Patent Description:
Quick connectors or snap connectors are utilised in a wide range of applications, particularly to join fluid carrying conduits in automotive and industrial applications. A hose made from a flexible polymer material needs to be connected quickly and with a reliable seal to a spigot. The hose forms the female portion and the spigot forms the male portion of the fluid connection, whereas the connector assembly should be able to realise a quick and fully sealing connection of the two portions in a snap-fit action.

Conventional snap connectors have a first retainer portion for receiving the male spigot (in the following also referred to as nipple or pipe socket) and a second retainer portion for engaging with the female hose. Both retainer portions need to be provided with sealing means such as O-rings at different positions to form a seal with the spigot and the hose, respectively. In other words, each retainer portion forms a sealing position and each sealing position represents a potential leak part. Further, the conventional snap connectors require considerable mounting space in the axial direction and have an overall diameter which is considerably larger than that of the hose. This is of particular disadvantage in automotive applications in the field of e-mobility where mounting space for battery packs and the corresponding cooling circuits are critical issues.

<CIT> discloses a pipe joining construction with the features in the preamble of present claim <NUM>. Other conventional connector assemblies are described in <CIT> and <CIT>.

The object of the present invention is to address the above drawbacks of conventional snap connectors and provide a compact connector assembly with a minimum number of components and potential leak parts, in particular with only one sealing position. Further, smaller outer dimensions in both the radial and the axial direction of the hose-spigot-system in its connected state are desirable.

The above object is met by the connector assembly system defined in claim <NUM>. The dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments. A corresponding method is defined in independent claim <NUM>.

Unlike any connector assembly in the prior art, the connector assembly of the present invention arranges the first and second retaining members spaced-apart from each other in the axial direction so that one sealing element can be axially interposed and thus form a seal directly between the hose and the spigot. In other words, the first and second retaining members are tubular members which are coaxially arranged with an axial gap forming a single sealing position in which the sealing element can be sandwiched. Thereby, no second sealing position/element is required anymore.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first and second retaining members and the sealing element are provided as at least three separate parts. However, it is also possible to form the at least three parts interconnected with each other (e.g. by a moulding process from appropriate synthetic materials) as long as the first and second retaining members do not overlap with each other in the axial direction. All parts of the connector assembly are preferably made from plastic materials, in particular polyamides (PA) or thermoplastic elastomers (TPE).

Preferably, the second retaining member is fully inserted into the hose and the first retaining member is inserted into the hose up to a first flange which serves as a first abutment portion. The sealing element is for example an O-ring, an X-seal or a lip seal which is disposed axially between the first and second retaining members. Thereafter, the pipe socket is fully pushed through the first retaining member, the sealing element and then inserted into the second retaining member up to a second flange which serves as a second abutment portion provided at the distal (i.e. frontward) end thereof.

Due to the fact that the outer diameter of the pipe socket is larger than the inner diameter of the O-ring in its unexpanded state, the O-ring is widened in the radial direction so that its outer diameter contacts the inner diameter of the hose to form a seal. Furthermore, since the first and second retaining members are arranged almost completely within the hose, the overall axial extension of the hose-spigot-system in its connected state increases only slightly. Also, the radial size increases only as far as the flexible polymer material of the hose widens due to the insertion of the first and second members. In other words, the connector assembly is almost fully integrated into the hose so that the system in its connected state is more compact than in the prior art. In summary, the present snap connection requires less mounting space in both the axial and the radial direction of the hose.

In order to provide a reliable connection between the hose and the first and second retaining members both said members comprise a tightening portion with one or more angular ridges. These ridges have a sawtooth crosssection and allow a smooth insertion of the first and second retaining members into the hose but provide a high friction when trying to pull the members out of the hose in the opposite direction. Additionally, the second member may comprise a plurality of radial protrusions or barbs provided on the outer surface at circumferentially spaced positions for further enlarging the pull-out friction and additionally prohibiting any rotational movement of the hose relative to the second member. This allows a reliable connection between the hose and the first and second members in use when the hose may conduct a fluid under high pressure. Additionally, the connection may be secured by one or more outer hose clamps around the outer circumference of the hose.

According to the present invention, the first retaining member has a tapered end portion which is flexibly deformable in the radial direction. According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tapered end portion can snap into a corresponding recessed portion close to the distal end of the pipe socket. This allows a snap engagement between the first retaining member and the pipe socket accompanied by a typical clicking sound which indicates the correct and full insertion of the pipe socket into the connector assembly placed within the hose.

A detailed embodiment will now be described with reference to the drawings. Therein shows:.

<FIG> shows the hose end <NUM> to be connected to the pipe socket <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The hose end <NUM> snuggly fits onto the outer surface of the first and second members <NUM>, <NUM> so that its outer contour resembles that of the first and second members <NUM>, <NUM>. Only the flange portion <NUM> of the first member <NUM> remains outside the hose <NUM> and is shown on the leftmost side of <FIG>. The details can best be seen and understood from the sectional views in <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> shows a connector assembly substantially consisting of three parts, the first retaining member <NUM> to be engaged with the hose <NUM> and the pipe socket <NUM>, the second retaining member <NUM> to be engaged with the hose <NUM>, and the sealing element in form of an O-ring <NUM> which is axially interposed between the first and second members <NUM>, <NUM> and adapted to form a seal between the outer surface of the pipe socket <NUM> and the inner surface of the hose <NUM>.

The first retaining member <NUM> has a first flange portion <NUM> which has substantially the same outer diameter as the hose <NUM> so that the hose <NUM> abuts against this portion <NUM> when the first member <NUM> is inserted into the hose <NUM>. Adjacent to this first flange portion <NUM>, the first member <NUM> continues with a region which has the same inner diameter but a smaller outer diameter than the first flange portion <NUM> and then continues with a first tightening portion <NUM> having a plurality of ridges <NUM> which allow a tight connection between the inner surface of the hose <NUM> and the outer surface of the tightening portion <NUM>. Adjacent thereto in the distal (i.e. frontward) direction of the first member <NUM> is a tapered end portion <NUM> at which both the inner and outer diameter of the first member <NUM> gradually decrease.

The tapered end portion <NUM> further has a plurality of axial slits <NUM> which provide the end portion <NUM> with sufficient radial flexibility to be deformed to such an extent that a pipe socket <NUM> having a larger outer diameter than the tapered end portion <NUM> at its most frontward or distal end can be fully inserted through the first member <NUM>.

The second retaining member <NUM> is shown in <FIG> in a fully inserted position within the hose <NUM>. It has a second tightening portion <NUM> and a second flange portion <NUM>. The second tightening portion <NUM> includes at least one angular ridge <NUM> which prevents the second member <NUM> to be pulled out from the hose <NUM> in the direction opposite to the direction of insertion. Additionally, the second tightening portion <NUM> includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions or barbs <NUM> which not only increase the friction between the hose <NUM> and the second member <NUM> in the axial direction but also prevent any rotational movement of the second member <NUM> relative to the hose <NUM>. The second flange portion <NUM> is located at the most frontward end of the connector assembly and has a reduced inner diameter which serves as an abutment for the pipe socket <NUM> when inserted as shown and described in <FIG> below.

Interposed between the first and second retaining members <NUM>, <NUM> is the sealing element <NUM> in the form of an O-ring of a suitable polymer material. The O-ring <NUM> is sandwiched between the first and second retaining members <NUM>, <NUM> and elastically deformable to an extent that allows it to form a seal with both the pipe socket <NUM> and the hose <NUM> when press-fitted in the system configuration shown in <FIG> below.

There may be a cylindrical plug (not shown) for holding the three parts of the connector assembly together until the connector is finally used to connect the hose <NUM> with the pipe <NUM>. The multi-part connector assembly of the present invention is produced, packaged and delivered so that the plug extends through the central through-bore formed by the first and second retaining members <NUM>, <NUM> and the interposed O-ring <NUM>. The plug holds the three components in their correct positions and forms a cover seal for the hose opening. The plug may even remain within the connector assembly when the connector assembly is inserted into the hose <NUM> in a first connecting step of the present invention. This allows easy and correct positioning of the connector assembly within the hose <NUM>. As the second connection step, the plug is pulled out and replaced by the pipe socket <NUM>, which generally has the same outer dimension as the plug.

The concept of the plug is described in greater detail in the co-pending international PCT application filed for the same applicant at the same day as the present application and entitled "connector".

The sectional view of <FIG> is of the same type as that of <FIG> except that the pipe socket or nipple <NUM> is additionally inserted from the left side. As can best be seen in <FIG>, the pipe socket <NUM> has a recessed portion <NUM> in which the outer diameter gradually decreases in a wedge shape. Distally beyond the recessed portion <NUM> the pipe socket <NUM> forms a step to an end portion <NUM> which has again a larger outer diameter, preferably the same as the part proximal to the recessed portion <NUM> and referred to as the general outer diameter of the pipe socket <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the recessed portion <NUM> engages with the tapered end portion <NUM> of the first member <NUM> so that the pipe socket <NUM> is locked into the first member <NUM> after having reached the position shown in <FIG>. This locking position is reached by inserting the pipe socket <NUM> into the connector assembly in the direction motivated by the arrangement of <FIG>. The distal or frontward end portion <NUM> of the pipe socket <NUM> has a larger diameter than the tapered end portion <NUM> provided at the distal end of the first member <NUM>. However due to the radial deformability of the tapered end portion <NUM> achieved by the axial slits <NUM>, the frontward end portion <NUM> of the pipe socket <NUM> can nevertheless be smoothly inserted through the first member <NUM> and into the second member <NUM> until it reaches the second flange portion <NUM> thereof. At this position, the recessed portion <NUM> reaches the tapered end portion <NUM> of the first member and the slits <NUM> relax into their original shape thereby reaching the locked state shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> shows once more the connector assembly of the present invention consisting of three separate parts in form of the first retaining member <NUM>, the second retaining member <NUM> and the sealing element <NUM> located in an axial space between these two members <NUM>, <NUM>. The separation of the connector assembly into three separate parts without any overlap in the axial direction allows the connector assembly of the present invention to achieve a fully sealed snap coupling between the hose <NUM> and the pipe socket <NUM> with the minimum number of potential leaking parts and components, in particular with only a single sealing element in form of the O-ring <NUM>. Further, the connector assembly increases the radial and axial dimensions of the connected hose-spigot-system only marginally.

It is noted that the connector assembly has been shown and described in its simplest form with two retaining members <NUM>, <NUM> and one single O-ring <NUM>. However, it can also be comprised of three or more retaining member components and two or more sealing elements, for example two O-rings at the sealing position defined by the axial gap between the two retaining members <NUM>, <NUM>, in particular one O-ring optimised for forming a seal at hot temperatures and one O-ring optimised for forming a seal at cold temperatures.

Claim 1:
A system having a hose (<NUM>), a pipe socket (<NUM>), and a connector assembly comprising:
a first retaining member (<NUM>) adapted to be engaged with the pipe socket (<NUM>) and the hose (<NUM>),
a second retaining member (<NUM>) adapted to be engaged with the pipe socket (<NUM>) and the hose (<NUM>), and
a sealing element (<NUM>),
wherein the first and second retaining members (<NUM>, <NUM>) are arranged spaced-apart along an axial direction of the connector assembly sandwiching the sealing element (<NUM>) axially interposed between,
characterised in that
the first retaining member (<NUM>) has a tapered end portion (<NUM>),
the tapered end portion (<NUM>) is adapted to be flexibly deformed in a radial direction of the hose (<NUM>), and
the inner diameter of the tapered end portion (<NUM>) is smaller than the outer diameter of a frontward end portion (<NUM>) of the pipe socket (<NUM>).