Patent Abstract:
The connection according to the invention comprises two connection elements, male and female, which are hollow and complementary. The female connection element and the male connection element are respectively pivoted on a first body and on a second body. The connection comprises means for returning each of the male and female elements towards a median position and/or for limiting the angle of pivoting of each of the male and female elements from this median position. The invention is particularly applicable in the domain of under-water connections.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a connection and to a connection part intended to be assembled with another, complementary connection part in order to form such a connection.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Generally, the parts of a connection respectively comprise a male connection element and a female connection element. The male connection element may be fitted in the female connection element by hand. Particularly when it takes place under the sea, such fit may also result from a mechanical device displacing a support provided with one of the parts of the connection towards another support provided with the other part of the connection. When such is the case, it may happen that the male connection element and the female connection element are not well aligned with respect to each other during fit. This may render such fit difficult and may be translated by the connection being less tight, by a deterioration of at least one of the male and female connection elements and/or by the presence of unnecessary stresses in the connection, in the supports and in the means for mounting the parts of the connection on the supports.  
         [0003]     It is therefore at least one object of the invention to improve the quality of a connection resulting from a fit made by a mechanical device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     To that end, the invention relates to a connection for the flow of a fluid, comprising at least a first body, a second body and two female and male connection elements which are hollow and complementary, this female connection element and this male connection element being respectively pivoted on the first body and on the second body, characterized in that it comprises means for returning each of the male and female elements towards a median position and/or for limiting the angle of pivoting of each of the male and female elements from this median position.  
         [0005]     Advantageous and non-obligatory characteristics of this connection will be apparent in claims  2  to  8 .  
         [0006]     The invention also relates to a part of a connection for the flow of a fluid, intended to be assembled with another connection part in order to form a connection, and comprising: 
        a female or male hollow connection element,     a body defining a passage and bearing the connection element,     means for pivotally mounting the connection element,     an O-ring disposed at the level or in the vicinity of a pivoting zone of the connection element with respect to the body and between the body and the connection element, so that the passage and the connection element are connected tightly, 
 
 characterized in that it comprises elastic means for returning the connection element towards a median position, these elastic return means being at a distance from the pivoting zone. 
       
 
         [0011]     Advantageous and non-obligatory characteristics of this connection part will be apparent in claims  10  to  17 . 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The invention will be more readily understood on reading the following description, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  schematically shows an axial section of a connection according to the invention and assembled; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a section similar to  FIG. 1  and illustrates the assembly of two constituent parts of the connection shown in this  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  schematically shows a connection which is more particularly intended to be used under the sea and which comprises two parts  1  and  101  assembled together. In  FIG. 2 , these parts  1  and  101  are in the course of being assembled.  
         [0016]     Part  1  of the connection comprises a body  2  and a female connection element  3  of axis X-X′, borne by this body  2 .  
         [0017]     Part  2  defines a through passage  4  in a widened end portion  5  of which the female connection element  3  is engaged. At the level of this end portion  5 , the body  2  comprises an inner annular shoulder  6  and defines an inner annular groove  7  in which penetrates a collar  8  of the female connection element  3 . The shoulder  6  and one side  9  of the groove  7  form two stops for the female connection element  3 . These two stops, which face in two opposite directions parallel to axis X-X′, axially retain the female connection element  3  in the body  2  with reduced clearance.  
         [0018]     The female connection element  3  presents a lateral clearance which is reduced and may even be non-existent at the level of a zone  10  of pivoting of this female element  3  on the body  2 .  
         [0019]     At a distance from the pivoting zone  10 , the body  2  defines a lateral stop B for the connection element  3  and thus limits the angle by which this connection element  3  may be pivoted with respect to the body  2 .  
         [0020]     The shoulder  6  and the side  9  of the groove  7  form mounting means thanks to which the female connection element  3  is pivoted on the body  1  so as to be able to oscillate about a median position. Elastic means for returning the female connection element  3  into this median position, which is the one illustrated in  FIG. 2 , are constituted by an annular member  11  made of elastomer which surrounds the female connection element  3 , in the vicinity of the opening of the element  3  and at a distance d from the pivoting zone  10 , and which is compressed between the body  2  and the element  3 . In the example shown, this elastomeric member  11  is an O-ring housed in an inner annular groove  12  of the body  2 .  
         [0021]     At the level of the pivoting zone  10 , the body  2  and the element  3  together define an annular space  13  in which is compressed an annular seal  14 . This latter has the function of ensuring seal of the connection from passage  4  to a through passage  15  that the element  3  defines. In the example shown, it is question of a metallic seal.  
         [0022]     The female connection element  3  contains a valve  16  and a spring  17  for returning this valve  16  towards a position of obturation of the passage  15 . The closure valve  16  bears an O-ring  18  intended to render tight the obturation of the passage  15  by this valve  16 . In  FIG. 2 , the valve  16  is pressed by the spring  17  against an inner seat  19  of the female connection element  3 , so that it obturates is the passage  15 . Towards the free end of the female connection element  3 , the valve  16  terminates in a finger  20 .  
         [0023]     The passage  15  comprises a convergent portion which narrows in the direction of the arrow F 1  shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0024]     At a greater depth than this convergent portion  21  with respect to the opening of the element  3 , the female connection element  3  defines an inner annular groove in which is housed an O-ring  22 .  
         [0025]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are schematic views, particularly in that the body  2  and the connection element  3  are shown therein as each being in one piece. In reality, the body  2  results from the assembly of at least two pieces which are dissociated during the installation of the connection element  3 , so that the collar  8  does not oppose this installation. Similarly, the connection element  3  results from the assembly of two pieces which are dissociated for the installation of the valve  16  and of the spring  17 .  
         [0026]     The constitution of the connection part  101  is generally similar to that of the connection part  1 . A reference used hereinafter for designating an element of the connection part  101  similar or equivalent to a referenced element of the connection part  1  is obtained by increasing by 100 the reference denoting this element on the connection part  1 . In this way are obtained the references of the body  102 , the passage  104 , the groove  107 , the collar  108 , the side  109  forming stop, the pivoting zone  110 , the return member  111 , the annular space  113 , the O-ring  114 , the passage  115 , the closure valve  116 , the spring  117 , the seat  119  and the finger  120  constituting the connection part  101 .  
         [0027]     Reference d′ denotes the distance equivalent to distance d, defined here between the zone  110  and the member  111 .  
         [0028]     Whatever does not distinguish the part of the connection  101  from the part of the connection  1  is not described in the following.  
         [0029]     Reference  103  denotes a male connection element complementary of the female connection element  3 . This element  103  comprises a portion  150  where it progressively thins in the direction of arrow F 1 , i.e. in the direction of its free or front end  103   a.    
         [0030]     The inner surface  106  which forms a stop for the male connection element  103  does not present the shape of a shoulder but of a truncated surface located at the bottom of the widened end portion  105 .  
         [0031]     At the level of the pivoting zone  110 , the outer surface of a portion of the male connection element  103  presents a convex axial section.  
         [0032]     In the vicinity of the free end of the male connection element  103 , the passage  115  comprises a widening  151 . The free end of the finger  120  presents the form of a swell  152  for obturation. In  FIG. 2 , the valve hermetically closes the passage  115  at the level of the seat  119 , while its swell  152  closes this passage  115  at the level of the free end  103   a  of the element  103  in order to prevent pollutants such as mud or sediments from being able to penetrate therein. Through passages  153  are made in the valve  116 , between the O-ring  118  thereof and the spring  117 .  
         [0033]     In  FIG. 2 , an actuation device (not shown) connecting the bodies  2  and  102  and comprising one or more actuators, displaces the connection part  101  in the direction indicated by arrow F 1 , i.e. towards the connection part  1 , of which the body  2  is fixed. The free end of the male connection element  103  has just penetrated in the passage  15  and is located in the widest portion thereof.  
         [0034]     Still in  FIG. 2 , the axis X-X′ of the female connection element  3  and the axis Y-Y′ of the male connection element  103  are offset laterally with respect to each other by a distance d. In other words, there is a poor alignment of the female  3  and male  103  connection elements. Thanks to the return exerted by the elastomeric members  11  and  111 , this misalignment is not accompanied by an inclination of axes X-X′ and Y-Y with respect to each other, which is an advantage.  
         [0035]     After having entered in the passage  15 , the free end of the male connection element  103  encounters the wall defining the convergent portion  21 , this leading to a pivoting of the female  3  and male  103  connection elements which thus come into alignment with respect to each other, by themselves. Thanks to that, the female  3  and male  103  connection elements are not mutually deteriorated during connection thereof, despite their poor alignment at the start.  
         [0036]     After the free end of the male connection element  103  has gone beyond the convergent portion  21 , the free ends of the fingers  20  and  120  meet each other, so that the valves  16  and  16  are mutually actuated towards the positions of opening of the passages  15  and  115 . Once the free end of the male connection element  103  has gone beyond the O-ring  22 , the connector parts  1  and  101  are connected and the displacement of the body  102  in the direction F 1  is stopped, after which the connection is as illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0037]     In this  FIG. 1 , the male connection element  103  is fitted in the female connection element  3 . The swell  152  is located at the level of the widening  151 . The female  3  and male  103  connection elements which are not obturated by the valves  16  and  116 , connect the passages  4  and  104  to each other. Seal of the connection of the female element  3  with the male element  103  is ensured by the O-ring  22 . In accordance with the object of the invention, the quality of the seal is good thanks to the self-alignment of the female  3  and male  103  connection elements, whose pivoting compensates their original misalignment.  
         [0038]     Moreover, this original misalignment is translated only by very weak stresses in the pieces constituting the connection, such as the stresses relative to the compression of the elastomeric return members  11  and  111 . In  FIG. 1 , arrows E represent the flow of a fluid in the connection. Of course, this fluid may flow in the direction opposite that indicated by these arrows.  
         [0039]     The invention is not limited to the embodiment described hereinabove. In particular, during the connection, the connection part  1  may be displaced towards the connection part  101  whose body  102  is in that case fixed.  
         [0040]     Moreover, the two stops  6  and  9  and  106  and  109 , as well as the corresponding parts of the female  3  or male  103  connection element may be truncated and be inscribed in a sphere whose envelope is substantially centred on the point about which this female  3  or male  103  connection element pivots. They may equally well be spherical or merge with this sphere. In either case, the purpose is to facilitate pivoting of the female  3  or male  103  connection element with respect to the body  2  or  102  on which it is mounted.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5