FR2632707A1 - Quick connection device and apparatus for implementing it - Google Patents

Abstract

Quick connection device, particularly for joining a first end-fitting 13 to which is fixed a tube or pipeline 11, 12 for the circulation of a cooling liquid of a motor vehicle engine to an end-fitting 21, 50 of a test circuit, a unit heater or another member of the vehicle. The first end-fitting 13 carries a device for perforating an obstructor 30 consisting of a seal with a membrane made from an elastomer material, such as rubber or the like, in the overall shape of a dish the free edge of which is shaped like a snap ring 33 which advantageously has a circular cross section and is overmoulded onto a reinforcement which is suitable to be positioned in the said end-fitting 13 prior to filling the engine with the cooling fluid.

Description

 The invention relates to a quick coupling device and an apparatus for its implementation.

 It is known that the fitting of the fluid circuits, in particular the coolant circuits of an automobile engine is an operation which increases production costs significantly, in particular when the verification tests show imperfections, so that the manufacturers of auto biles, who wish to reduce the assembly costs of each vehicle, seek to overcome the disadvantages associated with known connection devices, of the type with clamps or the like.

 It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a quick coupling device, in particular for a motor vehicle engine cooling circuit which makes it possible to considerably reduce the costs of mounting the engines on the bodies they are intended for. to equip.

 It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus allowing the simple implementation, and at low cost, of such a quick coupling device.

 A quick coupling device according to the invention, in particular for the connection of a first nozzle on which is fixed a pipe or pipe for circulating a coolant of a motor vehicle engine to a nozzle of a circuit d test, of an air heater or of another member of the vehicle, is characterized in that said first end piece carries a perforator with a shutter capable of being placed in said end piece before filling the engine with said coolant - surely ..

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the shutter is constituted by a membrane seal made of an elastomeric material, such as rubber or the like, in the general shape of a cup, the free edge of which is shaped according to a rod advantageously having a circular cross-section overmolded. on a reinforcing reinforcement.

 In a preferred embodiment, the membrane seal in the general shape of a bowl at a bottom which has zones of lower resistance to facilitate tearing, said zones being advantageously arranged in a star pattern i radiating branches from the center.

 The invention provides that the reinforcement is of generally frustoconical shape with a cylindrical end adjacent to the lateral wall of the membrane and a free end shaped according to tongues inclined on the axis of the shutter.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the first end piece has elastically deformable tabs at ends shaped as hooks for holding and positioning a mandrel for positioning the shutter or the end pieces intended to cooperate with it.

 In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the elastically deformable tabs surround a sleeve connected by a radial flange to a sheath for fixing the pipes or tubes of the first nozzle.

An apparatus for implementing the device is characterized in that it comprises a tool for mounting the shutter in the first end piece connected to a pipe associated with the motor before filling the latter with a liquid for cooling the combined means on said first end piece and a second end piece for assembling the two said end pieces during a reciprocal movement of the means on said second end piece for, during said reciprocal movement, bringing with it the shutter previously set in place in the first nozzle; and means combined on said shutter and said first end piece for perforating said shutter when said assembly means have been made operative at the end of the relative movement of the two end pieces relative to each other
The invention also relates to a shutter, suitable for entering into the constitution of a connection device as defined above and which advantageously comprises a ring. metal of generally frustoconical shape on which is partially overmolded a membrane of elastomeric material, such as rubber or similar material, shaped in a bowl whose free edge has a ring or excess thickness from which protrude the tongues of the metal frame tilted on the axis of the bowl.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear from the description which follows, given by way of example and with reference to the appended drawing in which
- Figure 1 is a half view in longitudinal section illustrating a device according to the invention;
- Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram
- Figures'3 and 4 illustrate the apparatus according to the invention
- Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate another part of the device according to the invention
- Figure 8 is an elevational view of a device shutter according to the invention
FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the broken line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

 In the embodiment described and shown, the quick coupling device according to the invention is intended to equip the pipes or hoses 11 and 12 of an engine 10 of a motor vehicle which, prior to its assembly, is tested on a bench comprising a circuit C of coolant set in motion by a pump P, Figure 2.

For this test phase, the pipes like 11 and 12 are provided at their free ends with a nozzle 13, FIG. 1, which is one of the constituent parts of the connection device according to the invention and which, as clearly visible in this figure, comprises a cylindrical internal sheath 14 with which a ring 15 cooperates to grip and fix the tubing like 11 or 12 and, in addition, an appendage 17 connected to the sheath 14 by a radial flange 16. The appendix 17 is constituted by an internal sleeve 18 of the same axis A as that of the entire device and which is itself surrounded by lugs 19 of greater length than that of the sleeve and whose free ends are shaped according to hooks 20. The constituent material of the tip 13, as well as the method of attachment of the lugs 19 on the sleeve 18 are chosen such that said lugs are elastically deformable, at the approach and the spacing of the axis A, so that can be easily connected to the end piece 13 a end piece 21 carrying a collar 22 for hooking the hooks 20 and the head 23 of which, shaped in correspondence with the cross section of the end piece 13 between the sheath 14 the sleeve 18 and the crown 16-, carries a O-ring seal 24.

 In the assembly condition which is that shown in FIG. 1, the cooling fluid thus circulates without obstacle to the right of the nozzles 21 and 13, the latter also bearing, at the free end of the sleeve 14, and in the axis A, a striker or perforator. 25 held by radiating arms 26.

 The structure which has just been described makes it possible, by pressing on the ends of the hooks 20, to very simply separate the end piece 21 from the end piece 13 when the engine tests are completed to drain the coolant before shipping the engine at the assembly plant of the vehicle it is intended to equip.

 When, at this factory, it is again desired to fill the engine with liquid, but no longer to carry out a subsequent emptying, the end piece 13 is associated with a shutter 30 FIGS. 3 to 9. The latter, as particularly clearly visible in the figures 8 and 9, is, according to the invention, constituted by a membrane seal made of an elastomeric material such as rubber or a similar material, shaped according to a bowl with bottom 31 and side wall 32 whose free edge has an extra thickness or peripheral ring 33, advantageously of circular cross section. This is overmolded on a metal frame 34, of generally frustoconical shape having, in places, punctures 35 for good attachment of the elastomeric material in the region of the rod 33, a cylindrical end 35 inside the wall. 32 of the membrane to which it is adjacent and at its other free end, tongues 36 inclined on the longitudinal axis B of the membrane and which are regularly distributed angularly around of said axis.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the bottom 31 of the membrane seal formed by the shutter 30 has, during manufacture, areas of lower resistance than the rest of the membrane, for example because of their lesser thickness, said zones intended to ensure regular tearing of the membrane, as will be specified below, being arranged in a regular star pattern with center O coinciding with that of the bottom 31 and with arms 40>> 40, 402, 403, etc. ... radiating from the center towards the periphery, gradually tapering down to points 40tel, 40'2, 40 '3y etc ... which define a circle 60 limiting with the outer periphery of the membrane a crown 61.

 To allow the engine-to be filled with coolant, at the assembly plant, the shutter 30 is first attached to a mandrel X, FIGS. 3 and 4, shaped at its free end along three coaxial surfaces 41, 42 and 43 of increasing diameters, and the body of which carries a collar 44, similar to the collar 22 of the end piece 21 but at such a distance from the front face 45 of the anterior bearing surface 41 of the mandrel M that when said collar cooperates with the hooks 20 of the endpiece 13, the membrane 31 of the obturator 30 is at a distance from the perforator 25.For the installation of the obturator in the endpiece 13, the mandrel X is simply brought closer to the latter, by a translational movement in the direction of arrow F Until the hooks 20 of the lugs 19 of the end piece 13 snap into the collar 44 of said mandrel. The condition is then that shown in FIG. 4, in which the shutter 30 is housed in the sleeve 18 of the end piece 13, at a distance from the perforator 25 and with, on the one hand, the ring 33 acting as a gasket. sealing and, on the other hand, the tongues 36 applied against the sleeve 18.When the engine is filled with coolant and pressurized to detect possible leaks, said tongues 36 oppose the extraction of the obturator out of the sleeve 18, even when the mandrel M has been removed leaving the obturator in place in the endpiece 13, that is to say when the condition shown in FIG. 5 is achieved.

 When from there, the engine filled with its coolant must be assembled on the assembly line to the vehicle it is intended to equip, it is first placed in the engine compartment and the coolant circuit is established by connecting the tip 13 to the tip 50 of an air heater with simultaneous removal of the obstacle to the circulation of the coolant constituted by the shutter 30. To do this, the tip 50, which is provided with a collar 51 similar to the collars 22 and 44 and the head 52 of which is shaped on its external lateral surface along spans 53-55 analogous to the spans 41-43 of the mandrel M-, is introduced, by movement in the direction of arrow F, in the nozzle 13.

During this introduction, the head 52 of the end piece comes into contact with the shutter 30 until the rod 33 thereof rests on the bearing surface 53, in abutment on the shoulder 56 between said bearing surface and the range 54, so that the introduction movement continuing, the end piece 50 drives the shutter 30 closer to the perforator 25 until reaching the position shown in Figure 6 in which the perforator begins to tear the membrane 31 in its center 0. When the movement of the end pieces 13 and 50 continues, the initial tear progresses along the lines of weakest resistance of the branches 40 to open the shutter 30 Up to the points 40 '"40's, 40's, etc ... of branches 40.

 At the end of introduction of the end piece 50 into the end piece 13, that is to say in the condition shown in FIG. 7 in which the hooks 22 of the lugs 19 cooperate with the collar 51, the membrane 31 the shutter 30 is housed between the outer surface of the sleeve 14 and the inner surface 62 of the head 52 of the end piece 50, the rod 33 ensuring the seal between the two end pieces, concurrently with the rest of the membrane which is completely eclipsed from the coolant circulation path between the air heater and the pipes 11, 12 connected to the engine.

Claims (8)

REVEDICATIOS  1. Quick coupling device, in particular for the connection of a first end piece (13) on which is fixed a pipe or pipe <11, 12) for circulating a coolant from a motor vehicle engine to a end piece (21, 50) of a test circuit, an air heater or another member of the vehicle, characterized in that said first end piece <13) carries a perforator (25> of a clean shutter (30) to be placed in said nozzle prior to filling the engine with said coolant.  2. Connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the obturator <30) is constituted by a membrane seal made of elastomeric material, such as rubber or the like, in the general shape of a cup, the free edge of which is shaped according to a rod (33) advantageously of circular cross section overmolded on a reinforcing reinforcement (34>.  3. Connection device according to claim Z, characterized in that the membrane seal (30) in the general shape of a bowl has a  bottom (31) which has zones of lower resistance to facilitate tearing, said zones being advantageously arranged in a star pattern with branches (40) radiating from the center  (O) so that after connection of the two end pieces (13, 50) the membrane is completely eclipsed from the fluid circulation path in said pipes.  4. Connection device according to claim 2, characterized in that the reinforcement (34> is of generally frustoconical shape with one end (35> cylindrical adjacent to the side wall (32) of the membrane and a free end shaped according to tabs (36) inclined on the axis <B) of the shutter (30).  5. Connection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first end piece (13) comprises elastically deformable lugs (19) with ends shaped as hooks <22) for holding and positioning a mandrel (N> installation of the shutter (30) or a tip (21, 50) intended to cooperate with it.  6. Quick coupling device according to claim 5, characterized in that the elastically deformable tabs <19> surround a sleeve <18) connected by a radial flange (16) to a sleeve <14) for fixing pipes or tubes <11 , 12) on said first nozzle <13).  7. Apparatus for the implementation of a quick connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a tool for mounting the shutter <30> in -the first end piece (13 ) connected to a tube or pipe <11, 12) associated with the engine before filling the latter with the aid of a coolant means combined on said first nozzle (13) and a second nozzle (21, 50) for the 'assembly of the two said end pieces during a reciprocal movement of movement of the means on said second end piece for, during said reciprocal movement, driving with it the shutter <30) previously put in place in the first end piece <13> and means conjugated on said shutter <30> and said first end piece to perforate said shutter when said assembly means have been made operative at the end of the relative movement of the two end pieces relative to each other.  8. A shutter suitable for entering into the constitution of a quick coupling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a membrane seal made of elastomeric material, such as rubber or the like in general form. bowl, bottom (31) having areas of lower resistance for tearing after perforation in the center, said areas being shaped according to a star with radiating branches <40) whose ends <40 ') are on a circle <60 ) which limits with the periphery an annular zone <61), the free edge in the form of a rod (33) of the lateral wall (32) of the membrane being overmolded on a frame <34) of generally frustoconical shape which has tongues ( 36) projecting from said rod and the side wall of which has punctures (35) favoring the joining of the membrane and the frame.