Pipe joint

Details Pipe joint Pipe joint

2003-06-23

2004-12-28

Nicholson, Eric K. (Department: 3679)

Pipe joints or couplings

Essential catch

Leaf spring

C285S330000, C285S039000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06834891

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a pipe connecting device and, more particularly, to a quick-connection pipe connecting device to be used for connecting pipes or tubes in a fluid circuit of a mechanical device.
BACKGROUND ART
An automotive fuel supply system uses quick-connection pipe connecting devices for connecting fuel pipes. A quick-connection pipe joint includes, as principal components, a male connecting member, a female connecting member, and a retainer for coupling together the male and the female connecting member. Pipes can be readily connected simply by fitting the male connecting member in the female connecting member.
Quick-connection pipe connecting devices of various kinds of construction have been devised. The quick-connection pipe connecting device needs to have a function to achieve firm union, a function to facilitate connection and disconnection, and a function to ensure high sealing performance.
Shown in
FIG. 14
in a longitudinal sectional view is a conventional quick-connection pipe connecting device
10
including a female connecting member
12
, a male connecting member
14
and a retainer
16
, and widely applied to automotive fuel supply systems. In
FIG. 14
, the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
are coupled completely by the retainer
16
.
Basically, the quick-connection pipe connecting device
10
is constructed to make the retainer
16
lock the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
together to connect the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
completely simply by pushing the male connecting member
14
into the female connecting member
12
fitted with the retainer
16
.
The female connecting member
12
includes, for example, a connecting part
13
to be pressed in a resin tube
11
, and a cylindrical housing
15
formed integrally with the connecting part
13
. The male connecting member
14
is fitted in the housing
15
. The housing
15
has a connecting part
18
having a large inside diameter and a large outside diameter. Large rectangular openings
19
a
and
19
b
are formed diametrically opposite to each other in the sidewall of the connecting part
18
. The housing
15
has a first cylindrical part
20
a
of an outside diameter smaller than that of the connecting part
18
and extending from the connecting part
18
, and a second cylindrical part
20
b
of an outside diameter smaller than that of the first cylindrical part
20
a
and extending from the first cylindrical part
20
a
. A stepped passage
17
extends axially through the connecting part
18
, the first cylindrical part
20
a
, the second cylindrical part
20
b
and the connecting part
13
. O rings
21
a
and
21
b
are fitted in the bore of the first cylindrical part
20
a
and are spaced out by a spacer
22
. The O rings
21
a
and
21
b
are retained in place in the first cylindrical part
20
a
by an O-ring retainer
23
having the shape of a sleeve and fitted in a part of the bore on the side of the connecting part
18
.
The male connecting member
14
is provided with an annular ridge
54
on its outer surface at a predetermined distance from its front end. Retaining lugs
26
a
and
26
b
formed in the retainer
16
engage with the annular ridge
54
to retain the male connecting member
14
in place.
The retainer
16
is a flexible member formed of a plastic material and split in two parts so as to be bendable in directions perpendicular to its axis. The retainer
16
has a main part
25
, and the retaining projections
26
a
and
26
b
project obliquely inward from positions diametrically opposite to each other on the inner surface of the main part
25
. The retaining lugs
26
a
and
26
b
have tips
27
a
and
27
b
that engage with the annular ridge
54
of the male connecting member
14
. The retaining lugs
26
a
and
26
b
are provided with locking projections
28
a
and
28
b
on their outer surfaces. The locking projections
28
a
and
28
b
engage with end edges
29
a
and
29
b
, on the side of the open end of the connecting part
18
, of the openings
19
a
and
19
b
of the connecting part
18
, respectively.
The retainer
16
is put on the female connecting member
12
, and then the male connecting member
14
is pushed into the connecting part
18
of the female connecting member
12
. Then the tips
27
a
and
27
b
of the retaining lugs
26
a
and
26
b
of the retainer
16
engage with the annular ridge
54
of the male connecting member
14
, and the locking projections
28
a
and
28
b
engage with the end edges
29
a
and
29
b
of the openings
19
a
and
19
b
of the connecting part
18
to lock together the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
. Even if the male connecting member
14
is pulled axially, the locking projections
28
a
and
28
b
of the retainer
16
restrain the male connecting member
14
from axial movement, so that the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member cannot be separated.
The female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
of the conventional quick-connection pipe connecting device
10
are thus connected together and are restrained from axial movement relative to each other by the retainer
16
. However, the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
are able to turn relative to each other. Sometimes, the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
turn relative to each other when the quick-connection pipe connecting device
10
is exposed to vibrations. When the quick-connection pipe connecting device
10
is employed in an automotive fuel supply system, and the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
are held on different vibrating systems, such as the engine and the body of an automobile, the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
turn ceaselessly relative to each other. Consequently, the O rings
21
a
and
21
b
are abraded and the sealing effect of the O rings is deteriorated. Eventually, it is possible that fuel leaks from the quick-connection pipe connecting device
10
.
Since the conventional quick-connection pipe connecting device
10
is not provided with any structure that restrains the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
from turning relative to each other, the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
are restrained from turning relative to each other by a locking cover as shown in
FIGS. 15
to
18
.
Shown in
FIG. 15
is a locking cover
32
of a hard resin to be used in combination with an elbow-type pipe connecting device having a male connecting member
14
having the shape of a 90° elbow. In
FIG. 15
indicated at
30
is the body frame of an automobile. The male connecting member
14
is attached to the body frame
30
, and a female connecting member
12
is connected to a resin tube
11
. A locking cover
32
has a U-shaped cross section. The locking cover
32
is put on the female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
so as to cover a connecting part
18
of the female connecting member
12
and a curved part of the male connecting member
14
. The female connecting member
12
and the male connecting member
14
are restrained from turning relative to each other by the engagement of the locking cover
32
with the curved part of the male connecting member
14
.
FIG. 16
shows a locking structure for use in combination with a pipe connecting device having a female connecting member
12
and a straight male connecting member
14
. As shown in
FIG. 16
, a locking cover
34
of a hard resin held on a stay
35
. The stay
35
and the male connecting member
14
are attached to a body frame
30
. Thus, the stay
35
and the male connecting member
14
belong to the same vibration system. As shown in
FIG. 17
, the locking cover
34
has a U-shaped cross section conforming to the oval cross section of the connecting part of the male connecting member
14
. T

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