COUPLING SYSTEM

Abstract

A coupling system for the media-conducting connection of two hose-like sections (10, 12) to form a common transport section (14), with each section having a coupling element (16, 18) having two coupling parts (20, 22) that can be separated from each other and that are detachably held together by closure elements (24) along a disconnecting point (26) which can be engaged with correspondingly formed closure elements (24) of the other coupling element (20, 22) to form the transport section (14), is characterized in that all closure elements (24) of the coupling parts (20, 22) point hose-inwards at least before the formation of the transport section (14) and in that at least when the transport section (14) is formed the respective disconnecting point (26) is arranged between the coupling elements (16, 18) transverse to this transport section (14).

Claims

1. A coupling system for the media-conducting connection of two hose-like sections (10, 12) to form a common transport section (14), with each section having a coupling element (16, 18) having two coupling parts (20, 22) that can be separated from each other and that are detachably held together by closure elements (24) along a disconnecting point (26), which can be engaged with correspondingly formed closure elements (24) of the other coupling element (20, 22) to form the transport section (14), characterized in that all closure elements (24) of the coupling parts (20, 22) point hose-inwards at least before the formation of the transport section (14) and in that at least when the transport section (14) is formed the respective disconnecting point (26) is arranged between the coupling elements (16, 18) transverse to this transport section (14).

2. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the two separable coupling parts (20, 22) of a coupling element (16, 18) are formed from profile strips (40) and in that each profile strip (40) is connected to a track of an assignable section (10, 12) which, with the track of the other profile strip of this one coupling part (20, 22), forms the hose-like section (10, 12).

3. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective profile strip (40) with its closure elements (24) engages in a kind of tongue and groove connection or a kind of latch connection with the closure elements (24) of the other profile strip (40) of a coupling element (16, 18).

4. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective profile strip (40) is designed flexible in the longitudinal direction of its strip trajectory and is inherently stable in directions transverse thereto such that a laying of parts of the profile strip (40) on top of each other is ruled out at least in the region of the engagement plane of the closure elements (40).

5. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that in the starting state thereof at least one profile strip (40) of a profile strip pair for a coupling element (20) in the manner of an offset (50) has the closure elements (24) along a free top side or face side on the end of this profile strip (40) and in that, between this offset (50) and the wall parts (52) extending parallel thereto of the profile strip, a channel (54) is formed.

6. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the channel (54) of this profile strip (40) has an outwards projecting contact segment (58), on which a closure element (24) of the assignable profile strip (40) of a coupling element (16, 18) is supported.

7. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that in the starting state thereof the channel-free assignable profile strip (40) has, in the region of its respective closure element (24), a projection relative to the other wall parts (60) of this profile strip (40).

8. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that to create the media-conducting transport section (14) the profile strips (14) assigned to one another in pairs of each coupling element (16, 18) can be separated from each other along the common disconnecting point (26), in order to cooperate with their respective released closure element (24) with a corresponding closure element (24) of the profile strip pair of the other coupling element (18, 16) in such a way that adjacent tracks of each hose-like section (10, 12) form the common transport section (14).

9. The coupling system according to claim 1, characterized in that if, during creation of the transport section (14) the respective disconnecting point (26) of the two coupling elements (16, 18) extends transverse to the produced transport direction (14), the closure elements (24) engaged with one another are arranged parallel to the transport section (14) and in that the closure elements (24) penetrating the respective disconnecting point (26) of opposite coupling elements (16, 18) point in opposite directions.

10. A connection device with a preferably hand-actuatable slide (27) which, in order to receive the individual coupling elements (16, 18) of the coupling system according to claim 1 has individual chambers with a slide guide, which separates pairs of coupling elements (16, 18) with their hose-like sections (10, 12), in order to connect them, preferably in a detachable manner, with a corresponding pair of coupling elements (18, 16) of the coupling system, with formation of the transport section (14).

Description

[0018] The coupling system according to the invention will be explained in greater detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment in accordance with the drawings. Said drawings show, in a schematic and not to scale depictions,

[0019] FIG. 1 in the manner of a perspective oblique representation, the coupling system for the media-conducting connection of two hose-like sections to form a common transport section using a so-called glider,

[0020] FIGS. 2 to 4 in the manner of a respective sectional representation, the coupling system according to the invention in various coupling states from the uncoupled state (FIG. 2), to an intermediate coupling position (FIG. 3) and to the fully coupled connection solution, in which the two hose-like sections are connected in a media-conducting manner to form the common transport section (FIG. 4).

[0021] The coupling system according to the invention serves to connect in a media-conducting manner two hose-like sections 10, 12 in order to obtain a common transport section 14, as is depicted in particular in FIG. 4. The coupling system has a respective coupling element 16, 18, which has two coupling parts 20, 22 which can be separated from one another. The two coupling parts 20, 22 which can be separated from one another have individual closure elements 24, which are held together in a detachable manner along a common disconnecting point 26.

[0022] The sections 10, 12 are each formed from a foil-like hose made of plastic material, of which

[0023] FIGS. 2 to 4 show, depicted in section, the respective front side and the back side 28, 30; 32, 34 in the bottom region thereof. These respective front and back sides 28, 30; 32, 34 are connected to one another in an integral manner at their longitudinal face sides adjacent opposite to one another along connection lines 36, with the exception of the region of the profile engagement As FIG. 1 in particular shows, the top hose-like section 10 is kept open by means of a circular receiving cross section 38, by means of which the hose assemblage 10, 12 can be connected for example to a filling machine which is not depicted in detail. It is thus possible in the case of an opened coupling according to the depictions of FIGS. 3 and 4 to pour a filling material or transport material via the receiving cross section 38 and the section 10 into an opened bag as a hose-like section 12, and once the coupling is closed again (cf. FIG. 2) the filled tubular bag 12 in the closed again form can be removed therein. A plurality of hose-like bags as sections 12 can thus be filled and closed in a consecutive sequence. Instead of the bag design, the section 12 can however be formed comparable to the section 10 and thus serve for further transport of transport material via the common transport section 14 to another mechanical receiving device which is not depicted in detail, with the section 12 then being opened at its bottom side or discharge side in a manner comparable with the section 10 at its receiving side.

[0024] As can be additionally seen from FIG. 1, the cross sections of the coupling parts 20, 22 depicted in FIGS. 2 to 4 are formed from profile strips 40, which the assignable sections 10, 12 made of foil material contact preferably in an integral manner. In particular, the coupling parts 20, 22 as extrusion components are formed integral with the assignable sections 10, 12.

[0025] A significant feature of the invention is that, as can be seen in particular from the depictions of FIGS. 2 to 4 and by contrast with solutions of the prior art, in every connection state of the coupling system, in other words also in the uncoupled state, the closure elements 24 always come to lie on the inner side 42 of the sections 10, 12, so that they are never facing the environment and any introduction of contaminants from the environment is reliably ruled out. All closure elements 24 of the coupling parts 20, 22 thus point hose-inwards at least before the formation of the transport section 14, but particularly preferably in each coupling state according to FIGS. 2 to 4, and an additional feature according to the invention can be seen to be that, at least when the transport section 14 is produced, the respective disconnecting point 26 is, according to the depiction of FIG. 3, arranged between the coupling elements 16, 18 essentially transverse to this transport section 14. It is thus possible to bring about with minimal activation force and if appropriate simply by hand the desired coupling to produce the coupling connection according to FIG. 4. A glider 27 is preferably used for this purpose, as is disclosed for example in document DE 10 2009 018 565 B3.

[0026] As already stated, the coupling parts 20, 22 which can be separated from one another of each coupling element 16, 18 consist of profile strips 40, and each profile strip 40 is connected to a track of an assignable section 10, 12, which is formed from the respective front and rear sides 28, 30; 32, 34 of these sections 10 and 12. As can additionally be seen from FIGS. 2 to 4, the respective profile strip 40 is connected with its closure elements 24 to the closure elements 24 of the other profile strip 40 of a coupling element 16 and 18, which are formed in the manner of a tongue and groove connection or in the manner of a latch connection.

[0027] Viewed in the viewing direction of FIG. 2, both for the top segment 10 and for the bottom segment 12 the respective coupling parts 20, 22 are detached from one another with disengagement of the corresponding closure elements 24 and viewed in the viewing direction of FIG. 2 the top right coupling part 20 is then connected to the bottom right coupling part 22 and the left top coupling part 22 is connected to the released coupling part 20 below and likewise on the left, so that, as already explained, the coupling state is obtained as a type of intermediate coupling according to FIG. 3, in which the respective disconnecting point 26 extends transverse to the vertically aligned transport section 14 between the two sections 10, 12.

[0028] As closure elements 24 double-T profiles 44, latching hooks 46 formed projecting at one side and guide bars 48 extending in a planar manner can be used, which engage in correspondingly formed groove-like latching recesses as additional closure elements 24, which thus form the counterpart of the respective engaging coupling part 20 or 22. The respective disconnecting point 26 between the two coupling parts 20, 22 should be formed by at least one of the connection planes, on which the adjacent opposite closure elements 24 of a coupling part 20 or 22 are in contact with one another.

[0029] As can additionally be seen from FIG. 1, the respective profile strip 40 is designed flexible in the longitudinal direction of its strip extension and in the transverse direction thereto it is inherently stable such that a laying on top of one another of parts of the respective profile strip 40 is avoided at least in the region of the engagement plane, in particular in the form of the separation plane 26 of the closure elements 24. This ensures that coupling parts not belonging to one another cannot be undesirably connected with one another.

[0030] In the depicted starting state according to FIG. 2, the profile strip 40 in the form of the coupling part 20 is provided with a kind of offset 50, namely along the free top side or face side at the end of this profile strip 40, with a channel 54 being formed between this offset 50 and the wall parts 52 of this profile strip extending parallel thereto. This channel 54 is significant in that when the individual coupling elements 16, 18 are assembled with formation of the transport section 14 it helps to form a joint 56, which allows the sections 10, 12 to stand upright such that an extension of this profile cross section is obtained in order to thus obtain a transport section trajectory which extends in an uninterrupted manner (cf. FIG. 4). If the sections 10, 12 come under tensile stress in the coupled state according to FIG. 4, a reliable force transmission via the corresponding closure elements 24 to the coupling elements 16, 18 is furthermore achieved. Another achievement is that the channel 54 of this profile strip in the form of the coupling part 20 has an outwards projecting contact segment 58, on which a closure element 24 of the assignable profile strip 40 in the form of the corresponding coupling part 22, formed by a guide bar 48 here, can be supported. This increases the engagement reliability of the coupling elements 16, 18.

[0031] This construction is further facilitated in that in the starting state the channel-free assignable profile strip 40 in the form of the coupling part 22 has, in the region of its respective closure element 24, a projection relative to the other wall parts 60 of this profile strip 40. In this way, a force-free engagement of the coupling parts 20, 22 with one another is obtained, and any tensile forces acting on the sections 10, 12 do not compromise the functionally reliable engagement of the assignable closure elements 24 in the region of their common engagement along the respective disconnecting point 26.

[0032] To form the media-conducting transport section 14 the profile strips 40, assigned to one another in pairs, of each coupling element 16, 18 can be separated from one another along the common disconnecting point 26 starting from the uncoupled state according to FIG. 2 in order to cooperate with their respective released closure element 26 with a corresponding closure element 24 of the profile strip pair 40 of the other coupling element 18 or 16 in such a way that adjacent tracks of each hose-like segment 10,12 form the common transport section 14 with one another, as is depicted in the final coupled state according to FIG. 4.

[0033] If, in accordance with the depiction of FIG. 3, during creation of the common transport section 14 the respective disconnecting point 26 of the two coupling elements 16, 18 extends transverse to the produced transport direction 14, the closure elements 24 engaged with one another are arranged parallel to the transport section 14, with the closure elements 24 penetrating the respective disconnecting point 26 of opposite coupling elements point in opposite directions (head/foot arrangement). Both in the case of an opening or closing of the coupling with a horizontally extending connection arrangement according to FIG. 3 and in the case of a type of mechanical connection by means of a hand-actuatable slide or glider 27, which can also take place automatically, only a little actuation force is required, which simplifies the functional creation of the coupling in every installation situation.

[0034] The subject of the invention is also a connection device with the preferably hand-actuatable slide or guider 27 which, for receiving the individual coupling elements 16, 18 of the coupling system has for this purpose individual chambers with a slide guide, which separates pairs of coupling elements 16, 18 with their hose-like sections 10, 12 in order to connect them, preferably in a detachable manner, with a corresponding pair of coupling elements 18 or 16 of the coupling system, with formation of the transport section 14.