said slots defining a plurality of resilient collet sections connected to said unitary, collet body, said collet having a collet sealing surface;

wherein said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface are juxtaposed, said collet sealing surface and said body sealing surface being moved towards each other upon said nut engaging said body to compress the corrugated tubing therebetween.

2. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said body sealing surface is a tapered surfaced having a first angle.

3. The fitting of claim 2 wherein said collet sealing surface is a beveled surface having the first angle.

4. The fitting of claim 1 further comprising a stop positioned around said body for setting the position of said body relative to said nut prior to installation of the fitting on the corrugated tubing.

5. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said locating sleeve is press fit in said body.

6. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said locating sleeve is integral with said body.

7. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said locating sleeve includes a cylindrical section and a tapered section.

8. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said locating sleeve is cylindrical.

9. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said collet includes an outer beveled surface having an angle and said cavity includes a conical section having the angle.

10. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said collet further comprises:

a lip connected to said collet body, said lip having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of said collet body.

11. The fitting of claim 10 wherein said collet further comprises a ridge spaced from said lip, said ridge having an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of said collet body.

28. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said angle is an oblique angle.

29. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said corrugated tubing is annular corrugated tubing, a portion of said collet sealing surface being positionable in an annular corrugation.

30. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said locating sleeve has a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond compressed corrugated tubing between said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface.

31. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said collet is engageable with a valley of said corrugated tubing, said locating sleeve having a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond the valley.

12. A fitting connected to corrugated tubing, comprising:

a body including a body sealing surface;

a locating sleeve extending beyond said body sealing surface, said locating sleeve aligning the corrugated tubing with the body, said locating sleeve having a locating sleeve surface at an angle relative to the body sealing surface, said angle being other than zero degrees;

a nut connected to said body, said nut including an internal cavity; and

a collet positioned within said cavity, said collet including a collet sealing surface, said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface being juxtaposed;

said collet including a unitary, collet body having a plurality of slots formed therein extending partially along the longitudinal axis of the collet body, said slots defining a plurality of resilient collet sections connected to said unitary, collet body; and

wherein said nut engages said body and said corrugated tubing is flared and compressed between said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface.

13. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 12 wherein said tubing compressed between said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface is double flared.

14. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 12 wherein:

said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface have an angle relative to a centerline of the fitting.

15. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 12 wherein:

said corrugated tubing made from metal and said body sealing surface is metal and directly contacts said corrugated tubing to form a metal-to-metal seal.

32. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 12 wherein said angle is an oblique angle.

33. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 13 wherein said corrugated tubing is annular corrugated tubing, a portion of said collet sealing surface being positionable in an annular corrugation.

34. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 12 wherein said locating sleeve has a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond flared and compressed corrugated tubing between said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface.

35. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 12 wherein said collet is positioned within a valley of said corrugated tubing, said locating sleeve having a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond said valley.

16. A fitting for use with annular corrugated tubing comprising:

a body for engaging the corrugated tubing, said body including a body sealing surface;

a locating sleeve extending beyond said body sealing surface, said locating sleeve for aligning said body with the annular corrugated tubing, said locating sleeve having a locating sleeve surface at an angle relative to the body sealing surface, said angle being other than zero degrees;

a nut for engaging said body; and

a sealing device for placement in a valley of the annular corrugated tubing, said sealing device including a sealing surface;

wherein said body sealing surface and said sealing surface are juxtaposed to compress the annular corrugated tubing therebetween.

17. The fitting of claim 16 wherein said sealing device comprises a split ring washer.

18. The fitting of claim 16 wherein said sealing device comprises a collet.

19. The fitting of claim 16 wherein:

said body sealing surface and said sealing surface have a further angle relative to a centerline of the fitting.

36. The fitting of claim 16 wherein said angle is an oblique angle.

37. The fitting of claim 16 wherein said locating sleeve has a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond compressed annular corrugated tubing between said body sealing surface and said sealing surface.

38.The fitting of claim 16 wherein said sealing device is engageable with a valley of said annular corrugated tubing, said locating sleeve having a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond the valley.

20. A fitting connected to corrugated tubing comprising:

annular corrugated tubing;

a body engaging said annular corrugated tubing, said body including a body sealing surface;

a locating sleeve extending beyond said body sealing surface into said tubing for aligning said body with said annular corrugated tubing, said locating sleeve having a locating sleeve surface at an angle relative to the body sealing surface, said angle being other than zero degrees;

a nut positioned around said annular corrugated tubing for engaging said body;

a sealing device positioned in a valley of said annular corrugated tubing, said sealing device including a sealing surface; and

flared annular corrugated tubing positioned between said body sealing surface of said body and said sealing surface of said sealing device.

21. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein said sealing device comprises a split ring washer.

22. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein said sealing device comprises a collet.

23. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein:

said body sealing surface and said sealing surface have a further angle relative to a centerline of the fitting.

24. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein:

said corrugated tubing made from metal and said body sealing surface is metal and directly contacts said corrugated tubing to form a metal-to-metal seal.

25. The fitting coupled to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein said flared corrugated tubing is double flared.

38. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein said angle is an oblique angle.

39. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein said locating sleeve has a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond compressed annular corrugated tubing between said body sealing surface and said sealing surface.

40. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein said sealing device is positioned in a valley of said annular corrugated tubing, said locating sleeve having a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond the valley.

41. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 20 wherein said flared annular corrugated tubing is a compressed, frusto-conically shaped section of said annular corrugated tubing having two layers.

26. A fitting for use with corrugated tubing, said fitting comprising:

a body including a body sealing surface;

a locating sleeve extending beyond said body sealing surface, said locating sleeve being positionable within the corrugated tubing to align the corrugated tubing with the body;

a nut for engaging said body, said nut including an internal cavity; and

a collet positioned within said cavity, said collet including a unitary, collet body having a plurality of slots formed therein extending partially along the longitudinal axis of the collet body, said slots defining a plurality of resilient collet sections connected to said unitary, collet body, said collet having a collet sealing surface;

a stop positioned around said body for setting the position of said body relative to said nut prior to installation of the fitting on the corrugated tubing;

wherein said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface are juxtaposed to compress the corrugated tubing therebetween.

27. A fitting connected to corrugated tubing, comprising:

a body including a body sealing surface;

a locating sleeve extending beyond said body sealing surface, said locating sleeve being positioned within the corrugated tubing to align the corrugated tubing with the body, said locating sleeve having a locating sleeve surface at an angle relative to the body sealing surface, said angle being other than zero degrees;

a nut connected to said body, said nut including an internal cavity; and

a collet positioned within said cavity, said collet including a collet sealing surface, said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface being juxtaposed;

said collet including a unitary, collet body having a plurality of slots formed therein extending partially along the longitudinal axis of the collet body, said slots defining a plurality of resilient collet sections connected to said unitary, collet body; and

wherein said corrugated tubing is flared and compressed between said body sealing surface and said collet sealing surface.

42. A fitting for use with corrugated tubing comprising:

a body for engaging the corrugated tubing, said body including a body sealing surface;

a locating sleeve extending beyond said body sealing surface, said locating sleeve being positionable into the corrugated tubing for aligning said body with the corrugated tubing;

a nut for engaging said body; and

a sealing device for placement in a valley of the corrugated tubing, said sealing device including a sealing surface;

wherein said body sealing surface and said sealing surface are juxtaposed to compress the corrugated tubing therebetween;

wherein said locating sleeve has a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond compressed corrugated tubing between said body sealing surface and said sealing surface.

43. The fitting of claim 43 wherein said sealing device comprises a split ring washer.

44. The fitting of claim 43 wherein said sealing device comprises a collet.

45. The fitting of claim 43 wherein:

said body sealing surface and said sealing surface have an angle relative to a centerline of the fitting.

46. The fitting of claim 43 wherein said sealing device is engageable with a valley of said corrugated tubing, said locating sleeve extending beyond the valley.

47. A fitting connected to corrugated tubing comprising:

corrugated tubing;

a body engaging said corrugated tubing, said body including a body sealing surface;

a locating sleeve extending beyond said body sealing surface into said tubing for aligning said body with said corrugated tubing;

a nut positioned around said corrugated tubing for engaging said body;

a sealing device positioned in a valley of said corrugated tubing, said sealing device including a sealing surface; and

flared corrugated tubing positioned between said body sealing surface of said body and said sealing surface of said sealing device;

wherein said locating sleeve has a length extending beyond said body sealing surface such that said locating sleeve extends beyond said flared corrugated tubing between said body sealing surface and said sealing surface.

48. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 48 wherein said sealing device comprises a split ring washer.

49. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 48 wherein said sealing device comprises a collet.

50. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 48 wherein:

said body sealing surface and said sealing surface have an angle relative to a centerline of the fitting.

51. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 48 wherein:

said corrugated tubing is made from metal and said body sealing surface is metal and directly contacts said corrugated tubing to form a metal-to-metal seal.

52. The fitting coupled to corrugated tubing of claim 48 wherein said flared corrugated tubing is double flared.

53. The fitting connected to corrugated tubing of claim 48 wherein said sealing device is positioned in a valley of said corrugated tubing, said locating sleeve extending beyond the valley.