ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR A HOSE ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

The invention relates to an attachment device, comprising a first line connector with a first fluid passage and a second line connector. The second line connector surrounds the first line connector such that a second fluid passage is created between the first line connector and the second line connector. The second fluid passage is fluidically separated from the first fluid passage. The second line connector can be pushed onto the first line connector from the end thereof situated opposite the hose attachment of the first line connector. The invention further relates to a line arrangement comprising the attachment device and to a corresponding connection method.

Claims

1. An attachment device for a hose arrangement having a plurality of chambers, comprising: a first line connector comprising a hose connection at a first end of the first line connector for connection to a first chamber of the hose arrangement; and a second line connector comprising a hose connection at an end of the second line connector for connection to a second chamber of the hose arrangement; wherein the first line connector defines a first fluid passage in an interior of the first line connector; wherein the second line connector and the first line connector are operationally fixedly connected in an assembled state, wherein the second line connector surrounds the first line connector in the assembled state so that a second fluid passage is produced between the first line connector and the second line connector, wherein the second fluid passage is fluidically separated from the first fluid passage; wherein the hose connection of the first line connector and the hose connection of the second line connector are arranged on a same side of the attachment device in the assembled state; and wherein the second line connector can be pushed onto the first line connector from a second end of the first line connector opposite to the hose connection of the first line connector from a completely separated state into the assembled state.

2. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the first fluid passage runs coaxially with the second fluid passage.

3. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the first line connector further comprises, at the second end, a coupling connection for coupling the first line connector to a superordinate assembly not belonging to the attachment device; wherein the second line connector further comprises, at the end of the second line connector opposite the hose connection of the second line connector, a coupling connection for coupling the second line connector to the superordinate assembly; and wherein the coupling connection of the first line connector runs coaxially with the coupling connection of the second line connector.

4. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the second line connector further comprises at least one springy web, wherein the springy web which is designed, in the assembled state, to engage with at least one recess of the first line connector to prevent a displacement of the second line connector relative to the first line connector in a direction opposite to a push-on direction.

5. The attachment device claim 1, wherein the first line connector comprises at least one stop designed to rest against at least one counter-stop of the second line connector to prevent displacement of the first line connector relative to the second line connector in a push-on direction.

6. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the first line connector comprises at least three spacers, each of the at least three spacers designed to contact at a free end of the respective spacer with the second line connector, to define a radial distance of the second line connector relative to the first line connector.

7. The attachment device of claim 3, wherein the second line connector comprises a securing device that includes at least one spring-mounted projection, wherein the securing device is designed to secure the second line connector on the superordinate assembly by the at least one spring-mounted projection of the securing device engaging with a corresponding recess on the superordinate assembly.

8. The attachment device of claim 7, wherein the securing device comprises an oval ring, wherein the at least one spring-mounted projection of the securing device is arranged on the inside of of the oval ring; and wherein the oval ring is elastic and is configured so that a shortening of a long axis of the oval ring due to a compression of the oval ring, causes an extension of the short axis of the oval ring so that the at least one spring-mounted projection of the securing device disengages from the corresponding recess on the superordinate assembly.

9. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the first line connector and the second line connector are free from a sealing element in the assembled state, wherein the sealing element is designed to interact both with, the first line connector and the second line connector.

10. The attachment device claim 1, wherein the hose connection of the second line connector, in the assembled state and viewed along a longitudinal axis of the first fluid passage, is positioned adjacent to the hose connection of the first line connector.

11. A line arrangement, comprising: a hose arrangement, comprising: an outer hose, and an inner hose arranged inside the outer hose, so as to form a plurality of chambers; and at least one attachment device, comprising: a first line connector comprising a hose connection at an end of the first line connector for connection to the inner hose of the hose arrangement, and a second line connector comprising a hose connection at an end of the second line connector for connection to the outer hose of the hose arrangement, wherein the first line connector defines a first fluid passage in an interior of the first line connector, wherein the second line connector and the first line connector are operationally fixedly connected in an assembled state, wherein the second line connector surrounds the first line connector in the assembled state so that a second fluid passage is produced between the first line connector and the second line connector, wherein the second fluid passage is fluidically separated from the first fluid passage; and wherein the inner hose is connected to the first line connector and the outer hose is connected to the second line connector.

12. The line arrangement of claim 11, wherein both the outer hose and the inner hose are bendable and substantially rigid in a longitudinal extension direction.

13. A method for connecting a hose arrangement, comprising at least an outer hose and an inner hose arranged in the outer hose, to an attachment device, comprising: connecting a first line connector defining a first fluid passage in an interior of the first line connector to the inner hose by pushing a first hose connection at a first end of the first line connector into the inner hose; connecting a second line connector comprising a second hose connection at an end of the second line connector to the first line connector by pushing the second line connector onto the first line connector from a second end of the first line connector opposite the first hose connection of the first line connector, wherein, the second line connector surrounds the first line connector and creates a second fluid passage between the first line connector and the second line connector, wherein the second fluid passage is fluidically separated from the first fluid passage; and connecting the second line connector to the outer hose by pushing the second line connector into the outer hose.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein connecting the second line connector to the first line connector further comprises engaging at least a springy web of the second line connector with a recess of the first line connector to prevent a displacement of the second line connector relative to the first line connector in a direction opposite to a push-on direction.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein connecting the second line connector to the first line connector further comprises bringing into contact at least three spacers a free end of each of the at least three spacers with the second line connector to define a radial distance of the second line connector relative to the first line connector.

16. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the first line connector and the second line connector are free of a receiving device, wherein the receiving device is designed to receive a sealing element, wherein the sealing element is designed to interact both with the first line connector and with the second line connector.

17. The attachment device of claim 6, wherein the at least three spacers comprise four spacers.

18. The line arrangement of claim 13, wherein the hose connection of the first line connector and the hose connection of the second line connector are arranged on a same side of the attachment device in the assembled state.

19. The line arrangement of claim 13, Wherein the second line connector can be pushed onto the first line connector from a second end of the first line connector opposite to the hose connection of the first line connector from a completely separated state into the assembled state.

20. The attachment device of claim 8, wherein the at least one spring-mounted projection of the securing device is arranged on the inside of and lying on a short axis of the oval ring.

Description

[0047] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail using an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0048] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary first line connector;

[0049] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first line connector of FIG. 1;

[0050] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary second line connector;

[0051] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second line connector of FIG. 3;

[0052] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the end of the second line connector shown on the left in FIG. 3;

[0053] FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an attachment device according to the invention, comprising the first line connector from FIGS. 1 and 2 and the second line connector from FIGS. 3 to 5;

[0054] FIG. 7 is a further side cross-sectional view of the attachment device from FIG. 6;

[0055] FIG. 8 represents an embodiment of a line arrangement according to the invention, comprising the attachment device from FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0056] In FIG. 1, a first line connector is generally designated by the reference number 10. The first line connector 10 has a first fluid passage 12 in its interior. The first fluid passage 12 is substantially cylindrical and has a central axis A.

[0057] At its end shown on the left in FIG. 1, the first line connector 10 has a hose connector 14 which is set up to be connected to a hose.

[0058] At its end shown on the right in FIG. 1, i.e. opposite the end of the hose connection 14 of the first line connector 10, the first line connector 10 has a coupling connection 16 which is designed to be connected to a superordinate assembly. At the hose connection 14 and at the coupling connection 16, the first line connector 10 has an annular groove 18 and 20, respectively, which surrounds an outer circumference of the first line connector 10 (see FIG. 2). The two grooves 18, 20 are each set up to receive an O-ring 22 (one of which is shown in FIG. 6), which is set up as a sealing element between the first line connector 10 and the hose connected to the hose connection 14 or to act between the first line connector 10 and the superordinate assembly.

[0059] Adjacent to the two longitudinal ends of the first line connector 10, the first line connector 10 has in each case an insertion bevel 24 and 26, which is suitable for making it easier to insert the first line connector 10 into a hose or into a connection of the superordinate assembly.

[0060] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the first line connector 10 has four guide ribs 28 on its outer circumference, which are evenly distributed over an outer circumference of the first line connector 10 in a circumferential direction. The guide ribs 28 extend in a direction parallel to the central axis A. At their end adjacent to the hose connection 14 of the first line connector 10, the guide ribs 28 each have a stop 30, which is designed to rest against a counter-stop 32 (see FIG. 4). In the embodiment shown, the guide ribs 28 are arranged at a respective free end of a spacer 33, that is to say in the direction of a radial extension of a respective spacer 33. The radially outer surfaces of the spacers 33, which here correspond to the surfaces on which the guide ribs 28 are arranged, are designed to come into contact with an inner wall of the second line connector 38 in order to determine a radial alignment of the second line connector 38 relative to the first line connector 10, especially in terms of centring, (see FIG. 6).

[0061] Elongated passages 34 are formed between each two spacers 33. The operation of the passages 34 will be described further below with reference to FIG. 7. However, it should already be mentioned at this point that the passages 34 to portions of the first line connector 10 adjacent to them can be deepened, but also planar or even raised, as long as a distance between the passages 33 and an adjacent section of the second line connector 38 in the radial direction is complied with. In the example shown, the passages 34 are designed to be deepened in order to be able to obtain a material reduction on the first line connector 10 in the area of the passages 33 in the form of a reduced wall thickness.

[0062] In FIG. 2, recesses 36 in a respective spacer 33 can also be seen on the outside of the first line connector 10. The recesses 36 are designed to act as depressions and undercuts of a snap connection (see below). In the example shown in FIG. 2, the recesses 36 are on a line with respectively assigned guide ribs 28, wherein this line is aligned parallel to the central axis A. Accordingly, the same number of recesses 36 and guide ribs 28 result.

[0063] Referring now to FIG. 3, a second line connector 38 is shown in a side cross-sectional view. The second line connector 38 has at one end a hose connection 40 which is set up to be connected to a hose. In its interior, the second line connector 38 has a substantially cylindrical passage 42. The passage 42 defines a central axis B which extends in the longitudinal direction through the passage 42.

[0064] At its end opposite the hose connection 40, the second line connector 38 has a plurality of springy webs 44 which are formed in one piece with the second line connector 38 and protrude radially inward, that is, into the passage 42. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the second line connector 38 has four springy webs 44, which are arranged distributed uniformly in a circumferential direction on an inner surface of the second line connector 38.

[0065] Radially outwardly adjacent to the springy webs 44, the second line connector 38 has a coupling connection 46 which is set up to couple the second line connector 38 to a superordinate assembly. Analogous to the first line connector 10, the second line connector 38 has a respective groove 48 and 50 on its hose connection 40 and on its coupling connection 46, which groove is designed to receive an O-ring (see FIG. 5 or FIG. 6).

[0066] On the inner wall of the second line connector 38 defining the passage 42, said inner wall has four guide recesses 52, which are designed to engage with the guide ribs 28 of the first line connector 10. Correspondingly, the guide recesses 52 are also evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the second line connector 38 or of the passage 42. The guide recesses 52 extend in a direction parallel to the central axis B at least over the same length as the guide ribs 28, advantageously over a greater length than the guide ribs 28. In the embodiment of the second line connector 38 shown in FIG. 3, the guide recesses 52 extend over more than half of the longitudinal extent of the second line connector 38 in the direction of the central axis B.

[0067] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the guide recesses 52 begin at a planar end face of the second line connector 38, which functions as the above-described counter-stop 32 of the second line connector 38. The guide recesses 52 extend from this flat surface on the wall of the passage 42 in a direction parallel to the central axis B of the passage 42.

[0068] As can also be seen in FIG. 4, the coupling connection 46 of the second line connector 38 is assigned a securing device 54, which will now be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 5. The securing device 54 is set up to secure the second line connector 38 on the superordinate assembly. The securing device 54 has an oval ring 56 which is connected to the wall of the second line connector 38 at two portions 58 of the oval ring 56, which lie on a short axis C of the oval ring 56 (see also FIG. 3). The oval ring 56 has gripping surfaces 60 at two portions, which lie on a long axis D of the oval ring 56, which are suitable for being gripped by a user in order to compress the oval ring 56 along the long axis D. The type of connection 58 of the oval ring 56 with the rest of the second line connector 38 allows the long axis D to be shortened and the short axis C to be lengthened when the two gripping surfaces 60 are compressed, that is, the gripping surfaces 60 are moved towards one another. By lengthening the short axis C, the portions 58 of the oval ring 56 are moved away from one another along the axis C.

[0069] On an inside of the oval ring 56, projections 62 protruding radially inward are arranged on the portions 58 of the oval ring 56 (see also FIG. 3), which projections are set up to engage with corresponding recesses on the superordinate assembly in order to secure the second line connector 38 in the sense of a snap connection to the superordinate assembly. If the short axis C of the oval ring 56 is now lengthened by compressing the gripping surfaces 60, the projections 62 of the securing device 54 disengage from the corresponding recesses on the superordinate assembly, so that the second line connector 38 can be released from the superordinate assembly. If the gripping surfaces 60 are no longer compressed, the securing device 54 or the oval ring 56 deforms back into the unloaded state shown in FIG. 5. For easier coupling of the second line connector 38 to the superordinate assembly, the projections 62 of the securing device 54 have insertion bevels 64 (see FIG. 3).

[0070] In FIG. 6, the assembled state of the first line connector 10 and the second line connector 38 on each other is shown. In this assembled state, the first line connector 10 and the second line connector 38 form an attachment device 66 according to the invention. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the second line connector 38 is pushed completely onto the first line connector 10 from its end, which has the coupling connection 16. In this assembled state, the springy webs 44 of the second line connector 38 are in engagement with the recesses 36 of the first line connector 10. Furthermore, the stops 30 of the first line connector rest against the counter-stops 32, which have a common flat surface of the second line connector 38. The guide ribs 28 of the first line connector 10 engage with the corresponding guide recesses 52 of the second line connector 38. It can be clearly seen in FIG. 6 that the guide recesses 52 of the second line connector 38 are longer than the length of the guide ribs 28 of the first line connector 10 up to which the second line connector 38 can be pushed onto them. In addition, it can be seen in FIG. 6 that in a direction perpendicular to the central axes A and B, the free end of a respective spacer 33 is in contact with an inner wall of the second line connector 38, so that the orientation of the second line connector 38 relative to the first line connector 10 is fixed in a direction perpendicular to the central axis A or the central axis B by the spacers 33.

[0071] In the groove 20 of the first line connector 10 and in the groove 50 of the second line connector 38 an O-ring 22 is arranged in each case, which acts as a sealing element between the first line connector 10 and the superordinate assembly or the second line connector 38 and the superordinate assembly. The central axes A and B coincide in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

[0072] In FIG. 7, the attachment device 66 is shown along a sectional plane rotated by 45° about the central axis A in relation to the sectional plane of FIG. 6. It can be seen in FIG. 7 that the passages 34 of the first line connector 10 arranged in the circumferential direction between the spacers 33 of the first line connector 10 define a second fluid passage 68 with the inner wall of the second line connector 38 defining the passage 42. According to the above-described configurations of the first line connector 10, the passages 34, the second line connector 38 and the passage 42, the second fluid passage 68 runs concentrically to the first fluid passage 12, so that the second fluid passage 68 has a central axis E coinciding with the central axes A and B. The second fluid passage 68 has a substantially annular cross section over its entire length through the second line connector 38, which, however, is pierced by the spacers 33 of the first line connector 10. At its two ends, the second fluid passage 68 has widenings 70 of the second fluid passage 68, which are arranged in the second line connector 38 and which can improve the flow properties of a fluid flowing through the second fluid passage 68, since a projection 71 can be flowed around through the widenings 70 against which projection a hose to be pushed onto the first line connector 10 can rest, which is shown in FIG. 7 on the upper half of the hose connection 14 of the first line connector 10 as a hatched cuboid 74.

[0073] FIG. 8 shows a line arrangement 72 according to the invention, which comprises an inner hose 74 which is arranged in an outer hose 76. At the end shown on the left in FIG. 8, the inner hose 74 and the outer hose 76 are connected to an attachment device 66 according to the invention, as has been described in detail above. It can be clearly seen in FIG. 8 that the first fluid passage 12 extends from the interior of the inner hose 74 through the first line connector 10 to a superordinate assembly (not shown). The second fluid passage 68 extends from a space which is formed between the inner hose 74 and the outer hose 76 and thus surrounds the inner hose 74 in an annular manner, through the space formed between the first line connector 10 and the second line connector 38 into the superordinate assembly. The first fluid passage 12 and the second fluid passage 68 therefore extend both in the hose arrangement, which is formed from the hoses 74 and 76, and in the attachment device 66 according to the invention, coaxially into the superordinate assembly.

[0074] At the end of the inner hose 74 and the outer hose 76 shown on the right in FIG. 8, a further attachment device 78 is shown, which will be briefly described below.

[0075] The further attachment device 78 has a first hose connection 80, which is connected to the inner hose 74, and a second hose connection 82, which is connected to the outer hose 76. A fluid passage 84 of the further attachment device 78, which is connected to the first fluid passage 12, leads from the first hose connection 80 of the further attachment device 78 through the further attachment device 78 to a first coupling connection 86 of the further attachment device 78, which is set up to be connected to a connection of a further superordinate assembly (not shown). A further fluid passage 88 connected to the second fluid passage 68 branches off radially outward from an annular widening of the second fluid passage 68 between the outer hose 76 and the first hose connection 80 of the further attachment device 78 and then runs parallel to the one fluid passage 84 of the further attachment device 78 up to a further coupling end 90 of the further attachment device 78, which is set up to be connected to a further connection of the further superordinate assembly, which is arranged on the further superordinate assembly separately from the one connection. A sealing element 92 is arranged on the further attachment device 78, which acts between two parts of the further attachment device in the sense of a first line connector and a second line connector in order to seal a space formed therebetween from the outside.