JP4098384B2 - Pipe fitting - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pipe joint provided with a lock mechanism that prevents detachment when a socket and a plug are connected by operating a sleeve.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a pipe joint provided with a means for preventing such detachment, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-249391 is known.
[0003]
In this pipe joint, a second sleeve for advancing and pressing the lock ball, retreating and releasing it is slidably fitted to the outer periphery of the socket having the lock ball, and the second sleeve is also fitted to the outer periphery of the socket. A first sleeve having a stopper abutting on the rear end of the second sleeve is slidably fitted on the outer periphery, and the sliding direction of the first sleeve is fitted to the stopper of the first sleeve. A concave relief portion is formed in the notch. Further, a cylindrical lock member is rotatably fitted on the outer periphery of the socket and is positioned on the retreat side of the first sleeve. The distal end side of the lock member is engaged with the stopper and escapes. It has a structure in which a lock piece that can be fitted to the portion is provided.
[0004]
When the pipe joint having such a structure is not connected, the locking piece of the locking member is fitted into the relief portion of the first sleeve so that the first sleeve and the second sleeve are retracted. At the time of connection, the lock ball is pressed on the inner peripheral surface of the second sleeve by advancing the first sleeve and the second sleeve, and the socket and the plug are connected. When the socket and the plug are connected, the lock member is rotated to shift the positions of the lock piece and the relief portion of the first sleeve. As a result, when the first sleeve is about to move backward, the stopper of the first sleeve abuts against the lock piece to prevent the backward movement, thereby preventing the backward movement of the second sleeve. When the socket and the plug connected in this way are separated, the lock member is rotated so that the lock piece and the relief portion of the first sleeve are aligned with each other, thereby preventing the first sleeve from moving backward. Do it.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to the pipe joint having the structure described above, in order to prevent the first sleeve that has advanced together with the second sleeve at the time of locking from being retracted, an active operation of rotating the lock member is required. For this reason, the operation of the lock member may be forgotten. In addition, it is difficult to confirm whether or not the first sleeve is locked (retracted from being prevented) by the lock member when the socket and the plug are connected unless the position of the lock piece of the lock member is watched carefully.
[0006]
Further, since the unlocking of the first sleeve can be performed by an easy operation such as rotating the lock member, care must be taken for erroneous operation. Furthermore, since the first sleeve, the second sleeve, and the lock member are fitted in the socket, the length of the socket in the axial direction is increased, which hinders downsizing of the pipe joint.
[0007]
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pipe joint that automatically locks a sleeve for operating a locking element that has advanced, and can improve operability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe joint that can easily check whether or not a sleeve is in a locked state.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe joint that can be miniaturized.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is a pipe joint for detachably connecting a socket and a plug by the lock element by operating a sleeve that moves forward to prevent the lock element from moving in the centrifugal direction and moves backward to release the lock. In addition, the annular groove formed on the outer periphery of the socket body is fitted with a stopper provided with a locking part protruding from the outer periphery of a substantially C-shaped elastic body that can be expanded and reduced with a spring. In the stopper, when the sleeve is in the advanced position, the distal end of the locking portion is locked to the rear end of the sleeve that is about to expand by a resilient force and moves backward. , by diameter against the stopper to the resilient force, which is adapted to be accommodated, including the locking portion inside the sleeve retreats, moreover, coloring is made different from the sleeve It is characterized by that.
[0009]
From such a configuration, when retracting the sleeve, by diameter to press against the stopper elastic force of the elastic member, the stopper will be accommodated inside the sleeve retreats, thereby retracting the sleeve The stopper is accommodated inside the retracted sleeve. When connecting to the socket and the plug, the sleeve advances, the stopper freed from the sleeve is expanded by the elastic force of the elastic member, the end of the engagement portion of the stopper at its rear end when the sleeve tries to retract Since it is locked, the sleeve is locked in the advanced position and prevented from retracting.
[0010]
When you separate the socket and the plug, the against the stop the resilient force of the elastic body, by diameter to accommodate possible position inside the sleeve again, performed by retracting the sleeve. Whether or not the sleeve is locked can be confirmed by confirming whether or not the stopper is housed inside the sleeve, and this confirmation can be easily made by visual inspection. . Further, since the stopper is accommodated inside the sleeve when the sleeve is retracted, the presence of the stopper does not cause the length of the socket body to be increased.
[0011]
In addition, since the stopper is formed of a substantially C-shaped elastic body that can be expanded and contracted with a spring, the spring performance is reinforced by the spring, and the spring performance of the elastic body can be maintained for a long period of time.
[0012]
Further, since the stopper is colored differently from the sleeve, it is easy to visually check the stopper for checking whether or not the sleeve is in a locked state.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an example of an embodiment of a pipe joint according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a socket, 2 is a cylindrical socket body, and 3 is a cylindrical shape that constitutes the socket 1 together with the socket body 2. It is an adapter. The socket body 2 has a small-diameter portion 4 at the front and a large-diameter portion 5 at the rear, and a plurality of holes 6 are formed in the distal end portion of the small-diameter portion 4 in the circumferential direction. 7 fits in and out freely. In this locker 7, a lock claw is used in this example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a lock ball or a pin may be used.
[0015]
Reference numeral 8 denotes a collar that is slidably fitted to the inner periphery of the socket body 2 and supports the lock 7 so that it does not protrude to the inner periphery of the socket body 2. When the plug is connected, it is pushed by the plug and retracts against the elastic force of the spring 9 so that it can be released from the lock 7 and the lock 7 can protrude into the socket body 2. It is supposed to be.
[0016]
Reference numeral 10 denotes a sleeve that is slidably fitted to the outer periphery of the socket body 2 to prevent or release the movement of the lock 7 in the centrifugal direction. The sleeve 10 has a small-diameter inner peripheral cylindrical portion 11 that fits in the small-diameter portion 4 of the socket main body 2 on the front side, and a large-diameter inner peripheral cylindrical portion 12 that fits in the large-diameter portion 5 of the socket main body 2 on the rear side. The inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter inner peripheral cylindrical portion 11 is a locker restraining surface 13 that presses the locker 7 in the centripetal direction. Further, a recess 14 for releasing the restraint of the locking element 7 is formed on the distal end side of the small-diameter inner peripheral cylindrical part 11, and the side wall of the locking element 7 moves in the centripetal direction when the sleeve 10 advances (moves in the distal direction). The inclined surface 15 is pressed and moved.
[0017]
Reference numeral 16 denotes a spring interposed between the step portion of the small-diameter inner peripheral cylinder portion 11 of the sleeve 10 and the step portion of the large-diameter portion 5 of the socket body 2, and 17 denotes a spring 16 that urges the sleeve 10 in the forward direction. It is a restricting portion that is engaged with the sleeve 10 that has been urged and moved forward, and the sleeve 10 is positioned at a position where the lock restraining surface 13 restrains the lock 7.
[0018]
Reference numeral 18 denotes an annular groove formed on the outer periphery of the large-diameter portion 5 of the socket body 2, and this annular groove 18 is almost located in the sleeve 10 when the sleeve 10 is in the retracted position, and the sleeve 10 advances. When in position, the annular groove 18 is formed so that a substantially half portion in the axial direction is exposed.
[0019]
Reference numeral 26 denotes a stopper, and the stopper 26 has a configuration in which a locking portion 20 protrudes from the outer periphery of a substantially C-shaped elastic body 19 made of a synthetic resin and provided with a metal leaf spring 27 and capable of expanding and reducing the diameter. The annular groove 18 is formed to have substantially the same width as that of the annular groove 18, and is fitted in the annular groove 18 so that the diameter of the annular groove 18 can be increased and reduced. The metal leaf spring 27 attached to the elastic body 19 is not limited to the plate shape as shown in the figure, and may be a linear shape. The locking portion 20 is formed to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the rear end side of the elastic body 19 with a width corresponding to the width of the exposed portion of the annular groove 18 that is exposed when the sleeve 10 is in the advanced position. In addition, although the two locking portions 20 are provided at symmetrical positions in this example, the locking portion 20 is not limited to this and may be provided over the entire circumference of the elastic body 19.
[0020]
The thickness of the portion of the stopper 26 where the locking portion 20 is provided on the elastic body 19 is reduced in diameter against the elastic force of the elastic body 19 in relation to the groove depth of the annular groove 18. When the diameter of the elastic body 19 and the locking portion 20 is reduced, the thickness is set so as to be accommodated in the large-diameter inner peripheral cylindrical portion 12 of the sleeve 10. In addition, the elastic body 19 is set so that the outer diameter of the elastic body 19 is larger than the diameter of the large-diameter inner peripheral cylindrical portion 12 of the sleeve 10 when the elastic body 19 is in an expanded state due to its elastic force. In this example, an accommodation recess that accommodates the locking portion 20 in a state in which the elastic body 19 is reduced in diameter against the elastic force on the rear end side of the inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter inner circumferential cylinder 12 of the sleeve 10 21 is formed.
[0021]
22 is a plug, and 23 is an engaging groove formed on the outer periphery of the plug 22. Reference numeral 24 denotes an O-ring that presses and seals against the outer peripheral surface of the plug 22 inserted into the socket 1, and 25 denotes a packing that presses and seals against the tip of the plug 22.
[0022]
Next, the operation of the present example configured as described above will be described.
First, when connecting the socket 1 and the plug 22, the sleeve 10 of the socket 1 is placed in a retracted state. This state is made as follows. The elastic body 19 provided with the locking portion 20 constituting the stopper 26 is pressed in the centripetal direction to reduce the diameter, and the sleeve 10 is retracted against the spring force of the spring 16. By the retraction of the sleeve 10, the stopper 26 is accommodated inside the large-diameter inner peripheral cylindrical portion 12 of the sleeve 10, and the lock 7 at the tip of the socket body 2 is released from the lock restraining surface 13 of the sleeve 10. The lower part is supported by the collar 8 that moves forward by the urging of the spring 9, the upper part protrudes to the outer periphery of the socket body 2, and enters the concave part 14 of the sleeve 10. As a result, the inclined surface 15 of the retracted sleeve 10 is locked to the lock 7 in the recess 14, thereby preventing the sleeve 10 from moving forward and being held in the retracted state (FIG. 1). .
[0023]
At this time, the elastic body 19 is subjected to stress in the direction of diameter reduction by the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 10, but the spring property of the elastic body 19 is reinforced by the metal plate spring 27 provided therewith, and the spring property of the elastic body 19 is long. Can be held for a period of time.
[0024]
When the plug 22 is inserted into the socket 1 with the sleeve 10 retracted in this way, the collar 8 is retracted by the inserted plug 22 to release the support of the lock 7, and the engagement formed on the outer periphery of the inserted plug 22. When the mating groove 23 coincides with the lock 7, the lock 7, which is pressed in the centripetal direction by the inclined surface 15 of the sleeve 10, moves in the centripetal direction and its lower part protrudes into the socket 1 to engage the plug 22. Engages with the groove 23. Thereby, the sleeve 10 in which the locking state between the inclined surface 15 and the locking element 7 is released moves forward by the elastic force of the compressed spring 16, and the locking element restraining surface 13 inhibits the locking element 7. Detachment from the mating groove 23 is prevented, and the socket 1 and the plug 22 are connected.
[0025]
At this time, as the sleeve 10 advances, the stopper 26 accommodated in the sleeve 10 that has been retracted is released from the inhibition of the sleeve 10, and the diameter thereof is expanded by the elastic force of the elastic body 19. The sleeve 10 is locked to the rear end to prevent the sleeve 10 from retracting (FIG. 3).
[0026]
Further, at the moment when the stopper 26 is released from the sleeve 10, the outer peripheral surface of the front end side of the elastic body 19 whose diameter has been expanded by the elastic force hits the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 10 and generates sound. With this sound, it can be confirmed that the locking portion 20 is locked to the rear end of the sleeve 10 to prevent the sleeve 10 from retreating. Furthermore, since the metal plate spring 27 provides a strong overhang of the elastic body 19 in the diameter-expanding direction, the elastic body 19 is in close contact with the sleeve 10 and the retraction of the sleeve 10 by the locking portion 20 is reliably maintained. Is done.
[0027]
When the socket 1 thus connected and the plug 22 are separated, the locking portion 20 locked to the rear end of the sleeve 10 is pressed in the centripetal direction against the elastic force of the elastic body 19. Then, by reducing the diameter of the elastic body 19, the locking portion 20 is moved to a position where it can be accommodated in the large-diameter inner peripheral cylindrical portion 12 of the sleeve 10, and the sleeve 10 is retracted. Thus, the lock 7 is released from the lock restraining surface 13 of the sleeve 10, and the plug 22 can be removed from the socket 1, so that the socket 1 is in the state shown in FIG.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the pipe joint according to the present invention, when the sleeve is advanced and the socket and the plug are connected, the stopper automatically expands in diameter and engages with the rear end of the sleeve to lock the sleeve. Therefore, there is no worry about forgetting to lock the sleeve after connecting the socket and the plug, it is easy to operate, and when the sleeve is in the retracted position, the stopper is housed inside the sleeve, and the sleeve is in the advanced position. In some cases, the stopper is outside the sleeve and colored differently from the sleeve, so it is easy and reliable to check whether the sleeve is in a locked state by simple means such as visual inspection of the stopper. Can do. Furthermore, the stopper is provided in the socket body so that the diameter of the socket can be increased or decreased only in the centrifugal direction. Since the stopper is accommodated in the sleeve when the sleeve is retracted, the presence of the stopper does not increase the length of the socket. Therefore, a compact pipe joint can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partially longitudinal side view showing an example of an embodiment of a pipe joint according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a stopper used in the embodiment shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partially longitudinal side view showing a state in which the socket and the plug shown in FIG. 1 are connected.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Socket 2 Socket main body 3 Adapter 4 Small diameter part 5 Large diameter part 6 Hole 7 Locking element 8 Collar 9 Spring 10 Sleeve 11 Small diameter inner peripheral cylinder part 12 Large diameter inner peripheral cylinder part 13 Locking element restraining surface 14 Recess 15 Inclined surface 16 Spring 17 restricting portion 18 annular groove 19 elastic body 20 locking portion 21 receiving recess 22 plug 23 engaging groove 24 O-ring 25 packing 26 stopper 27 metal leaf spring

Claims (1)

A pipe joint that detachably connects a socket and a plug with the lock element by operating a sleeve that moves forward and deters movement of the lock element in the centrifugal direction and reverses and releases the detent. A stopper provided with a locking portion protruding from the outer periphery of a substantially C-shaped elastic body capable of expanding and reducing the diameter is provided in an annular groove formed on the outer periphery of the stopper so that the diameter can be increased and reduced. In this case, when the sleeve is in the advanced position, the front end of the locking portion is locked to the rear end of the sleeve that is about to expand and retreat by elastic force, and when the sleeve is retracted, the stopper is by diameter against the spring force, and adapted to be accommodated, including the locking portion inside the sleeve retreats, moreover, the characteristic that different colored and the sleeve have been made Pipe fittings.

Images