IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0513399
(2006-08-30)
|
등록번호 |
US-7647802
(2010-02-22)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Knirk, Gary Lee
- Sheppard, Scott S.
- Crawford, Gary Orelyn
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
21 |
초록
▼
A method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector includes obtaining a tube blank having an initial length, an initial outer diameter, and an initial wall thickness. The tube blank is secured in a fixture and fed longitudinally into a forming tool. During the forming process, one of the
A method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector includes obtaining a tube blank having an initial length, an initial outer diameter, and an initial wall thickness. The tube blank is secured in a fixture and fed longitudinally into a forming tool. During the forming process, one of the tube blank and the forming tool is spun increasing an initial wall thickness of a portion of the tube blank to a second wall thickness, while the initial outer diameter of the tube blank is controlled. The thickened portion of the tube blank extends along a second length of the tube blank that is less than the initial length. After the spinning process, an attachment feature, such as a barbed feature, is formed or machined into the thickened portion of the tube blank to produce the one-piece flexible tube connector.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector comprising the steps of: securing a tube blank having a first end, a second end, an initial length, an initial outer diameter, and an initial wall thickness in a fixture; moving one of the tube blank and a forming
What is claimed is: 1. A method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector comprising the steps of: securing a tube blank having a first end, a second end, an initial length, an initial outer diameter, and an initial wall thickness in a fixture; moving one of the tube blank and a forming tool toward the other of the tube blank and the forming tool until the first end of the tube blank contacts a stop surface of the forming tool; spinning one of the tube blank and the forming tool to increase the initial wall thickness of a portion of the tube blank adjacent to the first end of the tube blank to a second wall thickness while maintaining the initial outer diameter of the tube blank; creating an attachment feature in the portion of the tube blank adjacent to the first end of the tube blank having the second wall thickness; and creating a shoulder on the tube blank having a diameter greater than the initial outer diameter of the tube blank, wherein, the attachment feature includes at least one barb having a valley with a root outer diameter that is less than the initial outer diameter of the tube blank, and the shoulder is on an outer portion of a transition portion of the tube blank where the tube transitions from the initial wall thickness to the second wall thickness. 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the tube blank is moved longitudinally toward the forming tool. 3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the forming tool is a spinning tool that is spinning. 4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the forming tool is moved longitudinally toward the tube blank. 5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the tube blank is spinning. 6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the forming tool is a spinning tool that is spinning and the fixture securing the tube blank is stationary. 7. The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of controlling the outer diameter of the tube blank while increasing the initial wall thickness to the second wall thickness. 8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portion of the tube blank having the second wall thickness extends along a second length that is less than the initial length. 9. The method as recited in claim 8, further including the step of decreasing the initial length to a third length while increasing the initial wall thickness to the second wall thickness, wherein the third length is greater than the second length. 10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the attachment feature is created by one of a forming process and a machining process. 11. The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of forming a shoulder portion on the tube blank, wherein the shoulder portion has a shoulder diameter that is greater than the initial outer diameter of the tube blank. 12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the attachment feature includes another barb at the first end that is smaller than the at least one barb, the another barb having another valley. 13. A method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector comprising the steps of: securing a tube blank having a first end, a second end, an initial length, an initial outer diameter, and an initial wall thickness in a fixture; moving one of the tube blank and a forming tool toward the other of the tube blank and the forming tool until the first end of the tube blank contacts a stop surface of the forming tool; spinning one of the tube blank and the forming tool to increase the initial wall thickness of a portion of the tube blank adjacent to the first end of the tube blank to a second wall thickness while maintaining the initial outer diameter of the tube blank; and creating an attachment feature in the portion of the tube blank adjacent to the first end of the tube blank having the second wall thickness. 14. The method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector according to claim 13, wherein the attachment feature is created by a second forming process. 15. The method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector according to claim 13, wherein the attachment feature is created by a machining process. 16. The method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector according to claim 13, wherein the attachment feature includes at least one barb having a valley with a root outer diameter that is less than the constant overall outer diameter. 17. The method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector according to claim 13, wherein the attachment feature includes another barb at the first end that is smaller than the at least one barb, the another barb having another valley. 18. The method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector according to claim 13, further comprising the step of: creating a shoulder on the tube blank having a diameter greater than the initial outer diameter of the tube blank. 19. The method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector according to claim 18, wherein, the shoulder is on an outer portion of a transition portion of the tube blank where the tube transitions from the initial wall thickness to the second wall thickness.
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