US3730567A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Coupling sleeve
Assignee: Axial Corp
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Filing: 1970-07-08
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Granted: 1973-05-01
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Expires: 1990-07-08
Abstract
Abstract A coupling sleeve for swaged attachment to tubing. The sleeve is a cylindrical body having a pair of annular grooves of a predetermined depth provided in the inner peripheral wall with the grooves being separated by an annular ring or land raised from the floor of the grooves. The width of the annular ring in the axial direction is such that tubing swaged into the grooves tends to assume a separate bend adjacent each land edge and to remain essentially flat in the area intermediate the two edges. The inner diameter of the cylindrical body in the area of the annular ring is arranged such that it is less than the inner diameter of the body in the area of the annular grooves and greater than the inner diameter of the cylindrical body in the area remote from the grooves thereby resulting in a two stage application of force to the tube walls during the swaged attachment operation. In certain embodiments a raised portion intermediate the sleeve ends provides oppositely facing abutment surfaces on the exterior of sleeve.
Inventors
- 👤 F Webster
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 07:06
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L13/00; F16L13/14; F16L13/16; F16L13/166; B; B21; B21D; B21D39/00; B21D39/04; B21D39/06; F16L19/00; F16L19/02; F16L19/0206
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
257 words
A tube coupling assembly comprising: a tube member; a sleeve member of a predetermined length disposed about and affixed to said tube member, said sleeve member having an outer peripheral wall including a forward portion, a rear portion, and an intermediate portion extending radially outwardly of said forward and rear portions, said sleeve being positioned on said tube member such that said forward portion is adjacent the end of said tube member which is to be coupled; said sleeve member being rigidly swaged to a pressure tight seal to said tube member to constitute a rigid integral unit; said sleeve member having an inner peripheral wall having a maximum of two annular grooves, each groove defining a short right circular cylindrical portion and transverse front and rear wall portions positioned intermediate the ends of the sleeve, said annular grooves defining a raised area intermediate the grooves, the relative dimensions of the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve, the annular grooves and the raised area being such that the inner diameter of the sleeve member measured at the raised area is greater than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral wall and less than the inner diameter measureD at the grooves, the tube member wall portions adjacent said pair of grooves extending into and substantially filling said grooves, the depth of the grooves and raised intermediate area relative to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve being limited such that the elongation imparted to the tube is less than a predetermined fraction of the elongation limit of titanium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
257 words
A tube coupling assembly comprising: a tube member; a sleeve member of a predetermined length disposed about and affixed to said tube member, said sleeve member having an outer peripheral wall including a forward portion, a rear portion, and an intermediate portion extending radially outwardly of said forward and rear portions, said sleeve being positioned on said tube member such that said forward portion is adjacent the end of said tube member which is to be coupled; said sleeve member being rigidly swaged to a pressure tight seal to said tube member to constitute a rigid integral unit; said sleeve member having an inner peripheral wall having a maximum of two annular grooves, each groove defining a short right circular cylindrical portion and transverse front and rear wall portions positioned intermediate the ends of the sleeve, said annular grooves defining a raised area intermediate the grooves, the relative dimensions of the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve, the annular grooves and the raised area being such that the inner diameter of the sleeve member measured at the raised area is greater than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral wall and less than the inner diameter measureD at the grooves, the tube member wall portions adjacent said pair of grooves extending into and substantially filling said grooves, the depth of the grooves and raised intermediate area relative to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve being limited such that the elongation imparted to the tube is less than a predetermined fraction of the elongation limit of titanium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the width dimension of the grooves taken in an axial direction is equal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An assembly according to claim 2 wherein the grooves are of the same depth over the entire axial length of the grooves.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An assembly according to claim 2 wherein the groove surface portions are tapered outwardly in an axial direction extending away from the tube end of the sleeve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An assembly according to claim 4 wherein the grooves tapers extend over a portion of the axial length thereof and the remaining portion of the grooves are of the same diameter over the axial length thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A sleeve according to claim 3 wherein the exterior intermediate portion comprises a central portion extending radially outwardly beyond end portions integrally formed with and extending in opposite directions from the central portion, the point of conjunction between the respective end portions and the central portion providing abutment surfaces facing in opposite directions toward the ends of the sleeve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
217 words
A contoured coupling sleeve into which a tube is expanded comprising: a cylindrical body having a tube end, a body end, and an inner peripheral wall having a first diameter; a first annular groove located in the inner wall adjacent the tube end of the sleeve, said first groove having a predetermined width and a constant second diameter greater than said first diameter; a land located in the inner wall of the body adjacent the first groove on the side thereof opposite the tube end, the land having a third diameter greater than said first diameter and less than said second diameter; a second annular groove located in the inner wall adjacent the land on the side thereof opposite the tube end of the sleeve, the second groove having width and diametrical dimensions equal to the width and diametrical dimensions of the first groove, said first and second grooves and said land each having a diameter such that the expansion of the tube into engagement therewith is limited to an amount less than the physical limit of elongation of a titanium tube; a pair of abutment surfaces provided along the exterior peripheral wall of the sleeve, the body end of the tube having a length in excess of three times the width of one of said grooves.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
217 words
A contoured coupling sleeve into which a tube is expanded comprising: a cylindrical body having a tube end, a body end, and an inner peripheral wall having a first diameter; a first annular groove located in the inner wall adjacent the tube end of the sleeve, said first groove having a predetermined width and a constant second diameter greater than said first diameter; a land located in the inner wall of the body adjacent the first groove on the side thereof opposite the tube end, the land having a third diameter greater than said first diameter and less than said second diameter; a second annular groove located in the inner wall adjacent the land on the side thereof opposite the tube end of the sleeve, the second groove having width and diametrical dimensions equal to the width and diametrical dimensions of the first groove, said first and second grooves and said land each having a diameter such that the expansion of the tube into engagement therewith is limited to an amount less than the physical limit of elongation of a titanium tube; a pair of abutment surfaces provided along the exterior peripheral wall of the sleeve, the body end of the tube having a length in excess of three times the width of one of said grooves.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A sleeve according to claim 7 wherein the depth dimension of the first and second annular grooves is partially tapered, the diameter being directed inwardly toward the tube end of the sleeve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A sleeve according to claim 7 wherein the first and second annular grooves are of uniform cross section and have a diametrical dimension which is substantially constant over the entire axial extent of each of said grooves.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A sleeve according to claim 7 wherein the exterior peripheral wall of the sleeve is essentially smooth over a substantial portion thereof, the sleeve being provided with abutment surfaces at the opposite ends thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A sleeve according to claim 7 wherein a portion of the exterior peripheral wall is raised from said exterior wall to provide a pair of oppositely facing abutment surfaces intermediate the ends of the sleeve.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-30 | 1976-10-30 | 1977-05-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-30 | 1980-10-30 | 1981-05-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-30 | 1984-10-30 | 1985-05-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |