U.S. patent application number 10/627511 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-18 for micro-tube connection.
Invention is credited to Charles, Raymond, Fouillet, Yuves.
Application Number | 20040051317 10/627511 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8852127 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040051317 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Charles, Raymond ; et
al. |
March 18, 2004 |
Micro-tube connection
Abstract
The recess (12) between the main connecting part (8) and a
collar (9) contains a toroidal or otherwise shaped sealing ring or
joint (3) and the end of a tube (1) incorporating an outer flange
(2), whose thickness becomes zero at the crushing bulge (4) of the
sealing ring (3). An excellent seal is ensured at this location,
even for pressurized fluids, and the assembly can easily be
dismantled.
Inventors: |
Charles, Raymond; (St. Jean
de Moirans, FR) ; Fouillet, Yuves; (Voreppe,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert E. Krebs
Thelen Reid & Priest LLP
P.O. Box 640640
San Jose
CA
95164-0640
US
|
Family ID: |
8852127 |
Appl. No.: |
10/627511 |
Filed: |
July 25, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10627511 |
Jul 25, 2003 |
|
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09898733 |
Jul 3, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
285/353 ;
285/331 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21K 21/12 20130101;
F16L 19/0283 20130101; F16K 99/0017 20130101; F16K 2099/0076
20130101; F16L 41/08 20130101; F16K 99/0005 20130101; F16K 99/0001
20130101; F15C 5/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
285/353 ;
285/331 |
International
Class: |
F16L 035/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 5, 2000 |
FR |
00 08736 |
Claims
1. Connection of a micro-tube (1) to a structure (8), characterized
in that it comprises an elastic, cambered joint (3) surrounding the
micro-tube, a flange (2) fashioned around the micro-tube tapering
out of the micro-tube and extending up to a bulging circumference
(4) of the joint, and a collar (9) on the structure, joined to such
structure whilst forming a recess (12, 14, 15) in which the joint
is held between the faces (6, 7) of the recess on which it bears,
the flange bearing on one of said faces.
2. Connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the
collar and the structure are pressed towards one another with the
aid of a linking means.
3. Connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the
flange (2) is produced in one piece with the micro-tube (1).
4. Connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the
recess (14, 15) is designed so as to support a periphery of the
joint (3).
5. Connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the
recess (12) includes several micro-tubes (1).
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to the connection of a
micro-tube to a structure.
[0002] The tubes in question can be flexible, rigid or semi-rigid,
have a very small diameter of approximately one millimetre and are
able to carry gaseous or liquid fluids at a pressure of several
bars.
[0003] The sealing at the ends of such micro-tubes is not then easy
to ensure in an appropriate manner and requires either crimping,
which reduces the opening cross-section of the tube, or complicated
and costly fitting, or bonding, which does not permit an easy
replacement of the tubes.
[0004] The present invention proposes a simple, reliable and
dismantlable connection. It is characterized in that it comprises
an elastic, cambered joint surrounding the micro-tube, a flange
fashioned around the micro-tube tapering out of the micro-tube and
extending up to a bulging circumference of the joint, and a collar
on the structure, joined to such structure whilst forming a recess
in which the joint is held between the faces of the recess on which
it bears, the flange bearing on one of said faces.
[0005] The flange bearing on one of the faces of the recess ensures
a good sealing at this location and this is perfected by the joint
which, compressed in the recess in the axial direction of the
micro-tube, presses the flange against said face of the recess,
whilst offering a supplementary sealing ring around the flange.
[0006] Other features, characteristics and advantages of the
invention will be described with reference to the attached
drawings.
[0007] FIG. 1 shows in cross-section an embodiment of the
invention, FIGS. 1A and 1B show two variants of FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2
and 3 show an embodiment of the turned-up flange.
[0008] A micro-tube 1 is shown in FIG. 1 and terminates in a
turned-up flange 2 held in the connection forming the subject
matter of the invention. The turned-up flange 2 is in one piece
with the micro-tube 1. The connection of the micro-tube 1 also
comprises a sealing ring or joint 3, which can be toroidal in the
free state and has opposing bulges 4 and 5 bearing on two faces,
respectively 6 and 7, of a main structural part 8 and a collar 9.
The main structure part 8 carries a channel 10 extended by the
micro-tube 1. The turned-up flange 2 bears on the surface 6 of said
main structural part 3, the joint 3 is placed on the turned-up
flange 2 and the collar 9 is placed on the joint 3 in order to
compress the latter and secure the turned-up flange 2 whilst
maintaining it on the face 6. The main structural part 8 can be
joined to the collar 9 by a thread 11 on their surfaces making it
possible to join them directly by screwing and to move them
together as desired by regulating the height of a recess 12 defined
by the faces 6 and 7. The collar 9 and structure 8 can be pressed
or moved together by any linking means other than direct securing
obtained with the aid of the thread 11 referred to in exemplified
manner here.
[0009] The joint 3 is introduced onto the micro-tube 1 and bears on
the turned-up flange 2. Its small diameter is substantially equal
to the external diameter of tube 1 and the turned-up flange 2
tapers continuously towards the outside (on moving away from the
micro-tube 1) and is cancelled out at a diameter corresponding to
that of the bulge 4.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the mean diameter of the toroidal
sealing ring 3 is approximately equal to the external diameter of
the turned-up flange 2, so as to ensure a pressure on said flange 2
and the sealing between said flange and the face 6 of the structure
8.
[0011] As the joint 3 is pressed by the collar 9, as a consequence
it presses the turned-up flange 2 against the opposite surface 6,
thus opposing a detachment under the pressure of the fluid flowing
through the micro-tube 1 and channel 10 of the main part 8 and
tending to separate them. Sealing is mainly produced at the bulge 8
and experience has proved that it remains for fluid pressures
reaching 10 bars. In the case of a high fluid pressure, it is
advantageous to place the joint 3 in a recess 14, 15 made either on
the face 7 of the collar 9, or on the face 6 of the structure 8, so
that the areas round the corresponding bulge 4 or 5 of the joint 3
penetrate the same and the radial expansion of the joint 3 is in
this way combatted. The recesses 14 and 15 are illustrated in FIGS.
1A and 1B. Unlike the recess 12, they provide support to the
periphery of the joint 3. Normally the main structural part 8 is
used for multiple connections and has numerous channels 10
connected to the same number of micro-tubes 1 and the recess 12 is
wide enough to include the network of connected micro-tubes 1. A
circle of screws is then used for joining the collar 9 to the main
structural part 8. In other variants, the collar 9 could have an
external thread and the main part 8 an internal thread, unlike what
is shown here, or other known means for creating these two parts
and for moving them together.
[0012] A production method for the turned-up flange 2 will be d
scribed relative to FIGS. 2 and 3. The micro-tube 1 is inserted in
a slot 16 of a die 17 in such a way that its end points somewhat to
the outside. A conical punch 18 is introduced into the projecting
end and widens it. A flat punch 19 (which can be an opposite face
thereof) is then pressed onto the upper face of the die 17 crushing
the end of the micro-tube 1 against said surface, which gives the
turned-up flange 2 of FIG. 1.
[0013] This process is suitable for most micro-tube materials.
However, others can be used, more particularly if the micro-tube 1
is flexible. It can then be hardened by heating or some other
means, as a function of its composition, once the deformation has
taken place. It is also possible to use glass micro-tubes. The
aforementioned process will be accompanied by a heating operation
in order to soften the glass.
[0014] Generally the flanges are produced by a permanent material
deformation process.
[0015] The sealing ring or joint 3 illustrated is toroidal.
Cross-sections other than circular are suitable provided that they
have bulges bearing on the opposite faces 6 and 7 of the recess 12
in order to press the flange 2 against the face 6. In the same way
a flange 2 is shown stopping at the diameter of the joint 3
corresponding to the greatest height (between bulges 4 and 5), but
it is unnecessary to precisely respect this condition and the
flange 2 could be slightly wider or narrower. However, the
configuration shown is preferred.
* * * * *