Fluid coupling assembly and method of manufacture

Abstract

A coupling assembly for use with a wire-reinforced elastomeric hose member includes a stem member defining at least one groove and the groove includes first and second walls, a bottom portion and a pair of shoulder portions separated by a width and a shell member at least partially enclosing said stem member and defining at least one axially extending barb member. The barb member includes a tip portion having first and second edge portions. The tip of the barb member is sized relative to the shoulders in said groove to transfer force developed by deflection of the reinforcement wire to compress a liner of the hose at the shoulders through the barb edge portions corresponding to a swaged state of the shell and stem members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a coupling assembly for use with a wire-reinforced elastomeric hose having reinforcement wire surrounding an elastomeric liner therein, the coupling assembly comprising:
 providing a stem defining at least one groove, said groove including first and second walls, a bottom portion and a pair of shoulder portions separated by a width, w;   providing a shell at least partially enclosing said stem and defining at least one barb, said barb including a tip portion defining first and second edge portions, said tip of said barb being sized relative to said shoulder portions of said groove to transfer force developed by deflection of the reinforcement wire to sealingly compress the liner of the hose between said shoulder portions of said groove and said edge portions of said tip portion of said barb corresponding to a swaged state of said shell and stem members relative said hose; and   attaching the stem to the shell to form a coupling assembly,   wherein said coupling assembly comprises a size, said barb tip width, said barb height, said barb spacing, said groove width and said groove depth dimensions within dimension ranges shown in Table 1 or Table 2.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said shell comprises an outer surface thereof and a female engagement portion is defined on an inner portion of said shell and the step of attaching the stem to the shell comprises:
 forming a tool portion into an outer surface of said shell as said shell is crimped to said stem,   wherein said female portion of said shell being engaged with a male engagement portion defined by said stem, said tool portion of said shell generally overlaying said female engagement portion of said shell and axially spaced relative said male engagement portion of said stem.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said tool portion of said shell is hexagonal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting said shell of 1010 or 1010 Ca steel and said stem of 12L14 or 1215 steel; and   annealing said shell and said stem at about 1900 degrees F., wherein said annealed shell and said stem are between 45-65 Rockwell B hardness prior to attaching said stem to said shell.   
     
     
         5 . A method of manufacturing a hose assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a wire-reinforced elastomeric hose having reinforcement wire surrounding an elastomeric liner therein;   providing a coupling assembly, the coupling assembly comprising:
 stem defining at least one groove, said groove including first and second walls, a bottom portion and a pair of shoulder portions separated by a width; and 
 a shell at least partially enclosing said stem and defining at least one barb, said barb including a tip portion defining first and second edge portions, said tip of said barb being sized relative to said shoulder portions of said groove to transfer force developed by deflection of the reinforcement wire to sealingly compress the liner of the hose between said shoulders portions of said groove and said edge portions of said tip portion of said barb corresponding to a swaged state of said shell and stem members relative said hose; 
 wherein said coupling assembly comprises a size, said barb tip width, said barb height, said barb spacing, said groove width and said groove depth dimensions within dimension ranges shown in Table 1 or Table 2; 
   and;   joining the hose with the coupling assembly through a crimping operation, wherein a size of the hose assembly and a shell diameter of the shell corresponding to a swaged state of the shell comprises a dimension within the dimension ranges shown in Table 3 or Table 4.