Tamper-resistant connection hose and water system
By employing a complementary interlocking structure of the connector core, retaining ring, and nut connector, combined with an anti-tampering design, the problem of easy loosening and theft of threaded connection hoses is solved, achieving anti-theft and anti-tangling effects, and improving connection stability and service life.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- RIFENG ENTERPRISE FOSHAN CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-12
AI Technical Summary
In existing water supply systems, threaded hoses are prone to loosening due to water flow impact and vibration, leading to leakage or detachment of the interface, especially in open use scenarios where there is a risk of equipment theft and dismantling.
The device employs a complementary interlocking structure of a connector core, a retaining ring, and a nut connector. The complementary interlocking of the first and second positioning components achieves dual axial and circumferential positioning of the retaining ring and nut connector. Furthermore, the design of the anti-disassembly component and the retaining ring ensures that disassembly is only possible with the presence of the matching disassembly tool, thus preventing unauthorized disassembly.
It achieves an anti-theft and tamper-proof function that cannot be loosened without the aid of special tools, while the suspended structure avoids tangling and improves the stability and service life of the connection.
Smart Images
Figure CN122191393A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of connecting pipe technology, and more specifically, to an anti-theft connecting hose and water system. Background Technology
[0002] With the popularization and development of modern sanitary facilities, water supply hoses, as key components connecting water supply systems and terminal water outlet equipment, play an important role in home and public bathrooms. Currently, common hose structures on the market typically consist of a flexible tube body and rigid connectors at both ends. The connectors at the water outlet end often use a standard threaded interface design, achieving mechanical connection with handheld showerheads, spray guns, and other water outlet equipment through threaded engagement. While this threaded connection structure has the advantage of simple assembly, it reveals significant technical defects in actual use: the threaded pair is prone to gradual loosening under long-term water flow impact and vibration loads generated by user operation, leading to leakage or even complete detachment at the interface. Especially in open-use settings such as hotels and public bathhouses, this non-permanent connection method allows the water outlet equipment to be disassembled by hand, posing a serious challenge to equipment anti-theft management.
[0003] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tamper-proof connecting hose and water system.
[0005] This invention is implemented as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides an anti-theft and tamper-proof connecting hose, including a hose body, with two through ends of the hose body being a water inlet end and a water outlet end, and a functional unit provided on the water inlet end and / or the water outlet end.
[0006] The functional unit includes a connector core, anti-disassembly component, retaining ring, and nut connector.
[0007] The connector core includes a limiting section, a first connecting section, and a plug-in section arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The nut connector includes a threaded section and a second connecting section. The threaded section is configured to connect with a water supply / water use device. A first limiting platform is provided at one end of the second connecting section near the threaded section. The limiting section of the connector core contacts and limits the first limiting platform, and the plug-in section extends out of the end face of the second connecting section away from the threaded section.
[0008] The second connecting section has a first positioning element on the side away from the threaded section, and a second positioning element on the retaining ring. The retaining ring is fitted on the outer surface of the nut connector and extends towards the hose body. The first and second positioning elements are mutually complementary and interlocking to achieve dual axial and circumferential positioning of the retaining ring and the nut connector.
[0009] The retaining ring has a pawl portion and a first disassembly portion at its two axially extending ends. The first disassembly portion is located at the end closer to the hose body and is configured to cooperate with a disassembly tool for disassembly. The pawl portion is located at the end closer to the nut connector. The pawl portion is an elastic cantilever structure that extends radially along the retaining ring. One end of the pawl portion is fixed to the retaining ring, and the other end is a free end. The free end can selectively move inward or outward from the retaining ring so that the radial surface of the pawl portion forms an inclined surface.
[0010] The anti-tampering component is fitted onto the surface of the integral formed by the fixing component, connector core, retaining ring, and nut connector. The hose body extends into the anti-tampering component and is fixedly connected to the connector core. The anti-tampering component and the hose body are spaced apart so that disassembly tools can be inserted into the anti-tampering component for disassembly.
[0011] The inner wall surface of the anti-disassembly component is provided with a first protrusion that protrudes into the inside of the anti-disassembly component at the corresponding position of the pawl. The first protrusion is a fan-shaped protrusion, and the height of the protrusion gradually decreases along the circumferential direction. The highest point of the protrusion is the protrusion end face. When the anti-disassembly component and the retaining ring rotate relative to each other, the protrusion end face drives the end face of the free end of the pawl in one direction, so that the retaining ring drives the nut joint to be tightly connected with the water supply / water use device.
[0012] The inner wall of the anti-disassembly component is also provided with a second limiting component, which contacts and limits the retaining ring to ensure that the anti-disassembly component is axially fixedly connected to the retaining ring.
[0013] In an optional embodiment, the inner diameter of the first limiting platform is larger than the outer diameter of the limiting segment of the connector core, and the height of the first limiting platform is greater than the height of the limiting segment.
[0014] In an optional embodiment, the functional unit further includes a fixing member, which is fitted onto the surface of the plug segment, and one end of the fixing member is limited to the first connecting segment. The fixing member and the plug segment are spaced apart, and the hose body is accommodated between the fixing member and the plug segment.
[0015] Preferably, a second limiting platform protruding from the first connecting segment is provided at one end of the first connecting segment near the insertion segment, and a limiting buckle is provided at one end of the fixing member, the limiting buckle cooperating with the second limiting platform to limit movement.
[0016] In an optional embodiment, the first disassembly part has a plurality of protruding teeth along the axial direction of the retaining ring, and the plurality of protruding teeth are arranged in a circumferentially spaced manner in the retaining ring. The first disassembly part is configured to cooperate with a disassembly tool to disassemble the water supply / use device.
[0017] In an optional embodiment, a disassembly tool compatible with the connecting hose is also included. The disassembly tool includes a disassembly body and an operating part that are fixedly connected. The disassembly body is arc-shaped, and a second disassembly part that matches the structure of the first disassembly part is provided at one end. The second disassembly part consists of multiple protruding teeth along the arc surface.
[0018] In an optional embodiment, the second limiting member protrudes into the inner wall surface of the anti-disassembly member, and the protruding teeth of the first disassembly part contact and limit the second limiting member.
[0019] The contact between the second limiting member and the toothed limiting member includes any of the following: 1) The bottom surface of the protruding tooth contacts and limits the contact with the top surface of the second limiting member; 2) A third limiting platform is provided at the end of the tooth away from the pawl, and a guide portion is provided on the side of the second limiting member near the nut joint, which is inclined to the side away from the nut joint. The top surface of the third limiting platform contacts and limits the guide portion of the second limiting member.
[0020] In an optional implementation, the inner diameter of the tamper-evident component gradually increases in the direction approaching the threaded section.
[0021] In an optional embodiment, the complementary interlocking connection structure of the first positioning member and the second positioning member includes any one of the following: hole-post connection structure, protrusion-groove connection structure, spline mating structure, toothed mating structure, and screw-locating pin connection structure.
[0022] In an optional implementation, the functional unit further includes a gasket, which is received within the threaded section; And / or, the functional unit also includes a seal, and a sealing groove is provided on the side of the first connecting section near the limiting section, the sealing groove containing the seal.
[0023] Secondly, the present invention provides a water supply system, including a water supply / use device and a connecting hose as described in any of the foregoing embodiments. The water supply / use device includes a water supply device and a water use device, wherein the water supply device is connected to a water inlet and the water use device is connected to a water outlet.
[0024] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention provides an anti-tampering connecting hose and water system. Through the complementary engagement of a first positioning member and a second positioning member, the retaining ring and nut connector are precisely positioned in both the axial and circumferential directions, ensuring stable torque transmission between them. When using a matching disassembly tool, it can be inserted through the annular gap between the anti-tampering member and the hose body, engaging with the first disassembly part of the retaining ring, thereby directly driving the retaining ring to rotate and unlocking the nut connector, achieving controllable disassembly. Without a special tool, only the outermost anti-tampering member is screwed on. The first protrusion on its inner wall can only drive the pawl part of the retaining ring in one direction. This one-way drive only locks the nut connector to the water supply / use device. When the anti-tampering member is rotated in the opposite direction, the anti-tampering member and the retaining ring are only axially limited by the second limiting member, without a circumferential engagement structure. Therefore, an effective circumferential driving force transmission path cannot be established, resulting in free rotation between the anti-tampering member and the retaining ring. The rotational force cannot be transmitted to the retaining ring and nut connector. Thus, without the aid of a special tool, the nut connector cannot be loosened, reliably achieving the anti-tampering function. Attached Figure Description
[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-theft and tamper-proof connecting hose provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 An exploded view of a portion of the anti-theft and tamper-proof connecting hose provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is an axial sectional view of one side of a functional unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connector core provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 An axial sectional view of the connector core provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fastener provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 An axial sectional view of the fastener provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the nut connector provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is an axial sectional view of a nut connector provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10This is a schematic diagram of the clasp structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 Axial cross-section of the retaining ring provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 12 Axial cross-section of the retaining ring provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 13 A top view of the retaining ring provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the structure of the disassembly tool provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the anti-tamper component provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 16 A top view of the tamper-proof component provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 Axial sectional view of the assembly process of the connecting hose provided in the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 18 Axial sectional view of the assembly process of the connecting hose provided in the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 19 Axial sectional view of the assembly process of the connecting hose provided in the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 ; Figure 20 Radial cross-section of the connecting hose provided in an embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 ; Figure 21 Radial cross-section of the connecting hose provided in an embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 .
[0027] Key component symbols: 10-Connecting hose; 100-Hose body; 300-Functional unit; 310-Connector core; 311-Limiting section; 312-First connecting section; 3121-Second limiting platform; 3122-Sealing groove; 313-Plug-in section; 3131-Anti-detachment protrusion; 320-Fixing component; 321-Limit buckle; 330-Snap ring; 331-Second positioning component; 332-Pawl part; 3321-Fixed end; 3322-Free end; 3 323 - End face of the free end; 333 - First disassembly part; 3331 - Third limiting platform; 340 - Nut connector; 341 - Threaded section; 342 - Second connecting section; 3421 - First limiting platform; 3422 - First positioning element; 350 - Gasket; 360 - Seal; 370 - Anti-disassembly element; 371 - First protrusion; 3711 - Protruding end face; 372 - Second limiting element; 380 - Disassembly tool; 381 - Disassembly body; 382 - Operating part. Detailed Implementation
[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Where specific conditions are not specified in the embodiments, conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer shall apply. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.
[0029] The features and performance of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments.
[0030] Please see Figure 1 This embodiment provides an anti-theft and tamper-proof connecting hose 10, including a hose body 100. The hose body 100 has an inlet and an outlet at its two ends, respectively, and a functional unit is provided on the inlet and / or outlet. In this embodiment, the functional unit has both anti-theft and anti-tamper-proof functions, and both the inlet and outlet ends of the hose body 100 are provided with functional units. In other embodiments, functional units can also be provided at either the inlet or outlet end as needed.
[0031] To address the issue of hose entanglement, the inventors discovered that the traditional double-end rigid connector design severely restricts the hose's freedom of movement. When users adjust the angle of the water outlet or perform rotation, the rigid connector cannot effectively compensate for torsional stress, causing the hose to undergo helical deformation and gradually become entangled. This entanglement not only exacerbates fatigue damage to the hose's inner lining and shortens the product's lifespan, but also increases water flow resistance and inconvenience in operation. Therefore, the inventors further improved the connection structure between the connector core 310 and the nut connector 340.
[0032] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The functional unit 300 includes a connector core 310, a fastener 320, a seal 360, a retaining ring 330, a nut connector 340, a gasket 350, and an anti-disassembly component 370.
[0033] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 The connector core 310 includes a limiting section 311, a first connecting section 312, and a plug section 313 arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The limiting section 311 is used to mate with the nut connector 340, and the plug section 313 is used to mate with the hose body 100.
[0034] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 7The fixing member 320 is fitted onto the surface of the plug section 313, and one end of the fixing member 320 is limited and matched with the first connecting section 312. The fixing member 320 and the plug section 313 are spaced apart, and the hose body 100 is accommodated between the fixing member 320 and the plug section 313.
[0035] In this embodiment, the fixing member 320 is a steel sleeve, which is subjected to ring pressing to achieve a tight connection with the connector core 310 and the hose body 100.
[0036] In this embodiment, in order to ensure the fixed connection between the fastener 320 and the connector core 310, a second limiting platform 3121 protruding from the first connecting segment 312 is provided at one end of the first connecting segment 312 near the insertion segment 313, and a limiting buckle 321 is provided at one end of the fastener 320. The limiting buckle 321 cooperates with the second limiting platform 3121 to limit the position.
[0037] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 Furthermore, the insertion section 313 of the connector core 310 is also provided with multiple anti-detachment protrusions 3131. When the hose body 100 is fitted onto the surface of the insertion section 313, the anti-detachment protrusions 3131 can effectively prevent the connector core 310 from falling off the hose body 100.
[0038] By fixing the hose body 100 outward with the anti-detachment protrusion 3131 and compressing the hose body 100 inward with the fixing member 320, the hose body 100 and the insertion end of the connector core 310 are tightly connected and will not be displaced relative to each other. This is the basis for realizing the anti-tangling function of the connecting hose 10.
[0039] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 9 The nut connector 340 includes a threaded section 341 and a second connecting section 342.
[0040] The threaded section 341 is configured to be threadedly connected to the water supply / use device. The gasket 350 is housed within the threaded section 341. The sealing and pressing action of the gasket 350 achieves a seal at the connection between the water supply / use device and the nut connector 340, preventing media leakage.
[0041] The water supply / use device includes a water supply device and a water use device. The water supply device (e.g., an inlet pipe) is connected to the inlet end of the hose body, and the water use device (e.g., a shower head and spray gun) is connected to the outlet end of the hose body. The connection is achieved by using the threads of the threaded section and the gasket to achieve a tight connection.
[0042] The second connecting section 342 of the nut connector 340 is provided with a first limiting platform 3421 at one end near the threaded section 341. The limiting section 311 of the connector core 310 contacts and limits the first limiting platform 3421, and the insertion section 313 extends out of the end face of the second connecting section 342 away from the threaded section 341.
[0043] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 9 In this embodiment, in order to further achieve the anti-winding effect of the connecting hose 10, the inner diameter n of the first limiting platform 3421 is greater than the outer diameter m of the limiting section 311 of the connector core 310, and the height b of the first limiting platform 3421 is greater than the height a of the limiting section 311.
[0044] By matching the dimensional difference between the limiting section 311 and the first limiting platform 3421, a suspended structure is constructed, allowing the nut connector 340 to float axially and move slightly radially relative to the connector core 310. This decouples the rotational motion of the water supply / use device from the stress state of the hose body 100. Combined with the stable connection between the hose body 100 and the connector core 310 through the anti-detachment protrusion 3131 and the fixing member 320, when the water supply / use device rotates, only the nut connector 340 and the sealing gasket 350 rotate synchronously. The connector core 310 inside the nut connector 340 remains stationary because it is not rigidly constrained, thus keeping the hose body 100 stationary as well, thereby achieving the anti-winding function.
[0045] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 In this embodiment, in order to prevent water leakage at the connection between the nut connector 340 and the connector core 310, a sealing groove 3122 is provided on the side of the first connecting section 312 near the limiting section 311, and the sealing groove 3122 contains a sealing element 360.
[0046] Please see Figure 3 In this embodiment, the end of the second connecting section 342 of the nut connector 340 away from the threaded section 341 is spaced apart from the limiting buckle 321 of the fixing member 320 to ensure that the overall structure of the connecting hose 10 is compact.
[0047] Furthermore, the retaining ring 330 is fitted onto the outer surfaces of the nut connector 340 and the fastener 320. A first positioning element 3422 is provided on the side of the second connecting section 342 of the nut connector 340 away from the threaded section 341. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 10 The retaining ring 330 is provided with a second positioning element 331. The first positioning element 3422 and the second positioning element 331 cooperate in a complementary interlocking manner to achieve dual positioning of the retaining ring 330 and the nut joint 340 in both the axial and circumferential directions.
[0048] In this embodiment, the first positioning element 3422 is a through hole structure opened on the second connecting section 342, and the second positioning element 331 is a columnar structure protruding into the retaining ring 330. The first positioning element 3422 and the second positioning element 331 achieve dual positioning of the retaining ring 330 and the nut joint 340 in the axial and circumferential directions through the hole-column connection structure.
[0049] In other embodiments, the first positioning member 3422 may also be a structure in which the outer surface of the second connecting section 342 protrudes outward, and the second positioning member 331 may also be a groove starting from the inner surface of the retaining ring 330. The first positioning member 3422 and the second positioning member 331 achieve dual positioning of the retaining ring 330 and the nut joint 340 in the axial and circumferential directions through the protrusion-groove connection structure.
[0050] Optionally, the complementary interlocking connection structure of the first positioning member 3422 and the second positioning member 331 can also be any one of the spline mating structure, toothed mating structure and screw-locating pin connection structure, which will not be described in detail in this embodiment.
[0051] The complementary interlocking positioning of the first positioning element 3422 and the second positioning element 331 achieves reliable circumferential and axial positioning between the retaining ring 330 and the nut joint 340, forming a rigid connection between them. Under this structural constraint, torque can be transmitted bidirectionally, synchronously, and without loss between the retaining ring 330 and the nut joint 340—that is, when the retaining ring 330 rotates, it drives the nut joint 340 to rotate synchronously, and when the nut joint 340 rotates, it also drives the retaining ring 330 to rotate synchronously.
[0052] Please see Figures 9-12 The retaining ring 330 has a pawl portion 332 and a first disassembly portion 333 at its two ends that are axially connected. It is understood that the second positioning member 331 is offset from the pawl portion 332 and the first disassembly portion 333. For example, the second positioning member 331 is located between the pawl portion 332 and the first disassembly portion 333, as long as the retaining ring 330 can be rigidly fixed to the nut joint 340.
[0053] The first disassembly part 333 of the retaining ring 330 is located at one end near the hose body 100 and is configured to cooperate with the disassembly tool 380 for disassembly.
[0054] In this embodiment, the first disassembly part 333 has a plurality of protruding teeth along the axial direction of the retaining ring 330, and the plurality of protruding teeth are arranged in a circumferential ring at intervals to form a concave-convex structure at one end of the retaining ring 330, which facilitates cooperation with the disassembly tool 380 to realize the disassembly between the water supply / use device and the connecting hose 10.
[0055] Please see Figure 14In this embodiment, a disassembly tool 380 is also included in conjunction with the connecting hose 10. It is understood that the disassembly tool 380 is a separate structure and is not fixedly connected to the structure of the connecting hose 10. It is only used when disassembly is required.
[0056] Specifically, the disassembly tool 380 includes a disassembly body 381 and an operating part 382 that are fixedly connected. In this embodiment, in order to match the concave and convex structure of the first disassembly part on the retaining ring 330, the disassembly body 381 of the disassembly tool 380 is arc-shaped, and one end is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions to engage with the concave and convex structure of the first disassembly part. After the user holds the operating part 382 and applies a rotational force, the disassembly tool 380 drives the retaining ring 330 to rotate. Since the retaining ring 330 is rigidly connected to the nut joint 340, it drives the nut joint 340 to rotate, thereby realizing the disassembly of the water supply / water use device.
[0057] Therefore, it is understandable that in order to achieve the tamper-proof effect of the connecting hose 10, the user can only disassemble the water supply / water use device with the disassembly tool 380; ordinary rotation cannot disassemble the water supply / water use device. To achieve this effect, this embodiment further adopts an external tamper-proof component 370, which, in conjunction with the structural design of the retaining ring 330, simultaneously achieves the effects of preventing theft and disassembly, and also allows for quick disassembly using the disassembly tool 380 when disassembly is required, as detailed below.
[0058] Please see Figure 15 and Figure 16 The anti-disassembly component 370 is fitted onto the surface of the integral formed by the nut connector 340, connector core 310, fixing component 320 and retaining ring 330, and the hose body 100 part fitted onto the surface of connector core 310 extends into the anti-disassembly component 370. Through the above design, the anti-disassembly component 370 can protect all structures in the functional unit 300 except for the anti-disassembly component 370, which not only makes the functional unit 300 beautiful and simple, but also improves the service life of each structure and prevents it from being exposed and damaged.
[0059] After the hose body 100 extends into the anti-disassembly member 370, the anti-disassembly member 370 and the hose body 100 are spaced apart so that the disassembly body 381 of the disassembly tool 380 can extend into the anti-disassembly member 370 and contact the first disassembly part 333 of the retaining ring 330 to disassemble the water supply / use device.
[0060] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the anti-disassembly component 370 gradually increases along the direction close to the threaded section. This not only adapts to the size of the internal structure but also makes the gap between the anti-disassembly component 370 and the hose body 100 smaller and less noticeable. This makes the anti-disassembly function of the connecting hose 10 provided in this embodiment more stable, as long as the disassembly body 381 of the disassembly tool 380 can be inserted into the gap.
[0061] Please see Figure 10 The pawl portion 332 of the retaining ring 330 is located at one end near the nut joint 340. The pawl portion 332 is an elastic cantilever structure extending radially along the retaining ring 330. One end of the pawl portion 332 is fixed to the retaining ring 330, which is the fixed end 3321; the other end is the free end 3322. The free end 3322 can selectively move inward or outward from the retaining ring 330 so that the radial surface of the pawl portion 332 forms an inclined surface.
[0062] Please see Figure 15 The inner wall surface of the anti-disassembly component 370 is provided with a first protrusion 371 that protrudes inward from the pawl portion 332. The first protrusion 371 is a fan-shaped protrusion, and the height of the protrusion gradually decreases along the circumference of the fan-shaped structure to form a cone-like structure. The highest point of the first protrusion 371 is the protrusion end face 3711.
[0063] Please see Figure 13 and Figure 16 The direction of the protrusion height of the first protrusion 371 from high to low is the same as the direction from the fixed end 3321 to the free end 3322 of the pawl portion 332. For example, in Figure 21 In the structure shown, the protrusion height of the first protrusion 371 is clockwise from high to low, and the direction from the fixed end 3321 to the free end 3322 of the pawl part 332 is also clockwise. This means that when the anti-disassembly part 370 rotates counterclockwise, the protruding end face 3711 of the anti-disassembly part 370 pushes the end face 3323 of the free end of the outwardly raised pawl part 332 to rotate, so that the rotation of the retaining ring 330 can be achieved by directly screwing on the anti-disassembly part 370, thereby driving the nut joint 340 and the water supply / water use device to tighten.
[0064] When the anti-tamper component 370 is rotated clockwise, the protruding end face 3711 of the anti-tamper component 370 cannot exert force on the pawl portion 332 of the retaining ring 330. Therefore, no matter how the anti-tamper component 370 is turned, the retaining ring 330 cannot be rotated, thereby achieving the effect of preventing theft and tampering.
[0065] That is, when the anti-disassembly component 370 and the retaining ring 330 rotate relative to each other, the protruding end face 3711 drives the end face 3323 of the free end of the pawl portion 332 in one direction, so that the retaining ring 330 drives the nut joint 340 to be tightly connected with the water supply / use device.
[0066] In other embodiments, the direction of the protrusion height of the first protrusion 371 from high to low can also be counterclockwise, as long as the direction from the fixed end 3321 to the free end 3322 of the pawl 332 is also counterclockwise.
[0067] Please see Figure 15Furthermore, in order to axially position the anti-disassembly component 370 without affecting the realization of the anti-disassembly function, a second limiting component 372 is also provided on the inner wall surface of the anti-disassembly component 370. The second limiting component 372 contacts and limits the retaining ring 330 so that the anti-disassembly component 370 and the retaining ring 330 are axially fixedly connected.
[0068] In this embodiment, the second limiting member 372 is an annular protrusion on the inner wall surface of the anti-disassembly member 370, and the protruding teeth of the first disassembly part 333 contact and limit the second limiting member 372.
[0069] Specifically, the end of the protruding tooth of the first disassembly part 333 away from the pawl part 332 is provided with an outwardly protruding third limiting platform 3331, so that the lower part of the protruding tooth forms a positioning groove, and the second limiting member 372 is accommodated in the positioning groove. The second limiting member 372 is provided with a guide part on the side near the nut joint 340, and the guide part is inclined in a direction away from the nut joint 340. The top surface of the third limiting platform 3331 contacts and limits the guide part of the second limiting member 372.
[0070] In other embodiments, the bottom surface of the protruding tooth can be directly contacted and limited by the top surface of the second limiting member 372.
[0071] Since there is no radial limit between the tamper-proof component 370 and the retaining ring 330, the tamper-proof sleeve will not exert a radial force on the retaining ring 330 when it rotates counterclockwise, thus achieving the tamper-proof function.
[0072] This embodiment provides an anti-theft and tamper-proof connecting hose 10, the assembly process and working principle of which are as follows: Please see Figures 17-19 The assembly process shown: S1, please refer to Figure 17 A sealing element 360 (such as an O-ring) is embedded in the sealing groove 3122 of the first connecting section 312 of the connector core 310 to ensure the reliability of static sealing when it is subsequently mated with the nut connector 340.
[0073] S2, please refer to Figure 17 Steps ① and ② of a, and the assembly process Figure 17 b. Insert the connector core 310 into the nut connector 340. The insertion section 313 of the connector core 310 extends out of the nut connector 340. The limiting section 311 of the connector core 310 is inserted into the second connecting section 342 of the nut connector 340 and contacts and limits contact with the first limiting platform 3421. At this time, m < n and a < b, thus forming an axial floating gap and a radial micro-movement space between the connector core 310 and the nut connector 340, constituting a suspended decoupling structure. Please continue to refer to Figure 17 Step ③ of a and the assembly Figure 17 b. Then, insert the washer 350 into the inner cavity of the threaded section 341 of the nut connector 340.
[0074] S3, please see Figure 18 Steps ④ and ⑤ of a, and the assembly process Figure 18 b. First, put the anti-disassembly component 370 and the retaining ring 330 onto the surface of the hose body 100 in sequence. There is no need to position the anti-disassembly component 370 and the retaining ring 330 for the time being.
[0075] Then see Figure 19 In step ⑥ of step a, the fastener 320 is also fitted onto the surface of the hose body 100; no positioning of the fastener 320 is required at this time. Figure 19 Step 7 of a and the assembly Figure 19 As shown in b, the structure assembled in step S2 is installed with the hose body 100. The insertion section 313 of the connector core 310 extends into the hose body 100, and multiple anti-detachment protrusions 3131 are fully embedded in the inner wall of the hose body 100. The fixing member 320 (steel sleeve) moves towards the nut connector 340, so that the limiting buckle 321 at one end engages with the second limiting platform 3121 at the end of the first connecting section 312. Then, the fixing member 320 is pressed together with the connector core 310 and the hose body 100 through the ring pressing process to form a rigid connection that cannot be relatively slipped.
[0076] S4, 330 circlip installation: Please refer to... Figure 19 Step 8: Slide the retaining ring 330 toward the nut connector 340 so that the second positioning member 331 (columnar protrusion) on the inner wall of the retaining ring 330 is precisely embedded in the first positioning member 3422 (through hole) on the outer wall of the second connecting section 342 of the nut connector 340, thereby achieving dual rigid positioning of the retaining ring 330 and the nut connector 340 in both the axial and circumferential directions. At this time, the pawl portion 332 of the retaining ring 330 faces the nut connector 340 side, and the first disassembly portion 333 (annular protrusion) faces the hose body 100 side.
[0077] S5, Anti-tamper 370 kit: Please refer to Figure 19Step 9: Slide the anti-disassembly component 370 towards the nut connector 340, so that it covers the exposed parts of the nut connector 340, retaining ring 330, fixing component 320, and connector core 310; after assembly, the second limiting component 372 (annular protrusion) on the inner wall of the anti-disassembly component 370 is embedded in the positioning groove at the bottom of the protruding tooth of the first disassembly part 333 of the retaining ring 330, and the top surface of the third limiting platform 3331 contacts and limits the guide end face of the second limiting component 372, so that the anti-disassembly component 370 is positioned relative to the retaining ring 340. The ring 330 is axially fixed; simultaneously, the inner wall of the anti-disassembly member 370 is provided with a first protrusion 371 corresponding to the position of the pawl portion 332, and the direction of its protrusion height from high to low is consistent with the direction from the fixed end 3321 to the free end 3322 of the pawl portion 332 (e.g., both are clockwise), ensuring that the one-way drive function is established; a radial gap is maintained between the anti-disassembly member 370 and the hose body 100 to allow the disassembly body 381 of the disassembly tool 380 to extend into and engage with the first disassembly portion 333, obtaining such... Figure 19 The structure shown in c is now assembled.
[0078] Working principle: 1. Locking condition: Please see Figure 20 Insert the water supply / use device, such as a shower head, into the threaded section 341 of the nut connector 340, and turn the anti-tamper sleeve counterclockwise. The protruding end face 3711 of the anti-tamper part 370 pushes the end face 3323 of the free end of the outwardly protruding pawl part 332 to rotate. The retaining ring 330 rotates, thereby driving the nut connector 340 and the water supply / use device to tighten. This makes it easy to lock the nut connector 340 and the water supply / use device by simply turning the anti-tamper part 370.
[0079] 2. Anti-disassembly condition: Please see Figure 21 When attempting to manually turn the anti-tamper component 370 clockwise, because there is no effective working surface between the protruding end face 3711 of the first protrusion 371 and the free end 3322 of the pawl 332 (i.e., the protruding end face 3711 cannot contact and push the free end 3322), and there is no radial limiting constraint between the anti-tamper component 370 and the retaining ring 330, the anti-tamper component 370 only rotates freely and cannot transmit torque to the retaining ring 330 and the nut joint 340. The water supply / water use device remains locked, achieving physical-level anti-theft and anti-tampering.
[0080] 3. Disassembly process: Disassembly is performed using the matching disassembly tool 380. The disassembly body 381 is inserted into the gap between the anti-disassembly component 370 and the hose body 100. The protruding teeth of the disassembly body 381 are aligned with the groove of the concave-convex structure of the retaining ring 330. The disassembly body 381 engages with the first disassembly part 333 of the retaining ring 330. The gripping operation part 382 applies a clockwise rotational torque. This torque is transmitted through the disassembly body 381 to the retaining ring 330, and then to the nut connector 340, thereby causing the nut connector 340 to rotate clockwise synchronously, thereby loosening the threaded connection between the nut connector 340 and the water supply / water use device (such as a shower head). The entire process does not require damage to the anti-disassembly component 370 or the connection structure, and can be repeatedly disassembled and assembled.
[0081] 4. Anti-tangling: When the water supply / use device (such as a spray gun) rotates, the rotational torque first acts on the threaded section 341 of the nut connector 340. However, due to the suspended structure formed by the dimensional difference between the limiting section 311 and the first limiting platform 3421, the nut connector 340 can float axially and move slightly radially, and its rotational motion is not transmitted to the connector core 310. The connector core 310 is rigidly anchored to the hose body 100 by the anti-loosening protrusion 3131 and the fixing member 320, and remains stationary. Therefore, the hose body 100 is not affected by torsional stress, avoiding spiral deformation and entanglement, and fundamentally eliminating problems such as fatigue damage, increased water flow resistance and operation jamming caused by rotation.
[0082] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A tamper-proof connecting hose, characterized in that, The device includes a hose body, with an inlet and an outlet at the two ends of the hose body, and a functional unit is provided on the inlet and / or the outlet. The functional unit includes a connector core, an anti-disassembly component, a retaining ring, and a nut connector; The connector core includes a limiting section, a first connecting section, and a plug-in section arranged sequentially along the axial direction. The nut connector includes a threaded section and a second connecting section. The threaded section is configured to connect to a water supply / water use device. A first limiting platform is provided at one end of the second connecting section near the threaded section. The limiting section of the connector core contacts and limits the first limiting platform, and the plug-in section extends out of the end face of the second connecting section away from the threaded section. The second connecting section is provided with a first positioning element on the side away from the threaded section, and a second positioning element is provided on the retaining ring. The retaining ring is sleeved on the outer surface of the nut connector and extends towards the hose body. The first positioning element and the second positioning element are mutually complementary and interlocking to achieve dual positioning of the retaining ring and the nut connector in both the axial and circumferential directions. The retaining ring has a pawl portion and a first disassembly portion at its two axially extending ends. The first disassembly portion is located at the end near the hose body and is configured to cooperate with a disassembly tool for disassembly. The pawl portion is located at the end near the nut connector. The pawl portion is an elastic cantilever structure extending radially along the retaining ring. One end of the pawl portion is fixed to the retaining ring, and the other end is a free end. The free end can selectively move inward or outward from the retaining ring so that the radial surface of the pawl portion forms an inclined surface. The anti-disassembly component is fitted onto the surface of the integral formed by the connector core, the retaining ring, and the nut connector. The hose body extends into the anti-disassembly component and is fixedly connected to the connector core. The anti-disassembly component and the hose body are spaced apart so that the disassembly tool can extend into the anti-disassembly component for disassembly. The inner wall surface of the anti-disassembly component is provided with a first protrusion that protrudes towards the inside of the anti-disassembly component at a position corresponding to the pawl portion. The first protrusion is a fan-shaped protrusion, and the height of the protrusion gradually decreases along the circumferential direction, with the highest point of the protrusion being the protrusion end face. When the anti-disassembly component and the retaining ring rotate relative to each other, the protrusion end face drives the end face of the free end of the pawl portion in one direction, so that the retaining ring drives the nut connector to be tightly connected to the water supply / water use device. The inner wall surface of the anti-disassembly component is also provided with a second limiting component, which contacts and limits the retaining ring to make the anti-disassembly component axially fixedly connected to the retaining ring.
2. The anti-theft connecting hose according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner diameter of the first limiting platform is larger than the outer diameter of the limiting segment of the connector core, and the height of the first limiting platform is greater than the height of the limiting segment.
3. The anti-theft connecting hose according to claim 2, characterized in that, The functional unit also includes a fixing member, which is sleeved on the surface of the plug segment, and one end of the fixing member is limited and engaged with the first connecting segment. The fixing member and the plug segment are spaced apart, and the hose body is accommodated between the fixing member and the plug segment. Preferably, a second limiting platform protruding from the first connecting segment is provided at one end of the first connecting segment near the plug-in segment, and a limiting buckle is provided at one end of the fixing member, the limiting buckle cooperating with the second limiting platform to limit movement.
4. The anti-theft connecting hose according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first disassembly part has a plurality of protruding teeth along the axial direction of the retaining ring, and the plurality of protruding teeth are arranged circumferentially at intervals in the retaining ring. The first disassembly part is configured to cooperate with a disassembly tool to disassemble the water supply / use device.
5. The anti-theft connecting hose according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a disassembly tool that is compatible with the connecting hose. The disassembly tool includes a disassembly body and an operating part that are fixedly connected. The disassembly body is arc-shaped and has a second disassembly part at one end that matches the structure of the first disassembly part. The second disassembly part consists of a plurality of protruding teeth along the arc surface.
6. The anti-theft connecting hose according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second limiting member protrudes towards the inner wall surface of the anti-disassembly member, and the protruding teeth of the first disassembly part contact and limit the movement with the second limiting member; The second limiting member and the protruding tooth make contact in any of the following ways: 1) The bottom surface of the protruding tooth contacts and limits the contact with the top surface of the second limiting member; 2) A third limiting platform is provided at the end of the tooth away from the pawl, and a guide portion is provided on the side of the second limiting member near the nut joint, which is inclined to the side away from the nut joint. The top surface of the third limiting platform contacts and limits the guide portion of the second limiting member.
7. The anti-theft connecting hose according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner diameter of the tamper-evident component gradually increases along the direction close to the threaded section.
8. The anti-theft connecting hose according to claim 1, characterized in that, The complementary interlocking connection structure of the first positioning member and the second positioning member includes any one of the following: hole-column connection structure, protrusion-groove connection structure, spline mating structure, toothed mating structure, and screw-locating pin connection structure.
9. The anti-theft connecting hose according to claim 1, characterized in that, The functional unit also includes a gasket, which is accommodated within the threaded section; And / or, the functional unit further includes a seal, and a sealing groove is provided on the side of the first connecting section near the limiting section, the sealing groove containing the seal.
10. A water supply system, characterized in that, It includes a water supply / use device and a connecting hose as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the water supply / use device includes a water supply device and a water use device, the water supply device being connected to the water inlet and the water use device being connected to the water outlet.