FR2734337A1 - Flexible tube assembly provided with end connectors for LPG appliances - Google Patents

Abstract

The flexible assembly consists of a tube (10) in a flexible material either rubber or plastics. There is a rigid connector (2,3) in metal whose one end is temporary fixed to a piece of apparatus or a feed supply and the other end is an end piece (19) to which is attached the tube (10). It contains a sheath (11) which surrounds the tube (10) which is made up of a series of annular or helical links (28). There is also a sleeve (21,22) of which one part is arranged to be pushed onto the connector (2,3) and the other part is arranged to cover the end of the sheath (11) up to at least the far end of the end piece (19).

Description

GAS HOSE ASSEMBLY,
FITTED WITH FITTINGS
The present invention relates to a flexible assembly for conveying a gas, between a gas supply source and an appliance to be supplied, comprising removable connection means at its ends.

The invention is more particularly applicable, although not exclusively, to flexible hoses for gas of the LPG type (liquefied propane gas) for the supply of heating, cooking or similar devices.

We know the importance of gas safety.

For this purpose, it is necessary to guarantee absolute reliability at the level of the hose itself, which must be able to withstand impacts, pinching, piercing, crushing, and in general any force liable to cause plastic deformation. irreversible, and therefore a drop in pressure or a leak.

In addition, the fitting must also be designed to avoid any untimely dislocation or separation of the pipe.

Finally, the flexible assemblies, by definition, must have a degree of flexibility and deformation, in the transverse direction, sufficient to adapt to the various arrangements and / or respective locations of the gas supply relative to the appliance. to feed.

The problems stated above are all the more acute for mobile devices, of the barbecue type for example, which are subjected to severe test during use and also called to be stored, after use, under conditions exposing them to numerous assaults.

In addition, it is advantageous to be able to manufacture flexible assemblies under economical conditions, without compromising the quality linked to safety.

However, the flexible assemblies for fluid of the prior art are not able to respond with satisfaction to these contradictory constraints.

Indeed, a first known type of hose comprises a flexible rubber hose, bare, force fitted on a male end. This hose, if it is inexpensive, on the other hand has a great vulnerability to attacks of all kinds.

According to another known type, the hose assembly comprises a hose hose called corrugated stainless steel, a sheath produced in the form of a braid of stainless steel wires, covered with a sheath of transparent plastic material (for example in PVC). This embodiment is complex, expensive and has a relative stiffness detrimental to its adaptability, without, moreover, being total security, having regard to the mechanical and thermal vulnerability by contact with PVC.

In this context, the invention provides a gas hose assembly, in particular of the LPG type, having a high resistance to attack while being of economical manufacture.

To this end, according to the invention, the hose assembly for the delivery of gas, of the type comprising: - a hose made of flexible, tight material, such as rubber or plastic, - a connector made of rigid material, such as metal, provided at its first end with removable fixing means on a part integral either with the device to be supplied, or with the fluid supply, and at its second end with a nozzle on which said fitting can be fitted pipe, is characterized in that it comprises a sheath surrounding said pipe and consisting of an assembly of rigid annular or helical links, a ring of which a part is suitable for being crimped onto said fitting and the other part is suitable for covering the end of said sheath at least as far as the distal end of the endpiece.

Advantageously, the links of the sheath are connected to each other by interlocking and cooperation of returns at right angles and / or in the form of a U-shaped hook, with which the peripheral edges are provided opposite each link.

Preferably, the sheath links are of the double stapling type.

Advantageously, the crimping ring 'is of such length that it protrudes, once in place, from the end of the end piece.

Preferably, the sheath is made of metallic material of the stainless steel or nickel-plated brass type.

Said fixing means comprise a nut provided with a lateral cheek capable of abutting against a shoulder disposed on said fitting.

The assembly comprises, at each end of said pipe surrounded by said sheath, a fitting and a crimping ring.

The invention will be clearly understood in the light of the following description relating to an illustrative, but non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawing in which: - Figure 1 is a partial side view and in longitudinal section of the assembly of the invention ;, - Figures 2 and 3 are side views and in longitudinal section of two examples of connection of the assembly of the invention; and - Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the crimping ring; - Figure 5 is a side view in partial section of the sheath.

Referring to FIG. 1, this shows an assembly according to the invention comprising a hose bearing the general reference 1, elongated and whose each end is associated with a connector referenced 2 and 3 respectively.

The hose 1 in the example shown, is capable of conveying gas between a gas supply (not shown), in the form of a container of pressurized gas for example, and an apparatus (not shown) such as a cooker for example. The connections 2 and 3 are provided with means intended to allow the temporary and removable fixing of the hose 1 on the device and / or on the power supply.

FIG. 1 shows the assembly of the invention in the longitudinal direction, in side view for the upper half and in longitudinal section for the lower half, the halves being separated by the longitudinal axis X-X of the assembly 1.

The connections 2 and 3 each consist of an elongated hollow body, open at its two ends, respectively (4,5) and (6,7), and having a cylindrical inner wall respectively (8,9). The internal walls 8 and 9 have a diameter substantially equivalent to or of the same order as that of the internal diameter of the hose 1.

The hose 1 comprises a hose 10, known in itself, made of a tight, flexible material, such as rubber. The pipe 10 is surrounded and housed inside a sheath 11, of flexible structure, described in more detail later.

The pipe 10 and the sheath 11 are substantially the same length, and the inside diameter of the sheath 11 is of the same order (or very slightly smaller) than the outside diameter of the pipe 10.

We describe in more detail the connector 2 with reference to Figure 2 where it is shown alone. The connector 3, shown in Figure 3, is almost identical to the connector 2, and the same elements have the same references with a "prime" index.

an annular rib 12 forming a shoulder for a nut 13 associated with an annular seal 14 (see FIG. 1).

The connector 2 thus successively comprises: - a collar 15; - A first annular rib 12 forming a shoulder for a nut 13 associated with an annular seal 14 (see Figure 1); - a substantially central part 16; - An annular groove 17 of reduced diameter; - a second annular rib 18, forming a shoulder; - A male end piece 19, in the form of a cylindrical tube, and carrying splines 20, known in themselves.

The end piece 19 is intended to receive the flexible rubber hose 10, by force fitting, in known manner.

The tube 10 is thus threaded onto the end piece 19, until it abuts against the annular rib 18.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible rubber tube 10 is surrounded by the flexible outer sheath 11.

The latter is preferably of substantially the same length as the pipe 10, so that the outer sheath 11 arrives substantially at the level of the second annular rib 18.

A crimping ring 21 is provided for securing and holding the pipe 10 / sheath 11 assembly on the connector 2.

Likewise, a crimping ring 22 is provided for holding on the connector 3, the hose 1 consisting of the pipe 10 and the sheath 11.

Figure 4 shows a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the crimping ring 21, 22. It is of generally cylindrical shape, open at its two ends, and whose axis is parallel to the axis XX of the hose 1 (figure 1). On the side of its end 27 facing the side of the pipe 10 / sheath 11, the edge of the crimping ring 21 is slightly flared towards the outside, as indicated by the reference 23. At its other end 24, on the side opposite the pipe 10 / sheath 11, the crimping ring 21, 22 has an annular return 25, at right angles to the cylindrical walls of the ring. Thus, the opening 26 of the rear end 24 (opposite the hose 1) of the crimping ring 21, 22 has a smaller diameter than the opening 27 on the side of the hose 1.

The crimping ring 21, 22 is intended to be arranged so that the corresponding fitting (2,3) is introduced through the rear opening 26, until the rear part of the cylinder formed by the crimping ring ( on the side opposite the flexible 1) comes substantially opposite the groove 17 (FIG. 2) of the connector. The front part (on the side of the hose 1) of the ring 21, 22 then covers (FIG. 1) the end part of the assembly of the hose 1 formed by the pipe 10 surrounded by the flexible sheath 11.

In order to fix the ring 21,22 on the connector 1, it is subjected to a crimping operation, which causes a deformation of the ring to result in the shape shown in Figure 1, where the ring is firmly held by tightening on the connector 1, and in particular by narrowing the diameter of the ring corresponding to the groove 17.

In Figure 4, there is shown in sectional view and in side view, along the longitudinal axis XX of the hose, the flexible sheath 11, only, the inner rubber tube 10 not being shown for reasons of clarity .

The flexible sheath 11 is made of stainless steel and formed of annular links 28, each delimiting a segment, in the longitudinal direction of the sheath 11, and forming a sort of helix pitch. The links are formed from a metal tube folded back on itself, in the longitudinal direction. Thus, in a sectional view shown in Figure 4, the annular peripheral edges of each annular link 28 form a kind of U (see enlargement of Figure 5).

The links are interconnected by interlocking and reciprocal cooperation of U-shaped annular flanges, of the type known as double stapling.

As shown in FIG. 1, and in order to reinforce the ridification function of the crimping ring 21, 22, this protrudes, in the direction of the hose 1, relative to the distal end 5,6 of the connector 2, 3.

Examples are given below by way of illustration, of dimensions of the elements of the invention.

- Length of fitting: 44 mm - inside diameter of fitting: 9 mm - outside diameter of sheath: 18 mm - inside diameter of sheath: 15 mm - length of crimp ring: 28 mm - outside diameter of crimp ring: 19 mm - outside diameter of flexible rubber hose : 13.8 mm - inside diameter of flexible rubber hose: 9.8 mm - crimp ring variant: length 14 mm and diameter
outside 17 mm.

- fixing nut: height (along axis XX): 14.5 mm
In known manner, the hose 1 and the associated fittings 2 and 3 are removably fixed by the nuts 13 and 13 ', on the threaded ends (not shown) respectively of the device to be supplied, and of the source of gas supply (which can be a pressurized gas cylinder).

It is noted that the device of the invention has significant advantages compared to the prior art. Indeed, the flexible assembly of the invention has a high reliability character, while being simple in structure and therefore economical to manufacture. In fact, only two complementary elements are provided, in addition to the end fittings and the flexible rubber hose, namely the sheath 11 and the crimping rings 21, 22.

The sheath 11 has a relatively large degree of flexibility, which makes it possible to keep the hose 1 its primary quality, namely to adapt to the contours and relative arrangements of the gas source and of the appliance to be supplied.

The sheath 11 moreover protects the rubber hose 10 from any attack, mechanical (shock, pinching, rodents), from contact heat or the like.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described, but on the contrary encompasses all variants included in the spirit thereof.

Claims (7)

1 - Hose assembly for gas delivery,  in particular of the LPG type, comprising:  - a pipe (10) made of waterproof flexible material, such as  rubber or plastic,  - a connector (2,3) made of rigid material, such as metal,  provided at its first end with fixing means  removable on an integral part either from the device to  supply either fluid supply and at its  second end of a nozzle (19) on which is  capable of being fitted on said pipe (10),  it is in that it includes a sheath  (11) surrounding said pipe (10) and consisting of a  assembly of annular or helical links (28)  rigid, a ring (21,22), part of which is suitable for  be crimped on said fitting (2,3) and the other part  is able to cover the end of said sheath (11) at  less to plumb with the distal end of  the end piece (19). 2 - assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that  that the links (28) of the sheath (11) are provided  on their annular edges opposite 'means  hooks. 3 - assembly according to the preceding claim,  characterized in that the links (28) are of the  double stapling. 4 - assembly according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that the crimping ring (21,22)  is of such length that it exceeds, once in  place, from the end of the end piece (19) of the fitting  (2,3). 5 - assembly according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that the sheath (11) is made of  metallic material such as stainless steel or brass  nickel-plated. 6 - assembly according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that said fixing means  include a nut (13) with a side cheek  able to abut against an annular rib  (12), forming a shoulder, disposed on said fitting  (2,3). 7 - assembly according to one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that it comprises, at each end  of said pipe (10) surrounded by said sheath (11), a  fitting (2,3) and a crimping ring (21,22).