JP4535544B2 - Quick connector for fuel piping equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a quick connector (referred to as a quick connector for fuel piping equipment in this specification) provided in a tank or a regulator in a fuel piping path.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As shown in FIG. 7, the fuel tank of an automobile is usually provided with an L-shaped tube connecting pipe 9 on the outer surface of the tank body T, and the fuel is passed through the tube connected to the tube connecting pipe 9. It is intended to be transferred to other equipment.
[0003]
However, since the conventional tube connection tube 9 is integrated with the tank body T as shown in FIG. 7, it is difficult to connect the tube to the tube connection tube 9. That is, the press-fitting connection of the tube to the tube connection tube 9 must be performed by a relatively large device, and the tube connection tube 9 is integrated with a fuel piping device such as a relatively large tank body T Then, connection work is very difficult.
[0004]
In order to solve the above problem, a quick connector has been developed in which a connecting pipe portion to which a tube is connected can be attached and detached (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-42090).
[0005]
As shown in FIG. 8, the tube connecting tube 81 is attached to the tank body T via a stopper 80, and the tube connecting portion is removed from the tank body T by removing the stopper 80. The tube 81 can be removed.
[0006]
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the connecting pipe 81 is formed in an L shape comprising a horizontal pipe 81a and a vertical pipe 81b, and a flange 81c is provided in the middle of the vertical pipe 81b.
[0007]
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the tank body T includes a circular pipe 82 that is suspended from the inner surface of the tank and communicates the inside and outside of the tank, support portions 83 and 83 provided on the outer surface of the tank, A seal ring 84 provided on the inner surface of the upper end is provided.
[0008]
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the retainer 80 includes a C-shaped portion 80a that holds down the flange 81c of the vertical tube 81b, arm portions 80b and 80b that are positioned and held by the support portions 83 and 83, and an extraction operation. Part 80c and formed integrally with an elastic member.
[0009]
In this quick connector, when the tube connection pipe 81 is assembled to the tank body T, the vertical pipe 81b is inserted into the circular pipe 82 until the flange 81c contacts the outer surface of the tank. In this state, the C-shaped portion 80a is connected to the vertical pipe 81b. Until the arm portions 80b and 80b are supported by the support portions 83 and 83, the retainer 80 is pushed in until it is extrapolated. On the other hand, when the tube connection pipe 81 is removed from the tank body T, the stopper 80 is removed from the tube connection pipe 81 and the support parts 83 and 83 using the pull-out operation part 80c, and then the tube connection pipe 81 is removed from the circular pipe 82. Pull out.
[0010]
However, with this quick connector, two operations are required for assembling and removing the tube connecting tube 81 with respect to the tank body T, and it is difficult to attach and remove the stopper 80, which is very troublesome. . There is also a problem that the stopper 80 is lost when the tube connection pipe 81 is removed from the tank body T. Furthermore, there will be variations in the tube connection direction.
[0011]
Therefore, in the automobile industry, (1) it is easy to attach and detach the tube connecting pipe to the fuel piping equipment, (2) the tube connecting direction cannot be positioned in a predetermined direction, and (3) the tube connecting pipe to the fuel piping equipment is not positioned. We are looking forward to the development of a quick connector for fuel piping equipment that will not lose any parts during detachment work.
[0012]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Therefore, in the present invention, (1) it is easy to attach and detach the tube connecting pipe to the fuel piping equipment, (2) the tube connecting direction can be positioned in a predetermined direction, and (3) the tube connecting pipe to and from the fuel piping equipment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick connector for a fuel pipe device in which parts are not lost during work.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
(Invention of Claim 1)
A quick connector for a fuel pipe device according to the present invention is provided on an inner surface of the fuel pipe device and communicates with the inside and outside of the fuel pipe device, a tube connection tube inserted into the support tube, and a tube connection tube. A plurality of elastic arms which are provided on the outer wall surface of the tube connecting pipe and can be pushed inwardly in a manner suspended from the overhanging rod, and locking claws provided on the outer surface of the free end side of the elastic arm And a locking body provided at a position corresponding to the locking claw in a plan view on the outer surface of the fuel piping device, and in a state where a predetermined amount of the vertical tube of the tube connecting tube is inserted into the support tube, the tube connection the tube as much as possible the locking claw becomes locked body engagement with the state retaining nonrotatably and, together with the said engagement by pushing the elastic arm inwards is adapted to be released, said Zhang Before in the outing A through-hole that facilitates bending of the elastic arm in the inward direction is provided inside the portion where the elastic arm is suspended, and the elastic arm extends along the arc surface from the arc-shaped outer edge of the overhang. The through-hole is an arc-shaped hole along the outer edge, the arc length of the through-hole is longer than the width along the arc of the elastic arm, and both ends of the through-hole are The elastic arm extends along the arc from both ends in the width direction .
(Invention of Claim 2)
The quick connector for a fuel piping device according to the present invention relates to the invention described in claim 1, and includes a seal ring that ensures fluid tightness between the support tube and the vertical tube of the tube connecting tube.
(Invention of Claim 3)
The quick connector for a fuel pipe device according to the present invention relates to the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tube connecting pipe is formed in an L shape.
[0014]
In addition, the function of the quick connector for fuel piping equipment of the above-described invention will be described in the section of the embodiment of the invention below.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings shown as embodiments.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a quick connector for a fuel pipe device, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the quick connector in a half cross section.
[Overall configuration of quick connector for fuel piping equipment]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, this quick connector for a fuel pipe device includes a locking body 3 integrated on the outer surface of the fuel pipe device NK, an inner surface of the fuel pipe device NK, and a fuel pipe device. A support tube 4 that communicates the inside and outside of the NK, a tube connection tube 1 that is inserted into the support tube 4, a pair of elastic arms 2 that are provided in the tube connection tube 1 and that can be pushed inwardly, and the elasticity It is provided with a locking claw 20 provided on the outer surface of the free end side of the arm 2.
[Configuration of main components of quick connector for fuel piping equipment]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tube connecting pipe 1 is formed by connecting a vertical pipe 1b to a horizontal pipe 1a, and is formed in an L shape as a whole. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the horizontal tube 1a has a so-called “bamboo shoot” shape on its outer surface so that the connected tube is not inadvertently detached, and the vertical tube 1b is formed as shown in FIG. The inner surface of the lower region is formed by a cylindrical tube having a seal ring SL attached thereto.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the elastic arm 2 is suspended from the overhangs provided at the upper end of the vertical tube 1b at intervals of 180 °, and a locking claw 20 is provided on the outer surface of the free end. is there. As shown in FIG. 3, the locking claw 20 is set so that the outer wall 20a is inclined inward toward the fuel piping device NK.
[0017]
Here, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, an arc-shaped through-hole 21 is provided in a portion corresponding to the elastic arm 2 in the overhanging rod. This is because it can be easily bent inward by picking it with the thumb and index finger.
[0018]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the locking body 3 includes a circular ring 30 having a square cross section, and a pair of openings 31, 31 provided in the ring 30 at intervals of 180 °. Integrated on the outer surface of piping equipment NK. The height and width of the opening 31 are set to be slightly larger than that of the locking claw 20 as shown in FIGS.
[0019]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the support pipe 4 has a U-shaped cross section (double structure) integrated with the inner surface of the fuel piping device NK, and serves to communicate the inside and outside of the fuel piping device NK. And a role of supporting the vertical pipe 1b of the tube connecting pipe 1 inserted therein. In detail, the support tube 4 of this embodiment is composed of an outer circular tube 40, an inner circular tube 41, and a lower end connecting portion 42 that connects them, and there is a gap between the outer tube 40 and the inner tube 41. This is the portion into which the vertical pipe 1b of the tube connecting pipe 1 is inserted.
[ Assembly and removal of tube connection pipe 1 to and from fuel piping equipment NK ]
(1) When the vertical tube 1b of the assembled tube connecting tube 1 is inserted into the support tube 4, the outer wall surface 20a of the locking claw 20 comes into contact with the locking body 3, and the elastic arm 2 is elastically deformed inward. To go.
[0020]
When the locking claw 20 is positioned in the opening 31 of the locking body 3, the elastic arm 2 spreads by the elastic restoring force at that time, and the locking claw 20 forms the opening 31 of the locking body 3 as shown in FIG. The upper wall surface is locked. In this state, the fluid tightness between the outer surface of the inner pipe 41 and the vertical pipe 1b is ensured by the presence of the seal ring SL, and fuel does not leak to the outside.
[0021]
In the quick connector of this embodiment, the height and width of the opening 31 are only set slightly larger than that of the locking claw 20, so that the direction of the horizontal tube 1a of the tube connecting tube 1 is predetermined. The tube connection direction can be positioned in a predetermined direction.
(2) When the removable elastic arms 2 and 2 are sandwiched between the thumb and forefinger and bent inward, the locking of the locking claw 20 and the locking annular body 3 is released. If the tube connecting pipe 1 is pulled in the direction of pulling away from the fuel piping device NK while maintaining this state, the tube connecting tube 1 is detached from the fuel piping device NK.
(3) Common to assembly and removal As shown in (1) and (2) above, the tube connection pipe 1 can be assembled to the fuel piping device NK with one hand and with one operation, and from the fuel piping device NK. The tube connection pipe 1 can be removed.
[0022]
That is, it is very easy to attach and detach the tube connecting pipe 1 to / from the fuel piping device NK.
Since no member out of the fuel pipe device NK exist besides other <br/> tube connecting pipe 1 of that, as in the conventional art, is not such as lost parts during work assembly and removal. Further, the cost can be reduced because the number of parts is small.
(Other embodiments)
The quick connector shown in FIG. 4 has substantially the same structure as that of the first embodiment, but the support tube 4 is composed of a single circular tube, and the seal ring SL mounted on the inner surface of the support tube 4. Thus, fluid tightness between the support tube 4 and the vertical tube 1b is secured .
Supporting lifting tube 4 may be provided with retrofitted integrally formed or fuel pipe device NK.
Above Symbol embodiment, the tube connecting pipe 1 is located as being L-shaped, it may be a straight pipe.
The upper marked fuel piping components NK, include tanks and regulator or the like.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.
[0024]
As is apparent from the column of the embodiment of the present invention, (1) the tube connecting pipe can be easily attached to and detached from the fuel piping equipment, (2) the tube connecting direction can be positioned in a predetermined direction, and (3) the fuel piping equipment. We were able to provide a quick connector for fuel piping equipment that does not lose any parts when attaching / detaching the tube connection pipe to / from.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a quick connector for a fuel piping device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a tube connecting tube is removed from a locking annular body in the quick connector.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the quick connector in half section.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a half-section of a quick connector for a fuel pipe device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a tank having a tube connecting pipe.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a quick connector for a fuel piping device according to the prior art.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a prior art quick connector.
FIG. 10 is a plan view of a retainer used in a prior art quick connector.
[Explanation of symbols]
NK fuel piping equipment
SL Seal ring 1 Tube connection pipe
1a Horizontal pipe
1b Longitudinal tube 2 Elastic arm 3 Locking ring 4 Support tube
20 Locking claw

Claims (3)

A support pipe provided on the inner surface of the fuel pipe device and communicating between the inside and outside of the fuel pipe device;
A tube connecting tube inserted into the support tube;
A plurality of elastic arms that are provided on the outer wall surface of the tube connection tube in a manner that hangs down from an overhang provided on the tube connection tube, and that can be pushed inwardly;
A locking claw provided on the outer surface on the free end side of the elastic arm;
A locking body provided at a position corresponding to the locking claw in a plan view on the outer surface of the fuel piping device;
When a predetermined amount of the vertical tube of the tube connection tube is inserted into the support tube, the tube connection tube is brought into a non-rotatable and non-detachable state so that the locking claw is engaged with the locking body, and the elastic arm is pushed inward. As a result, the engaged state is released,
A through hole that facilitates bending of the elastic arm in the inward direction is provided inside a portion of the overhang rod where the elastic arm is suspended ,
The elastic arm is suspended from the arcuate outer edge of the overhang along the arc surface, the through hole is an arcuate hole along the outer edge, and the arc length of the through hole is the elastic length. A quick connector for a fuel pipe device, wherein the quick connector is longer than a width along an arc of the arm, and both ends of the through hole extend along the arc from both ends in the width direction of the elastic arm .   2. The quick connector for a fuel piping device according to claim 1, further comprising a seal ring for ensuring fluid tightness between the support tube and the vertical tube of the tube connecting tube.   The quick connector for a fuel piping device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tube connecting pipe is formed in an L shape.

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