Connection device and connection assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660668-B2
Application number	US-202117347661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2021
Priority date	Jun 19, 2020
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

This connection device (D) comprises a shaft ( 17 ) which is mobile in translation, a piston ( 19 ) integral with the shaft ( 17 ), a sleeve ( 35 ) which extends around the shaft ( 17 ), this sleeve being movable between a rear position and a forward position, and locking members housed in the sleeve ( 35 ), each locking member being movable relative to the sleeve between a locking configuration and a release configuration. The shaft ( 17 ) is movable between a disconnected position in which the shaft ( 17 ) does not oppose movement of the locking members to their release configuration, and the sleeve ( 35 ) is in the forward position, and a connected position in which the shaft ( 17 ) opposes movement of the locking members into their release configuration and the sleeve ( 35 ) is in the rear position, through an intermediate position, in which the shaft ( 17 ) opposes movement of the locking members into their release configuration and the sleeve ( 35 ) is in the forward position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection device, configured to bring two plates together, one of the two plates being a fixed plate and the other plate being a movable plate, each of the two plates supporting at least one connection element for a hydraulic, pneumatic and/or electrical circuit, said at least one connection element configured to pair with a complementary connection element on the other plate, the connection device being disposed on one of the two plates and comprising:
a cylinder body extending along a central axis and comprising a main cavity,
a shaft movable in translation within the cylinder body along the central axis of the cylinder body,
a piston, integral with the shaft, movable within the main cavity of the cylinder body and dividing the main cavity between a front chamber and a rear chamber,

wherein the connection device also comprises:
a sleeve extending around the shaft, this sleeve being movable along the central axis with respect to the cylinder body between a rear position and a front position,
locking members housed in the sleeve, each locking member being movable relative to the sleeve between a locking configuration where each locking member is spaced from the central axis and a release configuration where each locking member is closer to the central axis than in the locking configuration,

the shaft being movable along the central axis between:
a disconnected position in which the shaft does not oppose the movement of the locking members in their release configuration, and the sleeve is in the forward position,
and a connected position, in which the shaft opposes the movement of the locking members in their release configuration, and the sleeve is in a rear position,
through an intermediate position between the release position and the connected position, in which the shaft resists movement of the locking members into their release configuration, and the sleeve is in the forward position.

2. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection device comprises means for elastically returning the sleeve to the front position.

3. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the cylinder body has a mechanical stop limiting the forward displacement of the sleeve in the front position of the shaft.

4. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the locking members are locking balls, and wherein the sleeve comprises radial recesses able to guide the locking balls between their locking configuration and their release configuration.

5. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a guide ramp for the locking members between their release configuration and their locking configuration.

6. The connection device according to claim 5 , wherein the guide ramp presents a distant bearing diameter configured to carry the locking members in their locking configuration, and wherein the shaft comprises a groove juxtaposed on the rear of the guide ramp and presenting an adjacent bearing diameter that allows movement of the locking members into the release configuration.

7. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection device comprises means for locking the shaft in the cylinder body along the central axis of the shaft in the connected position.

8. The connection device according to claim 7 , wherein the locking means comprise at least one locking ball radially movable in a recess of the cylinder body between a projecting position, where the locking ball is able to penetrate into a groove of the shaft and to oppose the axial displacement of the shaft relative to the cylinder body, and a retracted position, where the locking ball does not penetrate into the groove of the shaft.

9. The connection device according to claim 7 , wherein the locking means also comprise a locking ring movable in an auxiliary cavity of the cylinder body along the central axis, between a locking position in which a truncated conical surface of the locking ring holds the locking ball projecting into the groove of the shaft, and a release position in which the locking ball is in its retracted position and received in a groove of the locking ring.

10. The connection device according to claim 9 , wherein the truncated conical surface of the locking ring defines a taper that flares towards the groove of the locking ring.

11. The connection device according to claim 9 , wherein the connection device comprises an elastic member for pushing the locking ring towards its locking position.

12. The connection device according to claim 8 , wherein the connection device comprises a protection ring surrounding the shaft, movable along the central axis in an internal channel in which the shaft moves, and driven by the shaft during its movement from the intermediate position to its connected position, between a protected position in which the protection ring faces the recess of the cylinder body so as to hold the locking ball in a retracted position, and a retracted position in which the protective ring no longer holds the locking ball in a retracted position.

13. The connection device according to claim 8 , wherein the locking ring and the auxiliary cavity of the cylinder body define a chamber connected to a pipe that allows the chamber to be supplied with fluid under pressure.

14. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection device comprises a first pipe connected to the front chamber and a second pipe connected to the rear chamber, the first pipe and the second pipe allowing to supply the front chamber and the rear chamber, respectively, with fluid under pressure.

15. A connection assembly of a mobile plate to a fixed plate comprising:
a movable plate supporting at least a first circuit connection element,
a fixed plate supporting at least one connecting element complementary to the first element of the mobile plate,
at least one centering member configured to position the movable plate and the fixed plate relative to each other,

wherein one of the said plates comprises a connection device according to claim 1 , the other of the said plates comprising a locking barrel defining a mouth able to axially retain the locking members of the connection device in the locking barrel, when they are in their locking configuration.

Assignees

• Staubli Sa Ets
• Staubl Faverges

Inventors

• Tiberghien Alain-Christophe
• Guin Philippe
• Bertoli Gerald

Classifications

• F15B15/1447 Primary

  Pistons; Piston to piston rod assemblies · CPC title

• B22D41/00

  Casting melt-holding vessels, e.g. ladles, tundishes, cups or the like (B22D39/00, B22D43/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• F15B15/1423

  Component parts; Constructional details · CPC title

• B22D11/103

  Distributing the molten metal, e.g. using runners, floats, distributors · CPC title

• F15B15/26

  Locking mechanisms · CPC title