AU2017101400B4

AU2017101400B4 - Connector assembly for a tube-shaped component

Info

Publication number: AU2017101400B4
Application number: AU2017101400A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Meike Arndt; Gary Doggett; Daniel Held; Wendy McNeill
Original assignee: Husqvarna AB
Current assignee: Husqvarna AB
Priority date: 2017-10-20
Filing date: 2017-10-20
Publication date: 2018-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-20
Also published as: AU2017101400A4

Abstract

A connector assembly (100) for a tube-shaped component includes a connector body (102). The connector assembly (100) includes a grip ring (106) having plurality of teeth (108) adapted to selectively grip the tube-shaped component. The grip ring (106) is coupled to the connector body (102) in a removable manner. The connector assembly (100) is characterized in that the connector assembly (100) further includes a locking nut (110) adapted to be coupled to the grip ring (106). The plurality of teeth (108) grips the tube-shaped component when the locking nut (110) is coupled to the grip ring (106). The plurality of teeth (108) does not contact the tube-shaped component when the locking nut (110) is not coupled to the grip ring (106).

Description

CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR A TUBE-SHAPED COMPONENT TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a connector assembly. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a connector assembly for tube-shaped components.

BACKGROUND

Hose pipes are typically used for supplying or transporting water from a water supply to an area where there is requirement of water. Hose pipes find application in gardening, watering etc. applications. Hose pipes need to be coupled to various other watering equipment for different application purposes. Typically, a hose connector may be used to couple the hose pipe to another component.

Hose connectors may include a connector body having a hose tail coupled to the connector body. The hose connector also includes a grip ring and a locking element. To couple the hose pipe with another component, the grip ring and the locking element are uncoupled from the connector body and the hose tail. The grip ring is slid over the hose tail. Then, the assembled grip ring and the hose pipe is pushed over the hose tail. The locking element is tightened over the grip ring. The grip ring is a vital component of the hose connector, as the grip ring secures the hose pipe in the fitting. However, during assembly or disassembly of the hose pipe with the hose connector, the grip ring may fall out when the locking element is removed. The grip ring might be lost as it is a small component, and may cause a lot of inconvenience to a user. W02009/108963 describes a push fit pipe coupling. The push fit pipe coupling comprises a body with an open-ended passageway. Each of the open-end receives a pipe end. An O-ring is located between the body and the received pipe. A grip ring is locatable about the body and has radially inwardly extending teeth. However, the WO application does not disclose anything about capturing the grip ring.

SUMMARY

In view of the above, it is an objective of the present invention to solve or at least reduce the drawbacks discussed above. The objective is at least partially achieved by the connector assembly as described by the present disclosure. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a connector assembly for a tube-shaped component is provided. The connector assembly includes a connector body. The connector assembly includes a grip ring having a plurality of teeth adapted to selectively grip the tube-shaped component. The grip ring is coupled to the connector body in a removable manner. The connector assembly is characterized in that the connector assembly further includes a locking nut which may be coupled to the grip ring. When the locking nut is coupled to the grip ring, the plurality of teeth grips the tube-shaped component. Further, when the locking nut is not coupled to the grip ring the plurality of teeth does not contact the tubeshaped component. The grip ring is captured with the connector body, so the grip ring does not fall off when the tube-shaped component is assembled or disassembled with any other component. This the present disclosure provides for more convenient assembly of the tube-shaped component.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the tube-shaped component is a hose pipe. The present disclosure provides a convenient arrangement to couple the hose pipe with other components with the captured grip ring.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the connector body includes a tail component coupled to the connector body. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the grip ring is coupled to the tail component in a removable manner. The tail component provides easy coupling of the tube-shaped component with the connector body due to the shape of the tail component. The tube-shaped component may be easily slid over the tail component.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the grip ring includes a plurality of protrusions on an outer surface of the grip ring. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the connector body includes a plurality of apertures on an outer surface of the connector body such that the plurality of protrusions slips into the plurality of apertures to couple the grip ring to the hose connector body. Thus, the grip ring can be easily captured through the combination of plurality of protrusions and the plurality of apertures.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the grip ring is made of plastic. The grip ring made from plastic may be easily replaced without incurring heavy costs for replacement.

Other features and aspects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a connector assembly with a captured grip ring, according to an aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 shows a perspective exploded view of the connector assembly, according to an aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 3A and 3B show a perspective view of the connector assembly in assembled and disassembled states illustrating a coupling arrangement between the grip ring and the connector body, according to an aspect of the present disclosure; and FIG. 4A and 4B show structural features of the grip ring, according to another aspect of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the invention incorporating one or more aspects of the present invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. For example, one or more aspects of the present invention can be utilized in other embodiments and even other types of structures and/or methods. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the invention. For example, "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "side", "longitudinal", "lateral", "transverse", "upwards", "downwards", "forward", "backward", "sideward", "left," "right," "horizontal," "vertical," "upward", "inner", "outer", "inward", "outward", "top", "bottom", "higher", "above", "below", "central", "middle", "intermediate", "between", "end", "adjacent", "proximate", "near", "distal", "remote", "radial", "circumferential", or the like, merely describe the configuration shown in the Figures. Indeed, the components may be oriented in any direction and the terminology, therefore, should be understood as encompassing such variations unless specified otherwise.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation of the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims. FIG. 1 illustrates a connector assembly 100 for a tube-shaped component (not shown). The tube-shaped component may be any suitable component such as a hose pipe, electrical cables etc. The present disclosure is not limited by the type of tube-shaped component in any manner. The connector assembly 100 includes a connector body 102. The connector body 102 is illustrated as a generally cylindrical shaped component. However, the shape of the connector body 102 may vary as per the shape of the tube-shaped component. A tail component 104 is coupled to the connector body 102. The tail component 104 may be coupled to the connector body 102 by any suitable joining means which may suit the need of the present disclosure. The connector body 102 and the tail component 104 may also be integrally produced as a single component.

The connector assembly 100 includes a grip ring 106. The grip ring 106 may be coupled to the connector body 102 in a removable manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the grip ring 106 is coupled to the tail component 104. The grip ring 106 includes a plurality of teeth 108 to selectively grip the tube-shaped component. The teeth 108 may include serrated edges towards inside to grip the tube-shaped component in an efficient manner. The connector assembly 100 further includes a locking nut 110. The locking nut 110 may be coupled to the grip ring 106 through any suitable joining means. When the locking nut 110 is coupled to the grip ring 106, the plurality of teeth 108 on the grip ring 106 grip the tubeshaped component. FIG. 2 illustrates the connector assembly 100 with the grip ring 106 not coupled to the tail component 104. When the locking nut 110 is not coupled to the grip ring 106, the plurality of teeth 108 does not contact the tube-shaped component. The connector assembly 100 may be used to assemble the tube-shaped component with another component. For example, in the embodiment when the tube-shaped component is a hose pipe, the connector assembly 100 may be used to couple the hose pipe with other watering components such as a water supply, a hose trolley, another hose pipe etc.

With combined reference to FIGS. 1 & 2, to couple the tube-shaped component with any other component, at first the locking nut 110 is removed. Then, the tube-shaped component is pushed onto the tail component 104 which extends from inside the grip ring 106. Notably, the grip ring 106 stays in place over the tail component 104 as the grip ring 106 is coupled to the tail component 104. Then, the locking nut 110 is tightened and the plurality of teeth 108 of the grip ring 106 grips the tube-shaped component and complete the assembly process. FIG. 3 A and 3B further illustrate structural features of the grip ring 106. FIG. 3A shows the connector assembly 100 with the grip ring 106 not coupled to the connector body 102, and FIG. 3B shows the connector assembly 100 with the grip ring 106 coupled to the connector body 102. With combined reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the grip ring 106 includes a plurality of protrusions 302 on an outer surface 304 of the grip ring 106. The protrusions 302 may be of any shape which may be suitable for application with various aspects of the present disclosure. Although, only one protrusion 302 is visible, it should be contemplated that there may be any suitable number of protrusions 302 provided on the grip ring 106.

Further, the connector body 102 may include a plurality of apertures on an outer surface of the connector body 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the tail component 104 is coupled to the connector body 102. The tail component 104 includes a plurality of apertures 306 such that when the grip ring 106 slides over the tail component 104, the plurality of protrusions 302 slide inside the plurality of apertures 306, and the grip ring 106 is captured with the tail component 104, and consequently with the connector body 102. The number of apertures 306 may vary in accordance with the number of protrusions 302 on the grip ring 106. FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present disclosure. The grip ring 106 includes a clip-on arrangement 402 for coupling the grip ring 106 to the connector body 102 or the tail component 104. The clip-on arrangement 402 includes a longitudinal member 404 extending inside a groove 406 on the outer surface 304 of the grip ring 106. The longitudinal member 404 includes a protrusion 408 towards an end. This protrusion 408 engages with the apertures 306 provided on the outer surface of the connector body 102 or the tail component 104, and couples the grip ring 106 in a removable manner accordingly. To uncouple the grip ring 106, these protrusions 408 may need to be pressed inside, and the clip-on arrangement 402 allows the grip ring 106 to be disassembled from the connector assembly 102.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation of the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

LIST OF ELEMENTS 100 Connector assembly 102 Connector body 104 Tail component 106 Grip ring 108 Teeth 110 Locking nut 302 Protrusions 304 Outer surface of the grip ring 306 Apertures 308 Outer surface of the tail component body 402 Clip-on arrangement 404 Longitudinal member 406 Groove 408 Protrusion

Claims

1. A connector assembly for a tube-shaped component, the connector assembly comprising: a connector body; a grip ring having a plurality of teeth adapted to selectively grip the tube-shaped component, wherein the grip ring is coupled to the connector body in a removable manner; characterized in that: the connector assembly further includes a locking nut adapted to be coupled to the grip ring; wherein the plurality of teeth grips the tube-shaped component when the locking nut is coupled to the grip ring; and wherein the plurality of teeth does not contact the tube-shaped component when the locking nut is not coupled to the grip ring; wherein the grip ring includes a plurality of protrusions on an outer surface of the grip ring to engage with a plurality of apertures on the connector body.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector body includes a tail component coupled to the connector body.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the plurality of apertures are on the tail component.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the grip ring includes a clip-on arrangement.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the grip ring includes plurality of longitudinal members, and each of longitudinal members has one of the protrusions thereon to engage with the plurality of apertures on the connector body.