Tube attachment clamp system
AssigneeSenior Engineering Investments AG
InventorsMark J. Davey, Michael R. Goodrich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamp system for maintaining an end of a high temperature fluid bearing tube in substantially sealing engagement with a surface and in substantial alignment with an aperture in the surface positioned substantially transverse to the tube. A bracket member is provided to hold the end of the tube against the surface. An annular flange is provided on the end of the tube, to form the seal and provide a surface against which the bracket member pushes. The annular flange is advantageously configured so as to position the seal radially away from the tube so as to reduce transmission of heat from the fluid within the tube to the seal, to, in turn, protect the material of the mating surfaces from heat degradation.
Claims24
A clamp system for maintaining an end of a tube bearing high-temperature fluid, in substantially sealing engagement with a surface and in substantial alignment with an aperture disposed in said surface, said tube end being arranged substantially perpendicular to said surface with a portion of said tube being arranged adjacent said aperture in said surface, said tube further having a longitudinal axis, said clamp system comprising:
- bead sealing means, operably disposed adjacent to and about said tube end, for establishing a fluid-tight seal about said tube end at a radially spaced relation from said tube end, transverse to said longitudinal axis therefrom,
- said bead sealing means including a bead contact region operably arranged about said tube end and at a substantially maximized radially spaced distance from said tube end, transverse to said longitudinal axis, said bead sealing means being free from contact with said surface in which said aperture is disposed between said bead contact region and said tube end, so as to substantially reduce the transfer of heat from within said high temperature fluid from said tube end and through said bead sealing means to said surface;
- and
- retaining means operably configured to insertingly receive said tube end,
- said retaining means being further operably configured to be affixable in juxtaposed relation to said surface for maintaining said tube end substantially perpendicular to said surface and in said substantial alignment with said aperture,
- said retaining means being further operably configured, when disposed in said juxtaposed relation to said surface, to maintain said bead contact region of said bead sealing means in substantially sealing contact with said surface, so as to provide an improved, extended life, fluid-tight seal in a high temperature environment.
A clamp system for maintaining an end of a tube bearing high-temperature fluid, in substantially sealing engagement with a surface and in substantial alignment with an aperture disposed in said surface, said tube end being arranged substantially perpendicular to said surface with a portion of said tube being arranged adjacent said aperture in said surface, said tube further having a longitudinal axis, said clamp system comprising:
- bead sealing means, operably disposed adjacent to and about said tube end, for establishing a fluid-tight seal about said tube end at a radially spaced relation from said tube end, transverse to said longitudinal axis therefrom,
- said bead sealing means including a bead contact region operably arranged about said tube end and at a substantially maximized radially spaced distance from said tube end, transverse to said longitudinal axis therefrom, so as to substantially reduce the transfer of heat within said high temperature fluid from said tube end and through said bead sealing means to said surface, and
- retaining means operably configured to insertingly receive said tube end,
- said retaining means being further operably configured to be affixable in juxtaposed relation to said surface for maintaining said tube end substantially perpendicular to said surface and in said substantial alignment with said aperture,
- said retaining means being further operably configured, when disposed in said juxtaposed relation to said surface, to maintain said bead contact region of said bead sealing means in substantially sealing contact with said surface, so as to provide an improved, extended life, fluid-tight seal in a high temperature environment,
- said bead sealing means comprising an annular bead, projecting radially outwardly from said tube end and positioned substantially at the portion of the tube arranged adjacent said aperture in said surface,
- said annular being having a radially inner portion, a radially outer portion, and a radially outwardmost periphery,
- said bead contact region being formed as a circumferential region in said radially outer portion, operably extending farther toward said surface, in a direction substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, than said radially inner portion.
The clamp system according to claim 20 wherein said second engagement means comprises:
- at least one radially outwardly extending contact contour operably formed in said tube end substantially immediately adjacent said at least one contact surface in said cylindrical collar, to press against said at least one contact surface and cause said retaining means to bear against said annular bead.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.