Quick-connection fastening assembly and operation machine

Abstract

The utility model relates to a quick-connection fastening assembly and an operation machine comprising the quick-connection fastening assembly. The quick-connection fastening assembly comprises a rigid fastening piece and a flexible locking piece. The fastener comprises a first section, a second section and a third section which are connected in sequence. The locking piece is arranged on the first section. The third section can be fastened to the second component, and the first component can be arranged on the second section in a sleeving mode after passing through the locking piece from the side, away from the third section, of the first section. The locking piece is configured to be capable of being compressed by the first component in the radial direction to deform when the first component passes through the locking piece, and can restore to the original shape to axially press the first component after the first component passes through the locking piece. When the quick-connection fastening assembly is used, the quick-connection fastening assembly is installed on the second component serving as the installation base before the first component, and the problem that when the installation space is compact, a tightening tool cannot touch a fastening piece due to surrounding parts is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a quick-connect fastening assembly and an operating machine comprising the quick-connect fastening assembly. Background Art

[0002] In order to achieve lightweight and reduce costs, the engines of working machinery such as excavators and loaders are increasingly using plastic parts to replace traditional steel components. These plastic parts are usually fixed to the mounting base (such as the engine housing) by means of bolts, gaskets, spacer sleeves, etc. Considering the installation stability, more than three fixing points are usually required. There are often many inconveniences in designing fixing points on engines with very compact spatial layouts. For example, there may be other parts on the path of electric or pneumatic tightening tools approaching the bolts, resulting in the tightening tools being unable to reach the bolts, requiring assemblers to use tools such as wrenches for assembly. Moreover, since it is necessary to tighten a large number of scattered parts one by one in the assembly order during installation, it is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also has low stability after assembly. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to solve at least one of the above problems and / or other problems existing in the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to one aspect of the utility model, there is provided a quick-connect fastening assembly for fixing a first component to a second component, the quick-connect fastening assembly comprising a rigid fastener and a flexible locking member. The fastener comprises a first section, a second section and a third section connected in sequence. The locking member is made of a material capable of elastic deformation and is disposed on the first section. The quick-connect fastening assembly is configured so that the third section of the fastener can be fastened to the second component, and the first component can be sleeved on the second section from the side of the first section away from the third section after passing through the locking member. The locking member is configured to be deformed by radial compression of the first component when the first component passes through the locking member, and to restore the original shape and axially compress the first component after the first component passes through the locking member.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the two ends of the first section are respectively provided with a first clamping ring and a second clamping ring extending radially outwardly along the fastener, and the first clamping ring and the second clamping ring clamp the locking member in the axial direction of the fastener.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the locking member includes an inner ring arranged between the first clamping ring and the second clamping ring, an outer ring coaxially arranged with the inner ring, and a connecting ring connecting the inner ring and the outer ring at the first end of the locking member, and the first end of the locking member is away from the third section of the fastener.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the outer diameter of the outer ring gradually increases along the axial direction from the first end of the locking member to the second end of the locking member, and the outer diameter of the outer ring at the second end is larger than the diameter of the through hole of the first member for the fastener to pass through.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the outer ring is provided with a plurality of openings spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction at the second end, and the portion of the outer ring between two adjacent openings forms a bending portion extending radially inwardly along the locking member, and the inner diameter of the bending portion is smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting ring.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present utility model, the second section of the fastener is provided with a limiting ring extending radially outwardly of the fastener, and the limiting ring is configured to clamp the first component together with the bending portion.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present utility model, the distance between the bending portion and the limiting ring is greater than the thickness of the first component corresponding to the through hole, and the quick-connect fastening assembly further includes a gasket arranged between the bending portion and the limiting ring.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the third section of the fastener has an external thread and is configured to be threadedly connected to a mounting hole with an internal thread of the second component.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the third section of the fastener is provided with an abutment ring extending radially outward of the fastener, and the abutment ring is configured to abut against a peripheral surface of the second component corresponding to the mounting hole.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fastener further comprises a head section connected to an end of the first section facing away from the second section, and the head section is provided with a tool fitting portion.

[0014] According to another aspect of the utility model, a working machine is provided, which includes a first component provided with a plurality of through holes, a second component provided with a plurality of mounting holes and the quick-connect fastening assembly as described above, wherein the first component is fixed to the second component by a plurality of the quick-connect fastening assemblies.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first component is a plastic component, and the second component is an engine housing.

[0016] The quick-connect fastening assembly of the utility model comprises a rigid fastener and a flexible locking member, which can be installed on a second component serving as a mounting base before the first component when in use, thereby avoiding the problem that the tightening tool cannot reach the fastener due to surrounding components when the installation space is compact. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through the detailed description provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following drawings are merely schematic and not necessarily drawn to scale, and thus cannot be regarded as limiting the present invention, wherein:

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a quick-connect fastening assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention fixing a first component to a second component.

[0019] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A perspective view of a quick connect fastening assembly is shown.

[0020] Figure 3 A perspective view of a fastener of the quick-connect fastening assembly is shown.

[0021] Figure 4 A perspective view showing a locking member of the quick-connect fastening assembly from one perspective.

[0022] Figure 5 A perspective view showing the locking member of the quick-connect fastening assembly from another perspective.

[0023] Description of reference numerals:

[0024] 1. First component; 11. Through hole; 2. Second component; 21. Mounting hole; 3. Fastener; 31. First section; 32. Second section; 33. Third section; 34. First clamping ring; 35. Second clamping ring; 36. Limiting ring; 37. Abutment ring; 38. Head section; 39. Tool fitting portion; 4. Locking member; 41. Inner ring; 42. Outer ring; 43. Connecting ring; 44. Opening; 45. Bending portion; 5. Washer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth so that those skilled in the art can more fully understand and implement the present invention. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the implementation of the present invention may not have some of these specific details. In addition, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described. On the contrary, any combination of the features and elements described below may be considered to implement the present invention, regardless of whether they relate to different embodiments. Therefore, the following aspects, features, embodiments and advantages are for illustrative purposes only and should not be regarded as elements or limitations of the claims unless clearly stated in the claims.

[0026] In the following, terms such as "first", "second", etc. are used to describe the elements of the present application. These terms are only used to distinguish the various elements, and are not used to limit the nature, order or number of these elements. The terms "including" and "having" are used to express an open-ended inclusive meaning, and mean that there may be additional elements / components in addition to the listed elements / components.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a quick-connect fastening assembly according to an embodiment of the utility model fixing a first component 1 to a second component 2 is shown. Figures 2 to 5 The structure of the quick-connect fastening assembly is shown.

[0028] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the quick-connect fastening assembly according to this embodiment includes a rigid fastener 3 and a flexible locking member 4. The fastener 3 may include a first section 31, a second section 32, and a third section 33 connected in sequence. The three sections 31, 32, and 33 may be integrally formed of a material having a certain rigidity, such as metal, hard plastic, etc. The locking member 4 may be made of rubber or other elastically deformable materials. The locking member 4 is disposed on the first section 31 of the fastener 3 and has a first end ( 31 ) facing away from the third section 33. Figure 1 The left end shown) and the second end connected to the second section 32 ( Figure 1 right end shown).

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the first member 1 is provided with a through hole 11, and the second member 2 as a mounting base is provided with a mounting hole 21. The mounting hole 21 may have an internal thread. The third section 33 of the fastener 3 may have an external thread so that it can be fastened to the second member 2 in a threaded connection. After the fastener 3 with the locking member 4 is fixed to the second member 2, the first member 1 can be fixed by the side of the first section 31 facing away from the third section 33 ( Figure 1The left side shown in FIG. 3 is sleeved on the second section 32 after passing through the locking member 4. The locking member 4 can be radially compressed and deformed by the first member 1 during the process of the first member 1 passing through the locking member 4, and can restore the original shape after the first member 1 passes through the locking member 4 to press the first member 1 in the axial direction.

[0030] Furthermore, in order to stably hold the locking member 4 on the fastener 3, as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the fastener 3 may further include a first clamping ring 34 and a second clamping ring 35 respectively formed integrally at the two ends of the first section 31. The first clamping ring 34 extends radially outward from the left end of the first section 31 and abuts against the first end of the locking member 4. The second clamping ring 35 extends radially outward from the right end of the first section 31 and abuts against the second end of the locking member 4. The first clamping ring 34 and the second clamping ring 35 cooperate with each other to clamp the locking member 4 in the axial direction of the fastener 3.

[0031] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the locking member 4 in this embodiment includes an inner ring 41, an outer ring 42 and a connecting ring 43. Figure 1 As shown, the inner ring 41 is closely attached to the first section 31 along the axial direction of the fastener 3, and extends from the first clamping ring 34 to the second clamping ring 35. The outer ring 42 is coaxially arranged with the inner ring 41, and extends from the first clamping ring 34 to a position corresponding to the second clamping ring 35. The connecting ring 43 connects the inner ring 41 and the outer ring 42 at the first end of the locking member 4, and extends along the radial direction of the first section 31 and close to the first clamping ring 34.

[0032] Further, the outer diameter of the outer ring 42 gradually increases along the axial direction from the first end of the locking member 4 to the second end of the locking member 4. That is, the outer ring 42 has a small diameter end located at the first end of the locking member 4 and a large diameter end located at the second end of the locking member 4, thereby forming a tapered structure. The first member 1 moves from the small diameter end of the outer ring 42 to the large diameter end of the outer ring 42 during the process of passing through the locking member 4, so that the outer ring 42 can achieve a guiding effect on the first member 1. The outer diameter of the outer ring 42 at the first end of the locking member 4 can be smaller than the diameter of the through hole 11 on the first member 1, and the outer diameter of the outer ring 42 at the second end of the locking member 4 is larger than the diameter of the through hole 11 on the first member 1. The right end of the outer ring 42 is radially compressed by the first member 1 and deformed when the first member 1 passes through the locking member 4, and after the first member 1 passes through the locking member 4, it can be restored to its original state and abutted axially on the peripheral edge of the through hole 11 on the left side surface of the first member 1.

[0033] In order to further facilitate the elastic deformation of the locking member 4, the outer ring 42 may be provided with a plurality of openings 44 spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction at the second end of the locking member 4. Figure 5The outer ring 42 forms a bent portion 45 extending radially inwardly of the locking member 4 between two adjacent openings 44, so that the locking member 4 has a larger contact area with the left side surface of the first member 1, which is conducive to the locking member 4 to more stably press the first member 1. The inner diameter of the bent portion 45 can be smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting ring 43.

[0034] Continue to refer Figures 1 to 3 , a stop ring 36 extending radially outwardly of the fastener 3 may be integrally formed on the second section 32 of the fastener 3. The left side surface of the stop ring 36 can abut against the right side surface of the first member 1, and the bent portion 45 can abut against the left side surface of the first member 1, so that the first member 1 can be clamped together by the stop ring 36 and the bent portion 45. It can be understood that the axial distance between the second clamping ring 35 and the stop ring 36 on the fastener 3 is set according to the thickness of the first member 1 to be fixed at the position corresponding to the through hole 11.

[0035] Furthermore, in order to ensure that the outer ring 42, especially the bent portion 45, which is compressed and deformed after the first member 1 passes through the locking member 4, can rebound to the original position more smoothly, it is usually necessary to reserve a certain gap between the left outer edge of the through hole 11 of the first member 1 and the right end face of the fastener 3, that is, the distance between the bent portion 45 and the limiting ring 36 is slightly larger than the thickness of the first member 1 corresponding to the through hole 11. The quick-connect fastening assembly may also include a washer 5 disposed between the bent portion 45 and the limiting ring 36, through which the gap between the first member 1 and the fastener 3 can be eliminated after installation. The washer 5 may be disposed between the limiting ring 36 and the first member 1.

[0036] In the above embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the third section 33 of the fastener 3 may also be integrally formed with an abutment ring 37 extending radially outward of the fastener 3. When the third section 33 is threadedly connected with the second member 2 in the mounting hole 21, the abutment ring 37 can abut against the peripheral surface of the second member 2 corresponding to the mounting hole 21.

[0037] In order to facilitate the installation or removal of the fastener 3 and the second component 2, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the fastener 3 may further include a head section 38. The head section 38 is integrally formed at the end of the first section 31 away from the second section 32, and is provided with a tool fitting portion 39. The tool fitting portion 39 facilitates the operation of the fastener 3 with the aid of a tool during installation or removal to establish or release the threaded connection between the fastener 3 and the second member 2. For example, the tool fitting portion 39 may be a concave regular hexagonal hole, a cross hole, etc.; or, the outer peripheral profile of the tool fitting portion 39 may be a regular hexagon, etc.

[0038] The utility model also provides a working machine. The working machine may include a first component 1, a second component 2, and a plurality of quick-connect fastening assemblies as described above. The first component 1 is provided with a plurality of through holes 11, and the second component 2 is provided with a plurality of mounting holes 21 corresponding to the plurality of through holes 11. The plurality of quick-connect fastening assemblies pass through the corresponding through holes 11 and are threadedly connected with the corresponding mounting holes 21.

[0039] In one embodiment, the first component 1 may be a plastic part, and the second component 2 used as a mounting base may be an engine housing.

[0040] Industrial Applicability

[0041] The quick-connect fastening assembly according to the utility model is particularly suitable for fixing plastic parts to mounting bases in working machine engines with compact space layout. However, it should be understood that the quick-connect fastening assembly according to the utility model can be applied to any equipment that needs to connect and fasten two mechanical components by fasteners.

[0042] by Figures 1 to 5 Taking the illustrated embodiment as an example, when assembling a first component 1 (e.g., a plastic component) and a second component 2 (e.g., an engine housing) through a quick-connect fastening assembly, a plurality of fasteners 3 with locking members 4 are first fixed to the second component 2. Specifically, an electric or pneumatic tightening tool can be inserted into the tool matching portion 39, and the tightening tool is used to drive the fastener 3 to rotate, so that the third section 33 of each fastener 3 is inserted into the corresponding mounting hole 21 on the second component 2 and is threadedly connected with the second component 2. When the abutment ring 37 abuts against the peripheral surface of the second component 2 corresponding to the mounting hole 21, the fastener 3 is assembled with the second component 2. Then, the first component 1 is placed on the side of the first section 31 away from the third section 33, so that each through hole 11 on the first component 1 is aligned with the corresponding fastener 3, and the first component 1 is pushed toward the direction of the second component 2. When passing through the locking member 4 provided on the first section 31, the first component 1 radially presses the outer ring 42 of the locking member 4 and deforms the outer ring 42. When the first member 1 abuts against the washer 5 and squeezes the washer 5, the first member 1 completely passes over the locking member 4, and the outer ring 42 recovers from the deformed state. Finally, the first member 1 is released, and the washer 5 recovers from the squeezed state, so that the bent portion 45 abuts against one side surface of the first member 1, and the washer 5 abuts against the other side surface of the first member 1. Thus, the assembly work of fastening the first member 1 to the second member 2 by the quick-connect fastening assembly is completed.

[0043] As described above, the quick-connect fastening assembly according to the present invention includes a rigid fastener 3 and a locking member 4 disposed on the first section 31 thereof. By fixing the fastener 3 with the locking member 4 on the second member 2 before the first member 1, the problem that the electric or pneumatic tightening tool cannot reach the fastener 3 due to surrounding components when the installation space is compact can be avoided.

[0044] Preferably, the first clamping ring 34, the second clamping ring 35, the limiting ring 36, the abutting ring 37, etc. are integrally formed on the fastener 3. The locking member 4 can be fixed to the first section 31 between the first clamping ring 34 and the second clamping ring 35, for example, by an injection molding process. Compared with the bolt fastening method in the prior art, there is no need to separately assemble components such as gaskets and spacer sleeves, which not only improves the assembly efficiency, but also avoids the risk of gaskets or spacer sleeves falling or losing.

[0045] In addition, by providing the washer 5, the gap between the locking member 4 and the first component 1 reserved for smooth installation is eliminated, which is conducive to the first component 1 and the second component 2 being firmly fixed after being installed in place. The washer 5 can also provide vibration during the operation or travel of the working machine.

[0046] When it is necessary to disassemble the first component 1 from the second component 2, a hand tool such as a screwdriver can be inserted into the tool mating portion 39 of each fastener 3, and each fastener 3 can be rotated in sequence to withdraw it from the corresponding mounting hole 21, and then the first component 1 together with the multiple quick-connect fastening assemblies can be removed from the second component 2. Since each quick-connect fastening assembly is always kept together with the first component 1, the risk of parts falling or being lost during the disassembly process is avoided.

[0047] For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments disclosed above without departing from the scope or spirit of the utility model. Other embodiments of the utility model will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the practice of the utility model disclosed in this specification. This specification and the examples disclosed therein should be considered to be illustrative only, and the true scope of the utility model is specified by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A quick-connect fastening assembly for fixing a first component (1) to a second component (2), characterized in that: The quick-connect fastening assembly comprises: A rigid fastener (3), the fastener (3) comprising a first section (31), a second section (32) and a third section (33) connected in sequence; and a flexible locking member (4), the locking member (4) being made of an elastically deformable material and being arranged on the first section (31); The third section (33) of the fastener (3) can be fastened to the second component (2), and the first component (1) can be sleeved on the second section (32) from a side of the first section (31) facing away from the third section (33) after passing through the locking member (4); The locking member (4) is configured to be radially compressed by the first member (1) and deformed when the first member (1) passes through the locking member (4), and to restore the original shape and axially compress the first member (1) after the first member (1) passes through the locking member (4).

2. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first clamping ring (34) and a second clamping ring (35) extending radially outwardly of the fastener (3) are respectively provided at the two ends of the first section (31), and the first clamping ring (34) and the second clamping ring (35) clamp the locking member (4) in the axial direction of the fastener (3).

3. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The locking member (4) comprises an inner ring (41) arranged between the first clamping ring (34) and the second clamping ring (35), an outer ring (42) arranged coaxially with the inner ring (41), and a connecting ring (43) connecting the inner ring (41) and the outer ring (42) at a first end of the locking member (4), the first end of the locking member (4) being away from the third section (33) of the fastener (3).

4. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the outer ring (42) gradually increases along the axial direction from the first end of the locking member (4) to the second end of the locking member (4), and the outer diameter of the outer ring (42) at the second end is greater than the diameter of the through hole (11) of the first component (1) for the fastener (3) to pass through.

5. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outer ring (42) is provided with a plurality of openings (44) spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction at the second end, and a portion of the outer ring (42) between two adjacent openings (44) forms a bending portion (45) extending radially inwardly of the locking member (4), wherein the inner diameter of the bending portion (45) is smaller than the outer diameter of the connecting ring (43).

6. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second section (32) of the fastener (3) is provided with a limiting ring (36) extending radially outward of the fastener (3), and the limiting ring (36) is configured to clamp the first component (1) together with the bent portion (45).

7. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The distance between the bent portion (45) and the limiting ring (36) is greater than the thickness of the first component (1) at a location corresponding to the through hole (11), and the quick-connect fastening assembly further comprises a gasket (5) arranged between the bent portion (45) and the limiting ring (36).

8. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The third section (33) of the fastener (3) has an external thread and is configured to be threadedly connected to a mounting hole (21) with an internal thread of the second component (2).

9. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that: The third section (33) of the fastener (3) is provided with an abutment ring (37) extending radially outward of the fastener (3), and the abutment ring (37) is configured to abut against a peripheral surface of the second member (2) corresponding to the mounting hole (21).

10. The quick-connect fastening assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The fastener (3) further comprises a head section (38) connected to the end of the first section (31) facing away from the second section (32), and the head section (38) is provided with a tool engagement portion (39).

11. A working machine, comprising a first member (1) provided with a plurality of through holes (11) and a second member (2) provided with a plurality of mounting holes (21), characterized in that: The first component (1) is fixed to the second component (2) by a plurality of quick-connect fastening assemblies according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The working machine according to claim 11, characterized in that: The first component (1) is a plastic component, and the second component (2) is an engine housing.

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