Patent Application
20120001425
The present invention relates to fluid line coupling devices which are utilized for connecting segments of pneumatic lines, hydraulic lines, fuel lines or other fluid line segments, tubes, ducts, conduits, and the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a coupling having primary and secondary sealing structures which provide for high pressure service while maintaining a leak-free fluid connection.
A variety of coupling devices are known in the art for connecting pressurized fluid line segments and the like. Many of these devices have been specifically designed to prevent inadvertent disassembly and catastrophic leakage during operation. The known devices generally comprise opposing seal faces which are placed into sufficient axial preload with a coupling member to resist, with sufficient safety factor, the forces imposed by the expected internal pressure of the fluid. However, as the applications become more extreme, the need for highly reliable connectors increases. For example, the high pressure sealing of a gas having a small molecular structure, such as helium, in a critical application, such as in space applications, requires couplings which provide highly reliable sealing capacity. The present invention provides such capability.
Embodiments of the presently disclosed invention comprise a male member, a female member, and a coupling member. Both the male member and the female member comprise elongated bodies having outside walls, central bores extending through the respective lengths of the members, and inside walls bounding the central bores. The male member and female members each comprise matching seal faces, where the sealing face of the male member comprises a protruding lip portion, which defines a first sealing member. The protruding lip portion makes the first sealing contact with the sealing face of the female member. The sealing face of the male member further comprises a second sealing member, which comes into sealing contact with the sealing face of the female member upon application of additional axial force. A circumferential surface is defined between the first sealing member and the second sealing member, where this circumferential surface comprises a concavity which is oriented toward the outer wall of the male member.
The sealing face of the male member further comprises a shoulder member which extends circumferentially around the male sealing face, defining a shoulder member surface. The shoulder member surface extends normally from the male member outside wall toward, but not reaching, the inside wall of the male member
The female member comprises a sealing face which, upon application of a sufficient axial force, engages the first sealing member and the second sealing member in sealing contact. The axial force may be applied by the coupling member which connects the male member to the female member. Upon rotation, the coupling member imposes the axial force for engaging the female sealing face into sealing contact with the first sealing member. Following the engagement of the protruding lip portion with the sealing face of the female member and the application of further axial force, the second sealing member is deflected into a portion of the female sealing face, such that both the first sealing member and the second sealing member are in sealing contact with the female sealing face.
Referring now to the Figures,
As shown in greater detail in
Male member 10 further comprises a shoulder member 38. Shoulder member 38 extends circumferentially around the male sealing face 24, thereby defining a shoulder member surface 40. As shown in the figures, the shoulder member surface 40 extends normally from the male member outside wall 16 toward, but not reaching, the male member inside wall 14. Between the second circumference defined by the second sealing member 32 and shoulder member 38, a second circumferential surface 42 is defined. When viewed in section, as in FIGS. 1 and 5-7, it can be seen that second circumferential surface 42 comprises a second concavity which is also oriented outwardly, generally toward the outside wall 16.
Female member 100 comprises has an elongated body having a central bore 112 which extends from end-to-end of the female member. Female member 100 has an inside wall 114 which bounds the central bore 112, and an outside wall 116. The female member 100 comprises a first end 118 which mates to the male member 10 and a second end 120, which will typically be attached to the end of a fluid bearing conduit 122. The first end 118 has a female sealing face 124. The female sealing face 124 is generally configured to conform to the profile of male sealing face 24. The female sealing face 124 generally has three discrete sealing surfaces. The first sealing surface 124A comprises the surface which aligns with shoulder member surface 40 of the male member 10. The second sealing surface 124B comprises a surface which generally aligns with the entire protruding lip structure which comprises both the first sealing member 26 and the secondary sealing member 32. The second sealing surface 124B, which comprises a substantial portion of the female sealing face 124, may be angled in a range from 35 to 40 degrees from the axis of the central bore 112 of the female member 100. The third sealing surface 124C, is generally normal to the axis of the central bore 112 of the female member 100.
Female sealing face 124 comprises a receiving surface 130 which is generally located at the vertex of the angle defined by the second sealing surface 124B and the third sealing surface 124C. As best shown in
Coupling member 200 is utilized to connect the male member 10 to female member 100. As shown in the figures, as coupling member 200 is made up onto the threads 44 of male member 10, the male sealing face 24 and female sealing face 124 are brought into abutting contact. As coupling member 200 is tightened, the protruding lip structure of the first sealing member 26 is brought into contact with receiving surface 130 such that further penetration of the female member 100 by the male member 10 is stopped, causing the secondary sealing member 32 to deflect outwardly, into sealing contact with a portion of the female sealing face 124. Coupling member 200 may comprise internal threads 244. Coupling member 200 may be attached to female member 100 by a locking ring 300. In this configuration, female member 100 comprises a first ring groove 150. Coupling member 200 likewise may comprise an opposite facing and matching second ring groove 250, such that a circumferential lock ring channel is defined by the axial alignment of the first ring groove 150 with the second ring groove 250, where lock ring 300 is disposed within the circumferential lock ring channel.
While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specific structures disclosed. Instead the true scope of the invention should be determined by the following appended claims.
