Valves and valve actuation – With correlated flow path – Valve operated by joining flow path sections
Patent
1997-07-18
1999-07-27
Arola, Dave W.
Valves and valve actuation
With correlated flow path
Valve operated by joining flow path sections
285 35, 285101, 285316, F16L 3728
Patent
active
059276835
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
This invention relates to a rapid connection coupling for transferring gaseous and/or liquid fluids, especially for charging coolants in air-conditioning systems.
A reliable, tight and rapidly connected plug-in coupling should be effected with such rapid connection couplings for transferring a fluid from a pressure source, for example a refill cylinder. Simple, problem-free operation of the rapid connection coupling is particularly important, so that problem-free handling is facilitated even under unfavourable conditions, such as dangerous fluids or at high connection pressures.
Such a rapid connection coupling is described in EP-A 0 340 879, wherein the rapid connection coupling has a housing with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, while a plurality of valves are provided in order to ensure reliable sealing of the rapid connection coupling right up to complete production of the connection. These valves are operated in a specific, predetermined sequence after fitting of the rapid connection coupling, where the outlet valve is opened at first by pushing the rapid connection coupling on to a connection nipple, then with further movement of a control lever, the jaws are closed and finally the inlet valve is opened. The control lever engages via an eccentric shaft with the sliding sleeve for actuating the jaws and also with a central sealing piston, which also opens up the fluid inlet after completed connection of the plug-in coupling. Although this provides a particularly reliable connection facility, the structure of this coupling is relatively expensive in account of the many components. In addition handling is relatively complicated since actuation of the control lever is necessary as well as plugging in the coupling, so that one-handed operation is hardly possible.
Such a rapid connector is further known from WO-A 93/20378 of the applicants, especially for charging from gas cylinders, wherein a rapid connection arrangement is provided in the region of the outlet, in the form of jaws with an engagement profile. A hollow sealing piston sliding in the coupling housing is also described here and is connected through an actuating device coupled to a sliding sleeve for closing and opening the jaws. Separate actuation of the actuating device in the form of a lever is also necessary here, so that handling of this rapid connector is also susceptible of improvement.
Accordingly the invention is based on the object of providing a rapid connection coupling of the kind initially described which facilitates reliable and especially simple handling with a simple structure.
This object is met by a rapid connection coupling according to the features of claim 1. Preferred developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.
The proposed rapid connection coupling is distinguished by a small parts count, simple manufacture and an especially simple operation, which is in addition particularly reliable. In particular, in the preferred embodiment for charging air-conditioning systems with coolant, escape of the gas or liquid coolant is reliably avoided when connecting or releasing the rapid connection coupling. This is especially important for protection of the environment, since fluorinated/chlorinated hydrocarbons are frequently used in such air-conditioning systems. With the connection couplings in use today a substantial volume of gas is lost in each charging operation, which is present in the hose between the refill gas cylinder and the connection coupling and can escape when coupling up or uncoupling.
It should be noted that the proposed rapid connection coupling is suitable for various connections, in particular for connection nipples with an external thread. However other profile shapes such as grooves or beads on the connection nipple can be provided for connection of the coupling, the opposed jaw shape being correspondingly formed. By means of the sealing piston slidably movable in the housing reliable engagement of the jaws is facilitated, since the engagement profile of the jaws a
REFERENCES:
patent: 2754135 (1956-07-01), Kramer
patent: 3825223 (1974-07-01), Richardson
patent: 5209528 (1993-05-01), Weh et al.
patent: 5290009 (1994-03-01), Heilmann
patent: 5390963 (1995-02-01), Namekawa
Weh Erwin
Weh Wolfgang
Arola Dave W.
Weh GmbH Verbindungstechnik
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