GB2134612A

GB2134612A - Valved flow coupling

Info

Publication number: GB2134612A
Application number: GB08400764A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Manfred Kruger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-02-08
Filing date: 1984-01-12
Publication date: 1984-08-15
Also published as: GB8400764D0; DE3304264C2; IT1173174B; DE3304264A1; GB2134612B; FR2540598B1; FR2540598A1; IT8419380A0

Abstract

A flow coupling, with a valve, comprises a pipe-shaped housing for the non-return valve, and a coupling pipe (14), which in the coupled setting causes a valve element (13) of the valve to be moved into open setting. For this purpose, a pipe-shaped displacing member (31) with detent means (33, 34, 40) for a defined valve opening range is arranged between the coupling pipe (14) and the valve element (13). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Valved flow coupling The present invention relates to a valved flow coupling.

In the specification of German (Fed. Rep.) patent application P 32 46 127.5 there is disclosed a liquid coupling with a non-return valve, in which a connecting stub pipe of a hose duct enters into the pipe-shaped body of the valve in the coupled setting to such an extent that it displaces a pipe-shaped plunger of the valve against spring pressure until a sealing collar of the valve lifts off a seat and openings thereunder produce a flow path between the two sides of the valve.

In order that, for the storage and metering of washing or rinsing agents in respective couplings, defined flow resistances can be adhered to, which resistances can have an influence on the metering process, at least the opening width of the valve in the coupling setting must be of uniform size.

To obtain a defined valve opening width, all tolerances must be close and maintained very precisely. On coupling, strict adherence to the constructionally provided coupled setting must be observed.

The first-mentioned condition leads to costly finishing, which should be avoided in mass production for the consumer goods industry.

Moreover, adherence to this condition means that consistent reproducibility of the valve opening width would not always be possible, because according to the second-mentioned condition operator errors cannot be excluded.

It would thus be desirable to eliminate the afore-mentioned restrictions so that in the construction and use of such a coupling larger tolerances and operating irregularities are without 'effect on the flow resistance in the coupling.

According to the present invention there is provided a valved flow coupling compris#ing a housing, a substantially tubular displacing member movably arranged in the housing, a valve element arranged in the housing to be displaceable by the displacing member through a defined stroke from a closed setting into an open setting, detent means to limit movement of the displacing member thereby to define said stroke, and a pipe coupling member insertable into the housing to effect movement of the displacing member and thereby displacement of the valve element into the open setting, the displacing member being disposed between the valve element and the coupling member in the inserted state of the latter.

The displacing member with the detent means can be entrained by the movement of the coupling member until detenting of the detent means, which occurs in a defined setting and thereby reproducibly determines the opening width of the valve. The detenting is thereby independent of the extent of entry of the coupling member into the housing and thus is not externally influenced.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a flow coupling embodying the invention, the coupling being shown in its separated state; and Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the coupling in its coupled state.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a flow coupling in which, for ease of understanding, the components are provided with same reference numerals as in the afore-mentioned German patent application P 32 46 127.5. The coupling comprises a housing consisting of a valve body 11, which in the previously illustrated way can be inserted into an opening of a storage container, and of a valve casing 24 connected to the (in use) inwardly projecting end of the body 11 , the casing 24 being provided at one side with an inflow opening to a valve chamber 26. Arranged in the chamber 26 is a valve element 13 which is pressed by a spring 12 against a valve seat 27.

The valve element and seat control a flow connection between the chamber 26 and an outwardly leading pipe duct 28. The casing 24 is connected with the body 11 by a spring ring 29.

At its outlet side the valve element 13 has a pipe-shaped plunger 30, which contacts a pipeshaped displacing member 31. The member 31 is slidably mounted in the body 11 and is provided, in a circle plane 32, with two detent balls 33, which are retained with play in openings 34 provided therefor. The diameter of each ball 33 is such that in the uncoupled state of the coupling it does not project into the duct 28 by more than one half diameter. Preferably, this amount of projection is smaller than a half diameter, the openings 34 being somewhat narrowed towards the wall of the bore in the member 31 so as to prevent the balls from falling into the duct 28.

At its coupling end, the body 11 is internally fitted with a guide sleeve 35, which is held in place by a spring ring 36. A sealing ring 37 provides a seal between the sleeve 35 and the body 11, while a further sealing ring 38 at the inner side of the sleeve 35 serves to provide a seal between the sleeve and a coupling pipe 14. An inner cone of the sleeve 35 serves for centring the pipe 14 when moved into the coupling setting, while an outer cone of the pipe serves for centring within the coupling setting. In that setting, a collar 1 5 of the pipe 14 rests, as shown in Fig. 2, on the end surface of the body 11. A stub 1 6 serves for connection with a hose.

For production of the coupling and opening of the valve element 13, the pipe 14 is pushed into the duct 28, in which case the pipe 14 first passes the sealing ring 38 and produces a sealed connection in the duct 28. On further insertion of the pipe, the forward end surface 39 thereof presses, through the balls 33, the member 31 forward until the balls engage in an annular channel 40, the depth of which is such that the balls are disposed clear of the bore 28. The pipe 14 can now be pushed in past the balls even deeper into the duct 28.

The member 31 is locked in this setting through the engagement of the balls 33 in the channel 40 and during movement into this setting presses, through the plunger 33, the valve element 13 against the pressure of the spring 12 and into a defined open setting. In this setting, the content of an associated container can flow through the outflow opening 25, the chamber 26, openings 41 in the plunger 30 of the valve element and the duct 28 to the pipe 14.

The opening range of the valve element 13 is defined in the coupling setting by the sum of the length a of the plunger 30 and the spacing b of the contact surface between the plunger 30 and the member 31 to the plane 32 of the balls 33, less the spacing c of the circle plane 42 of the channel 40 to the valve seat 27. As these spacings are constructionally fixed and thus unchangeable, the opening range of the valve is also unchangeably fixed independently of the depth of insertion of the pipe stub 14 in the duct 28.

Claims

1. A valved flow coupling comprising a housing, a substantially tubular displacing member movably arranged in the housing, a valve element arranged in the housing to be displaceable by the displacing member through a defined stroke from a closed setting into an open setting, detent means to limit movement of the displacing member thereby to define said stroke, and a pipe coupling member insertable into the housing to effect movement of the displacing member and thereby displacement of the valve element into the open setting, the displacing member being disposed between the valve element and the coupling member in the inserted state of the latter.

2. A flow coupling as claimed in claim 1, the detent means comprising a plurality of balls arranged in a common diametral plane in respective openings in the wall of the displacing member and engageable in an annular groove of the housing in the open setting of the valve element, the diameter of each ball being greater than the wall thickness of the displacing member but smaller than the sum of this thickness and the wall thickness of the pipe coupling member, and each ball being so engageable in the channel as to be disposed clear of the tube bore of the displacing member.

3. A flow coupling as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pipe coupling member is so engageable in the bore of the displacing member when inserted in the housing as to maintain engagement of the balls in the groove.

4. A flow coupling as claimed in either claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the valve element comprises a guide portion extending from a surface of the element co-operable with a valve seat in the housing, and the displacing member is in contact with the valve element in a contact plane at the end of the guide portion remote from said surface, the length of said stroke being equal to the sum, less the distance between the valve seat and a diametral plane of symmetry of the channel, of the length of the guide portion and the distance between the contact plane and the common diametral plane of the balls.

5. A flow coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a sleeve arranged in the housing to retain the displacing member therein and to guide the coupling member on insertion into the housing, the sleeve being provided with a sealing ring sealingly engageable with the coupling member and with an inner frustro-conical surface portion for centring the coupling member during such insertion.

6. A flow coupling substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. Fluid storage apparatus comprising storage means for a washing or rinsing agent and coupling means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the coupling means being associated with the storage means for control of agent discharge therefrom.