BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a connecting device of prior art,
FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of an embodiment of a connecting device comprising the invention, and
FIG. 3 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 2 of another embodiment of the connecting device comprising the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the following the invention will be explained in further detail in its distinctive aspects in conjunction with connecting devices depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. It may be stated in advance that in FIG. 1 the same reference symbols are utilized for corresponding structural parts of the connecting device known from prior art.
The connecting device according to FIG. 2 serves for a plug connection of a pipe 4 or the like fluid conduit with a preferably metallic coupling body 1 such that, through the connecting device a fluid such as a gaseous or liquid medium can be conducted without leakages occurring. The coupling body 1 has a substantially cylindrical recess 3 extending up to an inner shoulder serving as a stop 5 for an end of the pipe 4, which is adjoined by a channel section 22 for passage of the fluid. The channel section 22 passes through a connection piece 23 implemented for example as a threaded connection piece.
The connecting device comprises further an, also preferably metallic, clamping collar 2, which can be set into the recess 3 from a direction of recess inlet 7. The clamping collar 2 comprises at its axially inner end arresting tongues 6 distributed over its circumference or separated from one another by (not visible) axially parallel slots and optionally resiliently elastic. During sliding-in these arresting tongues 6 can be slid with their broadened front-side ends 13 under radial compression past an annular bead 21 implemented on an inner wall surface 10 of the coupling body until the widened front-side ends 13 come to lie in a widening behind an encircling slope 9 radially slanting in the direction of the recess inlet 7. In this way coupling body 1 and clamping collar 2 form a unit which can only be detached by applying force. The end of pipe 4 can subsequently be slid into a cylindrical recess of the clamping collar 2 up to the stop 5 of coupling body 1. When there is a fluid pressure build-up in the connecting device, the end of pipe 4 is minimally displaced from an axially inner starting position on stop 5 in the direction of the recess inlet 7 into an axially outer arresting position depicted in FIG. 2, in which there is a gap 24 between a front side of the end of pipe 4 and stop 5. Pipe 4 therein entrains the clamping collar 2, whereby an outer side 8 of the widened front-side ends 13 of the arresting tongues 6 are pressed under cooperation with first slope 9 radially inwardly, and in this way secure in position the end of pipe 4. For this purpose the arresting tongues 6 have a sharp edge 16 on their inner side facing an outer wall surface 11 of pipe 4.
As is evident in FIG. 2 the coupling body 1 comprises in this embodiment example at a front side of the clamping collar 2 an encircling second slope 12 radially slanting toward the recess inlet 7, which slope during the sliding-in of the clamping collar from the axially outer arresting position depicted in FIG. 2 into an originally assumed axially inner starting position cooperates with the front-side end 13 of the arresting tongues 6 implemented as a ramp-up slope in order to spread open the arresting tongues 6. This special embodiment of the invention is utilized for a simple detachment of the plug connection. FIG. 2 shows further that for securement of this function, the widened front-side ends 13 of each arresting tongue 6 comprise an identically directed tongue slope 17 cooperating with second encircling slope 12 of the coupling body 1. In comparison with FIG. 1, it can be seen that a front-side sealing ring 20 provided according to prior art has been omitted.
However, for inlet-side sealing the clamping collar 2 adjacent the recess inlet 7 of the coupling body 1 can be sealed, for example by use of particular O-ring seals 14, 15, against the inner wall surface 10 of the coupling body 1 and/or outer wall surface 11 of the pipe 4. Hereby, penetration of moisture and dirt from outside and escape of fluid from the connecting device to the outside is additionally avoided.
A circumferential flange 18 provided at an outer end of clamping collar 2 facilitates sliding of the clamping collar 2 into recess 3 from the axially outer arresting position depicted in FIG. 2 inwardly into the axially inner starting position, in which the end of pipe 4 is again released from the arresting tongues 6.
A connecting device depicted in FIG. 3 follows up a further inventive concept separate from that described so far, but also applicable together therewith. In the connecting device depicted in FIG. 3 clamping collar 2 is divided into two sections axially separate from one another, and specifically into an axially inner function section 2A and an axially outer actuation section 2B. The function section 2A with arresting tongues 6 performs an arresting function and a release function, while the actuation section 2B serves for axial displacement of both sections 2A, 2B from an axially outer arresting position depicted in FIG. 3 into an axially inner starting position, in which pipe 4 is again released from the arresting tongues 6. Between front sides facing one another of function section 2A and actuation section 2B a circumferential seal, implemented as an O-ring seal 25, is disposed, which provides sealing radially outwardly against inner wall surface 10 of coupling body 1 and radially inwardly against outer wall surface 11 of pipe 4. The O-ring seal 25 is therewith located relatively close to recess inlet 7 and axially outside possible scratches, which can be generated at sharp edges 16 of the arresting tongues 6 in the outer wall surface 11 of pipe 4. Sealing against penetration of moisture and dirt, on the one hand, and against leaks of fluid to outside, is therewith reliably ensured, although only a single O-ring seal 25 is required.
The actuation section 2B comprises at its axially inner end radially displaceable latching tongues 26, distributed uniformly over a circumference, which are separated one from another by axial slots 27. These preferably resiliently elastic latching tongues 26 can engage with a projection 28 directed radially outwardly into an inwardly open circumferential groove 29 in the inner wall surface 10 of the coupling body 1.
The circumferential groove 29 is of a width which permits axial displacement of the actuation section 2B to an extent that the function section 2A is displaceable between its axially inner starting position and its axially outer arresting position, and conversely.
In this embodiment the function section 2A can be comprised of metal and the actuation section 2B of an elastically compliant material, such as a synthetic material. This metallic implementation of the function section 2A ensures a reliable arresting and releasing function of the arresting tongues 6, while the actuation section 2B serves only for an actuation function and cannot be lost. As depicted in FIG. 3, in this case circumferential flange 18 is provided on the actuation section 2B.
List of Reference Symbols
- 1 Coupling body
- 2 Clamping collar
- 2A Function section
- 2B Actuation section
- 3 Recess
- 4 Pipe
- 5 Stop
- 6 Arresting tongue(s)
- 7 Recess inlet
- 8 Outer side
- 9 First slope
- 10 Inner wall surface of the coupling body 1
- 11 Outer wall surface of pipe 4
- 12 Second slope
- 13 Front-side end
- 14 Outer O-ring seal
- 15 Inner O-ring seal
- 16 Edge
- 17 Tongue slope
- 18 Circumferential flange
- 19 O-ring seal
- 20 Sealing ring
- 21 Annular bead
- 22 Edge section [sic. Channel section]
- 23 Connection piece
- 24 Gap
- 25 O-ring seal
- 26 Latching tongue(s)
- 27 Axial slots
- 28 Projection
- 29 Circumferential groove
Patent Application
20080018106
