Piping structure

Details Piping structure Piping structure

2001-02-26

2001-09-18

Nicholson, Eric K. (Department: 3627)

Pipe joints or couplings

With means blocking release of holding means

C285S087000, C285S114000, C285S921000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06290264

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a piping structure for joining tubes or pipes or the like in a vehicle by using a female connector and particularly to a piping structure without relative turning movement of a female connector and a pipe which are not bound by each other.
A variety of female connectors have been provided for joining tubes or pipes or the like in a vehicle. Such a female connector is generally made of a synthetic resin or metallic material which fixedly joins at one end to a resin tube or the like and in the form of a retainer at the other end to a corresponding pipe or the like as a male member, hence coupling between the resin tube and the corresponding pipe.
One of such conventional female connectors is illustrated as a quick connector in FIG.
5
. The female connector denoted by
10
comprises a first connecting end
1
extended straight at one end for joining to the resin tube and a second connecting end
20
at the other end for engagement with the corresponding pipe to be joined as having a retainer
2
therein. The retainer
2
may be arranged of substantially a tubular shape which becomes gradually greater in the diameter from one end to the other end. The retainer
2
is also elastically deformable by having at least one axially extending slit. Accordingly, as the retainer
2
is inserted into the female connector
10
, its diameter becomes smaller until a pair of detents
2
a
provided on the outer surface engages with and snaps in windows
3
a
or concave portion provided in a housing
2
of the female connector
10
.
When the insertion end
11
a
of the corresponding pipe
11
is inserted into the opening of the second connecting end
20
of the female connector
10
extending straight, an annular projection
11
b
provided on the outer surface of the insertion end
11
a
snaps in and engages with a small diameter recess
2
b
at one end of the retainer
2
so that the insertion end
11
a
is concentrically and turnably joined along the common axis L with the second connecting end
20
of the female connector
10
to prevent the corresponding pipe
11
from moving in axial direction. The retainer
2
has a pair of operating arms
4
provided integrally on the other end thereof. When the operating arms
4
are pressed inwardly in diameter direction to reduce the diameter, the retainer
2
with the corresponding pipe
11
can be removed from the female connector
10
. Also, the female connector
10
has an annular sealing member
5
such as an o ring mounted to the inner wall of the housing
3
of a central region thereof.
In the piping structure having such a female connector
10
, a resin tube (not shown) is irrotatably fixedly inserted onto the outer periphery of the first connecting end
1
of the female connector
10
while the corresponding pipe
11
joined to the second connector end
20
may turn about the common axis L relatively to the female connector
10
. Accordingly, any engine vibration of the vehicle or an unexpected vibration or small displacement or the like at the side of the resin tube or the corresponding pipe
11
may cause the female connector
10
and the corresponding pipe
11
to be turned relative to each other. When the female connector
10
and the corresponding pipe
11
are turned relative to each other, the annular sealing member
5
contacting between them will be rubbed and worn out thus, its sealing effect will be declined.
A means for inhibiting the turning movement of the female connector and the corresponding pipe relative to each other is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (Heisei)9-269008 in the form of a piping structure where the female connector has two opposite flat regions provided on the outer surface thereof for inhibiting the turning movement. As shown in
FIG. 4
, the piping structure has a connector holder
12
later connected to the female connector
10
which has joined between a resin tube
9
and a corresponding pipe
11
. While an arm
14
of the connector holder
12
snaps on the small-diameter region
10
b
of the female connector
10
, a pair of opposite strips
13
of the connector holder
12
holds the two flat regions
10
a
of the female connector
10
. Also, the corresponding pipe
11
is bent and held in a notch
15
a
provided in a flat body
15
of the connector holder
12
so that it can be inhibited from turning.
According to the conventional piping structure, as long as the corresponding pipe
11
is bent above the extension of the female connector
10
, the corresponding pipe
11
can thus be inhibited from being turned relative to the female connector
10
. It is however mandatory for the female connector
10
held by the connector holder
12
to have the small-diameter region
10
b
and the paired opposite flat sides
10
a
on the outer peripheral. Accordingly, the female connector of at least a round tubular shape is not permitted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is invented in view of the above aspects and its object is to provide a piping structure which is easily applicable to any female connector regardless of the type and shape of the female connector and high in the freedom for designing while securely inhibiting the turning of the female connector relative to its corresponding pipe to be joined.
For achievement of the object, a piping structure according to the present invention having a female connector and a corresponding pipe to be connected with the female connector, both arranged to join each other while allowing no relative turning movements, comprises:
the female connector of a tubular shape having a first connecting end portion thereof extending straight for connection to a resin tube and a second connecting end portion thereof extending straight for connection to said corresponding pipe;
the resin tube fixedly inserted at one end to the first connecting end portion of the female connector and extending to the other end;
the corresponding pipe having an insertion end thereof arranged for joining coaxially and turnably by snap fastening to the second connecting end portion of the female connector and extending along the axial direction; and
a holder member having a first holding means for holding an extension of the resin tube and a second holding means for holding an extension of the corresponding pipe, wherein
when the insertion end of the corresponding pipe has been inserted into and joined coaxially and turnably with the second connecting end portion of the female connector along the common axis, either a tube extension of the resin tube or a pipe extension of the corresponding pipe which is arranged off the common axis is turned about the common axis until at least one portion of these extension snaps and fits into at least one of the first and second holding means.
The structure of the present invention permits the female connector and the corresponding pipe to be inhibited from being turned relative to each other. Accordingly, the annular sealing member such as an O ring mounted in the female connector remains free from being rubbed by the corresponding pipe and finally worn out, hence providing its excellent sealing effect for a long-run operation. Also, the female connector joined to the resin tube and the corresponding pipe are not limited in the type and shape. In particular, because the structure of the present invention is easily applicable to any female connector, its design can enjoy a higher degree of freedom.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3807774 (1974-04-01), Heath, Jr.
patent: 4230109 (1980-10-01), Geiss
patent: 4358140 (1982-11-01), Jonsson
patent: 4826486 (1989-05-01), Palsrok et al.
patent: 5248306 (1993-09-01), Clark et al.
patent: 5354102 (1994-10-01), Carman
patent: 5468024 (1995-11-01), Carman et al.
patent: 5628531 (1997-05-01), Rosenberg et al.
patent: 5772258 (1998-06-01), Dyer et al.
patent: 5873608 (1999-02-01), Tharp et al.
patent: 5957894 (1999-09-01), Kerwin
patent: 4241385 (1993-06-01), None
patent: 4-296291 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 9-269008 (1997-09-01), None

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