JP2011080531A - Coupler - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coupler reducing seal members in number and simplifying the assembly. <P>SOLUTION: In the coupler 10 including a plug P10 and a socket S10 and enabling communication, a seal member 22 for three locations is constituted by integrally providing a connected portion seal member 21 (22a) for sealing a fitted and connected portion between coupler bodies 11, 31, a valve seal member 17 (22b) which is provided in a passage which can be opened and closed between valve bodies 16, 35 and the coupler bodies, in order to seal the passage, and a holder seal member 14 (22c) for sealing between the coupler bodies and a valve holder. Thus, the seal member 22 for three locations is obtained by integrally forming the seal 21 for the connected portion, the seal 17 for the valve, and the holder seal 14, so that the number of the seal members can be reduced, the number of the attachment portions of the seal members can be reduced, and the assembly can be simplified. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a coupler configured by a pair of a plug and a socket, which is detachably connected, and is used when transferring liquid or the like from a container body such as a bottle to a device body such as a tank or when replacing the entire container body. It is intended to reduce the number of sealing members and facilitate the assembly, and is particularly suitable to be provided between the cartridge container of the methanol fuel cell and the fuel cell main body.

  Various liquid fuel cells that can generate electricity directly from liquid fuel are being developed. In direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) that use methanol as fuel, portable electronic devices can be miniaturized without the need for a reformer. Use as a power source is attracting attention.

  In particular, in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) called a passive method, a fuel cartridge containing methanol, which is a liquid fuel, is connected to a fuel tank provided on the fuel cell body side to supply methanol directly. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the size without requiring a fuel supply pump (see Patent Document 1).

  In such a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), in order to supply methanol as a fuel, the fuel cell main body and the fuel cartridge main body containing methanol are urged to urge the valve body and the valve body in the closing direction, respectively. A coupler constituted by a socket and a plug having a valve mechanism having a means is provided, and the liquid fuel is supplied by connecting the coupler and communicating with each other in a sealed state to supply liquid fuel. The valve mechanism can be closed and sealed.

  When such a plug of the coupler is attached to, for example, the fuel cartridge body, as schematically shown on the lower side in FIG. 11, the valve holder 2 is attached to the upper end of the mouth portion N of the soft bottle 1 serving as the container body. While mounting the flange part 2a, the valve body 4 is accommodated in the valve holder 2 via the urging means 3, and the valve holder 2 and the valve body 4 are connected by the plug body 5 having a flow path opened and closed by the valve body 4. It attaches to the soft bottle 1 so that it may cover. Similarly, when the socket is attached to the fuel cell main body, the valve holder 2 is attached to the lower end of the mouth N of the fuel tank 1, 1 'in the device main body as schematically shown on the upper side in FIG. While mounting the flange part 2a, the valve body 4 is accommodated in the valve holder 2 via the urging means 3, and the valve holder 2 and the valve body 4 are connected by the plug body 5 having a flow path opened and closed by the valve body 4. It is attached to the fuel tank 1 'so as to cover it.

  In such a coupler plug, the plug and the socket each have three seal portions and one seal portion of the connection portion, and it is necessary to attach a seal member to each seal portion. That is, the container seal member 6 is provided between the upper end of the mouth portion N of the soft bottle 1 and the lower surface (inside) of the flange portion 2a of the valve holder 2, and the upper surface (outside) of the flange portion 2a of the valve holder 2 and the plug. A holder seal member 7 is provided between the main body 5 to secure a seal in a state where the coupler is attached to the soft bottle 1, and a valve seal is provided in a flow path opened and closed between the valve body 4 and the plug main body 5. A member 8 is provided to ensure a seal by opening and closing the valve body 4. The same applies to the socket. Furthermore, a connection portion seal member 9 is provided at the connection portion of the socket so as to perform sealing when connected to the plug.

JP 2005-71713 A

However, in such a coupler, there is a problem that a seal member corresponding to the number of seal portions is required, the number of seal members used is large, and there are many assembling processes. Simplification is desired.
In particular, when trying to reduce the size of the coupler, the seal member itself becomes fine, and the incorporation of the fine seal member becomes complicated, and further improvement is desired.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems and demands of the prior art, and aims to provide a coupler that can reduce the number of seal members and simplify the assembly.

  In order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, a coupler according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a coupler main body attached to a container main body to form a flow path, a valve body for opening and closing the flow path of the coupler main body, A pair of plugs and sockets each including a valve holder that houses the valve body and is attached to the container body in a sealed state; and a biasing means that is provided in the valve holder and biases the valve body in the closing direction. The coupler is configured such that the coupler main body of the plug and the socket is detachably fitted to each other, and the both valve bodies are opened in a fitted connection state to allow the container main bodies to communicate with each other. At least one of the sockets includes a connection seal member that seals a fitting connection between the coupler bodies, and the valve body and the coupler body. And is characterized in being provided with opening and closing is the channel also serves a valve sealing member to seal be configured by providing the two portions combined sealing member to seal.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure of the first aspect, the two-port seal member is integrally provided with a holder seal member for sealing between the coupler body and the valve holder. The present invention is characterized in that it is configured as a part and seal member.

  Furthermore, a coupler according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration according to the first or second aspect, the valve seal member is configured by a substantially ring-plate-like film.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure according to any one of the first to third aspects, the connection portion sealing member is a top surface portion of the dual-purpose seal member or the dual-purpose seal member. And / or it is comprised so that a front side wall part can be sealed as a sealing surface.

  Furthermore, the coupler according to claim 5 of the present invention is configured to be capable of supporting an operation member for opening the valve body with the connection portion seal member in addition to the structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4. It is characterized by.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration according to the fourth aspect, the connecting portion seal member is placed on the outer side of the operation member to form a bulging portion to form a connecting portion seal portion. It is characterized by that.

  Furthermore, the coupler according to claim 7 of the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration according to claim 6, a flare portion or a flange portion is formed on the operation member to cover the connection seal member. Is.

In addition to the structure according to any one of claims 5 to 7, the coupler according to claim 8 of the present invention is configured as an integral structure in which the operation member and the connection portion seal member are integrally molded or bonded. It is characterized by.

  Furthermore, in the coupler according to claim 9 of the present invention, in addition to the configuration according to claim 2, the three-port seal member is disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the operation member on the socket side, and the connection seal portion is provided at the tip portion. A bellows-shaped elastic holder portion provided, a flange portion integrally provided at a base end portion of the elastic holder portion, and having a front and rear surfaces sandwiched between the socket body and the valve holder portion to form a holder seal portion; It is characterized by comprising a substantially cylindrical shape projecting on the rear surface side of the flange portion and a valve seal portion that can be contact-sealed with the seal portion of the valve body.

  According to the coupler of the first aspect of the present invention, a coupler main body that is attached to the container main body to form a flow path, a valve body that opens and closes the flow path of the coupler main body, and the valve body are housed. And a pair of plugs and sockets provided with a valve holder attached to the container body in a sealed state and biasing means provided in the valve holder for biasing the valve body in the closing direction. The coupler main body is detachably fitted and connected to each other, and is a coupler capable of opening both valve bodies in a fitted connection state to allow the container main bodies to communicate with each other, and at least one of the plug and the socket, A connecting portion sealing member for sealing a fitting connecting portion between the coupler main bodies, and a flow path opened and closed between the valve body and the coupler main body for sealing. Since the seal member is also provided with a dual-purpose seal member that also serves as a seal member, the seal member can be used as a dual-use seal member that also serves as a seal for the connection between the plug and the socket and a seal for the valve. And the number of attachments of the seal member can be reduced by that amount, and the assembly can be simplified.

  Furthermore, according to the coupler according to claim 2 of the present invention, a holder seal member that seals between the coupler main body and the valve holder is provided integrally with the two-point seal member so as to constitute a three-point seal member. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the number of seal members by combining the seal of the connection portion, the seal of the valve, and the holder seal into a seal member for three locations. It can only be reduced and the assembly can be simplified.

  According to the coupler of claim 3 of the present invention, since the valve seal member is constituted by a substantially ring-plate-like film, the two-way seal member or the three locations for the movement of inserting the plug into the socket. The dual-purpose seal member can follow, and the connection portion can be reliably sealed.

  Furthermore, according to the coupler according to claim 4 of the present invention, the connection portion seal member can be sealed with the top surface portion and / or the tip side wall portion of the dual-location seal member or the triple-location seal member as a seal surface. Since it is configured, from the start of connection to the completion of connection without sliding the seal member, even if the seal surface is any of the top surface part, the tip side wall part, the top face part and the tip side wall part, between the top face part and the tip side wall part, etc. The sealed state can be stably maintained, and it is possible to cope with repeated connection release.

  In the coupler according to claim 5 of the present invention, since the operation member for opening the valve body can be supported by the connection portion seal member, the connection portion seal is used to support the operation member of the valve body. By also using the members, the structure can be further simplified and the assembly can be facilitated.

  Furthermore, according to the coupler according to claim 6 of the present invention, since the bulging portion is formed by covering the connection member sealing member on the outside of the operation member to form the connection portion seal portion, the manufacture is simple. In addition, the surface pressure of the connecting portion seal portion increases, and a sealed state can be reliably obtained.

  According to the coupler of the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the flare portion or the flange portion is formed on the operation member and the connection seal member is covered, the flare portion and the flange portion of the operation member can reliably In addition to being supported by the connecting portion seal member, the shape of the seal member can be simplified.

  Furthermore, according to the coupler according to claim 8 of the present invention, since the operation member and the connection portion seal member are integrally formed or bonded, the operation member and the connection portion seal member have an integrated structure. It can be operated more reliably.

  According to the coupler of claim 9 of the present invention, the three-port seal member is arranged in the outer peripheral portion of the operation member on the socket side and is provided with a bellows-like elastic member provided with a connecting portion seal portion at the tip portion. A holder part, a flange part integrally provided at the base end part of the elastic holder part, the front and rear surfaces being sandwiched between the socket main body and the valve holder part, and constituting a holder seal part; Since it is a cylindrically projecting valve seal part that can contact and seal with the seal part of the valve body, the three seals required for the socket can be combined into one, making it easy to incorporate and securely sealing Can do.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a socket and a plug constituting a coupler are separated according to an embodiment in which a coupler of the present invention is applied to a fuel cell. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connection start state of the socket and plug which comprise a coupler concerning one embodiment which applied the coupler of this invention to the fuel cell. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the state which connected the socket and plug which comprise a coupler concerning one embodiment which applied the coupler of this invention to the fuel cell. It is explanatory drawing of opening and closing of the valve seal part by one embodiment which applied the coupler of this invention to the fuel cell, and the sealing member for 3 places. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a socket and a plug constituting the coupler are separated according to another embodiment in which the coupler of the present invention is applied to a fuel cell. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the state which connected the socket and plug which comprise a coupler concerning other one Embodiment which applied the coupler of this invention to the fuel cell. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a socket and a plug constituting the coupler are separated, and a longitudinal sectional view showing a connection completion state of the socket and the plug constituting the coupler according to still another embodiment of the coupler of the present invention. It is applied when the connection portion seal portion of another embodiment of the coupler of the present invention is the tip side wall portion of the dual-purpose seal member, (a) is an exploded cross-sectional view of the seal member without recess and the operation member with flare FIG. 5B is an exploded cross-sectional view and an assembled cross-sectional view of the sealing member with the recess and the operating member with the flange. It is sectional drawing of only the socket concerning other embodiment of the coupler of this invention. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a socket and a plug constituting the coupler are separated, and a longitudinal sectional view showing a connection completion state of the socket and the plug constituting the coupler according to still another embodiment of the coupler of the present invention. It is explanatory sectional drawing which omits some flow paths etc. of the conventional coupler, and shows only a seal part typically.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First, the overall configuration of the coupler of the present invention will be described by taking as an example the case of being provided between a fuel cell main body and a fuel replenishing cartridge main body for a fuel cell.
The fuel cell coupler (hereinafter simply referred to as a coupler) 10 includes a socket S10 and a plug P10 that is fitted and connected to the socket S10. For example, a fuel tank that is a container body on the methanol fuel cell body side. Is provided with a socket S10, and a plug P10 is provided on a bottle which is a container body on the cartridge body side as a methanol container, and the fuel body is replenished with fuel from the cartridge body, or the entire cartridge is replaced. Used for That is, in the coupler according to the present invention, the container body includes both the tank on the battery body side and the bottle on the cartridge side.

  The main part of the socket S10 is made of a metal material, but most of the socket S10 is exposed to liquid fuel. Therefore, the socket S10 is preferably made of a material excellent in corrosion resistance, for example, non-conductive. It is preferable to use it after treatment or gold coating. For example, polypropylene (PP), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS), etc. are used as the non-metallic material member, as well as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) having methanol resistance, liquid crystal A super engineer plastic such as a polymer (LCP) or a general engineer plastic such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or polyacetal (POM) is preferably used. Further, as the rubber, for example, nitrile rubber (NBR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), fluorine rubber (FKM), chloroprene rubber (CR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPT, EPDM), and silicone rubber (VMQ) are preferably used. .

In the following description, the upper and lower sides in the drawing will be described as a reference, but the actual fitting and connecting direction is not limited at all, and any direction may be used.
The socket S10 of the coupler 10 includes a socket body 11 that constitutes a coupler body that is exposed and attached to the surface of the fuel cell body or the body of a device that incorporates the fuel cell, and a plug P10 that forms a pair with the socket S10. A plug connection hole 12 into which is inserted and connected is formed on the surface. The plug connection hole 12 is composed of a two-stage cylindrical portion having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion whose inner diameter is larger toward the surface side.
A substantially bottomed cylindrical valve holder 13 is connected to the step portion outside the large diameter portion of the socket body 11, and the outer periphery of the small diameter portion of the socket body 11 and the inner periphery of the valve holder 13 serve as a holder seal portion 14. In the bottom of the valve holder 13, a communication hole 13a communicating with the inside of the fuel cell main body is formed. The communication hole 13a of the valve holder 13 and the tip hole of the connection seal portion 21 serve as a flow path 15 in the socket S10 so that the inside and outside of the fuel cell main body can communicate with each other.

  A valve body 16 constituting a socket-side valve body that opens and closes the flow path 15 is slidably mounted in the valve holder 13, and has a substantially cylindrical valve body 16 a and a large-diameter conical seal portion at the upper end. 16b, the conical surface of the seal portion 16b is a valve seal portion 17, and the outer peripheral surface of the seal portion 16b is a guide portion along the inner periphery of the valve holder 13, and the operation of the socket side operation member 20 The flow path 15 is opened and closed.

  Note that the seal portion 16b of the valve body 16 is not limited to a conical surface, and may be a flat surface.

Further, as an urging means for urging the valve body 16 in the closing direction, a compression coil spring 18 is mounted between the bottom portion of the valve holder 13 and the lower side of the large-diameter conical seal portion 16b of the valve body 16. is there.
By the valve body 16 opened and closed by the compression coil spring 18, the flow path 15 between the communication hole 13a formed at the bottom of the valve holder 13 and the distal end hole of the connection seal portion 21 is connected to the outer periphery of the valve body 16a from the communication hole 13a. And the inner periphery of the valve holder 13, the valve seal part 17 of the seal part 16 b of the valve body 16 to be opened and closed, and the connection part seal part 21 so as to reach the tip hole.

The valve body 16 has a mounting hole 19 for an operating member formed at the center of the large-diameter conical seal portion 16b, and a stepped rib 19a is formed at the bottom of the mounting hole 19. A socket-side operation member 20 having a hollow pipe shape smaller in diameter than 19 is mounted on the stepped rib so that the distal end portion 20 a is positioned in the plug connection hole 12 of the socket body 11.
Thus, the flow path is formed so as to reach the distal end hole of the connection seal portion 21 through the hollow hole of the operation member 20 through the gap formed by the mounting hole 19 and the stepped rib 19a.
The distal end portion 20a of the socket side operation member 20 forms a connection portion seal portion 21 between the distal end portion of the plug P10, which will be described later, and ensures a sealed state when the socket S10 and the plug P10 are connected.

  The seal member of the connecting portion seal portion 21 may be provided on either or both of the socket S10 side and the plug P10 side. Here, the seal member is provided on the socket S10 side.

  In the illustrated example, the distal end portion 20a of the socket side operation member 20 is formed as a straight tube and is sealed at the distal end surface. However, the socket side operation member 20 is sealed by flaring or forming a flange to expand the connection portion seal member. You may make it do. When sealing at the distal end surface, the connecting portion seal member 21 does not slide or friction with the movement of the valve body 16, and when sealing at the outer peripheral surface, Sliding will occur.

  In the socket S10 configured as described above, three seal portions of the holder seal portion 14, the valve seal portion 17, and the connection portion seal portion 21 are provided, and usually an elastic seal material is attached to each of them. One seal member for sealing the seal portion of the place is also used as one, and the seal member 22 for three places is mounted. The three-way seal member 22 includes a flange-shaped substantially disk portion 22b protruding outward at the lower end of the inner cylindrical portion 22a at the center, and is concentric with the inner cylindrical portion 22a at the outer peripheral end of the substantially disk portion 22b. The cross-sectional shape of the vertical half in which the outer cylindrical portion 22c is integrated is substantially J-shaped.

The tip end portion 20a of the socket side operation member 20 is attached to the inner side of the inner cylindrical portion 22a of the three-way seal member 22, and the outer periphery of the upper end portion becomes a connection portion seal member (22a) that seals the connection portion seal portion 21. The socket-side operation member 20 is held.
Further, the flange-shaped substantially disk portion 22b of the three-way seal member 22 is disposed on the valve seal portion 17 to become a valve seal member (22b), and as shown in FIG. By moving in the valve opening direction, the substantially disk portion 22b is elastically deformed to form a gap formed between the valve seal portion 16a and the valve seal portion 16a is brought into close contact with the valve seal portion 16a. The valve is closed.

  Further, the outer cylindrical portion 22c of the dual-purpose seal member 22 is disposed in the holder seal portion 14, and is attached so as to be sandwiched between the outer periphery of the small diameter portion of the socket body 11 and the inner periphery of the valve holder 13 and sealed. The holder seal member (22c) is made, and one end of the three-point seal member 22 is thereby fixed.

  The three-way seal member 22 is a holder seal that seals the holder seal portion 14 at the front end edge of the substantially disc portion 22b that serves as a valve seal member by omitting the molding of the outer cylindrical portion 22c serving as a holder seal member. You may make it a member and it does not necessarily need to shape | mold previously.

  By using this dual-purpose seal member 22, the seal member at the three locations can be attached only once, and the inner cylindrical portion 22a serving as the connecting portion seal member can be attached to the front end portion 20a of the socket side operation member 20. After the mounting, the socket side operation member 20 is inserted into the mounting hole 19 for the operation member of the valve body 16, the compression coil spring 18 is disposed outside the valve body 16, the valve holder 13 is attached, and the holder seal member By sandwiching the outer cylindrical portion 22c to be between the socket body 11 and the substantially circular plate portion 22b serving as a valve seal member, it can be attached in a set state at the same time. In particular, when the coupler 10 has a small diameter and a small size, if the sealing member is constituted by an O-ring or the like, the diameter of the sealing member may be several millimeters, which makes it difficult to incorporate. It is simple and can reduce the mounting process, and is more effective.

  In addition, it replaces with the sealing member 22 combined with three places, and seals by contacting the sealing part 16b of the valve | bulb main body 16 by the connection part sealing member 21 and the substantially disc part 22b which seal the connection part sealing part 21 by the inner cylindrical part 22a. The seal member of the valve seal portion 17 and the valve seal member at two locations can be integrated into a two-point seal member, and the holder seal member may be attached as a separate body, and the number of assembling locations is increased by one. However, it can be easily integrated.

  Further, the three-port combined seal member 22 for sealing the valve seal portion 17 and the substantially circular plate portion 22b of the two-port dual-use seal member may have any shape that can be opened and closed by the movement of the valve main body 16, and move elastically. However, it may be opened or closed while only the seal portion is elastically deformed and opened or closed.

  In the socket S10 configured as described above, after the connection portion seal portion 21 is sealed in conjunction with the plug P10, the socket side operation member 20 mounted in the mounting hole 19 of the valve body 16 is pressed. Thus, the valve main body 16 constituting the valve body is automatically opened or closed by removing the plug P10.

  Next, the plug P10 of the coupler 10 that is fitted and connected to the socket S10 is mainly made of a non-metallic material such as polypropylene (PP) or polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) except for a part of an operation member, a spring or the like. , High-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS), etc., methanol-resistant polyether ether ketone (PEEK), liquid crystal polymer (LCP) and other super engineer plastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), poly General-purpose engineer plastics such as butylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyacetal (POM) are preferably used. Further, as the rubber, for example, nitrile rubber (NBR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), fluorine rubber (FKM), chloroprene rubber (CR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPT, EPDM), and silicone rubber (VMQ) are preferably used. . In addition, since metal parts are exposed to liquid fuel, it is preferable to use a material with excellent corrosion resistance and the like. For example, it may be used after being subjected to a non-conductive treatment or a gold coating. preferable.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the plug P10 is attached to the outer periphery of the tip of the nozzle N of the container constituting the container main body in which methanol as fuel of the fuel cell is placed, and is approximately 4 constituting the coupler main body screwed into the container. A stepped cylindrical plug body 31 is provided, with a distal end portion (lower end portion) 31a having a minimum diameter and a proximal end portion (upper end portion) 31d following the intermediate small diameter portion 31b and intermediate large diameter portion 31c having a maximum diameter. Yes.

  The plug main body 31 constituting the coupler main body on the plug side is formed with a substantially cylindrical projecting coupling portion 32 having a minimum diameter that protrudes from the tip portion and is fitted into the plug connection hole 12 of the socket S10. In contact with the tip surface of the inner cylindrical portion (connection portion seal member) 22a of the three-point seal member 22 attached to the tip portion 20a of the socket side operation member 20 of the socket S10 at the tip of the projecting coupling portion 32. A seal recess 32a for sealing is formed, and a mounting hole 32b for a plug-side operation member is formed in the center.

  The seal recess 32a has a tapered recess having a large diameter on the distal end opening side and a small diameter on the base end bottom side. The taper surface guides insertion of the three-port seal member 22 of the socket S10 and securely seals at the bottom. I can do it. In addition, since the seal recess 32a is provided so as to dent the front end surface of the plug P10, even if liquid fuel remaining on the plug P10 is removed from the socket s10, even if liquid fuel remains attached, the seal recess 32a is accommodated in the seal recess 32a. In this way, contact with the liquid fuel that remains is prevented.

  In addition to the tapered recess 32a, the seal recess 32a is sealed at the inner peripheral surface instead of being sealed at the bottom as a cylindrical recess (see FIG. 7 and the like to be described later). It is good also as other recessed shape, such as enabling it to accommodate.

The end face of the intermediate small diameter part 31b on the inner peripheral side of the intermediate large diameter part 31c of the plug main body 31 is a valve seat 33 constituted by a flat surface.
The inner periphery of the cylindrical portion with the maximum diameter of the intermediate large-diameter portion 31c and the base end portion (upper end portion) 31d of the plug main body 31 serves as the holder seal portion 34, and the nozzle N of the container serves as the holder seal member 40. The plug body 31 is attached to the container by being screwed into the nozzle of the container.

  Inside the plug main body 31, a valve main body 35 constituting a plug-side valve body is mounted, and a substantially large-diameter disk portion at an intermediate portion serves as a valve head 35a. A valve stem 35b formed with a small-diameter channel groove 35e that projects across the distal end surface and a large-diameter guide portion 35c that projects to the base end center (upper center) are integrally formed. A plug-side operation member 41 provided in contact with the flow channel groove 35e of the valve stem 35b protruding to the center of the tip (center of the lower end) is located in the projecting coupling portion 32 so as to reciprocate integrally with the valve body 35. It has become.

  The plug-side operation member 41 is composed of a metal small-diameter pipe, and the base end (upper end) is flared and applied to the flow channel groove 35e of the valve stem 35b. The flow path is configured to communicate with the inside of the vip via a flow channel groove 35e that opens on both side surfaces and the front end surface. Thereby, the flow path which connects the inside of a pipe and the outside of a pipe can be formed, without processing a hole, an axial groove | channel, etc. on the side surface of a small diameter pipe.

  Further, an O-ring mounting portion 35f is provided at the tip (lower end) of the valve head 35a of the valve body 35 so as to face the valve seat 33, and an O-ring 37 constituting a valve seal member of the valve seal portion 36 is provided. It is attached.

  In order to guide the reciprocation of the valve main body 35, a substantially cylindrical valve holder 38 with a bottom is provided so as to surround the outer side of the guide portion 35c, and an intermediate flange portion of the intermediate large diameter portion 31c of the plug main body 31 is provided. While being applied to the upper end face, an O-ring 40 as a holder seal member is applied to the upper surface of the flange portion, and is sandwiched and attached by a plug body 31 that is screwed into a screw portion on the outer periphery of the nozzle N.

  A compression coil spring 39 is mounted on the outer periphery of the guide portion 35 c of the valve body 35, the lower end is applied to the valve head 35 a, and the upper end is pressed by the intermediate protrusion of the valve holder 38.

  As a result, the valve body 35 is always urged downward, and the O-ring 37 attached to the O-ring mounting portion 35f of the valve head 35a is pressed against the valve seat 33 for sealing, thereby closing the valve or compressing the coil. The valve 39 can be opened by being separated from the spring 39.

  In addition, since the valve holder 38 that supports the upper end of the compression coil spring 39 is attached to the plug body 31 without an elastic body or the like, there is no change in biasing force due to the intervention of the elastic body as in the prior art. It can be kept constant and can be opened and closed in a stable state.

  Further, a flow path hole 38a is formed in the upper end side wall of the valve holder 38 so as to communicate with the inside of the container.

  In the plug P10 configured as described above, the valve body 35, which is a valve body, is automatically operated by pressing the valve stem 35b of the valve body 35 via the plug-side operation member 41 in connection with the socket S10. The valve is opened or closed by releasing the connection.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the coupling connection between the socket S10 and the plug P10 in the coupler 10 is performed by contacting the sealing material 22a of the connection portion seal portion 21 of the three-point seal member 22 and sealing the connection portion. After that, the socket side operation member 20 is operated in a state where the seal of the connection portion seal portion 21 is held, and the valve body 16 of the socket S10 is first opened by setting the strength of the compression coil spring 18, and then further pressed. As a result, the valve main body 35 of the plug P10 is moved to be opened, and the connection of the socket S10 and the plug P10 constituting the coupler 10 is completed.

  According to the coupler 10, coupler bodies 11 and 31 that are attached to a container body to form a flow path, valve bodies 16 and 35 that open and close the flow path of the coupler main bodies 11 and 31, and the valve body 16 , 35 stored therein and attached to the container body in a sealed state, and biasing means 18 provided in the valve holders 13, 38 for biasing the valve bodies 16, 35 in the closing direction, 39, a pair of plugs P10 and sockets S10. The coupler main bodies of these plugs and sockets are detachably fitted and connected to each other, and both valve bodies are opened in a fitted connection state, and the container main bodies are connected to each other. A connecting portion sealing member that seals a fitting connecting portion between the coupler main bodies on at least one of the plug and the socket. 1 (22a), a valve seal member 17 (22b) which is provided and sealed in a flow path opened and closed between the valve body and the coupler body, and a holder seal which seals between the coupler body and the valve holder Since the member 14 (22c) is integrally provided as the three-point seal member 22, the seal 21 for the connecting portion, the valve seal 17 and the holder seal 14 are combined into one and the seal member 22 for three locations. As a result, the number of seal members can be reduced, and the number of attachments of the seal members can be reduced by that amount, thereby simplifying the assembly.

  Furthermore, according to this coupler 10, the holder seal member 14 (22c) which seals between the said coupler main body and the said valve holder is integrally provided in the said 2 location combined seal member, and it comprised as the 3 location combined seal member 22. Therefore, by using the seal 21 for the connection portion, the seal 17 for the valve, and the holder seal 14 as one, the seal member 22 can be used in three places, so that the number of seal members can be further reduced, and the seal member can be attached. However, it can be reduced by that amount to simplify the assembly.

  Further, according to this coupler 10, since the valve seal member 17 (22b) is constituted by a substantially annular plate-like membrane, the three-point seal member follows the movement of inserting the plug into the socket, and is connected. The seal of the part can be ensured.

  Furthermore, according to this coupler 10, since the said connection part sealing member 21 was comprised so that sealing was possible by making a front end surface into a sealing surface, it is a sealing state from a connection start to a connection completion, without sliding the sealing member 17 (22b). Can be held, and it is possible to cope with repeated connection release.

  Further, according to the coupler 10, since the operation member 20 for opening the valve body can be supported by the connection portion seal member 21, the connection portion seal member is also used for supporting the operation member of the valve body. As a result, the structure can be further simplified to facilitate the incorporation.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
5 and FIG. 6 relate to another embodiment of the coupler of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the socket and the plug constituting the coupler are separated, and FIG. 6 is the socket and the plug constituting the coupler. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connection completion state.
In this coupler 10A, the three-port seal member 42 is used for the plug P10. The same parts as those of the plug P10 already described are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

In this coupler 10A, an O-ring 40 serving as a holder seal member for sealing the holder seal portion 34 of the plug P10 and an O-ring 37 serving as a valve seal member for sealing the valve seal portion 36 are integrally formed, and plug-side operation is performed. Unlike the connection portion seal member of the connection portion seal portion 43 that seals the tip end portion of the member 41 only in the socket S10 of the above embodiment, it is also provided on the plug side, and is formed integrally and shared with three locations. And can be sealed.
The three-way seal member 42 is formed by integrally forming seal members 42a, 42b, and 42c for sealing the three portions of the connection portion seal portion 43, the valve seal portion 36, and the holder seal portion 34, and has a vertical half cross-sectional shape. It is formed in a substantially inverted J shape and has the same structure as that of the socket S10 although it is upside down in the drawing.
Since other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  The use of such a three-point seal member 42 also has the same effect as the socket S10 and can be easily assembled, and is more effective particularly when the coupler is downsized.

  In addition to the case where the three-port seal member 42 is provided on the plug P10 side and the three-port seal member 22 is also provided on the socket S10 side, an example has been described. Alternatively, the connecting portion seal member may be provided on one side, and the other may be configured as a dual-purpose seal member without the connecting portion seal member, or each of the conventional seal members may be provided separately.

Next, still another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a state in which the socket and the plug constituting the coupler are separated, and a longitudinal sectional view of the connection state of the socket and the plug constituting the coupler, according to still another embodiment of the coupler of the present invention. It is.
In addition, about the same part as the coupler 10 and 10A already demonstrated, the same symbol is described and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

In this coupler 10B, the sealing surface of the connecting portion sealing portion with the plug is a tip side wall portion, which is sealed by contacting with the inner peripheral surface of the sealing concave portion 32a of the tip portion 31a of the plug main body 31, and has already been described. The connection portion seal portion 21 of the dual-purpose seal member 22 is positioned outside the socket-side operation member 20, and the bottom portion of the seal recess portion 32a of the tip portion 31a of the plug body 31 with the tip surface of the inner cylindrical portion 22a serving as a seal surface. It is different from sealing with contact.
That is, in the socket S10 of the coupler 10B, a flare portion 20b is formed by flaring at the tip of the tip portion 20a of the socket-side operation member 20, and the dual-purpose seal member 22 is covered on the outer side to cover the connection portion seal portion 21. The distal end side wall portion 21a is configured as a sealing surface, and the flared portion 20b of the socket side operation member 20 is covered with the connecting portion sealing portion 21, thereby forming a bulging portion on the outer periphery and connecting and connecting with the plug P10. At this time, although the sealing material slides, the sealing area can be increased at the bulging portion of the connecting portion sealing member 22 to ensure a sealing state.
Since other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiments, description thereof will be omitted.

  Even with the coupler 10B having the sealing surface of the connecting portion seal portion 21 of the three-point combined seal member 22 as the front end side wall portion 21a, the same effect as the case of the couplers 10 and 10A can be achieved and can be easily assembled. This is particularly effective when the coupler is downsized.

In addition, in this coupler 10B, as shown in FIG. 8, the flare part 20b by flare processing is formed in the front-end | tip part 20a of the socket side operation member 20, and the connection part seal part 21 of the seal member 22 for 3 places is formed in the outer side. The front end side wall portion 21a of the connection portion seal portion 21 is used as a seal surface. However, a flange portion 20c is formed on the front end portion 20a of the socket side operation member 20, and the dual-purpose seal member 22 is provided outside the flange portion 20c. The distal end side wall portion 21a bulging outside the connecting portion sealing portion 21 may be sealed as a sealing surface, and the bulging portion can be reliably formed.
Further, when the flare portion 20b and the flange portion 20c of the tip end portion 20a of the socket side operation member 20 are covered with the three-way seal member 22, the flare portion 20b and the flange portion 20c are placed inside the connection portion seal portion 21. The concave portion 21b corresponding to the above may be formed, or the concave portion may be omitted. Although the seal material slides during the connection, the surface pressure of the seal portion is increased by the bulge portion of the connection portion seal member 22 to reliably Can be sealed.

  In each of the above embodiments, the operation member and the connection portion seal member are mounted as separate bodies. However, the operation member and the connection portion seal member may be integrally formed or bonded to each other. In this way, the operation member and the connection portion seal member have an integral structure, and can be operated more reliably.

Next, an embodiment in which the socket side operation member of the socket and the valve body are integrated in the coupler will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of only the socket according to another embodiment of the coupler of the present invention.
The socket S10 includes a socket main body 11 that constitutes a coupler main body, and a plug connection hole 12 into which a plug P10 (not shown) that is paired with the socket S10 is inserted and connected is formed on the front end (upper end) side. It is. A substantially cylindrical valve holder 13 is connected to the rear end (lower end) side of the socket body 11, and the tip (upper) surface of the valve holder 13 serving as a connecting portion is used as a holder seal portion 14. In the bottom of the rear end of the valve holder 13, a communication hole 13a communicating with the inside of the container body is formed. The communication hole 13a of the valve holder 13 and the front end hole of the connecting portion seal portion 21 serve as a flow path 15 in the socket S10 so that the inside and outside of the fuel cell main body can communicate with each other.

  A valve body 16 constituting a socket-side valve body that opens and closes the flow path 15 is slidably mounted in the valve holder 13, and a plug valve body is integrated with the tip (upper end) of the valve body 16. A socket-side operation unit 20 to be operated is provided, and a tip end portion 20 a is positioned in the plug connection hole 12 of the socket body 11. A large-diameter cylindrical portion of the valve body 16 is a valve body 16a, and a tip end surface thereof is a seal portion 16b to constitute a valve seal portion 17, which is sealed by contact with the valve seal portion 17 and opened by separation. As a result, the flow path 15 is opened and closed.

A compression coil spring 18 is mounted on the valve body 16 between the bottom of the valve holder 13 and the large-diameter cylindrical valve body 16a of the valve body 16 as a biasing means for biasing in the closing direction.
Further, the socket side operation part 20 provided integrally with the valve body 16 is formed with a longitudinal groove on the outer periphery so as to constitute a groove-like flow path. The bellows-like elastic holder part 50a constituting the three-way seal member 50 is separated from the socket-side operation part 20 so as to partition the outer periphery of the seal and the groove-like flow path between the plug and the plug connected thereto. The distal end portion of the elastic holder portion 50a is the connection portion seal portion 21, and a sealing state is secured when the socket S10 and the plug P10 are connected to the distal end portion of the plug P10 (not shown).

In the three-port seal member 50 having the bellows-like elastic holder portion 50a to be the connection portion seal portion 21, it protrudes in a disc shape at the rear end (lower end) portion of the elastic holder portion 50a which is the first seal member. The flange portion 50b is formed as a second seal member, and is used for sealing the holder seal portion 14, between the rear end (lower) surface of the socket body 11 and the front end (upper) surface of the valve holder 13. It is attached so that it may be pinched | interposed into and can be made into a sealing state.
Further, the three-way seal member 50 protrudes toward the rear surface (lower surface) side of the flange portion 50b to be the holder seal portion 14, and is formed with a substantially cylindrical portion 50c. The valve seal portion 17 is brought into contact with or separated from the surface of the valve body 16a to open and close the valve.

  In the socket S10 configured in this way, the three seal portions, ie, the holder seal portion 14, the valve seal portion 17, and the connection portion seal portion 21, are sealed by a single three-way seal member 50, which is a bellows-like shape. The elastic holder portion 50a is disposed and attached to the connecting portion seal portion 21, the flange portion 50b is disposed to the holder seal portion 14, and the substantially cylindrical portion 50c is disposed to the valve seal portion 17. Thereby, manufacture becomes easy and it can incorporate easily.

Next, in the coupler, the structure in which the operation member that opens the valve body is not supported by the connection portion seal member without supporting the seal member is applied to the socket side operation member of the socket and the seal member for three locations. Will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a state in which the socket and the plug constituting the coupler are separated, and a longitudinal sectional view of the connection state of the socket and the plug constituting the coupler, according to still another embodiment of the coupler of the present invention. It is.
In addition, about the same part as the coupler 10, 10A, 10B already demonstrated, the same symbol is described and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

In the socket S10 of the coupler 10C, the socket side operation member 20 is formed of a constant small diameter pipe, for example, a stainless pipe. Further, a gap is formed between the inner cylindrical portion 22a of the dual-purpose seal member 22 disposed outside the socket-side operation member 20, and the socket-side operation member 20 is supported by the dual-purpose seal member 22. The socket side operation member 20 is supported by being mounted in the mounting hole 19 of the valve body 16. The three-way seal member 22 is attached and fixed by sandwiching an outer cylindrical portion 22c, which is the holder seal portion 14, between the socket body 11 and the valve holder 13.
Therefore, since it is not necessary to join the socket side operation member 20 and the three-point seal member 22, it is possible to make the socket side operation member 20 small in diameter without carrying out integral molding, bonding, or the like. Miniaturization becomes possible. With the coupling of the coupler 10C, the top surface of the three-port seal member 22 is deformed by the seal recess 32a at the tip of the plug to form a connection seal, and when the plug is further pressed, the three-port seal member 22 becomes a seal recess. The socket-side operation member 20 is moved while being deformed by 32a and is pushed by the plug-side operation member 41 to move. At this time, the three-port seal member 22 and the socket side operation member 20 are deformed as if they are joined, and the seal portion 17 is opened as in the above embodiments.
As a result, a simple straight pipe can be employed for the socket side operation member 20, and the joint between the three-point seal member 22 and the socket side operation member 20 is not required, so that design and assembly can be facilitated.
Since other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiments, description thereof will be omitted.

  The coupler 10C having a structure in which the operation members are independent from each other without supporting the operation member by the connection portion seal portion 21 of the three-way seal member 22 has the same effects as the couplers 10, 10A, and 10B. It will be a thing.

10 Coupler S10 Socket P10 Plug 11 Socket body (Coupler body)
12 Plug connection hole 13 Valve holder 13a Communication hole 14 Holder seal part 15 Flow path 16 Valve body 16a Valve body 16b Seal part 17 Valve seal part 18 Compression coil spring (biasing means)
19 Mounting hole (for operation member)
19a Stepped rib 20 Socket side operation member 20a Tip portion 20b Flare portion 20c Flange portion 21 Connection portion seal portion 21a Tip side wall portion 21b Recessed portion
22 Three-point seal member 22a Inner cylindrical part (connection part seal member)
22b Approximate disk part (valve seal member)
22c Outer cylindrical part (holder seal member)
31 Plug body 31a Tip portion 31b Middle small diameter portion 31c Middle large diameter portion 31d Base end portion 32 Projection connection portion 32a Seal recess 32b Mounting hole 33 Valve seat 34 Holder seal portion 35 Valve body 35a Valve head 35b Valve stem 35c Guide portion 35e Flow Road groove 35f O-ring mounting part 36 Valve seal part 37 O-ring (valve seal member)
38 Valve holder 38a Channel hole 39 Compression coil spring 40 O-ring (holder seal member)
41 Plug-side operation member 42 Three-port seal member 42a Inner cylindrical portion (connection portion seal member)
42b Approximate disk part (valve seal member)
42c Outer cylindrical part (holder seal member)
43 connection part seal part 50 3 places combined seal member 50a bellows-like elastic holder part (connection part seal member)
50b Flange (holder seal member)
50c Substantially cylindrical part (valve seal member)
51 O-ring N nozzle

Claims (9)

A coupler main body that is attached to the container main body and the apparatus main body to form a flow path, a valve body that opens and closes the flow path of the coupler main body, and a valve that accommodates the valve body and is attached to the container main body in a sealed state Consists of a pair of plug and socket provided with a holder and a biasing means provided in the valve holder for biasing the valve body in the closing direction, and the coupler main body of the plug and socket are detachably fitted to each other It is a coupler that can communicate between the container bodies by opening and operating both valve bodies in a connected connection state,
In at least one of the plug and the socket,
Sealing is performed by combining a connecting portion sealing member that seals the fitting connecting portion between the coupler main bodies, and a valve sealing member that is provided and sealed in a flow path that is opened and closed between the valve body and the coupler main body. A coupler comprising a dual-purpose seal member. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein a holder seal member that seals between the coupler main body and the valve holder is provided integrally with the two-point seal member to constitute a three-point seal member. The coupler according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the valve seal member is constituted by a substantially ring-shaped film. The said connection part seal member is comprised so that it can seal by using the top | upper surface part and / or front end side wall part of the said dual-use seal member or the three-use dual-use seal member as a seal surface. The coupler in any one. The coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the connection member seal member is configured to support an operation member that opens the valve body. The coupler according to claim 4, wherein a bulge portion is formed by covering the connection member sealing member on an outer side of the operation member to form a connection portion seal portion. The coupler according to claim 6, wherein a flare portion or a flange portion is formed on the operation member to cover the connection seal member. The coupler according to claim 5, wherein the coupler is configured as an integral structure in which the operation member and the connection portion seal member are integrally molded or bonded. The three-way seal member is disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the operation portion of the valve body on the socket side, and is provided with a bellows-like elastic holder portion provided with a connection portion seal portion at a distal end portion, and a base end portion of the elastic holder portion. A flange portion that is integrally provided and has a front and rear surfaces sandwiched between the socket body and the valve holder portion to form a holder seal portion; and a substantially cylindrical shape projecting from the rear surface side of the flange portion; The coupler according to claim 2, comprising a valve seal portion capable of contact sealing.

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