JP2021162060A - Joint for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a joint capable of confirming accuracy in a connection work of a connecting portion with a pipe at a glance.SOLUTION: A joint used in connecting a pipe in an automobile, includes a joint body and a nut. The joint body is a cylindrical member and includes a male screw on a peripheral wall end portion. The nut includes a female screw engaged with the male screw of the joint body at a first peripheral wall end portion, and penetrates an end portion of the pipe at a second peripheral wall end portion. One of the peripheral wall end portion of the joint body and the first peripheral wall end portion of the nut includes a claw portion, and the other includes a receiving portion. The claw portion has a cantilever-like shape, extends in an axial direction, and is radially bendable. The receiving portion is engaged with a free end of the claw portion by moving the free end of the claw portion in a radial direction. The free end of the claw portion is engaged with the receiving portion only when the nut is properly positioned to the joint body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a joint for connecting a pipe to another pipe, a device, or the like, and more particularly to a joint used for a pipe in an automobile.

Piping in an automobile is mainly divided into a fuel system, a cooling system, and an exhaust system. The fuel system supplies liquid fuel such as gasoline from the fuel filler port to the fuel tank and from the fuel tank to the engine. The cooling system circulates a refrigerant liquid such as cooling water between the radiator and a cooling target such as an engine, a battery, or a motor. The exhaust system dissipates exhaust gas from the engine to the outside air. In these pipes, various pipes are used, from highly flexible pipes such as rubber hoses to highly rigid pipes such as resin hoses and metal pipes. Fittings are used to connect these pipes to each other or to elements such as fuel tanks, engines and the like.

Due to the large number of tasks required to manufacture an automobile, it is preferred that each task be as simple and accurate as possible. Even for joints used in automobiles, it is required that the connection with the piping is easy and accurate. For example, in the joint disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the push ring is bolted to the flange at the end of the pipe, the claw provided on the flange is hooked on the notch of the push ring prior to that. This simplifies the work of tightening the bolt because the push ring is already fixed to the flange before the bolt is tightened. In the joint disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the union nut is tightened to the joint body, when the union nut advances to an appropriate position, the convex portion provided on the union nut fits into the concave portion of the flange portion of the joint body. As a result, the union nut can be accurately stopped at an appropriate position. In the joint disclosed in Patent Document 3, when the tightening member is screwed into the joint body, if the tightening member advances by an appropriate amount, the protrusion protruding from the joint body is repelled. Since the sound and vibration at this time are transmitted to the operator, the screwing amount of the tightening member can be accurately fixed to an appropriate amount.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-351351 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-017401 Japanese Patent No. 2961532

In order to make the connection work between the joint and the pipe more accurate, it is preferable that the inspection after the work is completed is easy. Especially in the inspection, it is desired that the accuracy of the work can be confirmed at a glance at the connection point. However, with the conventional connection structure between the joint and the pipe, it is difficult to visually confirm the accuracy of the connection work. For example, in the joint disclosed in Patent Document 2, the convex portion of the union nut and the concave portion of the flange portion of the joint body are sandwiched between the connection surface of the union nut and the connection surface of the joint body, so that the joint is too large. Can not do it. This makes it difficult to see that both parts are fitted. In the joint disclosed in Patent Document 3, it is difficult to see because the protrusion protruding from the joint body falls into the gap between the joint body and the tightening member.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and in particular, to provide a joint in which the accuracy of the connection work can be confirmed at a glance at the connection portion with the pipe.

The joint according to one aspect of the present invention is a joint used for connecting pipes in an automobile, and includes a joint body and a nut. The joint body is a cylindrical member and includes a male screw at the end of the peripheral wall. In the nut, the end of the first peripheral wall includes a female screw coupled with the male screw of the joint body, and the end of the second peripheral wall penetrates the end of the pipe. One of the peripheral wall end of the joint body and the first peripheral wall end of the nut includes a claw portion, and the other includes a receiving portion. The claw portion has a cantilever shape that extends in the axial direction and can be flexed in the radial direction. The receiving portion engages with the free end of the claw portion by moving the free end of the claw portion in the radial direction. The free end of the claw portion engages with the receiving portion when the nut is in the proper position with respect to the joint body.

The claw portion may vibrate in the radial direction and make a noise when the free end of the claw portion engages with the receiving portion. The receiving portion may include a pair of radial protrusions. When the female screw of the nut is coupled to the male screw of the joint body, the free end of the claw portion may get over one of the pair of protrusions and fit between the pair of protrusions. In addition, the receiving portion may include a hole about the radial direction. When the female thread of the nut is coupled to the male thread of the joint body, the free end of the claw portion may get over the edge of the hole of the receiving portion and fit into the hole of the receiving portion.

In the above-mentioned joint according to the present invention, the claw portion bends in the radial direction to engage the free end with the receiving portion. With such a structure, it is easy to make the claw portion conspicuous in shape or size with respect to the nut. Therefore, in this joint, it can be confirmed at a glance that the claw portion is fitted to the receiving portion, so that it is easy to check the accuracy of the connection work. Further, since the deflection of the claw portion when engaging with the receiving portion is in the radial direction, it is easy to increase the degree of deflection and increase the generated volume. As a result, even if the work environment is noisy, the operator can be accurately informed that the nut is in the proper position with respect to the joint body. Further, in this joint, the claw portion and the receiving portion continue to be engaged even after the connection work between the joint body and the nut is completed. As a result, even if the joint body or the nut undergoes aging such as creep and vibration due to the running of the automobile is applied as an external force, the risk of the nut loosening and coming off from the joint body can be suppressed.

It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the joint by embodiment of this invention. (A) is a state before tightening the nut to the joint body, and (b) is a state after tightening. It is sectional drawing along the straight line II-II shown by (a) of FIG. It is sectional drawing along the straight line III-III shown by (b) of FIG. (A) is a front view of the flange of the joint body shown in FIG. 1, and (b) is an enlarged view of the upper end of the flange. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the modification of the joint by embodiment of this invention. (A) is a state before tightening the nut to the joint body, and (b) is a state after tightening.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the joint 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the straight line II-II shown in FIG. 1 (a), and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the straight line III-III shown in FIG. 1 (b). The joint 100 is used, for example, in an automobile to connect a hose 300 made of a resin such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) to a fuel tank (not shown). The joint 100 includes a joint body 110, a sleeve 120, and a nut 130.

The joint body 110 is a cylindrical member made of a resin such as polyamide (PA) and HDPE, and one of the peripheral wall end portions 111 (hereinafter, referred to as “first peripheral wall end portion”) is coaxially fixed to the inlet / outlet of the fuel tank. Has been done. For example, an annular portion 113 extending in the radial direction from the end portion 111 of the first peripheral wall is welded to the wall of the fuel tank. The other 112 of the peripheral wall end of the joint body 110 (hereinafter, referred to as “second peripheral wall end”) includes a male screw 114 and a flange 115 on the outer peripheral surface, and includes an annular step 116 on the inner peripheral surface (hereinafter, referred to as “second peripheral wall end”). (See FIGS. 2 and 3). The male screw 114 is, for example, a three-threaded screw. An annular groove 117 is formed on the surface of the step 116.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the flange 115 of the joint body 110. The flange 115 has a substantially annular shape, and the upper end protrudes in the radial direction to form the receiving portion 118. The receiving portion 118 has a flat upper surface, and includes a pair of radial projections 119 at both ends in the circumferential direction.

The sleeve 120 is a cylindrical member made of a resin such as HDPE, and is arranged coaxially with the joint body 110 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The inlet and outlet of the fuel tank communicate with the inside of the hose 300 through the internal space of the joint body 110 and the internal space of the sleeve 120. That is, the internal space between the joint body 110 and the sleeve 120 functions as a fuel flow path connecting the fuel tank and the hose 300.

One 121 of the peripheral wall end of the sleeve 120 (hereinafter, referred to as “first peripheral wall end”) is arranged in the second peripheral wall end 112 of the joint body 110 as shown in FIG. The tip of the first peripheral wall end 121 of the sleeve 120 is fitted in the annular groove 117 of the joint body 110. Here, the inner diameter of the first peripheral wall end 121 of the sleeve 120 is smaller than the outer diameter of the inner surface of the annular groove 117 of the joint body 110 in the radial direction. Therefore, the installation of the first peripheral wall end portion 121 in the annular groove 117 is realized by press fitting. Since the inner peripheral surface of the first peripheral wall end portion 121 and the inner surface of the annular groove 117 in the radial direction are strongly pressed against each other, both sides are sealed.

The other 122 of the peripheral wall end of the sleeve 120 (hereinafter, referred to as "second peripheral wall end") is arranged in the end of the hose 300 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The second peripheral wall end portion 122 includes a radial bulging portion 125 on the outer peripheral surface. The outer diameter of the bulging portion 125 gradually increases or decreases according to the position in the axial direction, and includes a portion (peak) having the maximum diameter in the central portion in the axial direction. Since the outer diameter of this peak is larger than the inner diameter of the hose 300, the second peripheral wall end portion 122 is press-fitted into the end portion of the hose 300 to expand the end portion from the inside. The elastic force of the hose 300 against this expansion acts so that the end of the hose 300 embraces the second peripheral wall end 122 of the sleeve 120, so that the end and the second peripheral wall end 122 are sealed. Has been done.

The nut 130 is a cylindrical member made of a resin such as HDPE, and is arranged coaxially with the joint body 110 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. One 131 of the peripheral wall end of the nut 130 (hereinafter, referred to as “first peripheral wall end”) includes a claw portion 133 on the outer peripheral surface and a female screw 134 on the inner peripheral surface (see FIGS. 2 and 3). ). For example, three claw portions 133 are provided and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The number of claws 133 is equal to the number of male threads 114 of the joint body 110. Each of the claw portions 133 has a cantilever shape. The cantilever protrudes axially from the outer peripheral surface of the first peripheral wall end 131 of the nut 130 toward the joint body 110, and can be bent in the radial direction. The female thread 134 is, for example, a three-threaded thread and can be coupled to the male thread 114 of the joint body 110. Since the male thread 114 of the joint body 110 and the female thread 134 of the nut 130 are multi-threaded threads, the number of rotations of the nut 130 required to connect the nut 130 to the joint body 110 is reduced, so that the working time for the connection is reduced. Is shortened. When the female screw 134 is screwed into the male screw 114 of the joint body 110, as shown in FIG. 3, the second peripheral wall end 112 of the joint body 110 is housed inside the nut 130. The other 132 of the peripheral wall end of the nut 130 (hereinafter, referred to as “second peripheral wall end”) is open, and the hose 300 is passed through the inside.

As shown in FIG. 2, since the inner diameter of the free end 135 of the claw portion 133 of the nut 130 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the receiving portion 118 of the joint main body 110, when the nut 130 is screwed into the joint main body 110, FIG. 3 shows. As described above, the free end 135 of the three claw portions 133 comes into contact with the receiving portion 118. More precisely, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4B, the inner diameter of the free end 135 of the claw portion 133 is smaller than the outer diameter of the receiving portion 118 of the joint body 110. Therefore, the free end 135 of the claw portion 133 comes into contact with the receiving portion 118 in a state of being bent outward in the radial direction. Therefore, the receiving portion 118 is in a state of being pressed by the claw portion 133 at this time.

When the female screw 134 of the nut 130 is screwed into the male screw 114 of the joint body 110, the receiving portion 118 engages with the free end 135 by moving the free end 135 of the claw portion 133 in the radial direction. Specifically, the free end 135 of the claw portion 133 gets over the protrusion 119 on one side of the receiving portion 118 and is fitted between the pair of protrusions 119 (see (b) in FIG. 4). Since there is a steep step in the radial direction between the upper surface of the receiving portion 118 and each of the protrusions 119 (preferably, the angle formed by the upper surface of the receiving portion 118 and the protrusion 119 is 90 degrees), the claw portion 133 When the free end 135 of the above is fitted into the receiving portion 118, it vibrates greatly in the radial direction and strongly hits the upper surface of the receiving portion 118. The accompanying sound reverberates loudly to inform the operator that the free end 135 of the claw portion 133 has been fitted into the receiving portion 118. Preferably, when the free end 135 of the claw portion 133 fits into the receiving portion 118, the tightening pressure applied by the nut 130 to the joint body 110 so that the nut 130 is in an appropriate position with respect to the joint body 110, that is, to the joint body 110. The claw portion 133 and the receiving portion 118 are designed so that is an appropriate value. As a result, the operator can confirm that the nut 130 has been advanced to an appropriate position by the sound and appearance of the free end 135 of the claw portion 133 fitting into the receiving portion 118.

Once the claw portion 133 of the nut 130 is fitted into the receiving portion 118 of the joint body 110, it cannot be separated from the receiving portion 118 because it is blocked from reaching the protrusions 119 at both ends thereof (see (b) in FIG. 4). .. Thus, the claw portion 133 remains trapped in the receiving portion 118, so that the nut 130 remains in the proper position. This means that even if aging such as creep occurs in the joint body 110 or the nut 130, loosening is unlikely to occur between the joint body 110 and the nut 130.
[Advantages of Embodiment]

In the joint 100 according to the above embodiment of the present invention, the claw portion 133 of the nut 130 bends in the radial direction to engage the free end 135 with the receiving portion 118 of the joint body 110. With such a structure, it is easy to make the claw portion 133 a conspicuous shape or size with respect to the nut 130 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, in this joint 100, since it can be confirmed at a glance that the claw portion 133 is fitted to the receiving portion 118, it is easy to check the accuracy of the connection work. Further, since the deflection of the claw portion 133 when engaging with the receiving portion 118 is in the radial direction, it is easy to increase the degree of deflection and increase the generated volume. As a result, even if the working environment is noisy, the operator can be accurately informed that the nut 130 is in an appropriate position with respect to the joint body 110. Further, in the joint 100, the claw portion 133 and the receiving portion 118 continue to be engaged even after the connection work between the joint main body 110 and the nut 130 is completed. As a result, even if the joint body 110 or the nut 130 undergoes aging such as creep, the risk that the nut 130 loosens and comes off from the joint body 110 is suppressed.
[Modification example]

(1) In the joint 100 according to the above embodiment of the present invention, the joint body 110 includes an annular groove 117 in the second peripheral wall end 112, and the tip of the first peripheral wall end 121 of the sleeve 120 is arranged therein. There is. On the contrary, the first peripheral wall end portion of the sleeve may include an annular groove, and the tip end of the second peripheral wall end portion 112 of the joint body 110 may be arranged therein.

(2) The resin material of the joint 100 according to the above embodiment of the present invention is not limited to HDPE. In addition, various resins such as low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyacetal, polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene sulfide, and polyimide can be used. These are appropriately selected according to the field or application of the joint 100, the material of the hose 300, and the like.

(3) The male thread 114 of the joint body 110 and the female thread 134 of the nut 130 are three-threaded threads. The number of threads of the screw may be any other value, and may be particularly "1". However, it is preferable that the number of claws 133 of the nut 130 is the same as the number of threads of the screw. This is due to the following reasons. There are as many positions where the female thread 134 of the nut 130 starts to be hooked on the male thread 114 of the joint body 110 as many as the number of threads. As long as the number of claws 133 of the nut 130 is the same as the number of threads, it is guaranteed that one of the claws 133 will always engage the receiving portion 118 regardless of the position where the screw starts to be hooked. NS.

(4) In the joint 100 according to the above embodiment of the present invention, the joint body 110 includes a receiving portion 118, and the nut 130 includes a claw portion 133. On the contrary, the joint body may be provided with a claw portion and the nut may be provided with a receiving portion.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a modified example 500 of the joint according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5A shows a state before tightening the nut 530 to the joint body 510, and FIG. 5B shows a state after tightening the nut 530. In the joint 500, the joint body 510 includes the claw portion 515 and the nut 530 includes the receiving portion 532. In other respects, the joint 500 has a structure similar to that of the joint 100 according to the above embodiment. Therefore, in the following, the details of the claw portion 515 and the receiving portion 532 will be described, and the description in the above embodiment will be incorporated for other elements.

The joint body 510 includes a flange 513 at the end 512 of the second peripheral wall. The flange 513 projects radially from the second peripheral wall end 512. A claw portion 515 projects axially from the flange 513. The claw portion 515 has a cantilever shape that can be bent in the radial direction, and its free end 516 has a hook shape.

The nut 530 includes a receiving portion 532 at the first peripheral wall end portion 531. The receiving portion 532 is three protrusions protruding in the axial direction from the first peripheral wall end portion 531 and is arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The number of protrusions is equal to the number of female threads 534 of the nut 530. Each protrusion includes a hole 533 about the radial axis. In the radial direction, the receiving portion 532 is located at substantially the same position as the claw portion 515 of the joint body 510. In the work of connecting the female screw 534 of the nut 530 to the male screw 514 of the joint body 510, when the nut 530 advances to an appropriate position with respect to the joint body 510, the free end 516 of the claw portion 515 of the joint body 510 receives the nut 530. It gets over the edge of the hole 533 of the portion 532 and fits into the hole 533 (see (b) in FIG. 5).

In the joint 500, a wide gap between the flange 513 of the joint body 510 and the nut 530 is secured, and the claw portion 515 of the joint body 510 engages with the receiving portion 532 of the nut 530 in the gap. With such a structure, it is easy to make the claw portion 515 and the receiving portion 532 a conspicuous shape or size with respect to the nut 130 (see FIG. 5). Therefore, in the joint 500, since it can be confirmed at a glance that the claw portion 515 is fitted to the receiving portion 532, it is easy to check the accuracy of the connection work. Further, since the deflection of the claw portion 515 when engaging with the receiving portion 532 is in the radial direction, it is easy to increase the degree of deflection and increase the generated volume. As a result, even if the working environment is noisy, the operator can be accurately informed that the nut 530 is in an appropriate position with respect to the joint body 510. Further, in the joint 500, the claw portion 515 and the receiving portion 532 continue to be engaged even after the connection work between the joint body 510 and the nut 530 is completed. As a result, even if the joint body 510 or the nut 530 undergoes aging such as creep, the risk that the nut 530 loosens and comes off from the joint body 510 is suppressed.

100 Fitting 110 Joint body 111 First peripheral wall end of joint body 112 Second peripheral wall end of joint body 113 Ring part 114 Male screw 115 Flange 116 Step 117 Circular groove 118 Receiving part 119 Protrusion 120 Sleeve 121 First peripheral wall end of sleeve Part 122 Sleeve 2nd peripheral wall end 125 Protruding part 130 Nut 131 Nut 1st peripheral wall end 132 Nut 2nd peripheral wall end 133 Claw part 134 Female screw 135 Free end of claw part 300 Hose

Claims (4)

Fittings used to connect pipes in automobiles
A tubular member with a joint body that includes a male screw at the end of the peripheral wall,
The first peripheral wall end includes a female screw coupled with the male screw of the joint body, and the second peripheral wall end includes a nut penetrating the end of the pipe.
One of the peripheral wall end of the joint body and the first peripheral wall end of the nut is
Includes a cantilever-shaped claw that extends axially and can flex in the radial direction, the other
By moving the free end of the claw portion in the radial direction, the receiving portion that engages with the free end of the claw portion is included.
A joint characterized in that the free end of the claw portion engages with the receiving portion when the nut is in an appropriate position with respect to the joint body. The joint according to claim 1, wherein the claw portion vibrates in the radial direction and makes a noise when the free end of the claw portion engages with the receiving portion. The receiving portion includes a pair of radially protruding protrusions.
1. Item 2. The joint according to item 2. The receiving portion includes a hole about the radial direction.
1. Item 2. The joint according to item 2.

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