Connection device for fluid lines and related manufacturing method

Abstract

A connection device for fluid lines, comprising a connection unit (4) having a longitudinal axis (16) which is designed, in a position of use, to be inserted with its front side (22) forward into a fastening recess (3) of a separate support component (2) and to be fastened to the support component (2), wherein the connection unit (4) is axially penetrated by an insertion recess (26) into which a fluid line (5) to be connected can be inserted from the rear side (23) of the connection unit (4), and wherein the connection unit (4) has a sleeve-shaped base unit (6) to which an annular holding structure (14) designed to hold the inserted fluid line (5) is fixed and which comprises an annular housing body (12) and a sealing ring (13) which is attached to the front end of the housing body (12) and fastened to the housing body (12),wherein a release sleeve (8) serving to release the holding structure (14) is mounted axially displaceably in the housing body (12), which release sleeve protrudes from the rear of the housing body (12) with an actuating section (34), characterized in that the sealing ring (13) consists of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and is non-detachably fastened to the plastic housing body (12) by means of at least one laser transmission weld (27).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a connection device for fluid lines, comprising a connection unit having a longitudinal axis, which is designed to be inserted, in a position of use, with its front side facing into a fastening recess of a separate support component and to be fastened to the support component, wherein the connection unit is axially penetrated by an insertion recess into which a fluid line to be connected can be inserted from the rear of the connection unit, and wherein the connection unit has a sleeve-shaped base unit, to which an annular holding structure designed to hold the inserted fluid line is fixed and which comprises an annular housing body and a sealing ring attached to the front side of the housing body and fastened to the housing body, wherein a release sleeve serving to release the holding structure is mounted axially displaceably in the base body,which protrudes from the back of the housing body with an actuating section.

[0002] The invention further relates to a method for producing such a connecting device.

[0003] A connection device of the aforementioned type, known from DE 10 2011 109 788 A1, comprises a connection unit with a multi-part base unit, wherein the base unit comprises an annular housing body and a sealing ring attached to the front of the housing body. The sealing ring is attached to the housing body by means of a snap-in connection device, which facilitates the installation of the connection unit in the mounting recess of a support component. The connection unit can be fixed in a mounting recess of a separate support component by means of an anchoring ring supported on the housing body.

[0004] US 2011 / 0049874 A1 discloses a pipe fitting made of polymer material for connecting to a section of a pipe section also made of polymer material. Furthermore, a seal made of elastomer material is provided. The pipe section, which is designed, for example, as a pipe bend, has a sleeve-shaped pipe receptacle at both end sections, into which the pipe section or pipe fitting to be connected is inserted. The inserted pipe section is held in place by an annular retaining structure and has an inwardly projecting collar that engages the outer circumference of the inserted pipe section.

[0005] DE 10 2008 017 922 A1 discloses pipe connections manufactured in various ways using laser transmission welding. A plastic pipe is inserted into another plastic pipe with one tubular end overlapping the other, and then these two components are directly joined together using laser transmission welding, thus securing them together to create a continuous pipeline.

[0006] DE 10 2015 000 990 A1 discloses a connection device for a fluid line, which includes a connection unit with a retaining ring for securing an inserted fluid line. The retaining ring is fixed to an assembly formed from a retaining ring and a support ring, to which a sealing ring is also attached. The sealing ring is attached, for example, by gluing or vulcanizing to a front end face of the support ring. Alternatively, the sealing ring can also be designed as a separate component from the support ring.

[0007] The invention is based on the object of taking measures that enable a simple, fast and cost-effective production of a connecting device.

[0008] To achieve this object, in a connecting device of the type mentioned at the outset, the sealing ring is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and is permanently fastened to the plastic housing body by means of at least one laser transmission weld.

[0009] The object is further achieved by a method of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the sealing ring is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and the housing body is made of plastic independently of one another and the sealing ring and the housing body are then permanently fastened to one another by means of laser transmission welding.

[0010] The connection device designed and manufactured according to the invention comprises the sleeve-shaped base unit, a structural unit that is pre-assembled before being inserted into a support component. This structural unit integrates the housing body, which is primarily responsible for the stability of the connection unit, and the sealing ring, which serves to seal the fluid line against the support component. This eliminates the need to insert the sealing ring separately during assembly of the connection unit, which would be complex to handle and prone to errors, particularly with small sizes. Accordingly, the automated assembly of the connection device eliminates the need for a separate assembly station for inserting the sealing ring, thereby reducing the necessary investment and space requirements, as well as the necessary assembly time.Particularly advantageous is the secure connection between the sealing ring and the housing body by means of at least one laser transmission weld, which is realized using the laser transmission welding process. Depending on the selected material combination, the weld is made through the housing body or through the sealing ring in order to create at least one laser weld seam in the transition area between these two components without the need for a separate welding material. The laser transmission welding process used to assemble the base unit allows for short joining times, making it particularly suitable for integration into an automated assembly process with short cycle times and high volumes. Additional auxiliary materials such as adhesives are not required.The use of a thermoplastic elastomer allows the sealing ring to be injection-molded independently of the housing body and provides optimal elasticity to ensure the desired sealing function. A urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPU) is preferred as the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

[0011] Advantageous further developments of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

[0012] The housing body can, in principle, be made of any plastic suitable for laser transmission welding. However, it is preferably made of a thermoplastic, which allows for cost-effective injection molding. Polyamide is considered particularly suitable.

[0013] The material-to-material joining process of laser transmission welding is based on the fact that one of the two joining partners consists of a laser beam-transparent material and the other of a laser beam-absorbing material. These terms are not absolute, but rather mean that the laser beam-transparent material has a high degree of transmission in the wavelength range of the laser light, while the laser beam-absorbing material has a high degree of absorption for this laser light.The laser beam used for the welding process is introduced through the laser beam transparent material into the joining partners previously placed together in a joining area, which is absorbed in the joining area by the laser beam absorbing material, whereby heat is released, by which both joining partners are melted so that they form a materially bonded connection with each other, preferably with the simultaneous application of an external joining force.

[0014] In one possible embodiment of the connecting device, the sealing ring consists of a laser beam transparent material and the housing body is made of a laser beam absorbing material, wherein the laser transmission weld connection is or is formed through the sealing ring in the transition region between the sealing ring and the housing body.

[0015] In an alternative embodiment, the housing body is made of a laser-transparent material, and the sealing ring is made of a laser-absorbing material. In this case, the laser transmission weld is created by applying the laser beam through the housing body.

[0016] In the laser transmission welding process, at least one laser weld seam is preferably created, which is designed as a closed annular seam coaxial with the housing body and the sealing ring. The laser welding process is preferably carried out by so-called contour welding. One and the same laser weld seam can result from a single laser beam treatment or, preferably, from several superimposed laser beam passes.

[0017] During the welding process, the base unit is conveniently fixed in place, and the laser beam is moved one or more times along a circumferential angle of 360° around the longitudinal axis of the drive unit. However, it is also possible to leave the laser beam or a laser beam output unit stationary and rotate the base unit to be welded using a suitable device.

[0018] It is advantageous if the laser transmission welding is carried out in the area of ​​the front side of the housing body facing the sealing ring in order to produce at least one laser transmission welding connection there.

[0019] Particularly when the thermoplastic elastomer of the sealing ring has laser beam-transparent properties, it is advantageous if at least one laser transmission weld is or will be formed in the region of an outer circumferential surface of the housing body facing away from the insertion recess of the connection unit. In this context, it is particularly expedient to provide the housing body, on its front side facing the sealing ring, with a radially inwardly projecting annular front end portion. This annular front end portion has an outer circumferential surface facing away from the insertion recess, which faces axially forward overall, but at least has an axially forward-facing directional component. This annular front end portion can, in particular, be bent with respect to the adjoining longitudinal section of the housing body, which is preferably achieved by ultrasonic treatment.The sealing ring has a rear end face with which it is attached to the aforementioned outer peripheral surface when the welding process is applied, wherein at least one laser transmission weld connection is formed by means of laser transmission welding in the transition region between the outer peripheral surface of the front end section of the housing body and the rear end face of the sealing ring.

[0020] Viewed in the longitudinal section of the base unit, the outer peripheral surface of the front end section of the housing body is preferably convexly curved, while the rear end surface of the sealing ring is adapted to this convex curvature and is correspondingly concavely curved. This allows for a large-area mutual contact between the housing body and the sealing ring.

[0021] Particularly when the plastic of the housing body is made of the laser-transparent material required for the laser transmission weld, it is advantageous if the at least one laser transmission weld is or will be formed in the region of an inner circumferential surface of the housing body facing the insertion recess. In this case, the sealing ring protrudes into the housing body, and the weld is created by means of a laser beam penetrating the housing body.

[0022] It is advantageous if the housing body ends at its front side facing the sealing ring with a hollow cylindrical front end section, into which the sealing ring axially engages with a rear annular fastening section. At least one laser transmission weld is then formed in the radial transition area between the inner peripheral surface of the hollow cylindrical front end section of the housing body and the outer peripheral surface of the annular fastening section of the sealing ring.

[0023] In this context, it is particularly advantageous for automated production if the sealing ring is annularly stepped on its outer circumference and has an axially rearward-facing support surface adjacent to the fastening section, which rests against a front end face of the front end section of the housing body. This defines the insertion depth of the sealing ring during the axial contact of the components to be welded prior to the welding process.

[0024] The annular retaining structure used to secure the inserted fluid line preferably consists of an annular retaining element with several resilient retaining claws extending into the insertion recess. When the fluid line is inserted, the retaining claws are elastically bent radially outward, creating a resilient restoring force that presses the retaining claws against the outer circumference of the inserted fluid line, thus securing it.

[0025] The annular holding structure, in particular an annular holding element, is expediently fixed in a holding recess formed in the region of the inner circumference of the base unit. In one possible embodiment, this holding recess is formed solely by the housing body, with one flank of the holding recess expediently being formed by a bent-over annular front end portion of the housing body.

[0026] Alternatively, there is also the advantageous possibility of providing an axial gap between the housing body and the sealing ring, which forms the annular retaining recess. In this case, the retaining structure can be inserted between these two components before the housing body and the sealing ring are joined together.

[0027] The connecting device advantageously has an anchoring ring separate from the base unit for securing the connecting unit in the mounting recess of a support component. The anchoring ring has at least one radial anchoring projection that engages the wall of the support component when the anchoring ring is pressed into the mounting recess to secure the connecting unit. During the pressing process, and preferably also in the pressed-in state, the anchoring ring advantageously rests against a rear end face of the housing body of the base unit.

[0028] The connection unit is equipped with a release sleeve that is axially movable within the housing body of the base unit and protrudes from the rear of the housing body with a manually actuated actuation section. This allows a plugged-in fluid line to be easily and damage-free removed from the connection unit at any time.

[0029] If the holding structure has spring-elastic holding claws, the release sleeve is expediently positioned in front of these holding claws at the rear so that it can act on the holding claws by exerting pressure on the actuating section and lift them off the outer circumference of the inserted fluid line.

[0030] The release sleeve is conveniently held in place within the housing body by a snap-in connection.

[0031] The release sleeve is optional. To make the connection unit very cost-effective, the release sleeve can be omitted if necessary.

[0032] A fluid channel is preferably formed in the support component that is advantageously involved in the connecting device, which communicates with the fastening recess. The line channel formed in a fluid line is thus in fluid communication with the fluid channel of the support component when the fluid line is connected.

[0033] The support component is expediently a housing body of a fluid power component, for example, a valve or a fluid-operated drive. The connection unit can thus be very easily mounted directly onto a fluid power component. However, the connection device can also be implemented as a modular connector, in which the support component is designed as a fastening component for securing the connector to a fluid power component and has a suitable fastening interface, for example, a threaded connector.

[0034] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show: Fig. 1 a longitudinal section through a preferred embodiment of the connecting device according to the invention, wherein the connecting unit is shown in its use position inserted into a carrier component indicated by dash-dotted lines and a connected fluid line is indicated by dashed lines, Fig. 2 an axial front view of the connection unit according to Fig. 1 with view direction according to arrow II from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 an isometric view of the connection unit from Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, Fig. 4 an exploded view of the Fig. 1 to 3 illustrated connection unit, Fig. 5 a longitudinal section through a further preferred embodiment of the connecting device according to the invention in one of the Fig. 1 corresponding representation, Fig. 6 a side view of the connection device from Fig. 5 with view direction according to arrow VI from Fig. 5, Fig. 7 an isometric view of the connection unit from Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 an exploded view of the Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 visible connection unit.

[0035] Unless otherwise stated, the following description refers to all embodiments of a connecting device according to the invention illustrated in the drawing, designated overall by reference number 1.

[0036] The connection device 1 contains a connection unit 4, which is inserted into the Fig. 2 to 4 and 6 to 8, each shown in isolation, and which, in its position of use, is inserted into a fastening recess 3 of a support component 2 indicated by a dash-dotted line. In the position of use, the connection unit 4 is captively secured in the fastening recess 3, which is expediently achieved by means of an anchoring ring 10 designed as a component of the connection unit 4.

[0037] The connecting device 1 is suitable for connecting a fluid line 5, which is designed to conduct a fluid pressure medium such as compressed air or hydraulic fluid. Preferably, the connectable fluid line 5 is a flexible hose. However, it can also be a rigid pipe. Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 the fluid line 5 is shown in the connected state.

[0038] Deviating from the exemplary embodiment, the connection unit 4 alone can form the connection device 1. The connection unit 4 can be combined with any support component 2 that has a suitably designed fastening opening 3. This makes it particularly possible to equip or retrofit existing support components 2 with one or more connection units 4 as needed.

[0039] Preferably, the connection device 1 according to the exemplary embodiment is designed as an assembly comprising at least one connection unit 4 and a support component 2, which has at least one fastening recess 3 adapted to the connection unit 4. The connection unit 4 can be mounted on the support component 2 at the factory upon delivery, assuming its intended use position. Alternatively, the connection unit 4 and the support component 2 can also be delivered as separate components that are first assembled, i.e., assembled, by the user.

[0040] In the illustrated embodiments, the support component 2 is formed by a component of a fluid power component, such as a valve, a fluid-operated drive, or a compressed air maintenance device. Preferably, the support component 2 is a housing body of such a fluid power component, for example, a cylinder housing or a valve housing. The support component 2 is shown in a very simplified form in the drawing.

[0041] In a not-shown embodiment of the connecting device 1, the support component 2 has, in addition to the at least one fastening recess 3, a further fastening interface with which it can be fixed to a fluid power component of the aforementioned type. In this case, the support component 2 acts as a link between the connection unit 4 and the fluid power component to be equipped with it.

[0042] The fastening recess 3 formed in the support component 2 opens with an opening 19 to an outer surface of the support component 2, referred to below as the connection outer surface 7, which frames the opening 19. In the interior of the support component 2, a fluid channel 11 adjoins the fastening recess 3, which has a longitudinal axis 15 and is aligned in particular coaxially, with which a line channel 9 passing through the fluid line 5 is in fluid communication when the fluid line 5 is connected.

[0043] The connection unit 4 has a longitudinal axis 16 and an annular cross-section perpendicular to this longitudinal axis 16. It has an axially oriented front side 22 and an axially opposite rear side 23. The connection unit 4 is coaxially penetrated by an insertion recess 26 that opens to the front side 22 on one side and to the rear side 23 on the other. The connected fluid line 5 is inserted into the insertion recess 26 from the rear side 23.

[0044] The connection unit 4 includes an annular and preferably one-piece housing body 12, a sealing ring 13, an annular retaining structure 14, the aforementioned anchoring ring 10, and a release sleeve 8. The release sleeve 8 serves to release the connected fluid line 5 and can optionally be omitted if detachability of the connected fluid line 5 is not desired. The anchoring ring 10 can also be omitted or replaced by other anchoring means if a different anchoring of the connection unit 4 in the mounting recess 3 is provided than that described below.

[0045] The annular housing body 12 is made of plastic, preferably a thermoplastic, in particular a polyamide. It is expediently formed in one piece.

[0046] The sealing ring 13 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (common abbreviation: TPE). A urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer known by the abbreviation "TPU" has proven particularly recommended.

[0047] Preferably, both the housing body 12 and the sealing ring 13 are injection-molded bodies. These two components are manufactured independently of each other during the production of the connecting device 1.

[0048] The sealing ring 13 is attached to the front of the housing body 12 in a coaxial arrangement with the housing body 12. Terms such as "front" or "front side" used in this description refer to the same orientation as the front side 22 mentioned above. The same applies to terms such as "rear" or "back side" used in connection with any of the existing components with reference to the above-mentioned orientation of the rear side 23.

[0049] The housing body 12 and the sealing ring 13 are permanently fastened to one another by means of a laser transmission weld 27. The resulting assembly is referred to as the base unit 6. The laser transmission weld 27 is created using the known laser transmission welding process. For example, the housing body 12 and the sealing ring 13 are each fixed to one another with just a single laser transmission weld 27, which is particularly cost-effective and time-saving. In principle, however, the mutual fastening of the aforementioned components can also be achieved using several separate laser transmission welds 27.

[0050] The base unit 6 encloses a central axial through-opening 17, which defines the insertion recess 26 at least in the region of the sealing ring 13. The optionally provided release sleeve 8 is inserted from the rear side 23 into the through-opening 17 of the base unit 6, but expediently extends at most over the length of the housing body 12. A through-opening 28 extends coaxially through the release sleeve 8, defining a length section of the insertion recess 26 and through which the connected fluid line 5 passes.

[0051] The annular holding structure 14 is fixed to the base unit 6 and has a plurality of spring-elastic holding claws 24 distributed around the longitudinal axis 16, which protrude radially inward, in particular with an oblique orientation towards the front side 22. The annular holding structure 14 is in particular an annular holding element 14a with a self-contained annular body 25, onto which the holding claws 24 are integrally formed and from which the holding claws 24 protrude radially inward, in particular with an inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis 16. The holding element 14a is preferably fixed to the base unit 6 via the annular body 25 in such a way that it is axially immovable or has only limited axial movement.This fixing is preferably effected by forming an annular holding recess 32 on the inner circumference of the base unit 6, which is open radially inwards and into which the holding element 14a with the annular body 25 radially extends.

[0052] When the fluid line 5 is not connected, the retaining claws 24 enclose a diameter that is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fluid line 5 to be connected. When the fluid line 5 is inserted into the connection unit 4 from the rear side 23 for the purpose of connecting it, it passes through the retaining element 14a, thereby pressing the retaining claws 24 outward, expanding the cross-section enclosed by the retaining claws 24. The resulting spring-elastic restoring force causes the inserted fluid line 5 to be clamped in place by the retaining claws 24.

[0053] The release sleeve 8 has a front end section 33 that ends axially behind the retaining claws 24. It also has a rear actuating section 34 that protrudes from the base unit 6 at the rear side 23 and, in the use position of the connection unit 4, also from the carrier component 2. To release the fluid line 5, a forward-directed pressing force can be exerted on the actuating section 34, so that the release sleeve 8 is displaced forward toward the holding structure 14 and presses with its front end section 33 onto the rear surfaces of the retaining claws 24 facing it. The retaining claws 24 are thereby bent radially outward under elastic deformation and lifted off the outer circumferential surface 35 of the inserted fluid line 5, which can then be easily pulled out of the connection unit 4.

[0054] The release sleeve 8 can be fixed to the base unit 6 in any desired manner. A locking connection is preferred, which applies to the exemplary embodiments. Here, the release sleeve 8 has at least one radially outwardly projecting securing projection 36 in the region of the front end section 33, which is engaged in a preferably annular locking recess 36 formed on the inner circumference of the housing body 12. The flexibility required for the locking results in particular from the fact that the front end section 33 of the release sleeve 8 is slit several times and thus segmented in its circumferential direction.

[0055] The anchoring ring 10, which is expediently made of metal, has, in particular, the shape of a perforated disc with a plurality of anchoring projections 37 formed on the outer circumference and projecting radially outward. Alternatively, only a single, annular, self-contained anchoring projection 37 may be present. The anchoring ring 10 is preferably rigid and has an outer diameter defined by the at least one anchoring projection 37, which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the fastening recess 3 in the region of the anchoring position assumed by the anchoring ring 10 in the use position of the connection unit 4.By applying a certain pressing force, the anchoring ring 10 can be pressed into the fastening recess 3 so that it digs slightly with the at least one anchoring projection 37 into the wall of the support component 2 peripherally delimiting the fastening recess 3, so that an axial positive connection is present.

[0056] The anchoring ring 10 can, in principle, be integrated into the base unit 6 and, in particular, be a component of this base unit 6. However, the illustrated embodiment is preferred, in which it is placed on the rear side of the housing body 12, axially opposite the sealing ring 13, in a coaxial arrangement and separate from the base unit 6. The housing body 12 has an annular rear end face 42 there, against which the anchoring ring 10 is axially supported. The anchoring ring 10 anchored in the fastening recess 3 thus prevents the base unit 6 from moving backward, i.e., from moving out of the fastening recess 3.The base unit 6 is fixed axially immovably relative to the support component 2 in that it is pressed by the anchoring ring 10 on its front side 22 with the sealing ring 13 located there onto an annular support surface 43 of the support component 2 facing the mouth opening 19, which results from a stepped contour of the fastening recess 3.

[0057] The press-in force required to press in the anchoring ring 10 is expediently applied with the release sleeve 8 interposed using a suitable press-in tool. Pressing in takes place in the assembled state of the connection unit 4, with the anchoring ring 10 sitting outside the base unit 6 with radial play on a sleeve section 44 of the release sleeve 8, which extends between the front end section 33 and the actuating section 34 of the release sleeve 8. The actuating section 34 projects beyond the sleeve section 44 in the radial direction, so that it lies opposite the anchoring ring 10 at the rear with a section that is referred to as the press-in section 45.To insert the connection unit 4 into the mounting recess 3, a forward-directed press-in force is exerted on the actuating section 34, causing the release sleeve 8 to move forward until its press-in section 45 rests against the anchoring ring 10, which in turn is supported on the housing body 12. By continuing to apply the press-in force, the anchoring ring 10 is pressed into the mounting recess 3, pushing the base unit 6 forward until the sealing ring 13 rests against the support surface 43.

[0058] The laser transmission weld 27 is preferably formed in the region of the front side of the housing body 12 facing the sealing ring 13, according to the illustrated embodiments. In all embodiments, the laser transmission weld 27 comprises a laser weld seam 46, which is formed as a self-contained annular seam coaxial with the housing body 12 and the sealing ring 13. The laser weld seam 46 is located in a transition region 48 between the housing body 12 and the sealing ring 13. Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, a preferred beam direction of the laser beam used to carry out the laser transmission welding is indicated by dash-dotted arrows 47.

[0059] The Fig. 1 to 4 illustrate an embodiment of a connecting device 1 which is optimized for laser transmission welding, in which the laser beam is guided through the material of the sealing ring 13 into the transition region 48 to be welded. In contrast, the Fig. The exemplary embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 to 8 is optimized with respect to a manufacturing method in which the laser beam is guided through the material of the housing body 12 into the transition region 48 to be welded in order to carry out the laser penetration process.

[0060] Accordingly, in the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4 the sealing ring 13 and in the embodiment of the Fig. 5 to 8, the housing body 12 is made of a laser beam transparent material. In addition, in the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4 of the housing body 12 and in the embodiment of the Fig. 5 to 8 the sealing ring 13 is made of a laser beam absorbing material.

[0061] The laser-transparent material has a high transmittance in the wavelength range of the laser light used. The laser-absorbing material, on the other hand, has a high absorption coefficient in this wavelength range.

[0062] The laser light introduced according to arrow 47 passes through the laser beam-transparent material and strikes the laser beam-absorbing material in the transition region 48. In the latter, the laser beam is absorbed adjacent to the transition region 48, leading to heat development that melts the laser beam-absorbing material. The heat developed in this process also leads to heating and melting of the laser beam-transparent material in the vicinity of the transition region 48, so that the two molten materials combine and form a material-to-material bond. This joining process is expediently supported by the external application of a joining force, which presses the two components to be welded together. Devices used or usable for this purpose are not shown in the drawing.

[0063] According to the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4, the laser transmission weld 27 can advantageously be formed in the region of an outer peripheral surface 52 of the housing body 12 facing away from the insertion recess 26.

[0064] In this context, it is expedient if the housing body 12 has, on the front side facing the sealing ring 13, a radially inwardly projecting annular front end portion 53, on which the outer peripheral surface 52 involved in the welding process and located in the transition region 48 is arranged. For better differentiation, this outer peripheral surface 52 will also be referred to below as the welding outer peripheral surface 52.

[0065] By way of example, the housing body 12 has a sleeve-shaped main section 54, on which the rear end face 42 is expediently also formed and which has a greater wall thickness than the adjoining front end section 53. The latter is expediently bent radially inwardly in the direction of the longitudinal axis 16 with respect to the main section 54, so that in the longitudinal section according to Fig. 1 results in an arcuate contour. Together with the main section 54, the front end section 53 forms an annular groove open towards the longitudinal axis 16, which is expedient in the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4 defines the above-mentioned holding recess 32, which is used to fix the holding element 14a.

[0066] After the primary shaping of the housing body 12, which is preferably carried out by injection molding, the bent front end section 53 is initially expediently still shaped as a hollow cylinder. The front end section 53 then has an initial shape that corresponds to the shape of the Fig. 5 to 8, and is a hollow-cylindrical shape. Only after the primary forming of the housing body 12 is the initially hollow-cylindrical front end section 53 bent into the desired final shape, in particular by ultrasonic action or alternatively by another forming process, for example, hot forming. Before bending, the retaining element 14a is expediently inserted so that it is fixed in the retaining recess 32 present after bending.

[0067] The thus shaped and radially inwardly projecting front end portion 53 of the housing body 12 defines a welding outer peripheral surface 52 which is convexly curved when viewed in the longitudinal section of the base unit 6.

[0068] The sealing ring 13 has, according to the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4, on its rear side facing the housing body 12, an annular rear end face 56 with which it rests against the welding outer peripheral surface 52. This rear end face 56 is preferably shaped complementarily to the welding outer peripheral surface 52 and, in the exemplary embodiment, has a concave curvature when viewed in the longitudinal section of the base unit 6.

[0069] During the manufacture of the base unit 6, the housing body 12 and the sealing ring 13 are placed axially against one another with the welding outer peripheral surface 52 and the rear end face 56 and are expediently pressed together with prestress. The laser transmission weld 27 is then formed according to arrow 47 using a laser beam penetrating the material of the sealing ring 13. The beam direction is preferably axial, i.e., oriented in the axial direction of the longitudinal axis 16, with the beam entering the sealing ring 13 from the front side 22 at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis 4.During the beam exposure, the base unit 6 and the laser beam are rotated relative to one another about the longitudinal axis 16 according to arrow 57, which occurs either when the base unit 6 is stationary by rotating the laser beam or a laser beam output unit emitting the laser beam, or conversely, with the laser beam output unit stationary, by uniform rotation of the housing body 12 and the sealing ring 13 about the longitudinal axis 16.

[0070] Several complete revolutions can be performed during the welding process to form a laser weld seam 46 resulting from several superimposed laser beam passes. The intensity of the weld can be influenced by the selected number of these laser beam passes without having to change the radiation intensity of the laser beam.

[0071] In the embodiment of the Fig. 5 to 8, the transition region 48 having the laser transmission weld connection 27 is located between an inner circumferential surface 58 of the housing body 12 facing the insertion recess 26, which is referred to below as the welding inner circumferential surface 58 for better differentiation, and an opposite outer circumferential surface 62 of the sealing ring 13. Preferably and according to the Fig. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, the welding inner peripheral surface 58 is formed by the inner peripheral surface of the aforementioned front end portion 55 of the housing body 12, which is of hollow-cylindrical design. This front end portion 55 has a smaller wall thickness than an adjoining sleeve-shaped main portion 54 of the housing body 12, which projects concentrically radially inward beyond the front end portion 55.

[0072] The sealing ring 13 has an annular fastening section 63 on its rear side, with which it is inserted into the hollow cylindrical front end section 55 and on which the outer peripheral surface 62 is formed, radially opposite the welding inner peripheral surface 58. The outer diameter of the fastening section 63 is equal to or preferably slightly larger than the inner diameter of the front end section 55, the latter having the advantage that the inserted sealing ring 13 bears against the annular welding inner peripheral surface 58 with radial preload due to its rubber elasticity.

[0073] The transition region 48 provided for the laser transmission weld 27 is located radially between the welding inner peripheral surface 58 of the front end section 55 and the outer peripheral surface 62 of the fastening section 63.

[0074] The welding process is carried out according to Fig. 5 by means of a laser beam which is guided according to arrow 47 from radially outside at the axial height of the front end section 55 through this front end section 55 in order to be absorbed in the region of the outer peripheral surface 62 and thereby trigger the welding process described above in the transition region 48.

[0075] Compared to the design of the Fig. 1 to 4, this offers the advantage that the front end portion 55 does not need to be reshaped or bent after the primary forming of the housing body 12, which is also preferably performed by injection molding. An axial intermediate space formed between the sleeve-shaped main portion 54 and the sealing ring 13 inserted into the housing body 12 and enclosed by the sleeve-shaped front end portion 55 of the housing body 12 preferably serves as the retaining recess 32 for securing the retaining element 14a.

[0076] To ensure a defined insertion depth of the sealing ring 13 relative to the housing body 12, it is advantageous if the sealing ring 13, according to the exemplary embodiment, has an annular step on its outer circumference. This step results in a rearwardly oriented annular support surface 64 on the sealing ring 13, which rests against the forward-facing end face of the front end portion 55 of the housing body 12.

[0077] By limiting the insertion depth, it can advantageously be achieved that the width of the holding recess 32 measured in the axial direction of the longitudinal axis 16 is slightly larger than the thickness of the annular body 25 of the holding element 14a immersed in the holding recess 32, so that the latter retains a slight mobility which favors the alignment with respect to the inserted fluid line 5.

[0078] Also in the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4, the front end portion 55 of the housing body 12 is preferably bent such that the annular body 25 immersed in the holding recess 32 is received with a slight axial play.

[0079] Preferably, the sealing ring 13 has a sealing section 65 located axially outside the housing body 12, which sealingly interacts both with the outer circumferential surface 35 of the inserted fluid line 5 and with the wall 38 peripherally delimiting the fastening recess 3.

[0080] In the embodiment of the Fig. 5, the support surface 64 is located on the sealing section 65.

[0081] The sealing section 65 has an outer diameter which, before inserting the connection unit 4 into the fastening recess 3, has a larger outer diameter than the inner diameter of the fastening recess 3 in the region of the sealing position which the sealing section 65 assumes in the use position of the connection unit 4 within the fastening recess 3. It is advantageous if the sealing section 65 has at least one raised annular sealing bead 66 on the radial outer circumference, which is pressed in the use position of the connection unit 4 by interacting with the wall 38 of the carrier component 2.

[0082] In the region of its inner circumference, the sealing section 65 preferably has a radially inwardly projecting annular inner sealing bead 67, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the outer diameter of the fluid line 5 to be connected, so that when the fluid line 5 is inserted, it is widened and pressed sealingly against the outer circumferential surface 35 of the fluid line 5.

[0083] Preferably, the sealing ring 13 has, in its region opposite the retaining claws 24, a recess 68 concentric with respect to the longitudinal axis 16, which allows free radial mobility of the retaining claws 24 when the retaining claws 24 are deformed radially outward upon insertion of the fluid line 5 and upon application of the release sleeve 8. The recess 68 preferably has a concave contour when viewed in the longitudinal section of the base unit 6.

Claims

[1] A connection device for fluid lines, comprising a connection unit (4) having a longitudinal axis (16) which is designed to be inserted, in a position of use, with its front side (22) forward into a fastening recess (3) of a separate support component (2) and to be fastened to the support component (2), wherein the connection unit (4) is axially penetrated by an insertion recess (26) into which a fluid line (5) to be connected can be inserted from the rear side (23) of the connection unit (4), and wherein the connection unit (4) has a sleeve-shaped base unit (6) to which an annular holding structure (14) designed to hold the inserted fluid line (5) is fixed and which comprises an annular housing body (12) and a sealing ring (13) which is attached to the front side of the housing body (12) and fastened to the housing body (12),wherein a release sleeve (8) serving to release the holding structure (14) is mounted axially displaceably in the housing body (12), which release sleeve (8) projects with an actuating section (34) from the rear of the housing body (12), , characterized by that the sealing ring (13) consists of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and is permanently fastened to the plastic housing body (12) by means of at least one laser transmission weld (27). [2] Connecting device according to claim 1, characterized by that the housing body (12) is made of thermoplastic material, wherein it is expediently made of a polyamide. [3] Connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized byin that the sealing ring (13) consists of a laser beam transparent material and the housing body (12) consists of a laser beam absorbing material, wherein at least one laser transmission weld connection (27) has at least one laser weld seam (46) formed through the sealing ring (13) in the transition region (48) between the sealing ring (13) and the housing body (12). [4] Connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by in that the housing body (12) consists of a laser beam transparent material and the sealing ring (13) consists of a laser beam absorbing material, wherein at least one laser transmission weld connection (27) has at least one laser weld seam (46) formed through the housing body (12) in the transition region (48) between the housing body (12) and the sealing ring (13). [5] Connecting device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized bythat the at least one laser weld seam (46) is a self-contained annular seam arranged coaxially to the housing body (12) and the sealing ring (13). [6] Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that at least one laser transmission weld (27) is formed in the region of the front side of the housing body (12) facing the sealing ring (13). [7] Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that at least one laser transmission weld (27) is formed in the region of an outer peripheral surface (52) of the housing body (12) facing away from the insertion recess (26). [8] Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized bythat the housing body (12) has, on its front side facing the sealing ring (13), a radially inwardly projecting and in particular bent annular front end section (53) which has an outer circumferential surface (52) facing away from the insertion recess (26) and with an axially forward-pointing directional component, to which the sealing ring (13) is attached with a rear end face (56), wherein at least one laser transmission weld (27) is formed in the transition region (48) between the outer circumferential surface (52) of the front end section (53) of the housing body (12) and the rear end face (56) of the sealing ring (13). [9] Connecting device according to claim 8, characterized bythat, viewed in the longitudinal section of the base unit (6), the outer peripheral surface (52) of the front end portion (53) of the housing body (12) is convexly curved and the rear end surface (56) of the sealing ring (13) has a concave curvature adapted thereto. [10] Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that at least one laser transmission weld (27) is formed in the region of an inner circumferential surface (58) of the housing body (12) facing the insertion recess (26). [11] Connecting device according to claim 10, characterized bythat the housing body (12) ends at its front side facing the sealing ring (13) with a hollow cylindrical front end section (55) into which the sealing ring (13) axially dips with a rear annular fastening section (63), wherein at least one laser transmission weld (27) is formed in the radial transition region (48) between the inner circumferential surface (58) of the hollow cylindrical front end section (55) of the housing body (12) and the outer circumferential surface (62) of the annular fastening section (63) of the sealing ring (13). [12] Connecting device according to claim 11, characterized by that the sealing ring (13) is annularly stepped on its outer circumference and has an axially rearwardly oriented support surface (64) adjoining the fastening section (63) and resting against a front end face of the front end section (55) of the housing body (12). [13] Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by in that the annular holding structure (14) consists of an annular holding element (14a) which has a plurality of spring-elastic holding claws (24) projecting into the insertion recess (26) and which are designed to act on the outer circumference of a fluid line (5) inserted into the insertion recess (26) for the purpose of holding it in place. [14] Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by that the annular holding structure (14) is fixed in an annular holding recess (32) formed solely by the housing body (12) or in an annular holding recess formed axially between the housing body (12) and the sealing ring (13). [15] Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized bythat the connection unit (4) has an anchoring ring (10) provided for its fastening in the fastening recess (3) of the carrier component (2), which anchoring ring is expediently supported on a rear end face (42) of the housing body (12) and projects radially beyond the housing body (12) with at least one anchoring projection (37) provided for positive engagement in the wall (38) of the carrier component (2) delimiting the fastening recess (3). [16] Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized by that the release sleeve (8) is engaged in the housing body (12). [17] Method for producing a connection device for fluid lines, which has a connection unit (4) having a longitudinal axis (16) and is designed to be inserted, in a position of use, with its front side (22) facing forward into a fastening recess (3) of a separate support component (2) and to be fastened to the support component (2), wherein the connection unit (4) is axially penetrated by an insertion recess (26) into which a fluid line (5) to be connected can be inserted from the rear side (23) of the connection unit (4), and wherein the connection unit (4) has a sleeve-shaped base unit (6) to which an annular holding structure (14) designed to hold the inserted fluid line (5) is fixed and which comprises an annular housing body (12) and a sealing ring (13) attached to the front side of the housing body (12) and fastened to the housing body (12),wherein a release sleeve (8) serving to release the holding structure (14) is mounted axially displaceably in the housing body (12), which release sleeve (8) projects with an actuating section (34) from the rear of the housing body (12), , characterized by that the sealing ring (13) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and the housing body (12) is made of plastic independently of one another and then the sealing ring (13) and the housing body (12) are permanently fastened to one another by means of laser transmission welding.

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