Connection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255658-B2
Application number	US-201013510551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2010
Priority date	Nov 18, 2009
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A connection device may include an insertion section having an annular outer groove. A housing may be configured to receive the insertion section and a blocking element may be configured to lock the insertion section in the housing. The blocking element may have a band-shaped core and a plurality of teeth arranged adjacent in the peripheral direction along the core. Each of the teeth may include an outer tooth section and an inner tooth section. A core profile may have a core principal direction determined by a maximum diameter. The teeth may have a tooth profile which has a tooth principal direction determined by an inner flank of the teeth lying radially on an interior of the outer tooth section and the core principal direction may be inclined with respect to the tooth principal direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection device, comprising:
an insertion section having an annular outer groove,
a housing configured to receive the insertion section,
a blocking element configured to lock the insertion section in the housing,
wherein the blocking element for locking the insertion section in the housing engages into the annular outer groove and into an annular inner groove formed in the housing,
wherein the blocking element is configured to be withdrawn through a housing opening substantially tangentially to the grooves,
wherein, in a pre-fitted state, the blocking element is pre-fitted in the inner groove with elastic deflection, and the insertion section is configured to be inserted into the housing,
wherein the blocking element has a band-shaped core and a plurality of teeth arranged adjacent in the peripheral direction along the core, each of the teeth including an outer tooth section configured to interact with the inner groove in the pre-fitted state and an inner tooth section configured to interact with the outer groove in an inserted state,
wherein the inner and outer tooth sections protrude from the core on opposite sides,
wherein the core has a core profile in a cross-section at least between adjacent teeth, which core profile has a core principal direction determined by a maximum diameter,
wherein the teeth in the cross-section respectively have a tooth profile which has a tooth principal direction determined by an inner flank of the teeth lying radially on an interior of the outer tooth section,
wherein the core principal direction is inclined with respect to the tooth principal direction, and
wherein the housing includes a securing device arranged on the outside of the housing, the securing device including an outer stop lying opposite an end of the blocking element in the peripheral direction in the pre-fitted state, and a mounting pocket in which the end of the blocking element is inserted in the pre-fitted state.

2. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the tooth principal direction is inclined with respect to an axial direction, and wherein the core principal direction is inclined with respect to the tooth principal direction in the direction towards the axial direction.

3. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking element has a first end section, lying on an exterior of the housing in the pre-fitted state.

4. The connection device according to claim 3 , wherein the first end section in the pre-fitted state, overlaps a second end section of the blocking element lying on the interior of the housing in the peripheral direction in the inner groove.

5. The connection device according to claim 3 , wherein the first end section, lying on the exterior of the housing, has a cross-sectional profile which is enlarged with respect to the core.

6. The connection device according to claim 3 , wherein the core has a toothless core section extending into the inner groove between the first end section up to the first tooth.

7. The connection device according to claim 3 , wherein the blocking element has a twisted transition section between the first end section and the region running in the inner groove, wherein the principal direction of the blocking element profile straightens itself with respect to the axial direction in the transition section starting from the core principal direction in the direction towards the first end section.

8. The connection device according to claim 7 , wherein the principal direction of the blocking element profile in the first end section extends substantially parallel to the axial direction.

9. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of teeth include a first tooth and a last tooth in a withdrawal direction, wherein at least one of the first tooth and the last tooth at least one of an introduction bevel facilitating the introduction of the blocking element and a withdrawal bevel facilitating the withdrawal of the blocking element.

10. The connection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the core is arranged eccentrically to the teeth with regard to the inner and outer tooth sections, wherein the core is arranged offset in the direction of the outer tooth sections, and
wherein adjacent teeth are spaced apart from each other in the peripheral direction by approximately one tooth width measured in the peripheral direction.

11. The connection device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover arranged on the exterior of the housing configured to radially cover the housing opening and a first end section of the blocking element in the pre-fitted state.

12. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of teeth include at least one distinct tooth having at least one of a distinct geometry and distinct alignment with respect to the core as compared to the other teeth, wherein the at least one distinct tooth is configured to rest axially in the pre-fitted state in an insertion direction of the insertion section in the inner groove, wherein the at least one distinct tooth is configured to rest in the inserted state with its inner tooth section in the inner groove, the other teeth resting with their respective inner sections in the outer groove.

13. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the outer groove has a ramp profile extending transversely to the peripheral direction and sloping down in the insertion direction of the insertion section.

14. The connection device according to claim 13 , wherein the outer groove defines a depression at an end of the ramp profile lying on the interior of the housing, which depression is dimensioned so that the respective inner tooth sections are arranged radially in the depression, wherein the depression is dimensioned smaller in the ramp profile than the inner tooth sections.

15. The connection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the exterior of the housing has at least one peripheral rib extending in peripheral direction,
wherein the at least one peripheral rib is arranged at an end of the housing having an insertion opening for receiving the insertion section.

16. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior of the housing has at least two peripheral ribs spaced apart from each other axially, the inner groove being arranged axially between two such peripheral ribs.

17. The connection device according to claim 16 , wherein the exterior of the housing has a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending in longitudinal direction connecting the at least two peripheral ribs with each other.

18. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a depression inside the mounting pocket, and the blocking element has a projection protruding radially inwardly on the end of the blocking element and engaging in the depression in the pre-fitted state.

19. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes at least one of a web and a detent device, the web extending from the mounting pocket in a peripheral direction towards the housing opening, and the detent device including at least one detent to impede an axial adjustment of an end section of the blocking element.

20. The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a web extending from the mounting pocket in a peripheral direction towards the housing opening, and an end section of the blocking element has an axially oriented indentation such that a slot is formed between the end se

Assignees

• Bundy Gabriel
• Fallscheer Thomas
• Pröttel Thomas
• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Bundy Gabriel
• Fallscheer Thomas
• Pröttel Thomas

Classifications

• F16L37/14 Primary

  Joints secured by inserting between mating surfaces an element, e.g. a piece of wire, a pin, a chain · CPC title

• F16L37/0987

  the flexible hook being progressively compressed by axial tensile loads acting on the coupling · CPC title

• F16L37/0842 Primary

  by means of a ring which is split into a plurality of component parts which are held in place by means of a resilient ring member · CPC title

• F16L37/148

  the securing element being flexible (F16L37/144 takes precedence) · CPC title