Fluid communication device having a ring reducing mounting stress

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9435474-B2
Application number	US-201314403623-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2013
Priority date	Jul 23, 2012
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A fluid communication device including a tubular body which enables the circulation of a fluid and which has an end piece that is connectable to a plug-in pipe having an outer annular locking groove. An assembly head includes a receiving chamber in which an end piece of the tubular body is mounted. The assembly head includes a U-shaped locking element having two arms that are inserted into the receiving chamber. An intermediate ring is slidably mounted in the receiving chamber to achieve a pre-opening of the locking element just before the plug-in pipe reaches a position in which it engages with the end piece.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid communication device, comprising:
a tubular body including a tubular end piece extending in an axial direction, said tubular end piece connectable by axial insertion into a plug-in pipe having an outer annular locking neck;
an assembly head, separate from said tubular body, in which said tubular end piece is received, said assembly head including a receiving chamber coaxial with said tubular end piece and adapted to receive said plug-in pipe to connect said assembly head to said tubular end piece;
a U-shaped locking element including two arms inserted into said receiving chamber along an insertion direction perpendicular to said axial direction, said two arms disposed within said receiving chamber in a pre-assembled state, said two arms elastically spreadable apart from one another in said receiving chamber along said insertion direction upon axial displacement of said plug-in pipe in said receiving chamber toward a position of abutment in which said plug-in pipe is fully connected to said tubular end piece, said two arms engaged within said annular locking neck of said plug-in pipe upon said plug-in pipe reaching said position of abutment to lock said plug-in pipe in said assembly head; and
an intermediate ring mounted in said receiving chamber and slidably movable in said axial direction between a frontal position and a dorsal position to effect a pre-opening of said locking element, said intermediate ring axially spaced from said plug-in pipe and adapted to be pushed axially between said frontal and dorsal positions by contacting engagement with said plug-in pipe when said plug-in pipe is displaced in said receiving chamber toward said tubular end piece, said intermediate ring including chamfers engageable with said two arms of said locking element to spread said two arms apart from one another prior to said plug-in pipe reaching said position of abutment.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an elastic biasing element mounted in said receiving chamber to oppose axial displacement of said intermediate ring towards said dorsal position and return said intermediate ring to said frontal position when said intermediate ring is not being pushed by said plug-in pipe.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said intermediate ring comprises a reference tongue visual from an outside of said assembly head when said plug-in pipe is locked on said tubular end piece.

Assignees

• A Raymond Et Cie

Inventors

• CHAUPIN Jérôme

Classifications

• F02M2200/853

  involving use of quick-acting mechanism, e.g. clips · CPC title

• F16L21/08

  with additional locking means (F16L21/06 takes precedence; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00) · CPC title

• F02M55/004

  Joints; Sealings · CPC title

• F16L37/084 Primary

  combined with automatic locking · CPC title

• F16L37/1225 Primary

  using a retaining member the extremities of which, e.g. in the form of a U, engage behind a shoulder of both parts · CPC title