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US 7,604,472 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for forming flared tube ends
OwnerFrank F. Hayes, Jr., Paul E. Cristinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming a flare in the end of a flexible tube comprises heating the end of the flexible tube to a near-melted state, inserting the end of the flexible tube into a flare-forming die with a flare forming portion, and pressing a mandrel into the end of the flexible tube, thereby pressure forming a flare in the end of the flexible tube.
Claims37
A system for forming a flared end of a flexible tube, comprising:
- a heater comprising a contact heating structure with a contact heating surface for contacting and heating an entire circumference of an end of the tube and wherein the remainder of the flexible tube remains unheated;
- a flare forming die including a clamp for clamping an unheated portion of the flexible tube adjacent the heated end of the tube;
- and
- a mandrel.
1 more element
A system for forming a flared end of a flexible tube fabricated of a plastic material, comprising:
- a heater comprising a contact heating structure with a contact heating surface for contacting and heating an entire circumference of an end of the tube and wherein the remainder of the flexible tube remains unheated:
- a compression flare forming apparatus comprising a flare forming die including a clamp for clamping an unheated portion of the flexible tube adjacent the heated end of the tube, a mandrel and a mandrel press, and
- wherein the plastic material comprises one of PFA (perfluoroalkoxy), PVDF (polyvinyldene fluoride) or FEP (fluoroethyl propylene), and the heater is configured to heat the surface to a suitable temperature range for pre-heating said plastic material of said end of said flexible tubing prior to compression forming of a flare.
A system for forming a flared end of a flexible tube, comprising:
- a heater comprising a contact heating structure with a contact heating surface for contacting and heating an entire circumference of an end of the tube and wherein the remainder of the flexible tube remains unheated;
- a compression flare forming apparatus comprising a flare forming die including a clamp for clamping an unheated portion of the flexible tube adjacent the heated end of the tube, a mandrel and a mandrel press;
- and
- wherein the heater and compression flare forming apparatus are separate structures arranged in a spaced manner and near each other so that a tube removed from the heater will retain sufficient heat during transfer from the heater to the flare forming apparatus to achieve desired flare forming.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.