Tube fitting with sealant
A tube fitting ( 50 ) that uses two basic components, namely a fitting body ( 54 ) and a fitting nut ( 52 ). The nut ( 52 ) and body ( 54 ) are adapted to be threadably coupled together by relative rotation therebetween. The nut ( 52 ) includes an integral tube gripping ring ( 80 ) that may be separable from the nut upon pull-up of the fitting. The tube gripping ring and nut ( 52 ) form a trepan in which a sealant ( 400 ) is disposed.
1. A tube fitting, comprising:
a first fitting component having an interior bore adapted to receive a conduit end and a camming surface at one end thereof, wherein said first fitting component has an annular end surface outside said camming surface;
a conduit gripping element;
second fitting component that is joinable with the first fitting component such that the conduit gripping element is forced into engagement with said camming surface of the first fitting component, wherein the second fitting component defines an interior end surface that is radially outward of the conduit gripping element;
a sealant material disposed in the second fitting component that upon pull-up of the fitting is on the internal end surface of the second fitting component and on the annular end surface of the first fitting component and is squeezed between said annular end surface of the first fitting component and the internal end surface of the second fitting component.
2. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said annular end surface of the first fitting component and the internal end surface of the second fitting component extend generally radially relative to a longitudinal axis of the fitting.
3. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said first fitting component is a male threaded body and said second fitting component is a female threaded nut.
4. The fitting of claim 3 wherein said components comprise metal.
5. The fitting of claim 4 wherein said metal comprises stainless steel.
6. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said conduit end is a tubing end.
7. The fitting of claim 1 wherein said conduit end is a pipe end.
8. The tube fitting of claim 1 wherein said sealant comprises a soft metal, plastic, elastomer, viscous hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon grease, paste, or film.
9. The tube fitting of claim 1 wherein said sealant forms a backup seal for said conduit gripping element.
10. The tube fitting of claim 1 wherein said conduit gripping element extends from said second fitting component in a cantilevered manner.
11. The tube fitting of claim 1 wherein said sealant is in a liquid carrier suspension.
12. A tube fitting, comprising:
a first fitting component having an interior bore adapted to receive a conduit end and a camming surface at one end thereof,
a conduit gripping element;
second fitting component that is joinable with the first fitting component such that the conduit gripping element is forced into engagement with said camming surface of the first fitting component, wherein the second fitting component defines an interior end surface that is radially outward of the conduit gripping element;
a sealant material disposed in the second fitting component that is compressed between the first fitting component and the interior end surface of the second fitting component upon pull-up of the fitting;
wherein said conduit gripping element is attached to the second fitting component and wherein said interior end surface of said second fitting component is an end surface of a trepan that is defined radially outward of said conduit gripping element.
13. A tube fitting, comprising:
a first fitting component having an interior bore adapted to receive a conduit end and a camming surface at one end thereof,
a conduit gripping element;
second fitting component that is joinable with the first fitting component such that the conduit gripping element is forced into engagement with said camming surface of the first fitting component, wherein the second fitting component defines an interior end surface that is radially outward of the conduit gripping element;
a sealant material disposed in the second fitting component that is compressed between the first fitting component and the interior end surface of the second fitting component upon pull-up of the fitting;
wherein said conduit gripping element is attached to the second fitting component and is separable from said second fitting component upon pull-up of the fitting.
14. A tube fitting, comprising:
a body having an interior bore adapted to receive a conduit end; said bore having a camming surface at one end thereof;
a nut that is joinable with the body, the nut including an attached conduit gripping element, wherein the nut defines an interior end surface that is radially outward of the conduit gripping element;
a sealant material disposed in the nut that is squeezed between the body and the interior end surface of the nut upon pull-up of the fitting.
15. The fitting of claim 14 wherein said sealant is disposed in a trepan of said nut and wherein said interior end surface of the nut is an end surface of the trepan.
16. The fitting of claim 14 wherein said conduit end comprises a tubing or pipe end.
17. The fitting of claim 14 wherein said conduit end comprises stainless steel.
18. The fitting of claim 14 wherein said conduit gripping element is separable from said nut upon pull-up of the fitting.
19. A component of a fitting for gripping and sealing a conduit end, comprising:
a nut having an interior surface;
a gripping element attached to said nut;
a trepan with an end surface that is radially outward of the gripping element; and
a sealant disposed inside said nut in contact with the trepan end surface.
20. The component of claim 19 wherein said sealant is disposed in said trepan as a backup seal outward a gripping element seal area.
21. The component of claim 19 wherein said sealant comprises a soft metal, plastic, elastomer, viscous hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon grease, paste, or film.
22. The component of claim 19 wherein said gripping element is separable from said fitting component.
23. The component of claim 19 wherein said sealant is in a liquid carrier suspension.
24. A method of forming a seal between a threaded fitting nut, a threaded fitting body, and a tube, wherein said threaded fitting nut further comprises both a trepan and a tube gripping element that engages said tube when said threaded fitting body is pulled up against said threaded fitting nut, comprising:
depositing a sealant in said trepan of said threaded fitting nut;
placing said threaded fitting nut around said tube;
engaging said threaded fitting body with said threaded fitting nut;
tightening said threaded fitting body onto said threaded fitting nut such that said tube gripping element deforms and embeds itself in said tube and said sealant is squeezed between an end wall of the trepan and the fitting body and forms a fluid seal around the nut, body and tube.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein said sealant is a soft metal, plastic, elastomer, viscous hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon grease, paste, or film.
26. The method of claim 24 , wherein said sealant is applied in a liquid carrier suspension to said threaded fitting nut when said nut is the open end up position tube end.