FLUID COUPLING SYSTEM

Abstract

A fluid coupling system for vehicles configured to be attached to the chassis, comprising a male connecting element, a female connecting element and a retaining bolt, the male element comprising at least one axial section configured for insertion into a housing of the female element, both said elements comprising pass-through openings that coincide with respect to a common axial axis, the female element comprising an opening that crosses the housing orthogonally to the axial axis but at a distance from same, the male element comprising at least one grooved neck in at least one of the axial sections to be inserted into the female element, said neck and said opening being configured to receive the bolt in its condition of use, the bolt containing an elastic ring seated in a circumferential groove close to the end thereof.

Claims

1. A fluid coupling system (1) for vehicles configured to be attached to the chassis (V) of vehicles, comprising a male connecting element (2), a female connecting element (3) and a retaining bolt (4), the male element (2) comprising at least one axial section configured for insertion into a housing of the female element (3), both said elements (2, 3) comprising pass-through openings (20, 30) that coincide with respect to a common axial axis (X), the female element comprising (3) an opening (31) that crosses the housing orthogonally to the axial axis (X) but at a distance from same, the male element (2) comprising at least one grooved neck (21) in at least one of the axial sections to be inserted into the female element (3), said neck (21) and said opening (31) being configured to receive the bolt (4) in its condition of use, characterised in that said bolt contains an elastic ring (7) seated in a circumferential groove close to the end of the bolt (4).

2. The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the elastic ring (7) is a rubber O-ring.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the bolt (4) has a screw head and the opening (31) comprises a neck configured to house said head.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the bolt (4′) comprises another elastic ring (7) seated at the other end.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the opening (31) comprises a circumferential groove configured to house the elastic element (7) in its condition of use.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the neck (21′, 21″, 21″') of the male element (2) is formed by more than one juxtaposed linear segment, the junction area between them being rounded.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the bolt (4) is housed between the grooved neck (21) and the opening (31) with a certain amount of clearance.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterised in that the male element comprises an elastic hoop (6) located in contact with one of the shoulders (23) or surfaces orthogonal to the axial axis (X), which acts as a flexible insertion stop between the male element (2) and the female element (3).

9. The system according to claim 8, characterised in that the male element comprises on the surface of the shoulder a channel for housing said elastic hoop (7).

10. The system according to claim 8, characterised in that the inlet aperture of the opening (31) is positioned in an upper area of the female element (3).

11. The system according to claim 8, characterised in that the inlet aperture of the opening (31) is positioned in a lower area of the female element (3).

12. The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the opening (31) of the female element (3) is a pass-through opening and the length of the bolt (4) is sufficient for inserting the end into a bore (T) made in the chassis (V) of the vehicle.

13. The system according to claim 12, characterised in that the female element (3) comprises an axial section, the outer side of which has a flat geometry, and it has a projection (33) which forms a rectangular vertex (34) configured to fit with an edge of the chassis (V).

14. The system according to claim 12, characterised in that the female element (3) comprises an axial section, the outer side of which has a geometry complementary to a cavity (C) comprised in the chassis (V) of the vehicle, such that the cavity (C) can partially house said section.

15. The system according to claim 13, characterised in that the outer side of the male element (2) and the cavity (C) comprise a rectangular geometry, being complementary to one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the fluid coupling system of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a section view through the vertical plane that coincides with the axial axis (X) of the coupling system of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in its condition of use.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a view of section A-A indicated in FIG. 2.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the male element of the coupling system.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the male element of FIG. 4.

[0024] FIG. 6A is a view of section B-B of FIG. 5 for a first embodiment of the male element.

[0025] FIG. 6B is the same view of FIG. 6A for a second embodiment of the male element.

[0026] FIG. 6C is the same view of FIG. 6A for a third embodiment of the male element.

[0027] FIG. 6D is the same view of FIG. 6A for a fourth embodiment of the male element.

[0028] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the coupling system

[0029] FIG. 8 is a section view through the vertical plane that coincides with the axial axis (X) of the coupling system of the embodiment of FIG. 7 in its condition of use.

[0030] FIG. 9A is a view of section C-C of FIG. 8 for a first embodiment of the fixing of the coupling system to the chassis of the vehicle.

[0031] FIG. 9B is a view of section C-C of FIG. 8 for a second embodiment of the fixing of the coupling system to the chassis of the vehicle.

[0032] FIG. 9C is a view of section C-C of FIG. 8 for a third embodiment of the fixing of the coupling system to the chassis of the vehicle.

[0033] FIG. 10 is a section view through the vertical plane that coincides with the axial axis (X) of an optional fifth embodiment of the coupling system.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] In light of the aforementioned figures, and in accordance with the adopted numbering, one may observe therein preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, which comprise the parts and elements indicated and described in detail below. As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention consists of a coupling system (1) for conducting a fluid. Said system comprises a male connecting element (2) and a female connecting element (3), the male element (2) being configured to be fluidly connected to the female element (3), being inserted into an internal housing of the female element (3) according to a common axial axis (X). In this embodiment, the portion of the male element (2) configured for insertion into the female element (3) is formed by three axial sections, each having a different diameter, while at the same time the female element (3) comprises the corresponding complementary axial sections.

[0035] The female element (3) comprises an opening (31) that crosses the housing through the widest inner axial segment. This opening (31) is located orthogonal to the axial axis (X) thereof and at a distance from same (that is, without coinciding on one same plane). In turn, the male element (2) comprises a grooved neck (21) in the final axial section to be inserted into the female element (3). Said neck (21) and said opening (31) are configured to receive a bolt (4) in its condition of use.

[0036] The coupling system (1) further comprises a bolt (4) having a size suitable for insertion into said opening (31) and in turn for being in contact with the grooved neck (21) of the male element (2). With this configuration, in its condition of use, the bolt (4) acts as a retainer, preventing both elements (2, 3) from separating from one another.

[0037] In this preferred embodiment, the bolt (4) comprises a screw head (41) for an Allen key, while the opening (31) comprises the corresponding neck for housing said head (41). In turn, the opening (31) passes through the entire female element (31), and both ends of the bolt (4) are flush with the corresponding surfaces of the female element (2). As can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the bolt (4) contains an elastic ring (7) seated in a circumferential groove close to the end of the bolt (4). In turn, the female element (3) comprises a neck configured to house the elastic ring (7).

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, for the purpose of ensuring the sealing of the coupling system (1) when both elements (2, 3) are connected, the male element (2) of this preferred embodiment comprises two grooves (22) concentric to the axial axis, located in different axial sections, which are configured to accommodate an annular elastic element (5). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the elastic elements (5) comprise two toroidal bodies joined to one another, by way of a double gasket.

[0039] In relation to another aspect of the invention, in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6A a first embodiment can be seen where the neck (21) is linear, being defined as a straight segment. This configuration is conceived so that said elements (2, 3) can be assembled in a single relative position.

[0040] In a second embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, the neck (21′) comprises three linear segments, also orthogonal to the axial axis (X). In this embodiment, therefore, there are three positions of the male element (2) with respect to the female element (3) in which the bolt (4) fits in its condition of use, while at the same time preventing rotation between both elements (2, 3).

[0041] In a third embodiment shown in FIG. 6C, the neck (21″) comprises eight linear segments distributed along the entire perimeter. In this embodiment, the junction areas of said linear necks (21″) are rounded. In an extreme embodiment shown in FIG. 6D, the grooved neck (21″') comprises thirty-two linear segments, with the rounded junction areas, and the function of which is virtually equivalent to a single concentric groove. According to a particular embodiment, FIGS. 7 and 8 show a coupling system (1), with two tubes (20, 30) connected said male element (2) and female element (3), where the female element (3) comprises an outer side (32) with a rectangular geometry and the opening (31) is located on said side, while at the same time being a pass-through opening. This configuration is appropriate for fixing the coupling system (1) to the chassis (V) of the vehicle by means of a single bolt (4, 4′, 4″), as shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C. In these embodiments, the bolt (4, 4′, 4″) has a length sufficient for crossing the opening (31) of the female element (3) and being inserted into a bore (T) made in the chassis (V). At the same time, the chassis (V) comprises a groove complementary in the bore (T) arranged to receive the ring (7). Said geometry of the bolt (4) and chassis (V) is configured so that the fixing or removal of the coupling system (1) with respect to the chassis (V) is allowed only by means of suitable forcing between same (4, V). In the embodiments of FIGS. 9A and 9C, the chassis (V) has a cavity (C) for housing a section of the female element (3). In the embodiment of FIG. 9B, instead of the head, the bolt (4′) comprises another elastic ring (7) as a fixing element, while the side (32) of the female element (3) has a projection (33) which forms a rectangular vertex (34) configured to fit with an edge of the chassis (V). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9C, in contrast, the bolt is a threaded screw.

[0042] In the optional embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the bolt (4) is housed between the neck (21″') and the opening (31) with a certain amount of clearance. To prevent the bolt from coming out during the assembly of the coupling or when there is no longer pressure exerted in the system, the male element (2) comprises an elastic hoop (6) located in contact with the first shoulder (23). This elastic hoop (6) acts as a flexible insertion stop between the male element (2) and the female element (3), such that when the operator is not pressing the elements (2, 3) against one another, the elastic hoop exerts sufficient pressure to keep the bolt (4) in the opening (31) due to friction between the walls thereof. In the embodiment shown, the male element (2) comprises a groove (24) for housing said elastic hoop (6) on the axial surface adjacent to the first shoulder (23). In this embodiment, as an example, the male element (2) comprises two elastic sealing elements (5′) having a single body, unlike the elastic elements (5) shown in FIG. 2.

[0043] The details, shapes, dimensions and other secondary elements, as well as the materials used in manufacturing the fluid coupling system of the invention, may be suitably replaced with others that are technically equivalent and do not depart from the essential nature of the invention or from the scope defined by the claims included below.