Connector

• US 6,523,864 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Discher, Thomas, Stange, Rüdiger, Schlein, Rolf, Hauser, Sigbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US09/530,660
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 285/319, 285/320, 285/379
• US Class Current: 285/319
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0985 the flexible hook extending radially inwardly from an outer part and engaging a bead, recess or the like on an inner part F16L37/0982 takes precedence

Abstract

In a plug-in connection (1), in particular for fluid lines, which comprises a part of the connection (2) to be inserted and a receiving part of the connection (3), between which a seal (10) can be clamped and which are able to be releasably connected to one another by flexible snap-in elements (7, 18) in a snap-in position, the seal (10) can, be clamped between a front portion (4) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted and an abutment (11) in the receiving part of the connection (3) and the distance of the snap-in elements (7) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted from the front portion (4) of the latter is dimensioned such that the snap-in position is reached after slight axial compression, and if need be radial compression, of the flexible seal (10).

Claims

1. A plug-in connection (1), in particular for fluid lines, comprising a part of the connection (2) to be inserted and a receiving part of the connection (3), between which a seal (10) can be clamped and which are able to be releasably connected to one another by flexible snap-in elements (7, 18) in a snap-in position, wherein the seal (10) is clampable between a front portion (4) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted and an abutment (11) in the receiving part of the connection (3), wherein a circumference of the abutment is smaller than an outer circumference of the insertable part of the connection for compressing the seal in the axial direction of the connection upon insertion of the insertable part into the receiving part of the connection, and wherein the distance of the snap-in elements (7) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted from the front portion (4) of the latter and of the snap-in elements (16) of the receiving part of the connection (3) from the seal (10) are dimensioned such that the snap-in position can be reached after slight axial compression of the flexible seal (10), and there is formed into said abutment (11) a groove (12), into which an axial continuation (13) of the seal (10) has been pushed for forming a labyrinth system, wherein said seal is fastened in an interior space of the receiving part of the connection, said seal is pushed in the radial direction, and in the axial direction against the abutment, and is secured against pulling out by radial form-fitting elements (14, 15).

2. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one portion of the seal (10) is clampable between an outer circumferential surface of the front portion (4) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted and the inner circumference of the receiving part of the connection (3).

3. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal (10) is of an annular form with an unround cross section and with an inside diameter that changes over its axial extent, a portion with a greater inside diameter bearing radially on the outside against the front portion (4) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted.

4. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein a circumferential surface of the front portion (4) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted is provided with a bevel or chamfer.

5. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein a chamfered circumferential surface of the front portion (4) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted is in contact with the seal (10) and compresses the latter both in the axial direction and in the radial direction.

6. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein a stop (6) that limits the insertion depth of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted into the receiving part of the connection (3) is provided.

7. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stop is formed by a projection formed onto the part of the connection to be inserted, the outer size of which is greater than the opening (8) of the receiving part of the connection.

8. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein a snap-in element (step 7) which is grippable from behind by snap-in elements (16, 18) of the receiving part of the connection (3) is provided on the front portion (4).

9. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the snap-in elements of the receiving part of the connection (3) are formed as flexible snap-in hooks (16) with an end flank (18) which, in the snap-in position, grips behind a snap-in element (7) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted.

10. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 9, wherein the snap-in hooks (16) or their end flanks can be released manually from the snap-in engagement by lifting-out means (21).

11. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 10, wherein said snap-in hooks (16) and said lifting-out means (21) are integrally formed onto the receiving part of the connection (3).

12. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 10, wherein the snap-in hooks (16) and the lifting-out means (21) are connected to the part of the connection (3) via thin webs (19) and are formed as two-armed levers which can be flexibly pivoted by pressing in the lifting-out means (21) and twisting the webs (19).

13. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 11, wherein the snap-in hooks (16) and the lifting-out means (21) are connected to the part of the connection (3) via thin webs (19) and are formed as two-armed levers which can be flexibly pivoted by pressing in the lifting-out means (21) and twisting the webs (19).

14. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seal (10) is of an annular form with an unround cross section and with an inside diameter that changes over its axial extent, a portion with a greater inside diameter bearing radially on the outside against the front portion (4) of the part of the connection (2) to be inserted.

15. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a shank (5) connected at a first end to the front portion (4) and an annular stop (6) extending around an end of said shank (5) opposite the connection to the front portion (4).

16. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 15, wherein said shank (5) is a hollow cylinder having an internal diameter substantially equal to an internal diameter of said front portion (4).

17. The plug-in connection as claimed in claim 16, wherein said front portion (4) has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of said shank (5) at an end opposite the connection to the shank (5), said diameter of said front portion (4) increasing gradually along a length of said front portion (4) towards the connection to said shank (5) to a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shank (5).

18. A plug-in connection, suitable for a fluid line, comprising an insertable part of the connection and a receiving part of the connection, between which a flexible seal is clamped and which are able to be releasably connected to one another by flexible snap-in elements in a snap-in position, wherein the seal is clamped between a front portion of the insertable part of the connection and a step in the receiving part of the connection, and wherein the distance of the snap-in elements of the insertable part of the connection from the front portion of the latter and of the snap-in elements of the receiving part of the connection from the seal are dimensioned such that the snap-in position can be reached after slight axial compression of the seal;

and there is formed into said step (11) a groove (12), into which an axial annular continuation (13) of the seal (10) has been pushed for forming a labyrinth system.

19. A plug-in connection, suitable for a fluid line, comprising an insertable part of the connection and a receiving part of the connection, between which a flexible seal is clamped and which are able to be releasably connected to one another by flexible snap-in elements in a snap-in position, wherein the seal is clamped between a front portion of the insertable part of the connection and an abutment in the receiving part of the connection, wherein a circumference of the abutment is smaller than an outer circumference of the insertable part of the connection for compressing the seal in the axial direction of the connection upon insertion of the insertable part into the receiving part of the connection, and wherein the distance of the snap-in elements of the insertable part of the connection from the front portion of the latter and of the snap-in elements of the receiving part of the connection from the seal are dimensioned such that the snap-in position can be reached after slight axial compression of the seal;

and

wherein said seal is fastened in an interior space of the receiving part of the connection, said seal is pushed by the front portion of the insertable part of the connection in the radial direction towards a circumferential surface of the receiving part of the connection and in the axial direction against the abutment of the receiving part of the connection, a groove is disposed in a radially extending wall of the abutment and radial form-fitting elements are disposed circumferentially of the seal in the receiving part of the connection, said seal being pushed into said groove and said form-fitting elements by the front portion of the insertable part of the connection.