JPS6115287B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a connection member that forms a separable connection between two elements or components.

Several prior patented inventions relating to connecting members consist of two separate halves that can be moved radially into an interconnected position without the need for additional fastening means. A connection in which the elements connected by the connection member are free to rotate but are restrained from axial movement, such that they are held together by internally integrally formed means. None of the parts were disclosed.

U.S. Patent No. 3041088, U.S. Patent No. 3142503 and U.S. Patent No.
No. 3,934,902 teaches a coupling member which is restricted from axial movement but is rotatable.
However, additional means are required in locking and interconnecting the halves. For example, the cutting screw in U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,088;
The bolt in Publication No. 3142503 and the same No.
This is the screw member 50 in Publication No. 3934902. Belgian Patent No. 558,224 only teaches a pair of halves hinged at one end by an integral hinge 8. This Belgian patent is very similar to US Pat. No. 3,041,088. To the applicant's knowledge, there is no prior art showing an integrated, angled latch surface. The Belgian patent states that cooperating shelves 21 and 2
The shape of any of the corners of No. 4 is unclear.

It is desirable that the pair of half members constituting the connecting member be held in a locked state by themselves. This is because, as in the prior art described above, if additional means are required, the speed and ease of handling when attempting to interconnect two elements will be impaired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connecting member that can quickly connect two elements to each other and is easy to handle.

The connecting member according to the present invention is a connecting member for quickly connecting interconnectable elements, which are connected to each other along a longitudinal plane and whose movement is restrained in the axial direction with respect to the elements. in a coupling member consisting of a pair of complementary halves in which the halves are free to rotate, the halves being integrally formed on the halves to hold the halves in interlocking condition; and the locking means is the only means for holding the half members in a mutually locked state. Each half may have a symmetrical and complementary configuration. When the halves are interconnected, the connecting member formed by the halves is rotatable with respect to one of the members connected by the connecting member but not capable of axial movement with respect to both of the members. may be restrained and no additional means are required to hold the halves in the interconnected position.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the numbered drawings, the invention comprises:
It is shown incorporated into a set of cords (see FIGS. 10 and 11) separably connected to a housing 12, which is included within a pistol grip 10 of a portable electric drill. Contains a standard design terminal element assembly. The electric motor, switch mechanism, gear box, and output mechanism are well-known parts that are not essential to understanding the present invention, and therefore their drawings and descriptions are omitted. The connecting member of the present invention can be used not only for releasably connecting a cord set and a tool, but also for other applications. For example, it may be used to connect two extension electrical cords to each other, or it may be used to releasably connect a tool body and a grip handle. To explain the last example in detail, it is more convenient to separate and make it compact for storage, but when used, it is easier to handle when combined into a pistol-shaped tool body and grip. This is a case where the handle is connected. The tool body and the grip handle are connected to each other at right angles.

As seen in FIG. 2, the completed separable coupling member in the first embodiment of the present invention is generally arranged such that the halves are locked together and enclose a housing 18 for the terminal assembly. The situation is shown here. Each half 16 of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 2-5 and 7-9) is cast from an insulating material, such as thermoset plastic or nylon-filled glass. Ru.

Each half 16 has an axially extending end 20 which seats against each other along a longitudinal plane to form an interlocking connection. An integrally formed locking finger 22 is provided on one edge of each half member (FIG. 2,
4, 5, 7, 8 and 9), this finger has an angled locking surface 23 which causes a cam on the finger 22 when the halves are pushed together radially. The slope 25 is the shelf 24 (see Figures 5 and 8).
The cornered locking surface 23 is adapted to engage the cornered locking surface 27 on the shelf 24 (see FIG. 8).

In order to align the axial directions when the half members 16 are fitted together, a pin 26 and a tab 28 are provided on one edge of each half member (see FIG. 4).
5 and 7), the other edge is provided with complementary holes 30 and slots 32 (see FIG. 5). Pins, tabs, holes and slots are
Both halves resist relative axial and lateral sliding movement when the pins and tabs on one half fit into the holes and slots on the other half. are axially spaced apart in such a way that they are fixedly held, and therefore without the use of additional other clamping elements besides the integrated finger 22. Locking surface 23 and shelf 2
4 can be maintained in an appropriate locked state.

Each half has an annularly extending inner ring-shaped shoulder 34 to hold the connecting members against axial displacement and still allow relative rotation for interlocking the elements in assembly. (see Figures 2, 5, 6 and 8), and the shoulder 3
4 engages an annular groove 36 on housing 18 (see FIG. 2). In this way, the ring-shaped shoulder 34
functions as a means for suppressing axial movement of the connecting member 14 with respect to the housing 18. When the coupling member 14 is threadedly assembled into the housing 12, axial stress loads are absorbed by the housings 12, 18 for such coupling member and terminal assembly, and such stress loads are absorbed by the terminal assembly. It is not transmitted to the assembly and electrical connections.

Locking of the elements connected by the connecting member is accomplished by rotating the connecting member from an unlocked position to a locked position. Inside each half is an internal thread or cam piece 38 (Figs. 1, 2, 4,
(See Figures 5 and 6). By rotating the connecting member 14, the cam piece 38 is screwed into a groove 40 (see FIGS. 1 and 10) that is compatible with the cam piece 38, and the housings 12 and 18 are pulled together. Hold to connect the terminal assembly. In this way, the cam piece 38 is interconnected with the housing 18 by the connecting member 14 and functions as an inner member that locks into the housing 12 to be retained. One or more V-grooves 42 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) between the cam pieces 38 frictionally engage one or more teeth 44 (see FIGS. 10 and 11) in the annular groove 36. to prevent accidental loosening of the connecting member.

A second embodiment of the half member of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. In this embodiment, the halves differ in shape from one another and are neither identical nor symmetrical. In this embodiment, the half member 16a
has only a pair of angled locking surfaces 23a and a cam inclined surface 25a located on opposite sides, while the other half member 17a has both half members radially aligned with each other. It has a pair of angled locking surfaces 27a located opposite each other which engage the angled locking surfaces 23a when pressed. From another perspective, it can be said that the half members 16a and 17a have the same structural features as the half member 16.

In the first embodiment, the cam inclined surface 25 has a structure that prevents it from coming off. This is because, when combined, the forces exerted on the respective inwardly facing cam ramps at the same angular position merely tend to rotate the coupling member. However, in the second embodiment, the cam inclined surface 25a
When assembled, the half members 16a and 1 face inward in opposite angular directions.
7a can be easily removed.

In the connecting member according to the present invention, the pair of half members constituting the connecting member are held in a mutually locked state by the locking means integrally formed on the half members, so that the two halves can be locked together. There is no need for the aid of other additional means to prevent the pair of halves from separating radially from each other when interconnecting the elements. It is therefore easy to handle, and two elements can be quickly interconnected.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side fragmentary view, partially in section, showing a power tool connected to an electrical cord element by a connecting member according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a side view, partially in section, of the end of an electrical cord element with a housing for a terminal assembly equipped with a coupling member according to the invention; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one of the pair of half members of the connecting member shown in FIG. 2. Fourth
The figure is an end view of the half member shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the inside of the half member shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. FIG. 7 is a side view of the half member shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 in FIG. FIG. 9 is an end view of FIG. 7 viewed from above. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a housing mounted on the handle of the power tool shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is an end view showing a pair of separated half members in a second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 13 is an end view showing the half members shown in FIG. 12 positioned in the radial direction and engaged. 14... Connection member, 16; 16a, 17a...
Half member, 22...Latching finger (locking means), 23,
27; 23a, 27a...Locking surface, 24...Shelf (locking means), 26...Pin, 28...Tab, 30
... hole, 32 ... slot, 34 ... shoulder (means for suppressing axial movement), 38 ... cam piece (inner member).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A connecting member for rapidly connecting interconnectable elements, which are connected to each other along a vertical plane and whose movement is restrained in the axial direction with respect to the elements. in a connecting member consisting of a pair of complementary halves in which the halves are free to rotate: the halves being integrally formed on the halves to hold the halves in interlocking condition; A connecting member comprising: a locking means; and the locking means is the only means for holding the half members in a mutually locked state. 2. the half members have ends that extend longitudinally and abut along a longitudinal plane; the integrally formed locking means have interengaging inclined locking surfaces; and A connecting member according to claim 1, characterized in that the members are radially aligned with the ends abutting along the longitudinal plane. 3. Each of the half members, in addition to the locking means, has a pin and a tab on one of the ends; and a hole and a slot on the other end. A connecting member according to claim 2. 4. Each of the half members has an inner member that is interconnected with one element and locks to the other element to be held by the connecting member during rotation of the connecting member. and each of the half members has means for suppressing axial movement of the connecting member relative to one element to be held by the connecting member. Connecting member described in section.