Patent ID: 6663146
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: F16L,Y10S

Abstract:
A joint structure comprising:a single flare tube having a tube and a flare, the flare connecting at a flare rear end to the tube at a tube front end, the flare extending radially outward and forward from the flare rear end to form a radially outward extending part, the flare having a flare front end protruding and conically tapering forward from the radially outward extending part along an axis of the single flare tube, the flare extending rearward from the flare front end at an acute conical flare angle from the axis; a first connector member having a through-hole that receives the tube of the single flare tube; and a second connector member that couples with the first connector member, the second connector having a flare receiving surface extending rearward at a conical seal angle from the axis, wherein the acute conical flare angle is positive and less than the conical seal angle, and a width of an inner circumferential groove of the radially outward extending part of the flare is nearly zero and does not substantially change to maintain a conically tapering shape at the flare front end, when the flare front end of the flare is pushed against and coupled with the flare receiving surface of the second connector member by fastening the first and second connector members together.