Bayonet coupling for the disconnectable connection of pipelines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9863566-B2
Application number	US-201514608933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2015
Priority date	Feb 17, 2014
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A coupling for the connection of pipelines and includes a coupling element and a complementary coupling element that can fit into one another wherein the coupling element includes a first body, a locking ring mounted around the first body, the first body being secured in translation with the locking ring, and wherein the locking ring includes a slot to receive a radially protruding part of the complementary element, a locking notch in which the protruding part can be axially locked and wherein a lever is radially rotatable in the slot and an elastic element urges the lever toward a locking position in which the lever locks the protruding part in the notch. The coupling also has a single sealing gasket mounted on an outer surface of the first body to cooperate with the complementary element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coupling for the connection of pipelines, comprising a coupling element and a complementary coupling element that fit into one another along a longitudinal axis, the coupling element comprising:
a first body,
a locking ring mounted around the first body,
securing means, including at least one axial stop and a securing element,
cooperating with a rear part of the locking ring, for securing the first body in translation with the locking ring,

the locking ring comprising:
a slot for receiving a protruding part, radially protruding from a second body of the complementary coupling element,
a locking notch in which the protruding part can be axially locked along the longitudinal axis relative to the first body,

wherein the coupling element includes a lever radially rotated in the slot between a locking position in which the lever locks the protruding part in the locking notch and a released position in which the lever allows the protruding part to pass between the locking notch and the slot, wherein a spring urges the lever toward the locking position, wherein the coupling element has a sealing gasket mounted on an outer surface of the first body and wherein the sealing gasket cooperates radially with the second body in a coupled configuration of the coupling element and the complementary coupling element.

2. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling element includes a valve mounted within the first body and elastically urged toward a seat formed in the body of the coupling element, wherein the complementary coupling element includes a valve mounted within the second body and elastically urged toward a seat formed in the body of the complementary coupling element and wherein, in an uncoupled configuration of the coupling element and the complementary coupling element, each valve is in direct sealed contact with a corresponding seat.

3. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing gasket is arranged in an annular space, radially delimited between the first body and the locking ring, wherein a minimum radial thickness of the annular space in front of the sealing gasket is larger than a maximum radial dimension of the radial section of the sealing gasket.

4. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein over a length of a front part of the coupling element, delimited by the rear part of the locking ring and considered along the longitudinal axis, a maximum outer radial dimension of the first body is smaller than a minimum inner radial dimension of the rear part of the locking ring.

5. The coupling according to claim 4 , wherein a rear surface of the first body cooperating with the rear part of the locking ring has a diameter smaller than the minimum inner radial dimension of the rear part of the locking ring and wherein a first distance, measured parallel to the longitudinal axis between the securing element and a bottom wall of the slot, is smaller than a second distance, measured parallel to the longitudinal axis between the rear part of the locking ring and a rear end of the rear surface of the first body.

6. The coupling according to claim 4 , wherein the securing element includes a crown of beads positioned in an outer slot of the first body and radially covered by the locking ring.

7. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the first body includes two outer stages each having a diameter, which diameters increase along the longitudinal axis, in a direction going from a front end toward a rear end of the first body, wherein the inner surface of the second body includes two inner stages respectively complementary to the two outer stages and wherein the two outer stages cooperate with the two inner stages in the coupled configuration of the coupling element and the complementary coupling element.

8. The coupling according to claim 7 , wherein during coupling of the of the coupling element and the complementary coupling element, the two outer stages cooperate with the two inner stages before the sealing gasket cooperates radially to seal with the second body.

9. The coupling according to claim 1 , including pins and corresponding slots that enable to position the locking ring and the second body relative to one another around a longitudinal axis in an indexed configuration which, during coupling of the coupling element and the complementary coupling element, takes place before contact between the protruding part and the lever.

10. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein when the protruding part is locked in the locking notch, a lateral surface of the protruding part contacts with a bottom wall of the locking notch.

11. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein when the protruding part is locked in the locking notch, a side surface of the protruding part is in surface contact with the lever and wherein normal to the surface contact between the side surface of the protruding part, and the lever is oriented in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the lever.

12. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein when the protruding part is locked in the locking notch, a rear end of the protruding part is in surface contact with a front edge of the locking notch.

13. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the locking notch extends in a circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis.

14. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein each slot is oriented along the longitudinal axis, and wherein for each slot, the locking notch includes a first part and a second part extending on either side of the slot, the protruding element being able to be received in the first or second part of the locking notch.

15. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the locking ring is provided with a tool cavity arranged around a longitudinal axis.

16. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the securing element is a bead.

17. The coupling according to claim 15 , wherein the tool cavity has six faces.

18. The coupling according to claim 1 , wherein one of the coupling element and the complementary coupling element includes a valve which is mounted within the body of the one of the coupling element and the complementary coupling element and wherein the valve is elastically urged toward a seat formed in the body receiving the valve and wherein, in the uncoupled configuration of the coupling element and the complementary coupling element, the valve is in direct sealed contact with the seat.

Assignees

• Staubli Sa Ets

Inventors

• Tiberghien Alain-Christophe
• Durieux Christophe
• Bahno Igor

Classifications

• F16L37/113 Primary

  the male part having lugs on its periphery penetrating into the corresponding slots provided in the female part · CPC title

• F16L37/23

  by means of balls · CPC title

• F16L37/36

  with two lift valves being actuated to initiate the flow through the coupling after the two coupling parts are locked against withdrawal · CPC title

• Y10T137/87933

  Common joint and valve seat faces, or sections joined by closing members · CPC title

• Y10T137/87925

  Separable flow path section, valve or closure in each · CPC title