Fluid connector

Abstract

The invention provides a fluid connector which comprises a body with a fluid channel, a valve component rotationally arranged in the fluid channel and provided with a through hole, a handle connected to the valve component to control the valve component to rotate so as to achieve opening and closing and a lock pin assembly. An accommodating hole for accommodating the lock pin assembly is concavely formed in the butt joint surface, the lock pin assembly comprises a rotating part, an inserting part capable of rotating and moving in the accommodating hole by taking the rotating part as an axis, an operating part used for being jointed with the handle and an elastic component for supporting the inserting part, and the butt joint surface of the butt joint connector further comprises a butt joint hole for the inserting part to enter; and the insertion part can rotate around the rotating part along with the operation of the valve component by the handle so as to align with a butt joint hole of the butt joint connector to complete butt joint. The fluid connector is aligned with the butt joint hole of the butt joint connector through rotation of the insertion part and completes butt joint, and conduction of the fluid connector due to misoperation can be prevented.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a fluid connector, and more particularly to a fluid connector that prevents erroneous conduction. [Background Technology]

[0002] US Patent Application No. 4,438,779A discloses a fluid connector including a body with a fluid passage, a ball valve rotatably disposed in the fluid passage, and an opening on the body housing a locking pin for controlling the opening and closing of the ball valve. However, before the fluid connector is mated with the docking connector, there is a risk that the ball valve may be opened due to misoperation.

[0003] Therefore, it is indeed necessary to provide a new fluid connector to overcome the above-mentioned defects. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fluid connector that prevents erroneous conduction.

[0005] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A fluid connector, comprising a body having a fluid channel, a valve member rotatably disposed within the fluid channel and having a through hole, a handle connected to the valve member to control the rotation of the valve member between an open position and a closed position, and a locking pin assembly. The body has a mating surface for engaging with a mating connector, the mating surface having a recessed receiving hole for receiving the locking pin assembly. The locking pin assembly includes a locking pin member and an elastic member supporting the locking pin member. The locking pin member has a rotating portion, an insertion portion capable of rotating and moving within the receiving hole about the rotating portion as an axis, and an operating portion protruding from the insertion portion toward the handle for engaging with the handle. The locking pin member, supported by the elastic member, allows the insertion portion to move between an extended position extending out of the mating surface and a retracted position relative to the extended position. The coupling surface of the coupling connector includes a coupling hole for the insertion part to enter. The insertion part has a first position and a second position after circumferential rotation. In the first position, the insertion part is not aligned with the coupling hole. In the second position, the insertion part is aligned with the coupling hole. Before the fluid connector mates with the coupling connector, the insertion part is in the first position in the circumferential direction. After the fluid connector mates with the coupling connector, the handle controls the valve member to rotate to a non-fully open position between the open and closed positions. At the same time, the handle drives the insertion part to rotate about the rotating part as the axis and move along the coupling surface of the fluid connector from the first position to the second position. At this time, the handle can be operated to control the valve member to rotate to the open position. The insertion part is pushed from the retracted position to the extended position by the elastic member, thereby entering the coupling hole.

[0006] Furthermore, the receiving hole has a clearance space formed along the mating surface for the insertion part to rotate from the first position to the second position.

[0007] Furthermore, both the rotating part and the insertion part are cylindrical bodies extending in the vertical direction, and the rotating part and the insertion part are integrally connected by a bridging part. The elastic member abuts against the bridging part so that the insertion part can switch between an extended position and a retracted position.

[0008] Furthermore, the body also includes a central hole for receiving the rotating part, the rotating part being supported by the elastic member to move in the vertical direction within the central hole, and the dimension of the rotating part in the vertical direction being smaller than the dimension of the insertion part in the vertical direction.

[0009] Furthermore, the locking pin member also includes a fixing portion extending downward from the rotating portion, and the elastic member is disposed on the fixing portion to support the locking pin member.

[0010] Furthermore, the surface of the handle near the valve component is recessed to form a groove for controlling the movement of the operating part.

[0011] Furthermore, the operating part is a spherical structure to ensure smooth movement of the operating part within the groove.

[0012] Furthermore, the slide has a limiting section for restricting the rotation of the valve component operated by the handle, a control section for controlling the insertion part, which is rotated to a second position, to switch between a retracted position and an extended position, and a connecting section connecting the limiting section and the control section. When the fluid connector is not docked with the docking connector, the handle controls the valve component to rotate to the closed position, the insertion part is in the first position and is supported by the elastic member to remain in the extended position, and the limiting section is set as a straight segment extending in the vertical direction. At this time, the operating part is received in the limiting section to restrict the rotation of the handle. When the fluid connector is docked with the docking connector, and the valve component is not rotated by operating the handle, the insertion part is biased to the retracted position by the docking connector, and the operating part moves downward in the slide from above the limiting section to the engagement point with the connecting section.

[0013] Furthermore, after the fluid connector is mated with the docking connector, the handle controls the valve component to rotate between the closed position and the non-fully open position. Correspondingly, the operating part moves in the connecting section. At this time, the connecting section pushes against the operating part, causing the insertion part to rotate between the first position and the second position with the rotating part as the axis.

[0014] Furthermore, after the fluid connector is mated with the docking connector, the handle controls the valve component to rotate from the non-fully open position to the open position, the operating part moves in the control section, at which time the insertion part is held in the second position aligned with the docking hole of the docking connector, and the control section releases the insertion part from the retracted position to the extended position by the elastic member.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: When the fluid connector is mated with the docking connector, the handle operates the valve component from the closed position to the open position, and the insertion part rotates around the rotating part as the axis to align with the docking hole of the docking connector, and further extends into the docking hole to complete the mating. This effectively prevents the insertion part from extending into the docking hole before rotating to the correct position, which could lead to incorrect conduction of the fluid connector. [Attached Image Description]

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the fluid connector and the docking connector of the present invention before docking.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the fluid connector of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the locking pin assembly and the main body of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view of the fluid connector of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A three-dimensional exploded view from another perspective.

[0021] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along line AA.

[0022] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of cross section along line BB.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the locking pin assembly engaging with the handle when the fluid connector of the present invention is not mated.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram showing the engagement of the locking pin assembly with the handle after the fluid connector of the present invention is mated with the docking connector and biased by the docking connector.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram showing the handle operating valve component being rotated to a non-fully open position between the open and closed positions after the fluid connector of the present invention is connected to the docking connector.

[0026] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A cross-sectional view along line CC.

[0027] Figure 12 yes Figure 10 Schematic diagram of cross section along line DD.

[0028] Figure 13 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram showing the handle-operated valve component being rotated to the open position after the fluid connector of the present invention is connected to the docking connector.

[0029] Figure 14 yes Figure 13 Schematic diagram of cross section along line EE.

[0030] Figure 15 yes Figure 13 Schematic diagram of cross section along line FF.

[0031] Figure 16 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the fluid connector and the mating connector of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 17 yes Figure 16 A cross-sectional view.

[0033] Figure 18 yes Figure 16 A cross-sectional view from another perspective.

[0034] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate the present invention.

Detailed Implementation Methods

[0035] The following will combine Figures 1 to 18 The fluid connector 100 of the present invention is described.

[0036] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5As shown, the fluid connector 100 engages with a mating connector 100'. In this embodiment, the mating connector 100' has the same structure as the fluid connector 100. The fluid connector 100 includes a body 1 having a fluid channel 10, a valve member 2 rotatably disposed within the fluid channel 10 and having a through hole 20, a handle 3 connected to the valve member 2 and controlling the rotation of the valve member 2 between an open position and a locking pin assembly 4. The handle 3 includes a base 31 with one end having an arcuate surface and a grip 32 integrally extended from the other end of the base 31 for pressing operation. The base 31 is fixedly connected to the valve member 2 by a screw 33. The body 1 has a mating surface 11 for engaging with the mating connector 100', and the mating surface 11 has a recessed receiving hole 111 for receiving the locking pin assembly 4. The body 1, the fluid channel 10, and the valve member 2 of the fluid connector 100 are concentric about the axis L. Similarly, the body 1', the fluid passage, and the valve component 2' of the docking connector 100' are concentric about axis L'.

[0037] The mating surfaces 11 / 11' of the fluid connector 100 and the docking connector 100' further include mating protrusions 112 / 112' extending outward along the axial direction and mating grooves 113 / 113' for engaging with the mating protrusions 112 / 112' on the opposite side. When the fluid connector 100 and the docking connector 100' are mated, the bodies 1 / 1' are aligned so that the axis L and the axis L' extend together. At this time, the fluid connector 100 and the docking connector 100' approach each other axially, causing the mating surfaces 11 / 11' to engage with each other. Then, the bodies 1 / 1' rotate relative to each other to engage the mating protrusions 112 and the slots 1131' on the mating grooves 113', thereby completing the axial mating of the fluid connector 100 and the docking connector 100'.

[0038] Further integration Figure 7As shown, the locking pin assembly 4 includes a locking pin member 40 and an elastic member 41 supporting the locking pin member 40. The locking pin member 40 includes a rotating portion 401, an insertion portion 402 rotatable within the receiving hole 111 about the rotating portion 401, an operating portion 403 protruding outward from the insertion portion 402, and a bridging portion 404 integrally connecting the rotating portion 401 and the insertion portion 402. The rotating portion 401 and the insertion portion 402 are both cylindrical bodies extending vertically, and the rotating portion 401, the insertion portion 402, and the bridging portion 404 are generally U-shaped. The locking pin member 40 also includes a fixing portion 405 extending downward from the rotating portion 401 and located below the bridging portion 404. The elastic member 41 is sleeved on the fixing portion 405 and abuts against the lower surface of the bridging portion 404 to support the locking pin member 40. When the insertion part 402 rotates around the rotating part 401, the elastic member 41 can remain below the rotating part 401 without circumferential displacement. The body 1 also includes a central hole 12 for receiving the rotating part 401. The locking pin member 40 is supported by the elastic member 41 and can move in the vertical direction. The rotating part 401 can move vertically within the central hole 12 under the support of the elastic member 41. The vertical dimension of the rotating part 401 is smaller than that of the insertion part 402. By reducing the size of the rotating part 401, the insertion part 402 needs to overcome less friction when rotating. The insertion part 402, supported by the elastic member 41, can move between an extended position extending from the mating surface 11 and a retracted position retracted relative to the extended position. The mating surfaces 11 / 11' of both the fluid connector 100 and the mating connector 100' are provided with mating holes 114 / 114'. After the fluid connector 100 is docked with the docking connector 100', the handle 3 operates the valve component 2 to rotate to the open position, and the insertion part 402 enters the docking hole 114' to complete the locking.

[0039] Please combine Figure 2 and Figure 13As shown, the receiving hole 111 is a long, narrow groove curved circumferentially, and a clearance space 110 is formed along the mating surface 11 for the insertion part 402 to rotate. The insertion part 402 has a first position not aligned with the mating hole 114' and a second position aligned with the mating hole 114' after circumferential rotation. The insertion part 402 can rotate between the first and second positions within the receiving hole 111 through the clearance space 110. When the insertion part 402 is in the first and second positions, it can switch between an extended position extending out of the mating surface 11 and a retracted position retracted relative to the extended position, respectively. When the insertion part 402 is located between the first and second positions circumferentially, the insertion part 402 remains in the retracted position in the vertical direction.

[0040] Specifically, please refer to Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the surface of the base 31 near the valve member 2 is recessed inward to form a groove 311 that mates with the operating part 403. The groove 311 has an inner wall 3111 near the screw 33 and an outer wall 3112 relative to the inner wall 3111. The operating part 403 is a spherical structure that can move smoothly within the groove 311. The groove 311 has a limiting section 3113 for limiting the rotation of the valve member 2 operated by the handle 3, a control section 3114 for controlling the insertion part 402 rotated to the second position to switch between a retracted position and an extended position, and a connecting section 3115 connecting the limiting section 3113 and the control section 3114. When the fluid connector 100 is not mated with the docking connector 100', the insertion part 402 is in a first position in the circumferential direction that is not aligned with the docking hole 114', and in an extended position in the vertical direction that extends out of the docking surface 11. At this time, the valve component 2 is in the closed position, and the limiting section 3113 of the slide 311 is configured as a straight segment extending in the vertical direction. The elastic member 41 supports the insertion part 402 upwards to keep it in the extended position. Corresponding to the insertion part 402 in the extended position, the operating part 403 is located above the limiting section 3113. At this time, the limiting section 3113 extending in the vertical direction cannot provide enough space for the base 31 to rotate around the screw 33. Therefore, when the fluid connector 100 is not connected, it is impossible to operate the handle 3 to rotate the valve component 2. Please refer to Figure 9 As shown, after the fluid connector 100 and the docking connector 100' are docked, the docking surfaces 11' of the fluid connector 100 and the docking connector 100' are axially engaged. The insertion part 402 is pushed by the docking surface 11' and compressed from the extended position to the retracted position. The operating part 403 moves downward within the slide groove 311 to the engagement point of the limiting section 3113 and the connecting section 3115.

[0041] Please refer to Figures 10 to 12 As shown, after the fluid connector 100 mates with the docking connector 100', the handle 3 operates the valve component 2 to rotate from the closed position to a partially open position between the closed and open positions. At this time, the valve component 2 is not fully open. The operating part 403 moves within the connecting section 3115 and is pushed against the inner wall 3111 of the connecting section 3115 to the junction of the connecting section 3115 and the control section 3114, so that the insertion part 402 rotates circumferentially about the rotating part 401 as the axis, rotating from a first position not aligned with the docking hole 114' to a second position aligned with the docking hole 114'. During the process of the insertion part 402 rotating from the first position to the second position, the insertion part 402 is always held in the retracted position in the vertical direction, abutting against the docking surface 11' of the docking connector 100'.

[0042] Please refer to Figures 13 to 18 As shown, when the insertion part 402 rotates to the second position aligned with the mating hole 114', the mating surface 11' stops abutting against the insertion part 402, and instead, the outer wall 3112 of the control section 3114 abuts against the operating part 403 to control its upward movement. During the operation of the control section 3114, the insertion part 402 remains in the second position aligned with the mating hole 114' of the mating connector 100'. The elastic member 41 remains in an elastically compressed state to provide an axially outward pushing force to the insertion part 402. The handle 3 operates the valve member 2 to rotate from the non-fully open position to the open position, while the control section 3114 also releases the insertion part 402 from the retracted position to the extended position pushed by the elastic member 41. At this time, the insertion part 402 enters the mating hole 114' of the mating connector 100', restricting the fluid connector 100 and the mating connector 100' from rotating relative to each other about the axis L / L'.

[0043] It is worth noting that the fluid connector 100 of the present invention can also be mated with a mating connector 100' with a different structure, as long as the mating hole 114' of the mating connector 100' allows the insertion part 402 of the fluid connector 100 to be inserted and in the extended position to fully unlock the valve member 2. The above are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Any equivalent changes to the technical solutions of the present invention made by those skilled in the art through reading the present invention specification are covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fluid connector comprising a body having a fluid passage, a valve member having a through hole rotatably provided in the fluid passage, a handle connected to the valve member to control rotation of the valve member between an open position and a closed position, and a lock pin assembly, the body having a mating surface for engaging with a mating connector, the mating surface being concavely formed with a receiving hole for receiving the lock pin assembly, the lock pin assembly comprising a lock pin member and a resilient member supporting the lock pin member, the lock pin member having a rotation portion, an insertion portion rotatably movable within the receiving hole about the rotation portion, and an operation portion protruding from the insertion portion to face the handle for engaging with the handle, the insertion portion being movable between an extended position extending out of the mating surface and a retracted position retracted relative to the extended position by support of the resilient member, characterized in that: The docking surface of the docking connector comprises a docking hole for the insertion part to enter, the insertion part has a first position and a second position after rotating in the circumferential direction, in the first position the insertion part is not aligned with the docking hole, in the second position the insertion part is aligned with the docking hole, before the fluid connector is docked with the docking connector, the insertion part is in the first position in the circumferential direction, after the fluid connector is docked with the docking connector, the handle controls the valve member to rotate to a non-full open position between the open position and the closed position, at the same time the handle drives the insertion part to rotate around the rotating part as the axis and move along the docking surface of the fluid connector from the first position to the second position, at this time the handle can be operated to control the valve member to rotate to the open position, the insertion part is pushed by the elastic member from the retracted position to the extended position, thereby entering the docking hole.

2. The fluid connector of claim 1, wherein: The accommodation hole is formed along the docking surface to provide a space for the insertion part to rotate from the first position to the second position.

3. The fluid connector of claim 1, wherein: The rotating part and the insertion part are both cylindrical bodies extending in the up-down direction, the rotating part and the insertion part are integrally connected through a bridge part, and the elastic member abuts against the bridge part to enable the insertion part to switch between the extended position and the retracted position.

4. The fluid connector of claim 3, wherein: The body further comprises a central hole accommodating the rotating part, the rotating part is supported by the elastic member to move in the up-down direction within the central hole, and the dimension of the rotating part in the up-down direction is smaller than the dimension of the insertion part in the up-down direction.

5. The fluid connector of claim 4, wherein: The locking pin member further comprises a fixed part extending downward from the rotating part, and the elastic member is arranged on the fixed part to support the locking pin member.

6. The fluid connector of claim 1, wherein: The surface of the handle close to the valve member is concavely formed with a sliding groove controlling the movement of the operating part.

7. The fluid connector of claim 6, wherein: The operating part is a spherical structure to ensure smooth movement of the operating part in the sliding groove.

8. The fluid connector of claim 6, wherein: The sliding groove has a limiting section limiting the rotation of the valve member by the handle, a control section controlling the switching of the insertion part between the retracted position and the extended position after rotating to the second position, and a connecting section connecting the limiting section and the control section, when the fluid connector is not docked with the docking connector, the handle controls the valve member to rotate to the closed position, the insertion part is in the first position and is supported by the elastic member to remain in the extended position, the limiting section is arranged as a straight section extending in the up-down direction, at this time the operating part is accommodated in the limiting section to limit the rotation of the handle, when the fluid connector is docked with the docking connector, the insertion part is biased to the retracted position by the docking connector without operating the handle to rotate the valve member, and the operating part moves from the upper end of the limiting section to the junction with the connecting section in the sliding groove.

9. The fluid connector of claim 8, wherein: After the fluid connector is docked with the docking connector, the handle controls the valve member to rotate between a closed position and a non-full open position, and correspondingly, the operation part moves in the connecting section, and at this time, the connecting section pushes the operation part to make the insertion part rotate about the rotating part between a first position and a second position.

10. The fluid connector of claim 9, wherein: After the fluid connector is docked with the docking connector, the handle controls the valve member to rotate from a non-full open position to an open position, the operation part moves in the control section, and at this time, the insertion part remains in the second position aligned with the docking hole of the docking connector, and the control section releases the insertion part to be pushed upward by the elastic member from the retracted position to the extended position.

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