Pipe connecting connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822914-B2
Application number	US-201113806900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2011
Priority date	Jun 28, 2010
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A pipe connecting connector adapted to connect a pipe to a connecting object, includes a connector main body adapted to insert or remove the pipe, and including a locking opening formed on a side portion thereof; a lock member including an annular portion and a pipe locking portion extending from the annular portion and including a locking claw extending inside the connector main body through the locking opening for locking the pipe, the lock member being movably held relative to the connector main body between a locking position wherein the pipe locking portion locks the pipe, and an unlocking position releasing the locking, and an urging device urging the lock member to a locking position side. The pipe locking portion is urged in a locking direction of the pipe by an urging force of the urging device when the lock member is in the locking position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe connecting connector adapted to connect a pipe to a connecting object, comprising:
a connector main body adapted to insert or remove the pipe, and including a locking opening formed on a side portion thereof and an insertion hole at a rear end thereof for inserting the pipe; and
a lock member including
an annular portion slidably disposed over the connector main body,
an urging device extending from the annular portion along an upper side portion of the connector main body in an axial direction of the connector main body,
another urging device extending from the annular portion toward the rear end of the connector main body along a lower side portion of the connector main body opposite to the upper side portion of the connector main body in respect to the insertion hole,
a pipe locking portion extending from the annular portion along the side portion of the connector main body in the axial direction, and
another pipe locking portion extending from the annular portion toward the rear end of the connector main body along another side portion of the connector main body opposite to the side portion in respect to the insertion hole,
the pipe locking portion including a locking claw extending inside the connector main body through the locking opening for locking the pipe,
the lock member being movably held relative to the connector main body between a locking position wherein the pipe locking portion locks the pipe, and an unlocking position releasing the locking;

wherein the urging device urges the lock member to slide to a locking position side so that the pipe locking portion is urged in a locking direction of the pipe and the locking claw is urged inwardly toward the pipe by an urging force of the urging device when the lock member is in the locking position, and
the annular portion of the lock member is slidably disposed over the connector main body at a position adjacent to a front end of the connector main body, the pipe locking portion and the urging device extending from the annular portion toward the rear end of the connector main body in the axial direction.

2. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 1 , wherein one of either the connector main body or the lock member is formed with a guide face, and the other is formed with a slidingly-contacting portion slidingly contacting with the guide face when the lock member moves, and
the slidingly-contacting portion moves on the guide face by the urging force of the urging device, so that the pipe locking portion is guided in the locking direction of the pipe.

3. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 2 , wherein the urging device is made by an elastic urging piece which elastically deforms by abutting against the connector main body and generates the urging force.

4. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 2 , wherein the pipe locking portion is made to be capable of elastically deforming by an engagement with the connector main body, and one of either the slidingly-contacting portion or the guide face is provided in the pipe locking portion.

5. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 1 , wherein the lock member is integrally formed with the annular portion, the pipe locking portion, and the locking claw as one member.

6. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 5 , wherein the locking claw includes a protruding portion having an inclined surface inclined toward an inside of the connector main body and a guide face inclined toward an outside of the connector main body for guiding the pipe locking portion in the locking direction of the pipe, and
the connector main body includes a slidingly-contacting portion at an edge of the locking opening to slidingly contact the guide face, so that when the pipe locking portion is urged by the urging force of the urging device, the guide face slides along the slidingly-contacting portion and guides the pipe locking portion in the locking direction of the pipe.

7. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 6 , wherein the lock member is arranged so that when the lock member is in the locking position, the pipe locking portion is urged in the locking direction of the pipe by the urging force of the urging device and the locking claw extends through the locking opening of the connector main body to lock the pipe, and when the lock member is moved from the locking position to the unlocking position, the pipe locking portion is moved against the urging force of the urging device and the locking claw moves away from the pipe to unlock the pipe.

8. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 1 , wherein the urging device further comprises a gripper protruding from an outer surface thereof and being gripped to move the lock member toward the unlocking position to release the pipe.

9. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 8 , wherein the connector main body further includes a protruding piece protruding from the upper side portion of the connector main body to control a movement of the urging device, and an inclining platform portion having an inclined surface; and
the lock member is arranged such that when the lock member is in the locking position, the urging device contacts the inclining platform portion of the connector main body to urge the lock member toward the protruding piece of the connector main body so that the urging device abuts against the protruding piece, and when the lock member is moved from the locking position to the unlocking position, the gripper is gripped to move the urging device of the lock member away from the protruding piece of the connector main body.

10. A pipe connecting connector according to claim 9 , wherein the locking claw includes a protruding portion having an inclined surface inclined toward an inside of the connector main body and a guide face inclined toward an outside of the connector main body for guiding the pipe locking portion in the locking direction of the pipe, and
the connector main body includes a slidingly-contacting portion at an edge of the locking opening to slidingly contact the guide face, so that when the pipe locking portion is urged by the urging force of the urging device, the guide face slides along the slidingly-contacting portion and guides the pipe locking portion in the locking direction of the pipe.

11. A pipe connecting connector adapted to connect a pipe to a connecting object, comprising:
a connector main body adapted to insert or remove the pipe, and including a locking opening formed on a side portion thereof;
a lock member including an annular portion slidably disposed over the connector main body, and a pipe locking portion extending from the annular portion along the side portion of the connector main body, the pipe locking portion including a locking claw extending inside the connector main body through the locking opening for locking the pipe, the lock member being movably held relative to the connector main body between a locking position wherein the pipe locking portion locks the pipe, and an unlocking position releasing the locking; and
an urging device urging the lock member to a locking position side,
wherein the pipe locking portion is urged in a locking direction of the pipe by an urging force of the urging device when the lock member is in the locking position,
the lock member is integrally formed with the annular portion, the pipe locking portion, and the locking claw as one member,
the locking claw includes a protruding portion having an inclined surface inclined toward an inside of the connector main body and a guide face inclined toward an outside of the connector main body for guiding the pipe locking portion in the locking direction of

Assignees

• Okazaki Tsuyoshi
• Nifco Inc

Inventors

• Okazaki Tsuyoshi

Classifications

• F16L37/12 Primary

  using hooks, pawls, or other movable or insertable locking members (F16L37/084 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L37/144

  the securing element being U-shaped · CPC title

• F16L37/0985 Primary

  the flexible hook extending radially inwardly from an outer part and engaging a bead, recess or the like on an inner part (F16L37/0982 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L21/06

  with a divided sleeve or ring clamping around the pipe ends (flanged joints F16L23/00; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00) · CPC title

• F16L37/084 Primary

  combined with automatic locking · CPC title