IP Library Granted Patent US 7,533,909
Granted Patent B2
US 7,533,909 · App. 11/189,292 · Granted May 19, 2009

Tube connection device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,533,909
App. No.
11/189,292
Granted
May 19, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tube connection device for connecting motor vehicle tubes, a tube having a front element on at least one end, this front element being equipped with a frontal sealing surface. A fitting enclosing the tube is provided, which presses the frontal sealing surface against a connection surface of a connection element. At least one separate pressure element, which at least partially surrounds the tube, is provided between fitting and front element. The fitting acts on the front element through the pressure element and the sealing surface is pressed against the connection surface in this way.

Claims (35)

1. A tube connection device for connecting a tube to a fluid system wherein,

a connection element ( 7 ) defines a bore ( 10 ) and includes a connection surface ( 6 );

a tube ( 1 ) has a front element ( 2 ) on at least one end, said front element including a frontal sealing surface ( 3 );

a fitting ( 5 ) surrounds said tube ( 1 ) and urges said sealing surface ( 3 ) into sealing contact with said connection surface ( 6 ) of said connector element;

at least one separate pressure element ( 13 ), which at least partially surrounds said tube ( 1 ), is provided between said fining ( 5 ) and said front element; and

said fitting ( 5 ) acts on the front element through the pressure element ( 13 ) and presses the sealing surface ( 3 ) against the connection surface ( 6 )

wherein the coefficient of friction μ1 of the contact between sealing surface ( 3 ) and connection surface ( 6 ) is greater than the coefficient of friction μ2 of the contact of pressure element ( 13 ) and front element and is greater than the coefficient of fiction μ3 of the contact of fitting ( 5 ) and pressure element ( 13 ) and

wherein said fitting ( 5 ) is a screw fitting and said bore ( 10 ) is threaded to receive said fitting, said fitting includes an end in contact with said pressure element ( 13 ) and said pressure element has a surface in contact with said front element ( 2 ).

2. The tube connection device according to claim 1 wherein the fitting ( 5 ) has an external thread ( 9 ) and may be screwed into said threaded bore ( 10 ) of the connection element having a complementary internal thread ( 11 ).

3. The tube connection device according to claim 2 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

4. The tube connection device according to claim 1 wherein the pressure element ( 13 ) surrounds the tube ( 1 ) in a formfitting way over at least a part of the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ).

5. The tube connection device according to claim 4 wherein the pressure element ( 13 ) surrounds the tube ( 1 ) in a formfitting way over at least a part of the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) with no gap therebetween.

6. The tube connection device according to claim 5 wherein the pressure element ( 13 ) that surrounds the tube ( 1 ) in a formfitting way over at least a part of the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is made of metal.

7. The tube connection device according to claim 6 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

8. The tube connection device according to claim 5 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

9. The tube connection device according to claim 4 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

10. The tube connection device according to claim 1 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of the axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

11. A tube connection device for connecting a tube to a fluid system wherein,

a connection element ( 7 ) defines a bore ( 10 ) and includes a connection surface ( 6 );

a tube ( 1 ) has a front element ( 2 ) on at least one end, said front element including a frontal sealing surface ( 3 );

a fitting ( 5 ) surrounds said tube ( 1 ) and urges said sealing surface ( 3 ) into sealing contact with said connection surface ( 6 ) of said connector element;

at least one separate pressure element ( 13 ), which at least partially surrounds said tube ( 1 ), is provided between said fitting ( 5 ) and said front element; and

said fitting ( 5 ) acts on the front element through the pressure element ( 13 ) and presses the sealing surface ( 3 ) against the connection surface ( 6 )

wherein the coefficient of friction μ1 of the contact between sealing surface ( 3 ) and connection surface ( 6 ) is greater than the coefficient of friction μ2 of the contact of pressure element ( 13 ) and front element and is greater than the coefficient of friction μ3 of the contact of fitting ( 5 ) and pressure element ( 13 )

wherein said front element is a flange ( 2 ) on the end of said tube and said separate pressure element ( 13 ) surrounds an axial portion of said tube ( 1 ) and

wherein said fitting is a screw fitting and said bore ( 10 ) is threaded to receive said fitting said fitting includes an end in contact with said pressure element ( 13 ) and said pressure element has a surface in contact with said flange ( 27 ).

12. The tube connection device according to claim 11 wherein the fitting ( 5 ) has an external thread ( 9 ) and may be screwed into said threaded bore ( 10 ) of the connection element having a complementary internal thread ( 11 ).

13. The tube connection device according to claim 12 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

14. The tube connection device according to claim 11 wherein the pressure element ( 13 ) surrounds the tube ( 1 ) in a formfitting way over at least a part of the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ).

15. The tube connection device according to claim 14 wherein the pressure element ( 13 ) surrounds the tube ( 1 ) in a formfitting way over at least a part of the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) with no gap therebetween.

16. The tube connection device according to claim 15 wherein the pressure element ( 13 ) surrounds the tube ( 1 ) in a formfitting way over at least a part of the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is made of metal.

17. The tube connection device according to claim 16 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

18. The tube connection device according to claim 15 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

19. The tube connection device according to claim 14 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

20. The tube connection device according to claim 11 wherein the axial length of the pressure element ( 13 ) is directly proportional to the measure of axial length of the bore ( 10 ) of the connection element.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE AND TERMINATION OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2010
From: WILMINGTON TRUST (LONDON) LIMITED (AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.)
To: HANIL USA, L.L.C.; TI AUTOMOTIVE, L.L.C.; TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 024891/0671 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2010
From: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST (LONDON) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 024055/0633 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2005
From: SAUSNER, ANDREAS; FIEDLER, UWE; SCHUMACHER, RAINER; ZAHN, RALF
To: TI AUTOMOTIVE (HEIDELBERG) GMBH
Reel/Frame 016904/0948 →