Hex swaged fluid coupling and method of making same
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorEric Menor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid coupling including a cylindrical stem having a fluid conduit therethrough and a hollow shell provided over a first end of the stem. A tool engaging hexagonal shape on an outer surface of the shell is disposed radially outward from a swage joined portion of the shell to the stem. The tool engaging hexagonal shape includes six non-contiguous flats having rounded portions therebetween. The swage joined portion and the tool engaging hexagonal shape are located at the same axial location along a centerline of the hollow shell, and the swage joined portion has an axial length along the centerline corresponding to an axial length along the centerline corresponding to an axial length along the centerline of the tool engaging hexagonal shape.
Claims19
A method of making a fluid coupling, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a hollow shell around a cylindrical stem;
- die swaging the hollow shell to the cylindrical stem to mechanically connect the hollow shell to the cylindrical stem over a joined portion that has an axial length from where a swaging deformed inner surface of the hollow shell and cylindrical stem first contact each other to where the deformed inner surface of the hollow shell and cylindrical stem no longer contact each other;
- and
- the die swaging step includes deforming an outer surface of the hollow shell into a wrenching surface that includes a plurality of flats, and axially securing the hollow shell to the cylindrical stem by deforming the hollow shell to reduce the inner diameter of the hollow shell along the entire axial length from a pre-swagged inner diameter smooth along the entire axial length to a post-swaged inner diameter.
A method of making a hose assembly, comprising the steps of:
- making a plurality of fluid couplings, each by:
- positioning a hollow shell around a cylindrical stem;
- die swaging the hollow shell to the cylindrical stem to mechanically connect and axially secure the hollow shell to the cylindrical stem, the die swaging including deforming an inner cylindrical surface of the hollow shell wherein prior to the deforming, the inner cylindrical surface is smooth along an entire axial length that is to be deformed;
- and
- the die swaging step includes deforming an outer surface of the hollow shell into a wrenching surface that includes a plurality of flats;
- preventing interference involvement by a nut on the cylindrical stem with the die swaging step by including a step area on one end of the hollow shell;
- securing a first fluid coupling to one end of a hose;
- and
- securing a second fluid coupling to a second end of the hose.
A method of making a fluid coupling, comprising:
- providing a cylindrical stem having a fluid conduit therethrough;
- placing a hollow shell over a first end of the stem;
- die swaging the shell to the stem at a swage joined portion extending along an entire length of the stem that will be contacted by a swaging deformed inner surface of the shell, wherein the die swaging step includes forming a tool engaging hexagonal shape on an outer surface of the shell at a same axial location along a centerline of the hollow shell, but radially outward from, the swage joined portion, wherein the tool engaging hexagonal shape includes six non-contiguous flats having rounded portions therebetween;
- the die swaging step includes axially securing the hollow shell to the cylindrical stem by reducing the inner diameter of the hollow shell along the entire axial length from a pre-swaged inner diameter smooth along the entire axial length to a post-swaged inner diameter;
- preventing interference involvement by a nut on the cylindrical system with the die swaging step by including a step area on one end of the hollow shell;
- and
- wherein the swage joined portion has an axial length along the centerline corresponding to an axial length along the centerline of the tool engaging hexagonal shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.