GB2051283A

GB2051283A - Connector for Hose Lines

Info

Publication number: GB2051283A
Application number: GB8017461A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Ford Motor Co Ltd; Ford Motor Co
Current assignee: Ford Motor Co Ltd; Ford Motor Co
Priority date: 1979-05-28
Filing date: 1980-05-28
Publication date: 1981-01-14
Also published as: GB2051283B; DE2921607C2; DE2921607B1

Abstract

A connector for a hose line comprises a plug part 3 received in a socket part 2 and sealed thereto by an O-ring 16. A catch 12 on the socket part 2 retains the plug part 3 in abutment with a radial flange 19 on the socket part. The external surface of the plug part has a larger diameter portion 18 adjacent the flange 19 and a smaller diameter portion 15 adjacent its terminal end. The internal surface of the socket part has inner and outer sections 7, 9 of complementary diameter to the plug part separated from each other by a frusto conical surface 8. The socket part may be sealed to a hose 1 by a plastics resin 11 and the plug part 3 may be formed integrally with a unit to which the hose 1 is attached, e.g. a radiator. Both plug and socket parts are preferably formed from plastics material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Connector for Hose Lines This invention relates to connectors for hose lines.

German patent Specification No DOS 1425470 discloses a connector for hose lines in motor vehicles with a plug part firmly attached to the hose and which can be connected to a socket part by a ring seal and a readily detachable catch member.

The connector pipe end of the plug part, which is plugged into a connecting bore, is provided with a collar adjacent the ring seal, which is anchored by a retaining part insertible transversely to the pipe.

This plug-in connection is primarily suitable only for pipes and requires the radial insertion of the separate retaining part during assembly.

A similar plug-in connector is disclosed in German Patent Specification DPS 15 25 582. In this plug-in connection for a hose line the plug part is constituted by two parts, a plug sleeve and a clamp sleeve, embracing and clamping the end of the hose. The clamp sleeve is here provided with a ring groove which co-operates with a retaining part insertible transversely to the hose line in order to anchor the plug part in a connecting bore.

This plug-in connection not only includes a relatively large number of components, but is difficult to assembly because the individual parts, such as plug sleeve and clamp sleeve, have to be fixed to the hose end in a particular clamping operation, then the sealing and bracing rings have to be placed on the shank of the plug part, the plug part introduced into the connecting bore and then the retaining part must be inserted tranversely to the hose end.

According to the present invention, there is provided a connector for a hose line comprising plug part, a socket part adapted to receive the plug part in axial alignment therewith, a ring seal positioned between the plug part and the socket part when the plug part is received within the socket part, a radial stop on the plug part for limiting the relative axial movement of the plug part into the socket part and a catch on the socket part arranged to engage with the plug part to retain the plug in the socket.

Preferably, the socket part exhibits an inner section of smaller diameter, a median section of conical configuration and an outer section of larger diameter and the plug part exhibits a front section of smaller diameter with a ring groove housing, an O-ring and a rear section of larger diameter adjacent to a stop flange and an axially extending radially resilient catch hook is arranged on the socket part which co-operates engagingly with the stop flange on the plug part. The plug-in connection is achieved simply by sliding the two parts axially together up to the stop with a positive and automatically occurring engagement.

Preferably, the socket part and/or the plug part is attached to a hose end by an adhesion joint by means of hardening plastics material, and the corresponding plug or socket part is constructed integrally in a unit to be connected, e.g., a heat exchanger. Separate assembly of the connector to the unit by means of customary pipe clips etc., is obviated.

Advantageously, the socket part and/or the plug part is composed of a plastics material and is attached to the hose end by adhesion, integral moulding, integral shaping etc., whereas the corresponding plug or socket part is shaped integrally on a unit consisting partly of plastics, e.g., a heat exchanger with a water tank consisting of plastics material.

The invention is explained more fully hereinbelow with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein.~ Figure 1 shows an elevation of the plug-in connection according to the invention between a cooling medium hose and the connecting pipe of a heating heat exchanger of a motor vehicle; Figure 2 shows a vertical section through the region indicated in the circle I in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a section made along the line Ill-Ill in Figure 2.

In Figure 1 a cooling medium line 1 is connected by a plug-in connection constituted by a socket part 2 and a plug part 3 to the connecting pipe 4 of a heat exchanger 5 of a motor vehicle. Because in the exemplary embodiment shown the heat exchanger 5 exhibits a water tank 6 made of plastics material, the connecting pipe 4 and the plug part 3 are shaped integrally on the same.

The construction of the plug-in connection and the fastening of the cooling medium line 1 to the socket part 2 is explained in conjunction with Figure 2.

The socket part 2 exhibits an inner section 7 of smaller diameter, a median section 8 of conical configuration and an outer section 9 of larger diameter and is provided at its other end e.g., with a ring-toothed nipple part 10, known per se.

Through the intermediary of the said nipple part 10 the socket part 2 can be firmly attached to the cooling medium line 1, e.g. constructed as a fabric-reinforced rubber hose, with the interposition of a hardenable plastics material 11, e.g., Silikon E 43 of Messrs. Wacker Chemie, Munich.

The socket part 2 is provided at least on a region of its circumference with an axially extending, radially resilient catch hook 12 which exhibits an oblique approach edge 13 and a vertical catch edge 14.

The socket part 2 is constructed in the present exemplary embodiment as a plastics part on which the catch hook 12 is integrally shaped in simple manner.

The plug part 3 exhibits a front section 15 with a ring groove 17 housing an O-ring 16 and a rear section 18 of larger diameter adjacent to a radial stop flange 19.

By the arrangement of the sections 7, 8 and 9 of different diameters in the socket part 2 in conjunction with the sections 15 and 18 of different diameters on the plug part 3, it is achieved that the selection of the diameters appropriate to the desired sealing function can occur in the region of the O-ring 1 6, whereas the diameters can be selected in conformity with the desired bracing and retaining function of the plugin connection in the region of the radial stop flange 1 9.

After the socket part 2 has been attached to the cooling medium line 1 in the manner shown in the Figure, only an axial movement of the two components, the socket part 2 and the plug part 3, into each other is necessary in order to assemble the plug-in connection, whilst a rolling movement of the O-ring 16 generating a resistance during insertion is prevented by the median section 8 of conical configuration and an automatic radial springing out of the catch hook 12 is initiated by the oblique approach edge 13 and after the socket part 2 has struck the stop shoulder 19 an automatic engagement of the catch hook 12 occurs by radial dropping in and application of the catch edge 14 against the rear side of the stop flange 1 9.

The arrangement of the catch hook 12 on the circumference of the socket part 2 may be seen from Figure 3.

The plug-in connection shown in Figure 2 may of course also be arranged in such a way that the socket part is constructed on a unit and the plug part is attached to a nipple part, to which a hose line can be attached.

Because the plug-in connection shown can in a particularly advantageous manner be produced of plastics material, whilst one of the two components can preferably be integrally shaped on a unit partly consisting of plastics, the possibility arises as a further development of the idea of the invention, that the other component is also constructed directly by integral moulding or integral shaping on a hose line consisting of plastics material. Because partially preshaped hose lines are used more particularly in the cooling medium system of motor vehicles, this integral moulding or integral shaping of a plug part is immediately possible during the prefabrication of the hose material which is necessary for this purpose.

By virtue of a plug-in connection of the type described, a considerable economy of assembly time compared to the hitherto customary arrangement and fixing of hose clips of wide variety of types can be achieved in the assembly of the cooling system of a motor vehicle, and furthermore during the maintenance of the vehicle in normal service, e.g., when the replacement of a defective unit becomes necessary, further considerable assembly time is economised by the easy detachability of the plugin connection, and furthermore a connection to the exchanged unit can be ensured which is free from inadequancies in the work-shop service~ e.g., in the case of insufficient tightening of a hose clip.

Claims

1. A connector for a hose line comprising a plug part, a socket part adapted to receive the plug part in axial alignment therewith, a ring seal positioned between the plug part and the socket part when the plug part is received within the socket part, a radial stop on the plug part for limiting the relative axial movement of the plug part into the socket part and a catch on the socket part arranged to engage with the plug part to retain the plug in the socket.

2. A connector according to Claim 1 wherein the radial stop comprises a circumferential flange and the catch is arranged to engage with the flange.

3. A connector according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the socket part includes a bore with an inner section of relatively smaller diameter, a median section of frusto-conical configuration and an outer section of relatively large diameter, and the plug part includes a front section of relatively small diameter and a rear section of relatively large diameter adjacent to the radial stop.

4. A connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the ring seal is housed in a groove on the plug part.

5. A connection according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the socket part and/or the plug part is attached to a hose by means of hardenable plastic material.

6. A connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the socket part or the plug part is constructed integrally with a unit to which a hose is to be connected.

7. A connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the socket part and/or the plug part are composed of plastics material.

8. A connector substantially as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in the drawings.