Patent ID: 7484776
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: F16L

Abstract:
1. A threaded union for providing a fluid-tight, metal-to-metal seal in a fluid conduit, the threaded union comprising: first and second subcomponents having respective mating ends that are drawn into contact by a single nut, the mating end of the first subcomponent including a first annular groove that mates with a complementary second annular groove in the mating end of the second subcomponent, said complementary first and second annular grooves respectively having a sloped annular inner face and a sloped annular outer face that are respectively convergent to a planar annular bottom surface of the respective annular grooves; and a metal ring gasket having a central axis received in the respective annular grooves, the metal ring gasket having a single planar top face, a single planar bottom face that is parallel to the planar top face, a cylindrical outer face that is coaxial with the central axis of the metal ring gasket and that is perpendicular to the top and bottom faces, and single annular converging sloped surfaces between each of the planar top face and bottom face and the cylindrical outer face, the metal ring gasket being oversized with respect to the first and second sloped outer faces of the annular grooves to an extent that the metal ring gasket is elastically deformed without plastic deformation by contact between only the respective first and second sloped annular outer faces of the respective first and second annular grooves and the annular converging sloped surfaces of the metal ring gasket to provide the fluid-tight seal between the first and second subcomponents after the first and second subcomponents are drawn together by the nut.