Patent ID: 8317233

Claim:
A coupling apparatus comprising: a first tubular component having a first sealing surface; a second tubular component having a second sealing surface, said first and second sealing surfaces being in facing relationship with one another when said first and second components are coupled together; one of said first and second sealing surfaces having a metallic film layer having a thickness that transforms from a first, solid state when a pressurized, heated fluid is not flowing through the tubular components, into a second, liquefied metal layer only after said metallic film layer is heated by the pressurized, heated fluid flowing through said apparatus to a temperature that exceeds a melting temperature of a metal from which said metallic film layer is formed, said thickness of said metallic film layer, once having turned into the liquefied metal layer, being sufficient to form a seal between said sealing surfaces, while said metallic film layer is maintained in a liquefied state by heat from said pressurized, heated fluid, as said pressurized, heated fluid flows through said coupling apparatus, and to remain disposed between said sealing surfaces when said pressurized, heated fluid is flowing under a pressure of at least approximately 500 pounds per square inch; and wherein said metallic film layer is applied by at least one of electroplating, physical vapor deposition and sputtering, onto its respective sealing surface.