Patent ID: 8925974
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: F16L

Abstract:
1. A connector comprising: a connector body including a fluid pathway formed therein to extend therethrough, one end having an insertion opening that opens to allow insertion of a pipe having a bulge portion formed to protrude therefrom, and the other end to which a tube can be connected; a pivot shaft formed on the connector body, the pivot shaft defining a pivot axis; and a retainer having a bearing portion with an insertion slot capable of fitting with the pivot shaft from a direction radial to the pivot axis, wherein fitting the pivot shaft into the bearing portion through the insertion slot enables the entire retainer to pivot about the pivot shaft between a regular engagement position and a stop position, wherein the pipe is inserted into the insertion opening such that the bulge portion is inserted to reach at least an inner edge of a first flange, the retainer is provided with a detachment preventing portion protruding into the fluid pathway and engaging with the bulge portion for preventing the pipe from being removed when the retainer pivots to the regular engagement position, and the connector body has on an outer circumferential surface of the connector body a flat surface between an axis of the connector body and the axis of the pivot shaft and being parallel to both the axis of the connector body and the axis of the pivot shaft, and wherein the pivot shaft is provided along the outer circumferential surface of the connector body, the bearing portion of the retainer is configured such that the insertion slot is defined by an inner opening surface and an outer opening surface which are opposed to each other, the inner opening surface being closer to the connecter body than the outer opening surface in a direction radial to the axis of the connector body, at least when the retainer is in the regular engagement position, and the inner opening surface being formed to be longer than the outer opening surface and serving as a portion of a stopper claw such that when a force is applied to the retainer in a removing direction wherein the retainer moves away from the regular engagement position and towards the stop position, the stopper claw engages the flat surface of the connector body at the stop position, thereby preventing the retainer from pivoting beyond the stop position.