HK1150877B - Coupling for a connector for fluid pipes with a metal wire spring - Google Patents

Description

Coupling for a connector for fluid lines with a wire spring

Technical Field

The invention relates to a pipe connection for a connector of a fluid line, in particular for a fuel injection line of a vehicle.

Background

The invention applies in particular to a pipe joint for a connector of a fluid pipe, comprising: a female tubular base into which a male tubular end piece is inserted in a particular axial direction to form a sealing engagement; an elastically deformable locking element for locking the end piece in the base body when the end piece is pushed axially into the base body to a sufficient depth; and a locking sleeve mounted in an axially movable manner around the locking element so as to be able to occupy a first axial position in which the locking element is free to deform radially towards the outside of the base body, and a second axial position in which the locking sleeve prevents the locking element from deforming radially.

Such a pipe connection for a fluid line connector is known from WO2005/059426, in which the locking element consists of rigid, elastically deformable arm elements arranged in a tulip shape on the extension plane of the tubular base body. When the locking sleeve occupies the first position, the arms are free to open so that the male end-piece can be inserted into the base body, and then the arms collapse (return to their original position) in the circumferential groove of the male end-piece to lock the end-piece in the base body. In the second locking position, the sleeve surrounds the resilient arms, preventing them from opening and preventing the male end-piece from disengaging.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative arrangement of such a pipe joint, and in addition to a more compact and robust design.

To this end, the present invention provides a pipe joint for a fluid pipe connector, comprising: a female tubular base into which a male tubular endpiece is inserted in its own axial direction to form a sealing joint; an elastically deformable locking element for locking the end piece in the base body when the end piece is pushed into the base body in the axial direction to a sufficient depth; and a locking sleeve mounted around said locking element in such a way as to be movable in said axial direction so as to occupy a first axial position in which it allows the locking element to deform freely in a radial direction of said locking element towards the outside of said base body, and a second axial position in which it prevents the locking element from deforming in said radial direction, characterized in that said locking element is a C-shaped rigid wire having two free ends bent towards each other and adapted to pass through said base body when said locking element is deformed in said radial direction; the sleeve has at least one internal radial recess in which the respective free ends of the locking elements respectively fit when the locking elements are deformed in the radial direction and the sleeve occupies the first axial position, each recess being offset in the axial direction with respect to the corresponding free end of the locking element when the sleeve occupies the second axial position, thereby preventing deformation of the locking elements in the radial direction.

The pipe joint according to the present invention may provide a quick, sealing engagement between the male end piece and the female base body. With such a pipe joint arrangement, the locking element can be locked by means of a short axial stroke of the locking sleeve outside the base body; this travel approximately corresponds to the diameter of the rigid wire forming the locking element.

Preferably, the male end-piece is locked within the female base only when fully inserted into the female base, which may ensure that the joint is sealed. In fact, as long as the male end-piece is only partially inserted into the female base, the locking element prevents an axial displacement of the locking sleeve outside the base.

Preferably, the pipe joint for fluid pipe connectors according to the present invention has the following features:

the rigid wire is a metal wire, which has the advantage of having good temperature resistance;

-said locking sleeve has a tubular body with legs extending out in its own axial direction; the leg has a free end that protrudes relative to the base when the sleeve occupies the first axial position and is flush with the base when the sleeve occupies the second axial position. Advantageously, such a configuration provides a simple tactile and visual indication of the correct locking of the sleeve, and thus of the leak tightness of the joint.

The base body has a catch which is inserted in a recess in the leg of the sleeve when the sleeve occupies the second axial position, which makes it possible to provide assurance against accidental release of the coupling.

The sleeve has radial slots for the radial insertion of the blocking elements into the base body, so that the fitting according to the invention, consisting of three separate elements, is easy to install.

The invention comprises a fluid conduit connector having a tubular end piece and a pipe joint according to the invention.

Drawings

The invention will be better understood and other advantages will become apparent from reading the detailed description of a construction given as a non-limiting example and represented in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a connector according to the present invention taken along axis I-I in FIG. 2 with the male end-piece partially inserted into the female base and the sleeve in a first axial position.

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a connector according to the invention taken along axis II-II in fig. 1 with the sleeve in the same position as shown in fig. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a connector according to the present invention taken along axis III-III in FIG. 4 with the male end-piece fully inserted into the female base and the sleeve in a first axial position.

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a connector according to the invention taken along axis IV-IV in fig. 3 with the sleeve in the same position as shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector according to the invention taken along the axis V-V in fig. 6 with the sleeve in the second position.

Fig. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a connector according to the present invention taken along axis VI-VI in fig. 5 with the sleeve in the same position as shown in fig. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a connector according to the present invention with the male end-piece separated from the female base and the sleeve in a first axial position.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a connector according to the present invention with the male end-piece fully inserted into the female base and the sleeve in a second axial position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a connector according to another embodiment of the present invention with the male end-piece separated from the female base and the sleeve in a first axial position.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a connector according to another embodiment of the invention with the male end-piece fully inserted into the female base and the sleeve in a second axial position.

Fig. 11 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a connector according to the invention taken along the axis XI-XI in fig. 9 with the sleeve in the same position as shown in fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a connector according to the present invention taken along axis XII-XII in fig. 10 with the sleeve in the same position as shown in fig. 10.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a fluid conduit connector 1 according to the present invention, comprising a pipe joint 2 and a male tubular endpiece 3.

The pipe joint 2 according to the present invention includes: a female tubular base body 4 into which the male tubular end piece 3 is inserted in the axial direction indicated by the arrow a; an elastically deformable locking element 5 inserted into the recessed base 4; and a locking sleeve 6 in the form of a tubular body mounted around the female base 4 and the locking element 5 and movable in the axial direction a.

In fig. 1, the male end-piece 3 is shown partially inserted into the female base 4.

As shown in fig. 1, the female base 4 cooperates with two fluid lines 4A, 4B at the upper part opposite the opening into which the male end-piece 3 is inserted, the fluid lines 4A, 4B having to be connected to the male end-piece 3. Obviously, the recessed base 4 may cooperate with one or more than two fluid lines.

Furthermore, the outer wall of the female base body 4 may preferably be provided with guide grooves or ribs cooperating with corresponding ribs or grooves (not shown) on the inner wall of the locking sleeve 6 to facilitate axial guiding of the sleeve 6 on the base body 4.

The male end-piece 3 is shown in the form of a cylindrical tube having a varying outer diameter over its entire length. More specifically, the male end-piece 3 includes a distal length portion 3A, the portion 3A being formed with a recess and having a first diameter indicated at D1 in FIG. 1, the portion 3A to be inserted into the bottom of the female base 4. An O-ring seal surrounds the portion 3A.

The portion 3A extends by another length portion 3B having a diameter D2 greater than the diameter D1; the two portions 3A, 3B are connected by means of an intermediate conical portion 3C (with a small inclination (diameter increase)). The small inclination of this portion 3C allows the blocking element 5 to be progressively deformed radially towards the outside of the base body 4, as will be described hereinafter.

The male end-piece 3 also has, at a median extension of the portion 3B, another median conical portion 3D (reduced in diameter), which is located in front of the third cylindrical portion (not shown) and has a diameter smaller than D2 but slightly greater than D1. The inclination of the portion 3D is steeper than that of the portion 3C to form a shoulder for the blocking element 5 of the type described hereinafter.

The female base body 4 has an axial bore 4C, the axial bore 4C having an inner diameter D3, D4 complementary to the outer diameter D1, D2 of the male end-piece 3. After the male end-piece 3 is fully inserted into the female base body 4, the O-ring seal 7 is pressed into the bore of the female base body 4 (within the portion of the bore having diameter D3) to form a sealing joint. The bore in the base 4 also has a tapered portion that is complementary to the portion 3C of the male end-piece and serves to center the male end-piece within the female base.

Fig. 2 shows a transverse cross-section of the connector 1 according to the invention at the same position as shown in fig. 1, fig. 2 better showing how the locking elements 5 are arranged in the female base body 4 and in the locking sleeve 6.

The locking element 5 here is a spring in the form of a C-shaped shackle made of rigid wire, the two free ends 8A, 8B of the locking element 5 being bent towards each other. The resiliently deformable loop may be a round or flat wire. The shackle is mounted in the pipe joint 2 by: the shackle is inserted transversely into a radial groove 9 on the locking sleeve 6 and then into two transverse recesses 10A, 10B of the base body 4, so that the curved free ends 8A, 8B of the shackle surround the male end piece 3 within the bore 4C. As shown in fig. 2, the free ends 8A, 8B of the shackle 5 form two symmetrical S-shapes; the end portions 11A, 11B are bent radially towards the outside of the free ends 8A, 8B and are fitted in two corresponding inner radial recesses 12A, 12B, respectively, of the sleeve 6, and the intermediate portions 13A, 13B of the free ends 8A, 8B surround the plug-in pipe.

In fig. 2, the shackle 5 is deformed radially towards the outside of the base body 4 around the length portion 3B with the large diameter D2, and the locking sleeve 6 assumes a first axial position, indicated by the arrow P1 in fig. 1, in which the locking sleeve 6 allows the locking element 5 to be freely deformed radially towards the outside of the base body 4. In the as-is state (rest), the intermediate portions 13A, 13B of the shackle 5 define a loop having an inner diameter substantially equal to D1.

In a first insertion phase of the male end-piece 3 into the female basic body 4, the part of length 3A surrounded by the sealing ring 7 (having an outer diameter substantially equal to D1) passes through the shackle. The tapered portion 3C of the male end-piece then applies a radial deforming pressure to the shackle, causing the ends 11A, 11B of the free ends 8A, 8B to be pushed into the recesses 12A, 12B of the sleeve 6. The shackle 5 then surrounds the portion having the length 3B and the diameter D2. In this deformed position, the shackle 5 prevents axial displacement of the sleeve 6. The height of the radial recesses 12A, 12B in the axial direction is slightly greater than the height of the shackle (e.g. the diameter of the wire) but less than the height of the stroke of the sleeve in this axial direction.

Fig. 3 and 4 show the male end-piece now fully inserted into the female base body 4. The tapered portion 3D of the male end-piece, which has a reduced diameter, is now directed towards the shackle 5. The sealing ring 7 is pressed into the hole 4C of the base body. The free ends 8A, 8B of the shackle resiliently return to their retracted position (undisturbed position) and are located outside the recesses 10A, 10B.

The shackle in its retracted position applies a radial force to the tapered portion 3D, which force tends to push the male end piece towards the bottom of the bore of the female base.

In fig. 5 and 6, the locking sleeve 6 is moved from its initial position P1 (towards the bottom of the base) to a second position P2 to axially bias the recesses 12A, 12B relative to the ends 11A, 11B of the free ends 8A, 8B of the shackle 5, which prevents radial deformation of the shackle 5 and thus locks the male end piece within the female base.

Fig. 7 and 8 show perspective views of a connector according to the invention with the male end-piece separated from the basic body and with the male end-piece inserted into the basic body, respectively. In fig. 7, the locking sleeve 6 is in position P1 for insertion of the male end-piece into the female base, while in fig. 8, the locking sleeve 6 is in position P2 for locking the male end-piece within the female base.

As shown in fig. 7 and 8, the locking sleeve 6 consists of a cylindrical section with axially extending legs 14. In position P1 of the locking sleeve 6, the free end 14A of the leg 14 projects relative to the recessed base 4. By pressing the free end 14A of the leg portion 14, the sleeve 6 is moved from the position P1 to the position P2. In position P2 of the locking sleeve 6, the free end 14A of the leg 14 is flush with the female base 4, which provides a simple tactile and visual check to verify that the male end-piece has been locked within the female base.

As shown in fig. 7 and 8, the base body 4 has a detent 15 in the form of a projection, and the leg 14 of the locking sleeve 6 has a recess 17. In the locking sleeve position P1, the catch 15 abuts against the surface 16 of the recess 17, preventing displacement of the sleeve 6 in the axial direction a (towards the bottom of the base). In the locking sleeve position P2, the catch 15 is located in the recess 17, preventing displacement of the sleeve 6 in the axial direction a (towards the top of the base). The displacement of the sleeve 6 from position P1 to position P2 and vice versa requires a certain axial force to be exerted on the leg 14. The dimensions of the catch 15 and the notch 17 are adjusted to correspond to the travel of the sleeve between the two positions P1, P2, which is approximately equal to the thickness of the shackle 5 in the axial direction.

Fig. 7 and 8 show a radial groove 9 in the sleeve, which radial groove 9 is used for mounting the shackle 5 into the base body; also shown is a narrow slot 18, the slot 18 being used to locate the head of the shackle 5 axially in the locking sleeve 6 when the sleeve is in position P2. The axial distance between the grooves 9 and 18 is equal to the axial travel of the sleeve 6 between the positions P1 and P2.

To attach the male end-piece 3 in the female base 4 of the pipe joint 2 according to the invention, the shackle 5 is elastically deformed to allow the passage of the centering diameter D3 of the male end-piece 3. When in contact with this diameter D3, shackle 5 reaches a maximum bending position. In this position the shackle 5 interacts with the locking sleeve 6 by cooperating with recesses 12A, 12B provided on the sleeve 6. The ends 11A, 11B of the shackle 5 positioned in the manner described above perform an axial abutment function for preventing the locking sleeve 6 from descending, which makes it possible to mechanically ensure that during the passage of the end piece 3 having a diameter smaller than the median diameter, the fixing is only performed when the shackle 5 returns to its rest position. In this undisturbed position, the shackle 5 is locked against the shoulder 3D of the male end piece and the locking sleeve 6 can be locked by axial displacement.

Fig. 9 to 12 show different configurations of a connector 100 according to the invention with a pipe joint 200, which pipe joint 200 comprises a locking sleeve 6 with two legs 101, 102, which legs 101, 102 are diametrically opposed and axially offset, wherein leg 101 is slightly longer than leg 102.

In fig. 9, male end-piece 3 is detached from coupling 200 and locking sleeve 6 occupies first axial position P1. Fig. 9 shows: the two legs are guided axially in two guide grooves 103, 104, the guide grooves 103, 104 being diametrically opposed and arranged in the outer wall of the recessed base body 4.

The legs 101, 102 have one free end 101A, 102A, respectively, the free end 101A of the leg 101 protruding with respect to the recessed base 4, while the free end 102A of the leg 102 is flush with the recessed base 4 at the upper surface 4D of the recessed base 4. As shown in fig. 11, the two catches 105, 106, respectively formed in the respective guide grooves 103, 104 of the female base body 4, together with the two notches 108, 107, respectively provided on the legs 101, 102 in the form of grooves, lock the legs 101, 102 in this position, so that displacement of the sleeve 6 from the position P1 in the axial direction a is prevented.

Fig. 10 shows the connector 100 according to the invention when the male end-piece 3 is fully inserted into the pipe joint 2 and the locking sleeve 6 occupies the second axial position P2. In this second axial position of the locking sleeve 6, the free end 101A of the leg 101 is now flush with the female base 4 and the end 102A of the leg 102 of the sleeve 6 is axially retracted with respect to the female base 4. As shown in fig. 12, the legs 101, 102 are locked in this position by the catches 105, 106, the catch 105 on one side engaging a notch 109 in the form of a groove provided on the leg 101 above the notch 108, and the catch 106 on the other side engaging the free end 102A of the leg 102, so as to prevent displacement of the sleeve 6 in the axial direction a from the position P2.

As described above, in correspondence with the connector 1, the displacement of the locking sleeve 6 from position P1 to position P2, and vice versa, requires a specific axial force to be applied to the leg 101. The difference in height between the free ends 101A, 102A of the legs 101, 102 of the sleeve 6 advantageously provides a flat contact area on the upper surface 4D of the female base 4 for mounting the pipe joint 200 on the male end-piece 3.

The various dimensions of the catch 105 and of the notches 108, 109 (identical to those of the catch 106, of the notch 107 and of the free end 102A, respectively) are adjusted to correspond to the axial travel of the sleeve between the two positions P1, P2, which is approximately equal to the thickness of the shackle 5 in the axial direction.

Claims (9)

1. A pipe joint (2) for a fluid conduit connector (1), comprising: a female tubular base body (4) into which the male tubular endpiece (3) is inserted in its own axial direction (A) to form a sealing joint; an elastically deformable locking element (5) for locking the end piece (3) in the base body (4) when the end piece (3) is pushed into the base body (4) in the axial direction (A) to a sufficient depth; and a locking sleeve (6) mounted around the locking element (5) in a movable manner in the axial direction (A) so as to occupy a first axial position (P1) and a second axial position (P2), in the first axial position (P1), the locking sleeve (6) allows the locking element (5) to be freely deformed in the radial direction of the locking element (5) towards the outside of the base body (4), in the second axial position (P2), the locking sleeve (6) prevents the locking element (5) from deforming in the radial direction, characterized in that the locking element (5) is a C-shaped rigid wire, the locking element (5) having two free ends (8A, 8B) bent towards each other, and said free ends (8A, 8B) are adapted to pass through said base body (4) when said locking element (5) is deformed in said radial direction; the sleeve (6) has at least one internal radial recess (12A, 12B), each free end (8A, 8B) of the locking element (5) fitting within the recess (12A, 12B) respectively when the locking element (5) is deformed in the radial direction and the sleeve (6) occupies the first axial position (P1), each recess (12A, 12B) being offset in the axial direction with respect to the corresponding free end (8A, 8B) of the locking element (5) when the sleeve occupies the second axial position (P2), so as to prevent deformation of the locking element (5) in the radial direction.

2. The pipe coupling (2) according to claim 1, wherein the locking element (5) is a wire.

3. The pipe coupling (2) according to claim 2, wherein the locking sleeve (6) has a tubular body with legs (14; 101, 102) extending out in its own axial direction; the leg has a free end (14A; 101A), which projects with respect to the base body (4) when the sleeve (6) occupies the first axial position (P1), and which free end (14A; 101A) is flush with the base body (4) when the sleeve (6) occupies the second axial position (P2).

4. The pipe coupling (2) according to claim 1, wherein the locking sleeve (6) has a tubular body with legs (14; 101, 102) extending out in its own axial direction; the leg has a free end (14A; 101A), which projects with respect to the base body (4) when the sleeve (6) occupies the first axial position (P1), and which free end (14A; 101A) is flush with the base body (4) when the sleeve (6) occupies the second axial position (P2).

5. The pipe coupling (2) according to claim 4, wherein the base body (4) has at least one catch (15; 105, 106), the catch (15; 105, 106) being inserted into at least one recess (17; 107, 108, 109) provided on a leg (14; 101, 102) of the sleeve (6) when the sleeve (6) occupies the second axial position (P2).

6. The pipe coupling (2) according to claim 3, wherein the base body (4) has at least one catch (15; 105, 106), the catch (15; 105, 106) being inserted into at least one recess (17; 107, 108, 109) provided on a leg (14; 101, 102) of the sleeve (6) when the sleeve (6) occupies the second axial position (P2).

7. The pipe joint (2) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sleeve (6) comprises a radial slot (9) for the transverse insertion of the blocking element (5) in the base body (4).

8. Connector (1) for fluid conduits, comprising a male tubular endpiece (3) and a coupling (2) according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. Connector for fluid conduits according to claim 8, wherein the pipe joint (2) and the male tubular endpiece (3) are made of plastic material.