Patent Application
20100090458
The invention relates to a multiple coupling means for the production of a detachable connection between fluid lines for a fluid pressure medium, said fluid lines being associated with a fluid pressure producer being on the pressure source side and fluid lines associated with at least one fluid load and being on the load side, comprising a first coupling part, which has several first fluid ports for the fluid lines on the source side, and a second coupling part, which has several fluid ports for the fluid lines on the load side, the two coupling parts being able to be shifted during a coupling operation with a movement toward each other in the direction of an installation axis into a working position, in which a fluid passage through the two coupling parts is formed and in which the two coupling parts are secured by means of a holding means to avoid uncoupling.
Such a multiple coupling means is disclosed in the German patent publication DE 1 923 186, in which a first coupling part on the source side is provided resembling a multipole electrical jack fitting into a second coupling part on the load side in the form of a corresponding socket. In order to avoid release or uncoupling of the two coupling parts, more particularly under fluid pressure, from each other a strip spring may be provided with a inwardly extending spur may be provided which during coupling snaps into a recess in the second coupling part provided for this purpose.
The coupling of fluid lines under pressure using a coupling means requires a substantial amount of physical effort, since the operation must be performed against fluid pressure. In the case of the multiple or multi-pole coupling the force applied is multiplied by the number of connected fluid lines. For example in the case of the above mentioned prior art it is necessary to insert the first coupling part prior art it is necessary to insert the first coupling part resembling a jack against the check valves held in the closed position against the fluid pressure and spring force. A coupling operation by hand is made difficult or even rendered impossible owing to the great force required.
One object of the invention is to provide a multiple coupling means of the type initially mentioned in the case of which the coupling operation may take place with a relatively small amount of force by hand.
This aim is achieved by a multiple coupling means with the features of the independent claim 1. Further developments of the invention are recited in the dependent claims.
The multiple coupling means in accordance with the invention is characterized in that between the two coupling parts at least one manually operable slide element is provided, which is able to be shifted in an actuation plane extending athwart the installation axis between a coupling/uncoupling position of the two coupling parts rendering possible coupling and uncoupling of the two coupling parts and a securing position associated with the working position of the two coupling parts.
Owing to the slide element able to be shifted in the plane of movement extending athwart the installation axis the coupling operation can be performed without any great manual effort. As a rule the flow direction of the fluid flowing through the coupling means runs parallel to the installation axis of the two coupling parts with the result that the coupling operation, in which the coupling parts are shifted toward one another in the direction of the installation axis is hindered by the fluid pressure. The actuation of the slide element however occurs with such a conduction of the flow athwart the flow direction of the fluid so that it is not necessary to work contrary to the fluid pressure. Preferably the slide element is firstly located in its coupling/uncoupling position, in which the two coupling parts can be coupled together, the passage of fluid being simultaneously prevented by the coupling part associated with the slide element. At the corresponding second coupling part the associated fluid lines may be either free of pressure or vented or may be secured by check valves so that movement toward each other of the coupling parts is not hindered by discharging fluid. Alternatively it is possible to assign a separate slide element to each coupling part, it being possible to link or couple the two slide elements together mechanically so that same can be shifted jointly between their respective coupling/uncoupling position and their respective end position. In the case of this modification there is a double acting obturation.
In a particularly preferred fashion the slide element and the holding means are so designed and so cooperate together that during motion of the slide element into its coupling/uncoupling position the passage of fluid through the two coupling parts is at least partially able to be shut off, the two coupling parts being simultaneously joined together undetachably prior to reaching the coupling/uncoupling position. Accordingly it is possible to partially or completely shut off the passage of fluid by means of the slide element without a so-called rebound occurring, in which the two coupling parts are violently forced apart by the fluid pressure obtaining at the slide element. In the case of the first modification mentioned above it is now necessary to vent the fluid lines upstream from one of the two coupling parts before the slide element gets to its coupling/uncoupling position. In the case of the above mentioned second modification double acting obturation is produced by the two slide elements so that the slide elements may in this case be readily shifted into their coupling/uncoupling position.
In the case of a further development of the invention the first and the second fluid ports are designed in the form of fluid ducts extending through the respective coupling part, the slide element having through openings in the securing position of the slide element are connected with the fluid ducts so that flow bridges are formed between the first and the second fluid ducts. Preferably the first and the second fluid ducts run essentially parallel to the installation axis between the top and bottom side of the respective coupling part, a respective first fluid duct in the first coupling part being, in the end position of the slide element, essentially flush with the associated through opening in the slide element and essentially flush with the associated second fluid duct in the second coupling part. The slide element may therefore act as a sort of baffle, the first and second fluid ducts, which essentially run flush to each other, being partially or completely obturated by changing the position of the through openings as related to the first and second fluid ducts.
In a particularly preferred fashion at least one slide element is designed in the form of a more particularly circular indexing disk, which is arranged between the two coupling parts and is able to be rotated in a rotary movement, with the installation axis as an axis of turning, between the coupling/uncoupling position and the securing position. The indexing disk is accordingly compactly accommodated between the two coupling parts. On turning the indexing disk therefore neither is there a movement together or apart of the coupling parts in an axial direction parallel to the installation axis nor a movement of the indexing disk out of the portion between the two coupling parts.
As an alternative it is possible for the slide element to be designed in the form of setting slide, which is able to be slid between the coupling/uncoupling position and the end position. For instance such a setting slide may have at least one row of holes with through openings, which in the securing position are aligned with the first and the second fluid ducts in the two coupling parts so that a fluid passage is formed between the coupling means.
As already mentioned the multiple coupling means possesses holding means to prevent the two coupling parts from uncoupling and to prevent the two coupling parts being suddenly separated by fluid pressure. As holding means it is possible to provide a projection, centered on the axis of rotation, on one of the coupling part or on the indexing disk, and a recess in the slide element or in one of the coupling parts, the projection and the recess being able to be to be plugged together in the coupling/uncoupling position of the indexing disk, while in another position, able to be reached by turning movement of the indexing disk, an undetachable connection is formed between the two coupling parts. The two coupling parts may consequently firstly be plugged together and then secured by a turning movement and accordingly a sort of plug and turn connection may be used.
In a particularly preferred manner the recess is has a keyhole-like form, the projection having a key-like cross section portion, which is adjoined in the plugging direction by a cylindrical turning portion, the recess being located in the plugged together state of the indexing disk and the associated coupling part in the cylindrical rotary portion. Accordingly rotation of the indexing disk in relation to the coupling part is possible. The cooperation of the keyhole-like recess and the key-like cross section portion and the cylindrical rotary portion may be like that of a bayonet joint.
In order to limit the turning movement of the indexing disk in relation to the coupling parts and to set the coupling/uncoupling position and the securing position of the indexing disk, a rotation limiting means may be provided. The rotation limiting means may comprise at least one slot-like elongated guide opening formed in one or both coupling parts and at least one guide pin fitting into the elongated guide opening in one of the coupling parts or in the indexing disk, the two ends of the elongated guide opening serving as abutments for the guide pin. Preferably several elongated guide openings are distributed over the periphery of the indexing disk.
In order to ensure that on turning the indexing disk into the coupling/uncoupling position and on the accompanying shutting off of the fluid passage, for its part the indexing disk is not suddenly pushed away by fluid pressure from the associated coupling part, a connection means may be provided to connect the indexing disk and the associated coupling part. Preferably in the case of the modification with only one indexing disk the latter is coupled with that coupling part, which does not have the projection belonging to the holding means.
The coupling means may have a cylindrical union sleeve formed on the indexing disk and sleeve socket formed on the coupling part, in which the union sleeve is able to turn, the union sleeve being joined by securing means in a detachable manner to the coupling part. This arrangement renders possible rotation of the indexing disk in relation to the setting slide as well while nevertheless being secured to it. As securing means it is possible for example to provide an annular groove in the union sleeve and a securing ring able to be inserted into the annular groove. As a securing ring a snap ring may for example be employed.
Preferred working examples of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail in the following.
The coupling means 11 possesses a first coupling part 12 on the pressure source side, such part being in the following referred to as the first coupling part 12, which has several first fluid ports 13 for the connection of the fluid lines on the pressure producer or source side. Furthermore a second coupling part 14 on the load side is provided, which in the following will be referred to as the second coupling part 14, which has several second fluid ports 15 for the connection of the fluid lines which are on the load side.
The first working embodiment, illustrated in
The second coupling part 14 also possesses a cylindrical configuration, more particularly with dimensions identical to those of the first coupling part 13 as regards the diameter and the height. Annularly arranged second fluid ports in the form of fluid ducts 15 are provided.
During the coupling operation the two coupling parts 12 and 14 are shifted together in the direction of an installation axis 17 into a working position 18, in which a passage for fluid is formed through the two coupling parts 12 and 14 and in which the two coupling parts 12 and 14 are held by holding means to prevent uncoupling. Coupling of fluid lines under pressure in the case of a multi-pole coupling requires a substantial physical effort. In order nevertheless to permit coupling by hand a manually operated slide element 19 is provided between the two coupling parts 12 and 14 and it may be shifted in an actuating plane extending athwart the installation axis 17 between a coupling/uncoupling position 20 (which renders possible coupling and uncoupling of the two coupling parts 12 and 14) and a securing position 21 associated with the working position 18 of the two coupling parts. Accordingly under fluid coupling does not occur parallel to the installation axis, i. e. against the flow direction, but in an installation plane athwart the actuating plane. The amount of force to be applied is accordingly substantially reduced.
In accordance with the first working example of the invention the slide element is in the form of a more particularly circular indexing disk 19, which can be termed a locking or obturating disk. As more particularly indicated in
As more especially indicated in
As shown in
On the second coupling part 14 there is moreover the other portion of the rotation limiting means, namely the guide pins 34 which project from the top side of the second coupling part 14 upwardly and may fit into the associated elongated guide openings 24 in the indexing disk 19.
During coupling with the first working example of the coupling means 11 depicted in
The uncoupling operation takes place in the reverse order. I. e. firstly the indexing disk 19is in its securing position 21, in which the through openings 19 of the indexing disk 19 are aligned to be flush with the first and with the second fluid ducts 13 and 15. By turning the indexing disk 19, more especially clockwise, the first and the second fluid ducts are shut off. In this case there is a so-called rebound or backlash effect, that is to say the fluid pressure will initially be present on either side of the indexing disk 19 with the result that the two coupling parts 12 and 14 will tend to move apart. Such an effect is however hindered by the holding means, that is to say by the key-like cross section 33 on the second coupling part and the keyhole-like recess 22 in the indexing disk, since the spur-like wells 33a and 33b and the spurs 32a and 32b are not yet flush with one another and accordingly separation of the two coupling parts 12 and 14 is not yet possible. The next step necessary is therefore to ensure that there is no more fluid pressure acting on the second coupling part 14. It is only then that the indexing disk can be turned on farther into its coupling/uncoupling position so that the second coupling part may be separated from the indexing disk 19 together with the first coupling part 12.
The second indexing disk 19b, unlike the first indexing disk, has no handle, since it is mechanically joined to the first indexing disk 19a, for example by means of connecting pins 36, which extend from the top side of the second indexing disk 19b upward and fit into recesses 37, provided for this purpose in the first indexing disk 19a (
The coupling operation with the second working example differs from the coupling operation with the first working example in as far as in this case there is a double sided obturation by the two indexing disks 19a and 19b so that both at the first coupling part 12 and also at the second coupling part 14 coupling takes place in an identical manner to that with the first example.
In the case of the uncoupling operation owing to the double sided obturation it is not necessary, prior to turning the indexing disk in the coupling/uncoupling position, to “switch” one of the two coupling parts to be pressureless and in fact in this case turning into the coupling/uncoupling position 20 is quite readily possible.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2006 010 164.2 | Mar 2006 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2007/001266 | 2/14/2007 | WO | 00 | 9/19/2008 |
