JP4186064B2 - Pipe joint connection checker - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connection management checker for a pipe joint provided in a fluid device such as a tank or a regulator in a fuel pipe path.

  As this type of pipe joint, for example, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a support pipe 7 fixed to a tank or a regulator of a fuel pipe path, and a tube connection pipe connected to the support pipe 7 by extrapolation 8 (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In this pipe joint, as shown in FIG. 8, the outer peripheral portion of the tube connection pipe 8 is from the incomplete connection state in which the tube connection pipe 8 is slightly extrapolated to the support pipe 7 to the complete connection state. A locking portion 81 on the free end side of the elastic support arm 80 provided with a gap g is pushed inward by a locking body 70 provided on the support tube 7 and comes close to or in contact with the tube connection tube 8. 9, when the tube connecting tube 8 is further pushed into the support tube 7, the elastic support arm 80 is elastically restored to the state having the original gap g, and the locking portion 81 is locked. 70 is engaged in a retaining state.

Therefore, in the completely connected state, since the locking portion 81 is engaged with the locking body 70, the tube connecting pipe 8 is inadvertently formed from the support pipe 7 even if fluid pressure acts on the pipe joint. There is no such thing as coming off.
However, in this pipe joint, there is a problem in that it is impossible to clearly determine whether the connection of the tube connection pipe 8 to the support pipe 7 is an incomplete connection state or a complete connection state. was there.

  The above problems are not limited to the relationship between the support pipe and the tube connection pipe, but of the male and female members constituting the pipe joint, the female member has an elastic support arm, and the male member side has the support body. If it has, it exists as well.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a connection management checker that can clearly determine at a glance whether the connection between male and female members of a pipe joint is an incomplete connection state or a complete connection state. Let it be an issue.

(Invention of Claim 1)
According to the first aspect of the present invention, of the male member and the female member connected thereto, the female member is provided with a gap in the outer peripheral portion of the main body and integrated with the elastic support arm, and is in an incompletely connected state with the male member. Then, the free end of the elastic support arm is pushed inward so as to be close to or in contact with the outer periphery of the main body, and in a fully connected state with the male member, the elastic support arm is restored to the original or close to the original state. There is a connection management checker for a pipe joint in which a hole connected to the gap is formed in the base end portion of the elastic support arm, the base and the base protruding from the base and inserted into the gap from the hole In the incompletely connected state, insertion into the gap of the insertion piece through the hole is prevented between the free end and the base end of the elastic support arm, and the base wall and the outer surface of the constituent wall of the main body There is a gap between them.
(Invention of Claim 2)
The invention according to claim 2 is that the male member of the male member and the female member connected thereto is provided with a gap in the outer peripheral portion of the main body and integrated with the elastic support arm, and is in an incompletely connected state with the female member. Then, the free end of the elastic support arm is pushed inward so as to be close to or in contact with the outer peripheral portion of the main body, and in a fully connected state with the female member, the elastic support arm is returned to the original state or with a gap close to the original. There is a connection management checker for a pipe joint in which a hole connected to the gap is formed in the base end portion of the elastic support arm, the base and the base protruding from the base and inserted into the gap from the hole In the incompletely connected state, insertion into the gap of the insertion piece through the hole is prevented between the free end and the base end of the elastic support arm, and the base wall and the outer surface of the constituent wall of the main body There is a gap between them.
(Invention of Claim 3)
The connection management checker according to a third aspect of the present invention relates to the invention according to the first aspect, wherein the male member is provided in the tank or the fluid device.
(Invention of Claim 4)
The connection management checker according to a fourth aspect of the present invention relates to the invention according to the second aspect, wherein the female member is provided in a tank or a fluid device.
(Invention of Claim 5)
The connection management checker according to a fifth aspect of the present invention relates to the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein two elastic support arms are provided on the main body, and the insertion piece and the hole inserted into the elastic support arm are provided. There are two each.

  In the pipe joint according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connection management checker that can clearly determine at a glance whether the connection between the male and female members of the pipe joint is an incomplete connection state or a complete connection state. .

  Hereinafter, an embodiment as the best mode for carrying out the connection management checker for pipe joints of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tube connection pipe 1 and a connection management checker 3 related thereto in a pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a support pipe 2 in the pipe joint, and FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the tube connection pipe 1 and the support pipe 2 in a joint, FIG. 4 is explanatory drawing when the checker 3 for connection management is used when the tube connection pipe 1 is in an incomplete connection state with respect to the support pipe 2. FIG. 5 shows an explanatory diagram when the connection management checker 3 is used when the tube connection pipe 1 is in a completely connected state with respect to the support pipe 2.
(About the basic structure of this pipe joint and checker 3)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the pipe joint includes a tube connecting pipe 1 (corresponding to the female member of the invention of claim 1) and a support pipe 2 (corresponding to the male member of the invention of claim 1). For example, a tube connection pipe 1 to which a fuel tube or the like is connected can be connected to a support pipe 2 fixed to a fuel tank or the like with one touch. Then, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the connection management checker 3 is used to determine whether the connection state of the tube connection pipe 1 to the support pipe 2 in this pipe joint is an incomplete connection state or a complete connection state. To be able to judge.

Below, the tube connection pipe 1, the support pipe 2, and the connection management checker 3 will be described in detail. (About the structure of the tube connection pipe 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, the tube connecting pipe 1 is formed in a substantially L-shape comprising a main body 10 and a tube connecting portion 11 projecting sideward from the main body 10, and a gap g is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the main body 10. A pair of elastic support arms 12, 12 is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the main body 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a top plate and is provided with an O-ring 13 on the inner peripheral surface thereof, and the pipe portion 20 of the support tube 2 has an outer airtightness. To be inserted into the state.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the tube connecting portion 11 is provided with a bulging portion 14 for preventing the tube from coming off unintentionally, and the insertion length of the tube. There is provided a flange 15 that defines

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the elastic support arm 12 is elastically deformed inward by an inward pushing force, and a locking portion 15 is provided outside the free end portion. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a hole 16 connected to the gap g is formed in a portion where the elastic support arm 12 and the main body 10 are connected, that is, a base end side portion of the elastic support arm 12. .
(About the structure of the support tube 2)
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the support pipe 2 is provided with the pipe portion 20 directly in the fuel tank FT in this embodiment, and an insertion hole 22 into which the main body 10 is inserted around the pipe portion 20. It is provided. In the fully connected state in which the main body 10 is inserted deeply into the insertion hole 22, the pipe 20 is inserted until it exceeds the O-ring 13 provided in the main body 10 as described above.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the above-described fuel tank FT is provided with a locking body 23 that engages and disengages with the locking portion 15 of the elastic support arm 12.
(About the operation of pipe fittings)
In this pipe joint, when the connection state of the tube connection pipe 1 to the support pipe 2 is in an incomplete connection state, the locking body 23 moves the elastic support arm 12 inside through the locking portion 15 as shown in FIG. To the main body 10 of the tube connecting tube 1 to bring it into close contact or contact.

Further, in the fully connected state as shown in FIG. 5, the elastic support arm 12 is elastically restored to the state having the original gap g or a gap close to the original gap g, and is prevented from coming off by the locking of the locking body 23 and the locking portion 15. The separation of the tube connection pipe 1 and the support pipe 2 is completely prevented by the force.
(About the configuration of the connection management checker 3 and its function)
As shown in FIG. 1, the connection management checker 3 includes a plate-like base 30, two insertion pieces 31, 31 protruding from the base 30 and inserted into the gaps g, g from the holes 16, 16. The insertion pieces 31, 31 protrude from the outer sides of the insertion pieces 31, 31. The insertion pieces 31, 31 are attached to the free ends of the elastic support arms 12, 12 only when their distal ends are completely connected. It can be inserted until it reaches. In this connection management checker 3, in the completely connected state, as shown in FIG. 5, there is no gap G between the base body 30 and the top wall 10 a of the main body 10 (the drilled surface of the hole 16). The tips of the visual pieces 32, 32 are in contact with the upper surface of the locking body 23 as shown in FIG.

  In the connection management checker 3, in the incompletely connected state, as described above, the locking body 23 pushes the elastic support arm 12 inward through the locking portion 23 as shown in FIG. Since the main body 10 is close to or in contact with the main body 10, the insertion pieces 31 and 31 cannot be inserted until the distal ends thereof reach the free ends of the elastic support arms 12 and 12. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, a gap G is formed between the base body 30 and the drilled surface of the hole 16 of the main body 1, and the distal ends of the visual pieces 32, 32 are locking bodies as shown in FIG. It is in a state away from the upper surface of 23.

  As described above, whether or not there is a gap G between the base body 30 and the top wall 10a of the main body 10 (the surface where the hole 16 is formed), the tips of the visual pieces 32 and 32 are in contact with the upper surface of the locking body 23. It can be clearly determined at a glance whether the tube connection pipe 1 is in a completely connected state or an incompletely connected state with respect to the support pipe 2 by looking at whether or not it is in the closed state.

  Further, in the connection management checker 3 of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, an elastic hanging piece 33 having a locking claw 34 is provided, and in the fully connected state, the elastic hanging piece 33 is engaged. The stop pawl 34 exceeds the locking body 23 so that they are engaged with each other, so that the connection management checker 3 is not inadvertently removed from the main body 10.

  If an incomplete connection state as shown in FIG. 4 is found using the connection management checker 3, the complete connection state shown in FIG. 5 can be obtained by pushing the substrate 30 with a finger as it is. .

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the second embodiment is an example in which the tube connecting pipe 1 ′ is a male member and the fuel tank FT side is a female member. In FIG. 6, the fuel tank FT is used. The tube connecting pipe 1 ′ (male member) is in an incompletely connected state with respect to (female member), and in FIG. 7, the tube connecting pipe 1 ′ is in a completely connected state with respect to the fuel tank FT.

  Even in the case of this form, in the incompletely connected state shown in FIG. 6, the elastic support arm 12 ′ is pushed inward through the locking portion 23 ′ so as to approach or come into contact with the main body 10 ′ of the tube connecting tube 1 ′. Therefore, the insertion pieces 31 and 31 cannot be inserted until their distal ends reach the free ends of the elastic support arms 12 'and 12'.

  On the other hand, the locking portion 15 ′ at the free end of the elastic support arm 12 ′ passes through the locking body 23 ′ and elastically returns to a state having the original clearance g of the elastic support arm 12 ′ or a gap close thereto. In the completely connected state, the insertion pieces 31 and 31 can be inserted until the distal end portions thereof reach the free ends of the elastic support arms 12 and 12.

Therefore, as in the first embodiment, the relative positional relationship of the substrate 30 with respect to the top wall 10a ′ is different between the incompletely connected state and the completely connected state. For this reason, the tube connecting pipe 1 ′ is different from the fuel tank FT. Whether the connection is incomplete or incomplete can be determined clearly at a glance.
(About other embodiments)
The connection management checker 3 includes the board 30 provided with the insertion piece 31, the visual piece 32, and the hanging piece 33. However, even when the visual piece 32 and the hanging piece 33 are removed, the board 30 and the main body 1 are removed. Whether there is a gap G between the hole 16 and the perforated surface of the hole 16 can be clearly determined at a glance whether it is in the above-described completely connected state or incompletely connected state.

  In the above embodiment, the support pipe 2 (male member) is provided in the fuel tank FT. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be provided in a regulator, a pump, or the like.

  In the above embodiment, two elastic support arms are provided in the main body, and two insertion pieces and two holes are provided therein. However, each of the configurations may be one or three or more.

The perspective view of the tube connection pipe (female member) in the pipe joint of Example 1 of this invention and the connection management checker relevant to this. The perspective view which shows the support pipe (male member) in the said pipe joint. Sectional drawing which shows the support pipe in the said pipe joint. Explanatory drawing when the checker for connection management is used when the tube connection pipe is in an incompletely connected state with respect to the support pipe which comprises the said pipe joint. Explanatory drawing when a connection management checker is used when the tube connection pipe is in a completely connected state with respect to the support pipe constituting the pipe joint. Explanatory drawing when a connection management checker is used when the tube connection pipe (male member) is in an incompletely connected state with respect to the fuel tank (female member) which comprises a pipe joint in Example 2 of this invention. Explanatory drawing when a connection management checker is used when the tube connection pipe (male member) is a complete connection state with respect to the fuel tank (female member) which comprises a pipe joint in Example 2. FIG. Explanatory drawing in the conventional pipe joint. Explanatory drawing in the conventional pipe joint.

Explanation of symbols

g Gap G Gap 1 Tube connection pipe (female member of pipe fitting)
2 Support pipe (male member of pipe joint)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Connection management checker 10 Main body 11 Tube connection part 12 Elastic support arm 13 O-ring 14 Swelling part 15 Locking part 16 Hole 20 Pipe part 22 Insertion hole 23 Locking body 30 Base body 31 Insertion piece 32 Visualization piece 33 Drooping piece 34 Locking claw

Claims (5)

Among the male member and the female member connected thereto, the female member is provided with a gap at the outer periphery of the main body and integrated with the elastic support arm, and in the incompletely connected state with the male member, the free end of the elastic support arm is The elastic support arm is pushed inward and approaches or contacts the outer peripheral portion of the main body, and in a fully connected state with the male member, the elastic support arm returns to the original or close to the original state. A connection management checker for a pipe joint in which a hole connected to the gap is formed at an end portion, and includes a base and an insertion piece that protrudes from the base and is inserted into the gap from the base. In the fully connected state, insertion into the gap of the insertion piece through the hole is prevented between the free end and the base end of the elastic support arm so that a gap is formed between the base body and the outer wall of the constituent wall of the main body. A connection management checker characterized by that. Of the male member and the female member connected to the male member, the male member is provided with a gap in the outer peripheral portion of the main body and integrated with the elastic support arm. The elastic support arm is pushed into the inside and approaches or contacts the outer periphery of the main body, and in a fully connected state with the female member, the elastic support arm returns to the original or close to the original state. A connection management checker for a pipe joint in which a hole connected to the gap is formed at an end portion, and includes a base and an insertion piece that protrudes from the base and is inserted into the gap from the base. In the fully connected state, insertion into the gap of the insertion piece through the hole is prevented between the free end and the base end of the elastic support arm so that a gap is formed between the base body and the outer wall of the constituent wall of the main body. A connection management checker characterized by that. The connection management checker according to claim 1, wherein the male member is provided in a tank or a fluid device. 3. The connection management checker according to claim 2, wherein the female member is provided in a tank or a fluid device. 5. The connection management checker according to claim 1, wherein two elastic support arms are provided in the main body, and two insertion pieces and two holes to be inserted therein are provided.

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