Connector and assembly method for connector

Abstract

A connector and an assembly method for a connector are provided. The connector includes: a connector head; a connector main body detachably assembled to the connector head to form a cavity; and a retainer detachably attached to the connector head and configured to retain a plug, which is completely inserted into the cavity, in the cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of machinery, and in particular to a connector and an assembling method for the connector. Background Art

[0002] Connectors can be used in applications where fluids (e.g., fuel, natural gas, water, etc.) are transported. Multiple fluid pipelines of limited length and / or specific orientation can be connected via connectors. For example, a fluid pipeline can be arranged at one end of a connector, and another fluid pipeline can be connected to the connector via a connector. The connector can be inserted into a receiving chamber of the connector and positioned in a fixed manner in the receiving chamber. Thus, by repeating the above process multiple times using various fluid pipelines and connectors, a pipeline collection that meets a specific fluid transport purpose can be obtained.

[0003] In order to meet the requirements of fluid delivery in different scenarios, it is usually necessary to manufacture the end portion of the connector (also called the connector tail or connector body) with different bending angles and / or different numbers of passages. For a one-piece connector, the special structure of the connector tail increases the difficulty and cost of manufacturing the connector. In addition, once one end of the connector (for example, the connector head or connector body) is damaged, the entire connector needs to be replaced, which also brings inconvenience to the maintenance and operation of the fluid delivery network. Summary of the invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the related art and to provide a connector which allows modular assembly.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a connector, which comprises a connector head, a connector body detachably assembled to the connector head to form a cavity, and a retainer detachably attached to the connector head and configured to retain a plug completely inserted into the cavity in the cavity.

[0006] As is consistent with the related art, on average, the connector head may be shorter in length relative to the connector body and / or the connector head may have a relatively larger cross-sectional area in a radial plane relative to the connector body.

[0007] According to the connector disclosed herein, the connector head can be separated from the connector body, thereby significantly reducing the manufacturing cost and / or manufacturing difficulty of the connector that was originally integrally formed. Conventionally, connectors have been manufactured as one-piece, which can be difficult due to the complexity of the required processing. However, by separating the connector head and the connector body and manufacturing them independently, the processing difficulty can be reduced, and the scrap rate of the molded parts can be reduced, thereby improving the overall yield and efficiency of the manufacturing process. This separation can achieve a more efficient and cost-effective manufacturing process, which can benefit both manufacturers and consumers.

[0008] With the connector head and the connector body fixed to each other (e.g., via a connector), a retainer can be attached to the connector head, thereby obtaining an assembled connector that is substantially identical in structure and function to an integrally formed connector. The connector thus assembled (which serves as a female connector) can be ready to be fastened with a male connector to be inserted therein, thereby facilitating the establishment of a local pipeline segment. This method replaces an integrally formed connector with a modularly assembled connector for constructing a fluid pipeline, which facilitates the overall modular assembly of a fluid transport network.

[0009] The cavity formed when the connector body is assembled to the connector head is used to receive the plug inserted into the assembled connector. The plug can be any suitable type of male connector used for pipe network construction in the related art, and is not limited here.

[0010] Any one or more of the connector head, connector body, and retainer may be formed of the same or different materials for the purpose of adapting to a specific use scenario. Typical materials may include, but are not limited to, metals (including alloys), ceramics, plastics, and the like. The choice of material may be based on factors such as cost, weight, durability, thermal conductivity, chemical resistance, and other factors related to the intended use of the connector, which are not limited herein.

[0011] When a one-piece connector is arranged in a fluid delivery network, the retainer attachment may need to be reversed due to space constraints, etc. (for example, when a button on the retainer is blocked in its adjacent area so that the button cannot be operated, etc.). For example, the orientation of the button can be adjusted 180° to restore the operable state. However, due to the one-piece nature of the connector, when the connector head is redirected according to the orientation adjustment of the retainer button, the orientation of the connector tail, which is a component of the one-piece connector, also changes, resulting in significant changes or even confusion in the layout of the fluid pipeline. According to the modular connector disclosed in this article, since the connector head is separated from the connector body rather than integrated together, there is a greater tolerance for the adjustment of the retainer orientation, thereby maintaining the consistency of the pipeline layout.

[0012] According to a possible implementation, the connector may further include an identification element with an identification code. The identification element may be detachably mounted to the connector head or the connector body.

[0013] In order to facilitate the construction of the fluid delivery network, more specifically, in order to ensure that the assembled connector and the plug are correctly and completely latched to each other and / or provide traceability to the connector components, the proposed connector may additionally include an identification element. Unlike the related art, the identification element disclosed herein is not initially fixed on any connector component (e.g., connector head, connector body, retainer, or a combination thereof). Thus, when the identification element becomes dirty due to misoperation or fluid erosion during the construction or operation of the fluid delivery network, the identification element can be replaced separately without replacing the unaffected components, which provides convenience for the modular assembly of the connector components. In addition, the flexible binding between the identification element and the connector head or connector body also provides other benefits for the modular assembly of the proposed connector. For example, the identification element is separated from the connector component, allowing the manufacture of the connector component to no longer need to consider the structural features of the accommodating area of ​​the identification element. In this way, the processing complexity is reduced and the research and development cost of the connector component is thus reduced. The saved cost can be used to develop more diversified / customized components that meet future needs, thereby promoting the modular assembly of the proposed connector to expand to more new products and application scenarios.

[0014] In the related art, when a male connector (e.g., a plug) is inserted into a female connector, the male connector may not fit completely into the female connector (e.g., there is still some play for the male connector to push in), but the retainer can still hold the male connector firmly. By using the identification element disclosed herein, it is possible to ensure that the assembled connector and the plug fit completely, and then the combined connector is firmly clamped by using the retainer, thereby avoiding looseness between the male connector and the assembled connector, and thus improving reliability.

[0015] According to a possible implementation, one of the connector head and the connector body is provided with a first number of first components for mounting the identification element, and the other of the connector head and the connector body is provided with a second number of second components for retaining the identification element.

[0016] Consider a simple example, wherein a first member or a second member is provided on each of the connector head and the connector body, and the connector head and the connector body can be aligned and assembled to each other in a specific orientation. In this way, the identification element can also be installed to a connector component (e.g., one of the connector head or the connector body) through the two members in the specific orientation, and is retained by another connector component (e.g., the other of the connector head or the connector body) to reduce the instability and shaking caused by the installation posture, pipeline construction operation, etc. However, when the connector head is redirected together with the retainer, the first member and the second member initially aligned are no longer aligned (e.g., substantially aligned with each other), thereby requiring redundant first members and second members to be provided on each connector component to take into account various assembly possibilities between the connector components. Of course, it is also possible that the connector head remains unchanged together with the retainer, while the connector body needs to be redirected, in which case it is also necessary to make redundant settings for the first member and the second member on the connector component. There are other cases, which are not limited by the present disclosure. In this way, a variety of possibilities are provided for the assembly of the modular connector, while ensuring that the identification element can be installed in the assembled connector in various assembly modes, which increases the assembly freedom while ensuring the assembly reliability.

[0017] In an example, the first number and the second number may be the same or different, depending on a priori knowledge of pipeline layout and / or construction planning of the fluid transport network, etc.

[0018] According to a possible implementation, the second component is configured to accommodate the first component.

[0019] Configuring the second member to accommodate the first member can minimize the changes to the appearance of the connector while allowing the identification element to be accessible (e.g., readable). This also improves design compatibility. For example, in an application scenario where an identification element is not required, a connector component with a first member and a second member can be used for assembly for cost savings. Since the connector head and the connector body are assembled to each other, the first member is accommodated by the second member. In this way, from the external perspective of the assembled connector, only the second member may be exposed. Therefore, a connector assembly provided with a first member and a second member can be used in multi-purpose scenarios (e.g., with the need for error-proofing measures (Poka-yoke) and / or product traceability, and without the need for error-proofing measures and product traceability), thereby effectively reducing manufacturing and use costs.

[0020] Preferably, the first member is a boss and the second member is a groove. The size and geometry of the boss can be configured to be compatible with the size and shape of the identification element, so that when the identification element is mounted on the boss, no displacement or swing in any direction and / or any angle will occur. The size and geometry of the groove can be configured to at least partially accommodate the boss, so that the boss and the identification element mounted thereon can have a projection as small as possible relative to the outer wall of the connector component. The groove can have a feature for maintaining the stability of the identification element. For example, the groove can be provided with a groove in which one side of the identification element can be embedded, so that when the first member and the second member are aligned, one side of the identification element can be prevented from displacement and swinging by the constraint of the groove, thereby avoiding the identification element from changing position or even falling due to other factors such as inevitable vibration.

[0021] According to a possible implementation, a first feature cooperating with the identification element is provided on the first component, wherein when the identification element is detachably mounted to the first component via the first feature, the identification code is unreadable.

[0022] The term "matching" may mean that when there is a feature on the first member or the second member, there is a corresponding feature on the identification element so that the identification element can be at least removably mounted to the connector assembly (e.g., mounted on the connector assembly). For example, when the feature is a positioning element, the corresponding feature can be a locking element, such as a snap and a groove, a protrusion and a through hole, a magnet and a complementary magnet, etc., which is not limited by the present disclosure.

[0023] When the identification element is detachably mounted to the first member via the first feature provided on the first member, the identification code of the identification element may become unreadable due to the positional relationship between the first feature and the first member, the positional relationship between the first feature and the second member aligned with the first member (e.g., aligned with the first member), the positional relationship between the first feature and the shielding member on the connector component, etc. or a combination thereof. This unreadable property is because the minimum identifiable area of ​​the identification code is blocked so that the identification code cannot be completely decoded based on the information of the partially displayed identification code area read. Usually, the setting of the first feature is with a margin, so that even if the identification element (which is mounted to the first member via the first feature) changes position relative to the first feature due to unexpected factors (e.g., swinging or rotating, etc.), the identification code of the identification element is still unreadable, for example, when the plug is not fully inserted into the cavity. In this way, false negatives are largely avoided, which is of great significance for the correct establishment of the fluid delivery network and the safe layout of the fluid pipeline.

[0024] According to a possible embodiment, a second feature cooperating with the identification element is also provided on the first component, wherein, when the plug is fully inserted into the cavity, the identification element is actuated to be detachably mounted to the first component via the second feature, so that the identification code is readable.

[0025] As an implementation of error-proofing measures, the second feature can ensure that the plug inserted into the cavity formed by the assembly of the connector head and the connector body is completely latched with the assembled connector. The distance between the first feature and the second feature can be set to make the partially obscured identification code completely visible. Additionally, the second feature can be implemented in the same way as the first feature. Alternatively, the second feature can also be implemented in a different way from the first feature. When the plug is fully inserted into the cavity, the plug can be pushed so that the predefined feature of the plug abuts against the end of the identification element. With the further promotion of the plug, the installation mode of the predefined feature actuation identification element is changed from being installed via the first feature on the first member to being installed via the second feature, while there is no play between the plug and the assembled connector. At this time, through the explicit indication of the identification element (for example, the identification code is changed from being partially obscured to being fully displayed), the identification code thereon can be scanned to determine that the code is readable, and therefore determine that the plug is inserted in place. As a result, the retainer can be further operated (for example, the retainer button is released) to keep the plug firmly in the cavity. In this way, compared with manual operations based entirely on feeling and experience, the correct creation of the joint can be ensured with the aid of objective external indications, thereby improving the safety and reliability of fluid line routing.

[0026] According to a possible implementation, the connector body and the connector head are detachably assembled using a snap-fit ​​connection. Other connector forms are also possible and are not limited here.

[0027] According to a possible implementation, the connector may further include a seal, which is disposed between the connector head and the connector body. The number and type of seals may vary depending on the type of fluid being transported, fluid properties, ambient temperature, pipe material, etc. For example, in a fuel line, two O-rings plus an intermediate gasket may be used as a seal, and in a non-corrosive liquid line, only one O-ring may be used as a seal, which is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0028] The present disclosure also provides an assembly method for a connector, which includes providing a connector head, assembling a connector body to the connector head, and attaching a retainer to the connector head to form an assembled connector.

[0029] According to a possible implementation, the method may further include mounting an identification element to one of the connector head or the connector body via a first member provided on one of the connector head or the connector body.

[0030] According to a possible implementation, a first feature cooperating with the identification element is provided on the first component, and installing the identification element may include installing the identification element to the first component via the first feature, so that the identification code of the identification element is unreadable.

[0031] According to a possible implementation, before assembling the connector body to the connector head, the method may further include providing a sealing member to the connector head. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Further features, details and advantages of the present disclosure are shown in the description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic exploded view of a modular connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic exploded view of another modular connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 3 is a perspective view of some components of a modular connector with error-proofing measures according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 4 is a perspective view of some components of a modular connector without error-proofing measures according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 5 are schematic illustrations of assembled connectors in different retainer orientations according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of another assembled connector in different retainer orientations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an assembly process of a modular connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following descriptions of the exemplary embodiments refer to the attached drawings. These exemplary embodiments are only used as specific implementation methods for implementing the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The directional terms mentioned in the present disclosure, such as [up], [down], [front], [back], [left], [right], [inside], [outside], [side], etc., only refer to the directions with reference to the attached drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are used to illustrate and understand the present disclosure, rather than to limit the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings, units with similar structures are represented by the same reference numerals. In the accompanying drawings, for clear understanding and ease of description, the sizes of some components are exaggerated and / or the structures of some components are simplified. That is, the size and structure of each component shown in the drawings are shown schematically, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic exploded view of a modular connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the modular connector includes a connector head 1, a connector body 2 and a retainer 3. The connector head 1 includes a notch for attaching the retainer 3 and an opening for inserting a male connector (e.g., a plug) therethrough. The connector body 2 includes a first end for assembly with the connector head 1 and a second end for connecting to other pipelines or components. As explained, the cross-section of the first end is shown to be larger than the cross-section of the second end, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The retainer 3 is provided with components that can be operated by an operator, such as one or more buttons. The male connector inserted into the cavity of the assembled connector consisting of the connector head 1 and the connector body 2 can be controlled by operating these components on the retainer 3, including keeping the male connector in place or releasing the male connector, etc.

[0043] Figure 2 is a schematic exploded view of another modular connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 and Figure 1 The difference is that Figure 2The modular connector shown also includes an identification element 4, a gasket 5 and an O-ring 6. As explained and as shown in the figure, the identification element 4 can be detachably mounted to the connector body 2. A first member for mounting the identification element 4 is provided on the connector body 2. After the connector body 2 is assembled with the connector head 1, a second member on the connector head 1 that is substantially aligned (e.g., aligned) with the first member of the connector 2 can be used to hold the identification element 4 to prevent the identification element 4 from changing position or even falling due to other factors such as unexpected vibrations. Exemplarily, before the connector body 2 is assembled with the connector head 1, a seal can be loaded on the end of the connector head 1 that is to be assembled with the connector body 2. As shown in the figure, in the example, the seal can include a gasket 5 and an O-ring 6, however, the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0044] It should be noted that the number, position and / or structure of the first and second members shown in the figure are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It should also be appreciated that the positions of the first and second members shown in the figure can be swapped with respect to the connector body 2 and the connector head 1, so as to achieve the modular connector described in the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 3 It is a component stereogram of a modular connector with error-proofing measures according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the first member 22 of the connector body 2 includes a first feature 221 and a second feature 222. Initially, the identification element 4 can be detachably mounted to the first member via the first feature 221, at which time, the identification code on the identification element 4 is only partially visible, for example, the information encoded therein cannot be read by a machine. When the connector body 2 and the connector head 1 are assembled together via a connector (for example, a snap connection as shown in the figure, i.e., a tongue 11 and a receiving portion 21), the second member 12 of the connector head 1 can accommodate the first member 22. Further, when a male connector (for example, a plug) is inserted into a cavity of an assembled connector assembled by the connector head 1 and the connector body 2, by pushing the male connector to shift toward the inside of the cavity, the predefined feature of the male connector can actuate the identification element 4 to move downward, so that the identification element 4 is driven to be mounted to the first member 22 via the second feature 222 on the first member 22. At this point, the identification code on the identification element 4 is completely visible so that it can be scanned by a machine to obtain traceability information or to be informed that the assembled connector and the male connector have been successfully assembled.

[0046] As shown in the figure, features corresponding to the first and second features are provided on the identification element 4, for example, convex points 42. Of course, the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0047] The connector head may include a groove and a sleeve 13 serving as the second member 12, which is not specifically shown in the previous figures.

[0048] Figure 4 is a component perspective view of a modular connector without error-proofing measures according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 and Figure 3 The difference is that, by way of example and not limitation, in situations where error-proofing functionality is not required, you can continue to use Figure 3 The connector head 1 is removed and the connector body 2 is modified. For example, the first member 22 and the first feature 221 and the second feature 222 thereon are removed.

[0049] Figure 5 are schematic illustrations of assembled connectors in different retainer orientations according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of another assembled connector in different retainer orientations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the modular connector of the present disclosure allows the orientation of the retainer to change without affecting the overall orientation and arrangement of the assembled connector. Similarly, the modular connector of the present disclosure allows the connector body to be customized to meet the needs of different application scenarios.

[0051] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an assembly process of a modular connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] like Figure 7 As shown, an exemplary assembly process may include steps (a) through (g).

[0053] Step (a): Arrange the connector head on the post.

[0054] Steps (b)-(d): Depending on the specific application, the appropriate type and number of seals are loaded.

[0055] Step (e): Installing the identification element to the connector body.

[0056] Step (f): Assemble the connector body with the identification element installed with the connector head.

[0057] Step (g): Attaching a retainer to the assembled connector.

[0058] It should be noted that the above steps (b), (c), (d) and (e) are optional.

[0059] Although the present disclosure has been described in conjunction with some embodiments, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements that may be made without departing from the scope of the broadest interpretation of the appended claims.

[0060] List of reference numerals:

[0061] 1 Connector head

[0062] 11 tab

[0063] 12 Second component

[0064] 13 Sleeve

[0065] 2 Connector body

[0066] 21 Receiving Department

[0067] 22 First Component

[0068] 221 First Feature

[0069] 222 Second Feature

[0070] 3 Retainer

[0071] 4 Identification components

[0072] 42 Bump

[0073] 5 Washer

[0074] 6 O-rings.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising: Connector head; a connector body, detachably assembled to the connector head to form a cavity; as well as A retainer is removably attached to the connector head and is configured to retain a plug fully inserted into the cavity within the cavity. 2 . The connector according to claim 1 , further comprising an identification element with an identification code, wherein the identification element is detachably mounted to the connector head or the connector body.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein: One of the connector head and the connector body is provided with a first number of first members for mounting the identification element, and the other of the connector head and the connector body is provided with a second number of second members for holding the identification element.

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein: The second member is configured to receive the first member.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein: The first component is a boss, and the second component is a groove.

6. The connector according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein: The first member is provided with a first feature cooperating with the identification element, Wherein, when the identification element is detachably mounted to the first component via the first feature, the identification code is unreadable.

7. The connector according to claim 6, wherein: The first component is also provided with a second feature cooperating with the identification element. Wherein, when the plug is fully inserted into the cavity, the identification element is actuated to be detachably mounted to the first member via the second feature, so that the identification code is readable.

8. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The connector body and the connector head are detachably assembled using a snap-fit ​​connection.

9. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a seal disposed between the connector head and the connector body.

10. A method for assembling a connector, comprising: providing a connector header; Assembling a connector body to the connector head; as well as A retainer is attached to the connector head to form an assembled connector.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: An identification element is mounted to one of the connector head or the connector body via a first member provided on the one of the connector head and the connector body.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The first member is provided with a first feature cooperating with the identification element, and Installing the identification element comprises: The identification element is mounted to the first component via the first feature such that an identification code of the identification element is unreadable.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising: Prior to fitting the connector body to the connector head, a seal is provided to the connector head.

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