1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quick connector for a fuel piping which is attached to a fuel line equipment, for example, an installed equipment such as a fuel tank and is adapted for coupling the fuel piping to the installed equipment.
2. Description of Related Art
In the past, a quick connector has been used as a structure for coupling a fuel piping such as a fuel transport tube to an installed equipment such as a fuel tank and a fuel pump of a motor vehicle.
On the other hand, an annular latched body 216 is integrally provided in a side of the installed equipment 202. The latched body 216 has a notched portion 218 formed in a circular arc shape, and a latched portion 220 formed in an upper side thereof.
In the case of the quick connector 200 shown in
However, in the case of the quick connector 200, if it is intended to set the diameter of the nipple portion 208 or the like to a proper value correspondingly in the case that the piping diameter of the fuel piping, the type of the piping or the like is changed, and so on, it is necessary to replace the entire quick connector 200. In other words, it is necessary to prepare the exclusive quick connector 200 corresponding to the piping diameter, the type or the like of each of the fuel pipings, and the cost is necessarily increased.
Further, in the quick connector 200, there is a risk that the connector main body 210 in which the lower portion of the insertion pipe 206 is inserted into the insertion hole 204 of the installed equipment 202 is tilted with respect to an axis line of the insertion pipe 206 due to a vehicle body vibration. If the tilting motion is generated in the connector main body 210, an O-ring 222 for sealing shown in
In this case, there can be considered to suppress the tilting motion of the connector main body 210 caused by the vehicle body vibration by bringing the latched portion 220 of the latched body 216 fixed to the installed equipment 202 into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the insertion pipe 206 in a front side (an upper side) of the installed equipment 202 in a lateral direction (in an axial perpendicular direction), and stabilizing an installed attitude of the connector main body 210. However, the latching hook 214 is outward directed to the insertion pipe 206 in the connector main body 210, and is latched to the latched portion 220 outward from an inner side. As mentioned above, in the case that the latching hook 214 is formed as the outward latching hook, and latches outward to the latched portion 220 from the inner side, the tilting motion suppressing means mentioned above can not be achieved or configured.
Further, in the case of the quick connector 200, since it is necessary to directly apply an inward operating force to the elastic leg 212 at a time of canceling the latching of the latching hook 214 with respect to the latched portion 220, there is a problem that it is necessary to operate this by a strong force. Further, considering the latching canceling operation, it is necessary to form the elastic leg 212 long. In this case, a latching force of the latching hook 214 with respect to the latched portion 220 becomes relatively weak.
In this case, the quick connector 200 is attached to the installed equipment 202 in such a manner that the direction of the nipple portion 208 (the position in the rotational direction of the insertion pipe 206 around the axis) is always fixed. The position in the rotational direction of the nipple portion 208 defines a direction in which the fuel piping connected thereto extends out from the quick connector 200. In this case, if the position in the rotational direction of the nipple portion 208 is fixed to a predetermined position, the following problems are generated. The proper direction that the fluid piping extends differs depending on the vehicle type. If the extending direction is improper, it is necessary to arrange the fuel piping while lengthily routing (bending) the fuel piping, and a piping length becomes necessarily long.
As a matter of fact, there can be considered a matter that the quick connector 200 is attached to the installed equipment 202 in a freely rotating state, that is, the nipple portion 208 is made rotatable.
With this structure, even in the case that the proper extending direction of the fuel piping is variously different, it is possible to correspond thereto by freely changing the position in the rotational direction of the nipple portion 208. However, if the quick connector 200, that is, the nipple portion 208 is in the rotatable state around the axis center of the insertion pipe 206, there is generated a problem that the fuel piping such as the fuel transport tube connected thereto generates an oscillation accompanied by the rotating motion of the nipple portion 208 on the basis of the vehicle traveling. Accordingly, it is necessary to fasten the fuel piping to the vehicle body or the like by an additional clamp part. In this case, a clamp part is required additionally for suppressing the oscillation of the fuel piping, and there is a problem that a work for fixing the portion of the fuel piping in the vicinity of the quick connecter by the clamp part is necessary at a time of assembling the fuel piping in the vehicle body.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-208265
The present invention is made by taking the circumstances mentioned above into consideration, and an object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems mentioned above.
In accordance with the present invention, a novel quick connector for a fuel piping is provided. The novel quick connector for the fuel piping is provided with (a) a connector main body having a vertical insertion pipe inserted and fitted into an insertion hole of an mating side fuel line equipment (for example, a mating side installed equipment) such as a fuel tank, and a tubular nipple portion formed laterally with respect to the insertion pipe and inserted into the fuel piping, and (b) an elastic hook portion including an elastic leg having a latching hook elastically latched to a latched portion provided in the fuel line equipment in a leading end portion in the fuel line equipment side, and elastically latching to the latching hook to the latched portion by being pressed in an axial direction so as to fix the connector main body to the fuel line equipment in a come-off preventing state. The elastic hook portion may be structured such that the latching hook is formed inward with respect to the insertion pipe and latched to the latched portion inward from an outer side or the elastic hook portion may include a come-off preventing portion achieving a come-off prevention on the basis of an abutting action or an abutment against the connector main body, and may be structured as an independent body from the connector main body.
In the case that the elastic hook portion is provided with the come-off preventing portion achieving the come-off prevention on the basis of the abutting action or the abutment against the connector main body, and the elastic hook portion is structured as the independent body from the connector main body, it is possible to arrange a positioning means defining a position in a rotational direction of the insertion pipe or the nipple portion of the connection main body around an axis of the insertion pipe with respect to the elastic hook portion, astride the connector main body and the elastic hook portion. The positioning means connects the connector main body with the elastic hook portion in non-rotatable relation while defining a position in a rotational direction of the connector main body with respect to the elastic hook portion.
The positioning means can be structured such as to be capable of positioning the connector main body to each of a plurality of different positions in the rotational direction with respect to the elastic hook portion. Further, the positioning means can be structured such as to have an engagement protruding portion provided to one of the connector main body and the elastic hook portion, and an engagement concave portion provided to the other, and position the connector main body on the basis of an engaging operation therebetween. Further, the positioning means can be structured such as to have an engagement protruding portion provided to one of the connector main body and the elastic hook portion, and an engagement concave portion provided to the other, and the positioning means can be also structured such that the engagement protruding portion and the engagement concave portion are engaged so as to be non-rotatable with each other at different positions in the rotational direction. The engagement protruding portion and the engagement concave portion can be structured such as to be capable of positioning the connector main body to each of a plurality of different positions in the rotational direction with respect to the elastic hook portion.
The structure can be made such that the engagement protruding portion is formed in a plate shape, and the engagement concave portion is formed in a slit shape corresponding to the plate shape.
The structure can be made such that the elastic hook portion is formed in a gantry shape provided with at least a pair of elastic legs and a coupling portion coupling the elastic legs in an end portion in an opposite side to the latching hook, and the coupling portion operates as the come-off preventing portion.
Further, in the case that the elastic hook portion is structured such that the latching hook is formed inward with respect to the insertion pipe and latched to the latched portion inward from an outer side, or the elastic hook portion includes a come-off preventing portion achieving a come-off prevention on the basis of an abutting action or an abutment against the connector main body, and is structured as an independent body from the connector main body, the structure can be made such that the latching hook enters into a notched portion formed in a side of the fuel line equipment so as to be latched to the latched portion, and a length of the notched portion is set to a length at which the latching hook does not rotationally move within the notched portion. In this case, the structure can be made such that the notched portion is provided at a plurality of positions around the insertion hole, and the latching hook enters into any one of the notched portions so as to be latched to the latched portion.
In the case that the elastic hook portion is structured such that the latching hook is formed inward with respect to the insertion pipe, and latched to the latched portion inward from the outer side, the structure can be made such that the latched portion is formed in a latched body provided in a front side of the fuel line equipment in a fixed state, and is positioned around the insertion pipe in the connector main body in the front side of the fuel line equipment. In this case, the elastic hook portion can be integrally provided in the insertion pipe of the connector main body. Further, the elastic hook portion may be provided with a release knob canceling the latching of the latching hook with respect to the latched portion on the basis of a lever operation.
As mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, since the structure can be made such that the elastic hook portion is structured as the independent body with respect to or from the connector main body having the vertical insertion pipe and the lateral nipple portion, and the elastic hook portion is provided with the elastic leg having the latching hook in the leading end portion and the come-off preventing portion preventing the come-off on the basis of the abutting action or the abutment with respect to the connector main body, the elastic hook portion can be used in common with each of the connector main bodies even in the case of changing to or providing the connector main body having the proper nipple portion corresponding to the difference in the piping diameter, the piping type or the like of the fuel piping. Accordingly, it is possible to make the cost required for the quick connector inexpensive.
In this case, it is possible to arrange the positioning means for defining the position in the rotational direction of the connector main body with respect to the elastic hook portion, that is, the position in the rotational direction of the nipple portion, around the axis of the insertion pipe with respect to the elastic hook portion, astride the connector main body and the elastic hook portion. With this structure, it is possible to suppress the oscillation of the fuel piping accompanied by the vehicle traveling on the basis of the free rotation of the connector main body, that is, the nipple portion, by setting the position in the rotational direction of the elastic hook portion to the fixed state with respect to the fuel line equipment. Accordingly, it is possible to omit fixing of the portion in the vicinity of the connector of the fuel piping to the vehicle body or the like by the independent clamp part for suppressing the oscillation, and it is possible to omit such a clamp part and fixing work. The positioning means positions the connector main body while defining a position in a rotational direction of the connector main body with respect to the elastic hook portion.
In this case, the positioning means can be structured such as to be capable of positioning or fixing the connector main body to each of a plurality of different positions in the rotational direction with respect to the elastic hook portion. With this structure, it is possible to change the direction or orientation of the nipple portion, that is, the position in the rotational direction of the nipple portion around the axis of the insertion pipe corresponding to the proper extending direction of the fuel piping, whereby it is possible to eliminate the necessity that the fuel piping is unnecessarily lengthily routed, and it is possible to effectively shorten the piping length. Further, since it is possible to set the direction of the nipple portion to the fixed state, that is, the freely non-rotatable state under the state in which the quick connector is attached to the fuel line equipment, while making the direction of the nipple portion variable at a time of the attaching work, it is possible to omit the fixing work by a clamp part in the vicinity of the connector of the fuel piping in order to restrain the free rotation of the nipple portion, while making the direction of the nipple portion variable.
In this case, the positioning means can be structured such as to have the engagement protruding portion provided to one of the connector main body and the elastic hook portion, and the engagement concave portion provided to the other, and position the nipple portion or the connector main body on the basis of the engagement operation thereof. With this structure, the positioning means can be structured with a simple structure.
If the structure is made such that the engagement protruding portion and the engagement concave portion can be engaged with each other at each of the different positions in the rotational direction so as to be non-rotatable, it is possible to attach the quick connector to the fuel line equipment in a state in which the direction (the position in the rotational direction) of the nipple portion is directed to a desired direction, and it is possible to prevent the free rotation of the nipple portion after attaching. For example, the positioning means is structured such that a plurality of the engagement concave portions are formed so as to extend in different directions, and so as to allow the engagement protruding portion to selectively engage with one of the engagement concave portions.
If the engagement protruding portion is formed in a plate shape, and the engagement concave portion is formed in a slit shape corresponding to the plate shape, it is possible to make a regulating force in the rotational direction large.
If the structure is made such that the latching hook is entered into the notched portion formed in the side of the fuel line equipment so as to be latched to the latched portion, and the length of the notched portion is set to the length at which the latching hook does not rotationally move within the notched portion, it is possible to retain the latching hook itself to the fuel line equipment in the non-rotatable state, that is, to set the elastic hook portion to the fixed state in the rotational direction with respect to the fuel line equipment. With this structure, it is possible to attach and fix the connector main body and the elastic hook portion integrally to the fuel line equipment in a state of being defined at the position in the rotational direction.
Next, if the structure is made such that the notched portion is provided at a plurality of positions around the insertion hole, and the latching hook is entered into any one of the notched portions so as to be latched to the latched portion, it is possible to make the attaching position of the elastic hook portion itself with respect to the fuel line equipment variable at the position in the rotational direction. In other words, in this case, the notched portions provided at a plurality of positions form a positioning means or a positioning mechanism for making the position in the rotational direction of the quick connector, that is, the nipple portion variable at a time of the attaching work and in the fixed state after attaching.
In this case, the notched portion mentioned above can be structured such as to generate a play gap between the latching hook within the notched portion and the longitudinal end of the notched portion. With this structure, in the case that it is desired to finely determine the direction of the fuel piping such as the fuel transport tube or the like according to the layout per the vehicle type, the direction of the nipple portion can be regulated by the play gap.
Further, if the structure is made such that the latched portion, to which the latching hook in the elastic hook portion is latched, is positioned around the insertion pipe of the connector main body in the front side of the fuel line equipment, and the latching hook is formed inward so as to be latched inward to the latched portion from the outer side, it is possible to structure such that the latched portion is laterally brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the insertion pipe in the front side of the fuel line equipment, that is, to structure such that the latched portion serves as a stopper in an axial perpendicular direction with respect to the insertion pipe. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress the tiling motion of the quick connector attached and fixed to the fuel line equipment, and it is possible to hold the quick connector in a stable attitude even in the case that the vehicle body vibration is applied.
Accordingly, it is possible to solve the risk that the seal ring sealing between the quick connector and the insertion hole is rubbed or damaged due to the tiling motion of the quick connector, whereby the sealing performance is lowered. Further, in accordance with this structure of the present invention, it is possible to easily add such release knob canceling the latching of the latching hook with respect to the latched portion on the basis of the lever operation.
For example, in the case of the quick connector shown in
Accordingly, in this case, since the latching hook is structured such as to latch itself to the latching portion inward from the outer side, the release knob can be easily provided, and the release knob can be structured such that the latching is cancelled by applying the force inward, whereby it is possible to easily execute the release cancel by a small force. Further, in the case that the release knob mentioned above is provided, it is not necessary to cancel the latching by directly applying the force for canceling to the elastic leg itself. Accordingly, it is possible to make the elastic force of the elastic leg strong so as to make the latching force of the latching hook with respect to the latched portion strong. In this case, it is possible to further stabilize the attitude of the quick connector.
Now, a description will be given in detail of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 10 denotes a first quick connector attached to an installed equipment (a fuel line equipment) 12 such as a fuel tank or a fuel pump of a motor vehicle, and that couples a fuel piping such as a fuel transport tube to the installed equipment 12. The first quick connector 10 has a connector main body 14 and a hook member (an elastic hook portion) 16 formed as an independent body from the connector main body 14. As shown in
In the insertion pipe 20, an annular O-ring groove 24 is formed on an outer peripheral surface at a position within the insertion hole 18 as shown in
On the other hand, annular come-off preventing projections 28 are provided at a plurality of positions in an axial direction on an outer peripheral surface of the laterally formed nipple portion 22, as shown in
A pair of latching bodies (latched bodies) 30 formed in a C-shape as shown in
The hook member 16 is formed as a gantry shape as a whole, and integrally has plate-like elastic legs 38 extending in parallel with each other in a downward direction in the drawing, and a come-off preventing portion 40 serving as a plate-like coupling portion coupling upper ends in the drawing of the elastic legs 38. In this case, the come-off preventing portion 40 executes a function of preventing the connector main body 14 from coming off from the insertion hole 18, on the basis of an abutting action against the connector main body 14, in more detail, an abutting action against a top surface of the connector main body 14 (refer to
In this embodiment, if the vertical insertion pipe 20 of the connector main body 14 is inserted into the insertion hole 18 of the installed equipment 12, and the hook member 16 is pushed downward in the drawing, the latching hook 41 in the leading end portion of the elastic legs 38 is latched to each of a pair of latched portions 36 in the latching body 30 in the installed equipment 12 side accompanying an elastic deformation of the elastic legs 38 in an inward direction or in a direction in which the elastic legs 38 come close to each other, whereby the hook member 16 is fixed to the installed equipment 12 in a come-off preventing state, and the connector main body 14 is fixed to the installed equipment 12 in a connected state by the hook member 16. In detail, the connector main body 14 is fixed to the installed equipment 12 in a come-off preventing state on the basis of the abutting action of the come-off preventing portion 40 in the hook member 16 with respect to the top surface of the connector main body 14.
An engagement protruding portion 42 formed in a thin plate shape is integrally provided in the top surface of the connector main body 14. On the other hand, the come-off preventing portion 40 in the hook member 16 is provided with a plurality of slit-shaped engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 corresponding to the engagement protruding portion 42 respectively in different directions, in detail, at different angles in connection with a position of the nipple portion 22 in the connector main body 14 in a rotational direction around an axis of the insertion pipe 20. In this case, the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 are respectively provided so as to intersect with each other at centers.
The engagement protruding portion 42 and the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 function as a positioning means defining a rotational direction of the connector main body 14 with respect to the hook member 16, more specifically, a position of the nipple portion 22 in a rotational direction around the axis of the insertion pipe 20, and the position in the rotational direction of the connector main body 14 with respect to the hook member 16 is defined according to the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3, by engaging and inserting the engagement protruding portion 42 of the connector main body 14 to any one of the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 of the hook member 16 as shown in
Further, it is possible to change the position in the rotational direction of the connector main body 14 with respect to the hook member 16, by changing the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 to which the engagement protruding portion 42 is engaged and inserted. In this case, the engagement protruding portion 42 and the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 can not relatively rotate with each other in the engaged state. Accordingly, after attaching and fixing the connector main body 14 to the installed equipment 12 by the hook member 16, the connector main body 14 is in a state in which the connector main body 14 is fixed to the hook member 16 so as to be non-rotatable.
In this case, the length of the notched portion 34 in the latching body 30 in the installed equipment 12 side is approximately equal to the length of the latching body 41 as shown in
In accordance with the present embodiment mentioned above, even in the case that it is necessary to change to or provide the connector main body 14 having the proper nipple portion 22 corresponding to the difference of the piping diameter, the piping type or the like of the fuel piping, it is possible to use the hook member 16 in common for each of the connector main bodies 14. Accordingly, it is possible to make a cost necessary for the first quick connector 10 inexpensive.
Further, since the engagement protruding portion 42 and the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 defining the position in the rotational direction of the connector main body 14 with respect to the hook member 16, that is, the position in the rotational direction of the nipple portion 22 are provided in the connector main body 14 and the hook member 16, it is possible to prevent the fuel piping from being oscillated accompanied by the vehicle traveling, on the basis of the free rotation of the connector main body 14, that is, the nipple portion 22. Accordingly, it is possible to omit fixing of the portion in the vicinity of the connector of the fuel piping to vehicle body or the like using the independent clamp part for suppressing the oscillation. Therefore, it is possible to omit such a clamp part and fixing work.
Further, since the engagement protruding portion 42 and the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 can position the connector main body 14 with respect to the hook member 16 at a plurality of different positions in the rotational direction, it is possible to change the direction (the position in the rotational direction) of the nipple portion 22 corresponding to the proper extending direction of the fuel piping, it is possible to eliminate the necessity that the fuel piping is unnecessarily lengthily routed, and it is possible to effectively shorten the routing length.
Since the engagement protruding portion 42 as the positioning means is formed in the plate shape, and the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 as the positioning means are formed in the slit shape corresponding to the plate shape, it is possible to make the regulating force in the rotational direction large.
Further, since the length of the notched portion 34 formed in the installed equipment 12 side is set in the length at which the latching hook 41 does not rotatably move within the notched portion 34, it is possible to latch the latching hook 41 itself to the installed equipment 12 in the non-rotatable state, that is, it is possible to set the hook member 16 in the fixed state in the rotational direction with respect to the installed equipment 12. And, in accordance with this structure, it is possible to attach and fix integrally the connector main body 14 and the hook member 16 to the installed equipment 12 in a state of being defined at the position in the rotational direction.
In the present embodiment, since it is further possible to previously set the connector main body 14 and the hook member 16 to an assembled state, by engaging and inserting the engagement protruding portion 42 to the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3, and it is possible to attach and fix them to the installed equipment 12 in this state, it is possible to easily attach and fix the first quick connector 10 to the installed equipment 12 through one-touch operation. Further, in the present embodiment, there is an advantage that it is possible to differentiate the positioning position in the rotational direction of the connector main body 14 with respect to the hook member 16, by replacing the hook members 16 in FIGS. 1 to 5 with the hook member in which the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 are formed in the different directions from the directions mentioned above.
Meanwhile, in the embodiments mentioned above, a play gap is not substantially provided between the latching hook 41 and the end in the longitudinal direction of the notched portion 34, however, a play gap S may be provided between the latching hook 41 within the notched portion 34 and the end in the longitudinal direction of the notched portion 34 as shown in
Also, in the embodiments mentioned above, the engagement protruding portion 42 is provided in the connector main body 14 side, and the engagement concave portions 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 are provided in the hook member 16 side, however, the structure may be made conversely such that the engagement protruding portion is provided in the hook member 16 side, and the engagement concave portions are provided in the connector main body 14 side. Further, the structure may be made such that a plurality of engagement protruding portions are provided at different angles while the engagement concave portion is provided only in one direction, and the position in the rotational direction of the connector main body 14 with respect to the hook member 16 is adjusted by changing a combination of engagement between them.
In FIGS. 8 to 11, reference numeral 46 denotes a second quick connector which is attached to an installed equipment 48 such as a fuel tank, a fuel pump of the motor vehicle and couples the fuel piping such as the fuel transport tube to the installed equipment 48. The second quick connector 46 has a connector main body 50, an elastic hook portion 52 integrally provided in the connector main body 50, and a pair of latched bodies 54 provided in an exposed state on a front surface (an upper surface) of the installed equipment 48.
As shown in
In the insertion pipe 58, as shown in
A latched body 54 provided on a front surface of the installed equipment 48 is formed in a circular arc shape as a whole and is formed in an approximately C-shape in a front elevational shape, has a pair of legs 70 and a notched portion 72 at a position between the legs 70 and 70, and is provided with a latched portion 74 coupling a pair of legs 70 and 70 in an upper side of the notched portion 72. In this case, the latched body 54 is provided, as shown in
Each of a pair of elastic hook portions 52 has a base portion 76 protruding to an outer side in radial direction from an approximately vertically intermediate position of an exposing portion outside the insertion hole 56, an elastic leg 78 suspended downward from a leading end of the base portion 76, and a latching hook 80 provided in a lower end portion of the elastic leg 78. In this case, the elastic leg 78 is positioned in an outer side rather than the latched portion 74 in the latched body 54, and the latching hook 80 is formed inward toward the insertion pipe 58 and is latched inward to the latching portion 74 from an outer side.
A release knob 82 rising upward from the base portion 76 is integrally provided in each of a pair of elastic hook portions 52. The release knob 82 is elastically deformed in inward and outward directions integrally with the elastic leg 78. In detail, when applying an operating force to the release knob 82 in a direction of an arrow in
The second quick connector 46 in accordance with the present embodiment is structured such that when inserting the insertion pipe 58 to the insertion hole 56 of the installed equipment 48 and pressing the connector main body 50 downward as it is, the latching hook 80 is latched internal to the latched portion 74 from the outer side accompanying an elastic deformation of the elastic leg 78 in the elastic hook portion 52. In this case, the second quick connector 46 is fixed to the installed equipment 48 in a come-off preventing state.
In the present embodiment mentioned above, since the latched portion 74 of the latched body 54 is brought into contact laterally with the outer peripheral surface of the insertion pipe 58 of the second quick connector 46 in the front side of the installed equipment 48, it is possible to suppress a tilting motion of the second connector 46. In other words, the latched portion 74 can be operated as a lateral stopper with respect to the second quick connector 46, more specifically, the insertion pipe 58, whereby even in the case that the second quick connector 46 is exposed to the vehicle body vibration, it is possible to retain the second quick connector 46 in a stable attitude.
Accordingly, it is possible to dissolve the risk that the O-ring 64 sealing between the insertion pipe 58 of the second quick connector 46 and the insertion hole 56 is rubbed or damaged by the tilting motion of the second quick connector 46, whereby the sealing performance is lowered. Further, in the present embodiment, there is provided the release knob 82 canceling the latching of the latching hook 80 with respect to the latched portion 74 on the basis of the lever operation, and it is possible to easily cancel the latching by the latching hook 80 on the basis of the small force, by pushing the release knob 82 inward.
Further, since it is possible to cancel the latching by the latching hook 80 by means of the release knob 82, it is possible to shorten the length of the elastic leg 78 so as to make the elastic force strong, whereby it is possible to obtain the strong latching force of the latching hook 80 with respect to the latched portion 74. In this case, it is possible to further stabilize the attaching attitude of the second quick connector 46.
Further, in the second quick connector 46, since the elastic hook portion 52 is integrally provided in the connector main body 50, the number of the desired parts can be reduced, and it is possible to easily attach and fix the connector main body 50 to the installed equipment 48 only by pushing the connector main body 50 downward. And, in the embodiment mentioned above, as shown in
In this case, as shown in
The description is in detail given above of the embodiments in accordance with the present invention, however, these are described only for exemplification. For example, the O-rings 26 and 64 are retained in the outer peripheral surfaces of the insertion pipes 20 and 58 of the connector main bodies 14 and 50, and the O-rings 26 and 64 are brought into elastic contact with the inner surfaces of the insertion holes 18 and 56 so as to achieve the seal, however, the structure can be made such that the O-rings 26 and 64 are retained in the inner peripheral surface sides of the insertion holes 18 and 56, and the outer peripheral surfaces of the insertion pipes 20 and 58 are brought into elastic contact with the O-rings 26 and 64, thereby achieving the seal. Further, the structure can be made such that inner pipes are provided in the insertion holes 18 and 56 in the installed equipments 12 and 48 side, the insertion pipes 20 and 58 are fitted to the inner pipes in an outward insertion state, and the outer peripheral surfaces of the inner pipes and the inner peripheral surface of the insertion pipes 20 and 58 can be sealed via the seal ring such as the O-rings 26 and 64, as occasion demands. In addition, the present invention can be structured by various aspects which are modified within the scope of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2005-039834 | Feb 2005 | JP | national |
2005-039835 | Feb 2005 | JP | national |