Patent Application
20200049292
The present disclosure relates generally to a coupling device included in a coupling assembly and, more particularly, to a male hydraulic coupling device, included in a hydraulic coupling assembly, having improved sealing, and sealing member serviceability.
Swivel coupling devices facilitate swivel connections between various types of components in a machine, such as between hoses and valves, pumps, motors, and/or the like. Swivel coupling devices typically incorporate one or more mechanical gaskets (e.g., O-rings), for sealing surfaces between opposing components, and preventing leaks. During use, when one or more components swivel against another component, the O-ring may experience frictional wear, due to movement of a swiveling component relative to a non-swiveling component. The frictional wear may cause leaking and/or rupturing of the O-ring, and may require replacement of an entire hose assembly. This, in turn, leads to machine downtime and waste. Moreover, once positioned in a swivel coupling device, the O-ring becomes inaccessible for inspection and/or replacement.
One attempt at reducing the amount of wear experienced by an O-ring is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,589, which issued to Uni-Mist, Inc., on Mar. 26, 1974 (“the '589 patent”). Per the '589 patent, an O-ring sealing means is disposed in a channel formed between a female member and a male member of a swivel coupling. The male member is surrounded in the interior passage by a bearing means. The pressure of separation between the male and female members is exerted on the bearing means only, and is not transmitted to the sealing means.
While the bearing means disclosed by the '589 patent addresses one method of reducing the amount of wear imparted to an O-ring, a need exists for reducing wear using a fewer number of parts, providing easier access to the O-ring for serviceability, and/or overcoming other problems in the art.
According to some implementations, the present disclosure is related to a coupling device. The coupling device may comprise a stem having a first end, a second end, a groove disposed proximate to the first end, and a threaded portion disposed between the first end and the second end. The coupling device may further comprise a first engagement member disposed over the stem between the first end and second end. The first engagement member may be movable relative to the stem. The coupling device may further comprise an inner sealing member disposed in the groove. When the first engagement member is in a first position, the inner sealing member may be retained in the groove, seal against a surface of the stem, and not be removable. When the first engagement member is in a second position, the inner sealing member may be retained in the groove, not seal against the surface of the stem, and not be removable. The coupling device may further comprise a washer provided over the first engagement member, an outer sealing member provided over the first engagement member, proximate to the washer, and a second engagement member disposed over the threaded portion of the stem.
According to some implementations, the present disclosure is related to a further coupling device. The coupling device may comprise a stem having a first end and a second end, wherein a groove is defined in the stem proximate to the first end, and wherein a threaded portion is defined in the stem between the first end and the second end. A first engagement member may be disposed over the stem between the first end and the second end, wherein the first engagement member is movable relative to the threaded portion of the stem. An inner sealing member may be disposed in the groove, wherein, when the first engagement member is spaced apart from the threaded portion, the inner sealing member may be retained in the groove for sealing against the first engagement member, and wherein, when the first engagement member is disposed adjacent to the threaded portion, the inner sealing member may be removable from the groove. The coupling device may further comprise a washer provided over the first engagement member, an outer sealing member provided over the first engagement member, proximate to the washer, and a second engagement member disposed over the threaded portion of the stem.
According to some implementations, the present disclosure is related to a coupling assembly. The coupling assembly may include a coupling device and a port. The coupling device may comprise a stem having a first end, a second end, a groove disposed proximate to the first end, and a threaded portion disposed between the first end and the second end. The coupling device of the coupling assembly may further comprise a first engagement member disposed over the stem between the first end and the second end, wherein the first engagement member is movable relative to the stem. The coupling device of the coupling assembly may further comprise an inner sealing member disposed in the groove, wherein, when the first engagement member is in a first position, the inner sealing member may be retained in the groove by the first engagement member, and wherein, when the first engagement member is in a second position, the inner sealing member may be removable from the groove. The coupling device of the coupling assembly may further comprise a washer provided over the first engagement member, an outer sealing member provided over the first engagement member, proximate to the washer, and a second engagement member disposed over the threaded portion of the stem. The port may be disposed over the first end of the coupling device, wherein an inner surface of the port is configured to engage an outer surface of the first engagement member for coupling the first end of the stem to the port.
This disclosure relates to a coupling device and coupling assemblies. The coupling device has universal applicability to any machine utilizing fluid power transfer. The term “machine” may refer to any machine that performs an operation associated with an industry such as, for example, mining, construction, farming, transportation, robotics, or any other industry. As some examples, the machine may be a vehicle (e.g., a car, a truck, a boat, a helicopter, an airplane, etc.), a robotic machine, a backhoe loader, a cold planer, a wheel loader, a compactor, a paver, a forest machine, a forwarder, a harvester, an excavator, an industrial loader, a tractor, a dozer, or other type of mining, construction, farming, robotic, and/or transportation equipment.
In some implementations, coupling device 100 may include a male swivel hydraulic coupling, comprising a stem 102. Coupling device 100 and/or stem 102 may include at least a first end 104, configured for insertion in and/or coupling to a port of a hydraulic system, and a second end 106, configured for insertion in and/or coupling to a hose and/or a fitting. Stem 102 may include a hollow, bored stem body, having a passage 108 extending therethrough, by which a hydraulic fluid may pass, to provide a fluid connection between the port and the hose. Although stem 102 is illustrated as being a substantially linear, straight, or non-angled conduit, stem 102 may also be configured as an angled conduit having an angle (e.g., of about 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, and/or the like), formed therein.
Coupling device 100 may further comprise an inner sealing member 110 disposed on, over, and/or around stem 102, and a first engagement member 112 disposed on, over, and/or around stem 102, as described herein. In some implementations, inner sealing member 110 may include an annular member, such as a single thread O-ring (e.g., an axial swivel O-ring), a gasket, and/or the like, by which faces, spaces, and/or surfaces between stem 102 and first engagement member 112 may be sealed, for improved sealing of hydraulic fluid in the coupling devices and assemblies described herein. Sealing member 110 may also seal against surfaces of stem 102 and/or first engagement member 112, when covered by first engagement member. Inner sealing member 110 may be unsealed from surfaces of stem 102 and/or first engagement member 112 when uncovered, as described herein.
In some implementations, first engagement member 112 may include a threaded portion 112A (e.g., an annular portion having external threads), by which stem 102 may be engaged and/or aligned in relation to a port, and a non-threaded portion 112B (e.g., an annular portion having a hexagonal shape), by which first engagement member 112 may be tightened and/or loosened in relation to the port. For example, first engagement member 112 may include an internal swivel nut configured to engage, retain, and/or position stem 102 relative to the port. In some implementations, first engagement member 112 may be movable relative to stem 102 and/or inner sealing member 110, for exposing inner sealing member 110 along an outer surface of stem 102, and permitting the inspection, removal, and/or replacement of inner sealing member 110.
Coupling device 100 may further comprise an outer sealing member 114, a load distributing member 116, and/or a second engagement member 118, disposed on, over, and/or around stem 102, as described herein. In some implementations, outer sealing member 114 may include single thread mechanical gasket (e.g., a single thread O-ring) configured to seal faces, spaces, and/or surfaces disposed between stem 102, first engagement member 112, and/or the port, upon compression of outer sealing member 114, by load distributing member 116 and/or second engagement member 118. As an example, load distributing member 116 may include a washer configured to compress outer sealing member 114 for forming a seal between stem 102 and the port, during rotation of second engagement member 118 and application of a sealing torque to second engagement member 118. In some implementations, inner sealing member 110 comprises a smaller diameter than the outer sealing member 114. That is, in some implementations, inner sealing member 110 comprise an inner, or outer (i.e., overall) diameter that is smaller than an inner and/or outer diameter of outer sealing member 114.
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In some implementations, in the installed position, second engagement member 118 may be torqued, for example, so that second engagement member 118 rotates in a first direction of rotation D1, for moving second engagement member 118 towards port 202. During rotation of second engagement member 118, inner threads 118A of second engagement member 118 may threadingly engage threaded portion 120 of stem 102, for compressing load distributing member 116 against outer sealing member 114, and for compressing outer sealing member 114 between port 202 and coupling device 100. In this way, second engagement member 118 may facilitate formation of a sealed connection between coupling device 100 and port 202. In this way, second engagement member 118 may maintain coupling device 100 in a substantially static position relative to port 202, for reducing an amount of swivel and, thus, reducing an amount of friction and/or wear by or between surfaces and/or components of coupling device 100 and port 202. In some implementations, outer sealing member 114 and load distributing member 116 may be disposed in a lip, a groove, or a channel of first engagement member 112, whereby outer sealing member 114 and load distributing member 116 may be maintained in a desired position or location relative to coupling device 100.
In some implementations, stem 102 is configured to be secured and/or retained in a receiving end of port 202 during operation. For example, as
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The disclosed coupling device 100 and coupling assemblies (e.g., 200, 300, 400), or portions thereof, may be used with any machine in which fluid power transfer is provided. In operation, coupling device 100 may be secured to coupling assemblies (e.g., 200, 300, 400) by way of one or more threaded connections. In this way, an amount of swivel between coupling device 100 and/or coupling assemblies (e.g., 200, 300, 400) may be reduced. In this way, an amount of friction and/or wear by or between surfaces and/or components of coupling device 100, and/or coupling assemblies (e.g., 200, 300, 400), may be reduced.
In some implementations, coupling device 100 includes a movable first engagement member 112, by which inner sealing member 110 may be covered during operation, and exposed upon removal of coupling device 100 from coupling assembly 200. In this way, inner sealing member 110 may be inspected for wear, serviced, removed, and/or replaced. In this way, failures associated with ruptured or failed sealing members may be mitigated or reduced. In this way, coupling devices may experience longer lifetimes by way of improved sealing, improved serviceability, and/or reduced wear.
In some implementations, coupling device 100 includes a male swivel coupling member, or stem 102, configured for insertion in a female port opposite a hose. In this way, costly and/or cumbersome adapters, which may be used to convert female swivel connections to male face-seal connections, may be obviated, or reduced. In this way, the ease of installation and manufacturability of coupling device 100 for hydraulic coupling assemblies may improve. Further, in this way, the number of parts may be reduced, the number of torqued connections may be reduced, and designs for coupling device 100 and/or coupling assemblies (e.g., 200, 300, 400) may be improved and/or simplified.
In some implementations, coupling device 100 includes flared opening 126. Flared opening 126 may facilitate improved fluid intake, improved retention of first engagement member 112 to coupling device 100, and/or provide a secondary, metal-to-metal seal between stem 102 and first engagement member 112 for improved sealing of hydraulic fluid in coupling assembly 200. In this way, hydraulic fluid leaks may be prevented, reduced, and/or mitigated.
As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on.”
The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in view of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations. It is intended that the specification be considered as an example only, with a true scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents. Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of possible implementations. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one claim, the disclosure of possible implementations includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set.
