Manifold featuring identically shaped connection ports with features to prevent misassembly

1. A fluid manifold comprising:

a manifold body having a surface defining a plane;

a bore extending into the manifold body from the surface, the manifold body defining a seat in the bore wherein the bore is adapted to receive a tube nut into a seated position against the seat in the bore;

a first tube nut with a body having a first length and a first flange positioned at one end of the body of the first tube nut;

a second tube nut with a body having a second length and a second flange positioned at one end of the body of the second tube nut; and

a tube nut stop disposed adjacent the bore;

wherein the tube nut stop is sized to engage the flange of the first tube nut when the first tube nut is placed into the manifold at the bore thereby preventing the first tube nut from being seated against the seat in the bore; and

wherein the tube nut stop is of insufficient size to engage the flange of the second tube nut when the second tube nut is seated against the seat in the bore, thereby allowing the second tube nut to be seated against the seat in the bore.

2. The fluid manifold defined in claim 1 wherein the first length is less than the second length.

3. The fluid manifold defined in claim 1 wherein the tube nut stop has a height above the plane of the surface that is greater than the first length and less than the second length.

4. The fluid manifold defined in claim 3 wherein the tube nut stop is at least partially disposed between one of the first tube nut flange and the second tube nut flange, and the surface of the manifold.

5. The fluid manifold defined in claim 3 further comprising a hydraulic control unit and an electronic control unit, wherein the tube nut stop is integrally formed with the electronic control unit.

6. The fluid manifold defined in claim 3 further comprising a hydraulic control unit and an electronic control unit, wherein the tube nut stop is integrally formed with the hydraulic control unit.

7. The fluid manifold defined in claim 3 wherein the tube nut stop is a separate component fastened to the fluid manifold.

8. The fluid manifold defined in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of bores wherein each of the bores is identically shaped.

9. The fluid manifold defined in claim 8 wherein each of the bores has a uniform diameter and depth.

10. The fluid manifold defined in claim 9 wherein the tube nut stop is positioned on the surface of the manifold such that the tube nut stop is disposed adjacent more than one bore.

11. The fluid manifold defined in claim 1 wherein the manifold has a plurality of tube nut stops, wherein each of the tube nut stops has a different length.

12. The fluid manifold defined in claim 1 wherein the fluid manifold is one of a pneumatic manifold, an industrial fluid distribution manifold, and a three-way valve.

13. A fluid manifold comprising:

a manifold body having a surface defining a plane;

a plurality of bores extending into the manifold body from the surface, the manifold body defining a seat in each bore wherein each bore is adapted to receive a tube nut into a seated position against each seat in each bore;

at least one first tube nut with a body having a first length and a first flange positioned at one end of the body of the first tube nut;

at least one second tube nut with a body having a second length and a second flange positioned at one end of the body of the second tube nut; and

a tube nut stop disposed closely adjacent more than one associated bore, wherein the tube nut stop is sized to engage the flanges of more than one of the first tube nuts when the first tube nuts are placed into the manifold at the associated bores thereby preventing the first tube nuts from being seated against the seats in the bores; and

wherein the tube nut stop is of insufficient size to engage the flanges of more than one of the second tube nuts when the second tube nuts are seated against the seats in the associated bores, thereby allowing the second tube nuts to be seated against the seats in the bores.

14. A fluid manifold comprising:

a hydraulic control unit;

an electronic control unit;

a bore extending into the hydraulic control unit, the hydraulic control unit defining a seat in the bore wherein the bore is adapted to receive a tube nut into a seated position against the seat in the bore;

a first tube nut with a body having a first length and a first flange positioned at one end of the body of the first tube nut;

a second tube nut with a body having a second length and a second flange positioned at one end of the body of the second tube nut; and

a tube nut stop, formed on and extending from, one of the hydraulic control unit and electronic control unit, the tube nut stop disposed adjacent the bore;

wherein the tube nut stop is sized to engage the flange of the first tube nut when the first tube nut is placed into the manifold at the bore thereby preventing the first tube nut from being seated against the seat in the bore; and

wherein the tube nut stop is of insufficient size to engage the flange of the second tube nut when the second tube nut is seated against the seat in the bore, thereby allowing the second tube nut to be seated against the seat in the bore.

15. A fluid manifold comprising:

a manifold body having a surface defining a plane;

a plurality of bores extending into the manifold body from the surface, the manifold body defining a seat in each of the bores wherein the bores are adapted to receive a tube nut into a seated position against the seat in the bores;

a plurality of tube nuts, each tube nut with a body having a unique length and a flange positioned at one end of the body of each of the plurality of tube nuts; and

a plurality of tube nut stops disposed adjacent each of the bores, wherein each tube nut stop has a unique length;

wherein each tube nut stop is sized to engage the flanges of all but one tube nut when the tube nuts are placed into the manifold at the bore thereby preventing all but one tube nut from being seated against the seat in the bore; and

wherein each tube nut stop is of insufficient size to engage the flange of one tube nut when the one tube nut is seated against the seat in the bore, thereby allowing the one tube nut to be seated against the seat in the bore.