Connecting device, and connector comprising such a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9562638-B2
Application number	US-201414220805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2014
Priority date	Mar 22, 2013
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A connecting device for transmitting pressurized fluids including a pipe having an inner flow channel, a body including an inner cavity isolated from the inner flow channel, and a displacement member for moving the pipe in the body between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration and wherein the displacement member includes a pusher member movable within the body, an off-centered member connected to the slide member, a connecting rod ring and a rear housing formed in the body, defining a first articulation diameter (φ 1 ) between the pusher member and the off-centered member around a first axis (A 1 ), a second articulation diameter (φ 2 ) between the off-centered member and the connecting rod member around a second axis (A 2 ), and a third articulation diameter (φ 3 ) between the connecting rod ring and the rear housing around a third axis (A 3 ) and wherein the three axes are separate and parallel to a transverse direction transverse of the device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connecting device ( 10 ), for transmitting pressurized fluids, configured to be coupled with a complementary connector element ( 2 ), with a first part ( 2 ) among the device and the connecting element that is configured to be a male element adapted for being connected to a first fluid flow line, and a second part among the device and the connector element that is configured to be a female element adapted for being connected to a second fluid flow line, the female element being adapted for receiving the male element, the connecting device ( 10 ) comprising:
a pipe end ( 30 ) having an inner flow channel ( 38 ) for a fluid flow in the connecting device ( 10 ) and including a bearing surface ( 39 ) for the connector element ( 2 );
an end body ( 20 ) including a threaded surface ( 25 ) for engaging with a body ( 3 ) of the connector element ( 2 ) and an inner cavity ( 24 ) that extends along a longitudinal axis (X 10 ) of the connecting device ( 10 ) and is isolated from the inner flow channel ( 38 ) when the end body and the connector element are in a coupled configuration; and
displacement means ( 40 ) for moving the pipe end ( 30 ) in the cavity ( 24 ) of the end body ( 20 ) along the longitudinal axis (X 10 ) in a forward direction (D 1 ) between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration;

wherein the displacement means ( 40 ) includes at least one pusher member ( 50 ) mounted within the end body ( 20 ), at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) cooperating with the pusher member for urging the pusher member in the forward direction (D 1 ), at least one connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) and at least one rear housing ( 85 ) that is formed in the end body ( 20 ), defining:
a first articulation diameter (φ 1 ) between the at least one pusher member ( 50 ) and the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) around a first axis (A 1 ),
a second articulation diameter (φ 2 ) between the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) and the at least one connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) around a second axis (A 2 ), and
a third articulation diameter (φ 3 ) between the at least one connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) and the at least one rear housing ( 85 ) around a third axis (A 3 );

wherein the first, second and third axes (A 1 , A 2 , A 3 ) are separate and parallel to a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis (X 10 ); wherein a distance between the first axis (A 1 ) and the second axis (A 2 ) is smaller than a half-sum of the first diameter (φ 1 )) and the second diameter (φ 2 ); wherein a distance between the second axis (A 2 ) and the third axis (A 3 ) is smaller than the half-sum of the second diameter (φ 2 ) and the third diameter (φ 3 ); and
wherein the at least one pusher member ( 50 ) is movable only in translation along the longitudinal axis (X 10 ) relative to the end body ( 20 ) in order to push the pipe end ( 30 ) in the forward direction (D 1 ).

2. The connecting device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) includes a first cylindrical surface ( 65 ) that cooperates with the at least one pusher member ( 50 ) to form an articulation with the first articulation diameter (φ 1 ) and a second cylindrical surface ( 66 ) that cooperates with the at least one connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) to form an articulation with the second articulation diameter (φ 2 ), and wherein the first cylindrical surface ( 65 ) surrounds, or is surrounded by, the second cylindrical surface ( 66 ) of the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ).

3. The connecting device ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) includes a first cylindrical surface ( 72 ) that cooperates with the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) to form the articulation with the second articulation diameter (φ 2 ) and an outer surface ( 73 ) including a second cylindrical surface ( 75 ) that cooperates with the at least one rear housing ( 85 ) to form the articulation with the third articulation diameter (φ 3 ), and wherein the outer surface ( 73 ) of the connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) surrounds the first cylindrical surface ( 72 ) of the connecting rod ring member ( 70 ).

4. The connecting device ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) includes a first cylindrical surface ( 65 ) that cooperates with the at least one pusher member ( 50 ) to form the articulation with the first articulation diameter (φ 1 ) and a second cylindrical surface ( 66 ) that cooperates with the connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) to form the articulation with the second articulation diameter (φ 2 ), wherein the first cylindrical surface ( 65 ) surrounds, or is surrounded by, the second cylindrical surface ( 66 ) of the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ), and wherein the at least one rear housing ( 85 ), the first cylindrical surface ( 72 ) and the second cylindrical surface ( 75 ) of the at least one connecting rod ring member ( 70 ), the first cylindrical surface ( 65 ) and the second cylindrical surface ( 66 ) of the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) are positioned at the same level in a direction parallel to the first, second and third axes (A 1 , A 2 , A 3 ).

5. The connecting device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first axis (A 1 ) and the third axis (A 3 ) are situated in a plane (P 2 ) substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (X 10 ) of the connecting device ( 10 ), wherein the second axis (A 2 ) is situated on one side of the plane (P 2 ) in the unlocked configuration of the displacement means ( 40 ), and wherein the second axis (A 2 ) is situated on the other side of the plane (P 2 ) in the locked configuration of the displacement means ( 40 ).

6. The connecting device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the distance between the first axis (A 1 ) and the second axis (A 2 ) is smaller than the distance between the second axis (A 2 ) and third axis (A 3 ).

7. The connecting device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one pusher member ( 50 ) includes at least one cylindrical part ( 52 ) centered on the first axis (A 1 );
the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) includes a bore ( 65 ) receiving the cylindrical part ( 52 ) of the at least one pusher member ( 50 ) to form the first articulation diameter (φ 1 ) and an outer surface ( 66 ) surrounding the bore ( 65 ) and centered on the second axis (A 2 );
the at least one connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) includes a bore ( 72 ) receiving the outer surface ( 66 ) of the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) to form the second articulation diameter (φ 2 ) and an outer surface ( 73 ) surrounding the bore ( 72 ); and
the at least one rear housing is formed by a bore ( 85 ) centered on the third axis (A 3 ) and which cooperates with a cylindrical surface ( 75 ) of the outer surface ( 73 ) of the at least one connecting rod ring member ( 70 ) to form the third articulation diameter (φ 3 ).

8. The connecting device ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one off-centered member ( 60 ) forms a handling lever for the displacement means ( 40 ) between the unlocked configuration and locked configuration and includes two lever arms ( 61 ) situated on either side of the end body ( 20 ), each lever arm ( 61 ) cooperating with a pusher member ( 50 ), and wherein the displacement means ( 40 ) includes:
two connecting rod ring members ( 70 ) each cooperating with one of the lever arms ( 61 ) of an off-centered member ( 60 ), and
two rear housings ( 85 ) emerging outside the end body ( 20 ) and each cooperating with one of the connecting rod ring members ( 70 ).

9. The connecting device ( 10 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the two le

Assignees

• Staubli Sa Ets

Inventors

• Tiberghien Alain-Christophe
• Durieux Christophe
• Bahno Igor

Classifications

• F16L19/0225 Primary

  without sealing rings · CPC title

• F16L37/18 Primary

  Joints tightened by eccentrics or rotatable cams · CPC title