JPS6314148Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a fluid coupling used in a conduit through which fluid such as liquefied gas flows.

For example, liquefied gas such as propane gas is stored in a liquefied gas storage gas cylinder installed outdoors, and the gas is piped to be led to a gas appliance such as a gas stove used in the home through a conduit. In such piping, if the gas cylinder falls down and the fuel supply pipe separates at its joint due to an operator's error or a disaster such as an earthquake, liquefied gas will be sprayed outside from the separated part and cause a fire. It may cause secondary disasters such as

This invention solves the above-mentioned difficulties in the conventional fluid joints used in this type of conduit, has a simple structure, is easy to handle, can withstand high fluid pressure and high tensile force, and is automatic when disconnected. The present invention provides a fluid coupling that can safely block a fluid flow path within a conduit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The fluid joint of this invention will be described in detail below based on its embodiments with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of an embodiment of the fluid joint of this invention, in which a connecting body 11 having a substantially cylindrical outer shape is provided, and a screw 12 is carved into the inner circumferential surface of the end of this connecting body 11. has been done. A supply pipe for supplying fluid such as gas to a gas stove used indoors is threadedly connected to this screw 12, for example.

The end of the connecting body 11 opposite to the end where the screw 12 is formed has its outer diameter narrowed and is formed to protrude in the axial direction to form a protruding part 11-P.
A flow path 13 is formed around the axis in the longitudinal axis direction. Projection 11-P of this connecting body 11
A connecting body 14 is attached to the connecting body 14 so as to face each other, and the diameter of the connecting body 14 is narrowed at the end opposite to the protrusion 11-P. A plurality of communication holes 15- are provided in the axial direction at the periphery of the large-diameter portion of the connecting body 14.
1, 15-2... are formed.

A socket body (sometimes referred to as a cylinder) 16 is provided which is screwed and fixed with a screw formed on the outer end surface of the protrusion 11-P, and the end of this socket body 16 on the opposite side from the connecting body 11 is The entire circumference is bent outward, and a flange body 16-E is formed there. The cylindrical body 20 is assembled and fixed to this collar body 16-E.
A substantially cylindrical fixed body 1 is provided between the ball holding portion 51 and the ball holding portion 51.
7 is provided. Flange body 16-E of this fixed body 17
At the end remote from the flange body 16-E from the outside to the inside
A tapered surface 17-E is formed so as to approach . This fixing body 17 may be formed integrally with the socket body 16.

A first annular body 18 having a substantially annular shape is provided, a part of this annular body 18 is spaced apart from the cylindrical body 20, and a plurality of rings are formed on the circumferential surface of the annular body 18 along the same circumference with respect to the axis. The ball holding body 51 is formed by forming holding holes 19-1, 19-2, . . . through the circumferential surface. Also, these holding holes 19-1, 19-2,...
A tapered surface is formed in which the inner diameter increases from the inner circumferential surface of the ring body 18 toward the outer circumferential surface.
A substantially annular second ring 19 is provided, and this second
The inner diameter of the ring body 19 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylinder body 16. The circumferential surfaces of the first and second annular bodies 18 and 19 at opposing ends are scraped off to form stepped portions 19-S and 18-S, respectively. This step 19
-S, 18-S by wrapping the cylindrical body 2 from the outside.
0 is fixedly attached to the first and second ring bodies 18 and 19.

A strong coil spring 21 is disposed between an axial end of the second annular body 19 located within the cylindrical body 20 and an end of the fixed body 17 facing the second annular body 19 . In this way, the first and second ring bodies 18, 19 and the cylinder body 20 connecting them are fitted and disposed outside the socket body 16 so as to be movable along the cylinder body 16. The first and second ring bodies 18, 19 and the cylinder body 20 may be formed integrally.

A connecting base 22 having a substantially cylindrical outer shape is provided,
A substantially cylindrical connector 2 is attached to the connector base 22.
3 are connected. The one shown in the example is the connector 2.
A spherical rotating body 24 is provided on the connecting base 22 side of No. 3, and this spherical rotating body 24 is rotatably connected to the connecting base 22 in three dimensions, thereby forming a so-called universal joint. Connection base 2
2. A fluid flow path is formed within the spherical rotating body 24 and the connector 23 along the axis thereof.

A step 23-E is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connector 23, and an annular connector 25 is disposed so as to be in contact with the step 23-E.
has a plurality of communication holes 26-1, 26-2 along the axial direction.
6-2, . . . are formed. The occlusion valve 30 is attached so as to be inserted into the coupling body 25 . The occlusion valve 30 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and an obturator 32 is integrally formed at the tip thereof with a tapered surface whose diameter decreases in the direction away from the connector 23. This obturator 32
The outer diameter of the connecting tool 23 side is enlarged to form the stepped portion 32-E.
is formed. A spring 39 is fitted between this step 32-E and the end of the connecting body 25 that faces the step 32-E.

A substantially cylindrical body 35 is fitted and fixed on the outside of the connector 23. The end of the cylindrical body 35 opposite to the fitting part with the connector 23 is an annular body into which the obturator 32 can be fitted. An O-ring 36 is held fixed. The O-ring 36 and the obturator 32 constitute a valve body.

In the vicinity of the fitting portion of the cylinder 35 with the connector 23, the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder 35 has an outer diameter narrowed to form a recess 36. Further, the outer diameter of the cylindrical body 35 on the side opposite to the spherical rotating body 24 from the recess 36 is narrowed to be approximately equal to the outer diameter of the recess 36. That is, the ring-shaped convex portion 53 is formed adjacent to the concave portion 36 and on the front side thereof. An annular body 37 is fitted between the cylindrical body 35 and the cylindrical body 35 on the side of the flange body 16-E of the cylindrical body 16 of the socket body 16. This annular body 37 is integrally formed with a flange 37-E protruding radially outward near one end thereof, and the outer diameter of this flange 37-E is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of this portion of the socket body 16. It is set. A weak coil spring 38 is fitted between this collar 37-E and the end of the socket body 16 facing the collar 37-E. The first ring body 18, the cylinder body 20, and the second ring body 19 are configured to be movable together along the cylinder body 35.

The socket of the fluid joint is composed of the socket body 16, the ring body 37, the first and second ring bodies 18, 19, and the cylinder body 20 as the main elements, and the connectors 23, 25, the closing valve 30, and the cylinder body 35 are the main elements. The plug of the fluid coupling is constructed as an element. The holding holes 19-1, 19-2,
Balls 40-1, 40-2, . . . are arranged within . When the plug is not inserted into the socket and connected, the blocking valve 30 is held by the spring 3.
9, the O-ring 3 is strongly biased and pressed toward the protrusion 11-P side by the O-ring 3 at the tip of the cylinder body 23.
6 is in pressure contact with the circumferential surface of the obturator 32,
The connecting tool 23, the connecting body 25, the communication holes 15-1, 15-2, . ing. When the plug is inserted into the socket and connected, the end face of the connecting body 14 pushes the closing valve 30 against the biasing force of the spring 39 toward the connecting base 22, and
The O-ring 36 at the tip of the cylindrical body 35 separates from the circumferential surface of the obturator 32. In this state, the connection tool 23, the connection body 25, the communication hole 1 of the inner peripheral surface connection body 14 of the cylinder 35
5-1, 15-2, . . . A flow path connecting the flow paths 13 is formed. At this time, the ring body 37 is
is pressed, the holding holes 19-1, 19-2... open, and the recess 36 of the cylinder 35 is positioned so as to cover the holding holes 19-1, 19-2,... do. Here, the biasing force of the spring 21 causes the fixed body 17 to
is biased in the axial direction, that is, in the direction of the first ring body 18. The ring body 19 engages with the stopper 52 and the cylinder body 20
cannot move further back than this. When the fixed body 17 is deflected in the axial direction, the distance between the inner circumferential surface of the fixed body 17 and the inner circumferential surface of the first ring body 18 becomes equal to the ball 40-1,
Since the diameter of the fixed body 17 is set slightly smaller than the diameter of the ball 40-2,...
-1, 40-2, . . . are pressed together in the direction of the central axis, that is, in the direction of the plug. Therefore, in this state, the ball 40
-1, 40-2, ... have their ends connected to the holding hole 19-1,
19-2, ... to protrude from the recess 3 of the cylinder 35.
6 and the holding holes 19-1, 19- of the first ring body 18
2, . . . and a plug is fitted into the socket.

When a large external force is applied to the connector 23 in the axial direction in the direction of pulling the plug out of the socket,
The inner surface of the recess 36 is formed by balls 40-1, 40-2,...
...is pressed parallel to the axis. Since the inner surface of the recess 36 is a surface inclined with respect to the axis, a component of the force in the axial direction presses the balls 40-1, 40-2, . . . outward. On the other hand, ball 40-1, 40-
The connecting base 22 side of 2, . For this purpose, the first and second
The ring bodies 18, 19 and the cylindrical body 20 move together along the axis toward the connection base 22.

This movement causes the holding hole 19- of the first ring body 18 to
1, 19-2, . . . gaps are generated between the portions and the cylindrical body 20. The ball 40-
1, 40-2, ... enters. Therefore, the connector 2
3 moves along the axis toward the connecting base 22, and the spring 3
Due to the biasing force of 8, the collar 37-E of the ring body 37 is
The ring body 18 moves to a position where it comes into contact with the end plate on the side opposite to the connecting base body 22, and the movement stops at that position.

In this position, the O-ring 36 is pressed against the circumferential surface of the obturator 32 as described above, and the flow path of the fluid joint is blocked. Therefore, if a large external force generated by operator error or an earthquake acts in the axial direction, causing the plug and socket to separate,
In the fluid joint of this invention, the fluid flow path is safely closed. In this state, the biasing force of the spring 38 presses the annular body 37 against the end plate of the first annular body 18 that faces the annular body 37, and the annular body 37 presses the retaining hole 37.
9-1, 19-2, . . . become blocked. Therefore, the balls 40-1, 40-2, . . . are prevented from protruding in the direction of the central axis.

Therefore, in this invention, when reconnecting the socket and plug of the fluid coupling after they have been separated, the balls 40-1, 40-2, . . . do not protrude into the socket. The connecting member 23 and the cylinder 35 constituting the plug may be inserted into the socket along the first ring body 18 constituting the socket. When the plug is inserted into the socket, the ring body 37 is pushed by the inclined surface of the cylinder body 35 and moves toward the protrusion 11-P against the biasing force of the spring 38, and the closing valve 30 closes to the connecting body 1.
The connecting base 2 resists the biasing force of the spring 39 with the end plate of 4.
Move to the 2nd side. Therefore, the O-ring 36 separates from the circumferential surface of the obturator 32, forming a fluid flow path.

In the description of the embodiment, a structure in which the connecting tool 23 is connected to the connecting base 22 via the spherical rotating body 24 has been taken up, but a connection state that does not involve the spherical rotating body 24 is also possible. Further, in the embodiment, a structure in which the blocking valve 30 is provided only on the plug side is shown, but the blocking valve is provided not only on the plug side but also on the socket side, and the blocking valves are disposed in contact with each other with their end plates. It is also possible to realize a structure in which the valves are pressed against each other and open to form a flow path.

As explained in detail above, according to this invention, when the socket and plug are connected, the valve opens and a fluid flow path is formed, and an excessive external force is applied to the joint, causing the socket and plug to separate, causing Since the piping is not cut, the valve is closed and the release of fluid to the outside is safely blocked. In addition, when inserting the plug into the socket again from this detached state, the plug can be inserted smoothly into the socket, safely preventing fluid from being released to the outside in the event of an accident, and preventing the plug from leaking again. It is possible to provide a fluid coupling that can connect a socket and a plug with a simple operation when installed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view showing the structure of an embodiment of the fluid coupling of this invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the socket part of the embodiment of the fluid coupling of this invention, and FIG.
The figure is a sectional view showing the configuration of the plug portion of an embodiment of the fluid coupling of this invention. 11: Connecting body, 14: Connecting body, 16, 35: Cylindrical body, 17: Fixed body, 18: First ring body, 19: Second ring body, 19-1, 19-2, ...: Holding hole,
20: Cylindrical body, 21, 38, 39: Spring, 23: Connector, 30: Closure valve, 36: Recess, 37: Annular body, 40-1, 40-2, ...: Ball.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A socket in which a first passage for fluid is formed along the axial direction, a second passage for fluid is formed along the axial direction, and the socket is inserted and connected to the socket. a plug provided in at least one of the socket and the plug, the plug being opened when the plug is inserted and connected to the socket to communicate the first and second passages; a valve body that closes when the plug is pulled out and blocks the passageway in which it is provided; and a first ring body that is coaxially movable in the axial direction on the outside of the socket body 16. 18, 2nd
An annular body 19 and a cylindrical body 20 connecting these members, holding holes 19-1, 19-2, . -1, 19-2, . . . are ball holder 51 whose inner end surface has a small diameter; The socket body 16 is movable in the axial direction so as to be able to at least partially close the holding holes 19-1, 19-2, . . . along the outer end surfaces of the holding holes 19-1, 19-2, .
and a cylindrical fixing body 17 disposed between the cylindrical bodies 20; a stopper 52 that prevents the cylindrical body 20 from moving backward by a predetermined amount or more; and a cylindrical fixing body that engages with the socket body 16 and a blocking means 16-E for preventing forward movement of the socket body 17 by more than a predetermined value; a strong coil spring 21 which is interposed between the plug and allows the cylindrical body 20 to move forward with an excessive force of a predetermined value or more; a recess 36 into which a part of the ball is inserted and engaged, and a gap is provided between the ball and the front wall surface; The weak coil spring 38
The outer peripheral surface of the ball is in contact with the ball in the disengaged state, and when connected, the weak coil spring 38 is applied with a relatively weak force by a ring-shaped protrusion 53 formed in the front adjacent to the recess 36. The annular body 3 is pushed backwards and separated from the ball in the connected state.
7, and universal joints 22 and 24 connected to one of the socket and the plug and having a passageway communicating with the passageway thereof, and having a distance between the socket and the plug of at least a predetermined value for separating them. When an excessive force of The fluid joint is configured such that the ball is positioned in front of the cylindrical fixing body 17 and the engagement between the ball and the plug is disengaged and the socket and the plug are separated.