Positive O-ring Retention for Zero Leak Hydraulics with SAE J1453 O-ring Face Seal Fittings

SAE J1453 O-ring Face Seal (ORFS) Fittings have emerged as the premier fittings to eliminate fluid leakage. They utilize an elastomeric O-ring in a captive groove to prevent leakage at the fitting to tube/hose interface. A straight-sided groove had been used successfully for years, but it had the problem of not consistently retaining the O-ring in the groove until the fittings are assembled. A new dovetail groove, which positively retains the O-ring, has been designed and incorporated into the SAE J1453 standard. Several alternative designs were considered before agreeing to adopt the dovetail groove. This paper covers the development and testing conducted to adopt the dovetail groove in the SAE standard.