US 2013/0093184 A1 · TOOL FOR COUPLING FLUID LINES

Abstract

A swage or coupling tool is provided for use in coupling a fluid line to a compression fitting, a fluid coupler, or the like. The swage tool provides multiple degrees of freedom and/or multiple pivots or pivot joints to facilitate and maintain alignment of the jaws with the compression fitting during use of the swage tool to facilitate properly-aligned assembly of the compression fitting, and to limit bending or kinking of the fluid line when the fitting is being attached. The swage tool includes a pair of movable jaws, which may have stepped or rounded engagement surfaces, which may be forced against corresponding engagement surfaces of the compression fitting to securely assemble the fitting to the fluid line. The shape of the engagement surfaces facilitates properly-aligned assembly of the compression fitting, and limits bending or kinking of the fluid line when the fitting is being attached.

Claims51

Dependent claims

A swage tool for coupling a compression fitting to a fluid line, said swage tool comprising:

first and second lever arms pivotally connected via at least one first pivot joint and having proximal end portions at or near said first pivot joint and distal end portions distal from said first pivot joint;
a threaded element coupled between said first and second lever arms at a location between said proximal end portions and said distal end portions, wherein said threaded element is pivotally mounted at said first lever arm via a second pivot joint so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis that is generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of said threaded element;
first and second jaw elements disposed at said distal end portions of said first and second lever arms, respectively, wherein one of said first and second jaw elements is pivotally attached at said distal end portion of one of said first and second lever arms via a third pivot joint;
wherein said threaded element is rotatable to impart pivotal movement of said first and second lever arms relative to one another to thereby move said jaws between a compression position in which said jaws are closer together, and a non-compression position in which said jaws are spaced further apart than in the compression position;
and
wherein said first, second and third pivot joints cooperate to substantially align said jaw elements with respective engaging surfaces of the compression fitting during use of said swage tool.

3 more elements

A method of applying a fluid line fitting via a swage tool, said method comprising:

providing a first fitting portion of a fluid line, the first fluid line fitting portion having a generally annular flange that defines an outer engagement surface;
providing a second fitting portion of the fluid line, the second fluid line fitting portion having a generally annular flange that defines an outer engagement surface;
providing a swage tool having a pair of lever arms pivotably joined via at least one pivot joint, wherein said swage tool comprises a threaded rotational drive element pivotally mounted to at least one of said lever arms;
pivotally mounting a first jaw element to one of said lever arms, said first jaw element having a first jaw engaging surface;
mounting a second jaw element to another of said lever arms, said second jaw element having a second jaw engaging surface;
generally aligning said first and second jaw engaging surfaces with said outer engagement surfaces of said first and second fitting portions via pivoting said lever arms about said at least one pivot joint and pivoting said jaw elements relative to said lever arms;
and
actuating the swage tool by rotatably driving said threaded rotational drive element of said swage tool in a first direction to move said lever arms and to move said first and second jaw elements towards one another to apply a compressive force to the engagement surface of said first and second fluid line fitting portions.

5 more elements

A swage tool for coupling a compression fitting to a fluid line, the compression fitting having a ferrule for attachment to a main body of the fitting for securely engaging the fluid line, said swage tool comprising:

first and second jaws that are movable relative to one another between a compression position in which said jaws are closer together, and a non-compression position in which said jaws are spaced further apart than in the compression position;
said first jaw defining a generally U-shaped ferrule-engaging surface for engaging the ferrule of the compression fitting, wherein said ferrule-engaging surface comprises a first plurality of stepped surfaces that are offset from one another and generally parallel to one another, and that are configured for engaging a correspondingly-shaped first stepped surface of the ferrule;
said second jaw defining a generally U-shaped body-engaging portion for engaging the main body of the compression fitting, said body-engaging portion comprising a first body-engaging surface having a second plurality of stepped surfaces that are offset from one another and generally parallel to one another, and that are configured for engaging a correspondingly-shaped second stepped surface of the main body of the fitting;
and
said second jaw further defining a second body-engaging surface for engaging the main body of the compression fitting, wherein said second body-engaging surface comprises a third plurality of stepped surfaces, opposite said second plurality of stepped surfaces, wherein said third plurality of stepped surfaces are offset from one another and generally parallel to one another, and that are configured for engaging a correspondingly-shaped third stepped surface of the main body of the fitting.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tool for coupling fluid lines

Life of this patent

Tool for coupling fluid lines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims51