Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Patent
1994-06-29
1998-01-06
Gorski, Joseph M.
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
29235, 29237, 29267, 29525, B23P 1904
Patent
active
057041067
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
I. TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the field of automatic devices for the repetitive assembly of flexible tubing and fittings. Specifically, the invention focuses on devices which can accommodate a-variety of tubing characteristics, including thin, extremely flexible tubing.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For many years, flexible tubing has been an important component in a broad variety of designs. In the vast majority of applications, the tubing is joined to a system by sliding it over a fitting which causes the tubing to expand and securely engage the fitting. While such designs have been in use for over a century, little attention has been paid to how the tubing is actually attached to the fitting. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that in spite of the wide spread use of such assemblies, even the concept of automating the creation of these assemblies has not been the focus of efforts until the last few years.
In many of those few efforts which have been made at automating the creation of such assemblies, those skilled in the art have frequently focused upon creating devices which specifically accommodate particular tubing or fitting designs. As an example of this type of device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,381 to Kish in 1983, discloses a device which is designed to be used with a particular type of hose which has a metal shell on its end. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,588 to Churchich in 1988, discloses a plier-type device which is particularly designed to engage fittings having a certain base design. While these types of designs no doubt work well in their specific applications, they do not lend themselves to utilization in a variety of applications. The present invention overcomes this limitation among others.
In 1989, a particular design which combined both an automatic character as well as a relatively universal design was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,441 to Potesta. While this device is of a more universal nature, it, too, presents limitations which restrict the variety of applications to which it may be applied.
One of the characteristics which practically every previous device relies upon to accomplish insertion is the integrity of the tubing itself. Specifically, virtually every device relies upon the tubing to have sufficient structural rigidity in order to accomplish actually forcing the tubing itself over the fitting. While, obviously, this works for certain types of tubing, it does not work for very thin or extremely flexible tubing. Additionally, devices of the prior art tend to maximize the grip on the tubing by increasing the degree of force with which the tubing is clamped. Again, while this undoubtedly works for certain types of tubing, in many applications it would actually damage the tubing and potentially make the resulting assembly either unusable or unreliable. This is perhaps underscored by the fact that internal pressurization or tensile pull failures of such assemblies predominately occur in the tubing at locations adjacent to the fitting.
Apart from the focus on the tubing assembly itself, in addition, the prior art devices have generally involved multi-step operations. While the devices have automated the process to a degree, they have not accomplished that goal in manners which fully lend themselves to assembly line needs. In this regard, it should be recognized that since tubing assemblies are wide spread in a variety of applications, the creation of such assemblies in a repetitive fashion is also wide spread. Thus, the full automation of such assemblies is highly desirable. The present invention achieves such automation to a higher degree than that achieved by the prior art.
Also, in understanding the general characteristics of the present invention, applications for tubing assemblies--such as those in the medical field--which require assembly in a clean room environment, are also addressed by the present invention. Notably, virtually every device of the prior art utilizes either metal or other very rigid material in their designs. The p
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Sampson James K.
Sampson Richard K.
Gorski Joseph M.
Santangelo Luke
Value Plastics, Inc.
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