US 5,954,375 AGranted

Sanitary fitting having ferrule with grooved undercut

AssigneeEdstrom Industries, Inc.

InventorsGlen W. Trickle, Peter S. Planton

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Abstract

A sanitary fitting provides a fluid-tight seal between the fitting and the axial end of the tube coupled to the fitting, thereby eliminating crevices between the end of the tube and the sealing point of the fitting and consequent fluid accumulation and potential bacteria growth. The fitting preferably includes a body having a recessed outer end, an elastomeric seal disposed in the recess in the body, a gripping ring slidable into a stepped notch formed in the outer end of the body, and a locking mechanism which grips the tube and which draws the tube into a position in which its end sealingly engages the seal and causes the seal to sealingly engage an annular shoulder of the body. The gripping ring, body, and tube interact to provide very high retention forces permitting the fitting to withstand fluid pressures on the order of several thousand psi. The locking mechanism includes a ferrule having a grooved undercut near its inner end that in use facilitates collapsing of the ferrule's inner end into gripping contact with the tube.

Claims16

Dependent claims

In combination:

(A) a tube having an inner radial peripheral surface, an outer radial peripheral surface, and an axial end;
and
(B) a sanitary fitting including
(1) a tubular body having an outer axial end portion, said outer axial end portion having an inner radial peripheral surface which has a recess formed therein which presents an axial shoulder;
(2) an elastomeric seal which is disposed in said recess in said end portion of said body and which has an annular portion, said annular portion having inner and outer axial surfaces, said inner axial surface of said annular portion sealingly engaging said shoulder of said body and said outer axial surface of said annular portion being sealingly engageable with said axial end of said tube;
and
(3) a metal ferrule which surrounds said tube and which grips said outer radial peripheral surface of said tube and draws said axial end of said tube into axial compressive sealing engagement with said outer axial surface of said annular portion of said seal, wherein said ferrule is generally tubular in shape and has a) an outer axial end disposed remote from said seal, b) an inner axial end disposed nearer to said seal than said outer end, and c) a grooved undercut formed in an inner radial peripheral surface thereof, said grooved undercut being located axially between said outer axial end of said ferrule and said inner axial end of said ferrule and extending around said inner radial peripheral surface of said ferrule.

4 more elements

In combination:

(A) a tube having an inner radial peripheral surface, an outer radial peripheral surface, and an axial end;
and
(B) a sanitary fitting including
(1) a tubular body having an outer axial end portion, said outer axial end portion having an inner radial peripheral surface which has a recess formed therein, said recess having an outer radial wall and first and second axial end walls extending radially inwardly from said outer radial wall, said first axial end wall presenting an annular shoulder;
(2) an L-shaped tubular elastomeric seal which is disposed in said recess in said end portion of said body and which has an inwardly-projecting annular flange, said flange having inner and outer axial surfaces and having an inner radial peripheral surface, said inner axial surface of said flange sealingly engaging said shoulder of said body and said outer axial surface of said flange being sealingly engaged and axially compressed by said axial end of said tube, said flange extending radially inwardly a sufficient distance to abut against said shoulder and said axial end of said tube so as to completely eliminate crevices between said flange, said shoulder, and said axial end of said tube where fluids may accumulate;
and
(3) a locking mechanism which includes
(a) a metal ferrule which surrounds said tube and which grips said outer radial peripheral surface of said tube and draws said axial end of said tube into sealing engagement with said outer axial surface of said annular flange of said seal, wherein said ferrule is generally tubular in shape and has a) an outer axial end disposed remote from said seal, b) an inner axial end disposed nearer to said seal than said outer end, and c) a grooved undercut formed in an inner radial peripheral surface thereof, said grooved undercut being located axially between said outer axial end of said ferrule and said inner axial end of said ferrule and extending around the inner radial peripheral surface of said ferrule;
and
(b) a retaining device which surrounds said tube, said ferrule, and said body and which locks said tube, said ferrule, and said body in position relative to one another.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.