DE8520545U1 - Quick connector - Google Patents

Description

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B§07&Oacgr;2 PGm 16,07.1985

Thyssen Plastik Anger KG/ 8000 Munich 80

FAST CONNECTION

The invention relates to a quick connector, for example a coupling for fluid lines with one another or with pipe sockets or container connections, electrical cables, machine parts, etc., which locks into its operative position, with one pipe end or the like.

has a sleeve for inserting the other end of the pipe or the like.

Quick couplings for pipes etc. are known. They can be locked in their operative position by means of holding devices that can be snapped into their housing, whereby, as shown in DE-OS 31 43 015, the holding device interacts with an annular projection on the pipe. Other quick connections have holes in which pins or the like are inserted to prevent the pipe ends that are inserted into one another from coming loose.

These pipe connections have disadvantages. For example, in automated production plants, such as the automotive industry, pipes, hoses, cables, etc. have to be connected by automatic devices in order to rationalize the production process, for which the known quick connections are not suitable. In addition, the previously common quick connections are made of different materials, mostly metal and

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Plastic, which is used for the individual parts of the coupling mechanism. Another disadvantage is that these quick connections are complex to construct and therefore expensive.

The invention aims to remedy this. The invention is therefore based on the object of having a quick coupling for pipes or the like that is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture and suitable for automation with regard to production, assembly and connection, as well as release.

According to the invention, this is achieved in that a ring with several axial locking means extending concentrically to the gap between the socket space and the inserted pipe end is inserted into the socket of one pipe end, which engage in corresponding locking means of the inserted pipe end, and above the locking means of the inserted pipe end, further radial locking and centering means are provided, which engage in counterparts on the socket edge.

Advantageously, a locking ring with several axially extending into the socket gap and with radially spring-loaded locking fingers angled at an angle towards the inserted pipe end is inserted in an annular groove of the socket of one pipe end, the inserted pipe end is provided with indentations for the engagement of the locking fingers and at the height of the socket edge is provided with an eccentrically circumferential and at least one incision

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provided with a locking burid which engages in projections on the rim of the socket.

Advantageously, the outer edges of the securing collar and the sleeve run parallel to each other and between the incisions and projections from approximately coaxial to 45° inclination to the pipe wall.

Advantageously, the back of the pawl fingers is provided with thin, circumferentially movable webs, at least in the angled area.

Advantageously, an annular groove for the sealing ring is provided below the socket space.

Advantageously, the retaining ring is made of plastic.

Advantageously, at least one of the pipe ends to be connected is made of plastic.

Advantageously, the safety collar is molded onto the end of the insert tube.

Advantageously, the retaining ring and at least one of the two pipe ends to be connected are made of different plastics.

This results in the advantage of simple manufacturing and quick and easy assembly during production.

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The two pipe ends are connected by gently pressing until the angled ends of the locking fingers engage in the recesses of the pipe end, whereby the locking collar also engages with the projections of the socket edge during the same process. This coupling process is suitable for automation. It can be carried out by industrial robots, as can the loosening of the connection, which is done by turning one pipe end out of the locking position and pulling it axially away from the other pipe end. This results in a great rationalization effect in automatic manufacturing processes, such as in the automotive industry, since manual intervention in the manufacturing process is no longer necessary just to connect or disconnect fluid lines or the like to one another or to containers. The connection created in this way is also tight, dimensionally stable and longitudinally force-locking, as well as axially and radially locked.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment shown in the figures.

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Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pipe connection I

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Figure 2 a longitudinal section through the coupling area, «

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Figure 3 is a section through Figure 2 in direction A-A.

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has several indentations 1a, 1b, (1c is hidden) as a locking means and above it has an eccentrically circumferential securing collar 1d, the edge of which has different angles of inclination from the incision 1e to the mouth in this cutout.

This insert pipe end 1 is opposite the pipe end ' : _2r' which is provided with a sleeve 2a. The edge of the sleeve 2a has a projection 2b for the cutout 1e of the securing collar 1d on the insert pipe end 1, the edge of the sleeve edge facing the sleeve space being designed to correspond in its inclination to that of the securing collar 1d.

The locking ring 3 is inserted into the ring groove 2d of the sleeve 2a with its locking fingers 3a, 3b, 3c protruding into the ring gap 2e (figure 2) between the plug-in pipe end 1 and the interior of the sleeve 2a. These locking fingers 3a to 3c are angled slightly inwards at their end in the direction of the plug-in pipe end 1 in order to be able to lock into the recesses 1a, 1b, 1c of the same. The back of the locking fingers 3a, 3b, 3c is equipped with thin-walled webs.

4 denotes a sealing ring which is arranged at the end of the sleeve 2a.

Figure 2 shows the quick coupling in its active position, after the plug-in pipe end 1 has been pushed into the socket 2a of the pipe end 2 and thus locked.

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When the insert pipe end 1 is pressed into the socket 2a, the locking fingers 3a, 3b, 3c are pressed slightly outwards against the inner wall of the socket, where they are supported by the webs 3s. After the indentations 1a, 1b, 1c come into their area, they spring into these indentations and thus lock the two pipe ends 1 and 2 together in the axial direction. The pipe coupling is secured in the radial direction via the locking collar 1d on the insert pipe end 1, which locks into the collar 2b of the socket 2a by the indentation 1e engaging in the projection 2c.

The connection between the pipes 1 and 2 is released by rotating one pipe end relative to the other in the example shown by about 60°. When one pipe end is rotated relative to the other, i.e. for example pipe end 1, the locking fingers 3a, 3b, 3c are lifted out of the recesses 1a, 1b, 1c at the pipe end, whereby the thin-walled webs 3s on the back of the locking fingers 3a, 3b, 3c fold over and thus allow the locking finger ends to slide out of the recesses. It is therefore not possible to release the connection by pulling in the axial direction. Automatic release is also impossible. When the pipe end 1 is rotated, the locking between the safety collar 1d and the socket edge 2B is also released, as the pipe end 1 slides over the eccentrically rotating safety collar 1d, the edge of which has different angles of inclination, onto the socket edge 2b, which causes the radial locking between the incision te

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of the safety collar and the projection 2c of the socket edge 2b. The two pipe ends can then be separated from each other.

The two pipe ends 1 and 2, as well as the locking ring 3, are made of plastic. Preferably, the locking ring 3 is made of polyamide, while the two pipe ends are made of PVC, for example. The plastics are selected according to the respective application of the plug connection; whether the pipe ends should be rigid or flexible plays a role. Polyethersulfones and polyetherketones have also proven to be suitable plastics. Of course, other materials can also be used for the individual parts instead of the preferred material plastic.

If the pipe end 1 is made of plastic, the indentations 1a, 1b, 1c, as well as the retaining collar 1d can be produced in a primary forming process. The same applies to pipe end 2 with its socket 2a and the retaining ring 3.

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The invention is of course not limited to the application area explained in the exemplary embodiment. The object of the invention can not only be used as a pipe connection, but is also advantageously suitable for connecting electrical cables, machine parts, etc. The connection is also not limited to the fact that the

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Locking fingers 3a/ 3b, 3c, and a corresponding number of recesses 1a ^ 1b, 1c are provided on the insertion pipe end 1, but the arrangement can be varied. The same applies to the design of the safety collar*1d with its cutout 1e and the edge 2b of the sleeve 2a with the projection 2c.

Claims (1)

1 !".'I ! .' * &igr;' * · " ' &igr; THYSSEN PLASTIC 850702 PGm 16.07.1985 Thyssen Plastik Anger KG, 8000 Munich 80 QUICK CONNECTORS 1.) Quick connector, for example a coupling for fluid lines with one another or with pipe sockets or container connections, electrical cables, machine parts ⁽¹ ); etc., which locks into its operative position, one pipe end or the like having a sleeve for the insertion of the other pipe end or the like, characterized in that a locking ring (3) with several axial locking means extending concentrically to the gap (2e) between the sleeve space and the inserted pipe end (1) is inserted in the sleeve (2a) of one pipe end (2), which engage in corresponding locking means of the inserted pipe (1), above the locking means of the inserted pipe end (1) further radial locking and centering means are provided, which engage in counterparts on the sleeve edge (2b). 2.) Quick connector according to claim 1, characterized in that in an annular groove (2d) of the socket (2a) of one pipe end (2) a locking ring (3) with several axially extending into the socket gap and with radially resilient locking fingers angled obliquely in the direction of the inserted pipe end (1) *i ti MIiI suffered i · * i &igr;&igr; * · t I I I I Il «H * · i I Î i * i I A-2- · THYSSEN PLASTIC (3a, 3b, 3c) is inserted, the inserted pipe end (1) is provided with indentations (1a, 1b, 1c) for the engagement of the locking fingers (3a, 3b, 3c) and is provided at the height of the socket edge (2b) with an eccentrically circumferential securing collar (1d) provided with at least one notch, which engages in projections x2c) of the socket edge (2b). 3.) Quick connector according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the outer edges (1e) of the securing collar (1d) and the socket edge (2b) run parallel to one _another and between the incisions and projections from approximately coaxial to 45° inclination to the pipe wall.
15 4.) Quick connector according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rear side of the locking fingers (3a, 3b, 3c) is provided with thin webs (3s) which are movable in the circumferential direction, at least in their angled region. 5.) Quick connector according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an annular groove (2d) for the sealing ring (4) is provided below the socket space. 25 G.) Quick connector according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the locking ring (3) consists of plastic. i &Lgr; iMt · 4 Il Mil I IM« t * * « « · I t * &iacgr; t It ILt ·> tu im <· iii i III f :>i Cl· tt· <· * t &igr; · · t I It I cm * 11 <· ' e( 11 t &Aacgr;--3- THYSSEN PLASTIC 7i) Quick connector according to claim 1 and one of the following, characterized in that at least
one of the pipe ends (1 -, 2) to be connected
plastic. 8.) Quick connector according to claim 1 and one of the following, characterized in that the securing collar (Id) is formed on the plug-in tube end (1). 9.) Quick connector according to claim 1 and one of the following, characterized in that the locking ring (3) and at least one of the two pipe ends (1, 2) to be connected are made of different plastics