1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coupling device or tube fitting device, and more particularly to a coupling device including an improved structure or configuration for solidly and stably connecting or coupling two or more tubular members together and for preventing the fluid or hydraulic oil from leaking from the tubular members which may subject great hydraulic pressures or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical tube fitting devices or coupling devices for tubular members or for joining segments of plastic pipes or metal tubes comprise a fitting or adapter or fastener for securing the end portions of the tubular members or joining segments of plastic pipes or metal tubes together, where the tubular members or joining segments of plastic pipes or metal tubes may subject great hydraulic pressures or the like.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,427 to Zahurance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,143 to Sanders et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,949 to Reese, U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,998 to Behrens et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,058 to Hwang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,714 to Sugiyama et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,845 to Johnston disclose several of the typical tube fitting devices or coupling devices for tubular members each also comprising a fitting or adapter or fastener for securing the end portions of the tubular members or joining segments of plastic pipes or metal tubes together and for preventing the fluid or hydraulic oil from leaking from the tubular members.
However, the end portions of the tubular members or joining segments of plastic pipes or metal tubes are normally secured together with radially compressing or friction forces and may have a good chance to be disengaged from each other due to the great hydraulic pressures or the like existed within the tubular members or the pipes or tubes.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional coupling devices for tubular members.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a coupling device including an improved structure or configuration for solidly and stably connecting or coupling two or more tubular members together and for preventing the fluid or hydraulic oil from leaking from the tubular members which may subject great hydraulic pressures or the like.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a coupling device comprising a tubular member including a first end portion, and a second end portion having a chamber formed therein, the tubular member including an outer thread provided thereon, and including a number of pawls extended axially and outwardly from the second end portion of the tubular member, a coupler including a first end portion engaged into the chamber of the tubular member, and including a second end portion extended out of the tubular member, and including an engaging member provided on the coupler, and a lock nut including an inner thread formed therein for engaging with the outer thread of the tubular member for securing the tubular member and the lock nut together, the lock nut including a peripheral flange extended radially and inwardly therefrom for engaging with the pawls of the tubular member and for forcing the pawls to move radially and inwardly toward the coupler and to engage with the engaging member of the coupler and to secure the coupler to the tubular member.
The engaging member of the coupler is an outer peripheral rib extended axially and outwardly from the coupler for engaging with the pawls of the tubular member. The coupler includes a sealing ring engaged onto the coupler and engaged with the tubular member for making a water tight seal between the coupler and the tubular member. The tubular member includes a non-circular segment provided thereon.
The lock nut includes an inner peripheral surface formed on the peripheral flange for engaging with the pawls of the tubular member, and the inner peripheral surface of the lock nut is preferably selected from a tilted and inclined inner peripheral surface. The tubular member includes a cylindrical member, and the pawls are extended from the cylindrical member. For example, the cylindrical member includes an outer thread for engaging with an outer thread of the tubular member and for detachably anchoring or securing the cylindrical member to the tubular member and for allowing the cylindrical member to be detached from the tubular member.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings, and initially to
The tubular member 10 further includes a compartment or chamber 14 formed therein, such as formed in the other or second end portion 15 thereof and communicating with the passage 12 of the tubular member 10 for receiving the fluid or hydraulic oil from the fluid or hydraulic oil reservoir (not illustrated), and includes an outer thread 16 or the like formed or provided on the other or second end portion 15 thereof for threading or engaging with a fastener or lock nut 30, for example, the lock nut 30 includes an inner thread 31 formed therein for threading or engaging with the outer thread 16 of the tubular member 10 and for solidly and stably anchoring or securing the tubular member 10 and the lock nut 30 together, the chamber 14 of the tubular member 10 includes an inner diameter greater than that of the passage 12 of the tubular member 10 for forming or defining an inner peripheral shoulder 17 in the tubular member 10.
The tubular member 10 further includes one or more (such as four) gripping figures or pawls 20 extended axially and outwardly therefrom, such as extended axially and outwardly from the other or second end portion 15 of the tubular member 10, and the pawls 20 each include a recess or depression 21 formed therein for forming or defining a relative protrusion or projection 22, in which the depressions 21 of the pawls 20 are facing toward or communicating with the chamber 14 of the tubular member 10. The lock nut 30 includes a peripheral rib or flange 33 extended radially and inwardly therefrom for forming or defining an inner peripheral shoulder or surface 34, such as a tilted or inclined inner peripheral surface 34 in the lock nut 30 for selectively contacting or engaging with the pawls 20 of the tubular member 10 and for selectively compressing or forcing the pawls 20 to move radially and inwardly toward each other or into the chamber 14 of the tubular member 10 (
Another or second tubular member or coupler 50 includes one or first end portion 51 disposed or engaged into the chamber 14 of the tubular member 10 and contacted or engageble with the peripheral flange 33 and/or the inner peripheral surface 34 of the lock nut 30 (
In operation, as shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
As shown in
Accordingly, the coupling device in accordance with the present invention includes an improved structure or configuration for solidly and stably connecting or coupling two or more tubular members together and for preventing the fluid or hydraulic oil from leaking from the tubular members which may subject great hydraulic pressures or the like.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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103208578 | May 2014 | TW | national |