Abstract:
A retaining member ( 10 ) for retaining a tube in a circuit element, includes a carrier portion ( 10; 30 ) from which there extends at least one lateral anchoring member ( 14, 33 ) for anchoring the tube, the carrier portion being substantially in the form of a continuous annulus and presenting an active transverse direction ( 12, 36 ) on which the anchoring member is disposed and an inactive transverse direction ( 15, 37 ) on which the carrier portion does not have anchoring members and presents a smallest outside dimension. A circuit element including such a retaining member is also disclosed.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a member for retaining a tube in an element of a circuit for transporting fluid, and to a corresponding circuit element. Such a circuit element may be a pipe, an element that emits or receives fluid such as a distributor, an actuator, a tank, a solenoid valve, a pump, . . . . 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    There exist distributors that comprise a body possessing two plane opposite side faces and defining ducts having ends that open out from the body between its two side faces and that are fitted with quick-coupling devices for coupling to respective tubes. Such distributors can be assembled on a rail along which they are clipped and positioned side by side via their side faces. In complex fluid transport circuits, a plurality of such rails can be grouped together in cabinets in order to facilitate circuit maintenance. Circuits of increasing complexity incorporate an increasing number of distributors that make it necessary to reduce the width of such distributors (as defined between the side faces of their bodies) in order to reduce the overall size of the cabinets housing them. 
         [0003]    Unfortunately, it can be seen that the width of the body of a distributor is determined by the size of its quick-coupling device. Such a coupling device comprises a tube-retaining member that is generally constituted by an anchor washer or by a clamp. An anchor washer is an elastically deformable washer having an inside circumference subdivided into teeth for anchoring the tube. A clamp is a bushing having one end provided with a collar and an opposite end from which there extend parallel axial slots that define between them deformable arms. Each arm has one end secured to the collar and a free end provided with an inwardly directed rim. Whatever the type of retaining member, it is annular in shape in order to extend all around a zone of the tube, and it possesses an outside diameter that is much greater than that of the tube. It can thus be seen that the overall size of the quick-coupling means in a transverse direction relative to the tube is determined by the transverse dimensions of the retaining member. Unfortunately, these retaining members presently have minimum dimensions that, given their shape, cannot be made any smaller. 
         [0004]    A member is also known from document DE-U-83 22 203 for retaining a tube in a circuit element, the retaining member having a carrier portion from which there extends at least one lateral tube-anchor means. The carrier portion is C-shaped and runs the risk of opening and weakening the action of the anchor means. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It would therefore be advantageous to have a retaining member that presents small transverse size. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    To this end, the invention provides a retaining member for retaining a tube in a circuit element, the retaining member comprising a carrier portion from which there extends at least one lateral anchoring means for anchoring the tube, the carrier portion being substantially in the form of a continuous annulus and presenting an active transverse direction on which the anchoring means is disposed and an inactive transverse direction on which the carrier portion does not have anchoring means and presents a smallest outside dimension. 
         [0007]    As a result, in the inactive direction, the retaining member presents an outside dimension that is smaller than that needed in the active direction to enable the anchor means to act. The circuit element that is to receive such a retaining element presents, in the inactive direction of the retaining member, a transverse dimension that is relatively small. The continuity of the carrier portion enables the anchor means to be engaged on the tube firmly and effectively. 
         [0008]    Thus, the invention also provides a fluid transport circuit element comprising a body that defines a duct and presents a smallest outside dimension in a direction that extends transversely relative to the duct, the body being fitted with a retaining member for retaining a tube in the duct, and the retaining member being mounted on the body of the circuit element in such a manner that the inactive direction of the retaining member is parallel to the smallest-dimension direction of the body of the circuit element. 
         [0009]    Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear on reading the following description of particular, non-limiting embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a circuit element in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of said circuit element; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cutaway fragmentary perspective view of said circuit element; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the retaining member of said circuit element; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a circuit element in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a cutaway and exploded perspective view of said element; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the retaining member of said circuit element; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a variant of the retaining member of the second embodiment of the circuit element; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a longitudinal section view showing a variant of the retaining member of the second embodiment circuit element. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]      FIGS. 1 to 3  show a circuit element given overall reference  1 , such as a distributor, comprising a body  2  that is substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The body  2  has two plane, parallel side faces  3 , and a top face  4 . The body  2  defines a duct  5  that opens out perpendicularly in a notch  6  formed in the body  2  from its top face  4 . The side faces  3  are spaced apart by a distance (as measured in the direction  7  constituting the width of the circuit element  1 ) that forms the smallest dimension of the body  2  transversely relative to the duct  5 . 
         [0021]    The notch  6  receives a device given overall reference  8  for quick-coupling a tube (not shown in the figures) to the duct  5 . 
         [0022]    With reference also to  FIG. 4 , the coupling device  8  comprises a keeper given overall reference  9 , made from stamped sheet metal possessing a central web  10  from which there extend perpendicularly two opposite side flanges  11 . The central web  10  comprises two circularly arcuate portions  10 . 1  that are opposite each other in a direction  12  and two parallel rectilinear portions  10 . 2  uniting the circularly arcuate portions  10 . 1 . The portions  10 . 1  and  10 . 2  define an opening  13  having teeth  14  projecting therein from the circularly arcuate portions  10 . 1 . The central web  10  thus forms a portion carrying the teeth  14  and presents a cross-section of continuous annular shape. The teeth  14  are arranged to bite into the outside surface of the tube that is to be coupled to the duct  5 . The continuity of the central web  10 , which thus resists deformation relatively strongly, enables the teeth  14  to be pressed hard against the wall of the tube, thereby facilitating penetration of the teeth  14  therein. The teeth  14  are disposed in two diametrically opposite groups bunched together around the direction  12  to define a through section smaller than the section of the tube. The direction  12  is referred to as the active anchoring direction. The rectilinear portions  10 . 2  are spaced apart by a distance in the direction  15  that is substantially equal to the outside diameter of the tube, whereas the circularly arcuate portions are spaced apart by a distance that is slightly smaller than the sum of the outside diameter of the tube plus twice the length of the teeth  14 . The keeper  9  presents a smaller outside dimension in the inactive anchoring direction  15 . This smaller outside dimension is substantially equal to the thickness defined between the side faces  3 . 
         [0023]    The side flanges  11  are connected to the central web  10  via curved tabs  16  that extend in line with the rectilinear portions  10 . 2  so as to avoid interfering with deformation of the circularly arcuate portions  10 . 1  while a tube is being introduced. Anchor teeth  17  are cut out in the side flanges  11  to project outwards therefrom so as to bite the flanks of the notch  6  so as to ensure that the keeper  9  is retained in the notch  6  in such a manner that the central web  10  of the keeper  9  is located at the outlet of the duct  5  in the notch  6 . 
         [0024]    The keeper  9  slidably receives a pusher  18  defining a channel for receiving the tube for coupling to the duct  5  and possessing two opposite side faces  19  for slidably co-operating with the side flanges  11  of the keeper. A stud  20  projects from each of the side faces  19  of the pusher  18  to be slidably received in a slot  21  formed in the corresponding side flange  11 . The slot  21  extends parallel to the central axis of the opening  13  so as to retain the pusher  18  on the keeper  9  and guide the sliding of the pusher  18  between a connection position in which the pusher  18  bears lightly against the teeth  14  (the teeth  14  tending to urge the pusher  18  into the connection position) and a disconnection position in which the pusher  18  is pushed in so as to lift the teeth  14  and thereby increase the through section they define. 
         [0025]    The coupling device also includes an annular sealing element  22  that possesses an inside diameter slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the tube and that is received in an end setback  5 . 1  in the duct  5 . The central portion  10  holds the annular sealing element  22  in the end setback  5 . 1 . 
         [0026]    When the tube is engaged in the pusher  18  while it is in the connection position, and then in the opening  13 , the sealing element  22 , and then the duct  5 , the teeth  14  bite into the outside surface of the tube, and the central web  10  forms a member for retaining the tube in the duct  5 . 
         [0027]    To disconnect the tube, the pusher  18  is pushed into the disconnection position, thereby moving the free ends of the teeth  14  to disengage them from the tube so that the tube can be extracted. 
         [0028]    Elements that are identical or analogous to those described above are given the same numerical references in the description below of the second embodiment. 
         [0029]    In this embodiment, the end setback  5 . 1  receiving the annular sealing element  22  opens out into a first housing  23  that in turn opens out to the top face  4  via a second housing  24 . 
         [0030]    The housing  24  is defined by two walls  25  in the form of portions of a cylinder that are connected to the housing  23  via coupling surface  26  forming portions of a truncated cone. A stud  27  projects from each of the walls  25 . The housing  24  slidably receives a retaining member given overall reference  28 . 
         [0031]    In this embodiment, the retaining member  28  comprises a tubular portion  29 , of outside diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the walls  25 , having a first end projecting out from the body  2  and a second end projecting into the housing  23 . The first end has a collar  30  of cross-section that is substantially in the shape of a continuous annulus. Two wide gaps  31  extend axially in the tubular portion from the second end to form two diametrically opposite arms  32 , each having one end connected to the collar  30  and an opposite end that is free. The collar  30  forms a portion that carries the arms  32 . The free end is provided with an inwardly-projecting rim  33  and with an outer frustoconical surface  34  that tapers towards the collar  30  to co-operate with the coupling surfaces  26 . The rims  33  define a through section that is slightly smaller than that of the tube. In each arm  32  there is formed an axial slot for receiving the corresponding stud  27 . The width of the arms  32  is less than the thickness of the body  2 . The arms  32  are disposed on the transverse direction  36  that forms the active anchoring direction of the retaining member  28 , the inactive anchoring direction  37  being the transverse direction that is perpendicular to the active anchoring direction  36 . It should be observed that the collar  30  possesses two opposite flats perpendicular to the inactive anchoring direction  37  such that the collar  30  is shorter in the inactive anchoring direction  36 . 
         [0032]    The housing  23  also opens out into the side faces  3  and receives a keeper  35  in the form of metal sheets pierced by an opening for passing the tube, serving to retain the annular sealing element  22  in the end setback  5 . 1 . 
         [0033]    When the tube is engaged in the retaining member  28  while in the connection position, and then in the keeper  35 , the sealing element  22 , and then the duct  5 , the rims  33  bite into the outside surface of the tube. When the circuit in which the circuit element  1  is incorporated is put under pressure, the tube moves back a little, taking the retaining member  28  with it. The outer frustoconical surfaces  24  slide over the coupling surface  26 , thereby urging the arms  32  towards each other and increasing the clamping exerted thereby on the tube. 
         [0034]    To disconnect the tube, the retaining member  28  is pushed in by pressing on the collar  30  in such a manner that the arms cease clamping the tube. The tube can then be extracted. 
         [0035]    Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and variant embodiments can be provided without going beyond the ambit of the invention as defined by the claims. 
         [0036]    In the first embodiments the teeth may themselves be deformable, or they may behave like rigid blades capable of tilting about the circularly arcuate portions  10 . 1 , providing the circularly arcuate portions  10 . 1  are sufficiently flexible. The teeth may also be secured to the flanges  11  or more generally to a rigid portion. The teeth may also be of some other shape, e.g. defined between side edges that are parallel or that converge towards their free ends. 
         [0037]    In a variant, the number of anchoring means may be different. The washer need have only one tooth (see  FIG. 8 ), and similarly the tubular retaining member need have only one arm (see  FIG. 9 ).