Female connection part comprising a member for actuating valves and a connection comprising such a female part

• US 20080185844A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Staubli Faverges (Stã¤Ubli Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Staubli Faverges (Stã¤Ubli Holding AG)
• Inventors: Tiberghien, Alain Christophe, Durieux, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 7,878,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/390
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 29/04 with a cut-off device in each of the two pipe ends, the cut-off devices being automatically opened when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/33 the lift valves being of the ball type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87949 Linear motion of flow path sections operates both
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87957 Valves actuate each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87965 Valve- or closure-operated by coupling motion

Abstract

This female connection part (1) intended to receive a male connection part (101) comprises a female element (3) as well as a body (2) delimiting a receiving zone (5). The female part (1) is provided with means for jointing the female element (3) which includes a passage (6) having a shrinked section (7) and housing a valve (9, 12), and a cylindrical bore (13) intended to receive a male connection element (103). A chamber (190) defines a cylindrical guiding surface (192), whereas a member (20) for actuating the valves (9, 12; 109, 112) is capable of sliding in the chamber (190) and comprises two rods (21, 22), one of which (21) is capable of opening the corresponding valve (9, 12), the female part (1) being characterized in that the jointing means comprise:

a tapped (52A) bore (52) made in the distal portion of the receiving area (5), the female element (3) being associated with a nut (31) capable of being screwed into or unscrewed from the tapped (52A) bore (52), the nut (31) being rotationally mobile around the connection element (3) between distal (34) and proximal (35) axial stops integral with the element (3), and

a ring (32) screwed (3B) onto the element (3), the ring (32) including a distal surface (35B) capable of being jointed with a proximal surface (31B) of the nut (31).

Claims

1. A female connection part intended to receive a male connection part and comprising a female element as well as a body delimiting a zone for receiving the female element, the female part being provided with means for jointing the female element in the zone, the female element comprising:

a passage having a shrinked section, the passage housing a translationally mobile valve and an elastic member for returning the valve towards a position for blocking the shrinked section;

a cylindrical bore intended to receive a male connection element fitted with a valve;

the female part further comprising;

a chamber extending axially between the passage and the cylindrical bore and defining a cylindrical guiding surface; and

a member for actuating the valves of the male and female connection elements capable of sliding in the chamber and comprised of a support extending radially from an axis of the cylindrical guiding surface right up to the cylindrical guiding surface, the actuating member further comprising two rods extending along the axis of the chamber on either side of the support, one of these rods being capable of penetrating into the passage so as to open the corresponding valve,

the female part being characterized in that the jointing means comprise;

a tapped bore made in the distal portion of the receiving zone, the female element being associated with a nut capable of being screwed into or unscrewed from the tapped bore, the nut being rotationally mobile around the connection element between distal and proximal axial stops integral with the element, and

a ring screwed onto the element, the ring including a distal surface capable of being jointed with a proximal surface of the nut.

2. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical bore, the chamber and the passage are coaxial.

3. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical guiding surface is formed by a globally cylindrical bushing screwed into a tapped hole made in the female connection element.

4. The female part according to claim 3, wherein the bushing includes, on the side of the cylindrical bore, an axial stop for the actuating member when it moves towards the cylindrical bore.

5. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical bore is made in one part screwed into the female element and the proximal portion of which forms an axial annular surface, and in that the female element comprises a gasket mounted in a housing defined by the axial annular surface and by a wall of the tapped hole and intended to be supported on an external cylindrical surface of the male element.

6. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the support is comprised of at least two radial tabs uniformly distributed around an axis along which the rods extend.

7. The female part according to claim 6, wherein the cylindrical guiding surface has a diameter larger than or equal to 42 mm and in that the rods each have a diameter less than or equal to 14 mm.

8. The female part according to claim 7, wherein the external radial surface occupied by the radial tabs is less than or equal to 20% of the cylindrical guiding surface.

9. The female part according to claim 8, wherein each radial tab has an axial length of the order of 6 mm and a thickness, considered in a plane perpendicular to the axis along which the rods extend, comprised between 1.5 mm and 3 mm.

10. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the rods are of the same length.

11. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a ball and in that the free ends of the rods have the shape of concave spherical caps, one of which has a diameter corresponding to that of the ball.

12. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a finger extending along the axis of the passage in which this valve is housed.

13. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the jointing means comprise an elastic annular member for radially returning the female element to a median jointing, position, the annular member being mounted between the distal portion of the nut and the ring.

14. The female part according to claim 1, wherein the distal surface of the ring and/or the proximal surface of the nut substantially have the shape of a truncated sphere portion.

15. A connection for rapidly and removably joining two conduits, the connection comprising a male part fitted with a valve, wherein the connection comprises a female part according to claim 1.

16. The connection according to claim 15, wherein each valve comprises a blocking ball and an inserted part laid out between the ball and an elastic member for returning the valve towards a blocking position.

17. A connection for rapidly and removably joining two connection conduits comprising a male part fitted with a valve, wherein the connection comprises a female part according to claim 12.

18. The use of a connection according claim 15 for the rapid and removable submarine junction of two conduits capable of channeling a high pressure fluid, the male and female parts being intended to be actuated by a robot.