MIXED FEMALE CONNECTOR OR PORT

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to a female port, which is suitable for receiving, in a tightness manner, alternatively, two male connectors of two different given types having the same thread pitch and diameter, comprises a female thread suitable for receiving one of the threads of the two male connectors and two first parts of two different sealing devices, one having a seal and the other being metal-on-metal, each compatible with one of said male connectors, each of a given type different to the other.

Claims

1. A female port suitable for receiving, in a tightness manner, a first male connector of a given type, and for enabling a flow of gas through the connection thus made, and including a first part of a first sealing device compatible with a second part of the first sealing device carried by the first male connector, wherein the first part of the first sealing device being a bearing surface against which is squeezed, when the first male connector is screwed into the female port, a second part, which is a seal, of the first sealing device, and the female port including at least a second first part of a second sealing device compatible with a second part of the second sealing device, wherein the second first part of the second sealing device is a female metal geometric shape made at the bottom of a thread of the female port and suitable for receiving a compatible male metal geometric shape, situated at the distal end of another different second male connector of another given type and suitable for providing a metal-on-metal seal by contact against each other.

2. The female port as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first seal sealing device provides the sealing between the said female port and the first male connector of a first given type suitable for being connected to it, in different operating conditions from those for which the second metal-on-metal sealing device provides the sealing, between the female port and the other different second male connector of a second type suitable for being connected to the same female port.

3. The female port as claimed in claim 2, wherein the operating conditions between the first and the second sealing devices are those determined by at least one condition linked at least to pressure, temperature, chemical attack and vibrations.

4. The female port as claimed in claim 1, further including a female thread suitable for receiving any one of the threads of the two male connectors and having the same thread pitch and diameter.

5. The female port as claimed in claim 1, wherein the male metal geometric shape is made at the distal end of the pipe, which passes through the second male connector and through which the gas can flow, and which is locked in the second male connector.

6. The female port as claimed in claim 1, wherein the male metal geometric shape forms part of a pipe anchoring device, which passes through the second male connector and through which the gas can flow, at the distal end of the second male connector.

7. The female port as claimed in claim 1, wherein the male and female metal geometric shapes are conical surfaces.

8. The female port as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas is hydrogen.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] The description and the attached figures relate to an embodiment of a mixed female port according to some embodiments, but other embodiments are possible within the scope of the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0021] FIG. 1 is an axial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a female port (connector) according to some embodiments into which is screwed a first male connector of a first type, taken for example as being a connector called an SAE connector.

[0022] FIG. 2 is the same axial cross-sectional view of the female port (connector) in FIG. 1 but into which is screwed another second male connector of a second type, taken for example as being a connector called an MP connector, shown diagrammatically without the details of the intermediate parts.

[0023] FIG. 3 is an axial cross-sectional view of the same single female port (connector), called a mixed female port according to some embodiments, as in FIGS. 1 and 2 without a male connector screwed into it but ready to receive as desired one or other of the male connectors in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0024] According to the figures a female connector, or rather port 1 according to some embodiments, and as shown alone in FIG. 3, is suitable for sealably receiving, alternately and/or as desired: [0025] either, according to FIG. 1, a first male connector (or port) 2 of a first given type so as to enable the flow of gas through the connection made in this way, and the female port 1 including to this end a first part 12 of a sealing device compatible with a second part 8 of this sealing device borne by the male connector 2, [0026] or, according to FIG. 2, a second different male connector (or port) 3 of another given type (different from the first type) and the female port 1 including to this end another first part 6 of another sealing device compatible with another second part 7 of this other sealing device borne by this second male connector 3 of another given type.

[0027] This female port 1 according to FIG. 3 includes a female thread 4 suitable for receiving any one of the threads 52, 53 of the two first and second male connectors 2, 3 respectively and having the same thread pitch and diameter in accordance with any one of the relevant recognized standards, i.e. SAE, ISO, ASTM, DIN, etc.

[0028] The first part 12 of a first sealing device is a bearing surface 12 (such as conical) against which is squeezed, when the first male connector 2, called an SAE connector, is screwed into the female port 1 according to FIG. 1, the second part of this first sealing device, which is an O-ring 8 housed here in a groove 9 situated at the proximal end of the thread 52 of this first male connector or port 2 (that is, situated at the base of this thread 52 i.e. in the opposite direction to the distal end thereof and against the shoulder 132 of the head 142 of this first male connector 2): in fact the O-ring 8 is thus firmly clamped between the sealing bearing surface 12 of the external orifice of the female part (or port) 1, the groove 9 in which the O-ring is placed, and the shoulder 132 (with or without a reinforcing ring or retaining washer) situated on the other side of the groove 9 relative to the thread 52 of this first male port (connector).

[0029] However, such sealing, which can be described as external, although sufficient for medium pressures, i.e. between 150 and 700 bar (or even a little higher), and with hydrogen flowing in the inner passages 102, 11 respectively of the two male and female connectors and ports 2, 1 screwed into each other, does not ensure satisfactory resistance to high pressures, in particular such as up to 1,000 bar and even significantly higher (such as 4,000 bar), especially with a gas such as hydrogen, and to high temperatures (above 100 C.)

[0030] The other first part 6 of the other sealing device is thus a female metal geometric shape 6 (such as shown in the figures as a conical surface, but this could also be spherical) made at the bottom of the thread 4 of the female port 1, i.e. in the opposite direction to the orifice thereof, and suitable for receiving, according to FIG. 2, a male metal geometric shape 7 (such as shown in this figure as a conical surface, but this could also be spherical) (compatible with the female metal geometric shape 6 in order to provide a metal-on-metal seal by contact), made at the distal end, i.e. situated in the opposite direction to the head 143, of the other different second male connector 3 or of the pipe to be connected, which passes through and is locked in this second male connector, called an MP connector.

[0031] Such sealing, which can be described as internal, by surface-on-surface (i.e. cone-on-cone) direct metal contact, ensures satisfactory resistance not only to high temperatures but also to high pressures, in particular above 700 or 1,000 bar (and even up to 4,000 bar), even with hydrogen flowing in the inner passages 103, 11 respectively of the two male and female connectors or ports 3, 1 screwed into each other.

[0032] Thus: [0033] the first O-ring sealing device 12, 8 described above provides the seal between the female port 1 and a first male connector (or port) 2 of a first given type, such as the SAE type, suitable for being connected to this female port 1, in different operating conditions (such as up to an operating pressure with hydrogen of 500 or even 700 bar or even a little higher at most) from those for which [0034] the second metal-on-metal sealing device 6, 7 described above provides this seal, between the same female port 1 and another second male connector (or port) 3 of a second given type, such as the MP type, suitable for being connected to this same female port 1, which can in this case be described as mixed, especially above an operating pressure of 700 bar up to at least 1,000 bar and higher, even with hydrogen.

[0035] The different operating conditions between the first 12, 8 and second 6, 7 sealing devices are those determined by at least one condition linked at least to pressure (as stated above), but also to temperature, chemical attack and vibrations (or other criteria): the project manager, customer or installer can thus choose between one type of male connector or another depending on the operating conditions in question while keeping the same female port 1.

[0036] The users of appliances or components provided with such mixed female ports 1 according to some embodiments, and as shown alone in FIG. 3, can thus decide at any time to connect to it the male connector (or port) of their choosing, corresponding to one of the sealing devices compatible with the female port according to some embodiments, without any need for an adapter or having had to order a specific appliance or component provided with female ports according to a single type of sealing device corresponding to their choice (which they can then no longer change), as is currently the case.