Granted Patent B2

US 7,380,837 · App. 11/242,251 · Granted Jun 3, 2008

Abstract

Claims (62)

1. A sanitary hose fitting comprising:

an elongated tubular stem;

a ferrule; and

an annular seal compressibly disposed between said stem and said ferrule;

said stem comprising:

a first end adapted to engage a corresponding fitting surface,

a second end configured to engage the inner diameter of a hose,

an intermediate section between said first and second ends, said intermediate section comprising a land formed on an outer surface thereof and sized to support said annular sealing member, said intermediate section further comprising external threads formed on said outer surface, and

an axial bore through said stem, between said first and second ends of said stem;

said ferrule comprising:

a first end having an outer diameter and a first aperture sized to receive said second end of said stem, said first end of said ferrule configured to engage said annular sealing member when said ferrule is coupled to said stem,

a second end having a second aperture sized to receive the end of the hose, and having a second outer diameter sized to be initially greater than said first outer diameter and subsequently deformed to be approximately equal to said first outer diameter during attachment of the fitting to the hose, and

internal threads disposed on said first end of said ferrule and configured to engage said external threads on said stem to thereby threadably couple said stem and said ferrule;

wherein said ferrule has a peripheral surface with a generally convex profile at said second end thereof, said annular seal residing axially between said land and said peripheral surface.

2. A sanitary hose fitting comprising:

an elongated tubular stem;

a ferrule; and

an annular seal compressibly disposed between said stem and said ferrule;

said stem comprising:

a first end adapted to engage a corresponding fitting surface,

a second end configured to engage the inner diameter of a hose,

an intermediate section between said first and second ends, said intermediate section comprising a land formed on an outer surface thereof and sized to support said annular sealing member, said intermediate section further comprising external threads formed on said outer surface, and

an axial bore through said stem, between said first and second ends of said stem;

said ferrule comprising:

a first end having an outer diameter and a first aperture sized to receive said second end of said stem, said first end of said ferrule configured to engage said annular sealing member when said ferrule is coupled to said stem,

a second end having a second aperture sized to receive the end of the hose, and having a second outer diameter greater than said first outer diameter and capable of being subsequently deformed to be approximately equal to said first outer diameter during attachment of the fitting to the hose, and

internal threads disposed on said first end of said ferrule and configured to engage said external threads on said stem to thereby threadably couple said stem and said ferrule;

wherein said ferrule is crimped to compress the hose up to approximately 15% to approximately 25% of its radial wall thickness.

3. A sanitary hose fitting comprising:

an elongated tubular stem;

a ferrule; and

an annular seal compressibly disposed between said stem and said ferrule;

said stem comprising:

a first end adapted to engage a corresponding fitting surface,

a second end configured to engage the inner diameter of a hose,

an intermediate section between said first and second ends, said intermediate section comprising a land formed on an outer surface thereof and sized to support said annular sealing member, said intermediate section further comprising external threads formed on said outer surface, and

an axial bore through said stem, between said first and second ends of said stem;

said ferrule comprising:

a first end having an outer diameter and a first aperture sized to receive said second end of said stem, said first end of said ferrule configured to engage said annular sealing member when said ferrule is coupled to said stem,

a second end having a second aperture sized to receive the end of the hose, and having a second outer diameter initially greater than said first outer diameter and capable of being subsequently deformed to be approximately equal to said first outer diameter during attachment of the fitting to the hose, and

internal threads disposed on said first end of said ferrule and configured to engage said external threads on said stem to thereby threadably couple said stem and said ferrule;

wherein said stem further comprises circumferentially extending barbs formed on an outer surface thereof, between said intermediate section and said second end.

4. A method of coupling a fitting to the end of a hose, the fitting comprising a cylindrical ferrule, a tubular stem, and an annular seal, the method comprising:

inserting a first end of the stem into and through a second end of the ferrule, the stem and ferrule including corresponding circumferential threads, and one of the stem and the ferrule including a land located adjacent the respective threads, the annular seal residing axially between the land and the threads;

threadably connecting the ferrule and the stem via the respective threads, thereby to axially fix the respective positions of the stem and the ferrule and to axially compress the seal between the ferrule and the stem;

placing a first end of the ferrule over the end of the hose such that a second end of the ferrule extends beyond the end of the hose; and

radially crimping the ferrule to radially compress the end of the hose residing between the ferrule and the stem, thereby to achieve a circumferentially secure fluid connection between the hose and the fitting.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the land is formed on the stem adjacent the second end thereof, the threads of the stem are externally directed, and the threads of the ferrule are internally directed.

6. A sanitary hose coupling made according to the method of claim 5 .

7. A sanitary hose coupling made according to the method of claim 4 .

8. A method of coupling a fitting to the end of a hose, the fitting comprising a cylindrical ferrule, a tubular stem, and an annular seal, the method comprising:

inserting a first end of the stem into and through a second end of the ferrule, the stem and ferrule including corresponding circumferential threads, and one of the stem and the ferrule including a land located adjacent the respective threads, the annular seal residing axially between the land and the threads;

threadably connecting the ferrule and the stem via the respective threads, thereby to axially fix the respective positions of the stem and the ferrule and to axially compress the seal between the ferrule and the stem;

placing a first end of the ferrule over the end of the hose such that a second end of the ferrule extends beyond the end of the hose; and

radially crimping the ferrule to radially compress the end of the hose residing between the ferrule and the stem, thereby to achieve a circumferentially secure fluid connection between the hose and the fitting;

wherein the ferrule in a pre-crimped condition has a taper extending axially from the first end to the second end, wherein crimping the ferrule eliminates the taper.

9. A sanitary hose assembly comprising:

a hose having an outer surface and a first end;

a rigid tubular stem having a first end operatively connectable to a corresponding structure and a second end receivably held within said first end of said hose, said hose and said stem defining a material flow path therethrough, said stem further including an outwardly extending circumferential land and externally directed threads located adjacent said land;

a cylindrical ferrule having a first end that circumferentially surrounds and engages said outer surface of said first end of said hose into which said second end of said stem is receivably held, said ferrule having a second end located beyond said first end of said hose, said ferrule having internally directed threads located at said second end thereof which threadably engage said externally directed threads of said stem, thereby to fix relative axial positions of said stem and said ferrule, said ferrule being radially crimped so as to radially compress and hold said first end of said hose between said stem and said ferrule; and

an annular seal residing between said circumferential land and said first end of said ferrule, said seal being axially compressed between said land and said ferrule when said ferrule is threadably connected to said stem, thereby to securely seal said first end of said hose to said fitting and to provide a circumferentially leakproof material flow path.

10. The hose assembly of claim 9 , said first end of said ferrule is formed with an outer diameter that is initially greater than an outer diameter of said second end of said ferrule, and after being crimped to said hose said outer diameter of said first end of said ferrule is substantially the same as said outer diameter of said second end.

Assignments (11)

Continuity (2)