CN116568375A

CN116568375A - Connecting piece

Info

Publication number: CN116568375A
Application number: CN202280007949.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 笠原正司; 笠原宏文
Original assignee: Yamada Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Yamada Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-03-01
Filing date: 2022-02-17
Publication date: 2023-08-08
Also published as: TW202244420A; JP7452868B2; WO2022185936A1; KR20230070301A; JP2022133140A

Abstract

The connecting piece can realize compactness and light weight, and is easy to assemble and disassemble; the coupling member (100) is provided with a tubular portion (110) constituting a pipeline, and a coupling engagement portion (120) which is provided at one end in the axial direction and is configured to be capable of coupling by rotating around an axis in a state of being fitted with another coupling member, and has: an annular boundary surface (CBP) provided between the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion; a first fitting recess (112 a) provided in the tubular portion; a second fitting recess (121 a) provided in the connection engagement portion and facing the opening of the first fitting recess; and a coupling member (140) that is simultaneously fitted to the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess, wherein the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion are engaged and held in the axial direction via the coupling member, and at least one of the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess is configured to be annular about the axis, so that the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion are configured to be rotatable about the axis.

Description

Connecting piece

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a joint.

Background

Conventionally, various connectors for connecting various hoses such as fire hoses, fire-fighting appliances, and other various appliances have been used. As described in patent documents 1 and 2 and non-patent document 1, there is known a rotary joint type coupling material configured to: the coupling members are coupled by being inserted into each other and rotated by a predetermined angle with respect to each other.

Fig. 6 shows an example of such a coupling member. In this example, the ends of the hoses 20 and 20 'are fastened and fixed to the couplers 10 and 10' by fasteners 21 and 21', respectively, and the couplers 10 and 10' are coupled to each other in an opposite posture. The connectors 10 and 10' include tubular portions 11 and 11' to which the hoses 20 and 20' are connected, and connection engaging portions 12 and 12' integrally provided at the ends of the tubular portions 11 and 11 '. The connectors 10 and 10' may have the same structure as shown in the illustrated example, or may have structures corresponding to each other but different from each other.

As shown in fig. 7, the coupling member 10 includes a tubular portion 11 and a coupling engagement portion 12, the coupling engagement portion 12 includes a plurality of projecting claw portions 12a projecting in the axial direction from the tubular portion 11 around the shaft, the projecting claw portions 12a are provided with engagement concave portions 12b and engagement convex portions 12c, the engagement concave portions 12b are opened on one side in the rotational direction around the shaft, and the engagement convex portions 12c are provided on the base portion side of the engagement concave portions 12b in a projecting manner. When the coupling member 10 is combined with the projecting claw portions 12a and the projecting claw portions of the other coupling member 10' alternately arranged around the shaft, and is relatively rotated around the shaft (in the example, rotated rightward), the engaging concave portions 12b are fitted with the engaging convex portions, not shown, of the coupling member 10', and the engaging convex portions 12c are fitted with the engaging concave portions, not shown, of the coupling member 10', so as to be firmly coupled in the axial direction. Then, by disposing the stoppers 13, 13' between the projecting claw portions 12a in this state, the relative rotation to the left in the illustrated example is restricted, and the coupled state is locked. Conversely, in the uncoupled state, the stoppers 13, 13 'are lifted and the coupling members 10, 10' are rotated in the opposite direction, so that the coupling members can be easily removed.

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2019-090488

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open No. 2019-168092

Non-patent literature

Non-patent document 1: "Jstonz in combination with metal fitting specifications and instructions for use" Japan fire-fighting Water discharge appliance industry Congress URL = http:// www.jfe.or.jp/jstonz/jstonz_doc3 pdf

Disclosure of Invention

The prior connecting piece has the following advantages: as shown in fig. 6, the coupling structure of the coupling members 10 and 10', that is, the coupling engagement portions 12 and 12', is compact in structure, and the coupling members can be easily attached and detached by a small relative rotation. However, when the large-diameter hoses 20 and 20 'are used, the relative rotation operation of the connectors 10 and 10' becomes difficult due to the rotational resistance of the hoses, and there is a problem in that the attachment and detachment work is troublesome.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to achieve a compact and lightweight coupling member and to facilitate the attachment and detachment work.

In order to solve the above problems, a connector of the present invention includes: a tubular portion constituting a pipe, and a coupling engagement portion provided at one end in an axial direction and configured to be capable of coupling by rotating about an axis in a state of being fitted with another coupling member, the coupling engagement portion having a plurality of protruding engagement portions protruding in the axial direction and the radial direction about the axis and capable of coupling with the other coupling member, the coupling member having: an annular boundary surface provided between the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion so as to face each other radially inward and outward; a first fitting recess provided in the tubular portion and opening at the annular boundary surface; a second fitting recess provided in the coupling engagement portion and opening on the annular boundary surface so as to face the opening of the first fitting recess; and a coupling member that is fitted to the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess simultaneously, wherein the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion are engaged and held in an axial direction via the coupling member, and wherein the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion are configured to be rotatable about an axis by configuring at least one of the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess to be annular about the axis.

According to the present invention, the coupling member is provided so as to be engaged with the first engaging recess and the second engaging recess at the same time, whereby the coupling engagement portion is configured to be rotatable relative to the tubular portion in a state of being engaged and held in the axial direction via the coupling member. Thus, when the coupling engagement portion is rotated with respect to the other coupling member during the coupling attachment/detachment operation, the hose fixed to the tubular portion can be operated without being rotated, and therefore the attachment/detachment operation can be easily performed. Further, since the coupling member is disposed inside the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess which are provided so that the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion are open at the annular boundary surface and face each other, when a reaction force of the coupling fastening force applied from the coupling engagement portion to the tubular portion acts from the tubular portion to the coupling engagement portion at the time of coupling with the other coupling member, the reaction force is applied to a position close to the tubular boundary surface in the axial direction and is received via the coupling member disposed in the space formed by the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess, and therefore, the rigidity for receiving the reaction force is easily improved, and therefore, the coupling engagement portion can be made compact, thin, light, and the like.

In the present invention, it is preferable that a fitting base surface is formed between the plurality of protruding engagement portions at a surface portion on the axial front end side of a region where the coupling member is disposed, and a thick-wall portion surface is formed at a surface portion including the region on the axial base end side of the fitting base surface, wherein the fitting base surface is a surface into which another coupling material to be engaged with the protruding engagement portions is inserted and fitted, and the thick-wall portion surface is configured to be thicker and higher than the fitting base surface. Thus, the fitting base surface of the other coupling member is configured to be low, and the thick portion surface including the region where the coupling member is disposed is configured to be high. Therefore, the reduction in rigidity of the guide structure around the coupling member, which is configured to be axially engaged and rotatable, can be suppressed while suppressing the external dimensions of the coupling engagement portion, and therefore, the reduction in size and weight of the coupling engagement portion is not hindered.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the protruding engagement portion includes an extension base portion that extends toward the axial base end side in a range where the outer dimension is not increased from the portion protruding in the axial and radial directions, and is integrated with the thick portion surface. By providing the extension base, the axial rigidity of the protruding engaging portion itself is thereby improved, and the rigidity of the guide structure around the coupling member located under the surface of the thick portion integrated with the extension base is also further improved, so that the compactness and the weight reduction of the coupling engaging portion are not hindered. Here, the extension base preferably includes a base side groove portion extending in the axial direction at the center in the width direction. This can reduce the weight of the integrated structure of the extension base portion and the thick wall portion while suppressing a decrease in rigidity. An opening for introducing the coupling member into the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess may be provided in the base side groove, and the opening may be closed by a closing member. In addition, from the viewpoint of improving the rigidity of the protruding engagement portion and the rigidity of the guide structure, it is preferable that the extension base portion has an inclined upper edge portion whose height decreases toward the axial base end side, and a distance from a portion located at the radially outermost periphery of the protruding engagement portion to the axial base end is twice or more a distance from the portion to the axial tip end.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the coupling member is covered inside the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion.

Since the coupling member is covered inside the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion so as not to be exposed to the outside, the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess are not communicated with the outside, and therefore, the rigidity of the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion is hardly lowered, and therefore, the coupling engagement portion can be made compact and lightweight.

In the present invention, it is preferable that both axial end portions of the coupling member are formed in a convex shape. Examples of the convex shape of the both end portions include hemispherical, conical, pyramidal, mountain-shaped, and triangular. The whole shape of the coupling member in this case may be a sphere, a rotational ellipsoid, an octahedron, a dodecahedron, an abacus, or the like.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the coupling member is configured to be capable of rolling about an axis with respect to at least one of the inner surface portion of the first fitting recess and the inner surface portion of the second fitting recess. In this case, the coupling member is preferably configured to be capable of rolling about an axis with respect to both the inner surface portion of the first fitting recess and the inner surface portion of the second fitting recess. Here, "rolling around the axis" means that the coupling member moves while rolling in the direction around the axis. Typically, the coupling member rotates about an axis parallel to the shaft when rolling.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the coupling member is configured to be capable of rolling or sliding about an axis with respect to both the inner surface portion of the first fitting recess and the inner surface portion of the second fitting recess. The form of the coupling member in this case may be spherical, cylindrical, or the like.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the coupling member is held around the axis with respect to one of the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess, and is configured to be capable of rolling or sliding around the axis with respect to an inner surface portion of the other of the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the annular boundary surface between the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion has a first stepped portion provided in an axial direction of the tubular portion and a second stepped portion provided in an axial direction of the coupling engagement portion, and the first stepped portion and the second stepped portion are engaged in the axial direction. In this case, the second stepped portion is preferably engaged with the first stepped portion so as to abut against the first stepped portion toward the axial tip side. The first step portion and the second step portion are engaged at different axial positions from a region where the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess face each other (where the coupling member is disposed). Here, the step amount of the second step portion is preferably in the range of 10% to 50% and more preferably in the range of 20% to 40% of the thickness of the connecting engagement portion along the region where the thickness of the annular boundary surface is smallest (for example, the region where the fitting base surface is provided).

(effects of the invention)

According to the present invention, since the coupling engagement portion is rotatable with respect to the tubular portion at the time of the coupling operation of the coupling, only the coupling engagement portion can be rotated without rotating the hose fixed to the tubular portion, and therefore the attaching and detaching operation can be easily performed. Further, since the rigidity of the guide structure around the coupling member is easily improved, the attachment strength of the coupling engagement portion to the tubular portion can be achieved which is sufficient to ensure the strength against the coupling fastening force generated with other coupling members. Therefore, even if the coupling engagement portion is configured to be rotatable with respect to the tubular portion, the compactness of the coupling engagement portion can be maintained. Therefore, the connector, particularly the connecting engagement portion, can be made compact and lightweight, and the attachment and detachment work can be facilitated.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a partial side sectional view (a) and a front view (b) showing a state of a joint according to a first embodiment of the present invention as seen from the front in the axial direction.

Fig. 2 is a side view (a) and a front view (b) of the coupling engagement portion of the first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a plan view (a), a cross-sectional view a-a (b) and a cross-sectional view b-b (c) of the protruding claw portion of the first embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a plan view (a) and a longitudinal cross-sectional view (b) of a protruding claw portion of the guide portion of the coupling member provided at the rear surface portion of the first embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view (a) showing the mounting structure of the second embodiment, perspective views (b) to (e) of respective examples of the coupling member, a longitudinal sectional view (f) showing the mounting structure of the third embodiment, a longitudinal sectional view (g) showing the mounting structure of the fourth embodiment, a longitudinal sectional view (h) showing the mounting structure of the fifth embodiment, and a longitudinal sectional view (i) showing the mounting structure of the sixth embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a coupled state of a conventional coupler.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a conventional joint.

(symbol description)

100 … fitting, 110 … tubular portion, 111 … hose mounting face, 112 … mounting outer surface, 112a … first mating recess, 112b … first stepped portion, 120 … coupling engagement portion, 121 … mounting inner surface, 121a … second mating recess, 121b … second stepped portion, 122 … projecting claw portion, 122a … engaging recess, 122b … claw outer peripheral surface, 122c … elongated base portion, 122d … base portion side groove portion, 123 … engaging projection, 124 … mating base surface, 125 … thick wall portion surface, 130 … stopper, 140, 142, 143, 145'… joining member, 141 … closure member, 144' … holding member, CBP … annular boundary surface, CS … annular space, 200 … hose, 210 … fastener

Detailed Description

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 4. The coupling member 100 of the first embodiment has a tubular portion 110 and a coupling engagement portion 120. The end portion of the hose 200 is inserted into the hose attachment surface 111 on the base end side in the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 110, and the end portion of the hose 200 is fastened and fixed to the tubular portion 110 by the fastener 210. The hose 200 and the fastener 210 have the same structure as the conventional ones, and therefore their description is omitted. In the drawing, the axis 100x of the joint 100 is referred to as an axial direction along the axis 100x, and the axis 100x is referred to as a winding axis.

In the present embodiment, the coupling engagement portion 120 is formed in a ring shape so as to contact the tubular portion 110 radially outward, and is rotatably attached to the tubular portion 110 about an axis. The mounting inner surface 121, which is the inner peripheral surface of the coupling engagement portion 120, is in sliding contact with the mounting outer surface 112 on the tip end side of the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 110. The mounting outer surface 112 and the mounting inner surface 121 are opposed to each other in the radial direction, and form an annular boundary surface CBP in sliding contact. A seal attachment recess 113 is provided at the front end edge of the tubular portion 110, and a tubular seal 114 is attached to the seal attachment recess 113. The coupling engagement portion 120 is provided with a plurality of protruding engagement portions protruding in the axial direction and the radial direction at intervals around the shaft, and the same portions of the other coupling material (not shown, may have the same structure as the coupling material 100) are inserted into each other in the axial direction and fitted around the shaft. Each protruding engagement portion includes a protruding claw portion 122 having an engagement recess 122a, and an engagement protrusion 123 protruding from a side portion of the protruding claw portion 122. The protruding claw portion 122 has an engaging recess 122a formed so as to protrude in the axial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the coupling engaging portion 120 located on the annular boundary surface CBP and to have a bent front end. In the illustrated example, the protruding claw portion 122 extends from the radially outer side toward the front end side of the tubular portion 110, and the engaging recess 122a is provided on the radially inner side of the protruding claw portion 122. Thereby, the tip of the protruding claw 122 is configured as a hook. Further, an engaging protrusion 123 is provided on one side surface portion of the protruding claw portion 122 around the shaft. The engaging convex portion 123 is fitted into an engaging concave portion of another coupling member, not shown, at the time of coupling.

The tubular portion 110 is provided with a first fitting recess 112a on the mounting outer surface 112. The first fitting recess 112a is an annular groove around the shaft, and the groove cross section is formed in a semicircular shape. On the other hand, the second fitting recess 121a is provided on the mounting inner surface 121 of the coupling engagement portion 120. The second fitting recess 121a is an annular groove around the shaft, and the groove cross section is formed in a semicircular shape. The first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a are formed such that the opening portions face each other. That is, the openings of the first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a are both disposed at the same position on the annular boundary surface CBP.

The coupling member 140 is housed in the annular space CS formed by the first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a facing each other in the radial direction. In the present embodiment, the annular space CS has a circular cross section, and the coupling member 140 is a sphere. The coupling member 140 is made of a rigid material such as stainless steel. Here, a plurality of spherical coupling members 140 are rollably accommodated so as to substantially fill the annular space CS. In the illustrated example, about 108 coupling members 140 each composed of 11/32 inch (8.72125 mm in diameter) bearing balls are introduced into the annular space CS having a circular cross section of 9mm in diameter and 300mm in diameter.

The annular boundary surface CBP has a first stepped portion 112b facing the axial base end side on the outer mounting surface 112, and a second stepped portion 121b facing the axial tip end side on the inner mounting surface 121. The first step 112b and the second step 121b are opposed to each other and engaged with each other in the axial direction. When the first step portion 112b engages with the second step portion 121b, the first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a face each other, and more specifically, the first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a are configured: the opening position (position in the axial direction) of the first fitting recess 112a coincides with the opening position (position in the axial direction) of the second fitting recess 121a. Here, the first stepped portion 112b and the second stepped portion 121b may serve as positioning guides for the first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a. However, in the present embodiment, since the second stepped portion 121b is in contact with the first stepped portion 112b at the axial tip side, it can also function as a part of the structure that receives the reaction force of the coupling fastening force when coupling with another coupling material. The engaging structure of the first step portion 112b and the second step portion 121b is preferably a half or less of the thickness of the region of the fitting base surface 124 connecting the engaging portion 120, for example, in the range of 10% to 50%, and more preferably about 1/3, for example, in the range of 20% to 40%, as shown in the drawing. This can suppress a decrease in rigidity of the coupling engagement portion 120, which is difficult to ensure thickness. The second stepped portion 121b is formed along the boundary position between the fitting base 124 and the engaging protrusion 123 in the axial direction and the standing position of the end portion on the axial front end side in the base-side groove portion 122d of the protruding claw portion 122. This reduces the thin portion of the coupling engagement portion 120, thereby suppressing a decrease in rigidity. Further, from the viewpoint of suppressing the decrease in rigidity, the illustrated second stepped portion 121b may be formed at a position on the axial tip side of each position in the axial direction.

The stopper 130 is attached to the end portion of the protruding claw portion 122' around the shaft, which has the same basic structure as the other protruding claw portion 122. In the illustrated example, the stopper 130 is rotatably attached to the side surface of the protruding claw portion 122' around the attachment shaft 131, and is biased by the torsion spring 132 to assume a lock position (illustrated posture) disposed between the adjacent protruding claw portions 122. The stopper 130 is configured to: the coupling engagement portion 120 can be rotated outward in the radial direction from the illustrated state, and thereby can be disengaged from the position in the radial direction between the adjacent protruding claw portions 122, and the coupling engagement portion can be rotated to release the coupled state.

Fig. 2 is a side view (a) and a front view (b) of the coupling engagement portion 120, fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view (a), a-a cross-sectional view (b), and b-b cross-sectional view (c) of the protruding claw portion 122, and fig. 4 is a plan view (a) and a longitudinal cross-sectional view (b) from the radially outer side of the protruding claw portion 122 located at the introduction position of the coupling member 140. The coupling engagement portion 120 shown in fig. 2 to 4 has a tip end shape of the protruding claw portion 122 slightly different from the protruding claw portion 122 shown in fig. 1, and a surface shape of the fitting base surface 124 into which the protruding claw portion of the other coupling member is fitted is also different, but other portions have the same structure.

The protruding claw portion 122 has a hook-like claw shape having the engagement recess 122a at the axial tip side. On the other hand, an extension base 122c extending in the axial direction from the claw shape is provided on the axial base end side of the protruding claw portion 122. In the illustrated example, the extension base 122c has an inclined upper edge portion whose height decreases toward the axial base end side. A base side groove 122d extending in the axial direction is provided at the widthwise center of the extension base 122c. The extension base 122c is a reinforcing structure for increasing the rigidity for receiving the reaction force without increasing the radial thickness of the coupling engagement portion 120 around the coupling member 140. The base-side groove 122d is a weight-reduction structure for reducing the weight while suppressing a decrease in rigidity of the coupling engagement portion 120. The extension base 122c is integrated with the thick portion surface 125 described later, and therefore functions as follows: it is possible to increase the rigidity of the protruding claw portion 122 in the axial direction while further increasing the rigidity of the guide structure around the coupling member 140. The extension base 122c is separated into two by the base-side groove 122d. In this way, by providing two extension bases 122c for each of the protruding claw portions 122 and integrating with the thick-wall portion surface 125, weight reduction is achieved as described above, and the rigidity of the protruding claw portions 122, the rigidity of the guide structure including the coupling member 140 below the thick-wall portion surface 125, is suppressed. Further, as shown in fig. 3, the surface in the base-side groove 122d is configured to be a groove inner surface having the same height as the thick-wall surface 125, and the surface of the fitting base surface 124 is not reduced, so that the rigidity of the guide structure can be further suppressed from being reduced by forming the base-side groove 122d. The extension base 122c is formed so that the outer dimension is not increased compared to the claw outer peripheral surface 122b located at the outermost periphery of the protruding claw portion 122, and is configured to: the distance from the claw outer peripheral surface 122b to the rear end of the extended base 122c on the axial base end side is larger (preferably about two times or more, three times or more in the example of the figure) than the distance from the claw outer peripheral surface 122b to the claw tip edge on the axial tip end side when viewed from the claw outer peripheral surface 122b as the center.

A fitting base surface 124 and a thick-walled portion surface 125 are provided between a plurality of protruding engaging portions (protruding claw portions 122 and engaging protruding portions 123) formed around the shaft, the fitting base surface 124 being formed so as to surround the engaging protruding portions 123, and the thick-walled portion surface 125 being formed higher than the fitting base surface 124. The thick portion surface 125 is thick at the axial base end side of the coupling engagement portion 120, and particularly, improves the rigidity of the portion where the fitting recess 121a is provided. The fitting base surface 124 is an L-shaped surface in plan view, and when the protruding claw portion of the other coupling member, not shown, engages with the engaging protrusion 123, the radially inner surface of the protruding claw portion of the other coupling member is in sliding contact with the fitting base surface 124 when the other coupling member is inserted, and in a state of being finally coupled by relative rotation, the inner surface is opposed to and in contact with (fitted to) the fitting base surface 124. By making this surface lower than the thick portion surface 125, the external dimension of the protruding claw portion 122 is not increased, and therefore, the reduction in thickness and the reduction in size of the coupling engagement portion 120 are not hindered. The thick portion surface 125 is provided on the axial base end side of the fitting base surface 124, and is provided on a surface portion of the region including the annular space CS and the arrangement (inclusion) of the coupling member 140. Therefore, the rigidity of the guide structure including the coupling member 140 below the thick-wall portion surface 125 can be improved.

As shown in fig. 4, the annular space CS is configured to: an opening 122e is provided in the base-side groove 122d of a part (one in the example of the drawing) of the protruding claw portion 122, and the coupling member 140 can be introduced into the annular space CS through the opening 122 e. The opening 122e is closed by a closing member 141 made of a screw or the like, and the closing member 141 is fixed by caulking, an adhesive or the like as necessary. Further, by opening the opening 122e in the base side groove 122d provided with the extension base 122c on both sides of the winding axis, it is possible to suppress a decrease in rigidity of the guide structure including the coupling member 140. In particular, as shown in the figure, the periphery of the opening 122e is formed to be protruded higher than the periphery surface in the base-side groove 122d, thereby further suppressing the decrease in rigidity.

In the coupling material 100 of the present embodiment, as described above, the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120 are mounted radially inward and outward, and the coupling engagement portion 120 is configured to be rotatable about the axis relative to the tubular portion 110. Thus, when the coupling engagement portion 120 is pivoted at the time of coupling the coupling member 100 with another coupling member, it is not necessary to pivot the tubular portion 110 to which the hose is attached, and therefore the attaching and detaching operation can be greatly facilitated.

Further, by disposing the coupling member 140 in the annular space CS formed by the first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a facing each other, the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120 are held and fixed in the axial direction on the annular boundary surface CBP via the coupling member 140. Therefore, the coupling engagement portion 120 receives the above-described reaction force in the axial direction with respect to the tubular portion 110 in a direction close to the annular boundary surface CBP and substantially along the annular boundary surface CBP, and therefore, rigidity is easily ensured even if the configuration is compact, and as a result, the coupling engagement portion 120 can be made compact. In particular, in the present embodiment, since the coupling member 140 has a circular cross-sectional shape in the axial direction, the center portion in the up-down direction of the coupling member 140 is in contact with the opening edges of the first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a to receive the reaction force, and therefore, a portion near the annular boundary surface CBP becomes an action point. Therefore, even if the coupling engagement portion 120 is thinned in the radial direction, the rigidity of the coupling engagement portion 120 is further ensured by the axial strength, and therefore, the coupling engagement portion 120 is more easily made compact.

Further, since the reaction force is received between the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120 via the coupling member 140 in the annular space CS located on the annular boundary surface CBP therebetween, the reaction force acts on the surrounding inside, and therefore the rigidity of the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120 against the reaction force is easily ensured as a whole. As a result, it is considered that the entire coupler 100 can be made thinner and lighter, and further compactness of the coupling engagement portion 120 can be facilitated. More specifically, the mounting outer surface 112 of the tubular portion 110 and the mounting inner surface 121 of the coupling engagement portion 120 are in sliding contact on the annular boundary surface CBP. Since the sliding contact region exists on both axial sides of the portion where the annular space CS and the coupling member 140 are disposed, the surrounding structure of the coupling member 140 is completely covered with the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120. It is considered that the rigidity for receiving the reaction force can be further improved by covering the structural portion receiving the reaction force with another structure.

In the present embodiment, the first step 112b and the second step 121b are engaged in the axial direction. Thus, when the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120 are assembled, the first stepped portion 112b and the second stepped portion 121b are engaged in the axial direction, whereby positioning of the first fitting recess 112a and the second fitting recess 121a in the axial direction is completed, and the coupling member 140 can be accommodated without any obstruction. In the illustrated example, since the second stepped portion 121b is engaged with the first stepped portion 112b so as to abut on the axial tip side, the reaction force of the coupling fastening force can be received by the engagement between the stepped portions, and therefore the axial rigidity of the coupling engaging portion 120 with respect to the tubular portion 110 can be further improved. However, in the present embodiment, since the reaction force in the axial direction is mainly received by the coupling member 140, the step amounts of the first step portion 112b and the second step portion 121b can be reduced, and as a result, the thickness of the coupling engagement portion 120 can be reduced.

Fig. 5 (a) to (e) are partial cross-sectional views (a) in the vicinity of the annular boundary surface CBP of the second embodiment, which has a coupling member 142 having a shape different from that of the first embodiment and an annular space CS' having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the coupling member 142, and perspective views (b) to (e) showing a plurality of examples of shapes of the coupling member 142. In the second embodiment, the coupling member 142 has a shape extending in the axial direction. The annular space CS' is also a space having a cross-sectional shape extending in the axial direction corresponding to the coupling member 142. The axially elongated shape of the coupling member 142 does not increase the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120 in the radial direction (thickness direction), and therefore has an advantage that it can be configured without impeding the compactness.

The coupling member 142 may be formed in a cylindrical shape as the coupling members 142A, 142B shown in fig. 5 (B) and (c), and thus, as in the first embodiment, the coupling member 142 is housed in the annular space CS' so as to be rotatable about the axis. Here, the coupling member 142A shown in fig. 5 (b) has an advantage that, like the coupling member 140, the axial end portion is formed in a convex shape (convex circular arc shape) and thus, the reaction force is easily received on the annular boundary surface CBP, so that the rigidity is easily ensured and the compactness is more easily achieved. The coupling member 142B is formed in a cylindrical shape. The coupling members 142C and 142D in fig. 5 (D) and (e) have shapes that also extend around the axis, and are configured to be slidable with respect to both the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120. Further, the coupling member 142C has an advantage that, like the coupling member 142A, both end portions in the axial direction are formed in a convex shape (in the example of the figure, in a convex spherical shape) so that the reaction force is easily intensively received on the annular boundary surface CBP, and therefore, the rigidity is easily ensured and the compactness is more easily achieved. The convex end portions may be, in addition to a convex spherical shape, a convex curved surface shape such as a convex cylindrical shape or a convex elliptic cylindrical shape, a convex triangular shape (wedge shape), a convex conical shape, or the like. The coupling member 142D has a slightly curved rectangular parallelepiped shape. Further, although not shown, a curved columnar coupling member having a circular cross section in the axial direction and extending around the axis as in the first embodiment may be used.

Fig. 5 (f) shows an example of the structure of a third embodiment in which the coupling member 143 is disposed on the annular boundary surface CBP, and the coupling member 143 is held at a specific angular position around the shaft by a holding member 144, wherein the holding member 144 is fitted into a hole formed in the radial direction of the coupling engagement portion 120. In this embodiment, the coupling member 143 is held in a holding recess 144a corresponding to the second fitting recess formed at the tip of the holding member 144. At this time, if the coupling member 143 is spherical as shown in the drawing, the coupling member 143 is configured to be capable of rolling with respect to the annular first fitting recess formed in the tubular portion 110 in a state of sliding contact with the holding member 144. However, in this case, the coupling member 143 may be fixed to the holding member 144 so as to be slidable with respect to the tubular portion 110. Here, the coupling member 143 may use the coupling members of various shapes mentioned above.

Fig. 5 (g) shows an example of the structure of a third embodiment in which the coupling member 143 is disposed on the annular boundary surface CBP, and the coupling member 143 is held at a specific angular position around the shaft by a holding member 144', wherein the holding member 144' is fitted into a hole formed in the radial direction of the tubular portion 110. In this embodiment, the coupling member 143 is held in a holding recess 144a 'formed at the front end of the holding member 144' and corresponding to the first fitting recess. At this time, if the coupling member 143 is spherical as shown in the drawing, the coupling member 143 is configured to be capable of rolling with respect to the annular second fitting recess formed in the coupling engagement portion 120 in a state of sliding contact with the holding member 144'. However, in this case, the coupling member 143 may be fixed to the holding member 144' so as to be slidable with respect to the coupling engagement portion 120. Here, the coupling member 143 may use the coupling members of various shapes mentioned above.

Fig. 5 (h) shows the coupling member 145 attached to the coupling engagement portion 120. The coupling member 145 is mounted in a second fitting recess formed by a hole formed in the radial direction of the coupling engagement portion 120, and the tip portion 145a thereof is in sliding contact with an annular first fitting recess provided in the tubular portion 110. In the illustrated example, the distal end portion 145a is shown as a hemispherical shape, but may be formed into an arbitrary surface shape as long as it can roll around the axis with respect to the first fitting recess portion of the tubular portion 110. Of course, the surface shape of the distal end portion 145a is preferably a surface shape corresponding to the inner surface of the first fitting recess.

Fig. 5 (i) shows a coupling member 145' attached to the tubular portion 110. The coupling member 145 is mounted in a first fitting recess formed by a radial hole formed in the tubular portion 110, and the tip 145a' thereof is in sliding contact with an annular second fitting recess provided in the coupling engagement portion 120. In the illustrated example, the tip 145a' is shown as a hemispherical shape, but may be formed into an arbitrary surface shape as long as it can roll around the axis with respect to the second fitting recess of the coupling engagement portion 120. Of course, the surface shape of the tip portion 145a' is preferably a surface shape corresponding to the inner surface of the second fitting recess.

In the configuration using the coupling member 143 and the holding members 144, 144 'shown in fig. 5 (f) and (g), since the coupling member 143 is held at a specific position of the coupling engagement portion 120 or the tubular portion 110, it is necessary to arrange plural sets of the coupling member 143 and the holding members 144, 144' in the coupling engagement portion 120 or the tubular portion 110 so as to be dispersed around the axis. These coupling members 143 are completely covered with the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120.

In addition, since the coupling members 145, 145 'shown in fig. 5 (h) and (i) are also attached to specific positions of the coupling engagement portion 120 or the tubular portion 110, it is also necessary to arrange a plurality of coupling members 145, 145' in the coupling engagement portion 120 or the tubular portion 110 so as to be dispersed around the axis. These coupling members 145, 145' are not completely covered by the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120 and are exposed on the outer surface of the coupling engagement portion 120 or on the inner surface of the tubular portion 110, but the portion functioning as a coupling member that receives the reaction force is only the tip portion that contacts the first fitting recess of the tubular portion 110 or the second fitting recess of the coupling engagement portion 120, and therefore are considered to function substantially the same as when completely covered by the tubular portion 110 and the coupling engagement portion 120.

In the above embodiment, in order to improve the strength of each portion, it is preferable that the corner portion (including a ridge-shaped portion, hereinafter the same) or the corner portion (including a valley-shaped portion, hereinafter the same) of the surface or the cross section has a rounded shape. This is particularly effective in the coupling engagement portion 120 having a large number of concave-convex shapes. In addition, when the coupling engagement portion 120 or other portions are formed by the casting, it is effective to prevent breakage of the casting due to concentration of stress. In particular, in the above embodiment, it is effective to form each surface portion of the protruding claw portion 122, for example, a corner or corner portion of a portion facing the engaging concave portion 122a, a corner or corner portion of the engaging convex portion 123 and its surroundings, a corner or corner portion of the extension base portion 122c, and the like into a rounded shape.

As shown in fig. 2 (a), 3 (a) and 4 (a), the corners or the corner portions are rounded so that the planar boundary line between the fitting base surface 124 and the thick wall portion surface 125 or the protruding claw portion 122 is curved. As shown in fig. 1 (a), 2 (a), 4 (b) and 5, the corners or the corner portions are rounded so that lines indicating the corners or the corner portions on the cross-sectional view between the fitting base surface 124 and the thick wall portion surface 125 or the protruding claw portion 122 are curved. Accordingly, the stress concentration caused by the attachment/detachment operation between the protruding claw portion 122 and the fitting base surface 124 when the coupling engagement portions 120 are coupled to or decoupled from each other can be alleviated, and thus the possibility of occurrence of cracks in the vicinity thereof can be reduced.

The coupling material of the present invention is not limited to the above-described example, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiments, the explanation has been made on the premise that the pair of illustrated connectors 100 having the identical shape and structure can be connected to each other, but the connectors may be configured so as to be detachable from each other as long as they have the same basic structure, even if they are not identical in shape and structure.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

a tubular portion constituting a pipeline; and

a connecting and engaging part which is arranged at one end part in the axial direction and is configured to be capable of being connected by rotating around the shaft in a state of being embedded with the other connecting piece,

the connecting and clamping part is provided with a plurality of protruding and clamping parts around the shaft, the protruding and clamping parts protrude along the axial direction and the radial direction and can be connected with another connecting piece,

the joint has:

an annular boundary surface provided between the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion so as to face each other radially inward and outward;

a first fitting recess provided in the tubular portion and opening at the annular boundary surface;

a second fitting recess provided in the coupling engagement portion and opening on the annular boundary surface so as to face the opening of the first fitting recess; and

a coupling member which is fitted simultaneously with the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess,

the tubular portion and the connecting engagement portion are engaged and held in the axial direction via the coupling member,

at least one of the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess is formed in a ring shape around an axis, so that the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion are rotatable around the axis.

2. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein,

a fitting base surface is formed between the plurality of protruding engagement portions at a surface portion on the axial front end side of a region where the coupling member is disposed, and a thick portion surface is formed at a surface portion including the region on the axial base end side of the fitting base surface, wherein the fitting base surface is a surface into which another coupling material to be engaged with the engagement convex portion is inserted and fitted, and the thick portion surface is configured to be thicker and higher than the fitting base surface.

3. The coupler according to claim 2, wherein,

the protruding engagement portion includes an extension base portion that extends toward an axial base end side in a range in which an outer dimension is not increased from the portion protruding in the axial and radial directions, and is integrated with the thick-wall portion surface.

4. A joint according to claim 3, wherein,

the extension base has a base side groove portion extending in the axial direction at the center in the width direction.

5. The coupler according to claim 4, wherein,

PAT23-CN00366

the base-side groove portion has an opening for introducing the coupling member into the first fitting recess and the second fitting recess, and the opening is closed by a closing member.

6. The coupler according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein,

the extension base portion has an inclined upper edge portion whose height decreases toward the axial base end side, and a distance from a portion located at the radially outermost periphery of the protruding engagement portion to the axial base end is at least twice a distance from the portion to the axial tip end.

7. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein,

the annular boundary surface between the tubular portion and the coupling engagement portion has a first stepped portion provided in an axial direction of the tubular portion and a second stepped portion provided in an axial direction of the coupling engagement portion, and the first stepped portion and the second stepped portion are engaged in the axial direction.

8. The coupler according to claim 7, wherein,

the second stepped portion is engaged with the first stepped portion so as to abut against the first stepped portion toward the axial tip side.

9. The coupler according to claim 7 or 8, wherein,

the step amount of the second step portion is in a range of 10% to 50% of the thickness of the connecting engagement portion along the region where the thickness of the annular boundary surface is smallest.