JP2006194433A - Assembling structure of resin tube with connector for fuel transporting and resin tube with connector used for this - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an assembling structure of a resin tube with a connector, inexpensively manufacturable with less man-hours and solving the problem wherein the resin tube together with the connector is relatively rotated with respect to a mating pipe due to vibration from a vehicle body in an assembled state to the vehicle body, leading to wear and permanent strain of a seal member such as an O-ring and decline in sealing performance. <P>SOLUTION: When assembling the resin tube 14 with the connector 16 for fuel transporting to the vehicle body, a plurality of portions in the longitudinal direction of the resin tube 14 formed straight are bent using the flexibility of the resin tube 14, and portions in both sides of the bent part 50 are fastened on the vehicle body by a fixing clamp 48 to hold the bent part 50. Thus, a scheduled bent shape is applied to the entire resin tube 14, and the resin tube 14 is assembled to the vehicle body with the connector 16 connected with the mating pipe 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a structure for assembling a resin tube with a connector for transporting fuel and a resin tube with a connector used therefor.

Conventionally, a resin tube is used for transporting fuel, for example, for transporting fuel in a fuel tank to the engine side.
This resin tube is connected to a counterpart pipe on the vehicle body side to constitute a piping system for transporting fuel.

Conventionally, a connector (quick connector) that can be connected with one touch is used for connecting the resin tube and the mating pipe.
For example, this type of connector is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. 10 and 11 show a specific configuration example of this connector.

In these figures, 200 is a resin tube, and 202 is a mating pipe to which the resin tube 200 is to be connected.
The mating pipe 202 is formed with an engaging convex portion (pipe side engaging portion) 204 projecting annularly on the outer peripheral surface thereof.

Reference numeral 206 denotes a connector, which includes a connector main body (here, entirely made of resin) 208, a retainer 210, an O-ring 212 as a seal member, and a bush 214.
The connector main body 208 has a retainer holding portion 216 on one side in the axial direction, and a press-fit portion 218 as a connection portion with the resin tube 200 on the other side.

The press-fitting portion 218 is a portion that is press-fitted in the axial direction into the resin tube 200, and an annular protrusion 220 having a sawtooth-shaped tip and an acute angle is formed at a plurality of locations on the outer peripheral surface and different in the axial direction. Is formed.
The connector main body 208 is connected to the resin tube 200 by press-fitting the press-fitting portion 218 into the resin tube 200.

At this time, the annular protrusion 220 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the press-fitting portion 218 bites into the inner surface of the end portion of the resin tube 200 bulging and deformed by press-fitting to prevent the resin tube 200 from being pulled out.
Note that an annular groove is formed in the press-fit portion 218, and an O-ring 222 is held therein, and the space between the press-fit portion 218 and the resin tube 200 is hermetically sealed by the O-ring 222.

The retainer holding portion 216 is a portion that holds the retainer 210 in an accommodated state, and the connector main body 208 is connected to the mating pipe 202 via the retainer 210.
The retainer holding portion 216 is provided with a latching portion (main body side latching portion) 224 for latching with the retainer 210 at the front end thereof.
On the other hand, the retainer 210 is a resin member having a substantially annular shape as a whole, and is elastically deformable in the radial direction.

The retainer 210 includes an engagement recess or engagement slit portion (retainer side engagement portion) 225 that engages the engagement projection portion 204 of the mating pipe 202 from the inside in the radial direction, and the above-described latching on the connector main body 208 side. A latching groove (retainer side latching portion) 226 that fits radially inward from the portion 224 and latches in the axial direction is provided.
The retainer 210 is held in a fixed state in the axial direction by the retainer holding portion 216 by hooking the hook groove 226 on the hook portion 224 of the retainer holding portion 216.

The retainer 210 also has an inner peripheral cam surface 228 and an outer peripheral cam surface 230 that are tapered on the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface.
When the mating pipe 202 is inserted into the retainer 210 in the axial direction, the inner circumferential cam surface 228 abuts against the engaging convex portion 204 to guide its movement, and the retainer 210 moves along with the movement of the engaging convex portion 204. Is expanded by the cam action as a whole and elastically, and the engagement convex portion 204 is allowed to pass.
Then, when the engaging convex portion 204 reaches the position of the engaging concave portion 225, the retainer 210 is entirely restored to the original shape, and at the same time, the engaging convex portion 204 is fitted into the engaging concave portion 225, They are fixed to each other in the axial direction.

On the other hand, the outer peripheral cam surface 230 causes the retainer 210 to reduce the diameter of the retainer 210 as a whole and elastically by contact with the latching portion 224 when the retainer 210 is inserted into the retainer holding portion 216 of the connector body 208 in the axial direction. The latching groove 226 is latched to the latching portion 224 with the diameter reduction motion.
An operation knob 231 is provided at the tip of the retainer 210. By applying a force to the operation knob 231, the retainer 210 can be reduced in diameter.

In this connector 206, the retainer 210 is held by the retainer holding portion 216 of the connector main body 208, and the mating pipe 202 is inserted into the retainer 210 in the axial direction in this state.
At this time, the retainer 210 is elastically pushed and expanded in the expanding direction by the engagement convex portion 204 of the mating pipe 202, and when the engagement convex portion 204 reaches the engagement concave portion 225, the diameter of the retainer 210 is reduced. The joint convex portion 204 is engaged with the engaging concave portion 225.

The retainer 210 may be attached to the mating pipe 202 in advance, and the mating pipe 202 may be inserted into the connector main body 208 together with the retainer 210 in this state.
At this time, after the retainer 210 has once contracted in diameter, the retainer 210 expands when the latching groove 226 reaches the position of the latching portion 224, and the latching groove 226 is latched to the latching portion 224. .

The O-ring 212 and the bushing 214 as the sealing members are mounted and held inside the connector main body 208 on the back side of the retainer holding portion 216, and when the mating pipe 202 is inserted into the connector main body 208, the O-ring. 212 or these O-rings 212 and the bushing 214 come into airtight contact with the outer peripheral surface of the insertion end 232 of the mating pipe 202, that is, the insertion end 232 on the tip side of the engagement convex portion 204, and the mating pipe 202 and the connector. The space between the main body 208 is hermetically sealed.
In FIG. 10A, two O-rings 212 are used. However, as shown in FIG. 10B, only one O-ring 212 may be used for compactness.
As can be seen from the above, in the connection using such a connector 206, the resin tube 200 can be easily connected to the mating pipe 202 with one touch.

  In addition, as a connector with which the end part of the resin tube 200 is mounted | worn, the connector as described in patent document 2 can be used. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, this connector 300 is of a type in which a relatively thin retainer 302 is attached to a retainer holding portion 304 in a direction perpendicular to the axis.

  The connector 300 includes a connector main body (here, entirely made of resin) 306, a retainer 302, an O-ring 308 as a seal member, and a bush 310 (see FIG. 12A). .

  The connector main body 306 has a short cylindrical retainer holding portion 304 on one side in the axial direction, and has a connecting portion 312 with the resin tube 200 on the other side, for example.

  The retainer 302 has a form of an annular body configured by integrally connecting both sides of a pair of engaging portions (retainer side engaging portion, retainer side latching portion) 314 with a V-shaped body 316, respectively. (Refer to FIG. 12 (B)). In a state of being deformed thinly, the retainer holding portion 304 is inserted into the retainer holding portion 304 from the opening 318 provided in the retainer holding portion 304 and is expanded in the original shape. It is arranged in an integrated manner.

  When the mating pipe 202 (slightly different shape from the mating pipe 202 shown in FIG. 10) is inserted into the retainer 302, the engaging convex portion 204 comes into contact with the inclined guide cam surface 320 of the engaging portion 314, and the engaging convex portion. 204 progresses while expanding the retainer 302 by pushing the inclined guide surface or the inclined guide cam surface 320 radially outward. As soon as the engaging convex portion 204 exceeds the engaging portion 314, the retainer 302 is slightly deformed so as to become thinner, and the engaging portion 314 engages with the engaging convex portion 204 in the axial direction (see FIG. 13). The engaging portion 314 enters the notch (main body side latching portion) 322 of the retainer holding portion 304 and is engaged with the retainer holding portion 304 in the axial direction. In this way, the mating pipe 202 and the retainer 302 or the connector main body 306 are fixed in the axial direction. The mating pipe 202 can be extracted by pressing the pressing portions 324 of the retainer 302 from both sides in the radial direction and expanding the engaging portions 314. In addition, as shown in FIG. 14, the enclosure part 326 may be protrudingly formed in the opening part 318 so that the press part 324 may not protrude outside.

  A connector as described in Patent Document 3 can also be used. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, this connector 400 is of a type in which a U-shaped retainer 402 is attached to the retainer holding portion 404 in the direction perpendicular to the axis, and a checker member 406 for confirming the connection of the mating pipe 202 is provided. I have.

  The connector 400 includes a connector main body (in this case, entirely made of resin) 408, a retainer 402, an O-ring 410 as a seal member, and a bush 412, and further includes a checker member 406. (See FIGS. 15 and 16B).

  The connector main body 408 has a short cylindrical retainer holding portion 404 on one side in the axial direction, and a connection portion 414 with, for example, the resin tube 200 on the other side.

  The checker member 406 is a box-shaped member having a latching groove 418 at the ends of a pair of elastic arms 416, and is arranged on the outer periphery of the retainer holding unit 404 so that the latching groove 418 engages with the bottom surface part 420. The retainer holding portion 404 is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the axis.

  The retainer 402 has a detection protrusion 424 that protrudes inward in the radial direction at the end (free end) of the pair of detection pieces 422, and the detection protrusion 424 corresponds to the engagement protrusion 204 of the mating pipe 202. The retainer holding portion 404 is attached to the outer periphery of the retainer holding portion 404 in a direction perpendicular to the axis so as to protrude into the moving path, and is disposed on the retainer holding portion 404 (see FIG. 16A).

  In a state in which the mating pipe 202 is inserted into the connector main body 408 and the engaging convex portion 204 is in contact with the bush 412 (normal mating state of the mating pipe 202), the detection projection 424 of the retainer 402 is inclined to the inclined guide surface or inclined The guide cam surface 425 is pushed by the engaging convex portion 204 that has advanced while being pushed outward in the radial direction, moved outward in the radial direction, and the engagement between the detection projection 424 and the concave portion 430 of the receiving hole 428 is released, and the retainer It is possible to push 402 further in the direction perpendicular to the axis. When the retainer 402 is pushed in the direction perpendicular to the axis, the engaging portion (retainer side engaging portion) 431 of the retainer 402 engages with the engaging convex portion 204 of the mating pipe 202 and the checker member is attached to the guide piece 432 of the retainer 402. When the elastic arm 416 of 406 is pushed, the latching groove 418 of the elastic arm 416 moves radially outward, and the engagement between the latching groove 418 and the bottom surface portion 420 is released. In this way, the mating pipe 202 and the connector main body 408 are fixed in the axial direction, and in this fixed state, the checker member 406 and the connector main body 408 can be separated. That is, the checker member 406 can be removed from the connector body 408 only when the mating pipe 202 is normally connected. The retainer 402 is engaged in the axial direction with restriction flanges (main body side latching portions) 434, 436, and 438, front end surfaces, intermediate groove portions, and rear end surfaces (retainer side latching portions).

The conventional resin tube 200 as described above has a thickness of, for example, an inner diameter of 6 mm and an outer diameter of about 8 mm, and is used in a piping system as shown in FIG.
In this piping system, the fuel in the fuel tank 234 is supplied through the supply path 238 under a constant pressure by the fuel pump 236, and this is injected from the injector 240 toward the cylinder 242 of the engine, and surplus fuel is returned to the return path. It is returned to the fuel tank 234 through 244.
The piping and the resin tube as described above are preferably lightweight and small in diameter from the viewpoint of piping system design or cost reduction.

  On the other hand, in recent years, without supplying surplus fuel from the fuel tank 234, only a necessary amount, that is, only a consumed amount is supplied to the engine side, and surplus fuel is supplied as in a piping system (so-called fuel return system) in FIG. Piping systems that do not return to the fuel tank 234, so-called fuel returnless systems, have come to be used.

  Since only the required amount of fuel is supplied in this fuel returnless system, if the resin tube having the same diameter as that of the piping system shown in FIG. 17 is used, the fuel is likely to stay, and the staying fuel is piped depending on the atmosphere in the engine room. The engine speed is likely to become unstable.

As the resin tube in this case, it is preferable to use, for example, a thin resin tube having an outer diameter of 5 mm or less so as not to cause fuel retention.
In addition, for so-called small vehicles such as mini vehicles with small displacement, motorcycles, motor tricycles, ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles), the use of a resin tube with an inner diameter of 4 mm or less, for example 3.5 mm, suppresses the staying state. It is preferable to use a thin resin tube having an inner diameter of 3 mm or less, for example, 2.5 mm.

  By the way, when piping and assembling a resin tube with a connector for fuel transportation to the vehicle body, the layout of the piping is determined in advance, so in the past, the entire resin tube was previously molded into the required bent shape at the molding stage. I brought this to the assembly site and assembled it to the car body.

  However, the resin tube with a connector in which the molded shape is bent is constrained by fitting a straight tubular resin tube into a constraining mold, and the entire resin tube is placed in a heating oven. It is heated for 30 minutes to give a bent shape, and after that, these are taken out of the oven and cooled, and then the resin tube is removed from the constraining mold (for example, disclosed in Patent Document 4 below). Therefore, the cost is high, and every time the vehicle type is different, strictly speaking, every time the piping layout is different, another type of dedicated resin tube is required, which also increases the cost.

The conventional assembly structure of the resin tube for fuel transportation is such that the resin tube is previously formed into a required bent shape as described above, and its end is connected to the mating pipe with a connector, In this case, the following problems have occurred in addition to the above.
When vibration from the vehicle body is applied through the mating pipe to the resin tube connected to the mating pipe via the connector, the resin tube rotates relative to the mating pipe together with the connector, so that it is held inside the connector. This causes a problem that the sealing member such as the O-ring is worn out or sags to deteriorate the sealing performance.

The solution is proposed in Patent Document 5 below. However, in this case, there is a problem that a special dedicated connector and a fixed clamp are required.
The above-described problems are particularly prominent in a vehicle in which the engine is integrated with the rear wheel and the engine fluctuates integrally with the rear wheel.
In the motorcycle, when the engine and the fuel tank are arranged and fixed on the same frame, the resin tube with a connector for transporting fuel to the engine does not swing so much, and therefore the above-mentioned Although the problem is not so noticeable, in a motorcycle of a type in which the engine fluctuates integrally with the rear wheel (for example, disclosed in Patent Document 6 and Patent Document 7 below), the vibration applied to the connector-attached resin tube is also increased. The tube swings greatly, and the above problem is particularly likely to occur.

JP-A-11-2013355 Japanese Patent No. 2641683 JP 2004-251319 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-190913 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-269088 No. 7-55192 No. 7-46617

  The present invention is based on the above circumstances, can be manufactured with less man-hours, and is low in cost. In addition, the resin tube rotates together with the connector relative to the other pipe due to vibration applied from the vehicle body when assembled to the vehicle body. An assembly structure of a resin tube with a connector and a resin tube with a connector used for the assembly that does not cause problems such as causing wear and sag of a seal member such as an O-ring and thereby reducing sealing performance. It was made for the purpose of providing.

  Thus, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a resin tube with a connector, which is connected between a fuel tank and an engine and transports fuel, and a connector for connecting to a mating pipe at the end is assembled to the vehicle body. The resin tube formed in a straight tube shape is bent in a single or a plurality of locations in the longitudinal direction based on the flexibility of the resin tube, and the body on both sides of the bent portion is fixed by a clamp. By holding the bent portion and holding the bent portion, a predetermined bent shape is imparted to the entire resin tube, and the connector is assembled to the vehicle body in a connected state with the mating pipe.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the resin tube is a thin tube having an outer diameter of 6 mm or less.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first and second aspects, the mating pipe is a pipe integrally formed with a device fixed to the vehicle body.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the engine is integrated with a rear wheel and fluctuates integrally with the rear wheel.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the fixed clamp has an annular holding portion, and an opening for fitting the resin tube into the holding portion in a direction perpendicular to the axis before the clamping. And the opening is closed in a fixed state to the vehicle body.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the connector has a tubular shape as a whole and is connected to the retainer holding portion on one side in the axial direction and to the resin tube on the other side. A connector main body having a connecting portion, and (b) a convex or concave pipe side engaging portion held at the retainer holding portion and spaced from the outer peripheral surface of the mating pipe and the axial end on the insertion side. A retainer that engages and fixes the inserted mating pipe in the axial direction; and (c) the mated connector that is mounted and inserted inside the connector body at a depth closer to the connecting portion than the retainer holding portion. And a sealing member that makes a sealing action by contacting the outer peripheral surface of the insertion end of the pipe.

  The retainer holding part can be formed in a socket shape, and the connection part can be a press-fitting part that is press-fitted into the resin tube.

  The resin tube with a connector according to claim 8 is used for the assembly structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

  As described above, the present invention bends one or more portions in the longitudinal direction of a resin tube formed into a straight tube based on the flexibility of the resin tube, and uses the clamps on both sides of the bent portion. In this way, the bent portion is held by being fastened to the vehicle body, thereby giving a predetermined bent shape to the entire resin tube, and being assembled to the vehicle body in a connected state with the mating pipe in the connector. Since the resin tube does not have to be formed into a predetermined bent shape at the manufacturing stage, the required cost for the resin tube can be reduced.

  In addition, the resin tube has a straight tube shape before assembly, and at the stage of assembly to the vehicle body, it is first formed into a required bent shape and assembled to the vehicle body. There is no need to prepare a dedicated resin tube, and there is an advantage that the same type of resin tube can be used for various vehicle types and piping layouts.

In the present invention, since the portions on both sides of the bent portion of the resin tube are fixed to the vehicle body by the fixing clamp, even if vibration from the vehicle body is applied to the resin tube, the resin tube does not swing. The resin tube itself does not rotate due to the restraining action of the fixed clamp, that is, the connector does not rotate relative to the mating pipe, thereby preventing relative rotation of the resin tube. Based on this, it can solve the problem that the sealing member in the connector wears and sags and the sealing property is lowered, and the sealing property between the connector and the mating pipe is maintained well for a long time. Can do.
Here, the present invention is particularly effective when applied to an assembly structure using a metal clamp.

The present invention is particularly effective when applied to an assembly structure using a thin resin tube having an outer diameter of 6 mm or less.
This small-diameter resin tube is particularly excellent in flexibility. Therefore, it is difficult to cause kinking when it is bent at the assembly stage, and therefore it can be easily bent and deformed into a desired bent shape to the vehicle body. Can be assembled.

The present invention can be suitably applied to a case where a resin tube is connected to a pipe formed integrally with a device fixed to a vehicle body via a connector (claim 3).
When the mating pipe is fixed to the vehicle body as described above, there is a problem that the resin tube easily rotates relative to the mating pipe together with the connector due to the vibration of the vehicle body. It can prevent effectively and can keep a sealing property favorable.
For the same reason, the present invention is effective when applied to a structure for assembling a resin tube to a vehicle in which the engine is integrated with the rear wheel and fluctuates integrally with the rear wheel. ).

In the present invention, the fixed clamp has an annular holding portion and an opening for fitting the resin tube into the holding portion in a direction perpendicular to the axis before the clamp, and the opening is closed in a fixed state to the vehicle body. (Claim 5).
By using such a fixed clamp, the resin tube can be easily fixed to the vehicle body with the fixed clamp while bending the resin tube at the assembly site, and after being fixed, the opening is closed. For this reason, even if the resin tube swings greatly, the relative movement of the resin tube and the fixed clamp is restricted, and it is possible to prevent a problem that the resin tube is rubbed.

In the present invention, the connector is inserted with a retainer holding portion on one side in the axial direction, a connector main body having a connecting portion connected to the resin tube on the other side, and a retainer held by the retainer holding portion. And a sealing member that makes a sealing action in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the mating pipe.
In this case, the retainer holding portion can be formed in a socket shape, and the connection portion can be formed in the press-fit portion.
Further, in this case, the retainer is a member that is elastically deformable in the radial direction, and (a) fits from the radially inner side to the main body side locking portion formed on the retainer holding portion side of the connector main body. The retainer side latching part that is locked and fixed in the axial direction and the inner peripheral cam surface for elastically expanding the retainer when the mating pipe is inserted into the retainer, or when the retainer is inserted into the retainer holding part The retainer can have at least one of outer peripheral cam surfaces for elastically reducing the diameter.

  Claim 8 is a resin tube with a connector used in the assembly structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the resin tube forms a straight tube at the molding stage and has a predetermined bent shape when assembled to the vehicle body. Thus, the manufacturing cost can be kept low.

Next, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an assembly structure of a resin tube with a connector that is piped between an engine and a fuel tank of a small vehicle and transports fuel will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Here, the small vehicle means a light vehicle, in particular, a motorcycle, a tricycle, an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), and the like.

2 and 3, reference numeral 10 denotes a mating pipe formed integrally with a device such as an engine or a fuel tank fixed to the vehicle body, and an engagement convex portion (pipe side engagement portion) 12 projecting in an annular shape on the outer peripheral surface. Is formed.
FIG. 4 shows a resin tube with a connector that is piped between an engine and a fuel tank and used for fuel transportation in a state before being assembled to the vehicle body. In the figure, 14 is a resin tube, The connector (quick connector) attached to both ends is shown.
Here, the resin tube 14 has a straight pipe shape before assembly. That is, the resin tube 14 is formed in a straight pipe shape. When one end is directly connected to a mating member such as the mating pipe 10 by direct press fitting or the like, the connector 16 is attached only to the other end (one end) of the resin tube 14.

Even if this resin tube 14 with a connector 16 is a fuel returnless system or a system (fuel return system) for returning surplus gasoline to a fuel tank, it is preferably used.
As shown in FIG. 4B, the resin tube 14 has a laminated structure of an inner layer 14A made of ETFE and an outer layer 14B made of PA 12, and a fixing clamp 48 (described later) is formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. A protective layer 14C made of rubber (here, EPDM) that protects the resin tube 14 and prevents scratches is laminated in a covering state over the entire length at the clamp location shown in FIGS.

In the present embodiment, the resin tube 14 is intended inside diameter _{d 1} of the inner diameter or inner layer 14A is 2.5 mm, the outer diameter _{d 2} of the outer layer 14B is thin the .phi.4 mm.
Here, the inner layer 14A has a thickness of 0.2 mm, the outer layer 14B has a thickness of 0.55 mm, and the protective layer 14C has a thickness of 1.0 mm. That is, the wall thickness t of the inner layer 14A and the outer layer 14B is 0.75 mm.
The resin tube 14 has an overall length L of 200 to 1500 mm.
However, these laminated structures, materials, thicknesses, lengths, and other dimensions are merely examples, and it goes without saying that they can be variously changed.

The connector 16 includes a connector main body 18 (in this case, entirely made of resin), a retainer 20, an O-ring 22 as a seal member, and a bush 24 (for example, the O-ring 22 is a seal). The bush 24 functions not as a seal member but as a shaft runout prevention member).
In this embodiment, the connector 16 (excluding the seal member) is made of polyamide. However, the material can be appropriately selected from the viewpoints of heat resistance, fuel permeation resistance, gasoline resistance (which does not easily swell when in contact with gasoline) and cost.

Specifically, polyamide-based (PA11, PA12, P6, PA66, PPA, etc.), PPS, etc. are excellent in heat resistance, and polyester-based (PBT, PET, PEN, etc.) are excellent in fuel permeability resistance and gasoline resistance.
POM is relatively inexpensive while ensuring heat resistance, fuel permeation resistance, and gasoline resistance.

In addition, glass fibers can be blended with the above materials to improve strength, and nanocomposite materials such as clay can be blended to improve fuel permeability.
These materials are also suitable as the material of the resin tube 14, and as the material of the resin tube 14, those resin materials obtained by alloying an elastomer can be used, and in this case, the heat resistance of the resin itself. In addition to the fuel permeation resistance, flexibility can be added to the resin tube 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connector body 18 has a socket-like retainer holding portion 26 on one side in the axial direction, and a press-fit portion as a connection portion with the resin tube 14 on the other side. (Nipple part) 28 is provided.
The retainer holding portion 26 is a portion that holds the retainer 20 in an accommodated state, and the connector main body 18 is connected to the mating pipe 10 via the retainer 20.
The retainer holding portion 26 is provided with a front end latching portion (main body side latching portion) 32 for latching the opening window 30 and the retainer 20. A pair of opening windows 30 are provided at radially symmetric positions.
On the other hand, the retainer 20 is a resin member having a substantially annular shape (here, a C-shaped cross section) as a whole, and is elastically deformable in the radial direction.

The retainer 20 has an engagement concave portion or an engagement slit portion (retainer side engagement portion) 34 for engaging the engagement convex portion 12 of the mating pipe 10 from the inside in the radial direction and fixing it in the axial direction, A latching groove (retainer side latching portion) 36 that is fitted from the inside in the radial direction and latched in the axial direction is provided on the latching portion 32 on the connector main body 18 side.
The retainer 20 is held in a fixed state in the axial direction by the retainer holding portion 26 by hooking the hook groove 36 on the hook portion 32 of the retainer holding portion 26.

The retainer 20 is also provided with an inner peripheral cam surface (inner peripheral guide surface or inner peripheral contact surface) 38 and an outer peripheral cam surface (outer peripheral guide surface or outer peripheral contact surface) 40 which are tapered on the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface. And are formed.
When the mating pipe 10 is inserted into the retainer 20 in the axial direction, the inner circumferential cam surface 38 abuts against the engaging convex portion 12 to guide its movement, and the retainer 20 is moved along with the movement of the engaging convex portion 12. Is expanded and elastically moved by the cam action, and the passage of the engaging convex portion 12 is allowed.
Then, when the engaging convex portion 12 reaches the position of the engaging concave portion 34, the retainer 20 is restored to the original shape as a whole, and at the same time, the engaging convex portion 12 fits into the engaging concave portion 34, They are fixed to each other in the axial direction.

When the retainer 20 is inserted into the retainer holding portion 26 of the connector main body 18 in the axial direction, the outer peripheral cam surface 40 causes the retainer 20 to reduce the diameter of the retainer 20 as a whole and elastically by contact with the latching portion 32. The latching groove 36 is latched to the latching portion 32 along with the diameter reducing motion.
An operation knob 42 is provided at the tip of the retainer 20, and the retainer 20 can be reduced in diameter by applying a force to the operation knob 42.

In this connector 16, the retainer 20 is held by the retainer holding portion 26 of the connector body 18, and the mating pipe 10 is inserted into the retainer 20 in the axial direction in this state.
At this time, the retainer 20 is elastically pushed and expanded in the expanding direction by the engaging convex portion 12 of the mating pipe 10, and when the engaging convex portion 12 reaches the engaging concave portion 34, the retainer 20 performs a diameter reducing motion and The joint protrusion 12 is engaged with the engagement recess 34.

The retainer 20 may be attached to the mating pipe 10 in advance, and the mating pipe 10 may be inserted into the connector main body 18 together with the retainer 20 in this state.
At this time, after the retainer 20 has once contracted in diameter, the retainer 20 expands when the latching groove 36 reaches the position of the latching portion 32, and the latching groove 36 is latched to the latching portion 32. .

  The O-ring 22 and the bush 24 as the sealing member are mounted and held inside the connector main body 18 on the back side of the retainer holding portion 26, and the O-ring is inserted when the mating pipe 10 is inserted into the connector main body 18. 22 or these O-rings 22 and the bush 24 are in airtight contact with the outer peripheral surface of the insertion end 44 of the mating pipe 10, that is, the insertion end 44 on the tip side of the engagement convex portion 12. The space between the connector body 18 is hermetically sealed.

The press-fitting portion 28 is a portion that is press-fitted in the resin tube 14 in the axial direction, and is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the press-fit portion 28 at a plurality of different locations in the axial direction. Is formed.
The connector body 18 is prevented from being removed from the resin tube 14 by press-fitting the press-fit portion 28 into one end of the resin tube 14. In addition, the connector main body 18 and the resin tube 14 can be brought into a removal-prevented state other than press-fitting, for example, by welding, overmolding, or the like.

FIG. 1 shows an assembled state of the resin tube 14 with the connector 16 to the vehicle body.
As shown in the figure, here, the resin tube 14 is bent into an arc shape at a plurality of longitudinal locations (here, three locations) based on its flexibility, and the bent portions 50-1, 50 at the plurality of locations are bent. The portions on both sides of −2 and 50-3 are held by the fixing clamp 48 and fastened to the vehicle body.

As a result, a predetermined bent shape is imparted to the entire resin tube 14 with the connector 16, and the resin tube 14 is assembled to the vehicle body in a connected state with the mating pipe 10 in the connector 16.
That is, the resin tube 14 formed into a straight tubular shape is piped and assembled to the vehicle body in a desired bent shape by the holding and restraining action by the fixed clamp 48.

5 and 6 show a preferred example of the fixed clamp 48. FIG. Here, FIG. 5 shows a state before fixing, and FIG. 6 shows a state after fixing.
In FIG. 5, the fixing clamp 48 is made of metal, and has a holding portion 54 that forms a ring as a whole, and a pair of plate-like fixing portions 56 that extend from both ends of the holding portion 54 in the circumferential direction (see FIG. 5). 5 (A)).
Each fixing portion 56 has a fixing hole 58, and is fastened to the vehicle body in these fixing holes 58. Here, the fixed clamp 48 has an opening 52 for fitting the resin tube 14 into the holding portion 54 in the direction perpendicular to the axis in the state before the clamping shown in FIG.

Reference numeral 59 denotes a buffer member made of an elastic material (here, made of rubber) interposed between the metal fixed clamp 48 and the resin tube 14, and has a cylindrical portion 60 and flange portions 62 at both ends. An opening 64 is provided at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction (FIG. 5B).
That is, the buffer member 59 has a C-shape as a whole.

In this fixed clamp device (fixed clamp 48 and buffer member 59), as shown in FIG. 6, the cylindrical portion 60 of the buffer member 59 is fitted into the holding portion 54, and the resin tube 14 is opened 52 in this state. , 64 to be inserted into the buffer member 59, and then the fixing clamp 48 is fastened to the vehicle body in the fixing hole 58. At this time, the fixing clamp 48 fixes the resin tube 14 to the vehicle body with the opening 52 closed. That is, the fixing part 56 approaches or comes into contact with each other.
Alternatively, the buffer member 59 may be fitted in the resin tube 14 in advance, and the resin tube 14 together with the buffer member 59 may be inserted into the holding portion 54 of the fixed clamp 48 in the direction perpendicular to the axis so as to be fitted internally.
Although the buffer member 59 is used here, the resin tube 14 can be directly fitted into the fixing clamp 48 and fixed.

FIG. 7 shows another preferred example of the fixed clamp.
The fixed clamp 66 is different from the fixed clamp 48 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in that a rising portion (curved portion) 68 is provided between the opening of the holding portion 54 and the fixed portion 56. The other points are basically the same. That is, in the fixed clamp 66, a relatively long and bent opening 69 is formed between the opening of the holding portion 54 and the fixed portion 56, and the fixed clamp 66 is deformed so that the fixed portion 56 is aligned. As a result, both the rising portions 68 approach or connect to each other, and the opening and the opening 69 of the holding portion 54 are closed, and a more stable holding function of the resin tube 14 is ensured at the time of fastening.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since it is not necessary to mold the resin tube 14 into a predetermined bent shape at the manufacturing stage, the required cost for the resin tube 14 is reduced. be able to.
In addition, the resin tube 14 has a straight tube shape before being assembled. Since the resin tube 14 is first formed into a required bent shape at the stage of assembly to the vehicle body and assembled to the vehicle body, it differs depending on the vehicle type or piping layout. It is not necessary to prepare a dedicated resin tube 14 every time, and it is possible to cope with various vehicle types or piping layouts using the same type of resin tube.

  Further, in this embodiment, since both side portions of the bent portion 50 (50-1, 50-2, 50-3) of the resin tube 14 are held by the fixing clamps 48 and 66 and fixed to the vehicle body, vibration from the vehicle body is caused. When the resin tube 14 is applied to the resin tube 14, the resin tube 14 can be prevented from swinging and the resin tube 14 itself does not rotate due to the restraining action of the fixed clamps 48, 66. Thus, the O-ring 22 in the connector 16 is worn or sagged due to the relative rotation of the resin tube 14, thereby simultaneously solving the problem of lowering the sealing performance. It is possible to maintain the sealing performance between the connector 16 and the mating pipe 10 well over a long period of time.

  In addition, the thin resin tube 14 of this embodiment is a thin tube and is highly flexible. Therefore, when it is bent at the assembling stage, it is difficult to be broken (kink) and has a desired bent shape. It can be easily bent and deformed and assembled to the vehicle body.

  In addition, the fixed clamps 48 and 66 in the present embodiment can elastically expand the C-shaped holding portion 54 to fit the resin tube 14, and the resin tube 14 can be easily bent at the assembly site. It can be fastened to the vehicle body with a fixed clamp.

  In the present invention, the above-described fixed clamps 48 and 66 have openings 52 and 69 before the clamps, and close the openings 52 and 69 in a state of being fastened to the vehicle body, and allow play between the resin tubes 14. It is possible to reduce or eliminate the movement of the resin tube 14 satisfactorily, and it is desirable that the resin tube 14 can be satisfactorily suppressed. However, in the present invention, various types of clamps other than those shown in the above example are used. It is possible.

8 and 9 show an example thereof.
Here, FIG. 8 shows a state before fixing, and FIG. 9 shows a state after fixing.
In FIG. 8, the fixed clamp 70 is made of a resin having elasticity, has a ring shape as a whole, and has a substantially C-shaped holding portion 74 having an opening 72 at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction, and a fixing portion 76. ing. The holding portion 74 has a pair of guide beak portions 73 protruding outward on both sides of the opening 72. The fixing portion 76 includes an insertion portion 78 into the fixing hole 57 of the panel on the vehicle body side, and a pair of clamping portions 61A and 61B that clamp the panel from both inside and outside. The sandwiching portion 61A is integrally formed so as to extend from the outer end portion (end portion on the holding portion 74 side) of the fixing portion 76 or the insertion portion 78 to both lateral sides (left and right sides in FIG. 8). These are integrally formed so as to extend from the inner end of the fixing portion 76 or the insertion portion 78 (the end opposite to the holding portion 74) to both sides in the lateral direction. The sandwiching portion 61B has a base portion 61B-1 that extends outward in the lateral direction while tilting toward the holding portion 74 on each side in the lateral direction, and a lateral portion while tilting toward the holding portion 74 from the lateral outer end of the base portion 61B-1. And a folded portion 61B-2 extending inward in the direction. The distance between the lateral outer ends of the clamping part 61A is sufficiently larger than the width of the fixing hole 57, and the distance between the lateral outer ends of the clamping part 61B (the distance between the lateral outer ends of the base part 61B-1) is It is slightly larger than the width of the fixing hole 57.

  In the fixed clamp 70, as shown in FIG. 9, the resin tube 14 is inserted into the holding portion 74 through the opening 72 in the direction perpendicular to the axis and held by the holding portion 74 while the holding portion 74 is elastically expanded. The resin tube 14 is fixed to the vehicle body by fastening the fixing clamp 70 to the vehicle body in the fixing hole 57. The fixing clamp 70 is fastened by, for example, inserting the insertion portion 61B until the clamping portion 61B is pushed into the fixing hole 57 of the panel while being deformed inward in the lateral direction and passes through the fixing hole 57 to the back side of the panel. This is done by inserting 78 into the fixing hole 57. In the attached state, the lateral outer end portion of the sandwiching portion 61A is engaged with the panel surface, and the folded portion 61B-2 of the sandwiching portion 61B is engaged with the edge or the inner end edge of the fixing hole 57. Therefore, for example, the fixed clamp 70 is stably attached to the panel, but the fixed clamp 70 can be smoothly inserted into the fixed hole 57, and the fixed clamp 70 can be pulled out from the fixed hole 57. It is.

  If the retainer is elastically deformable in the radial direction, the retainer is attached to both ends or one end of the resin tube 14 regardless of whether the retainer is separate from the connector main body or formed integrally. It can be used as a connector. When the mating pipe 10 is inserted into the connector main body, the connector retainer used in the embodiment of the present invention is pushed by the engaging convex portion 12 of the mating pipe 10 and temporarily deformed in the radial direction (for example, the radial direction). And then elastically recovers and engages with the engaging convex portion 12 of the mating pipe 10 to fix the connector body in the axial direction. For example, like the connector 300 shown in FIG. 12, a retainer 302 incorporated in the retainer holding portion 304 and integrated can be applied. Alternatively, as shown in the connector 400 shown in FIG. 15, the retainer 402 can be pushed into the retainer holding portion 404 when the mating pipe 202 is completely inserted. When the connector 300 or the connector 400 is used, the connection portion 312 or the connection portion 414 is configured as a resin tube connection portion (for example, a press-fit portion) that can be appropriately connected to the resin tube 14.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, this is merely an example, and the present invention can be configured in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is the figure showing the connector with a resin tube which is one Embodiment of this invention in the assembly | attachment state to the vehicle body. (A) It is sectional drawing which decomposes | disassembles and shows the connector in the embodiment partially. (B) It is sectional drawing which shows the state which connected the resin tube to the other party pipe using the connector. It is a perspective view which shows the connector partially disassembled together with a mating pipe and the like. It is a figure which shows the resin tube with a connector in the same embodiment in the state before an assembly | attachment. It is a figure of the fixed clamp and buffer member in the embodiment. It is the perspective view and sectional drawing showing the state which fastened the resin tube with the fixed clamp of the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the other example of a fixed clamp. It is a figure which shows the example of a different form of a fixed clamp in the state before fixation. It is a figure which shows the fixed clamp of FIG. 8 in a fixed state. It is a figure which shows the conventional connection example of the resin tube using a connector. It is a figure which shows the principal part of the connector in FIG. 10 with the resin tube. It is a figure which shows another connector. It is a figure which shows the connection state of another connector and an other party pipe. It is a figure which shows the modification of another connector. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows another connector. It is sectional drawing which shows another connector. It is a conceptual diagram of a fuel return system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Counter pipe 14 Resin tube 16 Connector 18 Connector main body 20 Retainer 22 O-ring 26 Retainer holding | maintenance part 28 Press-fit part 32 Latching part 34 Engagement recessed part 38 Inner peripheral cam surface 40 Outer peripheral cam surface 48 Fixed clamp 50, 50-1, 50 -2, 50-3 Bent part 52 Opening 54 Holding part

Claims (8)

A structure for assembling a resin tube with a connector, which is piped between a fuel tank and an engine and transports fuel, and a connector for connecting to a mating pipe at the end is attached to a vehicle body,
One or more portions in the longitudinal direction of the resin tube formed into a straight tube are bent based on the flexibility of the resin tube, and the portions on both sides of the bent portion are fastened to the vehicle body with a fixed clamp, and the bent portion Of the resin tube with a connector for transporting fuel, characterized in that a predetermined bent shape is imparted to the entire resin tube, and the connector is assembled to the vehicle body in a connected state with the mating pipe in the connector. Assembly structure.   The assembly structure of a resin tube with a connector for fuel transportation according to claim 1, wherein the resin tube is a thin tube having an outer diameter of 6 mm or less.   3. The assembly structure of a resin tube with a connector for transporting fuel according to claim 1, wherein the mating pipe is a pipe integrally formed with a device fixed to the vehicle body.   4. The assembly structure of a resin tube with a connector for fuel transportation according to claim 1, wherein the engine is integrated with a rear wheel and fluctuates integrally with the rear wheel. .   5. The fixing clamp according to claim 1, wherein the fixed clamp has an annular holding portion, and an opening for fitting the resin tube into the holding portion in a direction perpendicular to the axis before the clamping, An assembly structure of a resin tube with a connector for transporting fuel, wherein the opening is closed in a fixed state.   6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector has a tubular shape as a whole and has a retainer holding portion on one side in the axial direction and a connecting portion connected to the resin tube on the other side. A main body, and (b) held by the retainer holding portion, and engaged with and inserted into a convex or concave pipe side engaging portion at a position separated from the outer peripheral surface of the mating pipe and the axial end on the insertion side. A retainer that fixes the mating pipe in the axial direction; and (c) an outer periphery of an insertion end of the mating pipe that is mounted and inserted inside the connector body at a depth closer to the connecting portion than the retainer holding portion. An assembly structure of a resin tube with a connector for transporting fuel, comprising: a sealing member that contacts the surface and performs a sealing action.   7. The set of resin tubes with a connector for fuel transportation according to claim 6, wherein the retainer holding portion is formed in a socket shape, and the connection portion is a press-fit portion that is press-fitted into the resin tube. Attached structure. The said resin tube with a connector for the said fuel transport used for the assembly | attachment structure in any one of Claims 1-7.

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