Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-26
2004-07-13
Nguyen, Chau N. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
C174S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06762365
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector cover which is adapted to cover a connector for connection in a piping, for example, in a fuel piping for a vehicle, and thereby provides a water shield or waterproofness between the connector and a pipe inserted and fitted in the connector to prevent water or the like from entering therebetween.
In a fluid piping structure where a pipe is connected or jointed to a tube, a connector is used for connecting or jointing the pipe to the tube. The connector typically has integrally a tube connecting portion on one axial side thereof to be connected to the tube, and a pipe inserting portion on an opposite axial side thereof to be connected to the pipe. A connecting portion between the connector or the pipe inserting portion and the pipe is provided with a connector sealing member or members to protect against leak out of an internal fluid. The connector sealing member concurrently prevent foreign materials such as water entering the connecting portion therebetween from outside. However, since the connector such as located on an underside of a vehicle body is subject to a heavy splash of rain water or the like, for example, from road surfaces, it is preferred to provide a water shield by covering around the connecting portion between the pipe and the connector.
On the other hand, in such piping system, for example, a pipe is formed with an annular engagement projection around one axial side of an outer peripheral surface thereof, and a connector is configured with a retainer to be fitted in a pipe inserting portion thereof. Then, the pipe is inserted into the retainer so that the annular engagement projection snap-engages with one axial end portion of the retainer providing a stop mechanism that prevents the pipe coming off the connector, and consequently, the pipe is completely connected to the connector. If an operator does not take care sufficiently to complete connection between the pipe and the connector, the pipe might not be fully inserted into the retainer and the annular engagement projection of the pipe might not snap-engage with one axial end portion of the retainer, or the retainer might not be fitted properly in the pipe inserting portion of the connector. That is, the pipe might be in a half-fitting relation with respect to the connector. In case of the piping system subject to operation while the pipe is incompletely connected with the connector, usually sealing property by the connector sealing member between the pipe and the connector becomes lowered, and an internal fluid leaks out. Therefore, it is required to supply a mechanism for verifying easily a complete connection between the pipe and the connector. Such mechanism, for example, includes an annular projection arranged and provided on an outer periphery of the pipe so as to be located axially outside of the connector when the pipe is inserted and fitted in the connector, and a connector clip, for example, as disclosed in JP, A, 11-6591, to be mounted on the pipe and the connector which enables to verify easily a complete connection therebetween.
Meanwhile, a connector cover is mounted on the connecting portion between the pipe and the connector, in order to provide a water shield thereto. If such a connector clip is mounted on the connecting portion therebetween for verifying a full connection of the pipe and the connector, the connector cover resultingly is mounted further over the connector clip to the connecting portion. Then, the connecting portion will be oversized, and an assembly process including a work for mounting the connector clip and a work for mounting the connector cover will be bothersome to an operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of a foregoing aspect, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector cover having a checking function for easily verifying that a pipe is completely inserted and fitted in a connector when mounting the connector cover on the connecting portion between the pipe and the connector, as well as providing a water shield therebetween.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object of the present invention, there is provided a novel connector cover adapted to be mounted to a connector for a fluid path and a pipe inserted in and snap-engaged with the connector, and to provide a water shield therebetween. The connector is formed with a tube connecting portion on one axial side thereof, and a pipe inserting portion on an opposite axial side thereof, or at least on an opposite axial side thereof. The pipe is inserted from an opening of an opposite axial end of the pipe inserting portion therein for snap-fit in the connector or the pipe inserting portion. The pipe or the insertion end portion of the pipe inserted into the pipe inserting portion is sealed by a connector sealing member or members disposed or provided therein with respect to the connector or the pipe inserting portion. The pipe is provided with an annular projection on an outer periphery thereof to be located axially outwardly from the opening of the pipe inserting portion.
The connector cover comprises a mounting body for being mounted on a connecting portion between the pipe and the connector. More specifically, the mounting body is mounted to a length from the pipe inserting portion of the connector to an opposite axial side from the annular projection of the pipe, for constituting a tubular water shield. The connector cover or the mounting body may comprise two or a pair of cover elements or cover members, which may be integrally connected together, to constitute a tubular water shield or a tubular water shield assembly for the connector and the pipe. A pair of cover elements are joined each other so as to radially hold therebetween and enclose a length from the pipe inserting portion to an opposite axial side from the annular projection of the pipe.
The tubular water shield or the tubular water shield assembly is formed internally with or has an inner periphery configuration with a connector receiving portion on one axial side thereof for receiving the pipe inserting portion of the connector, and a pipe receiving portion on an opposite axial side thereof for receiving the pipe including the annular projection. The connector receiving portion receives the pipe inserting portion so that one axial side of the connector extends or projects axially outwardly from one axial end portion of the tubular water shield, and the pipe receiving portion receives the pipe including the annular projection so that an opposite axial side of the pipe extends or projects from an opposite axial end portion of the tubular water shield. The pipe receiving portion is formed with a projection receiving section on one axial side thereof for receiving the annular projection of the pipe, and a pipe receiving section on an opposite axial side thereof for receiving a portion of an opposite axial side from the annular projection of the pipe. A diameter or an inner diameter of the pipe receiving section is sized generally identical to an outer diameter of the pipe to be received therein.
The mounting body or the cover elements respectively may be made of resin in thin wall configuration, the pipe may be made of metal, and the connector may be made or resin or metal. Typically, an annular engagement projection is formed around an outer peripheral surface of the pipe, on one axial side or an insertion side from the annular projection, then, a retainer is fitted in the pipe inserting portion of the connector or fitted on an outer periphery of the pipe inserting portion of the connector, for example, releasably. And, on the occasion of connecting the pipe and the connector, the pipe is inserted in the pipe inserting portion or in the retainer so that the annular engagement projection is snap-engaged with the retainer or one axial end portion of the retainer On the occasion of release of connection therebetween, for example, the retainer in engagement with the pipe is relatively pulled out of the connector, or engagement between the retainer and the pipe
Inoue Tomoki
Kasahara Kazuhito
Andrus Sceales, Starke & Sawall
Nguyen Chau N.
Tokai Rubber Industries Ltd.
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