IT202100021377A1 - Quick coupling assembly with anti-release snap ring. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the industrial invention entitled:

?Quick coupling assembly with anti-release snap ring?

The present invention relates to a quick coupling assembly with an anti-release snap ring.

In the sector of operating machinery, for example agricultural, ? the use of quick coupling assemblies suitable for connecting pressurized hydraulic lines is very widespread.

The quick coupling assembly comprises a female coupling and a male coupling, wherein the male coupling is ? fit to fit into the?female graft that ? associated with a machine, for example a tractor, while the? male coupling ? associated with a piece of equipment, for example a weeder, to be coupled to the machine, or vice versa.

Once the? male graft ? completely inserted in the female coupling, or when the hydraulic line between the male coupling and the female coupling? open ensuring a defined hydraulic operating pressure, there is the need to avoid accidental releases.

Pi? in general ? it is appropriate that the uncoupling between the male coupling and the female coupling takes place by a specialized operator with suitable tools.

EP-2320118 shows a release tool for an assembly suitable for making a connection of fluids under pressure. The tool has a curved thickness able to press in the axial direction a sleeve which interacts with a toothed ring which releases the wall of a pipe. The teeth of the toothed ring open outwards in a radial direction.

US-20200208594 discloses a disconnection tool suitable for allowing the release of a retaining ring in a fluid connection, in which the disconnection tool moves the engagement means outward in a radial direction.

US-5909901 shows a two-piece release tool which ? suitable for forcing the extension of a paper clip.

Disadvantageously, the tools described in the prior art? mentioned are complex to make and to use as they force the operator to a precision of use not always guaranteed by the capacity? of the operator himself.

Furthermore, the realization of these tools ? very tied to the type of connection it has to work on.

Purpose of the present invention? making a quick coupling assembly able to connect pressurized hydraulic lines, comprising a female coupling and a male coupling able to be inserted into the female coupling, in which anti-release means are provided which can only be deactivated by means of a specially designed external tool.

Another purpose of the present invention ? that the anti-release means are simple to make and can be easily deactivated only by means of said external tool.

Yet another object of the present invention ? that said external tool is not bulky, simple to make and easy to use only by a specialized operator.

In accordance with the invention said and further purposes are achieved with a quick coupling assembly suitable for connecting pressurized hydraulic lines, comprising a female coupling and a male coupling which can be coupled with the female coupling, wherein the female coupling is ? associated with a machine while the? male coupling ? associated with work equipment, or vice versa,

wherein the assembly (1) also comprises an axially sliding ring nut (8) suitable for coupling the male coupling (3) to the female coupling (2),

characterized by the fact that it also includes

a snap ring suitable for assuming a release position suitable for disengaging the male coupling from the female coupling in which the snap ring ? completely housed in a seat of a female body of the female coupling, and a blocking position of the successful coupling between the male coupling and the female coupling in which the elastic ring ? partially housed in the seat of the female body and partially in a seat of the nut so that the nut cannot slide on the female body, in which the snap ring? capable of passing from the unlocked position to the locked position by expanding radially, while ? adapted to pass from the locked position to the unlocked position by compressing the quick coupling assembly using an external tool.

Only through the tool? It is possible to move the snap ring to the unlocked position and drive the ferrule to disengage the male coupling from the female coupling.

The presence of a plurality of openings allows you to avoid not only accidental opening, but also an attempt to open without the tool.

If the thicknesses have a linear profile, the contact zones are transformed from punctiform (first contact) to linear (closed tool), gradually? thus forcing the overall compression of the circlip which reduces its diameter by fully entering the seat.

These and other characteristics of the present invention will be made more evident by the following detailed description in practical embodiments thereof illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of a quick coupling assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a female coupling and a male coupling are decoupled;

figure 2 shows a side view of the quick coupling assembly, in which the female coupling and the male coupling are coupled,

figure 3 shows a front view of the female coupling;

figure 4 shows a front view of the quick coupling assembly of figure 2; figure 5 shows a sectional view along the line V-V of figure 3;

figure 6 shows a sectional view along the line VI-VI of figure 4;

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a tool suitable for disengaging the male coupling from the female coupling, in a closed position;

figure 8 shows a front view of the tool, in the closed position;

figure 9 shows the perspective view of the tool, in an open position; figure 10 shows the front view of the tool, in the open position;

figure 11 shows a perspective view of the quick coupling assembly, in which the female coupling and the male coupling are coupled, and in which the tool is ? open and decoupled from the quick coupling assembly;

figure 12 shows a perspective view of the quick coupling assembly, in which the female coupling and the male coupling are coupled, and in which the tool is ? open and partially coupled to the quick coupling assembly;

figure 13 shows a perspective view of the quick coupling assembly, in which the female coupling and the male coupling are coupled, and in which the tool is ? closed and coupled to the quick coupling assembly;

figure 14 shows a partially sectional view similar to that of figure 6, in which the tool is? in the position of figure 13;

figure 15 ? a sectional view similar to that of figure 14, in which the male coupling is? in a phase of decoupling from the female coupling;

figure 16 ? a sectional view similar to that of figure 14, in which the male coupling is? decoupled from the female coupling;

Figure 17 shows a sectional view similar to that of Figure 6 , of a quick coupling assembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a female coupling and a male coupling are uncoupled;

Figure 18 shows a sectional view similar to that of Figure 17, of the quick coupling assembly of Figure 17, in which the female coupling and the male coupling are coupled.

A quick coupling assembly 1 adapted to connect pressurized hydraulic lines comprises a female coupling 2 and a male coupling 3 which can be coupled with the female coupling 2 (figures 1 and 2).

The female graft 2 ? associated with a machine (not shown), for example a tractor, while the male coupling 3 ? associated with work equipment (not shown), for example a weeder, or vice versa.

The female coupling 2 comprises a fitting 6 for coupling with the machine, a female body 7 and a ring nut 8, in which the fitting 6 is? integral with the female body 7 and the ring nut 8 ? able to slide axially on the female body 7 in correspondence with a head portion 701 of the female body 7.

The ring 8 ? suitable for coupling the male coupling 3 to the female coupling 2.

The head portion 701 of the female body 7 performs the function of ring holder and ? adapted to contain balls 12 in a locking seat 111.

The ring nut 8 internally comprises a seat 81 for discharging the balls 12.

The ferrule 8 also comprises a seat 82 suitable for partially housing an elastic ring 100 included in the female coupling 2.

The snap ring 100 ? capable of assuming a release position in which ? completely housed in a seat 101 of the female body 7, and a block position in which ? partially housed in the seat 101 and in said seat 82 of the ferrule 8.

With reference to an axis X, i.e. an axis of coupling and uncoupling of the assembly 1, considering a radial direction which ? orthogonal to said axis X, the seat 101 ? internal with respect to seat 82.

By release position we mean a position of the elastic ring 100 which allows the uncoupling of the male coupling 3 from the female coupling 2 (figures 14 and 15).

By locked position is meant a position of the snap ring 100 in which the decoupling between male coupling 3 and female coupling 2 is not achieved. allowed (figure 6).

The snap ring 100 ? capable of remaining in the unlocked position until? the seats 82 and 101 do not line up: in this configuration (figure 6) the elastic ring 100, first compressed in the seat 101 by the ring nut 8 (figure 5), expands radially going to partially occupy the seat 82 and partially the seat 101 Advantageously the ferrule 8 cannot? more slide on the head portion 701 of the female body 7.

When the? female coupling 2 ? decoupled from the male coupling 3 (figure 5), the ring nut 8 ? held in a rest position, with the seats 82 and 101 not aligned, by means of a spring 85 and the balls 12 housed in the locking seat 111.

Once the coupling between the female coupling 2 and the male coupling 3 (figure 6) has taken place, to return the snap ring 100 to the release position, i.e. housed in the seat 101 of the female body 7, ? a tool 200 is needed to decouple the male coupling 3 from the female coupling 2.

The tool 200 (figures 7-10), external to the assembly 1, is consisting of two portions 201 rotatably coupled at a pin 202.

The 200 tool? adapted to assume at least an open configuration (figures 9 and 10) and a closed configuration (figures 7 and 8).

When the tool 200 ? in the closed configuration, it forms four shims 203 able to fit into four openings 83 of the ferrule 8.

Said four openings 83 pass radially and allow the shims 203 to simultaneously compress the elastic ring 100 in four different areas so as to return it to the seat 101. Advantageously, the decoupling of the male coupling 3 from the female coupling 2? allowed.

The tool 200, when in the closed configuration, has a substantially ring shape, ie ? suitable for embracing the ring nut 8.

The capacity? to assume an open configuration allows the tool 200 to be able to couple with ease? to the ring nut 8, inserting the shims 203 with precision in the respective openings 83 of the ring nut 8.

The shims 203 preferably have a linear profile suitable for being inserted into the openings 83 which have a shape suitable for the insertion of said shims 203 to compress the snap ring 100.

The female coupling 2 also comprises a shutter 10 integral with the fitting 6 and which extends axially inside the female body 7.

The shutter 10 has a head 301 and a stem 102, in which the head 301 is integral with the stem 102. The head 301 comprises one end? plane 103 facing the male coupling 3. The stem 102 has radial holes 105 and a cavity? 104 which continues in the fitting 6 forming a single chamber 18 in fluid connection with the machine.

Inside the female body 7, between the head portion 701 and the obturator 10, ? able to slide a socket 15 which is held in position by a spring 16. Gaskets 161 are interposed between the socket 15 and the obturator 10, one of said gaskets 161 being in correspondence with the head of the socket 15, facing the male coupling 3 .

In the single room 18 ? there is an operating pressure of the machine, typically of at least 10 bar.

Said single chamber 18 extends axially from the attachment to the machine up to the head 301 of the shutter 10.

It should be noted that radial means a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the X axis.

The male coupling 3 (figure 6) comprises a male body 70, a shutter 71 sliding axially in the male body 70, and a fitting 72 suitable for connection with the equipment (not shown).

A spring 73 keeps the shutter 71 sealed on the male body 70 when the male coupling 3 is? decoupled from the female coupling 2.

The male body 70 provides on the external surface a discharge seat 90 for the balls 12.

The extremities? of the shutter 71 and of the male body 70 of the male coupling 3 form a flat face of the male coupling 3.

The extremities? of the shutter 10 and of the socket 15, with the gasket 161 at the head of the socket 15, of the female coupling 2 form a flat face of the female coupling 2.

From an operational point of view, once the coupling between the female coupling 2 and the male coupling 3 has taken place, or when c?? fluid connection between the equipment and the machine through the radial holes 105, the snap ring 100 is in the locked position, i.e. ? partially housed in the seat 101 and partially in the seat 82 (figure 6).

The ring 8 can not? scroll on the head portion 701 of the female body 7 why? the snap ring 100 protrudes from the seat 101 of the female body 7 into the seat 82 of the ring nut 8.

To unlock the ring nut 8, or to allow it to slide on the female body 7, ? the 200 tool is necessary.

Figures 11-13 show the simple maneuver that the operator must perform: he opens the tool 200; couples a first portion 201 to the ferrule 8 so that a first spacer 203 enters the respective opening 83; closes the tool 200 so that all the shims 203 enter the respective openings 83 forcing the snap ring 100 into the seat 101 of the female body 7 only (figure 14).

Advantageously, the ring nut 8, guided by the tool 200, can slide on the female body 7 uncoupling the male coupling 3 from the female coupling 2 (figures 15 and 16).

Pi? in particular the ring nut 8 is forced towards the fitting 6 (on the left observing figure 14), so? that the balls 12 can be inserted again in the discharge seat 81 coming out of the discharge seat 90 of the male coupling 3 what so? can? slip out of the female coupling 3 by closing the single chamber 18. An elastic head ring 86 contrasts any movement of the ring nut 8 in the opposite direction, i.e. towards the right, observing figure 14.

After decoupling, figure 16, the ring nut 8 ? stationary in equilibrium between the thrust of a spring 85 towards the head of the female coupling 2, and the contrast of the balls 12. In the configuration of figure 16 ? possible to remove the tool 200.

Only through the tool 200 ? It is possible to move the circlip 100 to the release position and guide the ring nut 8 to disengage the male coupling 3 from the female coupling 2. When the tool 200 ? in closed configuration, ? integral with the ring nut 8.

The presence of a plurality number of openings 83 allows to avoid not only an accidental opening, but also an attempt to open without the tool 200: ? essentially impossible to compress simultaneously in more? zone the snap ring 100.

AND? it is preferable that the areas of contact of the tool 200 with the snap ring 100 are angularly equidistant.

The preferred embodiment shown in the figures provides four shims 203 for four openings 83, for four contact areas of the snap ring 200.

The unlock can? take place, with difficulty, even with two or three thicknesses 203, and, respectively, two or three openings 83 and two or three contact areas.

The unlock can? be of course also with pi? of four thicknesses 203, four openings 83 and four contact areas: however the construction of the tool 200 becomes more complicated.

The openings 83 are configured so that consecutive openings 83 are preferably angularly equidistant around the X axis of the assembly 1.

Advantageously, the linear profile of the shims 203 progressively transforms the contact areas from punctiform (first contact) to linear (tool 200 closed), gradually thus forcing the overall compression of the circlip 100 which reduces its diameter by fully entering the seat 101.

In the embodiment of figures 17, 18, differently with respect to the embodiment of figures 1-16, the assembly 1? screw type.

Pi? in particular the ring 8 ? included in the male coupling 3, does it contain the male body 70 and ? adapted to screw onto the head portion 701 of the female body 7 of the female coupling 2. The coupling therefore does not take place via balls 12 but rather screw-nut screw, in which the nut? inside the ring nut 8 while the screw ? on the head portion 701 of the female body 7.

When the? male coupling 3 ? decoupled from the female coupling 2 (figure 17), the elastic ring 100 protrudes from the seat 101 of the female body 2.

The ferrule 8 of the male coupling 3 has a lead 87 in correspondence with the head 88 of the ferrule 8 (figure 17).

Advantageously during the coupling phase, in which the ring nut 8 slides axially (even rotating), when the head 88 meets the snap ring 100 it gradually compresses it through the guide 87 by inserting the snap ring 100 first completely into the seat 101 of the female body 7 and then partially also in the seat 82 of the ring nut 8.

As visible in figure 18, when the male coupling 3 ? coupled to the female coupling 2, the circlip 100 ? partially contained both in the seat 101 of the female body 7 and in the seat 82 of the ring nut 8.

Consequently, the same situation reappears as in the embodiment of figures 1-16, in which to uncouple the male coupling 3 from the female coupling 2 ? necessary the tool 200 with the shims 203 which are inserted in the seat 82 of the ring nut 8 forcing the elastic ring 100 to compress itself in the seat 101 so? allowing the male coupling 3 to slip off the female coupling 2 by sliding again axially.

The use of the 200 tool? identical cos? such as the function of the elastic ring 100 which only if compressed allows the decoupling of the male coupling 3 from the female coupling 2.

In both embodiments the ferrule 8 slides axially, i.e. along the X axis.

It should be noted that by sliding of the ring nut 8 we mean a translation possibly associated with a rotation as in the embodiment of figures 17 and 18.

Claims (13)

1. Quick coupling assembly (1) suitable for connecting pressurized hydraulic lines, comprising a female coupling (2) and a male coupling (3) which can be coupled with the female coupling (2), wherein the female coupling (2) ? associated with a machine while the? male coupling (3) ? associated with work equipment, or vice versa, wherein the assembly (1) also comprises an axially sliding ring nut (8) suitable for coupling the male coupling (3) to the female coupling (2), characterized by the fact that it also includes an elastic ring (100) suitable for assuming a release position suitable for disengaging the male coupling (3) from the female coupling (2) in which the elastic ring (100) is? completely housed in a seat (101) of a female body (7) of the female coupling (2), and a blocking position of the successful coupling between the male coupling (3) and the female coupling (2) in which the snap ring (100) ? partially housed in the seat (101) of the female body (7) and partially in a seat (82) of the ring nut (8) so that the ring nut (8) cannot slide on the female body (7), in which the snap ring (100) ? capable of passing from the unlocked position to the locked position by expanding radially, while ? adapted to pass from the locked position to the unlocked position by compressing itself by means of a tool (200) external to the quick coupling assembly (1). 2. Assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the ferrule (8) comprises openings (83), wherein each opening (83) is ? radially passing. 3. Assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the openings (83) are configured so that consecutive openings (83) are angularly equidistant around an axis (X), of coupling and uncoupling, of the assembly ( 1). 4. Assembly (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the ferrule (8) comprises at least two openings (83). 5. Assembled (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the ring nut (8) has exclusively four openings (83). 6. Assembled (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring nut (8) ? included in the female coupling (2). 7. Assembled (1) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the ring nut (8) ? included in the male coupling (3). 8. Assembled (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the ring nut (8) has an invitation (87) for the entry of the elastic ring (100) into the seat (82) of the ring nut (8), in which said invitation (87) ? placed in correspondence with a head (88) of the ring nut (8). 9. Tool (200) for uncoupling a male coupling (3) from a female coupling (3) of a quick coupling assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it consists of two portions (201 ) rotatably coupled at a pin (202), in which the tool (200) is? adapted to assume at least one open configuration and one closed configuration, in which when the tool (200) is? in the closed configuration, ? suitable for realizing shims (203) suitable for compressing the elastic ring (100) of the assembled (1) in more? contact areas of the circlip (100). 10. Tool (200) according to claim 9, characterized in that the shims (203) have a linear profile. 11. Tool (200) according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises at least two shims (203). 12. Tool (200) according to claim 11, characterized in that it only provides four shims (203). 13. Quick coupling unit, characterized in that it comprises a quick coupling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1-8, and a tool (200) according to any one of claims 9-12.