Abstract:
A connection coupling for transferring gaseous and liquid fluids comprises a switch unit for actuating valves via a switch slide. The switch unit includes an eccentric shaft. The switch slide is coupled to an outer ring slide by at least one bolt.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a connection coupling for the transfer of gaseous and/or liquid fluids, especially for filling the gas tanks of motor vehicles. 
     Such connection couplings are to ensure a secure and quickly connectable transfer of a fluid from a pressurized source, e.g. from a filling station to a vehicle. The particularly important aspect in this respect is the simple and secure ability to operate the same, so that even in case of high filling pressures of 200 bars and more, easy handling is ensured. 
     Such a connection coupling is described in WO 98/05898 of the applicant, with the quick-action connection coupling having a housing with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet as well as several valves in order to ensure a secure sealing of the quick-action connection coupling until the complete establishment of the connection. Said valves are switched after the attachment of the quick-action connection coupling by twisting a control lever in a predetermined sequence, with the discharge valve being opened first by sliding the quick-action connection coupling onto a connection nipple, whereupon following further movement of the control lever the collet chucks acting as locking elements are closed and finally the inlet valve is opened. The control valve is in engagement via an eccentric shaft with the sliding sleeve for activating the collect chucks and with a sealing piston which also releases the fluid inlet after the performed connection of the connection coupling. 
     As a result of twisting of the connection tubes it is possible that the control lever assumes an unfavorable position (e.g. towards the right side), which is highly inconvenient for a left-handed person when operating the connection coupling. 
     Although the known connection coupling has proven its worth by its especially secure connection capabilities, it is still worthy of improvement with respect to its handling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is accordingly based on the object of providing a connection coupling, especially a quick-action connection coupling of the kind mentioned above, which in combination with a compact configuration offers especially simple handling. 
     This object is achieved by a connection coupling according to the features of claim  1 . Preferred further developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims. 
     The proposed connection coupling is especially suitable for use in a quick-action connection coupling for refueling natural gas motor vehicles. An especially simple and compact design is obtained because the control lever in combination with the switch unit is provided with a configuration so as to be rotatable about the central axis and thus it can assume any rotary position as desired by the user during the connection process. In particular, the switch unit can be twisted in a preferred embodiment by the mutually opposite ring slides to a position suitable for the user, thus offering an especially secure and convenient handling. 
     As a result of pass-through slots integrated within the connection coupling in the middle housing portion, a secure guidance of the switch unit is achieved and thus a stable and compact configuration of the connection coupling is obtained. Since the switch unit is situated outside of the pressure region, simple and easy operation is ensured, so that the quick-action connection coupling can also be connected by non-professionals with ease. 
     In order to prevent the build-up of pressure in the case of any leakages of a seal, a ventilation bore is preferably provided in the housing of the switch unit. The same is preferably closed off with a sintered filter or a similar material, which thus prevents the entrance of dirt. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An embodiment of the invention is now explained and described in closer detail by reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of a connection coupling with an integrated switch unit, with the connection coupling being shown in a longitudinal semi-sectional view and in the position connected to a connection nipple, and 
         FIG. 2  shows an enlarged representation of the switch unit of the connection coupling according to  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of a connection coupling  10  in the form of a so-called quick-action connection coupling which is coupled to a connection nipple indicated in this case on the left side. The connection coupling  10  comprises a tubular housing  11  with several mutually screwed-down housing parts  11   a ,  11   b  and  11   c , with the right housing part  11   c  being used as the inlet region  12  and the left region as outlet  13  for the forwarding of the fluid to be transmitted to the connection nipple  30 . A switch unit  21  with control lever  50  (cf.  FIG. 2 ) is arranged around the middle housing part  11   b . The inlet region  12  comprises a connection adapter  14  to which a fluid line  12 ′ can be connected via a thread for supplying the fluid to be transferred. The connection adapter  14  with an inserted filter sleeve can be configured in adjustment to the fluid to be transferred, especially to the desired feed pressure values, opening cross sections, etc. 
     In the region of outlet  13 , several oblong collect chucks  15  are provided which are arranged in tubular form and which can be spread in a radially outward fashion shortly before the insertion on the connection nipple  30 . The oblong collect chucks  15  are pre-tensioned by an annular spring  16 , so that the collect chucks  15  can spread radially to the outside in an automatic manner (as known by the aforementioned state of the art). At the left outer end with inwardly crimped surfaces, the collect chucks  15  comprise interlocking engagement profiles  17  which are configured so as to correspond to a groove-like connecting profile section of the connection nipple  30 . Their configuration is also described in closer detail in the aforementioned state of the art, so that any further explanation can be omitted. It merely needs to be mentioned for reasons of completeness that in the region of the outlet  13  a sealing piston  22  is inwardly guided which comprises at its front face side a conical sealing surface  23  for sifting close to an inner sealing ring of the connection nipple  30 , so that the gaseous and/or liquid fluid which substantially flows along the central axis of the connection coupling  10  cannot escape to the outside. 
     An outside sliding sleeve  18  is provided around the collect chucks  15 , which sliding sleeve is guided on the cylindrical outside jacket of the housing part  11   a  which is on the left side in this case and is pre-tensioned with a pressure spring  19  in the direction away from the connection nipple  30 . The pressure spring  19  rests on a support ring  20  and thus pushes the sliding sleeve  18  towards a control lever  50  with an eccentric shaft  51 , the structure of which will be explained below in closer detail, especially by reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     The discharge valve  25  provided on the sealing piston  22  seals by means of a sealing ring as valve seat  26  relative to the sealing piston  22  in the closed position. The discharge valve  25  is pressurized by a pressure spring  28  which rests towards the right side on a switch slide  27  of the switch unit  21 . This discharge valve  25  ensures that in the uncoupled position (not shown here) or shortly before the connection of the connection coupling  10  with the connection nipple  30  the fluid supplied through the connection adapter  14  cannot flow out. The switch slide  27  is displaced during the uncoupling of the connection coupling  10  from the connection nipple  30  by the switch unit  21  along the connection coupling axis and thus forms a ventilation valve  35  in combination with a sealing disk  24 . 
     The ventilation valve  35  and the switch slide  27  are actuated by pivoting the control lever  50  because the eccentric shaft  51  which is connected with the same and is held in a sleeve  52  is coupled with the switch slide  27 , namely through the engagement of several bolts  29  which are displaceably inserted into axial slots  32  and are in connection with an outside ring slide  31 . It comprises an annular groove into which the lower end of the eccentric shaft  51  engages. The entire switch unit  21  is rotatable about said ring slide  31  with the control lever  50  because the sleeve  52  is rotatably held on the outside circumference of the middle housing part  11   b.    
     As can be seen from the connection position of the connection coupling  10  as illustrated here, the engagement profile  17  of the collect chucks  15  is brought into engagement with the connection nipple  30  during the insertion on the connection nipple  30 . By moving (pivoting by approx. 180°) the control lever  50  to the position as shown here, the sliding sleeve  18  is pushed over the collect chucks  15  and thus locked. When the pressure is applied (the beginning of the tank filling process), the sealing piston  22  is displaced at first to the left (also under the action of spring  28 ). When it sits close to the sealing surface  23 , the valve seat  26  on the sealing piston  22  and thus the discharge valve  25  are opened under displacement of the sealing piston  22  to the right. In this process, the engagement profile  17  has already engaged on the correspondingly configured connecting profile section of the connection nipple  30 . As a result of the axial movement of the sliding sleeve  18 , the same engages over the radially outer ends of the collect chucks  15 , so that they are held in an interlocked way on the connection nipple  30 . 
     For releasing the connection coupling  10  and thus returning the connection position as shown here to the opening position, the sliding sleeve  18  is pushed back by the pressure spring  19  after the twisting of the control lever  50 . After a short path, the collect chucks  15  can spread again in a radially outward manner. Since the fluid pressure was interrupted beforehand (e.g. by closing the refueling valves), the sealing piston  22  is pushed here to the right in the direction towards the inlet region  12  and the discharge valve  25  on the valve seat  26  is closed. 
     The inlet region  12  further comprises an inlet valve  45  with an associated valve seat  46  centrally in the housing  11  or the housing part  11   c  of the connection coupling  10 . The inlet valve  45  is also axially displaceable by the control lever  50  and its eccentric shaft  51  by coupling with the switch slide  27 . Said switch slide  27  displaces a valve slide  47  of the inlet valve  47  to the opening position via the sealing disk  24  in the illustrated connection position, so that the fluid flowing in from the inlet region  12  can flow through the valve slide  47  and a pass-through in the sealing disk  24  and the tubular switch slide  27  towards the outlet  13 . 
     When the connection coupling  10  is released, the switch slide  27  is displaced via bolt  29  to the left by twisting the control lever  50  (by approximately 180°), so that the sealing disk  24  can detach from the sealing engagement. The pressure can thus decrease within the connection coupling  10  via the pass-through slots to a pressure compensation chamber  44 . 
     As was mentioned above, the ventilation valve  35  is opened by the eccentric shaft  51  and the switch slide  27  during the uncoupling of the connection coupling  10 . As a result, any still applying pressure medium can thus flow via the pressure compensation chamber  44  to a ventilation bore  43  which extends parallel to the central fluid passage (through valves  45 ,  35  and  25 ) in the housing part  11   c  of the connection coupling  10 . The ventilation bore  43  opens into a second line  12 ″ which is preferably arranged as a return hose and is enclosed by a housing cap  48  like the feed line  12 ′ in order to be used as a handle for easy handling. The ventilation line  12 ″ and the fluid line  12 ′ which is connected to adapter  14  thus always extend substantially parallel with respect to each other. 
       FIG. 2  shows an enlarged view of switch unit  21 , with a ventilation bore  33  being provided in sleeve  52  for a possible pressure decrease. It is closed off with a filter disk  34 , especially a sintered filter, and lies opposite the ring slide  31  in the axial direction, which slide is movable in the axial direction by means of the eccentric shaft  51  and also axially displaces the inner switch slide  27  by a number of centimeters via bolts  29 , to the extent that this is possible by the length of the axial slots  32 .