Quick connecting structure
By using a closed snap ring design and a claw structure to achieve axial snap-fit of components, the problems of low assembly efficiency and poor reliability of existing snap rings are solved, and a fast and stable connection effect is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202423096145.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-31
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-12-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing snap rings are inefficient during assembly and are prone to falling off, resulting in low reliability of structural connections.
It adopts a closed snap ring structure, and by setting multiple claws in the circumferential direction of the ring body, it realizes the axial snap-fit of the components, which simplifies the assembly process, and achieves quick connection by snapping the button with the closed snap ring.
It improves assembly efficiency, reduces the risk of parts falling off, and enhances the reliability and stability of connections.
Smart Images

Figure CN223498383U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of snap ring technology, and more specifically, to a quick-connect structure. Background Technology
[0002] A retaining ring, also known as a snap ring or circlip, is a type of fastener primarily used for assembling components in the axial direction. Retaining rings come in various shapes, including straight, curved, serrated, and helical. Their most fundamental characteristic is elastic deformation, which enables them to fasten and connect objects. Retaining rings can act in three directions: radial, axial, and lateral. Their mechanism involves converting stored elastic energy into fastening force or axial load. Retaining rings commonly used for component assembly are open-structured, making assembly difficult. They require specific angles for assembly, resulting in low efficiency, and the open sections are prone to detachment during vibration, leading to unreliable assembly.
[0003] Existing patents disclose a retaining ring, which is formed by a body into an open ring. The body has an inner circumferential surface, an outer circumferential surface, an upper end surface, and a lower end surface. The upper and lower end surfaces are axially opposite, while the inner and outer circumferential surfaces are radially opposite. The inner circumferential surface is close to the center of the ring, while the outer circumferential surface is far from the center. At the two ends of the ring opening, the body forms an inner bevel, an outer bevel, an upper bevel, and a lower bevel, respectively. Each inner bevel forms a first obtuse angle with the inner circumferential surface, each outer bevel forms a second obtuse angle with the outer circumferential surface, each upper bevel forms a third obtuse angle with the upper end surface, and each lower bevel forms a fourth obtuse angle with the lower end surface. Using this retaining ring can reduce the risk of it coming off; however, this retaining ring structure does not significantly improve assembly efficiency. As a commonly used connection structure, the existing retaining ring technology leads to low efficiency in structural connections. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the problem of low efficiency in structural connection caused by the difficulty in assembling existing snap rings, and to provide a quick connection structure that can achieve rapid assembly.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:
[0006] A quick-connect structure includes a button, a housing with a hollow cavity, and a closed retaining ring. The housing has a through hole that penetrates the housing and communicates with the hollow cavity. The closed retaining ring is located inside the hollow cavity of the housing and at the bottom of the through hole. The button passes through the through hole and engages with the closed retaining ring. The button can move up and down relative to the housing. The closed retaining ring includes an annular body with multiple claws arranged circumferentially inside the body.
[0007] Unlike existing technologies, the closed-type retaining ring of this invention features a closed structure. Conventional retaining rings with openings require the retaining ring to be opened during assembly to enclose the component, and then released to achieve engagement. The closed-type retaining ring of this invention only requires the component to pass axially through the body to achieve engagement, eliminating the step of opening the retaining ring. This simplifies the installation process, improves installation efficiency, and avoids the inconvenience of using tools to open the retaining ring due to limited installation space, thus enhancing assembly convenience. Specifically, the component passes through the center of the annular body, and then multiple claws arranged circumferentially on the annular body engage and lock the component, preventing slippage. This structure also reduces the risk of the retaining ring detaching from the component, improving connection reliability. The closed snap ring of this invention can be assembled blindly; even in a small assembly space, it can be easily completed; after installation, the components are not easily dislodged by external pulling or strong vibration because the closed snap ring protects them in both the axial and radial directions.
[0008] This invention's quick-connect structure enables rapid button assembly, which is relatively simple. The button passes through the through-hole of the housing and is inserted into the retaining ring to securely assemble the button and housing. Furthermore, the button can move vertically to achieve its on / off function. The retaining ring can be placed within the hollow cavity of the housing using a tooling. Conventional open retaining rings require pre-reserved tooling positions in the radial direction for assembly. This invention's retaining ring assembly is simpler and faster, significantly reducing assembly difficulty and improving efficiency. The button can be of any shape; the gap between the button's shaft and the through-hole is smaller than that of a closed retaining ring, making it difficult for the button and retaining ring to detach after assembly, thus improving product stability. Here, "housing" is a general term referring to components with a hollow cavity and can refer to different products. For example, if a button is to be assembled in a flashlight as a switch, the "housing" refers to the flashlight's housing, and so on. The shape and structure of the "housing" are not specifically limited here.
[0009] Furthermore, the plurality of claws are evenly distributed circumferentially. The evenly distributed claws circumferentially ensure uniform force distribution after the components are engaged, thereby improving the overall strength and service life of the retaining spring.
[0010] Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of the tentacle near the center of the body is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the tentacle away from the center. This arrangement increases the elasticity of the tentacle, facilitates the passage of the retaining spring, and provides the retaining spring with an anti-disengagement function.
[0011] Furthermore, the projected area occupied by the gap between two adjacent tentacles is equal to the projected area of the tentacles themselves. This equal proportion between the tentacles and the gaps reduces stress concentration on the tentacles under load, thus reducing the risk of tentacle breakage.
[0012] Furthermore, the space inside the body and outside the claw forms a flower-shaped perforation. This design facilitates the insertion of the retaining ring, provides the retaining ring with an anti-disengagement function, reduces stress concentration at the connection transition, and improves aesthetics.
[0013] Furthermore, the thickness of the body is 0.15mm to 0.5mm. If the retaining spring is too thick, its elasticity will be reduced, making it difficult to deform and thus hindering the assembly of the retaining spring with the component; if the retaining spring is too thin, its strength and hardness will be insufficient, its resistance to deformation will be poor, and its reliability will be reduced.
[0014] Furthermore, the bottom of the button has a radially arranged annular groove, and the closed retaining spring engages with the groove. The engagement between the groove and the retaining spring facilitates the locking of the retaining spring.
[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a spring and a washer. The housing has a first limiting step above the through hole. The button includes a pressing part and a locking part connected to each other. The spring and the washer are both sleeved on the locking part. The washer abuts against the first limiting step. One end of the spring abuts against the pressing part, and the other end abuts against the washer. The slot is located at the end of the locking part away from the pressing part. The spring provides a restoring force to the pressing part, so that the pressing part can automatically rebound after being pressed. The locking part is used to lock with the snap ring to realize the installation of the pressing part and the housing. The first limiting step is used for the installation of the washer, and the washer can play an anti-loosening role.
[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a sealing ring, and the housing is provided with a second limiting step above the through hole. The top of the second limiting step is connected to the bottom of the first limiting step, and the sealing ring is installed on the second limiting step and sleeved on the outside of the snap-fit portion. The second limiting step is used for the installation of the sealing ring, and the sealing ring is used for waterproof sealing.
[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0018] This utility model's enclosed retaining ring allows for easy engagement between the retaining ring and the component simply by passing the component axially through it. This eliminates the need to open the retaining ring, simplifying the installation process, improving efficiency, and avoiding the inconvenience of using tools to open the retaining ring due to limited installation space. The gap between the component and the through-hole in the housing is smaller than that of the retaining ring, preventing detachment after assembly and enhancing the reliability and stability of the product installation. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a closed snap ring according to this utility model.
[0020] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a quick-connect structure according to this utility model.
[0021] Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of a quick-connect structure according to this utility model.
[0022] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the button of this utility model.
[0023] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the casing of this utility model.
[0024] The markings in the diagram are explained as follows:
[0025] 1. Body; 2. Claw; 3. Button; 31. Pressing part; 32. Snap-fit part; 321. Slot; 4. Housing; 41. Through hole; 42. First limiting step; 43. Second limiting step; 5. Spring; 6. Washer; 7. Sealing ring; 8. Enclosed snap ring. Detailed Implementation
[0026] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting this patent. To better illustrate this embodiment, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings. The positional relationships described in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting this patent.
[0027] In the accompanying drawings of this utility model, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "long," and "short" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.
[0028] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings:
[0029] Example 1
[0030] like Figure 1 The present invention is illustrated by an embodiment of a closed snap ring, comprising an annular body 1, with a plurality of claws 2 arranged sequentially along the circumferential direction on the inner side of the body 1.
[0031] Unlike existing technologies, the closed-type retaining ring 8 of this invention features a closed structure. Conventional retaining rings with openings require the retaining ring to be opened during assembly to enclose the component, and then released to achieve engagement. The closed-type retaining ring 8 of this invention only requires the component to pass axially through the body 1 to achieve engagement, eliminating the step of opening the retaining ring. This simplifies the installation process, improves installation efficiency, and avoids the inconvenience of using tools to open the retaining ring due to limited installation space, thus enhancing assembly convenience. Specifically, the component passes through the center of the annular body 1, and then is engaged and locked by multiple claws 2 arranged circumferentially on the annular body 1, preventing slippage. This structure also reduces the risk of the retaining ring detaching from the component, improving connection reliability. The body 1 and the claws 2 are integrally formed and are made of materials including, but not limited to, carbon steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, and spring steel.
[0032] As an improvement to this embodiment, multiple claws 2 are evenly distributed circumferentially. The evenly distributed claws 2 ensure uniform force distribution after the components are engaged, thereby improving the overall strength and service life of the retaining spring.
[0033] As an improvement to this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the claw 2 near the center of the body 1 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the claw 2 away from the center. This arrangement increases the elasticity of the claw 2, making it easier for the component to pass through the retaining spring, and also gives the retaining spring an anti-disengagement function.
[0034] As an improvement to this embodiment, the projected area occupied by the gap between two adjacent tentacles 2 is equal to the projected area of the tentacles 2. The equal proportions of the tentacles 2 and the gaps reduce stress concentration on the tentacles 2 under stress, thus reducing the risk of tentacles 2 breaking.
[0035] As an improvement to this embodiment, a flower-shaped perforation is formed in the space inside the body 1 and outside the claw 2. This arrangement facilitates the insertion of the retaining spring, provides the retaining spring with an anti-disengagement function, reduces stress concentration at the connection transition, and improves aesthetics.
[0036] As an improvement in this embodiment, the thickness of the body 1 is 0.15mm to 0.5mm. If the retaining spring is too thick, its elasticity will be reduced, making it difficult to deform and thus difficult to assemble with the component; if the retaining spring is too thin, its strength and hardness will be insufficient, its resistance to deformation will be poor, and its reliability will be reduced.
[0037] Example 2
[0038] like Figures 2 to 5 The following is an embodiment of a quick connection structure of the present invention, including a button 3, a housing 4 with a hollow cavity, and a closed retaining spring 8 as described above. The housing 4 has a through hole 41 that penetrates the housing 4 and communicates with the hollow cavity. The closed retaining spring 8 is located inside the hollow cavity of the housing 4 and at the bottom of the through hole 41. The button 3 passes through the through hole 41 and engages with the closed retaining spring 8. The button 3 can move up and down relative to the housing 4.
[0039] The quick-connect structure of this utility model allows for rapid assembly of the button 3, and the assembly of the button 3 is relatively simple. The button 3 passes through the through hole 41 of the housing 4 and is inserted into the retaining ring to achieve a secure assembly between the button 3 and the housing 4. Furthermore, the button 3 can move vertically to achieve its switching function. The retaining ring can be placed in the hollow cavity of the housing 4 using a tooling. Conventional open retaining rings require pre-reserved tooling positions in the radial direction for assembly. The retaining ring assembly of this utility model is simpler and faster, greatly reducing assembly difficulty and improving assembly efficiency. Moreover, the button 3 can be of any shape; the gap between the shaft of the button 3 and the through hole 41 is smaller than that of the closed retaining ring 8, so after the button 3 and retaining ring are assembled, they are difficult to detach, improving product stability. Here, "housing 4" is a general term referring to components with a hollow cavity and can refer to different products. For example, if the button 3 needs to be assembled in a flashlight as a switch, then "housing 4" refers to the flashlight housing, and so on. The housing 4 is not limited to any particular type. Figure 5 Shape and structure Figure 5 This is a partial view of housing 4.
[0040] As an improvement to this embodiment, the bottom of the button 3 is provided with an annular groove 321 along the radial direction, and the closed retaining spring 8 is engaged with the groove 321. The engagement of the groove 321 and the retaining spring facilitates the tightening of the retaining spring.
[0041] Example 3
[0042] This embodiment is another embodiment of a quick-connect structure. Similar to Embodiment 1, it includes a spring 5 and a washer 6. The housing 4 has a first limiting step 42 above the through hole 41. The button 3 includes a pressing part 31 and a locking part 32 connected to each other. The spring 5 and the washer 6 are both sleeved on the locking part 32. The washer 6 abuts against the first limiting step 42. One end of the spring 5 abuts against the pressing part 31, and the other end abuts against the washer 6. A slot 321 is located at the end of the locking part 32 away from the pressing part 31. The spring 5 provides a restoring force to the pressing part 31, allowing it to automatically rebound after being pressed. The locking part 32 is used to engage with a retaining spring, enabling the pressing part 31 to be installed on the housing 4. The first limiting step 42 is used for the installation of the washer 6, which also serves to prevent loosening.
[0043] As an improvement to this embodiment, a sealing ring 7 is also included. The housing 4 is further provided with a second limiting step 43 above the through hole 41. The top of the second limiting step 43 is connected to the bottom of the first limiting step 42. The sealing ring 7 is installed on the second limiting step 43 and sleeved on the outside of the snap-fit portion 32. The second limiting step 43 is used for the installation of the sealing ring 7, which serves as a waterproof seal.
[0044] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0045] The closed retaining ring 8 of this invention only requires the component to pass through the closed retaining ring 8 axially to achieve the snap-fit between the closed retaining ring 8 and the component, eliminating the step of opening the closed retaining ring 8. This simplifies the installation process, improves installation efficiency, and avoids the inconvenience of using tools to open the closed retaining ring 8 due to limited installation space, thus enhancing assembly convenience. The gap between the component and the through hole 41 of the housing 4 is smaller than that of the closed retaining ring 8, so the component and the closed retaining ring 8 are not easy to fall off after assembly, improving the reliability and stability of product installation.
[0046] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating this utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.
Claims
1. A quick-connect structure, characterized in that, The device includes a button (3), a housing (4) with a hollow cavity, and a closed retaining ring (8). The housing (4) has a through hole (41) that penetrates the housing (4) and communicates with the hollow cavity. The closed retaining ring (8) is located inside the hollow cavity of the housing (4) and at the bottom of the through hole (41). The button (3) penetrates the through hole (41) and engages with the closed retaining ring (8). The button (3) can move up and down relative to the housing (4). The device also includes an annular body (1) with multiple claws (2) arranged circumferentially on the inner side of the body (1).
2. The quick-connect structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple tentacles (2) are evenly distributed circumferentially.
3. The quick-connect structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of the tentacle (2) on the side closer to the center of the body (1) is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the tentacle (2) on the side farther from the center.
4. The quick-connect structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The projected area occupied by the gap between two adjacent tentacles (2) is equal to the projected area of the tentacles (2).
5. The quick-connect structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The space inside the body (1) and outside the tentacles (2) forms a flower-shaped perforation.
6. The quick-connect structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the body (1) is 0.15mm to 0.5mm.
7. The quick-connect structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the button (3) is provided with an annular groove (321) along the radial direction, and the closed snap ring (8) is engaged in the groove (321).
8. The quick-connect structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a spring (5) and a washer (6). The housing (4) is provided with a first limiting step (42) above the through hole (41). The button (3) includes a pressing part (31) and a locking part (32) connected to each other. The spring (5) and the washer (6) are both sleeved on the locking part (32). The washer (6) abuts against the first limiting step (42). One end of the spring (5) abuts against the pressing part (31) and the other end abuts against the washer (6). The slot (321) is located at the end of the locking part (32) away from the pressing part (31).
9. The quick-connect structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes a sealing ring (7), and the housing (4) is provided with a second limiting step (43) above the through hole (41). The top of the second limiting step (43) is connected to the bottom of the first limiting step (42). The sealing ring (7) is installed on the second limiting step (43) and sleeved on the outside of the snap-fit part (32).