PLUG-IN CONNECTOR FOR MEDIA LINES HAVING INDICATION OF THE PLUGGED-IN STATE

• US 20180306363A1
• Filed: 10/19/2016
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOSS Automotive GmbH (Park-Ohio Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: VOSS Automotive GmbH (Park-Ohio Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: OBERDORFER, Alexander, ROHRIG, Lukas
• Granted Patent: US 10,927,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/10 Indicators for correct coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 25/01 specially adapted for realising electrical conduction between the two pipe ends of the joint or between parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0885 with access to the split elastic ring from a radial or tangential opening in the coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/144 the securing element being U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 53/35 Ohmic-resistance heating
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 53/38 using elongate electric heating elements, e.g. wires or ribbons

Abstract

A plug connector including a coupling part with a receiving opening into which a plug part, having a plug shaft with a collar, can be inserted. The plug connector also includes a resilient, radially slotted retaining clip having at least two spring arms and which can be pre-assembled on the coupling part and moved radially between an insertion position and a holding position for the plug part. The plug part can be inserted into the receiving opening when the retaining clip is in the insertion position, and when in the holding position the plugged-in plug part, and the collar thereof, can be blocked by the retaining clip against being pulled out. In the insertion position, the retaining clip projects with respect to the outer circumference of the coupling part, and in the holding position the retaining clip is flush with the outer circumference of the coupling part.

Claims

1. A plug-in connector for hose and/or pipe connections including a plug part having a plug shaft with a collar, the plug-in connector comprising:

a coupling part having an outer periphery and having a receiving opening into which the plug part is insertable in a plug-in direction along a longitudinal axis defined by the coupling part, and

a radially slotted retaining clip that is resiliently elastic in regions and includes at least two spring arms, the retaining clip having a pre-mounted on the coupling part and being radially movable between an insertion position and a retaining position, in the insertion position the plug part is insertable into the receiving opening through the retaining clip, and in the retaining position the retaining clip blocking the plug part via the retaining collar in a positive locking manner against being pulled out of the receiving opening,

when in the insertion position the retaining clip protruding from the outer periphery of the coupling part, and when in the retaining position the retaining clip being flush with the outer periphery of the coupling part.

2. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining clip is a unitary one piece an injection molded part formed of plastics material.

3. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining clip is U-shaped when viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis, wherein the retaining clip includes as legs of the U-shape two pairs of spring arms located diametrically opposite one another, wherein the two pairs of spring arms are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction and wherein the two pairs of spring arms are separated from one another by a slot, and wherein an actuating surface of the retaining clip is formed by a connecting region the U-shape extending between the legs.

4. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein only one pair of the spring arms forms latching arms radially latched to the plug part.

5. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein on a central region of each of the spring arms is provided a guide pin extended in engagement with a complementary guide slot on the coupling part, the guide pins being located on a side of the spring arms facing the insertion direction of the plug part.

6. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the spring arms includes a longitudinal guide web directed in a secant manner relative to the coupling part and interacting with complementary guides of the coupling part, the guide webs being located on a side of the spring arms facing the insertion direction of the plug part.

7. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein guide webs are arranged on both sides of a connecting region extending between the spring arms.

8. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 6, the guide webs are arranged on radially inwardly directed projections of the spring arms.

9. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein one pair of the spring arms includes on central regions thereof inclined surfaces that diverge in opposition to the insertion direction of the plug part and interact with the collar of the plug part, of the two pair of spring arms the one pair of spring arms being located toward an end wall of the coupling part facing the insertion direction of the plug part.

10. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein one pair of the spring arms includes in regions of free ends of the spring arms inclined surfaces that diverge in opposition to the insertion direction of the plug part and interact with the collar of the plug part, of the two pair of spring arms the one pair of spring arms being located away from an end wall of the coupling part facing the insertion direction of the plug.

11. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein on free ends of one pair of the spring arms are formed cams with tips directed inwardly toward one another, of the two pair of spring arms the one pair of spring arms being located away from an end wall of the coupling part facing the insertion direction of the plug part.

12. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein grooves are provided in a region of the free ends of the one pair of spring arms in or next to the end cams, the groves defining openings directed inwardly toward one another and interacting with with complementary retaining contours of the coupling.

13. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling part includes a sleeve part connected to a receiving body, the receiving body receiving the retaining clip and being in a shape of a ring, the sleeve part and the the receiving body formed as injection molded parts of plastics material.

14. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sealing package is arranged on the sleeve part, the sealing package including two sealing rings and a spacer ring located there between.

15. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 14, wherein the receiving body defines a housing for the retaining clip, the housing having a hollow cylindrical shape closed in each case at respective end walls of the hollow cylinder and on two sides comprises diametrically opposed peripheral openings in which the retaining clip is received, the peripheral openings being an insertion opening and an outlet opening.

16. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 15, wherein the receiving body includes guide slots in engagement with complementary guide pins provided on the spring arms of the retaining clip, the guide slots being provided on an end wall of the coupling part that faces the insertion direction of the plug part.

17. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 16, wherein a control contour is realized in each of the guide slots, the control contour in cooperation with the complementary guide pins delimiting an insertion movement and an extension movement of the retaining clip transversely to the plug-in direction of the plug part, and when the retaining clip is moved transversely to the plug-in direction of the plug part, the control contour in cooperation with the complementary guide pins cause the spring arms, on which the guide pins are situated, to move one of radially outward or radially inward.

18. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein such a control contour is realized in each of the guide slots, by means of which control contour, in cooperation with the complementary pins the guide pins are displaced in the guide slots, proceeding from an end stop into a region of a first bend angle of the control contour with the widening of the spring arms, in each case a retaining lug is reached which increases the resistance against further insertion of the retaining clip.

19. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 16, wherein the control contour in cooperation with the complementary guide pins, is configured to, when the retaining clip is situated in its retaining position without a plug part, cause the retaining clip to spring into the insertion position upon plugging of the plug part into the coupling part.

20. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling part includes a receiving body in which the retaining clip is received and guides are provided in the receiving body for complementary guide webs provided on the spring arms of the retaining clip, the guides being provided on an inside of an end wall of the coupling part that faces the insertion direction of the plug part.

21. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling part includes a receiving body in which the retaining clip is received, the receiving body including an outlet opening and a blocking element with a counter contour, the blocking element located in a middle region of the outlet opening, the counter contour abutting cams arranged at ends of the spring arms, the blocking element further including releasable blocking features cooperating with grooves provided in the spring arms of the retaining clip and forming a positive and non-positive locking connection.

22. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein control elements configured to manually release the retaining clip (3) are situated on the ends of spring arms of the retaining clip.

23. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein guide elements configured to receive electric heating media are situated on a shell in the region of a heating portion of the coupling part.

24. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein chamfered elevations, which protrude in the longitudinal direction in opposition to the plug-in direction, are situated on each of the spring arms of one pair of the spring arms, the one pair being located toward an end wall of the coupling part that faces the insertion direction of the plug part, the chamfered elevations provided on the free ends the spring arms, a counter contour that is complementary to the chamfered elevations is provided on the retaining clip as an indentation.

25. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 1 as an ensemble with a plug part realized according to standard SAE J 2044, the plug part including a locking portion behind a collar that is engaged in a retaining position of the retaining clip, wherein the retaining clip is held locked in the retaining position in such a manner that the retaining clip closes off flush with the outer periphery of the coupling part of the plug-in connector.

26. The plug-in connector as claimed in claim 25, wherein the plug part also comprises a sealing portion on which a sealing package is arranged.