Anti-loosening quick connector with lock catch

Abstract

The invention provides an anti-loosening quick connector with a lock catch, which is characterized in that a locking groove is arranged in the outer side wall of a male connector, a female connector comprises a sleeve, a buckle lug seat is arranged on the opposite outer side wall in at least one direction in the sleeve, a lock catch hole is arranged in the buckle lug seat, and the lock catch hole penetrates through the sleeve to enable the buckle lug seat to be communicated with the inside of the sleeve; and when the male joint is inserted into the sleeve, the buckling lugs can be clamped into the locking grooves, so that the male joint and the female joint are fixedly connected into a whole. The male and female joint has the beneficial effects that the locking groove is formed outside the male joint, the buckle lug and the lock catch hole are arranged outside the sleeve, during splicing, the buckle lug can be clamped into the locking groove of the male joint by rotating the buckle lug, and the male and female joint can be prevented from accidentally loosening under the working condition of vibration or frequent pipeline movement through mutual engagement of the locking groove and the buckle lug; and meanwhile, the connection firmness of the male joint and the female joint can be ensured, and the safety and the working stability of the male joint and the female joint are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to fluid conveying equipment, specifically to a quick coupling with anti-loosening and locking mechanism, which is mainly used in industrial fire protection, water supply, pneumatic and hydraulic pipeline engineering and other fields. Background Technology

[0002] Crimped quick couplings (commonly known as snap-fit ​​couplings) are widely used in fluid transport applications requiring frequent assembly and disassembly due to their advantages of quick connection and easy operation. A typical crimped coupling usually consists of a male and a female connector. By rotating the coupling, the locking lug (or protrusion) on the male connector slides into the spiral groove or slot on the female connector, achieving axial locking and sealing through the bevel or bayonet structure.

[0003] However, this conventional structure has a significant technical drawback: poor resistance to vibration and loosening. In certain special applications, such as engineering machinery, mining equipment, or fire scenes, especially under conditions of mechanical vibration, pressure pulses, or frequent pipeline movement, the male connector is subjected to continuous alternating torque conversion. This causes the locking lugs or protrusions that play a locking role to rotate slightly in the opposite direction along the locking path, resulting in gradual loosening of the connector and eventually leakage or even complete detachment, posing a serious safety hazard. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism. This quick connector has a simple structure and high reliability, and can effectively prevent accidental loosening of the connector under conditions of vibration or frequent pipeline movement, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the connection.

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism, comprising a female connector and a male connector. The male connector has a locking groove in its outer side wall. The female connector includes a sleeve, and a latch seat is provided on the opposite outer side wall in at least one direction of the sleeve. A locking hole is provided in the latch seat, which penetrates the sleeve so that the latch seat communicates with the inside of the sleeve. A latch is hinged to each latch seat, and when the male connector is inserted into the sleeve, the latch can be engaged in the locking groove, so that the male connector and the female connector are connected and fixed as one unit.

[0006] Preferably, it also includes a locking latch, which can limit and lock the latch relative to the female connector, so that the latch is locked into the locking groove of the male connector and cannot be dislodged.

[0007] Preferably, the buckle includes a handle end and a locking end. When an external force is applied to the handle end, the locking end can rotate into the sleeve and engage in the locking groove of the male connector inserted into the sleeve, so that the male connector and the female connector are connected and fixed as one.

[0008] Preferably, the locking groove in the male connector has a C-shaped cross section, and the locking end has a raised arc surface that matches the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove. When an external force is applied to the handle end, the raised arc surface of the locking end can slide in or out along the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove, so that the male connector can be connected and fixed or disassembled relative to the female connector.

[0009] Preferably, the latch includes a body with a first hinge hole at the bottom end, and a first pin is inserted into the first hinge hole to hinge the body to the buckle ear; a latch is provided on one side of the first hinge hole, and a spring seat is provided at the top end of the body. One end of the tension spring is placed in the spring seat, and the other end abuts against the body to separate the top end of the body from the buckle ear and engage the latch into the locking hole. The locking hole is provided in the buckle ear seat or sleeve, and the latch can be separated from the locking hole by the compression of the tension spring at the top end of the body under the action of external force.

[0010] Preferably, the buckle seat includes two plates arranged at relatively intervals, and a connecting plate is provided at the upper end of the two plates to connect the two plates into one piece. A locking hole is provided in the connecting plate, and a second hinge hole is provided in the two plates. The locking end is inserted into the second hinge hole through a second pin and is rotatably hinged to the two plates.

[0011] Preferably, the latch is further provided with a limiting piece and the buckle lug is provided with a limiting hole. The locking ring can be inserted into the limiting hole to prevent the limiting piece from shifting, so that the latch cannot disengage from the locking hole when an external force is applied to the handle end; wherein, the locking ring is installed at the top of the latch.

[0012] Preferably, a recessed groove is provided on the handle end of the buckle ear, and protective plates are provided on both sides of the recessed groove, with the buckle placed between the two protective plates and hinged to the buckle ear for fixation.

[0013] Preferably, the female connector also includes a pipe head, the outer diameter of the sleeve is larger than the outer diameter of the pipe head, and one end of the sleeve is connected to the pipe head as a whole.

[0014] Preferably, an annular groove is provided inside the sleeve near the end of the tube head, and a sealing gasket is provided in the annular groove.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are that by setting a locking groove on the outside of the male connector and setting a buckle and a locking hole on the outside of the sleeve, during splicing, rotating the buckle allows the buckle to pass through the locking hole and engage with the locking groove of the male connector, thus connecting the male and female connectors into one piece. In this way, the interlocking of the locking groove and the buckle can prevent the male and female connectors from accidentally loosening under conditions of vibration or frequent pipeline movement. This not only enables the rapid splicing and locking of the male and female connectors, but also ensures the connection firmness of the male and female connectors, improving the safety and operational stability of the male and female connectors during use. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the female connector in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the male connector in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the button ear in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the latch in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1 ~6 provides further explanation of the embodiments of the present invention:

[0023] This invention relates to a quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism, comprising a female connector 1 and a male connector 2. To prevent accidental loosening of the male and female connectors under conditions of vibration or frequent pipeline movement, a locking groove 21 is provided in the outer wall of the male connector 2. The female connector 1 includes a sleeve 11, and a latch seat 12 is provided on the opposite outer wall of the sleeve 11 in at least one direction. A locking hole 13 is provided in the latch seat 12, which penetrates the sleeve 11 so that the latch seat 12 is connected to the inside of the sleeve 11. A latch 3 is hinged to each latch seat 12, and when the male connector 2 is inserted into the sleeve 11, the latch 3 can be engaged in the locking groove 21, so that the male connector 2 and the female connector 1 are connected and fixed as one unit. By setting a locking groove 21 on the outside of the male connector 2 and setting a buckle 3 and a locking hole 13 on the outside of the sleeve 11, during splicing, rotating the buckle 3 will allow the buckle 3 to pass through the locking hole 13 and be engaged in the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2. The interlocking of the locking groove 21 and the buckle 3 can prevent the male and female connector 1 from accidentally loosening under the conditions of vibration or frequent pipe movement. This not only realizes the quick splicing locking 4 of the male and female connector 1, but also ensures the connection firmness of the male and female connector 1, and improves the safety and working stability of the male and female connector 1 during use.

[0024] To prevent the latch 3 from detaching from the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2 without human intervention, a locking buckle 4 is also provided in this embodiment. The locking buckle 4 can limit and lock the latch 3 relative to the female connector 1, ensuring that the latch 3 is locked into the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2 and cannot detach. By adding the locking buckle 4, when the latch 3 is locked into the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2, it can limit and lock the latch 3 relative to the female connector 1, preventing the latch 3 from detaching from the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2 without human intervention, thus ensuring the reliability of the connection and the stability of the operation between the male connector 2 and the female connector 1.

[0025] To enable rapid splicing and locking of the male and female connectors 1, the latch 3 includes a handle end 31 and a locking end 32. When external force is applied to the handle end 31, the locking end 32 can rotate into the sleeve 11 and engage with the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2 inserted into the sleeve 11, thus fixing the male connector 2 and the female connector 1 together. During splicing, the operator only needs to manually turn the handle end 31 to drive the locking end 32 into the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2, achieving rapid splicing. At the same time, under the action of the locking end 32, it engages with the locking groove 21 in the male connector 2, locking the male connector 2 and the female connector 1 and improving the connection strength between the male connector 2 and the female connector 1.

[0026] During the splicing process of male connector 2 and female connector 1, in order to facilitate the operation of the locking buckle 4 and prevent loosening, the locking groove 21 in male connector 2 has a C-shaped cross section, and the locking end 32 has a raised arc surface 321 that matches the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove 21. When an external force is applied to the handle end 31, the raised arc surface 321 of the locking end 32 can slide in or out along the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove 21, so that the male connector 2 can be connected and fixed or disassembled and separated from the female connector 1. By providing a raised arc-shaped surface 321 on the locking end 32 and adapting it to the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2, when the handle end 31 is rotated, the raised arc-shaped surface 321 of the locking end 32 can slide in and out along the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove 21, improving the smoothness of operation and enabling the rapid splicing of the male connector 2 and the female connector 1. In addition, with the cooperation of the arc-shaped surface, it can also prevent non-human loosening and improve the connection reliability and firmness of the male connector 2 and the female connector 1.

[0027] In a specific embodiment, to prevent the protruding arc-shaped surface 321 of the latch end 32 from disengaging from the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove 21, the latch 4 includes a body 41. A first hinge hole 42 is provided at the bottom end of the body 41, and the body 41 is hinged to the buckle ear 3 by inserting a first pin 43 into the first hinge hole 42. A latch tongue 44 is provided on one side of the first hinge hole 42, and a spring seat 45 is provided at the top end of the body 41. One end of the tension spring 46 is placed in the spring seat 45, and the other end abuts against the body 41 so that the top end of the body 41 is separated from the buckle ear 3 and the latch tongue 44 is engaged in the locking hole 123. By hinged body 41 to latch 3, with a locking tongue 44 at one end and a tension spring 46 at the other, when assembling male connector 2 and female connector 1, the user first squeezes the top of body 41 to overcome the elastic force of tension spring 46. Then, the user manually turns and rotates the handle end 31 of latch 3, causing the protruding arc-shaped surface 321 of latch end 32 to slide into the C-shaped arc surface of locking groove 21, and then releases the top of body 41. At this time, the top of body 41 forms a gap with latch 3 under the elastic force of tension spring 46, and the locking tongue 44 of latch 4 is engaged in locking hole 123. In this way, without human control, the mutual limiting of locking tongue 44 and locking hole 123 can prevent latch 3 from rotating without human intervention, thereby preventing the protruding arc-shaped surface 321 of latch end 32 from sliding out of the C-shaped arc surface of locking groove 21 of male connector 2, ensuring the connection reliability and firmness of male connector 2 and female connector 1. To remove the male connector 2 from the female connector 1, simply pinch the top of the latch 4 body 41 to overcome the elastic force of the spring. This will allow the latch 44 to disengage from the locking hole 123. Then, rotate the handle end 31 of the latch ear 3 to drive the protruding arc surface 321 of the latch end 32 to slide out from the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove 21, thus achieving quick separation of the male connector 2 and the female connector 1.

[0028] In actual production, the locking hole 123 can be set in the buckle seat 12 or on the top outer wall of the sleeve 11, depending on the design requirements or on-site working conditions.

[0029] To facilitate the assembly, quick splicing, locking, and disassembly of the buckle ear 3, the buckle ear base 12 includes two plates 121 arranged at relatively intervals. The upper ends of the two plates 121 are provided with a connecting plate 122 to connect the two plates 121 into one piece. The locking hole 123 is provided in the connecting plate 122. The two plates 121 are provided with a second hinge hole 124. The locking end 32 is inserted into the second hinge hole 124 through the second pin 125 and is rotatably hinged and fixed to the two plates 121. By setting two plates 121 and adding a connecting plate 122 at the upper end of the two plates 121, not only is the production and processing of the locking hole 123 facilitated, but the connecting plate 122 also serves to limit the handle end 31 of the buckle 3. When the handle end 31 rotates to the connecting plate 122 and contacts the connecting plate 122, the raised arc surface 321 on the locking end 32 is exactly in the center of the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2, ensuring the optimal locking state between the buckle 3 and the locking groove 21. Secondly, the lower end of the two plates 121 forms an opening for the connecting plate 122. When it is necessary to disassemble and separate the male connector 2, the rotation angle of the handle end 31 of the buckle 3 can be maximized, which facilitates the complete separation of the raised arc surface 321 of the locking end 32 from the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove 21, realizing the quick disassembly and assembly of the male connector 2.

[0030] To minimize the risk of the latch end 32 of the buckle 3 separating or loosening from the locking groove 21 of the male connector 2 without human intervention, a limiting piece 47 is provided on the latch 4, and a limiting hole 33 is provided on the buckle 3. A locking ring 48 can be inserted into the limiting hole 33 to prevent the limiting piece 47 from shifting, ensuring that the latch 44 cannot disengage from the locking hole 123 when external force is applied to the handle end 31. The locking ring 48 is installed at the top of the latch 4. By adding the limiting piece 47 and using the locking ring 48 inserted into the limiting hole 33, the locking ring 48 can restrict the limiting piece 47. When the limiting piece 47 is blocked, the latch 44 cannot disengage from the locking hole 123, forming a double locking effect and maximizing the locking effect of the latch 4. The locking ring 48 is a circular ring with an opening. When a double locking effect is required, the two ends of the locking ring 48 can be inserted into the limiting hole 33 by gently opening it. Of course, the locking ring 48 can be omitted; for example, a pin can be used, which can be inserted into the limiting hole 33 to achieve the same technical effect. However, the pin is not easy to store and is easily lost. Therefore, the locking ring 48 used in this embodiment is the preferred implementation.

[0031] To improve the working stability and overall aesthetics of the latch 4, a recess 34 is provided on the handle end 31 of the latch lug 3, and protective plates 35 are provided on both sides of the recess 34. The latch 4 is placed between the two protective plates 35 and hinged to the latch lug 3. By setting the recess 34 and protective plates 35 in the latch lug 3, when the latch 4 is assembled, one end of the latch 4 can be placed in the recess 34 and hinged to the latch lug 3, which can play a limiting role and prevent the latch 4 from being misaligned and affecting the locking effect of the latch 4. Secondly, the protective plates 35 can also protect the latch 4, preventing external foreign objects from obstructing the locking of the latch 4, thus improving the reliability and overall aesthetics of the latch 4.

[0032] To prevent excessive medium pressure from impacting the male connector 2 and affecting the connection stability between the male connector 2 and the female connector 1, the female connector 1 also includes a pipe head 14. The outer diameter of the sleeve 11 is larger than the outer diameter of the pipe head 14, and one end of the sleeve 11 is integrally connected to the pipe head 14. By setting the pipe head 14 to be smaller than the outer diameter of the sleeve 11, at the moment of opening, as the diameter of the sleeve 11 increases, a pressure relief effect can be achieved, preventing excessive pressure from impacting the male connector 2, and improving the connection reliability and operational stability of the male connector 2 and the female connector 1.

[0033] To prevent leakage at the joint between the male connector 2 and the sleeve 11, an annular groove is provided inside the sleeve 11 near the end of the pipe head 14, and a sealing gasket 15 is provided in the annular groove. The addition of the sealing gasket 15 can ensure the sealing of the connection between the male connector 2 and the sleeve 11, prevent the medium from leaking between the male connector 2 and the sleeve 11, and improve the safety of use.

[0034] The above embodiments should not be considered as limitations on the present invention, but any improvements made based on the spirit of the present invention should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism, comprising a female connector (1) and a male connector (2), characterized in that... The male connector (2) has a locking groove (21) on its outer side wall. The female connector (1) includes a sleeve (11). A latch seat (12) is provided on the opposite outer side wall of the sleeve (11) in at least one direction. A locking hole (13) is provided in the latch seat (12). The locking hole (13) penetrates the sleeve (11) so that the latch seat (12) is connected to the inside of the sleeve (11). A latch (3) is hinged on each latch seat (12). When the male connector (2) is inserted into the sleeve (11), the latch (3) can be engaged in the locking groove (21) so that the male connector (2) and the female connector (1) are connected and fixed as one unit.

2. The quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that... It also includes a latch (4), which can limit and lock the latch (3) relative to the female connector (1), so that the latch (3) is locked into the locking groove (21) of the male connector (2) and cannot be dislodged.

3. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that... The latch (3) includes a handle end (31) and a locking end (32). When an external force is applied to the handle end (31), the locking end (32) can rotate into the sleeve (11) and lock into the locking groove (21) of the male connector (2) inserted into the sleeve (11), so that the male connector (2) and the female connector (1) are connected and fixed together.

4. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that... The locking groove (21) in the male connector (2) has a C-shaped cross section, and the locking end (32) has a raised arc surface (321) that matches the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove (21). When an external force is applied to the handle end (31), the raised arc surface (321) of the locking end (32) can slide in or out along the C-shaped arc surface of the locking groove (21), so that the male connector (2) can be connected and fixed or disassembled and separated from the female connector (1).

5. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that... The latch (4) includes a body (41), a first hinge hole (42) is provided at the bottom end of the body (41), and the body (41) is hinged to the buckle ear (3) by inserting the first hinge hole (42) through the first pin (43); a latch (44) is provided on one side of the first hinge hole (42), and a spring seat (45) is provided at the top end of the body (41). One end of the tension spring (46) is placed in the spring seat (45), and the other end abuts against the body (41) so that the top end of the body (41) is separated from the buckle ear (3) and the latch (44) is inserted into the locking hole (123). The locking hole (123) is provided in the buckle ear seat (12) or the sleeve (11), and the latch (44) can be separated from the locking hole (123) by the compression of the tension spring (46) at the top end of the body (41) under the action of external force.

6. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that... The buckle seat (12) includes two plates (121) arranged at relatively intervals. The upper ends of the two plates (121) are provided with a connecting plate (122) to connect the two plates (121) into one piece. The locking hole (123) is provided in the connecting plate (122). The two plates (121) are provided with a second hinge hole (124). The locking end (32) is inserted into the second hinge hole (124) through the second pin (125) and is rotatably hinged to the two plates (121).

7. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that... A limiting piece (47) is provided on the latch (4), and a limiting hole (33) is provided on the latch ear (3). The locking ring (48) can be inserted into the limiting hole (33) to block the displacement of the limiting piece (47) so that the locking tongue (44) cannot be dislodged from the locking hole (123) when an external force is applied to the handle end (31); wherein, the locking ring (48) is installed at the top of the latch (4).

8. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that... A groove (34) is provided on the handle end (31) of the buckle (3), and guard plates (35) are provided on both sides of the groove (34). The buckle (4) is placed between the two guard plates (35) and hinged to the buckle (3).

9. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that... The female connector (1) also includes a pipe head (14), the outer diameter of the sleeve (11) is larger than the outer diameter of the pipe head (14) and one end of the sleeve is connected to the pipe head (14) as a whole.

10. A quick connector with anti-loosening and locking mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that... An annular groove is provided inside the sleeve (11) near the end of the tube head (14), and a sealing gasket (15) is provided in the annular groove.

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