Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a multi-connector device comprising a main body provided with seats which completely house female connectors with a flat-faced mouth accessible from a coupling side of this main body. The coupling side of the multi-connector device, the mouth of the connectors and the relative disconnection means form a substantially flat surface and do not allow to act on the connectors from the coupling side, so that the connectors are inserted into the main body from the side opposite the coupling side, without the disconnection means, and blocked on this opposite side with fastening elements, after which the disconnection means are firmly fixed to the connectors in a substantially irreversible manner. However, this arrangement increases the overall dimensions of the multi-connector device and makes it more difficult to mount and above all remove the connectors, since the side opposite the coupling side is provided with hydraulic and/or electrical lines that limit accessibility to the connectors.

<CIT> discloses a connector according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

<CIT> discloses a chuck device for a power tool including a follower rotatably and slidably received in a tube and coupled to and driven by a power tool and having a hole for receiving a driving stem. One or more balls are slidably received in the follower and may be forced inward of the follower to engage with the driving stem for allowing the driving stem to be driven by the follower. The balls may be disengaged from the driving stem when the ball is received in the annular recess of the tube for preventing the driving stem from being over-driven by the power tool.

The object of the present description is therefore to provide a multi-connector device free from such drawbacks. Said object is achieved with a connector, a multi-connector device and a tool, the main characteristics of which are specified in the attached claims, to be considered an integral part of the present description.

Thanks to the particular threads formed around the connector and its seat in the multi-connector device, the connector does not require fastening elements that protrude from the multi-connector device and can be fixed in its seat or removed from it in a simple and fast way, especially if the particular tool according to the present description is used.

Said tool indeed exploits the movable spheres of the connector to be coupled with it and thus transmit the torque necessary to unscrew or screw the connector. With this arrangement, the tool can be coupled with the connector by penetrating its mouth, so as not to have to alter the substantially flat surface of the coupling side of the multi-connector device, especially if the connector is a female connector with a flat-face mouth and/or is provided with disconnection means arranged around this mouth.

The connector is preferably provided with a particular fitting which allows the hydraulic line between the connector and the multi-connector device to be automatically created during the mounting of the connector, especially if the multi-connector device is already prepared with a mouth complementary to the mouth of the fitting.

The tool is preferably provided with a particular collar and/or a particular axial cavity, which improve the mechanical coupling with the connector.

Further advantages and characteristics of the connector, of the multi-connector device and of the tool will become evident to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of some of their embodiments, to be considered non-limiting examples of the claims, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the multi-connector device <NUM> comprises at least one main body <NUM> provided with one or more seats suitable for housing at least partially, in particular completely, at least one connector <NUM>. The connectors <NUM> housed in the seats of the main body <NUM> are arranged with the longitudinal axes substantially parallel to each other and are provided with at least one opening accessible from at least one coupling side 2a (upper side in the figure) of the main body <NUM>. The seats of the main body <NUM> for the connectors <NUM> open therefore at least towards the coupling side 2a. The coupling side 2a preferably has a surface which is substantially flat and/or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes (vertical in the figure) of the connectors <NUM>, so that the mouth of the connectors <NUM> is substantially flush with this surface. The main body <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM> can be connected in a fixed or removable way to a vehicle or another machine. When the connectors <NUM> are not coupled with complementary connectors, the coupling side 2a can be covered by a cover <NUM> which is pivoted to the main body <NUM>. One or more cams <NUM> can be pivoted on one or more sides of the main body <NUM> and can comprise at least one eccentric groove <NUM> with an open end 6a. The cams <NUM> are connected to each other, for example by at least one bar <NUM> which can be provided with a handle <NUM>, to rotate together between a locked position (shown in the figure) and an unlocked position (rotated about <NUM>° in the direction of the arrow) of the multi-connector device <NUM>. The main body <NUM> can also comprise seats for one or more disconnection means <NUM>, in particular pushers, which can be housed in the main body <NUM> (as in the figure) and can extend from the coupling side 2a of the main body <NUM> when a connector <NUM> is coupled with a single complementary connector. The main body <NUM> can also comprise one or more cavities <NUM> which are open towards the coupling side 2a and extend along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the connectors <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a second multi-connector device <NUM> which is suitable to be coupled with the multi-connector device <NUM> and which comprises at least one main body <NUM> provided with one or more seats suitable for housing at least partially one or more connectors <NUM> complementary to the connectors <NUM>, so that one or more pairs of connectors <NUM>, <NUM> of the multi-connector devices <NUM>, <NUM> can connect one or more pairs of hydraulic lines to each other. The connectors <NUM> are arranged with the longitudinal axes (vertical in the figure) substantially parallel to each other and can protrude from a coupling side 12a (lower side in the figure) of the main body <NUM>. The coupling side 12a preferably has a surface which is substantially flat and/or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the connectors <NUM>. The main body <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM> can be connected in a fixed or removable way to a utility to be connected to said vehicle or machine. One or more followers <NUM> can protrude from one or more sides of the main body <NUM> to enter through the open end 6a of the eccentric grooves <NUM> of the cams <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM> and slide along these grooves, so that by rotating the handle <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM> from the unlocked position to the locked position, the multi-connector device <NUM> is pulled by the cams <NUM> and by the followers <NUM> to obtain the mutual approach of the two coupling sides 2a, 12a of the main bodies <NUM>, <NUM> and then the connection of the connectors <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM> with the corresponding connectors <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM>, and vice versa by rotating the handle <NUM> in the opposite direction. One or more pins <NUM> can protrude from the coupling side 12a of the main body <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM> to enter the cavities <NUM> of the main body <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM>, so as to guide the coupling and uncoupling movements (indicated by the arrows) of the multi-connector device <NUM> with the multi-connector device <NUM>.

The connectors <NUM> are provided with connection means necessary to allow the coupling with single connectors. In particular, at least one of the connectors <NUM> is a female connector with a flat-faced mouth which can be opened when the mouth of a male connector <NUM> is inserted into the mouth of the female connector.

As shown in <FIG>, at least one connector <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM> comprises at least one tubular body <NUM>, in particular having a substantially cylindrical symmetry with respect to a longitudinal axis (vertical in <FIG>) of the connector <NUM>. The tubular body <NUM> can be formed by one or more parts joined together, in particular joined in a coaxial manner. The tubular body <NUM> can be provided with a series of radial openings <NUM> which partially house a plurality of spheres <NUM>, for example twelve in number, arranged along a circumference of the tubular body <NUM>. At least one ring <NUM>, in particular having a substantially cylindrical symmetry with respect to a longitudinal axis of the connector <NUM>, can be arranged around the tubular body <NUM> to cooperate with the spheres <NUM> and be urged axially by at least one spring <NUM> which acts between the ring <NUM> and the tubular body <NUM>. The spheres <NUM> in the radial openings <NUM> of the tubular body <NUM> can move in a radial direction between an extended position (shown in the figure), in which they protrude outside the tubular body <NUM>, and a retracted position, in which they protrude towards the inside of the tubular body <NUM> The radial movement of the spheres <NUM> in the radial openings <NUM> therefore depends on the position of the ring <NUM>, and vice versa. In particular, the upper edge of the ring <NUM> can be freed by the movement of the spheres <NUM> towards the inside of the tubular body <NUM> or the ring <NUM> can allow the spheres <NUM> to move towards the outside of the tubular body <NUM> if the ring <NUM> is pressed against the thrust of the spring <NUM>. The tubular body <NUM>, the spheres <NUM> and the ring <NUM> with the spring <NUM> belong to connection means which allow the connector <NUM> to be connected and to stably hold also a single connector, i.e. a connector not mounted on a multi-connector device. At least one annular relief <NUM> can be arranged around the mouth <NUM> of the tubular body <NUM> to prevent the ring <NUM> from separating from the tubular body <NUM>.

At least one thread 31a is formed around the tubular body <NUM> of the connector <NUM> and is open from the side opposite the mouth <NUM> of the connector <NUM>, so that the connector <NUM> can be screwed into a corresponding threaded seat in a direction D facing the side opposite the mouth <NUM>.

The disconnection means <NUM> of the connector <NUM> can comprise a pusher provided with an annular body <NUM> joined to a radial protuberance <NUM>. The annular body <NUM> is joined in a rotatable manner around the ring <NUM>, so that the disconnection means <NUM> are axially fastened to the ring <NUM> but can rotate with respect to it around its longitudinal axis. For this purpose, the annular body <NUM> is provided with at least one protuberance <NUM> arranged in at least one annular groove <NUM> of the ring <NUM>, as in the present embodiment, or vice versa.

At least one fitting <NUM> can be joined to the tubular body <NUM> from the side opposite the mouth <NUM> of the connector <NUM>, so that the tubular body <NUM> is arranged between the mouth <NUM> and the fitting <NUM>. In particular, the fitting <NUM> is screwed by means of an external thread in a corresponding internal thread of the tubular body <NUM>, or vice versa. The fitting <NUM> comprises at least one mouth <NUM>, preferably provided with at least one annular gasket <NUM>, suitable to be coupled with the mouth of an external duct (not shown in the figures) of a hydraulic line. The fitting <NUM> is entirely contained in an ideal cylinder having a diameter C equal to the external diameter of the thread 31a.

The coupling means of the connector <NUM> can also comprise a coupling mechanism <NUM>, for example of a known type as in the present embodiment, which is arranged in the tubular body <NUM> and which helps to achieve the coupling between the connectors <NUM> and <NUM>, as well as other accessory functions, such as for example opening and closing the mouth <NUM> by means of movable shutters <NUM>, <NUM> which form the flat face of the connector <NUM> together with the mouth <NUM> and the disconnection means <NUM>, if present.

As shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of the tool <NUM> comprises a head <NUM> suitable to be mechanically coupled with a utensil to impart a torque to the tool <NUM>. The head <NUM> in particular has a prismatic shape, for example with a substantially regular hexagonal section, in order to be mechanically coupled with a torque wrench. The head <NUM> of the tool <NUM> is mechanically connected, for example by means of a collar <NUM>, to a shank <NUM> substantially coaxial with the head <NUM> and/or with the collar <NUM>. The shank <NUM> is suitable to penetrate at least partially into the mouth <NUM> of the connector <NUM> in a substantially coaxial manner with respect to the tubular body <NUM>. The head <NUM>, the collar <NUM> and the shank <NUM> are preferably made in a single piece, for example of metal. A plurality of radial seats <NUM>, for example twelve in number, which are arranged along a circumference and are suitable to partially house a corresponding plurality of spheres, in particular the spheres <NUM> of the connector <NUM>, are made outside the shank <NUM>. Preferably, the collar <NUM> protrudes radially with respect to the shank <NUM> and/or the shank <NUM> has a substantially cylindrical shape and/or the radial seats <NUM> have a concave shape, for example of a spherical, cylindrical or conical cap. At least the shank <NUM> of the tool <NUM>, in particular the shank <NUM>, the collar <NUM> and a portion of the head <NUM>, preferably has an axial cavity <NUM> suitable to house at least partially parts of the connector <NUM>, in particular parts of the coupling mechanism <NUM>, such as the movable shutter <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in a first step of mounting the connector <NUM> into the multi-connector device <NUM>, the shank <NUM> of the tool <NUM> is inserted into the mouth <NUM> of the connector <NUM> until the collar <NUM> comes into contact with the mouth <NUM>. The distance between the collar <NUM> and the radial seats <NUM> of the shank <NUM> of the tool <NUM> is substantially equal to the distance of the spheres <NUM> from the mouth <NUM> of the connector <NUM>, so that the spheres <NUM> penetrate into the radial seats <NUM> if they are already aligned with each other or if the tool <NUM> is rotated about its longitudinal axis. When the spheres <NUM> of the connector <NUM> protrude into the radial seats <NUM> of the tool <NUM>, the ring <NUM> is released and pushed by the spring <NUM> towards the mouth <NUM> in the direction of the arrow together with the disconnection means <NUM>, so that the tool <NUM> remains fixed in the connector <NUM>, with the spheres <NUM> and the ring <NUM> preventing relative axial or rotational movements of the tool <NUM> with respect to the connector <NUM>. The coupling mechanism <NUM> of the connector <NUM> is partially arranged in the axial cavity <NUM> of the tool <NUM>. The free end of the stem <NUM> presses the movable shutter <NUM>, moving it away from the mouth <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in a second step of mounting the connector <NUM> in the multi-connector device <NUM>, the connector <NUM> is inserted in the direction D from the coupling side 2a into the seat 2b of the main body <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM> and screwed into the seat 2b in the direction of the arrow in the figure. For this purpose, at least one seat 2b of the main body <NUM> is provided with a thread 2c, as in the present embodiment, or with an element with a thread, which thread is open towards the coupling side 2a and is complementary to the thread 31a of the tubular body <NUM> of the connector <NUM>. During the insertion of the connector <NUM> in the seat 2b of the main body <NUM>, the disconnection means <NUM> are joined to the connector <NUM> and enter at least one seat 2d which is obtained in the coupling side 2a of the main body <NUM> around the seat 2b for connector <NUM>. The seat 2d for the disconnection means <NUM> preferably has an internal profile substantially complementary to the external profile of the disconnection means <NUM>, so that, while the connector <NUM> is screwed, the ring <NUM> rotates with respect to the disconnection means <NUM>, which slide axially in the seat 2d without rotating. During the insertion of the connector <NUM> into the seat of the main body <NUM>, the mouth <NUM> of the fitting <NUM> is coupled with the mouth 2e of a duct which is obtained in the seat 2b of the main body <NUM>, or is fixed to the latter, from the side opposite the coupling side 2a to create a hydraulic line with the connector <NUM>. When the connector <NUM> is screwed into the seat 2b, the tool <NUM> can be disconnected from the connector <NUM> by activating the disconnection means <NUM>, in particular by pressing the radial protuberance <NUM> into the seat 2d of the main body <NUM>, so that the ring <NUM> is pushed towards the tubular body <NUM> and the spheres <NUM> can be radially removed from the radial seats <NUM> of the tool <NUM>, by pulling the tool <NUM> towards the outside.

As shown in <FIG>, after the connector <NUM> is fixed in the multi-connector device <NUM>, a complementary connector <NUM>, for example a single male connector according to ISO <NUM>, can be coupled with the connector <NUM> in the direction D from the coupling side 2a in the seat 2b of the main body <NUM>, until the spheres <NUM> of the connector <NUM> snap into an annular groove <NUM> of the complementary connector <NUM>, so that the latter is axially locked with respect to the connector <NUM> but can rotate coaxially with respect to the latter.

The disconnection means <NUM> can then be operated to release the complementary connector <NUM>.

When the multi-connector device <NUM> is instead coupled with a complementary multi-connector device, in particular the multi-connector device <NUM>, the connectors of this multi-connector device can be without an annular groove, since the fixing between the two multi-connector devices <NUM>, <NUM> is made for example by means of the cams <NUM> and the followers <NUM> or other fastening mechanisms, whereby the disconnection means <NUM> of the connectors <NUM> remain in their seats 2d of the main body <NUM> of the multi-connector device <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Connector (<NUM>) comprising at least one tubular body (<NUM>) provided with at least one mouth (<NUM>) suitable to be coupled with a complementary connector (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the tubular body (<NUM>) is also provided with a series of radial openings (<NUM>) which partially house a plurality of spheres (<NUM>) arranged along a circumference of the tubular body (<NUM>), wherein the spheres (<NUM>) cooperate with connection means (<NUM>, <NUM>) to move in a radial direction of the tubular body (<NUM>) between an extended position, in which they protrude towards the outside of the tubular body (<NUM>), and a retracted position, in which they protrude towards the inside of the tubular body (<NUM>), wherein a thread (31a) is formed around the tubular body (<NUM>) or around an element integral with the tubular body (<NUM>), wherein the thread (31a) is open from the side opposite the mouth (<NUM>) of the connector (<NUM>), so that the connector (<NUM>) can be screwed into a corresponding threaded seat in a direction (D) facing the side opposite the mouth (<NUM>), wherein said connection means (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprise at least one ring (<NUM>) arranged around the tubular body (<NUM>) to cooperate with the spheres (<NUM>) and be urged axially by at least one spring (<NUM>) which acts between the ring (<NUM>) and the tubular body (<NUM>), characterized in that disconnection means (<NUM>) are axially fastened to the ring (<NUM>) and can rotate with respect to the ring (<NUM>) around its longitudinal axis.