Reverse osmosis membrane end fitting

Claim 1

An end fitting for a delicate reverse osmosis membrane of tubular configuration, which end fitting comprises: an internal fitting member of generally cylindrical configuration having a front end and a back end, said internal fitting having serrations extending along a portion of its outer surface; an end fitting element of generally cylindrical construction having an internal surface swaged against at least a portion of said serrations on said surface of said front end of said internal fitting member, said end fitting element having an external surface area having a plurality of serrations therein; a soft, flexible internal fitting member extension of generally cylindrical construction extending along a rear portion of said internal fitting member and extending rearwardly from said back end of said internal fitting member a distance rearwardly of said back end; a delicate reverse osmosis membrane of cylindrical construction extending along a substantial portion of said outer surface of said internal fitting member and engaging at least a portion of said last mentioned member''s serrations, said reverse osmosis membrane also extending along the entire length of an outer surface of said internal fitting member extension; a generally cylindrical membrane supporting structure overlying said reverse osmosis membrane on the exterior thereof and extending along the entire length of said membrane to provide a support structure for said reverse osmosis membrane; a deformable swaging sleeve exterioR of said membrane supporting structure and in a close confining relationship thereto, said deformable swaging sleeve being positioned to encircle a portion of said outer surface of said internal fitting member; and a swaging collar encircling both said deformable swaging sleeve and said plurality of serrations on said enternal surface area of said end fitting element, said swaging collar being swaged against said deformable swaging sleeve and said plurality serrations on said end fitting element so that said membrane supporting structure and said membrane and said deformable swaging sleeve are uniformly and tightly positioned against said internal fitting member and said end fitting element is gripped tightly between said swaging collar and said internal fitting member forming a water tight seal, whereby said soft, flexible internal fitting member extension provides a support with a graduate degree of flexibility for said reverse osmosis membrane from an unsupported area of said reverse osmosis membrane up until said membrane overlies said internal fitting member so that a slight negative pressure within the reverse osmosis membrane will not cause said reverse osmosis membrane to be bent sharply over said back end of said internal fitting member.