Pipe joints or couplings – With indicator – alarm or inspection means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-16
2001-02-06
Nicholson, Eric K. (Department: 3627)
Pipe joints or couplings
With indicator, alarm or inspection means
C285S039000, C285S321000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183020
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
This invention relates to a coupling device for the connection of two preferably tubular elements, such as a hose and/or of a tube, with one male coupling element and one female coupling element. The device is designed so that the male coupling element can be inserted in the female coupling element and they can be locked by means of an expandable split ring, and an axially moveable release device with interacts with the split ring to release the lock.
A similar coupling device of the prior art is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,895. One disadvantage of the coupling device described in this prior art publication, however, is that it is not possible in all cases to guarantee a proper connection or a correctly coupled state of the two coupling elements.
The object of this invention is therefore to provide a coupling device which makes possible a visual and/or tactile verification of a correct connection of the two coupling elements without major effort or expense in the construction of the coupling.
The invention teaches that this object can be accomplished by a coupling device that has the characteristics disclosed herein. Because the release device has an indicator element, it becomes possible to verify the connection by means of simple design measures. When coupling the two elements, the user thus has an immediate indication whether the coupling elements have been correctly coupled. As a result of the functional connection of the indicator element with the release device, a very simple and economical solution is achieved in which the number of additional components is kept to a minimum.
In one advantageous refinement of the invention, the release device comprises a first and preferably a second sealing element, whereby the first sealing element engages to the female coupling element and the second sealing element engages the male coupling element. The advantage of this arrangement is that it prevents the penetration of dirt into the vicinity of the connection between the two coupling elements. The reliability and security of the connecting and release processes can thereby be increased. As a result of the elasticity of the first sealing element, together with a projection that acts as a snap-in lug and is engaged in a groove, it is possible to position the release device correctly and to pull the sealing element onto the female coupling element.
In an advantageous refinement of the invention, when the two coupling elements are connected, the sealing element is in contact and creates a seal with one end surface of the female coupling element.
In an additional advantageous refinement of the invention, the indicator element is realized in the form of an indicator pin which is held by the release device so that it can be moved axially, so that the indicator pin, during the connection of the two coupling elements, comes into contact with the end surface of the female coupling elements and is displaced axially. In this case, the release device is very simple and can be manufactured very economically. The indicator feature requires only one indicator pin and one passage boring in the release device. If desired, of course, a plurality of indicator pins distributed peripherally can also be provided.
In one advantageous refinement of the invention, the indicator element is realized in the form of an indicator ring which is located on the male coupling element in a defined position, from which the indicator ring is displaced in the axial direction during the coupling process. Here again, all that is necessary to provide an indicator element is a simple design measure.
In one advantageous refinement of the invention, the male coupling element has a groove in which the indicator ring, which is designed to be expandable, lies in its defined position. The advantage of this arrangement is that in addition to the indicator ring which serves as an indicator element, the snap-ring groove is available as an additional indicator element. For example, if this groove can be inspected visibly or by feel from the outside, it can be determined whether the connection has been made correctly.
One embodiment of the coupling device claimed by the invention is characterized by the fact that the indicator element is formed by a marking which is provided on one of the end surfaces of the female coupling element, which marking—when the two coupling elements are connected—is at least partly covered by the sealing element. In other embodiments of the indicator described above (i.e. the indicator ring or indicator pin), the correctly coupled status of the coupling elements is indicated by the fact that the indicator element is displaced from its defined position. Therefore, the correctly coupled condition is indicated by its “visible conspicuousness”. In the embodiment with the marking, however, the correctly coupled condition is indicated by the fact that the indicator element is not visible or is only partly visible.
In one embodiment of the invention, the marking is a color marking which differs in terms of color from the sealing element and/or the end surface. It therefore becomes very easy to determine visually whether the coupling element has been connected properly.
One preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by the fact that the marking is realized in the form of a ring which lies concentric to an interior space of the female coupling element. When the coupling elements are connected, the ring is preferably completely covered by the sealing element, so that the user can determine whether the coupling has been correctly connected by examining the coupling from any direction.
One preferred embodiment is characterized by the fact that the marking is formed by an insert which is located or inserted in a groove which emerges on the end surface. This insert can be attached in a particularly permanent manner, so that the correctly coupled status can still be reliably indicated even after many coupling and uncoupling operations.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the groove is realized in the form of a snap-ring groove into which the preferably ring-shaped insert can be inserted.
In one refinement of the invention, the insert is realized in the form of a plastic part. This plastic part can be manufactured particularly easily and economically, and can be held in the groove by adhesives, for example.
In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the release device has a first longitudinal segment and a second longitudinal segment, whereby the outside diameter of the first longitudinal segment is larger and the outside diameter of the second longitudinal segment is smaller than the inside diameter of the female coupling element.
Additional embodiments of the invention are described in the specification and claims.
The embodiments of the invention described above can be combined with one another in any desired combination without thereby exceeding the scope of the invention.
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Aeroquip Corporation
Emch, Schaffer, Schaub & Porcello & Co., L.P.A.
Nicholson Eric K.
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