Coupling seal

Claim 2

In a coupling assembly, a pair of tubular fluid passagedefining structures, means for relatively drawing said structures axially together to assemble said structures in coupled relation to each other, said structures defining therebetween an annular cavity in assembled relation, a sealing ring of resilient metal disposed in said cavity and having at least diagonally opposite corner edges, Said structures engaging said ring only at said diagonally opposite corner edges during said axial movement to torsionally deflect said ring and to thereby compressively, radially load said ring only at said corner edges upon predetermined axial displacement of said structures for establishing a fluidtight seal at the line of contact between each of said corner edges and the engaging one of said structures when said structures are axially drawn together, said ring being engaged only at said corner edges to establish the fluidtight seals between said corner edges and said structures.

Claim 3

The coupling assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said cavity is formed with opposed, diagonally related corners, and wherein said diagonally opposite corner edges respectively seat in said corners when said ring is torsionally deflected by drawing said structures axially together.

Claim 4

The coupling assembly defined in claim 2 wherein said ring is formed with a polygonal cross section.

Claim 5

The coupling assembly defined in claim 2 wherein said ring is formed with a quadrilateral cross section to define said diagonally opposite corner edges and an additional pair of diagonally opposite corner edges, there being sufficient clearance provided between each of said structures and said ring that said additional pair of corner edges are spaced from said structures during torsional deflection of said ring.

Claim 6

The coupling assembly defined in claim 4 wherein said structures are respectively formed with first and second annular end portions that axially overlap in radially spaced apart relation when said structures are drawn axially together, said ring being disposed between said end portions.

Claim 7

The coupling assembly defined in claim 5 wherein said structures are respectively formed with first and second tubular body portions, and wherein said first and second end portions are respectively rigid with and extend axially from said first and second body portions, said first and second body portions respectively having first and second opposing annular wall surfaces delimiting said cavity, said first annular wall surface being disposed radially inwardly of said first end portion and intersecting said first end portion at a juncture to define one of said corners, said second annular wall portion being disposed radially outwardly of said second end surface and intersecting said second end portion at a juncture to define the other of said corners, said ring being disposed between said first and second annular wall surfaces.

Claim 8

The coupling assembly defined in claim 6 wherein each of said annular wall surfaces are sloped at an angle relative to a radial plane to provide a clearance between each body portion and said ring as said ring is torsionally deflected.

Claim 9

The coupling assembly defined in claim 6 wherein said ring in its final fluid seal-establishing position is spaced from said annular surfaces.

Claim 10

The coupling assembly defined in claim 6 wherein said annular surfaces provide stop abutment surfaces for limiting movement of said ring.

Claim 11

The coupling assembly defined in claim 6 wherein each of said structures is a one-piece tubular member.

Claim 12

In a coupling assembly, a pair of tubular fluid passage-defining structures, means for relatively drawing said structures axially together to assemble said structures in coupled relation, said structures defining therebetween an annular cavity in assembled relation, said structures having radially spaced apart, circumferentially extending surfaces delimiting said cavity, a sealing ring of resilient metal disposed in said cavity and being torsionally deflectable by engagement with said structures, said sealing ring having inner and outer peripheries and a pair of diagonally opposite corner edges respectively disposed at said inner and outer peripheries, and said sealing ring being dimensioned in its undeflected condition to provide a predetermined clearance between at least one of said peripheries and an opposing one of said circumferential surfacEs, said structures engaging said ring only at said diagonally opposite corner edges during said axial movement to torsionally deflect said ring and to thereby increase the effective radial dimension of said ring through its cross section to the extent provided by said clearance for compressively radially loading said ring at said corner edges and thereby establishing fluidtight seals along the two lines of contact between said corner edges and the respective structures, said ring being loaded only at said corner edges to establish said seals.

Claim 13

In a coupling assembly, a pair of tubular fluid passage-defining structures, means for relatively drawing said structures axially together to assemble said structures in coupled relation, said structures defining therebetween an annular cavity in assembled relation, said structures having radially spaced apart, circumferentially extending surfaces delimiting said cavity, a sealing ring of resilient metal disposed in said cavity and being torsionally deflectable by engagement with said structures, said sealing ring having inner and outer peripheries and a pair of diagonally opposite corner edges respectively disposed at said inner and outer peripheries, and said sealing ring being dimensioned in its undeflected condition to provide a predetermined clearance between at least one of said peripheries and an opposing one of said circumferential surfacEs, said structures engaging said ring only at said diagonally opposite corner edges during said axial movement to torsionally deflect said ring and to thereby increase the effective radial dimension of said ring through its cross section to the extent provided by said clearance for compressively radially loading said ring at said corner edges and thereby establishing fluidtight seals along the two lines of contact between said corner edges and the respective structures, said ring being loaded only at said corner edges to establish said seals.

Claim 14

The coupling assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said structures are formed with additional surfaces delimiting said cavity and respectively transversely intersecting with said circumferential surfaces to define opposed, diagonally related corners, and wherein said diagonally opposite corner edges respectively seat in said corners, upon torsional deflection of said ring.

Claim 15

The coupling assembly defined in claim 12 wherein said ring is formed with a polygonal cross section.

Claim 16

The coupling assembly defined in claim 12 wherein said ring is formed with a quadrilateral cross section to define said diagonally opposite corner edges and an additional pair of diagonally opposite corner edges, there being sufficient clearance provided between each of said structures and said ring that said additional pair of corner edges are spaced from said structures during torsional deflection of said ring.

Claim 17

The coupling assembly defined in claim 12 wherein said structures are respectively formed with first and second annular end portions that axially overlap in radially spaced apart relation when said structures are axially drawn together, said first and second end portions respectively defining said circumferentially extending surfaces.

Claim 18

The coupling assembly defined in claim 15 wherein said structures are further respectively formed with first and second tubular body portions that define said additional surfaces, and wherein said first and second end portions are respectively rigid with and extend axially from said first and second body portions.

Claim 19

The coupling assembly defined in claim 11 wherein each of said structures is a tubular member, and wherein said tubular member having cooperating surfaces for limiting torsional deflection of said ring.

Claim 20

The coupling assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said ring is solid in cross section and composed of torsionally resilient steel.

Claim 21

The coupling assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said corner edges are deformed upon radially loading said ring.

Claim 22

The coupling assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said structures have portions that are brought into sealing engagement, one with the other, by radially loading said ring to provide a secondary seal between said structures.

Claim 23

In a coupling assembly, a pair of tubular fluid passage-defining structures, means for relatively drawing said structures axially together to assemble said structures in coupled relation to each other, said structures defining therebetween an annular cavity in assembled relation, a sealing ring of resilient metal disposed in said cavity and having at least two corner edges radially and axially spaced apart with respect to each other, said corner edges being respectively disposed at the inner and outer peripheries of said ring, said structures engaging said ring only at said corner edges during said axial movement to torsionally deflect said ring and to thereby compressively, radially load said ring at said corner edges upon predetermined axial displacement of said structures for establishing a fluidtight seal at the line of contact between each of said corner edges and the engaging one of said structures when said structures are axially drawn together, said ring being loaded only at said corner edges for establishing the fluidtight seals between said corner edges and said structures.

Claim 24

In a coupling assembly, a pair of tubular fluid passage-defining structures, means for relatively drawing said structures axially together to assemble said structures in coupled relation to each other, said structures defining therebetween an annular cavity in assembled relation, a sealing ring of resilient metal disposed in said cavity and having at least two corner edges radially and axially spaced apart with respect to each other, said corner edges being respectively disposed at the inner and outer peripheries of said ring, said structures engaging said ring only at said corner edges during said axial movement to torsionally deflect said ring and to thereby compressively, radially load said ring at said corner edges upon predetermined axial displacement of said structures for establishing a fluidtight seal at the line of contact between each of said corner edges and the engaging one of said structures when said structures are axially drawn together, said ring being loaded only at said corner edges for establishing the fluidtight seals between said corner edges and said structures.

Claim 25

In a coupling assembly, a pair of tubular fluid passage-defining structures, means for relatively draWing said structures axially together to assemble said structures in coupled relation to each other, said structures defining therebetween an annular cavity in assembled relation, and said structures having diagonally opposed corners delimiting said cavity, a sealing ring of resilient metal disposed in said cavity and having at least a pair of diagonally opposite corner edges, said corner edges being respectively disposed at the inner and outer peripheries of said ring, said structures engaging said ring only at said diagonally opposite corner edges during said axial movement to torsionally deflect said ring about its cross section and thereby seat said corner edges in said corners for compressively, radially loading said ring at said corner edges to establish a fluidtight seal at a line of contact between each of said corner edges and the engaging one of said corners when said structures are axially drawn together.

Claim 26

In a coupling assembly, a pair of tubular fluid passage-defining structures, means for relatively draWing said structures axially together to assemble said structures in coupled relation to each other, said structures defining therebetween an annular cavity in assembled relation, and said structures having diagonally opposed corners delimiting said cavity, a sealing ring of resilient metal disposed in said cavity and having at least a pair of diagonally opposite corner edges, said corner edges being respectively disposed at the inner and outer peripheries of said ring, said structures engaging said ring only at said diagonally opposite corner edges during said axial movement to torsionally deflect said ring about its cross section and thereby seat said corner edges in said corners for compressively, radially loading said ring at said corner edges to establish a fluidtight seal at a line of contact between each of said corner edges and the engaging one of said corners when said structures are axially drawn together.