Coupling assembly with pipe sockets of fluid-holding parts to be joined

Abstract

A coupling assembly includes pipe sockets of fluid-holding parts to be joined. The pipe sockets are each provided with a peripheral locking rib, behind which a groove is formed and which has a conical front flank and a radial rear flank. The front flanks of the locking ribs lie opposite each other. The rear flank of at least one locking rib bounds a groove. The coupling assembly also contains a steel spring band, which is curved over more than 240° and whose axial ends have inwardly directed flanges which engage behind the locking ribs and are interrupted at least on the side of the spring band that lies opposite the circumferential ends of the spring band. The pipe sockets are fitted into each other and are sealed from each other. To simplify the handling of this coupling assembly and increase its ruggedness, the front flanks of the locking ribs enclose an angle <50° with the center axis, the radius of the smallest circumference of the front flanks is smaller than the inner radius of the flanges of the spring band; the axial width of the flanges corresponds to the width of the groove that holds them; and the spring band is noncorroding.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention and its modifications are described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments and modifications of these embodiments.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view through a first embodiment of a coupling assembly of the invention with two pipe sockets fitted into each other, which are held together by a metal spring band with radial flanges on its radial ends, wherein the spring band is surrounded by a protective cover.

FIG. 2 is a first embodiment sectional view of a modification of the embodiment according to FIG. 1, in which the protective cover has been left off, and the outside diameters of the locking ribs of the pipe sockets are different.

FIG. 3 is a section of a coupling assembly that is a modification of the embodiment according to FIG. 1, in which one flange of the spring band is radially shorter than the other.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a spring band of the coupling assembly according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows an axial view of the spring band according to FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is an axial view of another spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is an axial view of another spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is an axial section of the spring band according to FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is an axial section of the spring band according to FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is an axial section of the spring band according to FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a spring band that is somewhat modified from the preceding spring bands.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of another spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 4.

FIG. 18 is an axial section through a part of the coupling assembly according to FIG. 1, in which, on one of the pipe sockets, a hose clip in the form of a worm drive hose clip clamps a fluid line on the pipe socket.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the part of the coupling assembly illustrated in FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a different axial section through the part of the coupling assembly illustrated in FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 is a different perspective view of the part of the coupling assembly illustrated in FIG. 18.

FIGS. 22 to 25 show the same views as FIGS. 18 to 21, wherein the worm drive hose clip is replaced by a spring band clip.

FIG. 26 is an axial section through a coupling assembly that is somewhat modified from the coupling assembly according to FIG. 1, in which the flanges of the spring band each have a segment that is bent radially inward and a segment that is bent obliquely outward.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the coupling assembly according to FIG. 26 without one of the pipe sockets.

FIG. 28 shows a modification of the coupling assembly according to FIG. 26.

FIG. 29 is an axial section through a spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 26.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of another spring band that is somewhat modified from the preceding spring band.

FIG. 31 is an axial section through the spring band according to FIG. 30.

FIG. 32 is an axial section through a modified coupling assembly with a spring band according to FIGS. 30 and 31.

FIG. 33 is a perspective drawing of a spring band that is somewhat modified from the spring band according to FIG. 30.

Claims

1. A coupling assembly comprising pipe sockets of fluid-holding parts to be joined, such as fluid lines and tanks, wherein the pipe sockets are each provided with a locking rib that is coaxial with a center axis of the pipe sockets, behind the locking rib a groove being formed and the locking rib having a conical front flank that is coaxial with the center axis and a radial rear flank, wherein the front flank of one of the locking ribs is located opposite the front flank of the other locking rib, and the rear flank of at least one locking rib forms one of the walls of the adjacent groove, and with a steel spring band which is largely circularly curved over more than 240° and whose axial ends have inwardly directed flanges with an inner edge that has the approximate form of a circular arc and is coaxial with the center axis, the flanges engaging behind the locking ribs and being interrupted at least on the side of the spring band that lies opposite the circumferential ends of the spring band, and wherein the pipe sockets are partially fitted into each other, and the parts of the pipe sockets that are fitted together are sealed from each other by at least one gasket, wherein the front flanks of the locking ribs enclose an angle (α) smaller than 50° with the center axis, wherein the radius of the smallest circumference of the front flanks of the locking ribs is smaller than the inner radius of the flanges of the spring band, wherein the axial width of the flanges corresponds to the width of the groove holding the flanges, and wherein the spring band is noncorroding.

2. A coupling assembly comprising pipe sockets of fluid-holding parts to be joined, such as fluid lines or tanks, wherein the pipe sockets are each provided with a locking rib with a radial rear flank, which locking rib is coaxial with a center axis of the pipe sockets, wherein the rear flank of at least one of the locking ribs bounds a groove, and with a steel spring band which is largely circularly curved over at least 240° and whose axial ends have inwardly directed flanges with an inner edge that has the approximate form of a circular arc and is coaxial with the center axis, wherein the flanges engage behind the locking ribs and are interrupted at least on the side of the spring band that is located opposite the circumferential ends of the spring band, and wherein the pipe sockets are partially fitted into each other, and the parts of the pipe sockets that are fitted together are sealed from each other by at least one gasket, wherein the flanges of the spring band each have a segment that is bent radially inwardly and a segment that is bent obliquely outwardly, wherein the oblique segment encloses an angle (γ) with the center axis of each pipe socket in the range of 10° to 60°, wherein the diameter of the inner edge of a outer margin of the oblique segment is greater than the smallest outside diameter of the locking ribs, wherein an axial width of at least one of the flanges corresponds to a width of the groove that holds the flange, and wherein the spring band is noncorroding.

3. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein the front flank of at least one of the locking ribs is radial.

4. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein the flanges provided at one axial end of the spring band are shorter in the circumferential direction of the spring band than the flanges provided at the other axial end of the spring band.

5. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein the flanges provided at one axial end of the spring band are narrower in the radial direction than the flanges provided at the other end of the spring band.

6. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein the outside diameter of one locking rib is greater than that of the other locking rib.

7. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein at least one axial end of the spring band at least one of the flanges has with a radial opening for the insertion of a radial projection on the pipe socket inserted in this axial end.

8. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein the circumferential ends of the spring band bound an axial slit having a width of 0-2 mm.

9. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 8, wherein the circumferential ends of the spring band have recesses to allow the insertion of a spreading tool.

10. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 8, wherein circumferential end sections of the spring band have holes close to the slit for the insertion of a spreading tool.

11. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein circumferential end sections of the spring band overlap.

12. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein one of the circumferential end sections of the spring band has a narrower end piece which extends into a circumferential slot of the other circumferential end section of the spring band.

13. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein the circumferential end sections of the spring band each have a projection directed away from the outer surface of the spring band for the application of a spreading tool.

14. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 13, wherein the projections are formed by bending up circumferential end sections of the spring band.

15. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein the circumferential end sections of the spring band have radial, flat, or bent spreading grips or hollow cylindrical spreading grips.

16. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein plastic covers are attached on the outside of circumferential end sections of the spring band.

17. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 16, wherein the covers are attached by positive locking on the circumferential end sections of the spring band.

18. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 17, wherein radial projections of the covers snap into holes in the circumferential end sections of the spring band.

19. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 16, wherein the covers have radial flanges that cover the flanges of the spring band.

20. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein a cover surrounds one of the pipe sockets at a radial distance that corresponds to a maximum required spreading width of the spring band and has an axial slit that leaves circumferential end sections of the spring band open.

21. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 20, wherein the cover is attached radially on one of the pipe sockets by a snap fitting.

22. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the flanges and the axial middle region of the spring band that joins them encloses an angle in the range of 15° to 90°.

23. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, wherein the spring band is connected by a connecting piece with a hose clip for clamping a fluid line on one of the pipe sockets.

24. A coupling assembly comprising pipe sockets of fluid-holding parts to be joined, such as fluid lines and tanks, wherein the pipe sockets each have a locking rib that is coaxial with a center axis of the pipe section, behind the locking rib a groove being formed and the locking rib having a conical front flank that is coaxial with the center axis and a radial rear flank, wherein the front flank of one of the locking ribs is located opposite the front flank of the other locking rib, and the rear flank of at least one locking rib forms one of the walls of the adjacent groove, and with a steel spring band, which is largely circularly curved over more than 240° and whose axial ends have inwardly directed flanges with an inner edge that has the approximate form of a circular arc and is coaxial with the center axis, the flanges engaging behind the locking ribs and being interrupted at least on the side of the spring band that lies opposite the circumferential ends of the spring band, and wherein the pipe sockets are partially fitted into each other, and the parts of the pipe sockets that are fitted together are sealed from each other by at least one gasket, wherein the spring band is connected by a connecting piece with a hose clip for clamping a fluid line on one of the pipe sockets.

25. A coupling assembly comprising pipe sockets of fluid-holding parts to be joined, such as fluid lines or tanks, wherein the pipe sockets are each provided with a locking rib with a radial rear flank, which locking rib is coaxial with the center axis of the pipe sockets, wherein the rear flank of at least one of the locking ribs bounds a groove, and with a steel spring band, which is largely circularly curved over at least 240° and whose axial ends have inwardly directed flanges with an inner edge that has the approximate form of a circular arc and is coaxial with the center axis, the flanges engaging behind the locking ribs and being interrupted at least on the side of the spring band that lies opposite the circumferential ends of the spring band, and wherein the pipe sockets are partially fitted into each other, and the parts of the pipe sockets that are fitted together are sealed from each other by at least one gasket, wherein the spring band is connected by a connecting piece with a hose clip for clamping a fluid line on one of the pipe sockets.

26. A coupling assembly comprising pipe sockets of fluid-holding parts to be joined, such as fluid lines and tanks, wherein the pipe sockets are each provided with a locking rib that is coaxial with their center axis and that has a radial rear flank, wherein the rear flank of at least one of the locking ribs bounds a groove, and with a steel spring band, which is largely circularly curved over at least 240° and has inwardly directed projections with radial surfaces, which rest against the rear flanks of the locking ribs, wherein the projections are detents pushed out from the spring band and wherein the spring band is noncorroding.

27. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 26, wherein the projections are each pushed out at one of the edges of circumferential slots of limited length in the spring band.

28. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 27, wherein the circumferential slots are oblong holes, each of which has a tongue that is directed transversely to the oblong hole in the flat state of the spring band, and that in the state of the projection in which it is pushed out of the spring band, the edge of the tongue forms the radial contact surface for contact with the rear flank of one of the locking ribs.

29. A coupling assembly in accordance with claims 1 or 2, the pipe sockets are of plastic.

30. A coupling assembly in accordance with claim 29, wherein the pipe sockets contain an electrically conducting additive.