CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 62/211,232, which is entitled Fluid Conduit Fitting Assembly and was filed on Aug. 28,

2015, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Fittings are disposed on the ends of a fluid conduit (e.g., hydraulic hose, tubing, etc.) so that the fluid conduit can be connected with a mating part (e.g., components, fluid conduits, etc.). A conventional fitting includes a nipple and a socket positioned about the nipple. A hose end is inserted between the nipple and the socket during assembly and the socket is crimped to the hose end to secure the fitting to the hose. While the conventional socket design works well, there is a desire to increase the manufacturability of the socket.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a fitting assembly for a fluid conduit.

The fitting assembly includes a nipple and a socket. The nipple has a first axial end portion and an oppositely disposed second axial end portion. The first axial end portion defines a plurality of ridges. The socket includes a first end and an oppositely disposed second end. The socket includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a thru-bore having a central longitudinal axis. The socket includes a plurality of axial protrusions on the inner surface that extends radially inward. The plurality of axial protrusions extending longitudinally along the central longitudinal axis of the socket.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a socket of a fitting assembly adapted for engagement with a fluid conduit. The socket has a first end and an oppositely disposed second end. The socket includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a thru-bore having a central longitudinal axis. The socket includes a plurality of axial protrusions and a plurality of axial grooves. The axial protrusions and the axial grooves being alternately disposed on the inner surface and extending longitudinally along the central longitudinal axis of the socket.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a fluid conduit assembly. The fluid conduit assembly includes a fluid conduit and a fitting assembly adapted for engagement with the fluid conduit. The fitting assembly having a nipple and a socket.

The nipple has a first axial end portion and an oppositely disposed second axial end portion. The first axial end portion having a plurality of ridges. The socket has a first end, an oppositely disposed second end, an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a thru-bore having a central longitudinal axis. The socket includes a plurality of axial protrusions and a plurality of axial grooves. The axial protrusions and the axial grooves being alternately disposed on the inner surface and extending longitudinally along the central longitudinal axis of the socket. The plurality of axial protrusions extend in a direction that is generally perpendicular to a direction in which the plurality of ridges of the nipple extend.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a socket of a fitting assembly for a fluid conduit. The method including cold heading material to form a socket of the fitting assembly having a first end and an oppositely disposed second end. The socket includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a thru-bore having a central longitudinal axis. The socket includes a plurality of axial protrusions on the inner surface that extends radially inward. The plurality of axial protrusions extending longitudinally along the central longitudinal axis of the socket.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a fluid conduit assembly having exemplary features of aspects in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the fluid conduit assembly of FIG.

1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a socket of a fitting assembly of the fluid conduit assembly of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the socket taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of the socket of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary aspects of the present disclosure that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like structure.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fluid conduit assembly 10 is shown. The fluid conduit assembly 10 includes a fluid conduit 12 and a fitting assembly 14. In the depicted embodiment, the fluid conduit 12 is a hose that is adapted to convey fluid from a first axial end 16 of the hose to an oppositely disposed second axial end 18 of the hose. In one embodiment, the fluid conveyed by the fluid conduit 12 is hydraulic fluid.

In the depicted embodiment, the fluid conduit 12 includes an innermost layer 20 (shown in FIG. 2), an outermost layer 22 and an intermediate layer 24 disposed between the innermost and outermost layers 20, 22. The innermost layer 20 defines a bore 26 through which fluid flows.

In the depicted embodiment, the fluid conduit 12 further includes a first reinforcement layer 28 disposed between the innermost and outermost layers 20, 22 and a second reinforcement layer 30 disposed between the first reinforcement layer 28 and the innermost layer 20. In the depicted embodiment, the intermediate layer 24 is disposed between the first and second reinforcement layers 28, 30.

The fitting assembly 14 includes a nipple 32 and a socket 34. The nipple 32 includes a first axial end portion 36 and an oppositely disposed second axial end portion 38. The nipple 32 defines a bore 40 that extends through the first and second axial end portions 36, 38 along a central longitudinal axis 42 of the fitting assembly 14.

In the depicted embodiment, the first axial end portion 36 of the nipple 32 is adapted for insertion into the bore 26 of the first axial end 16 of the fluid conduit 12. The first axial end portion 36 of the nipple 32 includes an end portion 44, a plurality of ridges 46 disposed adjacent to the end portion 44, and an annular shoulder 48 disposed adjacent to the plurality of ridges 46. In the depicted embodiment, the plurality of ridges 46 is disposed between the end portion 44 and the annular shoulder 48.

In the depicted embodiment, the end portion 44 of the nipple 32 is tapered. The taper of the end portion 44 has an outer diameter that increases in a direction from an end surface 50 of the end portion 44 to the plurality of ridges 46.

In the depicted embodiment, each of the plurality of ridges 46 is an annular ridge. The ridges 46 are separated by annular grooves 52.

The annular shoulder 48 extends radial outward from the first axial end portion 36. The annular shoulder 48 is adapted to abut an end surface of the fluid conduit 12 when the first axial end portion 36 is disposed in the bore 26 of the fluid conduit 12.

The nipple 32 defines a groove 54 disposed between the annular shoulder 48 and the second axial end portion 38 of the nipple 32. The groove 54 is adapted to receive a portion of the socket 34 and to axially retain the socket 34 along the nipple 32.

The second axial end portion 38 of the nipple 32 is adapted for engagement with a mating fitting. In one embodiment, the second axial end portion 38 includes a nut (not shown) adapted for threaded engagement with the mating fitting.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, the socket 34 will be described. The socket 34 includes a body 60 having a first end 62 and an oppositely disposed second end 64. The socket 34 includes an outer surface 66 and an inner surface 68. The inner surface 68 of the socket 34 defines a thru-bore 70 that extends through the first and second ends 62, 64 along a central longitudinal axis 72 of the socket 34. The thru-bore 70 is adapted to receive the first axial end 16 of the fluid conduit 12 and the first axial end portion 36 of the nipple 32.

The socket 34 includes a retainer 74. In the depicted embodiment, the retainer 74 is disposed adjacent to the first end 62 of the socket 34. The retainer 74 extends radially into the thru-bore 70 of the socket 34. The retainer 74 is adapted for disposition in the groove 54 of the nipple 32.

The socket 34 includes a plurality of axial protrusions 80. In the depicted embodiment, the axial protrusions 80 extend radially inward from the inner surface 68 of the socket 34. Each of the axial protrusions 80 is elongated along the central longitudinal axis 72 of the socket 34. In the depicted embodiment, each of the axial protrusions 80 includes a first axial end 82 and an oppositely disposed second axial end 84. The first axial ends 82 of the axial protrusions 80 are disposed adjacent to the retainer 74 of the socket 34. The second axial ends 84 are disposed adjacent to the second end 64 of the socket 34.

In the depicted embodiment, there are twelve axial protrusions 80 disposed on the inner surface 68 about the central longitudinal axis 72 of the socket 34. In the depicted embodiment, a width of a base 86 of each axial protrusion 80 is greater than a width of a tip 88.

In one embodiment, each of the axial protrusions 80 including a longitudinal length. The longitudinal length of the axial protrusion 80 is at least about 50% of the length of the socket. The longitudinal length of the axial protrusion 80 extends at least half of a length of the socket 34. In another embodiment, the longitudinal length of the axial protrusion 80 extends at least three-quarters of the length of the socket 34.

In the depicted embodiment, the axial protrusions 80 are tapered in the longitudinal direction. In the depicted embodiment, the longitudinal taper of the axial protrusions 80 is such that an inner diameter defined by the tips 88 of the axial protrusions 80 at the second axial ends 84 of the axial protrusions 80 is greater than an inner diameter defined by the tips 88 at the first axial ends 82.

In the depicted embodiment, the socket 34 defines a plurality of axial grooves 90. The axial grooves 90 and the axial protrusions 80 are alternately disposed on the inner surface 68 of the socket 34 around the central longitudinal axis 72. Each of the axial grooves 90 is elongated along the central longitudinal axis 72 of the socket 34.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the assembly of the fluid conduit assembly 10 will be described. The retainer 74 of the socket 34 is inserted into the groove 54 of the nipple 32. The plurality of axial protrusions 80 of the socket 34 extends in a direction that is generally perpendicular to a direction in which the plurality of ridges 46 of the nipple 32 extend.

With the retainer 74 of the socket 34 disposed in the groove 54 of the nipple 32, the fitting assembly 14 defines an annular cavity 92 between the first axial end portion 36 of the nipple 32 and the socket 34. The first axial end 16 of the fluid conduit 12 is inserted into the annular cavity 92 so that the first axial end portion 36 of the nipple 32 is inserted into the bore 26 of the fluid conduit 12 while at least a portion of the socket 34 is disposed about the outermost layer 22 of the first axial end 16 of the fluid conduit 12. The first axial end 16 of the fluid conduit 12 is inserted into the annular cavity 92 until the first axial end 16 abuts the annular shoulder 48 of the nipple 32.

With the first axial end 16 of the fluid conduit 12 disposed in the annular cavity 92, the outer surface 66 of the socket 34 is compressed (e.g., crimped) radially inward. The radial compression of the socket 34 compresses the fluid conduit 12 between the axial protrusions 80 of the socket 34 and the plurality of ridges 46 of the nipple 32 in order to retain the fitting assembly 14 on the fluid conduit 12.

The axial protrusions 80 of the socket 34 allow the socket 34 to be manufactured using a cold heading process which greatly reduces manufacturing costs. While cold heading can be used to manufacture the body of a conventional socket with annular protrusions on the inner diameter, the annular protrusions need to be machined using a secondary process (e.g., turning). This secondary process negates any cost efficiencies associated with the cold heading process. The axial protrusions 80 allow the socket 34 to be cold headed to net shape without the need for additional processes to form the axial protrusions 80.

Various modifications and alterations of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure, and it should be understood that the scope of this disclosure is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein.