JP2605577Y2 - Pipe fittings - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pipe joint, and more particularly to a pipe joint suitable for an automatic system used for connecting a socket and a plug by operating a manipulator or a drive cylinder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automated pipe connection system for connecting or disconnecting a pipe joint is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-41934.
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-209, there is known an apparatus in which a bogie moves with expansion and contraction of a drive cylinder such as a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, and simultaneously connects or disconnects a socket and a plug. Specifically, a plurality of plugs are installed on a moving plate provided on a trolley that moves back and forth with the expansion and contraction of a drive cylinder, while a plurality of sockets are provided on a fixed plate of a connected device located in front of the trolley. Configuration. In this case, the socket and the plug are provided with a valve mechanism, and are configured such that fluid does not leak when both are separated.

[0003] The operation is such that when the drive cylinder is extended, the bogie moves forward, and a plurality of plugs provided on a moving plate of the bogie completely abut against a plurality of sockets provided on a fixed plate of the device to be connected. As a result, the valve is opened to form a fluid flow path, and a desired fluid is supplied to the connected device. Conversely, when the drive cylinder shrinks, the trolley moves backward,
The plurality of plugs provided on the moving plate of the bogie are disconnected from the plurality of sockets provided on the fixed plate of the connected device, the valve is closed, the fluid flow path is cut off, and the supply of fluid to the connected device is stopped. Stopped.

In an automatic pipe connection system,
When connecting the socket and the plug, the respective axes must be completely aligned. If these axes are not aligned, the connection between the two will be imperfect, and the valve will not open completely, resulting in insufficient fluid flow or imperfect sealing resulting in fluid leakage, etc. Of trouble. However, since the plug is provided on the bogie as described above, when the bogie moves forward, the axis of the socket and the axis of the plug are likely to be misaligned, and if the misalignment occurs, This needs to be absorbed. Furthermore, since the bogie (plug) moves in the front-rear direction, it is necessary to secure a permissible amount of movement of the plug in the front-rear direction when the plug and the socket are connected.

[0005] In order to absorb the misalignment and secure the allowable movement amount, the socket is supported on a fixed plate by a plurality of springs, or a valve case urged by a spring is housed in the socket. There is known a valve provided with a valve via a valve spring having a lower elastic force than the above-mentioned spring. In other words, even if there is misalignment when the plug is connected to the socket, the socket will slightly swing due to the elastic action of the spring to absorb the misalignment during the connection, and the socket and the plug will be connected. After the valve opens,
The valve case can be moved in the front-rear direction while maintaining the open state of the valve, so that the allowable movement amount of the plug in the front-rear direction in the connection state between the plug and the socket is secured.

[0006]

However, the configuration of the conventional example described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-41934 is as follows.
It is necessary to adjust the stroke of the drive cylinder so that the tip of the plug abuts the back of the socket.If this adjustment is incomplete, it may not be possible to obtain a sufficient opening of the socket and the valve of the plug. Fluid leakage may occur. In addition, such a configuration has a problem in securing a permissible amount of movement of the plug in the front-rear direction in a state where the plug and the socket are connected, the structure is very complicated, and the implementation cannot avoid high cost. Further, in the other conventional example, the allowable amount of movement of the plug in the front-rear direction in the connection state of the plug and the socket can be secured, but when the fluid pressure of the applied fluid is high, the valve case itself is pushed by the fluid. And the valve of the socket and the plug cannot get enough opening to reduce the fluid flow rate.
In the worst case, the valves of the socket and the plug may be closed, and the fluid may not flow even though both are connected.

[0007] The present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example.
When connecting the plug and socket, absorb the misalignment at the time of connection, and in the connected state , always secure the allowable amount of movement of the plug or socket in the front-rear direction , and always keep both valve bodies together.
An object of the present invention is to provide a pipe joint suitable for an automatic pipe connection system, which can be maintained in an open state and can maintain a good opening of a valve body in a plug and a socket even when a high-pressure fluid flows.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, a packing holder which slides toward a plug insertion side by a biasing force of a spring is mounted in a socket, and the inside of the packing holder is provided. The valve body that closes the flow path by the biasing force of the spring is provided on the other hand, while the valve body that closes the flow path by the spring that urges toward the socket insertion side is provided in the plug, and the plug is inserted outside the insertion cylinder.
Display of the minimum insertion length on the circumference and maximum insertion length on the rear outer circumference
Installation positions, and furthermore,
Set the allowance for one or both of the
While pressing the packing holder with a plug,
Open the body and keep the flow path open while holding the socket
Adjustable plug connection . In this case, the plug <br/> grayed insertion tube described above, the distal end tube portion formed by reduced diameter tip end,
Insert this tip tube into the tip of the packing
Press the kin holder, and also
The long position is the step formed on the outer periphery at the rear of the plug insertion tube.
It is preferable that an O-ring for adjusting misalignment be inserted into the outer peripheral surface of the socket to which the fixing member is attached.

[0009]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, when the socket and the plug are automatically connected, a guide portion consisting of the tip portion of the packing holder and the tip portion of the socket, and the tip tube portion of the reduced-diameter plug are provided. Are fitted to each other, so that reliable connection can be made. When the socket and the plug are connected, the valve bodies provided therein abut each other, and push down the valve body rearward against the urging force of the spring to form a flow path,
Fluid supply is performed.

In this case, the packing holder of the socket is
The spring is urged toward the plug insertion side, and a sliding stroke is obtained within a range corresponding to the length of the socket and the length of the spring. When the plug is connected and both valve bodies are open, the minimum insertion length of the plug is the state where the spring of the packing holder is not contracted. The full state is the maximum insertion length of the plug. In the present invention, the minimum insertion length position is displayed on the plug insertion tube portion and the stop state of the maximum insertion length position is provided, so that the connection state between the socket and the plug can be checked from the outside. As described above, the allowable amount of movement of the plug in the front-rear direction in the connection state between the socket and the plug can be ensured in the stroke range of the packing holder of the socket.

[0011] The automatic connection to your <br/> Itewa the socket and the plug, even if a misalignment in the socket and the plug with the operation of the manipulator and the drive cylinder, the socket via an O-ring to be Since the plug is elastically held by the fixing plate of the connection device, when the plug is inserted into the socket, the socket can slightly swing and can be connected to the plug while absorbing misalignment.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a pipe joint according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the socket S of the present embodiment. The socket S is formed by screwing an adapter 2 for connecting with a pipe (not shown) to the socket tube portion 1, and a flow path 3 is formed inside these, and a valve structure is formed in the flow path 3. Is provided. The packing holder 4 is provided with a spring 5 between the back pressure surface 7 and a step 6 formed in the adapter 2 to urge the packing holder 4 in the plug P direction. In the valve structure provided in the packing holder 4 of the present embodiment, the tapered valve seat 12 is formed inside the cylindrical packing holder 4, and the valve claw 8 is locked by the stop ring 11 to form the valve body 9.
The spring 10 is provided between the two 8 and 9 to urge the valve body 9 to shut out the fluid when the valve is closed.

A circumferential groove 15 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the packing holder 4, and an O-ring 14 is fitted into the circumferential groove 15 together with a backup ring, so that the socket cylinder 1 and the packing holder 4 are connected to each other. To prevent fluid leakage. Further, in this embodiment, in order to receive a plug P described later, a guide recess 13 is formed at the tip of the packing holder 4 and the tip 18 of the socket tube 1 on the plug insertion side is used as a plug guide. The guide recess 13 of the packing holder 4 is formed to have a slightly larger diameter than the outer diameter of the tip cylindrical portion of the plug, and a circumferential groove 17 is formed in the inner peripheral surface of the guide recess 13 so that the O-ring is formed together with the backup ring. 1
By fitting 6, the adhesiveness with the plug P is enhanced.

The socket S configured as described above is mounted on a fixed plate 22 of a device to be connected (not shown). The fixing plate 22 is attached to the fixing plate 22 by the flange portion 20 formed on the socket tube portion 1 of the socket S and the collar 23, and is fixed by the split ring 24. In this case, a plurality of, for example, four circumferential grooves 26 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the socket tube portion 1, and an O-ring 21 made of an elastic material is arranged in the circumferential grooves 26, and On the other hand, the socket S is flexibly and elastically held.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the plug P of this embodiment. The plug P includes a plug insertion tube portion 30 and an adapter connection portion 40, which are integrally formed, and a flow path 32 is formed therein. However, the plug insertion tube portion 30 and the adapter connection portion 40 may be formed separately. Further, in the present embodiment, the plug insertion cylinder 3
The distal end portion of the cylinder 0 is reduced in diameter to form the distal end cylindrical portion 31. The distal end cylindrical portion 31 formed at the distal end of the plug P has the same valve structure as the socket S described above. in this case,
A tapered valve seat 36 is formed inside the distal end tubular portion 31, a valve body 34 is provided by locking a valve claw 33 with a stop ring 37, and a spring 35 is provided between the both 33, 34. The valve body 34 is urged to shut out the fluid when the valve is closed.

In the present embodiment, in order to indicate the connection state between the socket S and the plug P, a groove indicating the plug minimum insertion length position 38 is provided at an appropriate position on the outer peripheral surface of the plug insertion tube portion 30. In addition to engraving, the outside of the rear of the plug
A step is formed on the circumference and the maximum plug insertion position (locking part) 3
9 are provided. However, the indication of the plug minimum insertion length position 38 may be indicated by a colored line,
The plug maximum insertion length position (locking portion) 39 need not be a step portion. If the packing holder 4 acts on the plug P in the close contact direction, the relationship between the guide concave portion 13 of the packing holder 4 and the distal end tubular portion 31 of the plug insertion tubular portion 30 may be reversed. The above-described plug P is attached to a moving plate of a connected device (not shown) via the adapter connecting portion 40 while aligning the axis with the socket S attached to the fixed plate 22. However, in this case, unlike the above-described elastic holding of the socket S, the socket S is completely fixed to the moving plate. The configuration of the socket S and the plug P described above is an example, and can be appropriately changed according to the implementation.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, as described above, the plug P is provided on the moving plate of the connected device (not shown), while the socket S is provided on the fixed plate 22 of the connected device (not shown). Socket S and plug P
3 and 4, when the manipulator (not shown) and the drive cylinder (not shown) extend, the connected device moves forward and the moving plate is fixed to the fixed plate 22.
And at the same time, the plug P is inserted into the socket S. Conversely, when the plug P is disconnected from the socket S, the connection device is moved backward and the movable plate is detached from the fixed plate 22 with the reduction operation of the manipulator and the drive cylinder (not shown).

When performing automatic connection between the socket S and the plug P, the distal end tubular portion 31 of the plug P is fitted into the guide concave portion 13 of the packing holder 4 as a guide portion, and the socket tubular portion 1 as the guide portion. Since the plug insertion cylindrical portion 30 of the plug P is fitted to the distal end portion 18, a reliable connection can be made. When the plug P is connected to the socket S, the valve body 9 of the socket S and the valve body 34 of the plug P are pressed against each other, and the springs 10, 35 that have urged the valve bodies 9, 34 are reduced. Along with this,
The valve bodies 9 and 34 are separated from the respective valve seats 12 and 36 to open a fluid flow path, so that fluid can be supplied from the connected device to the connected device. In the present embodiment, since both the socket S and the plug P are of a two-way opening and closing type having a valve function, air does not enter the flow paths 3 and 32 at the time of their connection.

As shown in FIG. 3, the opening and closing operation of the valve bodies 9 and 34 is such that the plug P is inserted into the socket S, and the minimum of the plug engraved on the socket end face 25 and the outer peripheral face of the plug insertion cylinder 30 is obtained. When the insertion length positions 38 coincide, the valve bodies 9 and 34 of both the socket S and the plug P are opened for the first time, and the flow path is opened. In this state, the spring 5 for urging the packing holder 4 is in an extended state, and the plug P has a minimum insertion length. On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
When the plug maximum insertion length position 39 provided at the base of the packing holder coincides, the spring 5 of the packing holder 4 is pressed and contracted,
The packing holder 4 retreats to the innermost part of the socket tube part 1 by its full stroke. This state is the maximum insertion length of the plug P. At this time, since the socket end surface 25 and the step portion of the plug maximum insertion length position 39 formed at the base of the plug insertion tube portion 30 are in contact, the further insertion of the plug S becomes impossible.

In the above, from the minimum insertion length to the maximum insertion length of the plug P, the valve bodies 9 and 34 are always open and the fluid is supplied. in this way,
The allowable amount of movement of the plug P in the front-rear direction in the connection state between the socket S and the plug P can be secured in the stroke range of the packing holder 4. Note that the minimum insertion length and the maximum insertion length of the plug P can be easily viewed from the display or the locking state provided on the plug insertion tube portion 30.

The back pressure surface 7 formed on the packing holder 4 of the socket S from the state of the minimum insertion length of the plug P shown in FIG. 3 to the state of the maximum insertion length of the plug P shown in FIG. The pressure of the fluid flowing through the flow path 3 acts as a back pressure. As a result, the packing holder 4 is strongly pressed against the distal end tubular portion 31 of the plug P, and the open state of the valve main body can be kept good even when the pressure of the fluid flowing through the flow path 3 increases.

By the way, since the plug P side is an active body, there is a possibility that the socket P may be misaligned during the operation. However, in this embodiment, the socket end face 25
Is formed in a tapered shape, and is elastically held elastically with the fixed plate 22 of the connected device via an O-ring 21 made of an elastic material, so that when the plug P is inserted into the socket S, The socket S can be connected to the plug P while slightly swinging to absorb the misalignment.

[0023]

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the pipe joint of the present invention, the following excellent effects can be obtained. In other words, the connection between the plug and the socket can be reliably performed by the guide portion including the distal end of the socket and the distal end of the packing holder, and after the connection, even if the pressure of the fluid flowing through the flow path increases, the plug and the socket can be connected. The open state of the valve body inside can be kept good. In addition, the packing holder is slidably provided in the socket by the bias of the spring, so that the allowable amount of movement of the plug in the front-rear direction in the connection state between the socket and the plug is sufficiently secured within the stroke range of the packing holder. And the stroke adjustment of the drive cylinder and the manipulator becomes unnecessary. In this case, since the plug is provided with a display or locking portion at the minimum insertion length position and the maximum insertion length position, the minimum insertion length position in the connection state of the plug and the socket can be easily visually checked, and In the insertion length position , open the valve body and open the flow path until the step contacts the socket end face.
The plug can be inserted while maintaining the state . Furthermore, since the socket is elastically held on the fixed plate of the device to be connected via the O-ring, even if the two are misaligned during connection with the plug, the socket can be connected while absorbing the misalignment. It has the effect of being able to do so. In other words, according to the present invention, the manipulator
The socket and plug by the operation of the
The minimum insertion length to the maximum insertion length.
Open the valve body of the socket and plug to open the flow path
Maniplay because it can be connected while maintaining
No need to adjust the stroke of
And the plug can be securely held and confirmed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a socket according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a plug according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of a minimum insertion length of the plug in connection between the socket and the plug.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of a maximum insertion length of the plug in connection between the socket and the plug.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Packing Holder 5 Spring 9 Valve Body 10 Spring 13 Guide Recess 21 O-Ring 30 Plug Insertion Tube Part 31 Tip Tube Part 34 Valve Body 35 Spring 38 Minimum Insertion Length Position 39 Maximum Insertion Length Position P Plug S Socket

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F16L 37/32 F16L 27/12

Claims (4)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A packing holder which slides toward a plug insertion side by a biasing force of a spring is mounted in a socket, and a flow path is formed inside the packing holder by a biasing force of a spring.
A valve body for closing the flow path is provided in the plug, while a valve body for closing the flow path is provided in the plug by a spring that urges the socket insertion side, and the outer periphery of the front end of the insertion cylinder portion of the plug is provided.
Display the minimum insertion length position on the
And a plug between both insertion length positions,
Set the movement allowance for one or both sockets, and
While pressing the packing holder with a plug,
While maintaining the open channel open,
A pipe joint characterized in that the connection of the ring can be adjusted . Wherein the plug insertion tube described above, the distal end tube portion formed by reduced diameter tip side, Pakkinhoru the distal tube portion
And press the packing holder
Pipe joint of claim 1, wherein the. 3. The plug according to claim 1, wherein the maximum insertion length position is a position at which the plug is inserted.
The pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the pipe joint is a step-shaped locking portion formed on a rear outer periphery of the cylindrical portion . 4. An outer peripheral surface of a socket to which a fixing member is attached.
4. The pipe joint according to claim 1 , wherein an O-ring for adjusting misalignment is inserted .