Connection arrangement with indicator element

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection arrangement (1) with a female connector (2) and a male connector (3), wherein an indicator element (4), which is particularly optically readable, is slidably mounted in the female connector (2) between a readable position and a non-readable position in the insertion direction (R). It is proposed that the indicator element (4) be designed to be displaced from the readable position when the male connector (3) is withdrawn from the female connector (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a connecting arrangement for connecting two fluid-carrying elements with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such a connection arrangement with a female and a male plug-in part, the correct plug-in position of which is indicated by an indicator, is known, for example, from EP 3736481 A1. In the system disclosed therein, an indicator of a VDA coupling is pushed out of the housing of the female plug-in part by inserting the male plug-in part. Several locking hooks on the indicator, which interact with the housing, lock the indicator in its extended end position. In the extended position, a code applied to the indicator can be read, for example, by a reader.

[0003] The disadvantage of the system described above is that it is a disposable solution, since the indicator remains permanently extended after the plug-in parts have been connected once.

[0004] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a connection arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset which enables a repeatedly usable indication of a correct plug-in position.

[0005] This object is achieved by a connecting arrangement having the features of claim 1. Preferred features are the subject of the dependent claims. Further advantages and features can be found in the general description and the exemplary embodiments.

[0006] The connecting arrangement according to the invention for connecting two fluid-conducting elements has a female plug-in part and a male plug-in part that can be inserted into the female plug-in part in an insertion direction. The female plug-in part can in particular have a fixing device with which the male plug-in part can be fixed to the female plug-in part. An indicator element, in particular an optically readable indicator element, is mounted in the female plug-in part in such a way that it can be displaced in the insertion direction between a readable position and a non-readable position. The indicator element is designed to be displaced into the readable position when the male plug-in part is fully inserted into the female plug-in part.The connection arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the indicator element is designed to be moved out of the readable position when the male plug-in part is pulled out of the female plug-in part.

[0007] In this way, the connection arrangement can be connected and disconnected multiple times while retaining the indicator function.

[0008] The indicator element can have an optically readable code, in particular a machine-readable code. A machine-readable code, for example, can be a QR code, a barcode, and / or a DataMatrix code. Such codes can be easily recognized with a suitable reader or camera.

[0009] The indicator element can further comprise a radio transponder, in particular an RFID label, which, in the non-readable position, interacts with a shielding device of the female plug-in part, e.g., is shielded or short-circuited by the shielding device, so that the radio transponder cannot be read by a reader, and does not interact with the shielding device in the readable position, so that the radio transponder can be read by a reader. The shielding device can be a metal plate or an antenna that at least partially surrounds and shields the radio transponder in the non-readable position, or short-circuits part of the radio transponder, e.g., its circuitry or its RFID antenna, in the non-readable position.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the connection arrangement according to the invention, the male plug-in part and the indicator element are designed such that, when the male plug-in part is inserted into the female plug-in part, the male plug-in part exerts a compressive force on the indicator element and moves it into the readable position. In this way, additional components for moving the indicator element into the readable position, such as springs, can be dispensed with.

[0011] In a further preferred embodiment of the connection arrangement according to the invention, the male plug-in part and the indicator element are designed such that, when the male plug-in part is pulled out of the female plug-in part, the male plug-in part exerts a tensile force on the indicator element and pulls it out of the readable position. In this way, additional components for displacing the indicator element out of the readable position, such as springs, can be dispensed with.

[0012] In a further preferred embodiment of the connection arrangement according to the invention, the indicator element has a driver configured to form a releasable coupling with the male plug-in part during the insertion process. This structural design utilizes the insertion process to establish a releasable mechanical connection between the male plug-in part and the indicator. This connection remains intact until the male plug-in part is pulled out of the female plug-in part, whereby the male plug-in part carries the indicator along in the opposite direction of insertion and displaces it from its readable position.

[0013] Preferably, the driver has a resilient locking lug, and the male plug-in part has an extension, wherein the extension is designed to lock into the locking lug during the insertion process. Such a locking connection provides a particularly simple and reliable solution for the releasable mechanical connection, which can also be implemented in small spaces. Preferably, the male plug-in part has a collar that forms the extension. Particularly in SAE couplings, in which the male plug-in part is provided with a collar, the existing geometry of the plug-in part can be used to implement the advantageous functionality of the invention.

[0014] In a further preferred embodiment of the connection arrangement according to the invention, the female plug-in part is designed to block movement of the indicator counter to the insertion direction after a predetermined distance, so that when the male plug-in part is pulled out of the female plug-in part, the indicator is only displaced by the predetermined distance by the male plug-in part and by further pulling out of the male plug-in part, the coupling between the male plug-in part and the indicator is released. In this way, a repeatable and material-saving release of the mechanical connection is enabled, particularly in the case of a snap-in connection. For this purpose, the female plug-in part preferably has a shoulder which is designed to block movement of the indicator counter to the insertion direction after a predetermined distance by interacting with a stop surface of the indicator.

[0015] Preferably, in the position in which the indicator is displaced by the predetermined distance counter to the insertion direction, sufficient clearance is provided for the driver or locking lug for the decoupling process. For example, the female plug-in part forms a cavity that provides sufficient clearance for the driver or locking lug.

[0016] It is expressly pointed out that the embodiments of the invention explained above can be combined individually or in any technically reasonable combination with each other with the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0017] Modifications and embodiments of the invention, as well as further advantages and details of the invention, can be found in the following description and the drawings. The schematic figures show: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a connecting arrangement according to the invention in a sectional view, in which the male plug-in part is located outside the female plug-in part; Fig. 2 the connection arrangement Fig. 1, in which the male plug is partially inserted into the female plug; Fig. 3 the connection arrangement Fig. 1, in which the male plug is fully inserted into the female plug; and Fig. 4 the connection arrangement Fig. 1, in which the male plug is pulled out of the female plug after it has been fully inserted into the female plug.

[0018] Parts that have the same or similar functions are provided with identical reference numbers where appropriate.

[0019] Individual technical features of the exemplary embodiments described below can also be combined with previously described exemplary embodiments as well as the features of the independent claims and any further claims to form subject matter according to the invention.

[0020] The Fig. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of a connection arrangement 1 according to the invention for connecting two fluid-conducting elements, comprising a female plug-in part 2 and a male plug-in part 3 which can be inserted into the female plug-in part 2 in an insertion direction R. The female and male plug-in parts 2, 3 are in the present case designed as parts of an SAE quick-release coupling. An indicator element 4, which can be read in particular optically, is arranged in the female plug-in part 2 in the insertion direction R between a readable position ( Fig. 3) and a non-readable position ( Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 4) are movably mounted. More precisely, two identical indicator elements 4 are mounted on two opposite sides of the female plug-in part 2, whereby one of the indicator elements 4 is almost always visible, regardless of the installation situation. The indicator element 4 is designed to be displaced into the readable position when the male plug-in part 3 is fully inserted into the female plug-in part 2 and to be displaced out of the readable position again when the male plug-in part 3 is pulled out of the female plug-in part 2.

[0021] For example, the indicator element 4 can be provided with an optically readable, machine-readable code that can be used exclusively in the Fig. 3 shown readable position is completely visible from the outside and can be read.

[0022] The male plug-in part 3 and the indicator element 4 are designed such that when the male plug-in part 3 is inserted into the female plug-in part 2, the male plug-in part 3 exerts a compressive force on the indicator element 4 and moves it into the readable position. Fig. 2 shows the position in which the male plug 3 starts to push the indicator 4 from its non-readable position into the readable position.

[0023] The male plug-in part 3 and the indicator element 4 are further designed such that when the male plug-in part 3 is pulled out of the female plug-in part 2, the male plug-in part 3 exerts a tensile force on the indicator element 4 and pulls it out of the readable position. For this purpose, the indicator element 4 has a driver 5 which is designed to, during the insertion process, ie in particular between the Fig. 2 and the position shown in Fig. 3, to form a detachable coupling with the male plug-in part 3. In the present case, the driver 5 has a resilient locking lug 6, and the male plug-in part 3 has an extension 7 formed by its circumferential collar 8.

[0024] If the male plug-in part is inserted from the Fig. 2 shown position in the insertion direction R, the collar 8 first locks in the locking lug 6. Then the collar 8 contacts an inner stop surface 11 of the indicator element 4 and pushes it into its readable position ( Fig. 3).

[0025] To release the locking, the female plug-in part 2 is designed to block a movement of the indicator 4 opposite to the insertion direction R after a predetermined distance, so that when the male plug-in part 3 is pulled out of the female plug-in part 2, the indicator 4 is only displaced by the predetermined distance by the male plug-in part 3 and by further pulling out the male plug-in part 3, the coupling between the male plug-in part 3 and the indicator 4 is released. Fig. 4 shows a position shortly before the coupling is released. The female plug-in part 2 has a shoulder 9 designed to block the movement of the indicator 4 counter to the insertion direction R after a predetermined distance by interacting with an outer stop surface 10 of the indicator 4.

[0026] It should also be noted that “having” does not exclude other elements or steps, and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality.

[0027] The scope of protection of the present invention is given by the claims and is not limited by the features explained in the description or shown in the figures. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 3736481 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Connecting arrangement (1) for connecting two fluid-conducting elements, with a female plug-in part (2) and a male plug-in part (3) which can be inserted into the female plug-in part (2) in a plug-in direction (R), in particular wherein the female plug-in part (2) has a fixing device with which the male plug-in part (3) can be fixed to the female plug-in part (2), wherein in the female plug-in part (2) an indicator element (4), in particular optically readable, is mounted displaceably in the insertion direction (R) between a readable position and a non-readable position, wherein the indicator element (4) is designed to be displaced into the readable position when the male plug-in part (3) is fully inserted into the female plug-in part (2), characterized by , that the indicator element (4) is designed to be moved out of the readable position when the male plug-in part (3) is pulled out of the female plug-in part (2). [2] Connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the male plug-in part (3) and the indicator element (4) are designed such that when the male plug-in part (3) is inserted into the female plug-in part (2), the male plug-in part (3) exerts a compressive force on the indicator element (4) and displaces it into the readable position. [3] Connection arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the male plug-in part (3) and the indicator element (4) are designed such that when the male plug-in part (3) is pulled out of the female plug-in part (2), the male plug-in part (3) exerts a tensile force on the indicator element (4) and pulls it out of the readable position. [4] Conductive connection arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the indicator element (4) has a driver (5) which is designed to form a releasable coupling with the male plug part (3) during the plugging process. [5] Conductive connection arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the driver (5) has a resilient locking lug (6) and the male plug-in part (3) has an extension (7), wherein the extension (7) is designed to lock in the locking lug (6) during the insertion process. [6] Connecting arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the male plug-in part (3) has a collar (8) which forms the extension (7). [7] Connecting arrangement according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the female plug-in part (2) is designed to block a movement of the indicator (4) counter to the insertion direction (R) after a predetermined distance, so that when the male plug-in part (3) is pulled out of the female plug-in part (2), the indicator (4) is only displaced by the male plug-in part (3) by the predetermined distance and by further pulling out of the male plug-in part (3), the coupling between the male plug-in part (3) and the indicator (4) is released. [8] Connecting arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the female plug-in part (2) has a shoulder (9) which is designed to block the movement of the indicator (4) counter to the insertion direction (R) after a predetermined distance by cooperating with a stop surface (10) of the indicator (4).

Images