A tee connector that forms an integrated mounting bracket in one step

Abstract

This invention discloses a tee connector with an integrated mounting bracket formed in one piece, relating to the field of pipe connection technology. It includes a tee connector body, formed in one piece using injection molding, having three interconnected pipe interfaces extending along a first, second, and third direction, respectively; a mounting base, integrally formed on the outer wall of the tee connector body and located at the central area where at least two pipe interfaces intersect, extending outward from the outer wall and having mounting holes for fasteners; and a closed connector retainer, integrally formed on the outer wall of the tee connector body. This invention, by integrally injection molding the mounting base and tee connector body, avoids the stress concentration problem at weld points caused by separate welding, avoids the risk of coolant leakage due to fatigue cracking and detachment of the mounting bracket, and improves the structural reliability of the tee connector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipeline connector technology, and more specifically to a tee connector that forms an integrated mounting bracket in one step. Background Technology

[0002] In the thermal management systems of new energy vehicles or energy storage liquid cooling units, the tee connector is a key component used for distributing and connecting coolant pipelines. In existing technology, to ensure structural strength, the tee connector body is typically made of stainless steel. When it is necessary to fix the connector to the vehicle frame or unit frame, an additional independent mounting bracket is required. This mounting bracket is usually made of stamped stainless steel sheet and then welded to the outer wall of the tee connector body, thereby achieving a fixed installation of the tee connector.

[0003] However, in actual manufacturing and application, because the connector body and mounting bracket are manufactured separately and then welded together, this split structure has poor reliability during long-term use. Specifically, the welding surface between the mounting bracket and the connector body is small, and there is severe stress concentration at the weld point. In practical applications, the pulsating pressure of the liquid inside the pipeline and the vibration of external vehicles will continuously act on the connector. These alternating stresses can easily cause fatigue cracking and detachment of the weld point of the mounting bracket, or even cause the bracket itself to break, leading to coolant leakage and seriously affecting the safe and stable operation of the entire thermal management system.

[0004] Furthermore, traditional stainless steel joints involve complex processes and high material and manufacturing costs, resulting in a high overall cost for the thermal management system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tee connector that integrates the mounting bracket in one step, so as to solve the defects of the prior art that the tee connector and the mounting bracket are poor in structural reliability, easy to break, fall off and have high cost due to separate welding.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation, comprising a tee connector body, which is formed in one step by injection molding process, and has three interconnected pipe interfaces, wherein the three pipe interfaces extend along a first direction, a second direction and a third direction respectively;

[0007] The mounting base is integrally formed on the outer wall of the tee connector body and is located in the central area where at least two pipe interfaces meet. The mounting base extends outward from the outer wall and has mounting holes for fasteners to pass through it.

[0008] The enclosed connector retainer is integrally formed on the outer wall of the tee connector body and is a reinforcing rib structure that surrounds and connects the outer walls of at least two of the pipe interfaces.

[0009] The internal reinforcing rib is integrally formed inside the closed connector retainer and is located between two adjacent pipe interfaces. The internal reinforcing rib is a plate-like structure that radiates outward from the center of the tee connector body and connects to the outer wall of each pipe interface.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0011] The stress-dispersing ribs of the pipe interface are multiple sheet-like ribs that extend from the outer wall of the pipe interface and connect to the sealing joint retainer. The multiple stress-dispersing ribs of the pipe interface are arranged at intervals along the axial or circumferential direction of the pipe interface.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0013] A locking stress relief part is provided on the mounting base. The locking stress relief part is an annular groove or thinned area provided around the top and bottom of the mounting hole, which is used to generate deformation when the fastener is locked in order to absorb and disperse the locking stress.

[0014] Furthermore, a bamboo-joint sealing structure is integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface of each of the pipe interfaces, the bamboo-joint sealing structure comprising:

[0015] At least one main sealing ring is disposed near the end of the pipe interface;

[0016] At least one auxiliary sealing ring is disposed inside the main sealing ring, the outer diameter of the main sealing ring is larger than the outer diameter of the auxiliary sealing ring, and the main sealing ring and the auxiliary sealing ring are arranged at an axial distance along the pipe interface.

[0017] Furthermore, the cross-sections of both the main sealing ring and the auxiliary sealing ring are arc-shaped or trapezoidal protrusions.

[0018] Furthermore, the number of the enclosed connector retainers is at least two, and each of the enclosed connector retainers surrounds and connects to the outer walls of two adjacent pipe interfaces.

[0019] Furthermore, the sealing parts of the three pipe interfaces can all be replaced with quick-connect structures, which are quick-connect interfaces conforming to the NW standard, for quick plug-in connection with external pipes with corresponding quick-connect male prongs.

[0020] Furthermore, the mounting base is a flat, plate-like structure with two mounting holes symmetrically distributed on both sides of the tee connector body.

[0021] Furthermore, the tee connector body, the mounting base, the enclosed connector retainer, and the internal reinforcing ribs are all integrally injection molded from engineering plastics.

[0022] The present invention also provides a new energy vehicle or energy storage thermal management system, comprising a tee connector of a one-piece molded integrated mounting bracket as described in any of the above claims.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a tee connector that integrates a mounting bracket in one step:

[0024] 1. By using injection molding to integrally mold the tee fitting body and mounting base, the traditional process of manufacturing the body and mounting bracket separately and then welding them together is changed. The mounting base is directly integrated into the outer wall of the tee fitting body as part of the fitting's own structure, eliminating the need for additional independent bracket parts and thus eliminating the stress concentration problem at weld points caused by welding connections. Under the long-term effects of internal liquid pulsation pressure and external vehicle vibration, stress can be uniformly transmitted and dispersed through the continuous material between the mounting base and the tee fitting body. This avoids the risk of mounting bracket detachment or coolant leakage due to weld fatigue cracking in traditional welded structures, improving the structural reliability and service life of the tee fitting under vibration conditions.

[0025] Meanwhile, since the mounting base and the tee connector body are formed in one piece using the same mold, the relative position of the mounting hole to the pipe interface is directly guaranteed by the mold precision. During on-site installation, there is no need to forcibly align or force the mounting hole, thus eliminating the hidden danger of introducing additional stress at the connection between the connector body and the mounting bracket due to forced assembly, and further ensuring the long-term stability of the overall structure of the connector.

[0026] 2. This invention features an integrally formed bamboo-joint sealing structure on the outer circumference of the pipe interface. This structure includes a main sealing ring with a larger outer diameter and an auxiliary sealing ring with a smaller outer diameter, arranged axially along the pipe interface. When the rubber hose is fitted onto the pipe interface and secured by a pipe clamp, the main sealing ring and the auxiliary sealing ring form at least two independent annular sealing contact lines with the inner wall of the rubber hose, achieving multi-stage sealing. Simultaneously, the auxiliary sealing ring embeds into the inner wall of the rubber hose, increasing the friction between the rubber hose and the pipe interface, effectively preventing the rubber hose from sliding or even coming off axially along the pipe interface under internal liquid pressure fluctuations or external vibrations. Compared to traditional stainless steel tee fittings, which only have a flange forged at the pipe opening, achieving only a single-stage seal and insufficient fixing force for the rubber hose, the bamboo-joint sealing structure of this invention can be formed in a single injection molding process, eliminating the need for an additional forging process. This improves sealing reliability and connection stability while reducing manufacturing costs. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a tee connector for one-time formation of an integrated mounting bracket provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a three-dimensional joint for forming an integrated mounting bracket in one step, provided as an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the bamboo-joint sealing structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This invention provides a schematic diagram illustrating the stress dispersion structure in the body of a tee joint;

[0032] Figure 5 The second embodiment of the present invention includes a schematic diagram of a tee connector body with different specifications of connectors.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0034] 1. Tee connector body; 2. Mounting base; 3. Mounting hole; 4. Enclosed connector retainer; 5. Internal reinforcing rib; 6. Pipe interface stress dispersion rib; 7. Locking stress relief part; 8. Main sealing ring; 9. Auxiliary sealing ring; 10. Quick connector structure. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 5 As shown:

[0037] Example 1:

[0038] The present invention provides a tee connector with an integrated mounting bracket formed in one step, including a tee connector body 1, a mounting base 2, a closed connector retainer 4, an internal reinforcing rib 5, a pipe interface stress dispersion rib 6, a locking stress release part 7, and a bamboo joint sealing structure.

[0039] The tee connector body 1 is formed in one piece by injection molding and has three interconnected pipe interfaces. The three pipe interfaces extend along the first direction, the second direction and the third direction respectively. The three directions are perpendicular to each other and form a T-shaped tee structure.

[0040] The mounting base 2 is integrally formed on the outer wall of the tee connector body 1 and is located in the central area where the three pipe interfaces meet. The mounting base 2 extends outward from the outer wall to form a flat plate-like structure, on which two mounting holes 3 are provided, which are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the tee connector body 1. The mounting holes 3 are used to pass through bolts and other fasteners to fix the entire tee connector to the external fixed structure.

[0041] The enclosed connector retainer 4 is integrally formed on the outer wall of the tee connector body 1, and is a reinforcing rib structure that surrounds and connects the outer walls of at least two pipe interfaces. In this embodiment, there are two enclosed connector retainers 4, each of which surrounds and connects the outer walls of two adjacent pipe interfaces, forming a continuous reinforcing frame between the three pipe interfaces.

[0042] The internal reinforcing rib 5 is integrally formed inside the closed connector retainer 4 and is located between two adjacent pipe interfaces. The internal reinforcing rib 5 is a plate-like structure that radiates outward from the center of the tee connector body 1 and connects to the outer wall of each pipe interface, and is used to improve the connection rigidity between the central area of ​​the tee connector body 1 and each pipe interface.

[0043] As attached Figure 4 As shown, the stress-dispersing ribs 6 at the pipe interface are multiple sheet-like ribs extending from the outer wall of the pipe interface and connected to the closed joint retainer 4. The multiple stress-dispersing ribs 6 are arranged at intervals along the axial or circumferential direction of the pipe interface. The stress-dispersing ribs 6 at the pipe interface transmit and disperse the tensile or bending external force from the rubber hose borne by the pipe interface to the closed joint retainer 4, avoiding stress concentration at the root of the pipe interface.

[0044] A locking stress relief part 7 is provided on the mounting base 2, which is an annular groove or thinned area surrounding the top and bottom of the mounting hole 3. When the fastener passes through the mounting hole 3 for tightening, the locking stress relief part 7 can produce a slight deformation to absorb and disperse the locking stress, preventing the mounting base 2 from cracking due to excessive bolt tightening force.

[0045] As attached Figure 3As shown, a bamboo-joint sealing structure is integrally formed on the outer circumference of each pipe interface. The bamboo-joint sealing structure includes a main sealing convex ring 8 and two auxiliary sealing convex rings 9. The main sealing convex ring 8 is located near the end of the pipe interface, and the auxiliary sealing convex rings 9 are located inside the main sealing convex ring 8, that is, on the side near the center of the tee connector body 1. The outer diameter of the main sealing convex ring 8 is larger than the outer diameter of the auxiliary sealing convex rings 9, and the main sealing convex ring 8 and the auxiliary sealing convex rings 9 are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the pipe interface. In this embodiment, the cross-section of both the main sealing convex ring 8 and the auxiliary sealing convex rings 9 are arc-shaped protrusions. When the rubber hose is sleeved on the pipe interface and tightened by the pipe clamp, the main sealing convex ring 8 provides the first main seal, and the auxiliary sealing convex rings 9 provide the second auxiliary seal. At the same time, the auxiliary sealing convex rings 9 are embedded in the inner wall of the rubber hose to prevent the rubber hose from slipping axially under vibration or internal pressure.

[0046] In this embodiment, the three-way connector body 1, the mounting base 2, the enclosed connector retainer 4, the internal reinforcing rib 5, the pipe interface stress dispersion rib 6, the locking stress release part 7, and the bamboo joint sealing structure are all made of engineering plastic material and molded in one piece by the same injection mold.

[0047] Example 2:

[0048] As attached Figure 5 As shown, this embodiment provides a one-piece molded integrated mounting bracket tee connector, which has the same basic structure as Embodiment 1, including a tee connector body 1, a mounting base 2, a closed connector retainer 4, internal reinforcing ribs 5, a pipe interface stress dispersion rib 6, a locking stress release part 7, and a bamboo joint sealing structure. The structure, position, and connection relationship of the above components are the same as in Embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0049] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that all three pipe interfaces can be replaced with quick-connect structures 10. Quick-connect structures 10 replace the main sealing ring 8 and the auxiliary sealing ring 9, and are manufactured using a one-piece molding process. The quick-connect structure 10 is a quick-connect interface conforming to the NW standard, used for quick plug-in connection with external pipes equipped with corresponding quick-connect male prongs. During use, no pipe clamps are required for fastening, enabling rapid assembly and disassembly of the pipes.

[0050] The tee connector provided in this embodiment allows for flexible selection of pipe interface connection forms according to actual usage requirements, resulting in greater versatility and a wider range of applications.

[0051] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation, characterized in that, include: The three-way connector body (1) is formed in one piece by injection molding and has three interconnected pipe interfaces, which extend along the first direction, the second direction and the third direction respectively; The mounting base (2) is integrally formed on the outer wall of the three-way connector body (1) and located in the central area where at least two of the pipe interfaces meet. The mounting base (2) extends outward from the outer wall and has mounting holes (3) for fasteners to pass through. The closed connector retainer (4) is integrally formed on the outer wall of the tee connector body (1) and is a reinforcing rib structure that surrounds and connects at least two of the outer walls of the pipe interfaces; The internal reinforcing rib (5) is integrally formed inside the closed connector retainer (4) and located between two adjacent pipe interfaces. The internal reinforcing rib (5) is a plate-like structure that radiates outward from the center of the tee connector body (1) and connects to the outer wall of each pipe interface.

2. The tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The stress-dispersing ribs (6) of the pipe interface are multiple sheet-like ribs that extend from the outer wall of the pipe interface and are connected to the closed joint retainer (4). The multiple stress-dispersing ribs (6) of the pipe interface are arranged at intervals along the axial or circumferential direction of the pipe interface.

3. A tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A locking stress relief part (7) is provided on the mounting base (2). The locking stress relief part (7) is an annular groove or thinned area provided around the top and bottom of the mounting hole (3) to generate deformation when the fastener is locked in order to absorb and disperse the locking stress.

4. A tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned pipe interfaces has a bamboo-joint sealing structure integrally formed on its outer peripheral surface, the bamboo-joint sealing structure comprising: At least one main sealing ring (8) is provided near the end of the pipe interface; At least one auxiliary sealing ring (9) is disposed inside the main sealing ring (8), the outer diameter of the main sealing ring (8) is larger than the outer diameter of the auxiliary sealing ring (9), and the main sealing ring (8) and the auxiliary sealing ring (9) are arranged at an axial distance along the pipe interface.

5. A tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cross-sections of the main sealing ring (8) and the auxiliary sealing ring (9) are both arc-shaped or trapezoidal protrusions.

6. A tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the closed connector retainers (4) is at least two, and each of the closed connector retainers (4) surrounds and connects to the outer walls of two adjacent pipe interfaces.

7. A tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing parts of the three pipe interfaces can be replaced with quick connector structures (10), which are quick-connect interfaces conforming to NW standards and are used for quick plug-in connection with external pipes with corresponding quick-connect male connectors.

8. A tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting base (2) is a flat plate-like structure with two mounting holes (3) on it. The two mounting holes (3) are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the tee connector body (1).

9. A tee connector for one-time integrated mounting bracket formation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The three-way connector body (1), the mounting base (2), the closed connector retainer (4), and the internal reinforcing rib (5) are all integrally injection molded from engineering plastics.

10. A new energy vehicle or energy storage thermal management system, characterized in that, The tee connector includes the one-piece molded integrated mounting bracket as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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