Abstract:
A flow controllable connector for home appliances, which diverges or extends a passage of fluid by fastening an inlet having a first passage and an outlet having a second passage to tubes using fastening devices. The connector includes a control device disposed between the inlet and the outlet in order to prevent the fluid from flowing back as well as to control a flow rate. The control device performs both the function of preventing the fluid from flowing back and the function of controlling the pressure of the fluid. This makes it possible to prevent an electric/electronic sub-assembly from malfunctioning or abnormally operating, thereby increasing the longevity and reliability thereof.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority from Korean Patent Application Number 10-2011-132786 filed on Dec. 12, 2011, the entire contents of which application are incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a connector, which is provided on a passage of electronics in order to diverge or extend tubes, and more particularly, to a flow controllable connector for home appliances in which a control device for performing both the function of supplying fluid at a constant rate and the function of preventing backflow is provided in order to improve the reliability of home appliances. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, a connector for home appliances is a connecting device that is used in the process of diverging or extending a fluid passage of an electric/electronic sub-assembly, which needs fluid. This connector is required to be coupled to a connecting portion of a tube with one touch as well as to provide an amount of fastening force that is sufficient to maintain the water-tightness of the tube and prevent the tube from being dislodged. 
         [0006]    In the connector, however, when backpressure occurs as a reaction in the process of supplying the fluid or the process of blocking the supply of the fluid, the fluid may flow back. In addition, when the pressure at which the fluid is supplied is changed, the fluid may not be supplied at a constant rate. These are major reasons that degrade the performance of the electric/electronic sub-assembly. 
         [0007]    Therefore, proposed was a method that prevents a backflow from occurring while the connector is operating or the fluid from being abnormally supplied. According to this method, a backflow prevention device that prevents the fluid from flowing back or a flow control device that controls the flow rate of the fluid is added to the connector during the process in which the connector is fabricated. 
         [0008]    However, in the process of fabricating the connector, if the backflow prevention device and the flow control device are separately configured, the passage of the connector becomes complicated and surrounding components are added, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for the study of a simplified control device in which the backflow prevention device and the flow control device are incorporated into a single device. 
         [0009]    The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for the enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms a prior art that would already be known to a person skilled in the art. 
       REFERENCE CITED 
       [0000]    
       
         Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2011-0032041 (Mar. 30, 2011) 
       
     
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Various aspects of the present invention provide a flow controllable connector for home appliances in which a control device for performing both the function of supplying fluid at a constant rate and the function of preventing backflow is provided in order to improve the reliability of home appliances. 
         [0012]    In an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flow controllable connector for home appliances, which diverges or extends a passage of fluid by fastening an inlet having a first passage and an outlet having a second passage to tubes using fastening devices. The connector includes a control device disposed between the inlet and the outlet in order to prevent the fluid from flowing back as well as to control a flow rate. The control device includes a fixed member disposed between the first passage and the second passage; a movable member coupled to the fixed member, the movable member closing the first passage using an elastic force of an elastic member when the fluid flows back; and a variable member coupled to the fixed member, the variable member reciprocating depending on a pressure of the fluid, thereby varying the area of the second passage. 
         [0013]    According to embodiments of the present invention, the flow controllable connector for home appliances has the following effects. 
         [0014]    First, the connector is provided therein with the control device that performs both the function of preventing the fluid from flowing back and the function of controlling the pressure of the fluid. This can consequently prevent an electric/electronic sub-assembly from malfunctioning or abnormally operating, thereby increasing the longevity and reliability thereof. 
         [0015]    Second, since the control device is configured such that it is fitted into the connector, the operation processing associated with the assembly and disassembly of the control device is simplified. Accordingly, maintenance cost is reduced, defects are prevented, and the connector can be mass produced. 
         [0016]    The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from, or are set forth in greater detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and in the following Detailed Description of the Invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view showing the installation state of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the connector shown in  FIG. 1  properly operates; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the connector shown in  FIG. 1  operates when backflow occurs; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view showing the installation state of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the connector shown in  FIG. 1  properly operates,  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the connector shown in  FIG. 1  operates when backflow occurs, and  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the flow controllable connector for home appliances is designed to diverge or extend a passage of fluid by fastening an inlet  12  having a first passage  12 - 5  and an outlet having a second passage  14 - 5  to tubes  20  using fastening devices  30 . The connector includes a control device  40 , which is disposed between the inlet  12  and the outlet  14  in order to prevent the fluid from flowing back as well as to control the flow rate. The control device  40  includes a fixed member  42  disposed between the first passage  12 - 5  and the second passage  14 - 5 , a movable member  46  coupled to the fixed member  42 , the movable member  46  closing the first passage  12 - 5  using the elastic force of an elastic member  44  when the fluid flows back, and a variable member  48  coupled to the fixed member  42 , the variable member  48  reciprocating depending on the pressure of the fluid, thereby varying the area of the second passage  14 - 5 . 
         [0024]    First, in this embodiment, it is additionally noted that the control device  40  is coupled to the connector  10 . In particular, the fixed member  42 , the movable member  44  and the variable member  48  of the control device  40  are coupled together, such that the control device  40  performs dual functions of preventing the fluid from flowing back and controlling the flow rate. 
         [0025]    In addition, the connector  10  includes a housing  16 , the inlet  12 , and the outlet  14 . The housing  16  is a tubular body that is used in the process of supplying fluid to a home appliance, and forms the contour of the connector  10  and contains the control device  40  therein. The inlet  12  and the outlet  14  are provided on the opposite ends of the housing  16  to connect the tubes  20 . 
         [0026]    In addition, the first passage  12 - 5  is provided inside the inlet  12 , and the second passage  14 - 5  is provided inside the outlet  14 . 
         [0027]    Here, the first passage  12 - 5  is a flow passage that extends through a wall formed in the inner portion of the inlet  12 , and the second passage  14 - 5  is a flow passage that allows the control device  40 , which is the key component of the present invention, to be inserted through. 
         [0028]    It is preferred that a protrusion  19  be formed in the first passage  12 - 5  such that the protrusion  19  abuts against the movable member  46 , and that a projection  18  be formed in the second passage  14 - 5  such that the projection  18  prevents the control means  40  from being dislodged. 
         [0029]    In addition, the fastening devices  30  are disposed on objects, including the inlet  12  and the outlet  14 . In each fastening device  30 , a receptacle  32  is fixed to a corresponding object on which it is disposed, and has a lock ring  31 . A movable body  34  is coupled to the inner circumference of the receptacle  32  via a clip  33 , and contains a corresponding tube  20  therein. 
         [0030]    It is also preferred that an O-ring  35  be provided on a path along which the movable body  34  moves, preferably, in the portion which abuts against the leading end of the tube  20  in order to form a seal  36 , thereby prevent the joint of the tubes  20  from leaking. 
         [0031]    Although this embodiment has been described with respect to the fastening device  30  in which the receptacle  32 , the movable body  34  and the seal  36  are coupled together, any other devices in which the tube  20  can be separated or coupled with one touch in the process in which the movable body  34  is compressed or returned are embraced in the scope of the present invention. 
         [0032]    In addition, the fixed member  42  includes a fixed head  42 - 2 , which is fixedly received in the inner space of the housing  16 , a cylindrical guide rod  42 - 4 , which is formed on one portion of the fixed head  42 - 2 , and a plurality of spacing protrusions  42 - 6 , which are sequentially formed at predetermined intervals on one side of the fixed head  42 - 2 . 
         [0033]    Here, the fixed head  42 - 2  is fitted between the first passage  12 - 5  and the second passage  14 - 5  such that it is in close contact with the inner wall of the housing  16 . The fixed head  42 - 2  has a passage  42 - 2   a  formed on the body thereof, the passage  42 - 2   a  facing the second passage  14 - 5 . 
         [0034]    The guide rod  42 - 4  elongates from one portion of the fixed head  42 - 2 , such that it guides the route along which the movable body  46  and the variable member  48  move. The guide rod  42 - 4  has a passage  42 - 4   a  formed on the body thereof, the passage  42 - 4   a  communicating with the passage  42 - 2   a.    
         [0035]    The spacing protrusions  42 - 6  protrude from the circumference of the fixed head  42 - 2 . Here, the area of the second passage  14 - 5  is varied by setting the interval to the movable member  48  to a predetermined value. 
         [0036]    In addition, the movable member  46  is slidably coupled to the fixed member  42  in order to close the first passage  12 - 5  when the fluid flows back. The movable member  46  includes a closing head  46 - 4 , which abuts against the first passage  12 - 5 , and a movable cylinder  46 - 2 , which is coupled to the closing head  46 - 4  such that it reciprocates following the fixed member  42 . 
         [0037]    The movable cylinder  46 - 2  is elastically coupled to the circumferential surface of the guide rod  42 - 2  via the elastic member  44 , and reciprocates along the length of the guide rod  42 - 4  depending on the elastic force of the elastic member  44  or the pressure of the fluid. 
         [0038]    The closing head  46 - 4  is coupled to or integrally formed on one end of the movable cylinder  46 - 2 . When the fluid is caused to flow back by the second passage  14 - 5 , the closing head  46 - 4  comes into contact with the protrusion  19 , thereby closing the first passage  12 - 5 . 
         [0039]    Here, it is preferred that the closing head  46 - 4  be made of a buffering material such as rubber in order to maximize the effect in which the first passage  12 - 5  is closed. 
         [0040]    In addition, the variable member  48  is mounted on the guide rod  42 - 4  of the fixed member  42 , such that it reciprocates depending on the pressure of the fluid. The area of the second passage  14 - 5  is varied by adjusting the interval between the variable member  48  and the spacing protrusions  42 - 6 . 
         [0041]    A description will be given below of the operation of the connector according to the invention. 
         [0042]    First, as shown in  FIG. 2 , when a suitable amount of fluid is supplied to the connector  10 , the pressure of the fluid drives the movable member  46  of the control device  40  so that moves to the left in the figure against the elastic force of the elastic member  44 . 
         [0043]    In sequence, the fluid that is supplied to the first passage  12 - 4  at the inlet  12  passes through the passages  42 - 2   a  and  42 - 4   a  of the fixed member  42  and then through the second passage  14 - 5  before being supplied to the place where it is used. 
         [0044]    In this process, the variable member  48  mounted on the guide rod  42 - 4  of the fixed member  42  freely moves to the left or right in the figure depending on the pressure of the fluid, thereby properly controlling the flow rate depending on the pressure of the fluid. 
         [0045]    In the meantime, as shown in  FIG. 3 , when backflow occurs in the connector  10 , the elastic member  44  drives the movable member  46  to the right in the figure, so that the closing head  46 - 4  closes the first passage  12 - 5 . 
         [0046]    In sequence, when the first passage  12 - 5  is closed by the closing head  46 - 4 , the fluid that is flowing back from the outlet  14  is prevented from flowing back further into the first passage  12 - 5  and thus remains around the fixed member  42 . 
         [0047]    In this process, the variable member  48  mounted on the guide rod  42 - 4  of the fixed member  42  freely moves to the left or right in the figure depending on the pressure of the backflow, thereby blocking the backflow of the fluid to the most possible extent. 
         [0048]    Accordingly, the interaction among the fixed member  42 , the movable member  46  and the variable member  48  of the control device  40  makes it possible to control the pressure of the fluid that is supplied from the inlet  12  as well as to block the backflow of the fluid from the outlet  14 , thereby enabling both the function of supplying the fluid at a constant rate and the function of preventing the backflow. 
         [0049]    The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.