JPS6230629Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention is a pipe joint in which a socket and a plug can be freely engaged and separated by engaging and disengaging a locking body such as a lock ball or a lock pin, and in particular, by one action of a manipulator in an automatic machine. This invention relates to a pipe joint which can be easily connected and separated, and which allows confirmation from the outside that the socket and plug are completely connected.

There are cases where it is necessary to connect/separate pipe fittings mechanically using a manipulator or the like instead of manually.In such cases, conventional pipe fittings of this type generally do not connect/separate the socket and plug. In both cases, it is necessary to operate the sleeve to release the locking body, and when the socket and plug are connected, the direction of the sleeve operation is opposite to the direction of operation, so this operation cannot be done mechanically. Because these require advanced operating functions and require complicated control systems, they are not suitable as pipe fittings that can be connected and separated by manipulators that are particularly inept at complex operations. In addition, when connecting and separating pipe fittings mechanically, it is difficult to confirm that the socket is connected to the plug, and even if the connection between the two is incomplete, this cannot be easily confirmed. The liquid may leak out of the pipe, and the socket and plug may come off with force due to the fluid pressure inside the pipe, causing damage to machinery and equipment or creating a danger.

In view of the above points, the present invention connects and connects a socket and plug with only the axial movement required to connect and disconnect the pipe joint.
By making it possible to separate, it is possible to connect and separate with a manipulator, and it is also possible to easily confirm from the outside that the socket and plug are completely connected. The purpose is to

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a pipe joint comprising a socket in which a locking body such as a locking ball or a locking pin is provided so as to be freely retractable from both the inside and outside surfaces, and a plug having an engagement groove for the locking body on the outer periphery. The socket is provided with a drop-off prevention ring to prevent the locking body from escaping toward the outside surface, and the plug is pushed by the locking body during the socket connection process and retreats independently, and then the drop-off prevention ring is attached to the plug. A locking system retaining ring that extends between the socket and the outer peripheral surface of the socket to restrain the locking body, and an outer cylinder that moves together with the locking system retaining ring during the socket separation process can be slid concentrically in the axial direction. A spring is interposed between the locking system retaining ring and the plug to spring the locking system retaining ring in the connecting direction, and the locking system retaining ring is also provided with a spring that springs the locking system retaining ring in the direction opposite to the connecting direction of the plug and the socket. An abnormal connection indicator rod is provided protruding toward the direction of the abnormal connection, and its tip is movably inserted into a through hole formed in the outer cylinder. At this time, the locking system retaining ring is set to a required length to protrude outside the outer cylinder by the distance at which it stops at the retracted position rather than at the normal advanced position.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In the figure, 1 is a plug and 2 is a socket, and the plug 1 and socket 2 constitute a pipe joint body 3. Tapered small holes 4 are formed in the circumferential direction at appropriate intervals around the approximate end of the coupling port side of the socket 2, and a lock ball 6, which becomes a locking body 5, is inserted into each of the tapered small holes 4, a part of which is tapered. It fits loosely so that it protrudes from the small hole 4 into the socket 2. Reference numeral 7 denotes a fall prevention ring which prevents the lock ball 6 from falling out of the socket 2 from the small taper hole 4, and is fixedly provided on the outer periphery of the socket 2.

Reference numeral 8 denotes an engagement groove formed on the outer periphery of the insertion portion of the plug 1, and is a groove in which a lock ball 6, which becomes the locking body 5 provided in the socket 2, engages when the plug 1 is inserted into the socket 2. The plug 1 and the socket 2 are connected by engaging the lock ball 6 with the groove 8. 9 is plug 1
It is a locking ring attached to the outer periphery of the locking member so as to be freely advanced and retractable in the axial direction. When the plug 1 and the socket 2 are connected, the locking ring extends in the direction of the socket 2 together with the plug 1, and is fitted into the socket 2 and installed in the socket 2. The lock ball 6, which becomes the locked body 5, is held down from the outside by the holding part 10, preventing the lock ball 6 from protruding toward the outer circumference, and in the separated state, is moved back to release the pressure on the lock ball 6 from the outside. , which allows the lock ball 6 to protrude toward the outer circumference. This locking system retaining ring 9 is biased in the coupling direction by a spring 11 interposed between the locking system retaining ring 9 and the plug 1. 12
is an outer cylinder that forms part of the structure of the pipe joint body 3, which is attached to the outer periphery of the plug 1 so as to be movable in the axial direction in the same concentric manner as the locking member retaining ring 9; 9, and can move freely forward and backward only within this outer cylinder 12. 13 is spring 1
1 to prevent the locking system stop ring 9 from escaping from the inside of the outer cylinder 12, and to move the locking system stop ring 9 together with the movement of the external cylinder 12 in the process of separating the socket 2. A stopper 14 is provided on the cylinder 12, a flange member 14 restricts the movement of the outer cylinder 12 in the connection direction, and a spring receiver 15 receives one end of the spring 11. Reference numeral 16 denotes an abnormal connection indicator rod provided on the locking system retaining ring 9. A through hole 17 is formed in the outer cylinder 12 that forms a part of the structure of the pipe joint body 3, and the through hole 1
7, and the length of the abnormal connection indicator rod 16 is set such that it is sunk into the outer cylinder 12 during normal connection (complete connection) and is inserted into the outer cylinder 12 during abnormal connection (incomplete connection). The locking system retaining ring 9 is set to a required length so as to protrude outside the outer cylinder 12 by the distance required for the locking system stop ring 9 to stop at the retracted position rather than the normal extended position. 18 is a valve mechanism built into the plug 1, and 19 is a valve mechanism built into the socket 2.

In the above embodiment, a lock ball 6 is used as the locking body 5, but a lock pin (not shown) may be used instead of the lock ball 6.

The present invention has the above configuration, and the operation of the present invention will be explained next.

When plug 1 is inserted into socket 2, plug 1
With this movement, the locking member stop ring 9 and the outer cylinder 12 also move in the direction of the socket 2, that is, in the connection direction, and first the plug 1 pushes up the locking ball 6, which forms the locking body 5 provided in the socket 2, toward the outer circumference. At this time, the locking system retaining ring 9, which has advanced with the plug 1, is pushed toward the outer circumference of the socket 2 by the plug 1 in the process of advancing, and comes into contact with the lock ball 6 that protrudes from the outer circumference of the socket 2, thereby preventing further advancement. . That is, the locking system stop ring 9 is in a state where it is temporarily retracted by itself. If the plug 1 continues to be inserted, the outer cylinder 12 will also advance together with the plug 1, and as a result, the locking mechanism stop ring 9 will remain in the retracted position against the elasticity of the spring 11. The abnormal connection indicator rod 16 is provided protruding in a direction opposite to the connection direction, and its end is inserted into a through hole 17 formed in the outer cylinder 12. stand out. Furthermore, plug 1
When the plug 1 continues to be inserted and the engagement groove 8 formed in the plug 1 is located directly below the lock ball 6, the lock ball 6 is pushed down by the locking mechanism stop ring 9 and engages with the engagement groove 8, and the lock ball The locking mechanism stop ring 9, which had been prevented from advancing by the spring 6, advances in the coupling direction due to the elasticity of the spring 11.
The locking ball 6 which extends between the fall-off prevention ring 7 and the outer circumferential surface of the socket 2 and is engaged with the engagement groove 8 is pressed from the outside by the holding part 10 to prevent it from protruding toward the outer circumferential direction, and the plug is inserted here. 1 and socket 2 are in a normally connected (completely connected) state. At this time, in the process of inserting and moving the plug 1 into the socket 2, the outer cylinder 1
2 Abnormal connection display rod 16 with its tip protruding outward
When the plug 1 and the socket 2 are completely connected, the protruding portion sinks into the outer cylinder 12 (see FIG. 2).

On the other hand, if the plug 1 and the socket 2 are abnormally connected (incompletely connected), the locking system stop ring 9 is prevented from advancing by the lock ball 6 and remains in the retracted position, and the locking system stop ring 9 is not normally connected. The outer cylinder 12 is moved by the distance that it remains at the retracted position than the advanced position.
The tip of the abnormal connection indicator rod 16 protrudes outward (see FIG. 3).

Next, when separating the connected plug 1 and socket 2, the outer cylinder 12 fitted to the plug 1 is moved in the separation direction. Due to this movement of the outer cylinder 12, the locking mechanism stop ring 9 that is locked to the stopper 13 moves in the same direction as the outer cylinder 12 moves against the spring 11, and the locking mechanism stop ring 9 that is locked to the stopper 13 moves in the same direction as the outer cylinder 12 moves. Release the presser foot on body 5. As a result, the locking body 5 is removed from the plug 1, and the plug 1 is separated from the socket 2 by further moving the outer cylinder 12 in the same direction.

Since the present invention has the above-described structure and functions, according to the present invention, the operation of connecting and separating the plug and the socket is performed by grasping the outer cylinder of the plug and connecting the plug and the socket. Since both can be connected and separated by an extremely simple operation such as movement in the connection and separation direction, that is, in the axial direction, it is ideal as a pipe joint that can be mechanically attached and detached using a manipulator or the like. Furthermore, when the plug and socket are connected, whether or not the result is complete can be confirmed by visually observing whether or not the abnormal connection indicator rod protrudes from the outer cylinder of the plug. , since it was said that it is possible to prevent accidents from occurring if the connection is incomplete,
It is particularly effective as a pipe joint that can be connected and disconnected by mechanical means by remote control.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a partially longitudinal side view, FIG. 2 is a partially longitudinal side view showing a normally connected state of the plug and socket according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a partially longitudinal side view. FIG. 2 is a partially longitudinal side view showing an abnormally connected state between the plug and the socket. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Plug, 2... Socket, 5... Locking body, 7... Falling prevention ring, 8... Engaging groove, 11...
Spring, 12...outer cylinder, 16...abnormal connection indicator rod.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A pipe joint consisting of a socket in which a locking body such as a locking ball or a locking pin is provided so as to be freely retractable from both the inside and outside surfaces, and a plug having an engagement groove for the locking body on the outer periphery. The plug is provided with a fall-off prevention ring to prevent the socket from escaping, and the plug is pushed by the locking body during the socket connection process and retreats independently, and then advances between the fall-off prevention ring and the outer peripheral surface of the socket. A locking system retaining ring that restrains the locking body and an outer cylinder that moves with the locking system retaining ring during the separation process of the socket are fitted together so as to be able to slide in the axial direction in a concentric manner, and the locking system retaining ring and the plug are A spring is interposed between the locking system retaining ring and the locking system retaining ring in the connecting direction, and an abnormal connection indicating rod is provided on the locking system retaining ring in a direction opposite to the connecting direction of the plug and the socket. The tip thereof is movably inserted into a through hole formed in the outer cylinder, and the length of the abnormal connection indicator rod is set such that the length of the abnormal connection indicator rod is sunk into the outer cylinder when the connection is normal.
A pipe joint characterized in that the locking system retaining ring is set to a required length to protrude outside the outer cylinder by a distance such that the locking ring stops at a retracted position rather than a normal advanced position when abnormally connected.