JP2001227692A - Quick pipe joint - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a quickly connectable quick pipe joint capable of dispensing with a fastening tool such as a spanner or the like though a conventional pipe joins used a nut, connecting tubular bodies manually and simply without cracking the nut or the like, and preventing the slipping-off. SOLUTION: This quick pipe joint 16 for connecting one tubular body 10 having a male screw 12 to a counter tubular body 14, is composed of a cylindrical casing 20 and a coil spring 42 forming a female screw to be engaged with the male screw 12. The coil spring 42 is enlarged by the screwing-in force of the male screw 12 to permit the screwing-in, and contracted in screwing-back to fasten and lock the male screw 12 on a screwing-in position. The casing 20 is provided with an unlocking member for pressing and enlarging a free end 48 in an opened state of the coil spring 42 or unlocking.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a quick fitting which is suitable as a fitting for a water supply / drainage pipe.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a means for connecting pipes in a water supply / drainage pipe, one using a cap nut has been mainly used. FIG. 9 shows an example of a connection structure of a water supply pipe when a water supply pipe is connected to a low tank for storing flush water for toilet flushing. In the figure, reference numeral 200 denotes a low tank, and 202 denotes a connection inside the low tank 200. Ball tap.

[0003] The ball tap 202 has a first water supply pipe 204 as a distal water supply pipe.
04 projects from the inside through the through hole 208 formed in the wall 206 of the raw tank 200 from the inside to the outside. A nut 210 is screwed into a male screw of the first water supply pipe 204, and the nut 210 sandwiches the wall 206 of the raw tank 200 from inside and outside together with the flange 214 of the ball tap 202 via the packing 212. As a result, the ball tap 202 is fixed to the wall 206.

[0004] Reference numeral 216 denotes a second water supply pipe as a main water supply pipe.
One end surface of the first water supply pipe 204 is
The second feed pipe 216 and the first feed pipe 204 are connected by screwing the cap nut 220 into the male screw of the first feed pipe 204 in this state.

The other end of the second water supply pipe 216 is connected to the cap nut 22 with the elbow 226 with a water stopcock on the water supply pipe 228 on the original end side.
4 are connected. Specifically, an elbow 22 with a water stopcock
The other end of the second water supply pipe 216 and the elbow 226 with a water stopcock are connected by screwing the cap nut 224 into the male screw No. 6 via the packing 222.

[0006]

In connecting the second water supply pipe 216 to the first water supply pipe 204 and the second water supply pipe 216 to the elbow 226 with a water stopcock, a bag using a tool such as a spanner is used. The nuts 220 and 224 are rotated and tightened. At this time, the cap nuts 220 and 224 are often tightened with a very strong force using a tool. In this case, the cap nuts 220 and 224 are stress-cracked. It was causing inconvenience.

On the other hand, when the cap nuts 220 and 224 are loosely tightened, there is a problem that the screws are loosened due to insufficient tightening, and the water supply pipe is sometimes dropped off. Furthermore, in the case of the above connection structure, a tool is required, and the
0, 224 must be rotated many times, causing a problem that the connection work is troublesome and takes much time.

Although the connection of the water supply pipe has been described above as an example,
A similar problem is a problem that can commonly occur in drainage pipes or in connecting other pipes such as pipes. In order to solve such a problem, it is desired that the pipe can be connected by hand tightening without using a tool or the like, and that the connection can be surely performed without loosening.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The quick fitting of the present invention has been devised to solve such a problem. A first aspect of the present invention is a quick fitting for connecting a tubular body having an external thread to a mating side.
A cylindrical casing attached to the counterpart;
The cross-sectional shape is formed by winding at least one turn of a circular or non-circular linear spring material in a coil shape, and one end is fixed to the inner surface of the casing, while the other end is in an open state. A winding spring forming a female screw to be screwed,
The internal thread on the casing side is composed of only the internal thread of the helical spring, and the helical spring expands in diameter by the relative screwing motion of the male thread to allow screwing in, while unscrewing. At the time of diameter reduction, tighten the male screw,
The casing is provided with a release member for pushing the other end of the open state of the winding spring in the radially expanding direction to release the lock. I do.

A second aspect of the present invention is a quick fitting for connecting a tubular body having an annular groove on an outer peripheral surface to a mating side, wherein (a) a tubular casing attached to the mating side; B) a coil spring formed by winding at least one coil of a linear or non-circular wire spring having a circular cross section, one end of which is fixed to the inner surface of the casing, and the other end of which is in an open state; The wound spring has an original shape in a reduced diameter state, and is fitted in the annular groove in the reduced diameter state to lock the tubular body so as to be unable to advance and retreat in the axial direction, while forcibly forcing. The casing is provided with a release member that pushes the other end of the open state of the winding spring in the direction of the diameter expansion and releases the lock, while the casing is configured to be detached from the annular groove by the diameter expansion. Features.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the release member has an operation force input portion exposed on an outer surface of the casing and is pushed inward from the outer surface side. It is characterized by that.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in one of the first to third aspects, one end of the fixed side of the coil spring is formed as a radially outward bent portion. It is characterized in that it is inserted and fixed in a fixing hole on the inner surface of the casing.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the winding spring has a flat cross-sectional shape.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect, the winding spring is provided with cuts from the inner diameter side to the outer diameter side at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction, and a portion between the cuts. Is characterized by being provided with elasticity in the axial direction.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the quick fitting is for a water supply / drainage pipe.

[0016]

As described above, in the quick fitting according to the first aspect of the present invention, a cylindrical casing is attached to a mating side to which a pipe having an external thread is to be connected, and a winding spring is provided inside the cylindrical casing. A female screw is formed by the winding spring to form a female screw, and a release member for releasing the lock by the female screw is mounted on the casing.In the case of this quick fitting, the rotation of the casing or the rotation of the pipe causes the pipe to be rotated. By rotating the male screw relative to the female screw formed by the winding spring and screwing it, the pipe body can be connected to the mating side.

When a male screw is screwed into a female screw formed by a helical spring by relative rotation, the helical spring expands in diameter to allow a smooth screwing (screw-in) of the male screw. The diameter of the male screw is reduced by the relative rotation of the male screw, the male screw is tightened radially inward, and locked at the screwed position. That is, the female screw made of a wound spring acts as a one-way screw, and allows only screwing in and prevents screw return.

In the case of the quick fitting of the first aspect, it is possible to apply a force in the unlocking direction to the unlocking member to deform the coil spring in advance to an expanded state. In this case, the male thread is not screwed in without being screwed. The male screw and the female screw can be screwed together by inserting the screw directly into the casing in the axial direction and removing the force applied in that state. In this case, with the male screw inserted, the male screw can be further screw-operated by finally rotating the casing or the tubular body to perform retightening. In this case, the amount of relative rotation operation of the male screw is small, and the screw connection can be performed extremely easily.

On the other hand, when the male screw is pulled out of the casing and the connection of the tube is released, the winding spring is expanded and deformed by the release member, and the male screw is pulled out of the casing as it is or the casing or the tube is rotated in the direction of loosening the screw. Just operate. In this way, the tube having the external thread and the mating side can be easily separated.

According to the quick fitting of the first aspect, the pipe can be connected extremely quickly and easily. In addition, this quick fitting does not require connection using a nut, so there is no need for a special tool, and the nut is overtightened with a tool, causing stress cracking of the nut. Can also be solved.

Further, the pipe can be connected by hand, and the female screw comprising a helical spring acts to prevent the screw from being loosened. Can be solved. The quick pipe joint according to claim 1 has an advantage that it can be directly applied as a conventional pipe joint, that is, a pipe joint having a male thread at a pipe end.

In a second aspect of the present invention, an annular groove is formed in one of the tubes in place of the male screw, and a winding spring is fitted into the annular groove in a reduced diameter state. Since the pipe is detached from the groove, even in such a case, the pipe body can be quickly and easily connected.

In the present invention, the release member may be such that an input portion of the operating force is exposed on the outer surface of the casing and is pushed radially inward from the outer surface side. This makes it possible to easily release the lock by the winding spring. When the operating force is not input, the release member can be automatically set to a non-operation state, that is, a state in which the release operation is not performed.

According to the present invention, one end of the winding spring on the side fixed to the casing is bent, and the bent portion can be inserted and fixed in a fixing hole on the inner surface of the casing. 4). This makes it possible to easily fix one end of the coil spring to the casing.

Although the winding spring may have a circular cross section, it may have a flat cross section (claim 5). In the case of a circular cross-section, the groove of the male screw on the thread groove or the annular groove may be shallow or weak. However, the cross-sectional shape of the coil spring is set to a flat shape, particularly a flat shape elongated in the radial direction. In this case, there is an advantage that the depth of the groove on the thread groove or the annular groove can be deepened or strengthened.

In this case, a cut is made in the winding spring from the inner diameter side to the outer diameter side at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction,
A portion between the cuts can be provided with elasticity in the axial direction (claim 6). In this case, there is an advantage that the tubular body having the external thread or the annular groove can be easily inserted into the casing in the axial direction without greatly increasing the diameter of the winding spring by the release member.

The quick fitting of the present invention is particularly suitable for being applied to a fitting for a water supply / drainage pipe.

[0028]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pipe joint of a water supply / drainage pipe will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5, reference numeral 10 denotes one tube having a male screw 12 on one end outer peripheral surface, and reference numeral 14 denotes a mating tube to which the tube 10 is to be connected. In this example, the tube 14 is made of a flexible hose.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a pipe joint (quick pipe joint) of the present embodiment, which has an insertion pipe 18 and a cylindrical casing 20. In this example, the insertion tube 18 is made of resin, and approximately half of the axial direction (the left half in FIG. 1A) is the tube 14.
Into the first fitting portion 22. An annular ridge 24 having a triangular cross section is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first fitting portion 22, and the first fitting portion 22 is formed on the inner surface of the tube 14 in a state where the ridge 24 bites into the inner surface of the tube 14. It is inserted.

An inner tube 26 is mounted on the inner surface of the insertion tube 18. In this example, the inner tube 26 is made of a metal tube. Numeral 28 denotes a sleeve-shaped caulking ring which is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the end of the tube 14. The caulking ring 28 is caulked radially inward to insert the insertion tube 1.
8. Specifically, the first fitting portion 22 is fixed to the end of the tube 14.

The cylindrical casing 20 is made of resin in this example and has an inward flange portion 30 at the shaft end.
The flange portion 30 is rotatably fitted to the fitting portion 32 of the insertion tube 18. Under the fitted state, the flanges 34 formed on the insertion tube 18 are prevented from coming off from the insertion tube 18 by the outward flange portions 34.

The insertion tube 18 has a second fitting portion 36 formed at an end opposite to the first fitting portion 22 so that the second fitting portion 36 fits into the inner surface of the tube 10. It has become. A pair of annular O-ring grooves 38 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the second fitting portion 36, and an O-ring 40 is mounted on each of them. The second fitting portion 36 is fitted to the inner surface of the tube 10 through these O-rings 40 in a watertight manner.

A winding spring 42 is mounted inside the casing 20. The winding spring 42 is formed by winding one or more turns of a metal spring wire into a coil shape. The winding spring 42 forms an internal thread that is screwed into the male screw 12 of the tube 10. In this example, the cross section of the winding spring 42 is circular.

As shown in FIGS. 1B and 4, one end of the winding spring 42 is formed as a radially outward bent portion 44, and the bent portion 44 is formed on the inner surface of the casing 20. Are inserted into the fixing holes 46 formed in the holes. Thereby, one end of the coil spring 42 is fixed to the inner surface of the casing 20. On the other hand, the other end on the opposite side is open, that is, a free end 48. Here, the winding spring 42 forming the female screw is shaped so that the original shape fits into the thread groove of the male screw 12 in the tubular body 10.

The casing 20 is also formed with a notch 50, in which a release member 52 is mounted.
The release member 52 has a substantially circular arc shape, and one end side thereof is rotatably attached to the casing 20 by a shaft 54 (see FIG. 1B).

The release member 52 has an end opposite to the shaft 54 serving as an action portion 55 for releasing the lock by pushing the free end 48 of the coil spring 42 in the radially expanding direction. The release member 52 is also provided with an input portion 56 that protrudes radially outward from the notch portion 50, and a pressing force is applied to the input portion 56 radially inward, so that the operating portion is actuated. 55 pushes the free end 48 of the coil spring 42 in the radially expanding direction.

As shown in FIG. 6A, in the case of the pipe joint 16 of this embodiment, the winding spring 42 is normally in a contracted state, and at this time, if the pipe body 10 is in the inserted state, ,
The winding spring 42 is fitted in the thread groove of the male screw 12 in the tube 10. When the casing 20 or the tube 10 is rotated in the screwing direction of the male screw 12 in this state, the winding spring 42 is deformed in the radially expanding direction by the frictional force, so that the male screw 12 can be easily screwed deeper. .

On the other hand, when the casing 20 or the tube 10 is rotated in the unscrew direction of the male screw 12, the diameter of the coil spring 42 is forcibly reduced based on the frictional force, and the male screw 12 is strongly tightened. Becomes Therefore, the casing 20 or the tube 10 cannot be rotated in the direction of loosening the screw. That is, the winding spring 42 is
In the screwed-in position to prevent return. FIG. 6D shows this locked state.

Now, in such a locked state, the release member 52
Is pressed, the action portion 55 is moved to the free end 4 of the coil spring 42.
8 and is pushed in the diameter increasing direction. That is, the coil spring 4
2 is expanded and deformed. FIG. 6B shows the state at this time.

In this state, the male screw 12 can move relative to the winding spring 42 in the axial direction without resistance. Therefore, when the pipe 10 is connected to the other pipe 14, specifically, when the pipe 10 is inserted into the casing 20, the diameter of the winding spring 42 is increased by the release member 52 so that the pipe 1 can be expanded.
This can be inserted into the casing 20 up to a desired position by simply inserting it straight in the axial direction without rotating the O. Then, when the force applied to the input portion 56 is removed when the screw is fitted to the desired position, the winding spring 42 is reduced in diameter here, is fitted into the thread groove of the male screw 12 and prevents the screw from returning.

However, in this state, as described above, the winding spring 42 does not prevent the relative rotation of the male screw 12 in the screwing direction. Is released, and then the casing 20 or the tube 10 is further rotated to retighten the male screw 12 and screw it into the casing 20 to the full. FIG. 6C shows a state at the time of the tightening.

According to the pipe joint 16 of this embodiment, the pipes 10 and 14 can be connected very quickly and easily. In addition, since there is no need to perform connection using a nut in this pipe joint 16, there is no need for a special tool,
It is also possible to solve the problem that the nut is excessively tightened with a tool and causes stress cracking of the nut. In addition, the pipes 10 and 14 can be connected by hand, and the female screw formed by the winding spring 42 functions to prevent the screw from loosening, so that the screw is loosened due to insufficient tightening. Can also be solved.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
In this example, an annular groove 58 is formed in the tube 10 and the annular groove 5 is formed.
This is an example in which a wrap spring 42 is fitted into the inside of the coil 8. Here, the original shape of the winding spring 42 is in a reduced diameter state,
It is designed to fit into the annular groove 58 in the reduced diameter state.

In the case of this example, the coil spring 42 is expanded and deformed by the release member 52, and in this state, the tube 10 is inserted into the casing 20 in the axial direction. Then, when the force applied to the input portion 56 of the release member 52 is removed after the insertion, the winding spring 42 contracts in diameter and fits inside the annular groove 58, thereby locking the tube body 10 in the axial direction. On the other hand, if a pushing force is applied to the input portion 56 in this state, the helical spring 42 is deformed to expand its diameter and comes off the annular groove 58, so that the tube body 10 can be removed.

Also in the pipe joint 16 of this embodiment, the same effects as those of the pipe joint 16 of FIGS. 1 to 5 described above can be obtained, for example, the connection of the pipe bodies 10 and 14 can be performed quickly and easily.

In the present invention, the winding spring 42 can be configured in various other forms. FIG. 8 shows some examples. (A) of the coil spring 4
Reference numeral 2 denotes a flat cross-sectional shape, in this case, a rectangular shape elongated in the radial direction. When the winding spring 42 is configured as described above, the inside of the thread groove of the external thread 12 in the tubular body 10 or FIG. The coil spring 42 can be inserted deeper into the annular groove 58 of the tube body 10 of 7, and the engagement of the groove can be increased or increased.

FIG. 8 (B) shows a cut 60 made from the inner diameter side to the outer diameter side at a constant pitch in the circumferential direction in the winding spring 42 of (A), and the spring piece 6 is inserted between the cuts 60.
This is an example in which No. 2 is formed. In this case, the tube body 10 having the male screw 12 or the annular groove 58 can be easily inserted in the casing 20 in the axial direction without causing the winding spring 42 to be greatly expanded and deformed by the release member 52.

The spring piece 62 can have an inclined shape which is inclined in the axial direction as shown in FIG. 8 (C). By doing so, when the tube 10 is inserted, it can be easily inserted by a spring action,
When a force is applied in the pulling-out direction, there is obtained an advantage that the inclined spring piece 62 is effectively prevented from coming off.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, but this is merely an example. For example, the present invention can be applied as a joint of a pipe body of various forms or uses other than the above examples, and in some cases, the casing 20 of the pipe joint 16 is directly attached to the other pipe body 14. The present invention can be configured in variously modified forms without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a quick fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention and a peripheral portion thereof.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the quick fitting of the same embodiment in a state before one of the tubular bodies is inserted.

FIG. 3 shows a quick fitting of the same embodiment and a peripheral portion thereof.
It is a perspective view shown in the state where one tube was inserted, and the state before insertion.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing a quick fitting and its peripheral portion of the same embodiment in respective members.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a release member and a coil spring of the quick fitting of the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view of the quick fitting of the same embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a quick fitting according to another embodiment of the present invention together with its peripheral portion.

FIG. 8 is a view showing another embodiment of the winding spring in the quick fitting of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of a conventional pipe joint.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 14 pipe 12 male screw 16 pipe joint (quick pipe joint) 20 casing 42 coil spring 44 bent part 46 fixing hole 48 free end 52 release member 56 input part 58 annular groove 60 cut 62 spring piece

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A quick fitting for connecting a tubular body having an external thread to a mating side, comprising: (a) a cylindrical casing attached to the mating side; and (b) a circular or non-circular cross-sectional shape. At least one turn of a circular linear spring material is wound in a coil shape, one end of which is fixed to the inner surface of the casing, and the other end of which is opened to form a female screw which is screwed into the male screw as a whole. And a winding spring,
The internal thread on the casing side is composed of only the internal thread of the helical spring, and the helical spring expands in diameter by the relative screwing motion of the male thread to allow screwing in, while reducing the diameter when unscrewing. The casing is provided with a release member for pushing the other end of the open state of the winding spring in the radial direction to release the lock. Quick fittings. 2. A quick fitting for connecting a tubular body having an annular groove on an outer peripheral surface to a mating side, comprising: (a) a cylindrical casing attached to the mating side; and (b) a cross-sectional shape. A coil spring of at least one turn of a circular or non-circular linear spring material, one end of which is fixed to the inner surface of the casing, and the other end of which is in an open state. The wound spring has an original shape in a reduced-diameter state, and is fitted in the annular groove in the reduced-diameter state to lock the tubular body so as to be unable to advance and retreat in the axial direction. And a release member for pushing the other end of the open state of the winding spring in the radially expanding direction to release the lock, wherein the release member is attached to the casing. Fittings. 3. The release member according to claim 1, wherein an input portion of the operating force is exposed on an outer surface of the casing, and the release member is pushed radially inward from the outer surface side. A quick fitting. 4. The fixing spring according to claim 1, wherein one end of the fixed side of the winding spring is bent outward in a radial direction, and a fixing hole is formed in the inner surface of the casing at the bent portion. A quick fitting which is inserted and fixed in the inside. 5. The quick pipe coupling according to claim 1, wherein the helical spring has a flat cross-sectional shape. 6. The winding spring according to claim 5, wherein a cut is made in the circumferential direction from an inner diameter side to an outer diameter side at a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction, and a portion between the cuts is elastically elastic in the axial direction. A quick fitting, characterized by having been provided with. 7. The quick fitting according to claim 1, wherein the quick fitting is for a water supply / drainage pipe.