WO2024101142A1

WO2024101142A1 - Pipe joint member

Info

Publication number: WO2024101142A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/038295
Authority: WO
Inventors: 武也佐々
Original assignee: 日東工器株式会社
Priority date: 2022-11-08
Filing date: 2023-10-24
Publication date: 2024-05-16

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a pipe joint member with which an operator can more reliably recognize that fluid pressure is being applied to the pipe joint member when an attempt was made to connect a corresponding pipe joint member while fluid pressure was applied to the pipe joint member. [Solution] A female pipe joint member 10 is removably connected to a corresponding male pipe joint member 1. When the female pipe joint member 10 receives fluid pressure from the rear-end opening 14 with the male pipe joint member 1 in a disconnected state, a second slide member 26 is displaced to the forward position, and a first lock 78 is held in a displacement-preventing position by the second slide member 26. This prevents a first slide member 24 from being displaced from a forward position to a rearward position. If an attempt is made to insert the male pipe joint member 1 into an internal space 16 of the female pipe joint member 10, a front end surface 2 of the male pipe joint member 1 engages with the first slide member 24 and the male pipe joint member 1 cannot be inserted to a predetermined position where connection will be completed.

Description

Pipe joint parts

The present invention relates to a pipe coupling member that is detachably connected to a corresponding pipe coupling member, and in particular to a pipe coupling member that is designed to prevent the corresponding pipe coupling member from being connected when fluid pressure is applied to the pipe coupling member.

In pipe coupling members that handle high-pressure fluids such as hydrogen gas that is filled in fuel cell vehicles, sufficient safety must be ensured. In particular, if a corresponding pipe coupling member is connected to a pipe coupling member connected to a fluid supply source while high fluid pressure from the fluid supply source is being applied, the high-pressure fluid will spurt out to the outside, which is dangerous. There is also a risk that the corresponding pipe coupling member will be blown away by the high-pressure fluid being spurted out. For this reason, for example, in Patent Document 1, the corresponding pipe coupling member cannot be connected to the pipe coupling member while fluid pressure is being applied to the pipe coupling member. Specifically, when fluid pressure is applied in a non-connected state, the valve member built into the pipe coupling member is prevented from displacing to the open position, and the holding member for holding the locking member for connecting and holding the corresponding pipe coupling member in the locked position is not operated. As a result, even if the corresponding pipe coupling member is inserted into the pipe coupling member connected to the fluid supply source, the valve member does not open, so high-pressure fluid will not spurt out. In addition, the holding member does not operate, so the operator can recognize that the pipe coupling member is under fluid pressure.

Japanese Patent No. 4896070

The conventional pipe coupling members described above make it possible to prevent the corresponding pipe coupling member from being connected when fluid pressure is applied to the pipe coupling member. However, when the corresponding pipe coupling member has been inserted to the specified position, the operator may think that the pressing member is not moving properly because the pressing member does not operate, and may try to forcibly operate the pressing member. Or, the operator may think that the corresponding pipe coupling member has not been inserted sufficiently and may try to forcibly insert the corresponding pipe coupling member. Such forcible operation may damage the pipe coupling member or injure the operator.

The present invention aims to provide a pipe coupling member that allows an operator to more reliably recognize that fluid pressure is being applied to a pipe coupling member when attempting to connect a corresponding pipe coupling member while fluid pressure is being applied to the pipe coupling member.

That is, the present invention provides:
A pipe coupling member that is detachably connected to a corresponding pipe coupling member,
a fitting body including a tubular portion having a front end opening, a rear end opening, and an internal space extending between the front end opening and the rear end opening, and an inner extension portion extending from an inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion within the internal space;
a coupling locking member attached to the coupling body, the coupling locking member being displaceable between a coupling position where the coupling locking member engages with a corresponding pipe coupling member inserted from the front end opening to a predetermined position within the internal space to couple the corresponding pipe coupling member to the corresponding pipe coupling member, and a coupling release position where the coupling locking member disengages from the corresponding pipe coupling member to release the connection between the corresponding pipe coupling member and the corresponding pipe coupling member;
a first slide member disposed within the internal space and configured to be pushed by the corresponding pipe coupling member and displaced from a front position to a rear position when the corresponding pipe coupling member is inserted to the predetermined position;
a second slide member disposed within the internal space and adapted to be displaced from a rear position to a front position when fluid pressure is applied from the rear end opening side;
a first locking element disposed on the inner extending portion and displaceable between a displacement preventing position that prevents the first slide member from displacing from the front position to the rear position and a displacement allowing position that allows the first slide member to displace from the front position to the rear position;
Equipped with
The pipe joint member is provided such that, when the second slide member is displaced to the forward position, the first locking element is held in a displacement prevention position by the second slide member.

When this pipe coupling member receives fluid pressure from the rear end opening while the corresponding pipe coupling member is not connected, the second slide member is displaced to a forward position, thereby holding the first locking element in a displacement prevention position. As a result, the first slide member is prevented from displacing from the forward position to the rear position. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to insert a corresponding pipe coupling member into this pipe coupling member, it will hit the first slide member and will not be able to be inserted to the specified position where connection is completed. Since the corresponding pipe coupling member cannot be inserted to the specified position, the operator can easily recognize that fluid pressure is already being applied to the pipe coupling member.

in particular,
The inner extension portion extends forward from an inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion to define a slide receiving space between the inner extension portion and the inner circumferential surface,
the first slide member is at least partially located within the slide receiving space;
the second slide member being at least partially located radially inward of the inner extension;
The first locking element may be configured to protrude radially outward from the inner extending portion at the displacement prevention position and engage with the first slide member.

Also,
a sleeve disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the joint body and displaceable between a locked position that holds the connection locking member in the connection position and an unlocked position that allows the connection locking member to be displaced to the disconnected position;
a second locking element disposed in a locking element holding hole formed in the tubular portion, the second locking element being displaceable between a holding position where the second locking element engages with the sleeve to hold the sleeve in the disconnected position and a holding release position where the second locking element allows the sleeve to move from the disconnected position to the locked position;
Further comprising:
When the first slide member is in the forward position, the second locking element is held in the holding position by the first slide member,
When the first slide member is in the rear position, the second locking element can be displaced to the retention release position.

moreover,
a flow path forming member that is disposed within the internal space, the flow path forming member having a front end side connection portion connected to a corresponding pipe coupling member inserted into the internal space, a rear end side valve pressing portion, and a first flow path portion extending rearward from the connection portion, the flow path forming member being displaced from a front position to a rear position when the corresponding pipe coupling member is inserted to the predetermined position;
a valve member disposed behind the flow path component;
A spring that biases the valve member forward;
Further comprising:
The second slide member has a second flow path portion extending in the front-rear direction and communicating with the first flow path portion,
the valve member is displaceable with respect to the second slide member between a closing position where the valve member is pressed against the second slide member by the spring to close the second flow path portion and an opening position where the valve member is displaced rearward relative to the second slide member to open the second flow path portion,
When the flow path forming member is in the forward position, the valve member moves forward together with the second slide member when the second slide member is displaced to the forward position, and remains in the closed position,
When the flow path forming member is in the rear position, the valve member can be prevented from moving forward by abutting the valve pressing portion of the flow path forming member as the second slide member is displaced to the forward position, thereby being brought into the open position.

Below, an embodiment of a pipe joint member according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a female pipe coupling member according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a corresponding male pipe coupling member is connected to the female pipe coupling member of FIG. 1 . 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a fluid pressure is applied to the female pipe coupling member of FIG. 1 when the female pipe coupling member is connected to a corresponding male pipe coupling member; FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a fluid pressure is applied to the female pipe coupling member of FIG. 1 before the male pipe coupling member is connected thereto;

The female pipe fitting member (pipe fitting member) 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a pipe fitting member that is detachably connected to a corresponding male pipe fitting member (corresponding pipe fitting member) 1, as shown in Figures 1 to 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the female pipe fitting member 10 comprises a fitting body 18 having an internal space 16 extending along a longitudinal axis L from a front end opening 12 to a rear end opening 14, and a connecting locking member 22 disposed within a locking member retaining hole 20 formed in the fitting body 18. The female pipe fitting member 10 further comprises a first slide member 24, a second slide member 26, and a flow path forming member 28, each of which is disposed within the internal space 16.

In this embodiment, the joint body 18 is composed of a front tubular member 32 and a rear tubular member 34 that are screwed together to form a tubular portion 30 that defines the internal space 16, and an intermediate member 36 that is sandwiched and held between the front tubular member 32 and the rear tubular member 34 within the internal space 16. The intermediate member 36 constitutes an inner extension portion 38 that extends forward from the inner peripheral surface 30a of the tubular portion 30, and a slide accommodation space 40 is defined between the inner peripheral surface 30a of the tubular portion 30 and the outer surface 38a of the inner extension portion 38. As described below, the front end opening 12 of the joint body 18 is adapted to receive a corresponding male pipe joint member 1. In addition, the rear end opening 14 is formed with a female thread portion 41 for connection to a fluid supply source (not shown).

The first slide member 24 has a cylindrical shape, a portion of which is located within the slide accommodation space 40, and its front end 42 is arranged to be located in front of the slide accommodation space 40. The first slide member 24 is also displaceable back and forth in the direction of the longitudinal axis L between a forward position (FIGS. 1 and 4) and a rear position (FIGS. 2 and 3), and is biased forward by a spring 43 arranged between the first slide member 24 and the inner extension 38 of the coupling body 18. When the first slide member 24 is in the forward position, its locking step 44 engages with the flow path forming member 28, preventing it from being displaced further forward.

The flow path forming member 28 has a connecting portion 46 at the front end side that is connected to the corresponding male pipe coupling member 1, a valve pressing portion 48 that extends rearward in an elongated manner at the rear end side, and a first flow path portion 54 that extends rearward from a front flow path opening 50 of the connecting portion 46 to a rear flow path opening 52 generally along the longitudinal axis L. The flow path forming member 28 is displaceable back and forth in the direction of the longitudinal axis L between a forward position (FIGS. 1 and 4) and a rear position (FIGS. 2 and 3), and is biased forward by a spring 56 that is disposed between the flow path forming member 28 and the inner extension portion 38 of the coupling body 18. When the flow path forming member 28 is in the forward position, a stop ring 58 attached to its outer circumferential surface 28a engages with the inner extension portion 38 to prevent further forward displacement.

The second slide member 26 has a second flow passage portion 60 that extends in the front-rear direction and communicates with the first flow passage portion 54 of the flow passage component 28. The second slide member 26 is displaceable in the front-rear direction in the direction of the longitudinal axis L between the rear position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and the front position (FIGS. 3 and 4), and is biased rearward by a spring 62 disposed between the second slide member 26 and the inner extension portion 38 in the joint body 18. The second slide member 26 is sealed between the inner peripheral surface 30a of the joint body 18 by a first seal member 64 attached to the joint body 18, and is sealed between the outer peripheral surface 28a of the flow passage component 28 by a second seal member 66 attached to the second slide member 26. When the second slide member 26 and the flow passage component 28 are displaced between their respective front and rear positions, the seal provided by the first seal member 64 and the second seal member 66 is maintained.

The connecting locking member 22 is disposed within the locking member retaining hole 20 formed in the joint body 18 so as to be displaceable radially between a connecting position (FIGS. 1, 2, 3) and a disconnecting position (FIG. 4). The female pipe joint member 10 further includes a sleeve 68 disposed on the outer circumferential surface 18a of the joint body 18. The sleeve 68 is disposed so as to be displaceable back and forth in the direction of the longitudinal axis L between a locked position (FIGS. 2, 3) that holds the connecting locking member 22 in the connecting position and an unlocked position (FIGS. 1, 4) that allows the connecting locking member 22 to be displaced to the disconnecting position. The sleeve 68 is biased forward toward the locked position by a spring 70 disposed between the sleeve 68 and the joint body 18.

The female pipe fitting member 10 further includes a valve member 72 disposed in the second flow path portion 60 of the second slide member 26. The valve member 72 is biased forward by a spring 74 disposed between the valve member 72 and the fitting body 18, and is pressed against a valve seat portion 76 formed in the second flow path portion 60. The second flow path portion 60 is closed by the valve member 72 being pressed against the valve seat portion 76.

The female pipe joint member 10 further includes a first locking element 78 disposed in the inner extension portion 38 of the joint body 18, and a second locking element 80 disposed in the tubular portion 30. The first locking element 78 is displaceable in a first locking element retaining hole 82 formed in the inner extension portion 38 between a displacement-permitting position (FIGS. 1 and 2) protruding radially inward from the inner surface 38b of the inner extension portion 38 and a displacement-preventing position (FIGS. 3 and 4) protruding radially outward from the outer surface 38a of the inner extension portion 38. The second locking element 80 is displaceable in a second locking element retaining hole 84 formed in the tubular portion 30 between a retaining position (FIGS. 1 and 4) protruding radially outward from the outer circumferential surface 30b of the tubular portion 30 and a retaining release position (FIGS. 2 and 3) protruding radially inward from the inner circumferential surface 30a of the tubular portion 30.

In the state shown in FIG. 1, in which the male pipe coupling member 1 is not connected to the female pipe coupling member 10 and no fluid pressure is applied from the rear end opening 14, the first slide member 24 is in the forward position, whereby the second locking member 80 is held in the holding position by the first slide member 24. The second locking member 80 held in the holding position engages with the locking groove of the sleeve 68 to hold the sleeve 68 in the disconnected position. The second slide member 26 is in the rear position, whereby the first locking member 78 is freely displaceable between a radially outer displacement prevention position and a radially inner displacement allowance position.

1, when the corresponding male pipe coupling member 1 is inserted into the internal space 16 from the front end opening 12, the front end surface 2 of the male pipe coupling member 1 first pushes the first slide member 24 backward, and then pushes the flow path component member 28 backward. As shown in FIG. 2, when the male pipe coupling member 1 is inserted to a predetermined position, the second locking member 80 is displaced radially inward by the sleeve 68, which is biased forward by the spring 70, to the release position. The sleeve 68 is displaced further forward by the spring 70, which displaces the connecting locking member 22 radially inward to the connecting position. The connecting locking member 22 in the connecting position engages with the locking groove 3 of the male pipe coupling member 1 to connect the male pipe coupling member 1 to the female pipe coupling member 10. The connecting locking member 22 is supported from the radial outside by the sleeve 68 in the locked position, and is held in the connecting position. The flow path component 28 has its connection portion 46 inserted into the flow path 4 of the male pipe coupling member 1 and is connected, and is pushed to a rear position by the front end surface 2 of the male pipe coupling member 1.

2, when fluid is supplied from the fluid supply source connected to the rear end opening 14 and fluid pressure is applied from the rear end opening 14 side, the second slide member 26 is displaced to a forward position by the fluid pressure as shown in FIG. 3. The valve member 72 arranged in the second flow path section 60 of the second slide member 26 is initially displaced forward together with the second slide member 26, but is prevented from moving forward by abutting against the valve pressing portion 48 of the flow path forming member 28 along the way. Thus, the valve member 72 is pressed against the valve seat portion 76 of the second slide member 26 until it abuts against the valve pressing portion 48, remaining in the closed position that closes the second flow path section 60, but as the second slide member 26 displaces to the forward position, it abuts against the valve pressing portion 48 and is prevented from moving forward, displacing backward relative to the second slide member 26 to the open position that opens the second flow path section 60. When the valve member 72 is in the open position, the flow path from the rear end opening 14 to the forward flow path opening 50 of the flow path component 28 is connected, and the fluid supplied from the fluid supply source passes through the female pipe fitting member 10 and is supplied to the male pipe fitting member 1.

When disconnecting, the supply of fluid from the fluid supply source is stopped so that no fluid pressure is applied from the rear end opening 14 side (Figure 2), and the sleeve 68 is displaced to the release position. This causes the connection locking member 22 to disengage from the locking groove 3 of the male pipe coupling member 1 and displace to the disconnection position where the connection with the female pipe coupling member 10 is released. In this state, the male pipe coupling member 1 is pulled out of the female pipe coupling member 10 to disconnect the connection.

On the other hand, when fluid pressure is applied from the rear end opening 14 side in the state shown in FIG. 1 with the male pipe coupling member 1 not connected, the second slide member 26 is displaced to the forward position together with the valve member 72 as shown in FIG. 4. Then, the first locking element 78 is displaced radially outward by the second slide member 26 and held in the displacement prevention position. As a result, the rear end portion 86 of the first slide member 24 is engaged with the first locking element 78, and the first slide member 24 is prevented from displacing from the forward position to the rear position. The valve member 72 is displaced forward together with the second slide member 26, so it is not displaced relative to the second slide member 26. Therefore, the valve member 72 maintains the closed position that closes the second flow path portion 60. Even if an attempt is made to insert the male pipe coupling member 1 from the front end opening 12 in this state, the front end surface 2 of the male pipe coupling member 1 abuts against the first slide member 24 held in the forward position, so the male pipe coupling member 1 cannot be inserted any further. In addition, since the male pipe fitting member 1 does not abut against the flow path component 28, the flow path component 28 does not displace toward the rear position. Therefore, although the second slide member 26 is displaced to the forward position, the valve member 72 does not abut against the valve pressing portion 48 of the flow path component 28, so it does not move to the open position and remains in the closed position.

As described above, even if an attempt is made to connect the corresponding male pipe coupling member 1 to the female pipe coupling member 10 while fluid pressure is being applied, the male pipe coupling member 1 cannot be inserted to the specified position because it engages with the first slide member 24 held in the forward position. Since the male pipe coupling member 1 cannot be inserted to the specified position, the operator can easily recognize that the female pipe coupling member 10 is already under fluid pressure and cannot be connected.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the connecting locking member, the first locking element, and the second locking element are spherical members, but they can also be other shapes. In particular, the connecting locking member can be a chuck-shaped member that swings between a connecting position and a disconnecting position. In addition, the inner extension part of the joint body can extend rearward from the inner peripheral surface of the tubular part, a part of the first slide member is located radially inside the inner extension part, and a part of the second slide member is located radially outside the inner extension part. In that case, the first locking element can be configured to protrude radially inward from the inner extension part at the displacement prevention position and engage with the first slide member, and then displace radially outward from there to the displacement allowance position. In addition, terms indicating directions such as "front", "rear", "forward", and "rear" in the present invention and the above embodiment are used simply to indicate the relative positional relationship in the configuration of the invention, and do not necessarily mean the direction in the actual installation state or usage state.

1 Male pipe joint member (corresponding pipe joint member)
2 Front end surface 3 Locking groove 4 Flow path 10 Female pipe joint member (pipe joint member)
12 Front end opening 14 Rear end opening 16 Internal space 18 Joint body 18a Outer peripheral surface 20 Locking member retaining hole 22 Connecting locking member 24 First slide member 26 Second slide member 28 Flow path forming member 28a Outer peripheral surface 30 Tubular portion 30a Inner peripheral surface 30b Outer peripheral surface 32 Front tubular member 34 Rear tubular member 36 Intermediate member 38 Inner extension portion

38a Outer surface

38b Inner surface 40 Slide accommodation space 41 Female thread portion 42 Front end portion 43 Spring 44 Locking step portion 46 Connection portion 48 Valve pressing portion 50 Front flow path opening 52 Rear flow path opening 54 First flow path portion 56 Spring 58 Stop ring 60 Second flow path portion 62 Spring 64 First seal member 66 Second seal member 68 Sleeve 70 Spring 72 Valve member 74 Spring 76 Valve seat portion 78 First locking element 80 Second locking element 82 First locking element holding hole 84 Second locking element holding hole 86 Rear end portion L Longitudinal axis

Claims

A pipe coupling member that is detachably connected to a corresponding pipe coupling member,
a fitting body including a tubular portion having a front end opening, a rear end opening, and an internal space extending between the front end opening and the rear end opening, and an inner extension portion extending from an inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion within the internal space;
a coupling locking member attached to the coupling body, the coupling locking member being displaceable between a coupling position where the coupling locking member engages with a corresponding pipe coupling member inserted from the front end opening to a predetermined position within the internal space to couple the corresponding pipe coupling member to the corresponding pipe coupling member, and a coupling release position where the coupling locking member disengages from the corresponding pipe coupling member to release the connection between the corresponding pipe coupling member and the corresponding pipe coupling member;
a first slide member disposed within the internal space and configured to be pushed by the corresponding pipe coupling member and displaced from a front position to a rear position when the corresponding pipe coupling member is inserted to the predetermined position;
a second slide member disposed within the internal space and adapted to be displaced from a rear position to a front position when fluid pressure is applied from the rear end opening side;
a first locking element disposed on the inner extending portion and displaceable between a displacement preventing position that prevents the first slide member from displacing from the front position to the rear position and a displacement allowing position that allows the first slide member to displace from the front position to the rear position;
Equipped with
The pipe joint member is configured such that, when the second slide member is displaced to the forward position, the first locking element is held in a displacement prevention position by the second slide member.
The inner extension portion extends forward from an inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion to define a slide receiving space between the inner extension portion and the inner circumferential surface,
the first slide member is at least partially located within the slide receiving space;
the second slide member is at least partially located radially inward of the inner extension;
The pipe joint member according to claim 1 , wherein the first locking element protrudes radially outward from the inner extending portion at the displacement prevention position to engage with the first slide member.
a sleeve disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the joint body and displaceable between a locked position that holds the connection locking member in the connection position and an unlocked position that allows the connection locking member to be displaced to the disconnected position;
a second locking element disposed in a locking element holding hole formed in the tubular portion, the second locking element being displaceable between a holding position where the second locking element engages with the sleeve to hold the sleeve in the disconnected position and a holding release position where the sleeve is permitted to move from the disconnected position to the locked position;
Further comprising:
When the first slide member is in the forward position, the second locking element is held in the holding position by the first slide member,
3. The pipe joint member according to claim 1, wherein the second locking element is adapted to be displaceable to the retention release position when the first slide member is in the rear position.
a flow path forming member that is disposed within the internal space, the flow path forming member having a front end side connection portion connected to a corresponding pipe coupling member inserted into the internal space, a rear end side valve pressing portion, and a first flow path portion extending rearward from the connection portion, the flow path forming member being displaced from a front position to a rear position when the corresponding pipe coupling member is inserted to the predetermined position;
a valve member disposed behind the flow path component;
A spring that biases the valve member forward;
Further comprising:
The second slide member has a second flow path portion extending in the front-rear direction and communicating with the first flow path portion,
the valve member is displaceable with respect to the second slide member between a closing position where the valve member is pressed against the second slide member by the spring to close the second flow path portion and an opening position where the valve member is displaced rearward relative to the second slide member to open the second flow path portion,
When the flow path forming member is in the forward position, the valve member moves forward together with the second slide member when the second slide member is displaced to the forward position, and remains in the closed position,
3. The pipe coupling member according to claim 1, wherein when the flow path component member is in the rear position, the valve member abuts against the valve pressing portion of the flow path component member during the displacement of the second slide member to the forward position, thereby preventing the valve member from moving forward and setting the valve member to the open position.