Patent Application
20190145557
The invention relates to a connection device, in particular in the form of a hose coupling, having two coupling parts, which can be connected to each other and released again, one of which secures a connection hose by means of a fastening device, which in the coupled state establishes a fluid-conducting connection to a connection channel of the other coupling part, and having a sealing system comprising a sealing ring which, arranged in the region of the free end of a coupling part, encompasses the incorporated connection hose in a sealing manner.
Connection devices of this type are state of the art. By way of example, DE 10 2010 034 475 A1 shows a connection device of this type, which can be used in fluid-related devices for connecting pipe or hose lines, which are used to transport a multitude of flowable media. These may be gaseous media, such as compressed air, working gases or the like, or liquids of various kinds. In many cases, such connection devices are also used in the pharmaceutical industry or in the food industry, in areas in which particularly high standards of hygiene have to be observed. In such applications, it is therefore common to perform cleaning measures on the connection devices at short intervals where the connection devices are exposed to cleaning agents and/or steam jet operations. In the known connection devices, this results in impairments in particular due to the penetration of cleaning media, such as liquids and or steam.
In view of this, the invention addresses the problem of providing a connection device of the type mentioned, which permits the implementation of intensive cleaning operations without affecting the operational reliability.
According to the invention, this problem is solved by a connection device having the features of claim 1 in its entirety.
According to the characterizing part of claim 1, a significant feature of the invention is that the sealing ring protrudes beyond the free end of a coupling part by a predetermined axial projection to form a sealing surface for the connection tube outwards toward the environment. As a result, the sealing ring not only forms the seal between the outside of the connection hose and the receiving coupling part, but also forms a barrier at the critical transition point between the end of the coupling and the hose. As a result, the connection device is protected at the possible entry point against any foreign media intruding from the outside, such that correspondingly intensive cleaning operations can be safely conducted.
In particularly advantageous exemplary embodiments, the sealing ring has a further sealing surface for the sealing at the connection hose, which surface projects into the interior of the one coupling part at an offset from the one sealing surface. In that way, the further sealing surface is encompassed and radially supported by a coupling part.
With particular advantage, the arrangement can be made such that the further sealing surface viewed in the longitudinal section of the sealing ring follows a convex trajectory for an opening of the coupling part left uncovered by the connection tube, which trajectory converts into a flatter overall sealing surface, wherein the two outer curved or oblique sealing surface parts are moved to the rear by the incorporation of the connection tube. Owing to the contact of the connection tube, which deforms the curved overall sealing surface into a flatter shape, a pre-stress increasing the sealing force results, which pre-stress is intensified at an expansion of the hose diameter caused by the internal pressure due to the fluid in the connection hose.
With particular advantage, the sealing ring may have on its outer circumference a carrier web, which engages with a receiving groove of a coupling part, the free end of which extends over the carrier web with an end web and the outer peripheral side of which is in contact with the sealing ring. As a result, this outer peripheral side is secured in position by positive engagement with the receiving groove.
Advantageously, the arrangement may be such that an outer sealing part of the sealing ring adjoins the end web of the coupling part and at least partially rests against the latter, which outer sealing part supports a part of the further sealing surface at the inner periphery.
In advantageous exemplary embodiments, the connection hose for activating the sealing force effect of the sealing ring is displaceable up to a sealing contact surface on the other coupling part, wherein during the coupling process, in which the one coupling part can be connected, preferably screwed, to the other coupling part, the one coupling part carries a collet connected to the former, which closes, controlled by a control bevel in the other coupling part, upon increasing fastening process, the jaws of the collet on the connection hose at least up to a clamping contact with the latter in a releasable manner. The coupling process thereby not only effects the mechanical connection of the coupling parts, but also achieves the axial securing of the connection hose.
Advantageously, the arrangement can be made such that the other coupling part in the region of an outer visible side between convex outer wall parts has flat sections and such that in each case a further sealing ring of the sealing system adjoins both ends of this visible side. Of these further sealing rings, one can form a sealing connection between the first coupling part and the second coupling part in the coupled state, and the other of the further sealing rings can act in a sealing manner between the second coupling part and a coupling receptacle, which is used to continue the fluid-conducting connection. The flat sections form grip recesses, which facilitate the tightening of the threaded joint during the coupling process.
The visible side of the other coupling part can advantageously in each case form an undercut for these further sealing rings, with which the parts of each assignable further sealing ring engage. Thereby a seat is formed for these further sealing rings, which seat prevents an evasive radial movement of these sealing rings.
The arrangement can be made with particular advantage such that the one further sealing ring of the other coupling part is compressed by the first coupling part when the coupling parts are fastened to each other and that the other sealing ring of the other coupling part is compressed when it is mounted to the coupling support.
In particularly advantageous exemplary embodiments, the control bevel of the other coupling part can frontally form another seal of the sealing system by contact against a carrier web, which is formed on a coupling part for the collet. When connecting the coupling parts, not only is an end stop formed for the connection process, for instance by screwing, but an additional sealing connection is simultaneously formed on this stop.
A synthetic rubber material, in particular EPDM, may advantageously be provided as a material for the sealing rings of the sealing system. The entirety of the sealing rings of the sealing system including their fastening options results in a housing closed to the outside, such that no dirt can accumulate on the gap-free outer housing.
Below the invention is explained in detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing.
In the drawings:
With reference to the drawing, the invention is described using the example of a connection device, which is provided for the connection of a relatively pressure-resistant connection hose 1, allowing a passage of liquid, pasty or gaseous media, such as compressed air, at pressures of 20 bar or more, therethrough. The connection device has a first coupling part 3 and a second coupling part 5, as main housing parts, which can be screwed together to effect the coupled state. The first coupling part 3 has the shape of a sleeve which, starting from its open end 7, on the right in the figures, through which the connection hose 1 can be inserted, widens bell-like towards its other open end 9. A female thread 11 is provided in the inner wall portion which adjoins the end 9, which female thread is used to screw the first coupling part 3 to the second coupling part 5, which has a male thread 13 at its end region facing the first coupling part 3. To continue the fluid path coming from the inserted connection hose 1, the second coupling part 5 has a coaxial through-hole 15, and the end of the second coupling part 5 facing away from the first coupling part 3 forms a threaded connector 17, which is used to screw the second coupling part 5 to a coupling receptacle 19, which in turn forms the continuation of the fluid path (not shown).
The through-hole 15 is stepped and has, starting from the outlet at the threaded connector 17, a circular cylindrical drilled-hole section 21, which, as can be seen most clearly in
The outer wall surface of the bell-shaped first coupling part 3 has, in the vicinity of the end 7, which forms the opening for the insertion of the connection hose 1, a plurality of flat sections 33 distributed around the sleeve circumference, which, as
The inner diameter of the sealing tube 37 surrounding the inserted connection hose 1 in this exemplary embodiment is approximately 1.6 times its axial length, and the sealing ring 37 is arranged on the inner side of the end web 35 such that it axially protrudes approximately one third of its axial length beyond the end 7 of the first coupling part 3, wherein it forms a first sealing surface 39 for the connection hose 1. Axially inwardly offset from the first sealing surface 39, the sealing ring 37 forms a further sealing surface 41, which has a convexly curved shape if the connection hose 1 is not inserted, as indicated in
To axially secure the inserted connection hose 1, a collet coupled to the first coupling part 3 is provided, which clamps the connection hose 1 in the activated state. The collet has a plurality of strip-shaped clamping jaws 51 having terminal clamping prongs 53 surrounding the tube 1. The ends of the clamping jaws 51 opposite of the tines 53 start from a guide ring 55, which is displaceable along the inner wall 57 of the coupling part 3. For actuating the collet, the coupling part 3 has a radially inwardly projecting driving ring 59, which engages with a driving groove 61 of the clamping jaws 51 and axially entrains the clamping jaws 51 during the coupling process, wherein the first coupling part 3 and second coupling part 5 are moved against each other. In doing so, the clamping jaws 51 run along the inner cone 29 of the second coupling part 5, wherein the inner cone 29 acts as a control bevel, which closes the clamping jaws 51 in the clamping direction. As shown most clearly in
The second coupling part 5 has flat sections 67 located at a peripheral section 63 between convex, spherical peripheral parts 65, which flat sections, like the flat sections 33 on the first coupling part 3, form a kind of recessed grip to facilitate the tightening of the threaded joint. On both sides of the region of the flat sections 67, an undercut 69 is in each case formed on the outer circumference of the second coupling part 5 as a seat for a further sealing ring 71. As shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2016 005 301.1 | May 2016 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2017/000382 | 3/29/2017 | WO | 00 |
