Patent Description:
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a fitting for use with corrugated medical tubing system that replaces traditional brazed copper tubing.

In an embodiment, a fitting for use with metal, corrugated tubing having peaks and valleys includes a nut configured to receive the tubing; a sealing member for placement in a valley of the tubing, the sealing member including a sealing surface; an adaptor configured to engage the nut, the adaptor including an adaptor sealing surface; and an anti-tamper sleeve configured to encompass the nut and adaptor; wherein upon assembly, the tubing is compressed between the adaptor sealing surface and the sealing surface.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the tubing is compressed between the adaptor sealing surface and the sealing surface comprises a double flare of tubing.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the adaptor sealing surface is curved.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the adaptor includes adaptor engagement threads to engage nut engagement threads on the nut.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, in an embodiment according to the invention, the adaptor includes a retaining surface to provide an interference fit with the anti-tamper sleeve.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the anti-tamper sleeve includes a first inner diameter and a second inner diameter, the first inner diameter less than the second inner diameter, the first inner diameter engaging the retaining surface of the adaptor.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include a rear jacket lock sleeve and a jacket lock, the jacket lock configured to engage a jacket of the tubing.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the jacket lock includes at least one jacket lock groove on an interior surface of the jacket lock.

In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include wherein the jacket lock includes a jacket lock taper and the jacket lock sleeve includes a tapered surface configured to engage the jacket lock taper to compress the jacket lock and reduce a diameter of the jacket lock.

In another embodiment, a tubing system includes a fitting secured to a metal, corrugated tubing having peaks and valleys, the fitting including a nut positioned about the tubing; a sealing member located in a valley of the tubing, the sealing member including a sealing surface; an adaptor engaging the nut, the adaptor including an adaptor sealing surface; and an anti-tamper sleeve encompassing the nut and adaptor; wherein the tubing is compressed between the adaptor sealing surface and the sealing surface.

Technical effects of embodiments of the disclosure include the ability to provide a flexible piping solution along with a tamper-proof construction.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, a tubing system includes an end fitting axially swaged onto the end of corrugated medical tubing <NUM>. The axially swaged fitting includes an adaptor <NUM>, a sealing member <NUM>, which may be in the form of a split ring set, an axially swaged nut <NUM>, a jacket lock <NUM>, a rear axially swaged jacket lock sleeve <NUM>, and an anti-tamper sleeve <NUM>, all manufactured, for example, from a metal such as brass or stainless steel. Existing rigid copper tubing is received in pocket <NUM> of adaptor <NUM> (<FIG>) and secured to the adaptor <NUM>, for example, by brazing. The sealing member <NUM> may be implemented using components other than a split ring set, such as a collet, etc. The corrugated medical tubing <NUM> includes corrugated primary tubing manufactured from, for example, a metal such as a copper alloy, or stainless steel, covered with a nonmetallic jacket which fills the spaces between the corrugations, thereby mechanically attaching the jacket to the corrugated primary tubing. The jacket may be coextruded with the tubing.

The adaptor <NUM> engages the corrugated medical tubing <NUM>, and creates a double-flare of metal with one end corrugation, there by creating a primary seal. The end corrugation is supported by the sealing member <NUM>, which incorporates a tapered sealing surface, which may be about <NUM>°. The sealing member <NUM> is located in the last full corrugation of the tubing <NUM> and is held in place by the axially swaged nut <NUM>. The axially swaged nut <NUM> is threaded onto the adaptor <NUM>. The adaptor <NUM> sealing surface may be non-linear, such as curved or spherical. The motion of capturing the sealing member <NUM> and threading the axially swaged nut <NUM> over the adaptor sealing surface creates the compressive load necessary to create the metal-to-metal primary seal between the adaptor <NUM> and the corrugated medical tubing <NUM>.

The rear jacket lock sleeve <NUM> is axially swaged into the nut <NUM>, and slides over the jacket lock <NUM> reducing the inside diameter of the jacket lock <NUM> thereby creating a radially compressive load between the jacket lock <NUM> and the jacket of the corrugated medical tubing <NUM>. The jacket lock <NUM> contains a split to easily allow reduction of diameter. This mechanically attaches the fitting to the piping, preventing any expansion under pressure, and prevents the nut <NUM> from being removed.

The anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> is axially swaged over the nut <NUM> and adaptor <NUM>. The anti-tamper sleeve is smooth on the exterior, the interference fit between the anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> and the adaptor <NUM> is great enough to prevent dis-assembly, thereby creating a permanently attached fitting. The anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> may be made from a metal, such as brass.

Referring to <FIG>, features of the tubing system are presented with numerals. A guiding diameter <NUM> on the adaptor <NUM> provides for centering an inner diameter of the corrugated medical tubing on to adaptor <NUM>.

An adaptor sealing surface <NUM>, mates with a double flare of corrugated medical tubing <NUM>, which is supported by tapered sealing surface <NUM> (e.g., about <NUM> degrees) on sealing member <NUM>. A curved or spherical adaptor sealing surface <NUM> provides a single line of contact with corrugated medical tubing <NUM>, thereby reducing the compression axially load required to create a seal.

Adaptor engagement threads <NUM> on adaptor <NUM> engage nut engagement threads <NUM> on axially nwaged nut <NUM>.

A primary retaining surface <NUM> of the adaptor <NUM> provides an interference fit with the anti-tamper sleeve <NUM>. A first inner diameter <NUM> of anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> is smaller than the diameter of surface <NUM>, for example, by about <NUM> inches. This creates a strong interference between the anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> and adaptor <NUM> to defeat rotation of the anti-tamper sleeve.

A pocket <NUM> provides for attaching to copper tubing, such as by brazing.

Sealing surface <NUM> on sealing member <NUM> is tapered, to about <NUM> degrees. The sealing surface <NUM> provides rigidity to create a seal between the adaptor <NUM> and the axially swaged nut <NUM>.

A double-flare <NUM> of metal is formed from a peak of the corrugated medical tubing <NUM>. The double flare <NUM> is formed between the adaptor sealing surface <NUM> on adaptor <NUM> and sealing surface <NUM> on sealing member <NUM> when nut <NUM> is threaded onto adaptor <NUM>.

The corrugated tubing profile <NUM>, manufactured from copper alloy in an example embodiment, but could also be manufactured from stainless steel. Corrugations are annular in design.

A nonmetallic jacket <NUM> fills the spaces in between the corrugations of the corrugated medical tubing <NUM>. Jacket <NUM> and has a smooth exterior. In an example embodiment, jacket <NUM> is manufactured from low density polyethylene, but other materials that offer sufficient tensile strength to resist corrugation movement under pressure could be utilized. Jacket <NUM> may meet ASTM E84, with maximum Flame Spread index of <NUM> and maximum Smoke Density Index of <NUM>. Jacket <NUM> may be coextruded with metal tubing <NUM>.

includes an anti tamper sleeve diameter <NUM> slightly smaller in diameter than a second inner diameter <NUM> of anti-tamper sleeve <NUM>, for example, by about <NUM> inches.

A rear retaining diameter <NUM> of the axially swaged nut <NUM> mates with outer diameter <NUM> of the rear jacket lock sleeve <NUM>. The jacket lock <NUM> has an outer diameter <NUM> which is slightly smaller than inner diameter <NUM> of the axially swaged nut <NUM>. Jacket lock grooves <NUM> are formed on the interior surface of the jacket lock <NUM>. One or more jacket lock grooves <NUM> compress and engage outside diameter of coextruded jacket <NUM>.

Jacket lock <NUM> includes a jacket lock taper <NUM>. The jacket lock taper <NUM> provides a centering and guiding mechanism to reduce the diameter of the jacket lock <NUM> when the rear jacket lock sleeve <NUM> is pressed over the jacket lock <NUM>. The rear jacket lock sleeve <NUM> includes a tapered surface <NUM> that engages the jacket lock taper <NUM> to compress the jacket lock <NUM> and reduced the diameter of the jacket lock <NUM>.

The rear jacket lock sleeve <NUM> has an outside diameter <NUM> that is slightly smaller than inner diameter <NUM>. on axially swaged nut <NUM>, thereby being forced into diameter <NUM> and mechanically fixing rear jacket lock sleeve <NUM> in place in the nut <NUM>.

The anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> includes a first inner diameter <NUM> that is smaller in diameter than primary retaining surface <NUM> of the adaptor <NUM>, for example by about <NUM> inches. The interference between the first inner diameter <NUM> of the anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> and the primary retaining surface <NUM> of the adaptor <NUM> provides a permanent attachment, and prevents the axially swaged nut <NUM> from being removed from the adaptor <NUM>.

The anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> includes a second inner diameter <NUM> that is slightly larger in diameter than anti-tamper sleeve diameter <NUM> on axially swaged nut <NUM>, for example by about <NUM> inches. This allows the anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> to slide over the nut <NUM>. The anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> is forced onto the adaptor <NUM> via an interference fit between diameters <NUM> and <NUM>. The first inner diameter <NUM> is smaller than the second inner diameter <NUM>.

The anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> includes a smooth outside surface <NUM> that prevents disassembly of fitting. In assembly, the sealing member <NUM> is placed in a valley of the tubing <NUM>. The nut <NUM> is threaded onto adaptor <NUM> to create the double flare of metal tubing seal. The jacket lock <NUM> and rear jacket lock sleeve <NUM> are pressed into inner diameter <NUM> of nut <NUM>. The anti-tamper sleeve <NUM> may be press-fit over the adaptor <NUM> and nut <NUM> (e.g., moving from the adaptor <NUM> to the nut <NUM>).

Claim 1:
A fitting for use with metal, corrugated medical tubing (<NUM>) having peaks and valleys, the fitting comprising:
a nut (<NUM>) configured to receive the tubing (<NUM>);
a sealing member (<NUM>) for placement in a valley of the tubing (<NUM>), the sealing member (<NUM>) including a sealing surface (<NUM>);
an adaptor (<NUM>) configured to engage the nut (<NUM>), the adaptor (<NUM>) including an adaptor sealing surface (<NUM>); and
an anti-tamper sleeve (<NUM>) configured to encompass the nut (<NUM>) and adaptor (<NUM>);
wherein upon assembly, the tubing (<NUM>) is compressed between the adaptor sealing surface (<NUM>) and the sealing surface (<NUM>) of the sealing member (<NUM>);
wherein the adaptor (<NUM>) includes a retaining surface (<NUM>), and
the anti-tamper sleeve (<NUM>) is made from a metal; and
characterised in that
the anti-tamper sleeve (<NUM>) has a smooth exterior, and
the anti-tamper sleeve (<NUM>) is configured for press-fit assembly over the adaptor (<NUM>) and nut (<NUM>) via an interference fit between the retaining surface (<NUM>) of the adaptor (<NUM>) and a first inner diameter (<NUM>) of the anti-tamper sleeve (<NUM>).