Apparatus for gripping and sealing on the external surface of a fluid conductor
AssigneeFasTest, Inc.
InventorsStanlee W. Meisinger, Daniel J. Cornish
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid connector (40) for gripping and sealing on an external surface of a fluid conductor (61). The fluid connector (40) includes a seal (62) which is forced into a bore (70) of a piston (66) having a smaller diameter than the seal, so that the seal (62) is radially squeezed to seal the external surface of the fluid conductor (61). A collet assembly (50) of the fluid connector (61) is forced to reduce the diameter to grip the external surface of the fluid conductor (61). A spring (68) which is disposed in the piston (66) compensates seal preload mechanism for variations in fluid conductor size.
Claims11
An apparatus for sealing on an external surface of a tube, comprising:
- a seal disposed around the external surface of the tube;
- piston means having a bore, the piston means normally being disposed against a first side of the seal and the seal normally being disposed outside of the bore, the bore having a smaller maximum diameter than an outer diameter of the seal;
- limiting means, disposed against a second side of the seal, for limiting a movement of the seal toward the limiting means upon the seal being pushed toward the limiting means by the piston means;
- and
- means for pushing the piston means against the seal upon actuation of the pushing means, upon the actuation, the seal being compressed between the piston means and the limiting means, and a portion of the seal being radially squeezed and forced into the bore, the radially squeezed portion of the seal radially sealing the external surface of the tube in the bore.
An apparatus for gripping and sealing on an external surface of a tube, comprising:
- a seal disposed around the external surface of the tube;
- piston means having a bore, the piston means normally being disposed against a first side of the seal and the seal normally being disposed outside of the bore, the bore having a smaller maximum diameter than an outer diameter of the seal;
- means, disposed against a second side of the seal, for gripping the tube around the external surface of the tube, the gripping means limiting a movement of the seal toward the gripping means upon the seal being pushed toward the gripping means by the piston means;
- and
- means for pushing the piston means against the seal upon actuation of the pushing means, upon the actuation, the seal being compressed between the piston means and the gripping means, and a portion of the seal being radially squeezed and forced into the bore, the radially squeezed portion of the seal radially sealing the external surface of the tube in the bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.