WO2025155192A1

WO2025155192A1 - Coupling device and assembly comprising the same and a conduit

Info

Publication number: WO2025155192A1
Application number: PCT/NL2025/050021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerrit Jan De Wilde
Original assignee: Jarola Vision Bv
Current assignee: Jarola Vision Bv
Priority date: 2024-01-15
Filing date: 2025-01-14
Publication date: 2025-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2026-07-15
Also published as: NL2036801B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a coupling device 100 for being clamped on a conduit 8. The coupling device 100 has a body with a passage opening for receiving the conduit, and a clamping device 1. The clamping device 1 comprises a tilting element 4 in the passage opening. The tilting element 4 is tiltable about a tilt axis from a first position, in which the tilting element 4 lies at a first internal angle to the conduit direction L, to a second position in which the tilting element 4 lies at a second internal angle to the conduit direction, wherein the second internal angle is smaller than the first internal angle. The tilting element 4 has an engaging member 9 placed at a distance from the tilt axis. A first dimension between the tilt axis and the at least one engaging member 9 measured at right angles to the tilt axis becomes smaller/greater due to the tilting. The clamping device further has securing means 11 for securing the tilting element 4 in the second position.

Description

COUPLING DEVICE AND ASSEMBLY COMPRISING THE SAME AND A CONDUIT

The invention relates to a coupling device for being clamped releasably on a conduit, such as a tube or hose. The coupling device has a body with a passage opening for receiving the conduit at least partially, wherein the passage opening defines a conduit direction and wherein the coupling device comprises a clamping device.

It is known that frequent use is made of two main types of conduit in the installation of pipework, for instance in the agricultural industry, or in the installation of plumbing, central heating or water conduits more generally. These are metal, usually copper, conduits on one hand and plastic conduits, for instance thylene (the usual commercial name for a conduit of a PE -based plastic), on the other. A compression fitting is known for coupling copper conduits or conduits manufactured from other metals. Compression fittings use a compression ring which is often manufactured from brass. The compression ring deforms due to tightening of a likewise metal nut, and clamps itself onto the wall of the conduit. This creates a fluid-tight seal owing to the metal-on-metal contact of the clamping ring. At the same time, the clamping ring holds the conduit in the coupling.

It is per se desirable to provide a similar coupling, which can thus be used for metal conduits (and for other rigid conduits, such as those made of hard plastic, for instance PVC), but which can be manufactured from (a flexible and/or bendable) plastic. It has however been found that the usual compression fittings cannot be manufactured from plastic, or at least not easily so, since the differences in material properties impede an effective sealing and sufficiently permanent coupling. A plastic variant of the known compression fitting is particularly unable to guarantee that the conduit remains secured in the coupling. In addition, traditional fittings of for instance brass are less desirable in drinking water provisions, since they may release zinc, which entails health risks.

In this application a conduit of hard plastic is understood to mean a conduit which is not configured to bend. Other plastic conduits, which are thus flexible or bendable, are therefore not manufactured from hard plastics (but for instance from soft plastics). There is consensus in the field regarding which materials provide for conduits that are bendable or not bendable, and the skilled person is able to select a conduit with the correct properties (bendable or not bendable). In the case of conduits that are not bendable, which can therefore also be manufactured from metal, the conduits are generally installed by connecting substantially straight pieces to each other at angles using connecting pieces which impose the angle. Multiple types of such pieces are therefore available, while this is not necessary, or not necessary to the same extent, for flexible conduits.

The invention therefore has for its object to provide a coupling which can be made of a material with different properties, such as a plastic.

The present invention provides for this purpose a coupling device of the type stated in the preamble, wherein the clamping device comprises a tilting element which is placed or is placeable in the passage opening, wherein the tilting element is tiltable in the passage opening about a tilt axis relative to the body from a first position, in which the tilting element lies at a first internal angle to the conduit direction, to a second position in which the tilting element lies at a second internal angle to the conduit direction, wherein the second internal angle is smaller than the first internal angle, wherein the tilting element comprises at least one engaging member placed at a distance from the tilt axis, wherein the tilting element defines a first dimension between the tilt axis and the at least one engaging member measured at right angles to the tilt axis, so that a component of the first dimension at right angles to the conduit direction is smaller in the second position than in the first position, and wherein the clamping device further comprises securing means for securing the tilting element in the second position.

The tilting of the tilting element, when moving to the second position, moves the engaging member closer to a central axis of the conduit. In the terms used above the component of the first dimension at right angles to the conduit direction thus becomes smaller. A pushing force on the conduit can thus be caused, whereby the engaging member thus clamps the conduit. Sufficient counter-pressure is of course needed for this purpose, which can for instance be provided by a fixed part of the coupling or by an engaging member lying opposite, or in other manner.

Although it is per se advantageous for the tilting element or the engaging member thereof to be manufactured from for instance metal, this is not strictly necessary. It is in any event the case for the rest of the coupling that it can be manufactured from plastic. The tilting element or the engaging member thereof is particularly manufactured from steel, such as stainless steel. It is noted that, even if the tilting element is manufactured from (such) a metal, a large part of the coupling can be manufactured from plastic. In this way the above stated problem is largely solved.

The action of the tilting element particularly necessitates no or less deformation thereof, whereby use need not or need hardly be made of the deformation of metal. This effect can be strengthened when no sealing by the tilting element takes place. For this purpose a seal can for instance be placed elsewhere, as is further elucidated below.

In contrast to the compression fitting, the tilting element therefore provides here only for the securing of the conduit in the conduit direction, and not for sealing.

It is possible for sealing to be obtained by pushing the conduit against the body, and optionally placing the conduit partially into the body for this purpose. For this purpose the body can comprise an internal stop surface, which is for instance formed by an at least local cross-section with a reduced diameter.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the tilting element comprises two engaging members which are positioned opposite each other. The two engaging members can be mutually connected by means of a bridge therebetween. In this way a U-shaped tilting element is for instance formed, the legs of which form the engaging elements, and for instance crossing the tilt axis in the middle of the bridge. The two engaging members opposite each other, i.e. on either side of the tilt axis, provide the advantage that the clamping can be provided for wholly by the tilting element.

An alternative or additional advantage of the above described coupling can be that it requires a relatively small amount of force to be tightened, for instance compared to a compression fitting. This advantage can result from the fact that hardly any metal deformation is necessary, and the force required therefor need thus not be exerted. The coupling can particularly be tightened manually.

The tilting element can particularly be a ring, or be annular. The annular form can contribute to a guaranteed contact between the coupling and the conduit, in that the conduit is unable to escape laterally from the annular form during coupling.

In another preferred embodiment the securing elements comprise at least one pushing element which is displaceable reciprocally in the conduit direction between a first and a second position of the at least one pushing element, wherein, when the pushing element is displaced from the first position to the second position, it pushes the tilting element from the first to the second position. In the first position of the pushing element the tilting element is in the rest state and the conduit can move freely in the conduit direction relative to the whole coupling device and the body in particular, because the pushing element exerts no or only a limited pushing force on the conduit. Displacing the pushing element to a second position tilts the tilting element to its second position and thereby clamps the conduit.

In a further preferred embodiment this at least one pushing element comprises a surface which is an inclining surface relative to a plane lying at right angles to the conduit direction. In the second position of the pushing element the inclining surface is in contact with the tilting element. The inclining surface hereby aids in tilting of the tilting element, and particularly in holding the tilting element in the second position. The pushing element can for instance apply a constant force to the tilting element, which is finally applied to the conduit for a clamping effect thereon. Owing to the inclining surface of the pushing element, the tilting element is tilted from the first position, in which movement of the conduit in the conduit direction is for instance still possible, to the second position of the tilting element, in which the at least one engaging member engages on the conduit. The securing means preferably comprise two pushing elements which push the tilting element to the second position from both sides, as seen in the conduit direction. It is possible in this case for one of the two pushing elements to be disposed fixedly relative to the rest of the coupling device: only one of the two pushing elements need be displaceable in the conduit direction. For the tilting effect it suffices that the pushing elements are displaceable relative to each other and can be confined collectively in the coupling device.

The confinement can for instance take place by means of fixing means, these further forming part of the securing means in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, although the fixing means can also be provided in other situations. The fixing means can preferably be fastened to the body of the coupling device by screwing. The fixing means fix the tilting element in its second position. They optionally make use here of the at least one pushing element to tilt the tilting element to its second position. The fixing means preferably further comprise connecting means for connecting the fixing means to the body, and the fixing means optionally enclose the at least one pushing element and the tilting element during use, for instance in order to confine them. In short, the fixing means can thus be a cable gland which is screwable onto the body and which acts on the at least one pushing element to make the tilting element tilt when the screwable cable gland is tightened. Cable gland is understood to mean an annular component which can be screwed onto the rest of the coupling device.

In a further preferred embodiment the at least one pushing element is rotatable around for instance an axis which is parallel to the conduit direction relative to the fixing means and/or the body. The pushing element is preferably rotatable separately of the fixing means and/or the body. The rotation relative to the fixing means enables the fixing means to be rotated, for instance to be screwed, without the at least one pushing element having to be rotated. In order to allow the rotation the at least one pushing element can be a separate part which is not connected to the body of the fixing means but is merely confined thereby.

In a further preferred embodiment the at least one pushing element comprises a projection for holding the tilting element in the first position. The projection preferably functions conditionally, i.e. in the absence of a sufficiently great pushing force. The pushing element with its projection hereby has the result in the absence of a sufficiently great pushing force that the tilting element is in the first position, so that the conduit can be received in relatively simple manner. At the same time, the pushing element as above can still make the tilting element tilt at the sufficiently great pushing force. For this purpose the projection can for instance be given an elastic form. Use can alternatively be made of plastic deformation of the projection and/or the pushing element. In both cases the pushing force itself can result in the necessary deformation. The skilled person is of course able to design a projection which holds the tilting element temporarily and allows it to move to the second position, or even displaces it to the second position, at a sufficiently great pushing force. The projection can for instance be arranged on one of two pushing elements, opposite a surface of the other of the two pushing elements which engages on the tilting element, and optionally vice versa.

In another preferred embodiment of the coupling device the at least one pushing element comprises an aligning pin, and the tilting element comprises a corresponding opening for the aligning pin. The alignment of the tilting element can be guaranteed by means of the pin and the opening. This makes it simpler to introduce the conduit before tilting of the tilting element. As an example of an opening, a hole can be arranged in the tilting element, or this element can be provided with a recess in its outer edge. The reverse can of course also be applied, wherein the pin is provided on the tilting element and the opening in the pushing element. Aligning means between pushing element and tilting element are generally favourable for the above stated reasons. A multiple of such aligning means can be provided, for instance for each pushing element. In that case the tilting element could be aligned relative to the two pushing elements, which are thereby also automatically aligned relative to each other. It is particularly practical here that, besides functioning as aligning pin for the tilting element, an aligning pin of the one pushing element also functions as aligning pin for the other pushing element. For this purpose the other pushing element can likewise be provided with an opening.

In another preferred embodiment the coupling device further comprises means for coupling a second conduit thereto. The coupling can hereby be used for mutually coupling two conduits, preferably in a manner allowing fluid flow. Because the coupling device can be manufactured mainly from plastic, use can for the coupling with for instance a thylene conduit be made of known coupling techniques for such conduits. The coupling device can hereby thus function as an adapter between metal (or hard plastic) conduits on one side and thylene conduits (or other types of (flexible/bendable) plastic conduits) on the other.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the coupling device comprises a sealing element for sealing the conduit against the body. The sealing element is for instance placed against the body and against the conduit, and seals them onto each other. The sealing element provides here for a fluid seal, or liquid seal, between the inner side of the conduit and the outer side of the coupling device. The sealing element is preferably a sealing ring, such as an O-ring, for instance of optionally synthetic rubber. In that case the conduit will be placed through the sealing ring in use. Because the sealing element fulfds the sealing function, it is not necessary for the tilting element to fulfil this function. This results in a greater freedom of design, which can allow the coupling device to be manufactured largely (for instance with the exception of the tilting element) from plastic.

In another preferred embodiment the at least one engaging member on the tilting element is angular. The angularity of the at least one engaging member provides the advantage that the engaging member can obtain a relatively firm grip on the conduit and can thereby produce an improved clamping of the clamping device. The engaging member can particularly dig into the conduit by means of the angle.

In another preferred embodiment the tilting element, and/or the engaging member thereof, is manufactured from a metal such as stainless steel. Making the tilting element and/or the engaging member from a metal enables sufficient attachment to the conduit to be obtained, even if the remaining parts of the coupling device are manufactured (for the most part) from plastic.

The present invention also provides an assembly which comprises in addition to the coupling device a preferably metal (or hard plastic) conduit. The hardness of the tilting element is preferably greater than the hardness of the conduit on which the at least one engaging member of the tilting element in question engages. The present invention will be further elucidated with reference to the following figures, which show preferred embodiments of a coupling device according to the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention in any way, wherein: figure 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the coupling device according to the present invention; figure 2 shows a cut-away side view of a preferred embodiment of the coupling device according to the present invention; figures 3A and 3B show a cross-sectional side view of a preferred embodiment of the coupling device according to the present invention, wherein a rest state and clamping state are respectively visible.

Corresponding elements are designated in the figures with the same reference numerals.

Figure 1 shows a coupling device 100 which comprises a clamping device 1. Also shown is a conduit 8. In this preferred embodiment of coupling device 100 fixing means 2 enclose the rest of the clamping device 1, including securing elements 11 and a tilting element 4 with at least one engaging member 9. These latter are therefore not visible in figure 1, and will be described with reference to figures 2, 3 A and 3B. The securing means 11 comprise two pushing elements 3 which can push the tilting element 4 into the second position. This second position corresponds with a clamping state. The conduit 8 is placed through the clamping device 1 and defines a conduit direction L. Conduit 8 lies in and against a body 6 in that conduit 8 protrudes into an opening in the body 6 and lies in body 6 against a stop surface. In order to form the stop surface the body 6 has a smaller inner diameter at the position of the stop surface. In the clamping state of tilting element 4 the conduit 8 can no longer move in the conduit direction L. Indicated in figure 1 with broken lines is the position where an optional second conduit must be coupled to the coupling device 100, in this case using a per se known coupling technique. In this way two conduits can be mutually connected in a fluid-tight or liquid-tight manner.

Figure 2 shows the coupling device 100 in a cut-away view, and all parts of the clamping device 1 can be seen in this way. The fixing means 2 comprise together with body 6 connecting means 7, in this case consisting of a screw thread 7 and a part of a cable gland 2 engaging thereon.

In the embodiment shown here the connecting means are thus a screw connection, although this could for instance also be made with a form-closed, mutually snapping connection. Tightening of the fixing means 2, as shown here by a cable gland which is connected via connecting means 7 to body 6, results in the pushing elements 3, the tilting element 4 and the sealing ring 5 all moving toward body 6. In the tightened state of fixing means 2 the sealing ring 5 provides for a fluid seal, or at least liquid seal, between the inner side of body 6. which is in fluid connection with the inner side of conduit 8 on one side and the outside world on the other.

The two pushing elements 3 are both provided with an inclining surface 90 which are parallel to each other. If the pushing elements 3 are pushed toward each other by tightening of fixing means 2, the pushing elements 3 in turn push against the tilting element 4, which will hereby tilt due to the inclining surfaces 90. The tilting element 4 tilts about a tilt axis A which runs into the plane of the drawing, at right angles to the conduit direction L. Tilting of tilting element 4 has the effect that the two engaging members 9 - in this case formed by the inner edge of the annular tilting element - are pressed against conduit 8. Owing to the use of a metal tilting element 4 with angular engaging members 9 and a conduit 8 with a lower hardness than the tilting element 4, the engaging members dig into the conduit, whereby the conduit is fixed relative the coupling device 100.

Situated in the outer edge of tilting element 4 are recesses 14 through which aligning pins 12 of the pushing elements 3 are placed. The aligning pins 12 protrude into aligning holes 13 of the opposite pushing element 3. Hereby, the tilting element 4 cannot fall out from between the pushing elements 3 when no conduit 8 is placed in clamping device 1.

Figures 3 A and 3B show two cross-sections of the coupling device 100, wherein the conduit 8 is placed in the clamping device 1. In the state as shown in figure 3 A the conduit 8 can still move, this because fixing means 2 have not been tightened, so that no clamping has resulted yet. This is however the case in figure 3B. It can be clearly seen that tilting element 4 is in a position at right angles to the conduit direction, i.e. in a first position. In this right-angled position the distance d, projected onto a plane V transversely of the conduit direction, between respectively the two engaging members 9 on tilting element 4 on one side and the tilt axis A on the other is relatively great, i.e. greater than in figure 3B. This is because, in figure 3 A, the distance to the engaging members 9 together is greater than the outer diameter D of conduit 8. Provided in order to ensure that tilting element 4 does not already tilt when the fixing means 2 are not tightened are projections 15, in this case by way of example on the aligning pins 12, which are too large to protrude beyond tilting movement 4 without deformation.

In figure 3B the fixing means 2 have been tightened and tilting element 4 tilted by a pushing force applied by the inclining surfaces 90 of pushing elements 3, relative to the above stated right- angled surface V, so that the engaging members 9 now engage on conduit 8 and conduit 8 is clamped. In this clamping state the projections 15 no longer hold tilting element 4 in place in that a certain elasticity in the projections 15 has been overcome.

In figure 3 A the tilting of tilting element 4 thus provides for a relatively large internal angle a, and in figure 3B for a relatively small internal angle a between tilting element 4 and the conduit direction. Because this internal angle a becomes smaller, the distance d to the engaging members 9 projected into the plane V becomes smaller, and they thus clamp onto, or dig into, the conduit 8. The fixing means 2 are manufactured such that the inner diameter is greater than the diameter of the pushing elements 3 and the tilting element 4. During tightening of fixing means 2 there is thus contact only with the side of the left-hand pushing element 3 lying at right angles to conduit direction L. Pushing elements 3 and tilting element 4 hereby do not co-rotate, or hardly so, during securing. The present invention is not limited to the shown embodiments but also extends to other embodiments falling within the scope of protection of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Coupling device for being clamped releasably on a conduit, such as a tube or hose, wherein the coupling device has a body with a passage opening for receiving the conduit at least partially, wherein the passage opening defines a conduit direction and wherein the coupling device comprises a clamping device, characterized in that the clamping device comprises a tilting element which is placed or is placeable in the passage opening, wherein the tilting element is tiltable in the passage opening about a tilt axis relative to the body from a first position, in which the tilting element lies at a first internal angle to the conduit direction, to a second position in which the tilting element lies at a second internal angle to the conduit direction, wherein the second internal angle is smaller than the first internal angle, wherein the tilting element comprises at least one engaging member placed at a distance from the tilt axis, wherein the tilting element defines a first dimension between the tilt axis and the at least one engaging member measured at right angles to the tilt axis, so that a component of the first dimension at right angles to the conduit direction is smaller in the second position than in the first position, and wherein the clamping device further comprises securing means for securing the tilting element in the second position.

2. Coupling device according to the foregoing claim, wherein the tilting element comprises at least two such engaging members lying opposite each other.

3. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the tilting element is a ring.

4. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the securing means comprise at least one pushing element which is displaceable in the conduit direction between a first and second position of the at least one pushing element, wherein, when the pushing element is displaced from the first position to the second position, it pushes the tilting element from the first to the second position.

5. Coupling device according to the foregoing claim, wherein the at least one pushing element comprises a surface which is inclined relative to a plane lying at right angles to the conduit direction.

6. Coupling device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the securing means comprise two such pushing elements on either side of the tilting element.

7. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the securing means further comprise fixing means which are preferably screwable onto the body for the purpose of fixing it in the second position of the tilting element, optionally by means of the at least one pushing element.

8. Coupling device according to the foregoing claim, wherein the fixing means comprise connecting means co-acting with the body for the purpose of fixing the fixing means relative to the body in at least the conduit direction.

9. Coupling device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the fixing means enclose the at least one pushing element and the tilting element in use.

10. Coupling device at least according to claim 4 and/or claim 9, wherein the at least one pushing element is rotatable relative to the fixing means and/or the body, preferably is separate from the fixing means and/or the body.

11. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the at least one pushing element comprises a projection for holding the tilting element in the first position.

12. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the at least one pushing element comprises an aligning pin and wherein the tilting element comprises a corresponding opening for the aligning pin, or vice versa.

13. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the coupling device further comprises means for coupling a second conduit thereto.

14. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the coupling device comprises a sealing element for sealing the conduit against the body.

15. Coupling device according to claim 14, wherein the sealing element is a sealing ring through which the conduit is placed.

16. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the at least one engaging member is angular.

17. Coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the engaging member and optionally the tilting element are manufactured from a metal.

18. Assembly of a coupling device according to any one of the foregoing claims and a conduit.

19. Assembly according to the foregoing claim, wherein the tilting element has a hardness which is greater than the hardness of the conduit.

20. Assembly according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the conduit is a metal conduit or is made from a hard plastic.