JP2018080805A - Pipe joint - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pipe joint that can suppress backlash in engagement between a lock ball and an engagement part to improve durability even while internal pressure does not act thereon.SOLUTION: In a pipe joint, moving load imparting means 12 provided in a plug 9 in a socket axis direction presses a socket 2 in the socket axis direction to displace relative positions in the socket axis direction of the socket 2 and the plug 9 that are connected to each other and impart load to a lock ball 7 engaged with the engagement part 10 additionally in the socket axis direction, thereby engaging the lock ball 7 with the engagement part 10 into an immovable condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a pipe joint. More specifically, even when the internal pressure is not applied, rattling of engagement between a lock ball held by a socket and an engaging portion formed on a plug is provided. The present invention relates to a pipe joint that can be suppressed to improve durability.

  Various pipe joints for coupling and separating the socket and the plug by engaging and releasing the lock ball held by the socket with respect to the engaging portion formed on the plug have been proposed ( For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). A hose and equipment are connected through this pipe joint. In this pipe joint, a socket is externally fitted to the plug, and a sleeve provided on the socket is slid to press the lock ball to be engaged with the engaging portion, thereby maintaining the coupled state of the socket and the plug.

  However, since there is slight backlash in the engagement between the lock ball and the engaging portion, backlash also occurs in the connection between the socket and the plug due to this backlash. When a fluid is flowing through the pipe joint and sufficient internal pressure is applied, the lock ball engages with the engaging part without any play due to this internal pressure. Eliminate. On the other hand, when sufficient internal pressure is not acting, the play between the socket and the plug is likely to occur. Not only that, the looseness of the engagement between the lock ball and the engaging portion contributes to the wear and damage of the lock ball and the engaging portion, and wear and damage to the seal member etc. provided in the pipe joint. Also promote. Therefore, there is room for improvement to improve the durability of the pipe joint.

JP 2006-89932 A JP 2014-202310 A

  The object of the present invention is to suppress the rattling of the engagement between the lock ball held by the socket and the engagement portion formed on the plug even when the internal pressure is not acting, thereby improving durability. It is in providing the pipe joint which can be improved.

  In order to achieve the above object, a pipe joint of the present invention includes a socket and a plug that is externally fitted to the socket and coupled to the socket, and the socket has an outer peripheral surface that is locked and unlocked in the socket axial direction. And a lock ball whose movement in the socket radial direction is restricted by the sleeve, and the plug is in the locked position in a state where the socket and the plug are coupled to each other. In a pipe joint having an engaging portion that engages with the lock ball whose movement in the socket radial direction is restricted by the certain sleeve, the relative position in the socket axial direction of the connected socket and the plug is shifted. A load applying means for applying an additional load in the socket axial direction to the lock ball engaged with the engaging portion. And said that there were pictures.

  According to the present invention, in a state where the lock ball is engaged with the engaging portion, the relative position in the socket axial direction between the socket and the plug that are coupled to each other is shifted by the load applying unit, thereby Apply additional load in the socket axial direction. The additional load eliminates rattling of the engagement between the lock ball and the engagement portion, and the lock ball engages with the engagement portion in a non-moving state. Therefore, regardless of whether or not the internal pressure is acting on the pipe joint, rattling of the connection between the socket and the plug is suppressed, which is advantageous in improving the durability of the pipe joint.

It is a half section side view which illustrates 1st Embodiment of the pipe joint of this invention of the state which the socket and the plug couple | bonded. It is A arrow directional view of FIG. FIG. 2 is a half cross-sectional side view illustrating a pipe joint in a state where a socket and a plug in FIG. 1 are separated. It is a half section side view which illustrates 2nd Embodiment of the pipe joint in the state which the socket and the plug couple | bonded. It is a half section side view which illustrates a 3rd embodiment of a pipe joint in the state where a socket and a plug have joined. It is a half section side view which illustrates 4th Embodiment of the pipe joint of the state in which the socket and the plug are couple | bonded. It is a half section side view which illustrates 5th Embodiment of the pipe joint in the state which the socket and the plug couple | bonded.

  Hereinafter, a pipe joint of the present invention is explained based on an embodiment shown in a figure.

  As shown in the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the pipe joint 1 of the present invention includes a socket 2 and a plug 9 that are coupled and separated from each other. The socket 2 and the plug 9 are cylindrical bodies, and the socket 2 is externally fitted to the plug 9 to be coupled to each other. The socket 2 and the plug 9 are coupled to each other at one end side, and piping such as a rubber hose, hydraulic equipment, or the like is connected to each other end side. The inner peripheral sides of the socket 2 and the plug 9 become the flow paths 3 and 11, respectively.

  At one end of the socket 2 (one end in the socket axial direction), a cylindrical sleeve 4 that moves in the socket axial direction is provided on the outer peripheral surface. The sleeve 4 is configured to move manually between a locked position and an unlocked position. In FIG. 1, the sleeve 4 is in the locked position, and in FIG. 3, the sleeve 4 is in the unlocked position. In addition, the left-right direction in a figure is a socket axial direction.

  A stopper ring 8 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of one end of the socket 2 in the socket axial direction. The stopper ring 8 restricts the movement of the sleeve 4 toward one end side in the socket axial direction. A plurality of (for example, four) through holes are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the socket 2 that is covered by the sleeve 4 at intervals in the circumferential direction, and a lock ball 7 is held in each through hole. ing. The through hole is formed in a conical shape so that the lock ball 7 does not fall to the inner peripheral side. The lock ball 7 is restricted from moving in the socket radial direction by the sleeve 4.

  An annular seal member 6 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the socket 2 on the other end side in the socket axial direction than the lock ball 7. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a fluid flowing through a hose or the like connected to the pipe joint 1 flows through the pipe joint 1 in a state where the socket 2 and the brag 9 are coupled. The seal member 6 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface on one end side of the plug 9 and prevents leakage of fluid from the respective flow paths 3 and 11 when the socket 2 and the plug 9 are coupled.

  A spring 5 is interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the socket 2 and the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 4. By this spring 5, the sleeve 4 is always urged in the direction of the lock position (one end side in the socket axial direction).

  The outer peripheral surface of one end of the plug 9 has a two-stage structure with a small-diameter outer surface and a large-diameter outer peripheral surface. The engaging portion 10 is formed in an annular shape on the outer peripheral surface of the plug 9 continuously in the circumferential direction. In a state where the socket 2 and the plug 9 are coupled, the lock ball 7 is pressed to the inner peripheral side by the sleeve 4 at the lock position and is engaged with the engagement portion 10.

  A nut 12a serving as a load applying means 12 is provided on the other end side of the position where the engaging portion 10 is provided. The thread groove of the nut 12 a is screwed with the thread groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the plug 9. The bolt 12a moves in the socket axial direction by manually rotating (directly by hand or using a tool such as a spanner).

  As shown in FIG. 1, when the sleeve 4 is in the locked position and the socket 2 and the plug 9 are separated, the sleeve 4 is manually moved to the other end in the socket axial direction as shown in FIG. Move to the side. When the sleeve 4 is moved to the unlocking position as illustrated in FIG. 3, the lock ball 7 that has been engaged with the engaging portion 10 can move to the outer peripheral side, and is disengaged from the engaging portion 10.

  Next, the plug 9 is pulled out from the socket 2 with the sleeve 4 in the unlocked position. Thereby, the socket 2 and the plug 9 are separated. When the socket 2 and the plug 9 are coupled, the procedure opposite to that for separating is performed. That is, the sleeve 4 in the unlocking position is moved to the locking position. When the sleeve 4 is moved to the lock position, the lock ball 7 is pressed to the inner peripheral side by the sleeve 4 and engages with the engaging portion 10, and the movement in the socket radial direction is completely prevented.

  As shown in FIG. 1, even when the socket 2 and the bracket 9 are coupled, the lock ball 7 can be engaged with and disengaged from the engaging portion 10. Has a slight backlash. The rattling of the engagement becomes large due to wear over time of either the lock ball 7 or the engagement portion 10. Due to the rattling of the engagement, the coupling between the socket 2 and the plug 9 is also rattled.

  However, when a fluid is flowing through the pipe joint 1 and a sufficient internal pressure is applied, the lock ball 7 is engaged with the engaging portion 10 in a non-moving state by this internal pressure, so that the socket 2 and the plug 9 are not moved. The looseness of the connection with is eliminated. That is, when sufficient internal pressure is not applied to the pipe joint 1, rattling is likely to occur in the connection between the socket 2 and the plug 9.

  Therefore, in the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, by moving the nut 12a in the socket axial direction, the one end surface of the socket 2 is pressed in the socket axial direction by the nut 12a. As a result, the socket 2 slightly moves to the other end side (left side in the figure), the plug 9 slightly moves to the other end side (right side in the figure), and the socket 2 and the plug 9 slightly move away from each other. Moving. In this way, by shifting the relative position of the socket 2 and the plug 9 in the socket axial direction, the lock ball 7 engaged with the engaging portion 10 can be additionally operated in the socket axial direction. Apply a load. That is, an additional load in the socket axial direction with respect to the lock ball 7 engaged with the engaging portion 10 before the fluid flows into the pipe joint 1 (before the internal pressure is applied). Is given.

  The lock ball 7 engaged with the engaging portion 10 is prevented from moving in the socket radial direction by the sleeve 4, and is prevented from moving in the socket axial direction by an additional load in the socket axial direction by the nut 12a. , Engage with the engaging portion 10 in a stationary state. Therefore, regardless of whether or not the internal pressure is applied to the pipe joint 1, rattling of the engagement between the lock ball 7 and the engaging portion 10 is eliminated, and rattling of the coupling between the socket 2 and the plug 9 is also suppressed. The Accordingly, the wear of the lock ball 7, the engagement portion 10, the seal member 6, and the stopper ring 8 can be prevented from being accelerated, and the durability of the pipe joint 1 can be improved. By suppressing the play, the amplitude of stress generated in the constituent members such as the lock ball 7 is reduced, which is advantageous in improving durability.

  It is not preferable whether the load additionally applied in the socket axial direction by the nut 12a is excessive or small. Therefore, an appropriate state of the force in the socket axial direction is considered. The force additionally applied to the plug 9 by the nut 12a is P ', and the external force applied to the plug 9 by the internal pressure of the fluid flowing through the pipe joint 1 is P. When the internal force coefficient Φ = P ′ / P, the internal force coefficient Φ is set to 0.3 to 0.9, for example. The stress amplitude generated in the rock ball 7 or the like is reduced by an amount corresponding to the internal force coefficient Φ compared to the conventional case, leading to improvement in durability.

  Specifically, the internal force coefficient Φ is calculated by Φ = Kb / (Ka + Kb). Here, Ka is the spring constant of the socket 2, and Kb is the spring constant of the plug 9. Each spring constant is determined by E · A / L according to the longitudinal elastic modulus E of each material, the length L of the portion deformed by the load applied by the nut 12a, and the equivalent cross-sectional area A of the deformed portion. Is calculated by

  In the second embodiment of the pipe joint 1 illustrated in FIG. 4, the pressing surface of the nut 12 a that presses the socket 2 in the socket axial direction is an inclined surface that is inclined in the direction of entering the inner peripheral side of the socket 2. One end surface of the socket 2 pressed by the nut 12a is inclined in the same direction as the pressing surface of the nut 12a. Other specifications are the same as in the first embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, when the nut 12a is moved in the socket axial direction and an additional load is applied to the lock ball 7 in the socket axial direction, one end of the socket 2 is slightly on the inclined surface of the nut 12a. Get into the state. Therefore, in addition to the effect obtained in the first embodiment, an alignment effect is also obtained in which the axis of the socket 2 that is eccentric due to the eccentric load and the axis of the plug 9 are matched.

  In the present invention, the load applying means 12 is not limited to the nut 12a. The load applying means 12 only needs to apply an additional load in the socket axial direction to the lock ball 7 by shifting the relative position of the socket 2 and the plug 9 in the socket axial direction.

  In the third embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the load applying means 12 includes a nut 12 a and an elastic portion 12 b. The nut 12a is the same as in the first embodiment, but a ring-shaped elastic portion 12b is fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the plug 9 adjacent to the nut 12a on one end side. Other specifications are the same as in the first embodiment.

  In the third embodiment, when the nut 12a is moved in the socket axial direction to apply an additional load in the socket axial direction to the lock ball 7, the elasticity sandwiched between the nut 12a and one end surface of the socket 2 is applied. The part 12b is compressed. Therefore, together with the pressing force in the socket axial direction by the nut 12a, the elastic force in the socket axial direction of the elastic portion 12b presses the socket 2 in the socket axial direction, so that the socket shaft of the socket 2 and the plug 9 that are coupled together. The relative position of the direction will be shifted.

  In the third embodiment, in addition to the effects obtained in the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. For example, even when the lock ball 7 or the like is slightly deformed, the elastic portion 12b interposed between the socket 2 and the nut 12a absorbs the slight deformation, so that the socket 2 and the plug 9 in the socket axial direction are absorbed. The relative position can be shifted more reliably and stably.

  As the material of the elastic portion 12b, various rubbers, resins, metals, and the like can be used. However, when a metal is used, a metal having a smaller elastic coefficient than the metal forming the socket 2 and the plug 9 (for example, It is preferable to use phosphor bronze, stainless steel, or the like. The shape of the elastic portion 12b is not limited to a simple ring shape, and a coil shape or the like can be adopted. Specifically, a disc spring, a leaf spring, a coil spring, or the like can be employed as the elastic portion 12b.

  In the fourth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, a metal nut 12 a having an elastic portion 12 b processed into a corrugated cross section at one end is used as the load applying means 12. Other specifications are the same as in the first embodiment. For example, the elastic portion 12b may be formed into a simple thin ring shape having a thickness smaller than that of the nut 12a without being processed into a corrugated cross section. Even a metal having the same or larger elastic coefficient as the metal forming the socket 2 or the plug 9 can be employed if the elastic coefficient as the elastic portion 12b can be reduced by devising the shape.

  In the fifth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the load applying means 12 is configured only by the elastic body 12 c. A ring-shaped elastic body 12 c is attached by being fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the plug 9. Other specifications are the same as in the first embodiment.

  As the elastic body 12c, the same material and the same shape as the above-described elastic portion 12b can be employed. In the fifth embodiment, one end surface of the socket 2 coupled to the plug 9 compresses the elastic body 12c in the socket axial direction. The elastic force in the socket axial direction of the elastic body 12c generated by this compression presses the socket 2 in the socket axial direction, and the relative position in the socket axial direction between the connected socket 2 and the plug 9 is shifted. In this way, an additional load in the socket axial direction is applied to the lock ball 7 to cause rattling of the engagement between the lock ball 7 and the engaging portion 10 and rattling of the connection between the socket 2 and the plug 9. Can also be suppressed.

  In addition, the structure of the inclined surface illustrated in FIG. 4 can also be employ | adopted in 3rd-5th embodiment. That is, in any of the embodiments, the pressing surface of the load applying unit 12 that presses the socket 2 in the socket axial direction can be an inclined surface that is inclined in the direction of entering the inner peripheral side of the socket 2.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pipe joint 2 Socket 3 Flow path 4 Sleeve 5 Spring 6 Seal member 7 Lock ball 8 Stopper ring 9 Plug 10 Engagement part 11 Flow path 12 Load provision means 12a Nut 12b Elastic part 12c Elastic body

Claims (5)

A socket and a plug that is externally fitted to the socket and coupled to the socket, and the socket has a sleeve that moves between a lock position and an unlock position in a socket axial direction on an outer peripheral surface of the socket; A lock ball whose movement in the socket radial direction is restricted, and the plug is restricted in movement in the socket radial direction by the sleeve in the locked position in a state where the socket and the plug are coupled. In a pipe joint having an engaging portion with which the lock ball is engaged,
A load that applies an additional load in the socket axial direction to the lock ball engaged with the engaging portion by shifting the relative position of the socket and the plug in the socket axial direction. A pipe joint comprising an imparting means.   The load applying means is a nut screwed to the outer peripheral surface of the plug, and the socket and the plug are connected by the nut moving in the socket axial direction pressing the socket in the socket axial direction. The pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the relative position in the socket axial direction is shifted with respect to.   The load applying means is an elastic body attached to the outer peripheral surface of the plug, and the elastic force of the elastic body in the socket axial direction presses the socket in the socket axial direction, The pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein a relative position of the plug in the socket axial direction is shifted.   The nut has an elastic portion, and the elastic force of the elastic portion in the socket axial direction presses the socket in the socket axial direction, thereby connecting the socket and the plug relative to each other in the socket axial direction. The pipe joint according to claim 2, wherein the pipe joint is shifted.   The pipe joint according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a pressing surface that presses the socket in the load applying means in a socket axial direction is an inclined surface that is inclined in a direction of entering the inner peripheral side of the socket.

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