INSERT PIECE FOR INSERTING INTO A RAPID CONNECTOR DEVICE FOR FLUID LINES

Abstract

An insert piece for inserting into a rapid connector device for fluid lines. The insert piece comprises a hollow cylindrical main part, and the hollow cylindrical main part extends between a front annular surface and a rear annular surface along a cylinder axis and has a passage opening extending along the cylinder axis and an outer lateral surface for arranging on the inner wall of a rapid connector device The passage opening has a passage section which expands in the direction of the front annular surface. The insert piece can prevent a fluid line and/or a rapid connector device from being damaged.

Claims

1. An insert piece for insertion into a quick-action connector device for fluid lines, wherein the insert piece comprises a hollow-cylindrical main body, wherein the hollow-cylindrical main body extends between a front ring surface and a rear ring surface along a cylinder axis and has a passage opening extending along the cylinder axis and has an outer lateral surface for arrangement on an inner wall of a quick-action connector device, wherein the passage opening has a passage section which widens in the direction of the front ring surface.

2. The insert piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the passage section has a round edge on the front ring surface.

3. The insert piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow-cylindrical main body has a bevel which extends in a ring-shaped manner around the passage section and which delimits the passage section radially at the hollow-cylindrical main body.

4. The insert piece as claimed in claim 3, wherein the round edge connects the front ring surface to the bevel.

5. The insert piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert piece comprises a material which is reinforced with fibers.

6. The insert piece as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fibers comprise glass fibers.

7. The insert piece as claimed in claim 5, wherein the material has a fiber content of between 0% and 70%.

8. The insert piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front and rear ring surfaces have at least an inner diameter of between 13 mm and 15 mm.

9. A system for connecting fluid lines, wherein the system has an insert piece as claimed in claim 1 and a quick-action connector device for fluid lines, wherein the quick-action connector device has an entry opening and an inner wall which extends from the entry opening into the quick-action connector device, wherein the insert piece is arranged on the inner wall by way of the outer lateral surface, wherein the front ring surface is directed toward the entry opening.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system has a fluid line with an end piece, wherein the end piece has an outer diameter whose magnitude is between a maximum diameter at the passage section and a minimum diameter of the passage opening.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the nominal width of the fluid line is between 1 mm and 30 mm.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the fluid line and the quick-action connector device are connected to one another at an angle of between 0° and 10°.

13. The insert piece as claimed in claim 5, wherein the material has a fiber content of between 0% and 50%.

14. The insert piece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front and rear ring surfaces have at least an inner diameter of 14 mm.

15. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the nominal width of the fluid line is 14 mm.

16. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the fluid line and the quick-action connector device are connected to one another at an angle of between 0° and 5°.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0025] Further features, details and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure emerge from the wording of the claims and from the following description of exemplary embodiments on the basis of the drawings, in which:

[0026] FIGS. 1a, b show schematic sectional illustrations of the system,

[0027] FIGS. 2a, b show different views of schematic illustrations of the insert piece,

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional illustration of the insert piece, and

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional illustration of an inner wall section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1a shows a system 10 for connecting fluid lines, wherein the system 10 comprises a quick-action connector device 30, a fluid line 40 and an insert piece 20. Here, the insert piece 20 is arranged in the quick-action connector device 30, wherein the fluid line 40 is connected to the quick-action connector device 30 by means of the insert piece 20.

[0031] The quick-action connector device 30 has a chamber 38 which comprises an entry opening 32 through which the insert piece 20 and the fluid line 40 can be introduced into the chamber 38 of the quick-action connector device 30. The chamber 38 is delimited by an inner wall 34 of the quick-action connector device 30, wherein the inner wall 34 is shaped like an inner lateral surface of a hollow cylinder. On the inner wall 34, there is furthermore arranged a depression 36 which is configured for receiving an insert piece 20. Arranged behind the depression 36, from the entry opening 32, is a seal 39 in the form of an O-ring.

[0032] The insert piece 20 is arranged in the depression 36. The insert piece 20 comprises a hollow-cylindrical main body 21, that is to say the insert piece 20 has the shape of a ring. Here, the hollow-cylindrical main body 21 extends between a front ring surface 24 and a rear ring surface 25 along a cylinder axis 29. Here, the front ring surface 24 is directed toward the entry opening 32. Furthermore, the front ring surface 24 and the rear ring surface 25 are oriented perpendicularly to the cylinder axis 29.

[0033] The hollow-cylindrical main body 21 furthermore comprises an outer lateral surface 22 for arrangement on an inner wall of a quick-action connector device. The outer lateral surface 22 is oriented parallel to the cylinder axis 29. In FIG. 1a, the outer lateral surface 22 is arranged on the inner wall 34 of the quick-action connector device 30. Here, the outer lateral surface 22 has a diameter which is minimally larger than a diameter defined by the inner wall 34 of the quick-action connector device 30. The ring surfaces 24, 25 have the same outer diameter as the outer lateral surface. In this way, the entire lateral surface 22 is pushed against the inner wall 34. Here, the outer lateral surface 22 is arranged at least partially in the depression 36.

[0034] The ring opening of the hollow-cylindrical main body 21 is formed by a passage opening 26 which extends along the cylinder axis 29. An inner lateral surface 43 of the hollow-cylindrical main body 21 delimits the passage opening 26 radially from the cylinder axis 29. The passage opening 26 extends here through the entire hollow-cylindrical main body 21 and connects the ring opening of the front ring surface 24 to the ring opening of the rear ring surface 25. In this example, the ring surfaces 24, 25 have at least an inner diameter of between 13 mm and 15 mm, preferably an inner diameter of 14 mm.

[0035] The passage opening 26 has a passage section 27 which narrows from the front ring surface 24. Formulated conversely, the passage section 27 widens in the direction of the front ring surface 24. In this example, as per FIG. 1a, the surface which defines the passage section 27 at the hollow-cylindrical main body 21 is a bevel 23. The bevel 23 extends over the entire circumference of the inner delimitation of the front ring surface 24 and may be a section of the inner lateral surface 43. Furthermore, from the front ring surface 24, the bevel 23 converges conically to that section of the passage opening 26 which is arranged outside the passage section 27.

[0036] The hollow-cylindrical main body 21 comprises a round edge 28 between the bevel 23 and the front ring surface 24. The round edge 28 connects the bevel 23 to the front ring surface 24. This means that the region between the bevel 23 and the front ring surface 24 is free of sharp edges.

[0037] The fluid line 40 has an end piece 42, which is arranged on the bevel 23 by way of an upper surface of the fluid line 40 in FIG. 1a. Here, FIG. 1a shows the introduction of the fluid line 40 into the quick-action connector device 30. Movement of the fluid line 40 to the right in FIG. 1a results in the bevel 23 guiding the fluid line 40, by means of the end piece 42, into the passage opening 26 through the passage section 27.

[0038] Here, it is not absolutely necessary for the fluid line 40 to be guided parallel to the cylinder axis 29 of the insert piece 20 to the passage opening 26. The passage section 27 has the effect that the fluid line 40, when being introduced, can be at an angle to the quick-action connector device 30. Furthermore, on account of the play which the passage section 27 provides owing to its widening toward the front ring surface 24, the fluid line 40 and the quick-action connector device 30 may be connected to one another at said angle. The angle may be between 0° and 10°, preferably between 0° and 5°. Thus, by means of the insert piece 20, a secure connection between the fluid line 40 and the quick-action connector device 30 is provided even with a connection position at a slight angle.

[0039] Upon contact with the insert piece 20, the fluid line 40 transmits a force to the insert piece 20. This is illustrated in FIG. 1b. The arrows point to the contact surfaces between the end piece 42 and the insert piece 20. In FIG. 1b, the contact between the fluid line 40 and the insert piece 20 is realized at the round edge 28. Here, the force which is transmitted by the fluid line 40 is directed along the arrows. Said force pushes the outer lateral surface 22 of the insert piece 20 at an angle to the inner wall 34 of the quick-action connector device 30. Here, the force has a component which is directed perpendicularly to the inner wall 34 and has a component which is directed parallel to the cylinder axis 29 or inner wall 34.

[0040] The bevel 23 brings about an effect analogous to that brought about by the round edge 28. Here, the bevel 23 likewise directs perpendicularly to the inner wall 34 via the outer lateral surface 22 a part of the force transmitted by the fluid line 40.

[0041] At least a part of the force transmitted by the fluid line 40 is transmitted perpendicularly to the inner wall 34 by the bevel 23 or by the round edge 28, and so not all of the force acts parallel to the cylinder axis 29 or inner wall 34. The reduction in the parallel component of the force has the effect of reducing a shearing action on the insert piece 20. The consequence of this is that the risk of breakage of the insert piece 20 is reduced. Since the insert piece 20 is held in a depression 31 against the inner wall 34, it is thus likewise the case that breakage of the edge of the depression 31 by way of a force transmitted by the fluid line 40 to the edge of the depression 31 via the insert piece 20 is avoided.

[0042] Here, as per FIG. 2a, the insert piece 20 comprises a material which comprises fibers 33. The fibers 33 may be glass fibers. The fibers 33 are arranged in the material of the insert piece 20 in such a way that forces acting on the bevel 23 are transmitted at least in part in the direction of the outer lateral surface 22. That is to say, when the insert piece 20 is arranged in the quick-action connector device 30, a larger part of the force acting on the bevel 23 is transmitted to the inner wall 34 via the outer lateral surface 22 than in the case in which the material of the insert piece 20 has no fibers 33.

[0043] The material may in this case be a plastic. The insert piece 20 may thus consist of a fiber-reinforced plastic material.

[0044] By way of the proportion of the fibers 33 in the material, the division of the force transmitted by the fluid line 40 to the insert piece 20 and to the inner wall 34 into the component acting perpendicularly to the outer lateral surface 22 and into the component acting parallel to the cylinder axis 29 can be set. Here, the material may have a fiber content of between 0% and 70%, preferably of between 0% and 50%. The higher the fiber content of the fibers 33 in the material is, the greater the force transmitted perpendicularly to the outer lateral surface 22. Conversely, the fewer the fibers 33 the material has, the smaller the force transmitted perpendicularly to the outer lateral surface 22.

[0045] The fluid line 40 is designed in such a way that its outer diameter 44 has a magnitude lying between the one maximum diameter 37 at the passage section 27 and a minimum diameter 35 of the passage opening 26. The maximum diameter 37 and the minimum diameter 35 are illustrated in FIG. 2b.

[0046] Here, the nominal width of the fluid line 40 may be between 1 mm and 30 mm, preferably 14 mm.

[0047] As a result of the selected magnitude of the outer diameter 44, the fluid line 40 can be received by the passage section 27 and guided into the passage opening 26. In the passage opening 26, owing to the smaller minimum diameter 35 of the passage opening 26, the fluid line 40 is moved along the cylinder axis with increased expenditure of force in order to overcome the friction between the fluid line 40 and the walls of the passage opening 26 and to slightly deform the fluid line 40 and/or the insert piece 20.

[0048] The friction between the walls of the passage opening 26 and the fluid line 40 furthermore has the effect that the fluid line 40 is held in the insert piece 20 by means of frictional engagement in the quick-action connector device 30. Welding of the fluid line 40 to the quick-action connector device 30 is not required.

[0049] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of a further exemplary embodiment of the insert piece 10. In this case, the outer lateral surface 22 of the insert piece 10 has a channel 31 which encircles the cylinder axis 29. The channel 31 can receive a bead 41 which is shaped in a manner fitting the channel 31 and which is arranged on the depression 36 of the quick-action connector device 30 and which extends along the inner wall 34 about the cylinder axis 29.

[0050] When the insert piece 20 is inserted into the depression 36, the insert piece 20 is firstly stopped at the bead 41 and has to be pushed over the bead 41 with an increased expenditure of force, wherein the insert piece 20 is elastically deformed at the bead 41. As soon as the bead 41 is arranged in the channel 31, the bead 41 holds the insert piece 20 in the quick-action connector device 30 at this position.

[0051] The bead 41, in combination with the depression 36, fixes the insert piece 20 at this position. Consequently, the insert piece 20 is held securely against the inner wall 34 and is not displaced along the inner wall 34 by forces acting parallel to the cylinder axis 29.

[0052] The invention is not restricted to one of the embodiments described above, but rather may be modified in a variety of ways.

[0053] All the features and advantages that emerge from the claims, from the description and from the drawing, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, may be essential to the invention both individually and in a wide variety of combinations.

[0054] All the features and advantages, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, which follow from the claims, the description and the drawing can be fundamental to the invention both on their own and in different combinations. It is to be understood that the foregoing is a description of one or more preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed herein, but rather is defined solely by the claims below. Furthermore, the statements contained in the foregoing description relate to particular embodiments and are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or on the definition of terms used in the claims, except where a term or phrase is expressly defined above. Various other embodiments and various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiment(s) will become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such other embodiments, changes, and modifications are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

[0055] As used in this specification and claims, the terms “for example,” “for instance,” “such as,” and “like,” and the verbs “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and their other verb forms, when used in conjunction with a listing of one or more components or other items, are each to be construed as open-ended, meaning that the listing is not to be considered as excluding other, additional components or items. Other terms are to be construed using their broadest reasonable meaning unless they are used in a context that requires a different interpretation.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0056] 10 System [0057] 20 Insert piece [0058] 21 Main body [0059] 22 Outer lateral surface [0060] 23 Bevel [0061] 24 Front ring surface [0062] 25 Rear ring surface [0063] 26 Passage opening [0064] 27 Passage section [0065] 28 Round edge [0066] 29 Cylinder axis [0067] 30 Quick-action connector device [0068] 31 Channel [0069] 32 Entry opening [0070] 33 Fiber [0071] 34 Inner wall [0072] 35 Minimum diameter [0073] 36 Depression [0074] 37 Maximum diameter [0075] 38 Chamber [0076] 39 Seal [0077] 40 Fluid line [0078] 41 Bead [0079] 42 End piece [0080] 43 Inner lateral surface [0081] 44 Outer diameter