HK1119226B - Quick-action coupling for pipes - Google Patents

Description

Quick connector for pipes

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a quick connector for pipes.

Background

Such a connector is known from DE 102004062887B 3. The known connector has a receiving part into which an insertion part configured with a radially projecting retaining ring can be inserted. There is also a securing element which, after insertion of the plug-in element into the connecting position, can be moved from a protruding pre-assembly position, in which a radially inward movement is blocked, into a pushed-in securing position, in which a radially outward movement is blocked. The securing part has an axially displaceable locking arm which, together with a locking projection, allows to assume a pre-assembly position in which the displacement is locked and a securing position in which the displacement is locked. This achieves a comparatively simple structural influence on the assembly force, a high wear resistance and a simple and operationally reliable operation when the connection between the receiving part and the insertion part is released, in particular in a narrow space.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a connector of the type mentioned at the outset in which it can be verified in a simple manner that the securing element has been moved appropriately from the protruding preassembly position into the pushed-in securing position in order to connect the insertion element and the receiving element appropriately.

This object is achieved by a connector according to the invention having a receiving part and a securing part, and in which an insertion part configured with a radially projecting retaining ring can be inserted into the receiving part, the securing part being movable, after insertion of the insertion part up to a connection position, from a projecting pre-assembly position, in which a radial inward movement is blocked, into a pushed-in securing position, in which a radial outward movement is blocked, wherein the securing part is configured with a cover section on which two retaining arms arranged opposite one another are formed, in order to secure the insertion part by engaging the retaining arms behind the retaining ring, characterized in that a checking part is present which has a C-shaped base configured with side arms and a securing part recess and which surrounds the receiving part in the pre-assembly position of the securing part, the checking element has a latching portion which, in a pre-assembly position of the securing element, in a latching position abuts against the securing element and, in a securing position of the securing element, is not in engagement with the securing element, and the checking element can be moved axially from the latching position into a release position in which it can be removed from the receiving element.

In this way, the connector according to the invention has a checking element which can only be removed from the receiving element by an axial displacement when it is properly in the pushed-in securing position, so that a simple check is achieved, i.e. for example in line assembly, a worker responsible for the connection of the receiving element and the insertion element can determine that a proper fluid connection (line) has been made in all installed connectors by checking the removed checking element and comparing the number of checking elements with the number of installed connectors.

The dependent claims are further advantageous embodiments of the invention.

Drawings

Further advantageous embodiments and advantages result from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings. The figures show that:

fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a connector according to the invention, with a securing member arranged in a protruding pre-assembly position and a checking member in a stop position,

fig. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment according to fig. 1, with the securing part in the pushed-in securing position and the insertion part inserted into the receiving part,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 with the checking part displaced axially relative to the stop position according to FIG. 1, and

fig. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment according to fig. 1 to 3 with the checking part in a removed state.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a connector according to the invention. The connector according to fig. 1 has a receiving part 1 made of a hard plastic material, which can be connected to an end of a line of a fluid line system, which is not shown in fig. 1. At this receiving part 1, in a region of enlarged cross-section adjacent to the insertion side 2, both sides of the elongated receiving body 3 form a locking arm receiving portion (vrrriegenglangmafnahme) 4 which extends perpendicularly to the axial direction of the receiving body 3. On the front walls 5 facing the insertion side 2, in each case, locking projections are provided as latches, which cannot be seen in the illustration according to fig. 1, which project axially from the respective front wall 5 and extend in the direction of a rear wall 6 arranged opposite the front wall 5, wherein a free space is formed between the free end of the respective locking projection remote from the insertion side 2 and the respective rear wall 6.

The connector according to the invention also has a securing element 7, which is likewise made of a hard plastic material and is designed with a cover section 8, on which two retaining arms 9 are formed, which are arranged opposite one another. The retaining arms 9 engage in retaining arm receptacles which are spaced apart from the locking arm receptacles 4 by intermediate walls 10 and are provided on the side of the locking arm receptacles 4 facing the insertion side 2.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the securing element 7 also has two locking arms 11 which engage into the locking arm receptacles 4 and which are bendable in the axial direction depending on the properties of the plastic material used and/or the respective dimensioning. Preferably, the locking arm 11 is biased relative to the insertion side 2 and thereby, in the illustration according to fig. 1, at least in the region of its free end, bears with its plane facing the insertion side 2 against the front wall 5 of the locking arm receptacle 4.

In the arrangement of the receiving part 1 and the securing part 7 according to fig. 1, the securing part 7 is in the extended, pre-assembly position, with the end face of the free end of the locking arm 11, which is the other closure part of the closure device, abutting against the wall side of the locking projection facing this end face, wherein by biasing the locking arm 11, preferably in the direction of the insertion side 2, the securing part 7 is blocked against a movement in the radial inward direction in the pre-assembly position extended by the receiving body 3 into the pushed-in securing position.

In the region of the free end of each locking arm 11, a respective radially inwardly open latching recess is also formed, which is shaped complementarily to the shape of the respective latching projection.

In the connector according to the invention, there is also a test element 12 which has a C-shaped base body which is formed with side arms 13, 14 and a securing element recess 15. In the arrangement according to fig. 1, in the pre-assembly position of the securing element 7, the checking element 12 surrounds the head section 16, in which the securing element 7 is also supported, wherein the securing element 7 passes through the securing element recess 15. The test element 12 has a stop section, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is formed by a stop section 18 extending in the shape of a circular arc between the side arms 13, 14 and abutting a connection collar (abshlussbond) 17 of the head section 16 facing the insertion side 2. In the arrangement according to fig. 1, in the pre-assembly position of the securing element 7, the latching section 18 bears directly against the wall of the securing element 7 facing the insertion side 2.

In the shown variant of the connector according to the invention, there is a distance between the stop portion and the securing element 7.

Fig. 2 shows in a perspective view the receiving part 1 and the securing part 7 of the exemplary embodiment of the connector according to the invention in the arrangement according to fig. 1, with the insertion part 19 inserted with an insertion rod into the receiving space enclosed by the receiving body 3. The insertion rod is sealed by a sealing means. The insert part 19 is also formed with a retaining ring which is enlarged in diameter relative to the insert rod and with a connecting rod which is formed on the side of the retaining ring which is arranged relative to the insert rod for connecting the fluid line system.

In the arrangement according to fig. 2, the insertion part 19 for the correct connection of the receiving part 1 is inserted suitably far enough into the receiving space until the connection position is reached, wherein it is precisely in this arrangement that, in the event of the locking arm 11 being moved away from the insertion side 2 against the bias in the axial direction, the engagement of the end face of the free end of the locking arm 11 with the latching projection is released, which prevents the locking part 7 from being transferred from the moved-out pre-assembly position according to fig. 1 into the pushed-in locking position shown in fig. 2.

Starting from the extended pre-assembly position shown in fig. 1, the pushed-in securing position is assumed in that a corresponding force is applied to the cover section 8 to move the locking arm 11 through the free space far enough that the locking recess engages with the locking projection on the basis of the bias of the locking arm 11 and the securing element 7 is secured in this pushed-in securing position in order to stop the radial outward movement. In the pushed-in safety position, the retaining arms 9 engage behind the retaining ring and thus secure the insertion part 19 in the receiving part 1. In order to avoid too much play (Spiel) in such a movement, the free space is advantageously formed only slightly larger than the thickness of the locking arm in its axial dimension.

Conversely, if the securing element 7 is not moved from the extended pre-assembly position according to fig. 1 into the pushed-in securing position according to fig. 2 to 4, the insertion element 19 is removed (austreiben) in the direction of the insertion side 2 by the now comparatively high bias of the locking arm 11 against the insertion direction. Thereby providing a high degree of mounting reliability.

Fig. 3 shows the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 1 and 2 in a perspective view with the securing element in the pushed-in securing position. As can be seen from fig. 3, in the exemplary embodiment described, the outer side of the cover section 8 is arranged flush with the docking collar 17, so that the stop section 18 (shown in fig. 3) is now exposed, and the test element 12 can be moved away from the insertion side 2 and in the direction of the intermediate section 20 arranged behind the head section 16 in the insertion direction of the insertion element 19.

Fig. 4 shows the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 1 to 3, with the test element 12 removed from the receiving body 3, after which the test element 12 is pushed over the intermediate section 20. As is clear from fig. 4, the intermediate section 20 has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the head section 16, wherein a radially aligned stepped wall 21 is formed between the head section 16 and the intermediate section 20. Furthermore, it can be seen from fig. 4 that the test element 12 has, on its side face which is arranged opposite the stop portion 18, a radially inwardly projecting rear wall 22 which is formed in such a way that its radially inwardly directed end face abuts against an edge portion adjacent to the stepped wall 21 which is of small thickness adjacent to the intermediate portion 20 relative to the other regions of the intermediate portion 20. As a result, on the one hand, the test element 12 is reinforced against bending upwards and, on the other hand, the test element 12 is held on the receiving body 3 in the safety position without play, while, after the transition into the removal position without engagement with the section 16 (in which it is arranged in the region of the intermediate section 20), it can be removed from the receiving body 3 proportionally and easily.

Furthermore, it is apparent from fig. 4 that, in order to prevent the checking element 12 from being unintentionally (accidentally) removed from the receiving body 3 by a rotational movement in the securing position according to fig. 1, a locking recess 24 which extends in the axial direction and is open to the intermediate section 20 is provided in a head collar 23 which is arranged adjacent to the stepped wall 21 and is carried by the head section 16, and a locking projection 25 which is complementary to the locking recess 24 is formed on the inner side of the side arm sections 13, 14.

The free end 26 of the locking arm 11 advantageously projects slightly beyond the region of the receiving section 1 which is slightly increased in diameter relative to the receiving body 3, so that when a force is applied to the projecting end section of the locking arm 11 axially away from the bias against the locking arm 11 from the insertion side 2, the engagement between the latching projection and the latching recess is released and the securing element 7 can be transferred from the pushed-in securing position into the projecting pre-assembly position in which the insertion element 19 can be pulled out of the receiving element 1 again by applying a further force at right angles to this release force in the direction of the cover section 8.

Thus, by means of this requirement for the application of force in different directions (double the application of force divided in its chronological sequence), an operationally safe connection between the receiving part 1 and the insertion part 19 is achieved, in which connection unintentional tripping is virtually excluded.

Claims (5)

1. Connector with a receiving part (1) and a securing part (7), an insertion part (19) designed with a radially projecting retaining ring being insertable into the receiving part (1), the securing part being movable from a projecting pre-assembly position, which locks the radial inward movement, to a pushed-in securing position, which locks the radial outward movement, after insertion of the insertion part (19) until reaching a connection position, wherein the securing part is designed with a cover section (8) on which two retaining arms (9) are formed, which are arranged opposite one another, in order to secure the insertion part (19) by engaging the retaining arms (9) with the retaining ring from behind, characterized in that a test part (12) is present, which has a C-shaped base designed with side arms (13, 14) and a securing part recess (15) and which, in the pre-assembly position of the securing part (7), encloses the securing part (7) A section (16) surrounding the receiving part (1), and the checking part has a latching section (18) which, in the pre-assembly position of the securing part (7), abuts the securing part (7) in a latching position and which, in the securing position of the securing part (7), is not in engagement with the securing part (7), and the checking part (12), in the securing position of the securing part (7), can be axially displaced from the latching position into a release position in which it can be removed from the receiving part (1).

2. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop section is formed by a web which is arranged in front of the securing element (7) in the stop position in the insertion direction of the insertion element (19).

3. Connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the receiving part (1) has a head section which is located at the front in the insertion direction of the plug-in part (19) and an intermediate section (20) which is arranged at the rear of the head section (16) in the insertion direction of the plug-in part (19), the diameter of the intermediate section (20) being smaller than the diameter of the head section (16), and in that the checking part (12) is arranged on the head section (16) in the stop position.

4. Connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the test part (12) has a radially inwardly projecting rear wall (22) on its side arranged opposite the stop section (18), which rear wall is formed in such a way that a radially inwardly directed end face of the rear wall bears against an edge portion adjacent to the stepped wall (21) which is close to the middle section (20) with respect to the other regions of the middle section (20) and has a smaller thickness.

5. Connector according to claim 4, characterized in that a locking recess (24) extending in the axial direction and opening into the intermediate section (20) is provided in a head collar ring (23) carried by the head section (16) and arranged adjacent to the stepped wall (21), and a locking projection (25) forming a complement to the locking recess (24) is formed on the inner side of the side arm (13, 14).