Fitting nut with adapted engaging surfaces

Abstract

A fitting assembly is provided with a first fitting component having a stepped wall surface; and a second fitting component radially spaced from the first fitting component when the fitting assembly is in a finger tight condition prior to pull-up. When the second fitting component is displaced into contact with the stepped wall surface during fitting pull-up, the stepped wall surface assists in separating the first fitting component from the second fitting component upon fitting disassembly.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A fitting body having a longitudinal axis comprising:
 a conduit end socket comprising a shoulder at an axially inner end of said conduit end socket and an end surface at an axially outer end of said conduit end socket, said conduit end socket being characterized by:   an inner wall surface that extends axially between said shoulder and said end surface, said shoulder extends on a radial line with respect to the longitudinal axis, said inner wall surface comprises a conduit end capture surface, a ferrule camming surface, and a tapered wall surface that extends from said conduit end capture surface to said ferrule camming surface, said tapered wall surface being tapered in a radially outward direction towards said axially outer end, said tapered wall surface being adjacent to said conduit end capture surface.   
     
     
         30 . The fitting body of  claim 29  wherein said conduit capture surface tapers at a first angle and said ferrule camming surface tapers at a second angle both relative to the longitudinal axis, said first angle and said second angle being different from each other. 
     
     
         31 . The fitting body of  claim 30  wherein said conduit end capture surface tapers at an approximate angle of four degrees and said ferrule camming surface tapers at an approximate angle of twenty degrees. 
     
     
         32 . The fitting body of  claim 29  wherein said conduit end capture surface and said ferrule camming surface and said tapered wall surface are frusto-conical. 
     
     
         33 . The fitting body of  claim 29  wherein said conduit end capture surface tapers at a first angle, said tapered wall surface tapers at a second angle, and said ferrule camming surface tapers at a third angle. 
     
     
         34 . The fitting body of  claim 33  wherein said first angle, said second angle and said third angle are all different from each other. 
     
     
         35 . The fitting body of  claim 33  wherein said first angle is approximately four degrees, said second angle is in a range of approximately fifty minutes to approximately one degree and fifty minutes, and said third angle is approximately twenty degrees. 
     
     
         36 . The fitting body of  claim 29  wherein said conduit end capture surface and said ferrule camming surface are tapered in a radially outward direction towards said axially outer end. 
     
     
         37 . The fitting body of  claim 29  wherein said tapered wall surface is discontinuous with said conduit capture surface and said ferrule camming surface. 
     
     
         38 . The fitting body of  claim 29  wherein said tapered wall surface tapers at an angle that is in a range of approximately fifty minutes to approximately one degree and fifty minutes. 
     
     
         39 . The fitting body of  claim 29  adapted for combination with a drive nut, wherein said fitting body is adapted to be joined with said drive nut. 
     
     
         40 . The fitting body of  claim 29  adapted for combination with a front ferrule and a rear ferrule. 
     
     
         41 . The fitting body of  claim 39  wherein said fitting body comprises a male threaded body, and said drive nut comprises a female threaded nut. 
     
     
         42 . The fitting body of  claim 29  adapted for combination with a front ferrule and a rear ferrule, and wherein said fitting body, said drive nut and said front ferrule and rear ferrule all comprise stainless steel. 
     
     
         43 . The fitting body of  claim 29  adapted for combination with a drive nut to form a conduit fitting, and a conduit end that can be inserted into said conduit end socket, an end portion of said conduit end being in contact with said conduit capture surface in a finger tight condition prior to pull-up, wherein during pull up of said conduit fitting a portion of said conduit end is radially displaced into contact with said tapered wall surface. 
     
     
         44 . The fitting body of  claim 43  wherein after a completed pull-up of said conduit fitting said portion of said conduit end is radially displaced into contact with said tapered wall surface with an axial component of an elastic reaction force against said conduit end for separating said fitting body from said conduit end upon disassembly. 
     
     
         45 . The fitting body of  claim 44  wherein said front ferrule comprises a rounded front end. 
     
     
         46 . A fitting assembly, comprising: a fitting body according to  claim 29 ; and a conduit end having a portion that axially aligns with and contacts said conduit capture surface when the fitting assembly is in a finger tight position; wherein when the fitting assembly is pulled-up a portion of the conduit end contacts said tapered wall surface. 
     
     
         47 . The fitting assembly of  claim 46  wherein during pull up said conduit end contacts said tapered wall surface with an axial component of elastic reaction force between said conduit end and said tapered wall surface, such that when the fitting assembly is loosened, said axial component of elastic reaction force assists in separating said conduit end from said tapered wall surface. 
     
     
         48 . The fitting assembly of  claim 47  wherein said body and said conduit end comprise metal. 
     
     
         49 . The fitting assembly of  claim 48  wherein said body and said conduit end comprise stainless steel. 
     
     
         50 . The fitting body of  claim 39  adapted for combination with a front ferrule and a rear ferrule. 
     
     
         51 . The fitting body of  claim 39  adapted for combination with a front ferrule and a rear ferrule, and wherein said fitting body, said drive nut and said front ferrule and rear ferrule all comprise stainless steel.