Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L15/00—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints
  • F16L15/006—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with straight threads
  • F16L15/008—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with straight threads with sealing rings
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L41/00—Branching pipes; Joining pipes to walls
  • F16L41/007—Branching pipes; Joining pipes to walls adjustable and comprising a bend
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L41/00—Branching pipes; Joining pipes to walls
  • F16L41/08—Joining pipes to walls or pipes, the joined pipe axis being perpendicular to the plane of a wall or to the axis of another pipe
  • F16L41/10—Joining pipes to walls or pipes, the joined pipe axis being perpendicular to the plane of a wall or to the axis of another pipe the extremity of the pipe being screwed into the wall
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L2201/00—Special arrangements for pipe couplings
  • F16L2201/10—Indicators for correct coupling

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the means of making a connection between two pneumatic members such as a fitting, fixed to the end of a conduit and a member using pneumatic energy such as a cylinder, a distributor , ...
• a member to be clamped in plastic material does not withstand the tightening torque usually exerted on metal parts of the same size.
• the geometrical qualities of the threaded portion obtained by injection are much lower than those of a low-cut metal part; in particular the molded part is often ovalized and the torque to be developed to effect the tightening is higher than that at what normally expects an operator who is tempted to stop the operation before sealing is assured. The connection is then defective and leaks.
• the invention relates to a junction of a first pneumatic element comprising a hollow screw with a longitudinal axis and of a second pneumatic element provided with a tapped orifice for receiving the hollow screw, a first shoulder of the hollow screw being provided to come to bear on the edge of the tapped orifice by means of an O-ring, in which the first element comprises, opposite the thread, a bearing guide and holding axially limited by a second shoulder, a tubular spacer being slidably mounted on this bearing between a first position in which it extends beyond the first shoulder on the side of the net and a second position in which it is in contact with the second shoulder, the spacer comprising means indicating the tightening tension established or to be established in the hollow screw.
• the spacer In the first position of the spacer, the latter constitutes a means for holding and protecting a seal placed under the shoulder without it being housed in a groove of the hollow screw. In the second position of the spacer, this constitutes a body subjected to the clamping force therefore which deforms under this force, this deformation serving as an indicator of the force, useful for controlling the intensity either before its establishment (by indicating for example the starting point of a determined angular stroke) or during its establishment 'i (while signaling that a threshold of deformation is reached).
• the bearing surface has a peripheral relief and the spacer has at least one part of the wall which is movable when the relief passes, so that this mobility which suddenly appears constitutes a visual sign for the operator or generates an auditory signal for it
• this wall portion can be obtained by means of an elasticity, this wall portion being designed as an elastic tongue or pawl or by means of a rupture initiator produced at the base of a tooth producing the ejection of the tooth at the passage of the relief.
• the spacer has a crushing zone when it is axially compressed between the second shoulder and the edge of the threaded orifice which is formed by end reliefs of the spacer.
• the material of the hollow screw and that of the spacer are chosen so that one of the axial ends of the spacer is provided with teeth capable of penetrating the second shoulder.
• FIG. 1 is an external view with partial section of a first embodiment of the invention with the spacer in its first position
• FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, the spacer being in its second position
• Figure 3 is an external view of the spacer used in the previous figures
• Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figures 1 and 2 of a alternative embodiment of the junction of the invention
• Figure 5 is a sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the junction of the invention.
• a pneumatic junction is shown in the form of an elbow fitting 1, well known in itself, intended to be screwed into the orifice ta- raudé 2a of a pneumatic body 2 such as for example a cylinder.
• the connector comprises a hollow screw 3 with an axis 3a and thread 4 formed under a shoulder 5 for supporting the connector on the edge 6 of the threaded orifice 2a, this by means of an O-ring 7.
• the hollow screw 3 is extended by a support 8 for holding and guiding a tubular spacer 9.
• This spacer is shown in FIG. 1 in a first position in which it partly extends beyond the shoulder 5 in order to form a seal protection screen 7.
• the spacer is held in this position, either by tight adjustment of its part 9a on the bearing 8, or by bonding light of this part on the scope.
• This bonding or this tightening, with the bead described below, constitute temporary connection means which axially index the position of the spacer relative to the bearing surface 8.
• the span 8 is divided into two sections 8a and 8b by a bead 10, the section 8a forming the reception area of the spacer 9 when it has moved from its first position in FIG. 1 to its second position of FIG. 2, under the effect of an axial thrust generated by the screwing of the screw 3 in the orifice 2a, while the spacer rests on the part 2.
• the section 8a of the bearing surface 8 is limited opposite the bead 10 by a shoulder 11 against which the spacer 9 abuts.
• FIG 3 there is shown by an external view the spacer 9 implemented in the previous figures.
• this spacer is a body cylindrical which has two portions 9a and 9b, ' (one could be sufficient) forming elastic tongues, the free end of which is provided with a kind of radial tooth 12 facing inward. It is these teeth which bear on section 8b of the bearing surface 8 when the “spacer” is in its first position and on section 8a, behind the bead 10, when the spacer 9 is in its second position.
• the spacer 9 has, on its end 13 facing the side of the shoulder 11, reliefs 14 which constitute elements liable to be crushed by the shoulder when the connection is further screwed into the orifice. 2a.
• the axial dimension of the teeth 12 will be such that after a certain degree of crushing of the reliefs 14, the teeth, elastically spread outwards by the bead 10, fall suddenly against the section 8a of the bearing surface 8 by emitting a "click" Perceived by the operator as the indicator of a tightening threshold sufficient to have on the one hand, made a tight contact by the seal 7, pinched between the shoulder 5 and the surface 6 of the edge of the orifice 2a and , on the other hand, established in the hollow screw 3 a sufficient tightening tension, that is to say compatible with the mechanical characteristics of the plastic material constituting this screw.
• the final position reached by the spacer 9 is shown in Figure 2 where we find the elements already described with the same references.
• the teeth 12 would be bent externally by the section 8b and in the passage of the reduction in diameter, would come back elastically and suddenly against the section 8a by emitting the "Click".
• the invention also covers the alternative embodiment in which the reliefs, 14 do not collapse but penetrate into the surface of the shoulder 11, the materials of the screw and of the spacer being provided with different hardnesses for the to achieve this effect.
• This inlay produces the additional effect of an anti-unscrewing of the fitting if, of course, there is provision for inlay reliefs ⁇ of the spacer in element 2 at the other end of the spacer.
• the spacer shown differs from the spacer already described in that it has no reliefs 14 and that the axial dimension d of the teeth 12 is less by a value precisely determined than the axial dimension D of section 8a of the bearing 8 located above the bead 10.
• the teeth 12 have an axial dimension such that their contact rubbing on the bead 10 leads to a breaking bending. It is then this rupture or this ejection which will constitute the signal for the operator instead of the "click"
• FIG. 5 an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in which the shoulder 11 has been replaced by "a conical surface 15 on which comes a conical surface " complementary to the spacer 9 of the connector.
• the spacer may be made of a transparent material which will reveal, through its thickness, a sign carried by the surface 15 when a sufficiently intimate contact is made between this surface and the spacer, contact which would correspond to the degree desired tightening. It is also possible to provide a spacer made of a plastic material which changes color (for example passing from transparent to opaque) when a certain degree of compression is reached. In these two cases, the spacer acts as a visual indicator.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Bolts, Nuts, And Washers (AREA)
• Mutual Connection Of Rods And Tubes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=32480274

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (13)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 2002
  • 2002-12-30 FR FR0216839A patent/FR2849493B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2003
  • 2003-12-19 AU AU2003299357A patent/AU2003299357A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-12-19 US US10/540,996 patent/US20060163870A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-12-19 EP EP03799638A patent/EP1579143A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-12-19 WO PCT/FR2003/003806 patent/WO2004063616A1/fr not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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