Connection device
The connection device addresses the issue of maintaining sealed fluid communication between misaligned rigid systems by using a female and male fitting with a sealing sleeve and nut, providing a demountable solution that compensates for axial and angular play and ensures a metal-to-metal seal for long-term use.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023012613
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-14
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-11-17
AI Technical Summary
Existing connection devices for rigid systems, such as those using bent steel tubes, elbow fittings, and blind connection devices with O-rings, fail to provide a demountable solution that compensates for axial and angular play and maintain long-term sealing without maintenance.
A connection device comprising a female fitting with a sealing sleeve and a male fitting with a nut, allowing for axial and angular play compensation, featuring a radial and longitudinal clearance, and a screwing mechanism for easy assembly and disassembly, ensuring a metal-to-metal seal and mechanical locking.
The device enables a removable interface that maintains sealed fluid communication between misaligned conduits for decades without requiring maintenance, using a metal seal instead of elastomers.
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Connection device
[0001] The invention relates to a connection device, and in particular a connection device for connecting a fluid reservoir such as hydrogen to a fluid supply circuit. The connection device according to the invention makes it possible to supply rigidly mounted hydrogen reservoirs with a rigid hydrogen network.
[0002] Various connection devices for connecting rigid systems are already known.
[0003] For example, bent steel tubes are known which are welded at each of their ends ([Fig. 1]). This type of device has the disadvantage of not being demountable.
[0004] Elbow fittings 1b also exist, as illustrated in [Fig.2]. However, these fittings do not allow for compensating for play between two rigid systems.
[0005] Finally, it is known to use as a connection device the device illustrated in figures 3 and 4. This blind connection device makes it possible to compensate for play but has a limited maintenance-free operating time due to the use of sealing O-rings.
[0006] The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks.
[0007] In particular, it proposes a device for connecting misaligned conduits, the device being easily removable, allowing for the compensation of axial and / or angular play, and being able to be used for several decades without maintenance.
[0008] The invention thus relates to a connection device, intended to connect a first fluid zone to a second fluid zone, the device comprising a female fitting intended to be assembled to a male fitting, the female fitting and the male fitting each comprising a fluid conduit, the fluid conduit of the female fitting having a longitudinal axis and extending between a first end of the female fitting intended to be connected to the first fluid zone and a second end of the female fitting intended to receive the fluid conduit of the male fitting, the fluid conduit of the male fitting extending between a first end of the male fitting intended to be engaged in the female fitting and a second end of the male fitting intended to be connected to the second fluid zone, the fluid conduit of the male fitting comprising a first portion, having a longitudinal axis,located on the side of the first end of the male fitting and a second portion, located on the side of the second end of the male fitting and inclined relative to the first portion.
[0009] In the connection device according to the invention, the female fitting includes on the side of its second end a sealing sleeve mounted inside a body of the female fitting with a radial clearance between the sealing sleeve and the body of the female fitting, and the male fitting is provided on the side of its first end with a nut allowing assembly of the female fitting and the male fitting by screwing the nut onto a thread of the female fitting, the nut being mounted around a body of the male fitting with a radial and longitudinal clearance between the nut and the body of the male fitting.
[0010] Thus, thanks to the cooperation between the specific sleeve and nut of the device, a connection device is obtained which makes it possible to compensate for any axial and / or angular play between the first fluid zone and the second fluid zone.
[0011] The second portion of the fluid conduit of the male fitting can be orthogonal to the first portion of the fluid conduit of the male fitting.
[0012] The sealing sleeve may have a frustoconical external surface and an internal surface having a frustoconical portion located on the side of the second end of the female fitting.
[0013] The body of the male fitting may have a frustoconical portion at the first end of the male fitting.
[0014] The internal surface of the sealing sleeve may include a longitudinal stop zone for the first portion of the fluid conduit of the male fitting.
[0015] The connection device may include, at the second end of the female fitting, a transverse washer acting as a longitudinal stop for the sleeve.
[0016] The nut may include a main annular portion and an end annular portion, distal to the first end of the male fitting and with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the main annular portion.
[0017] The annular end part of the nut can be adapted to move longitudinally between two stops of the male fitting body.
[0018] The invention also aims at a connection system.
[0019] The connection system comprises a first fluid zone, a second fluid zone, and a connection device described above connecting the first fluid zone to the second fluid zone.
[0020] The fluid can be hydrogen, the first fluid zone can be a hydrogen reservoir and the second fluid zone can be a hydrogen supply circuit.
[0021] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a non-limiting example of implementation, made with reference to the accompanying figures in which:
[0022] [Fig. 1], already described, is a perspective view of a first prior art connection device,
[0023] [Fig.2], already described, is a perspective view of a second prior art connection device,
[0024] [Fig.3], already described, is a perspective view of a third prior art connection device,
[0025] [Fig.4], already described, is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the third prior art connection device,
[0026] [Fig.5] is a front view of a connection device according to the invention,
[0027] [Fig.6] is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connection device of the [Fig.5]
[0028] [Fig.7] a detailed longitudinal sectional view of the connection device of the [Fig.5],
[0029] [Fig.8] is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a first step in a method of assembling the connecting device,
[0030] [Fig.9] is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a second step in a method of assembling the connecting device,
[0031] [Fig. 10] is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a third step in a method of assembling the connecting device,
[0032] [Fig. 11] is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a fourth step in a method of assembling the connecting device,
[0033] [Fig. 12] is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a fifth step in a method of assembling the connecting device,
[0034] [Fig. 13] is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a step in the disassembly of the connecting device, and
[0035] [Fig. 14] is a partial perspective general view of a connection system implementing connection devices according to the invention.
[0036] As illustrated in figures 5 to 7, a connection device 1 according to the invention comprises a female fitting 2 intended to be assembled by screwing to a male fitting 3.
[0037] The female fitting 2 allows the device 1 to be connected to a first fluid zone, typically a hydrogen tank, along a first connection direction x, called the longitudinal direction ([Fig.8]).
[0038] The male fitting 3 allows the device 1 to be connected to a second fluid zone, typically a hydrogen supply circuit, along a second connection direction y, aligned or not aligned with the first connection direction x in the operational configuration of the device 1, i.e., when the female fitting 2 is assembled to the male fitting 3. The second the connecting direction y is typically orthogonal to the first connecting direction x ([Fig.8]).
[0039] The male fitting 3 is provided with a nut 6 suitable for being screwed onto a threaded area 7 of the female fitting 2.
[0040] The female fitting 2 and the male fitting 3 each include a fluid conduit 8, typically a conduit allowing the passage of hydrogen.
[0041] The female fitting 2 has a longitudinal axis x. It comprises a body 4 including three successive coaxial cylindrical parts, namely a first part 9 located at the level of a first end of the female fitting 2, a central part 10 and a second part 11 located at the level of a second end of the female fitting 2.
[0042] The first part 9 is intended to be connected to the first fluid zone. It is provided with an external thread 12 allowing the female fitting 2 to be screwed onto a connection element of the first fluid zone.
[0043] The central part 10 connects the first part 9 to the second part 11. The central part 10 serves as a longitudinal stop for the nut 6 of the male fitting 3.
[0044] The second part 11 is intended to receive an end portion of the fluid conduit 8 of the male fitting 3. It is provided with an external thread 7 allowing the nut 6 of the male fitting 3 to be fixed by screwing onto the external thread 7.
[0045] The second part 11 of the body 4 of the female fitting 2 houses a sealing sleeve 13. The sleeve 13 is generally frustoconical in shape, with a diameter that increases towards the male fitting 3, and is mounted with radial clearance (along the y and z axes) inside the second part 11 of the body 4 of the female fitting 2. The sleeve 13 thus has in each of its cross-sections (i.e. in a y, z plane) a diameter smaller than that of the second part 11 of the body 4 of the female fitting 2.
[0046] The sealing sleeve 13 has an external frustoconical surface 13a, and an internal surface having successively, from the central part 10 of the body 4 and towards the second end of the female fitting 2: a first frustoconical portion 13b in which the diameter decreases towards the second end of the female fitting 2, an annular portion 13c, a second frustoconical portion 13d whose diameter increases towards the second end, and a third frustoconical portion 13e in which the diameter increases less towards the second end than in the second frustoconical portion 13d ([Fig.7]).
[0047] A metal washer 14, arranged transversely at the second end of the female fitting 2, serves as a longitudinal stop for the sleeve 13. The washer 14 is arranged longitudinally between the sleeve 13 and a metal ring 15 mounted in a groove of the second part 11 of the body 2.
[0048] The washer 14 can move freely. It is only held by the ring 15.
[0049] The presence of a ring 15 alone, without the washer 14, can also be considered.
[0050] A longitudinal fluid passage 8 is formed inside the female fitting 2. It is delimited successively by the diameter of the first part 9, the central part 10 and the sealing sleeve 13.
[0051] The male fitting 3 comprises a body 5 and a nut 6 suitable for being screwed onto the threaded area 7 of the female fitting 2, so as to allow the assembly by screwing of the male fitting 3 and the female fitting 2.
[0052] The body 5 of the male fitting 3 is generally L-shaped. It comprises a first cylindrical part 16 located at a first end of the male fitting 3. The first part 16 is coaxial with the longitudinal axis x of the female fitting 2 when the male fitting 3 is locked to the female fitting 2. The first part 16, around which the nut 6 is arranged, forms a first portion of the fluid conduit 8, the end of which is intended to be inserted into the sealing sleeve 13 of the female fitting 2.
[0053] The body 5 of the male fitting 3 further comprises a second cylindrical portion 17 located at a second end of the male fitting 3. The second portion 17 is intended to be connected to a connecting element of the second fluid zone. The second portion 17 is orthogonal to the first portion 16. It should be noted that the second portion 17 could also have any type of inclination relative to the first portion 16, including being aligned with the first portion 16 or being parallel to the first portion 16. The second portion 16 forms a second section of the fluid conduit 8.
[0054] The second part 17 of the body 5 of the male fitting 3 is provided, at the second end of the male fitting 3, with an external thread 18 allowing the male fitting 3 to be screwed onto a connecting element of the second fluid zone. Alternatively, the second part 18 could be welded to the connecting element.
[0055] A fluid passage 8, also L-shaped, is thus formed inside the body. The fluid passage 8 comprises a longitudinal portion of fluid passage (along the x-axis) and a transverse portion of fluid passage (along the y-axis).
[0056] The longitudinal fluid passage portion 8 of the male fitting 3 is intended to be inserted into the female fitting 2, so as to extend the longitudinal fluid passage 8 of the female fitting, and thus form a continuous fluid passage 8 inside the connection device 1.
[0057] The first part 16 comprises successively, from the first end of the male fitting 3 and moving away from it: a first annular portion 16a, a frustoconical portion 16b whose diameter increases with distance from the first end, and a second annular portion 16c with a diameter greater than the diameter of the first annular portion 16a.
[0058] The nut 6 is arranged around the first part 16 of the body 5 of the male fitting 3. Its longitudinal stroke is delimited by two stops 19, 20 formed by two radially projecting parts of the body 5, for example two shoulders of the body 5.
[0059] The nut 6 includes for this purpose a main annular part 6a, proximal to the female fitting 2, which has a diameter greater than the diameters of the shoulders 19, 20, the main annular part 6a being extended by an end annular part 6b, distal to the female fitting 2, which has a diameter less than the diameters of the shoulders 19, 20. The end annular part 6b can thus move longitudinally between the two stops 19, 20.
[0060] Since the diameter of the annular end part 6b is greater than the diameter of the part of the body 5 which is located between the two stops 19, 20, there is thus a radial play (along the y and z axes) between the first part 16 of the body 5 of the male fitting 3 and the nut 6.
[0061] The remainder of the description is devoted to a method of assembling (fixing) the male fitting 3 and the female fitting 2.
[0062] Initially, the female fitting 2 and the male fitting 3 are separated.
[0063] We start by mounting the female fitting 2 on the first fluid zone, the first fluid zone being typically a hydrogen tank, for example by screwing the female fitting 2 onto an inlet conduit of the hydrogen tank, and by mounting the male fitting 3 on the second fluid zone, the second fluid zone being typically a hydrogen supply circuit, by screwing or welding the male fitting 3 onto a conduit of the hydrogen distribution circuit ([Fig.8]).
[0064] We can then begin to connect the two fittings 2, 3, obtaining a first contact along the x axis. There may be a misalignment between the longitudinal x axis of the female fitting 2 and the longitudinal axis of the first part 16 of the body 5 of the male fitting 3 ([Fig.9]).
[0065] The sealing sleeve 13 can still move over a certain distance along the y and z axes depending on the relative position of the body 4 of the female fitting 2.
[0066] Continuing the connection, we arrive at the point where the nut 6 touches the body 4 of the female fitting 2. The annular portion 16a of the body 5 rests on the frustoconical portion 13e of the sealing sleeve 13 ([Fig.10]) and then slides until it is against the frustoconical portion 13d of the sleeve 13 ([Fig. 11]).
[0067] Since the nut 6 is mobile radially (around the first part 16 of the body 5) and longitudinally (between the two stops 19, 20), one can begin to screw the fittings 2, 3 along the x axis ([Fig.1 1]).
[0068] The nut 6 then reaches its final position ([Fig. 12]). The annular end portion 6b of the nut 6 then abuts against the stop 19 of the body 5 of the male fitting 3. A double metal-to-metal seal is obtained, with positional and mechanical locking.
[0069] To disconnect the storage device 1 from the hydrogen supply circuit, simply unscrew the nut 6 ([Fig. 13]).
[0070] Fig. 14 illustrates a connection system 21 implementing connection devices 1 according to the invention.
[0071] Hydrogen tanks 22 are supplied with hydrogen by a hydrogen supply circuit 23. A connecting device 1 allows each inlet 22a of the hydrogen tank to be connected to an outlet 23a of the hydrogen supply circuit 23.
[0072] The connection device according to the invention thus makes it possible to obtain a removable interface between two rigid systems, and which allows a sealed fluidic communication between conduits positioned angularly relative to each other.
[0073] The connection device according to the invention, which is free of elastomer seals, has a lifespan of several decades.
Claims
1.
2. Demands A connecting device (1), intended to connect a first fluid zone (22) to a second fluid zone (23), the device (1) comprising a female fitting (2) intended to be assembled to a male fitting (3), the female fitting (2) and the male fitting (3) each comprising a fluid conduit (8), the fluid conduit of the female fitting (2) having a longitudinal axis (x) and extending between a first end of the female fitting (2) intended to be connected to the first fluid zone (22) and a second end of the female fitting intended to receive the fluid conduit of the male fitting (3), the fluid conduit of the male fitting extending between a first end of the male fitting (3) intended to be engaged in the female fitting (2) and a second end of the male fitting (3) intended to be connected to the second fluid zone (23), the fluid conduit (8) of the male fitting (3) comprising a first portion, with a longitudinal axis (x),located on the side of the first end of the male fitting (3) and a second portion, located on the side of the second end of the male fitting (3) and inclined with respect to the first portion, the connection device (1) being characterized in that the female fitting (2) comprises on the side of its second end a sealing sleeve (13) mounted inside a body (4) of the female fitting (2) with a radial clearance between the sealing sleeve (13) and the body (4) of the female fitting (2), the sealing sleeve (13) having an external frustoconical surface (13a) and an internal surface having a frustoconical portion (13e) located on the side of the second end of the female fitting (2), and in that the male fitting (3) is provided on the side of its first end with a nut (6) allowing assembly of the female fitting (2) and the male fitting (3) by screwing the nut (6) onto a thread (7) of the female fitting (2),the nut (6) being mounted around a body (5) of the male fitting (3) with radial and longitudinal clearance between the nut (6) and the body (5) of the male fitting (3). Connection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second portion of the fluid conduit (8) of the male fitting (3) is orthogonal to the first portion (3) of the fluid conduit (8) of the male fitting.
3. Connection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the body (5) of the male fitting (3) has at the first end of the male fitting (3) a frustoconical portion (16b).
4. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the internal surface of the sealing sleeve (13) includes a longitudinal stop zone (13d) of the first portion of the fluid conduit of the male fitting (3).
5. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises, at the second end of the female fitting (2), a transverse washer (15) acting as a longitudinal stop for the sleeve (13).
6. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the nut (6) comprises a main annular part (6a) and an end annular part (6b), distal to the first end of the male fitting (3) and of a diameter less than the diameter of the main annular part (6a).
7. Device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the annular end part (6b) of the nut (6) is able to move longitudinally between two stops (19, 20) of the body (5) of the male fitting (3).
8. Connection system (21), characterized in that it comprises a first fluid zone (22), a second fluid zone (23), and a connection device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 connecting the first fluid zone (22) to the second fluid zone (23).
9. Connection system (21) according to claim 8, characterized in that the fluid is hydrogen, in that the first fluid zone (22) is a hydrogen reservoir and in that the second fluid zone (23) is a hydrogen supply circuit.