Patent ID: 7870655

Claim:
A method for endforming a tubular member to provide an endform tubular assembly for a hydraulic system, said method comprising: (a) providing a tubular member having a substantially uniform diameter and wall thickness, said tubular member capable of being endformed; (b) reducing one end of said tubular member in a first station of a forming machine to provide a tubular member having a first tubular portion and a reduced second tubular portion; (c) providing a connector member having an outer surface and an inner surface wherein said inner surface extends longitudinally through said connector member, said connector member comprising: (1) a first shoulder segment defining a distal end of said connector member, said first shoulder segment including at least one fixing member integral with said first shoulder segment; (2) a second shoulder segment defining a proximal end of said connector member; and (3) a brim segment intermediate said first shoulder segment and said second shoulder segment, said brim segment extending perpendicularly from said outer surface of said connector member; wherein said first shoulder segment comprises a first inner wall portion having a first inner surface exhibiting a first diameter; said second shoulder segment comprising a second inner wall portion having a second inner surface exhibiting a second diameter and a third inner wall portion having a third inner surface exhibiting a third diameter, wherein said second diameter is smaller than said first diameter, and said third diameter is larger than said second diameter; (d) inserting said tubular member into said connector member such that said first tubular portion of said tubular member and said second tubular portion of said tubular member mate with said first inner wall portion of said connector member and said second wall portion of said connector member, respectively; (e) forming a uniform bead around an outer surface of said first tubular portion of said tubular member in a second station of said forming machine, wherein said uniform bead is in said first shoulder segment of said connector member adjacent said brim segment to prevent longitudinal movement of said tubular member in said connector member; and (f) expanding a proximal end of a second inner wall portion of said second tubular portion into said third inner wall portion of said second shoulder segment, in a third station of said forming machine to provide an endform tubular assembly wherein said tubular member has a first inner wall portion exhibiting a first diameter, said second inner wall portion exhibiting a second diameter and a third inner wall portion exhibiting a third diameter, said third inner wall portion defining a gauge diameter depth in a proximal end of said endform tubular assembly.