Adapter

Abstract

An adapter (100), the adapter (100) comprising a first connector (1) and a second connector (2). The first connector (1) of the adapter (100) may be in communication with a first external pipeline component (200) having an insertion connector, and the second connector (2) of the adapter may be in communication with an external connector of a second external pipeline component (300). The first connector (1) is a male connector (11) or a female connector (12), and the second connector (2) is configured to match and mate with the outer connector. The male connector (11) is formed into a hollow tubular shape, with the outer surface thereof being provided with limiting grooves (111); and the female connector (12) is formed into a hollow tubular shape, and is provided with an insertion hole (121) running through the side wall of the female connector (12).

Description

adapter

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202423237337.2, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on December 27, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of mechanical connection technology, such as an adapter with a plug-in structure that can be quickly connected and locked. Background Technology

[0003] A pipeline is a device used to transport gases, liquids, or fluids containing solid particles. A pipeline can connect multiple pipeline components, including but not limited to valves and pipes. Within a pipeline, it is often necessary to connect valves to valves, pipes to valves, and pipes to pipes. The connection methods and structures of pipelines are diverse, such as tightening and fixing with clamps, tightening with external and internal threads, and plugging and fixing with pins, sockets, and limiting grooves.

[0004] When disassembling and repairing some existing pipeline systems, it is often difficult to directly connect the joints between multiple components. For example, valves with plug-in joints are difficult to install directly on existing threaded pipe joints, or it is also difficult to connect them when the plug-in joints of two pipeline components are not the same size. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an adapter to overcome the problem of mismatched connector structures between pipeline components during assembly in related technologies, which makes it difficult to connect them.

[0006] This application provides an adapter, including a first connector and a second connector. The first connector is either a male connector or a female connector, and the second connector is configured to mate and connect with an external connector. The male connector is formed into a hollow tube shape, and a limiting groove is formed on its outer surface. The female connector is formed into a hollow tube shape, and an insertion hole is formed that penetrates the side wall of the female connector.

[0007] In one embodiment, the second connector is a male connector or a female connector.

[0008] In one embodiment, the second connector is any one of a union nut connector, an internal thread connector, an external thread connector, or a heat fusion connector.

[0009] In one embodiment, the adapter further includes a main body section and a telescopic section. A first connector and a second connector are located on both sides of the main body section, one end of the telescopic section is telescopically connected to the main body section, and the other end is fixedly connected to the first connector or the second connector.

[0010] In one embodiment, the limiting groove is perpendicular to the central axis of the male connector.

[0011] In one embodiment, the limiting groove is arranged around the entire circumference of the male connector.

[0012] In one embodiment, one or more sealing rings are fitted on the outer surface of the male connector, the sealing rings protruding from the outer surface of the male connector, and at least one sealing ring is disposed between the outer end of the male connector and the limiting groove.

[0013] In one embodiment, the male connector is a hollow cylinder, and the outer diameter of the limiting groove on the side closer to the outer end of the male connector is smaller than the outer diameter of the limiting groove on the side farther from the outer end.

[0014] In one embodiment, the jack is a through hole or a blind hole.

[0015] In one embodiment, the female connector includes a body and a boss, with a socket formed within the boss. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an adapter provided in the first embodiment of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pair of matching male and female connectors in the plugged-in state according to the second embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the axial cross-sectional structure of a pair of matching male and female connectors in the plugging state provided in the second embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an adapter provided in the third embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another adapter provided in the third embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an adapter provided in the fourth embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another adapter provided in the fourth embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of an adapter with a telescopic section provided in the fourth embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of an adapter provided in the fifth embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of an external pipeline component with male and female connectors provided in the second embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 10 along the AA direction.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100-adapter, 200-first external piping component, 300-second external piping component, 1-first connector, 2-second connector, 11-male connector, 111-limiting groove, 112-first sealing ring, 113-second sealing ring, 12-female connector, 121-insertion hole, 122-protrusion, 123-main body, 31-external threaded connector, 4-single pin, 41-insertion part; 42-extension part, 5-main body section, 6-telescopic section. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present application will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the application. For ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present application are shown in the drawings, not the entire structure.

[0029] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the meaning of the above terms in this application according to the circumstances.

[0030] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0031] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0032] First Embodiment

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an adapter 100 provided in the first embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the adapter 100 includes a first connector 1 and a second connector 2. The first connector 1 is a male connector 11 or a female connector 12 of a plug-in connector, configured to connect to a first external pipeline component 200 having a plug-in connector. The second connector 2 can be a connector of any structure, configured to connect to a connector of a second external pipeline component 300. As shown in Figure 1, both the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 are formed into hollow tubular shapes.

[0034] The first external piping component 200 and the second external piping component 300 can be any piping component with an external connector, such as a valve, straight pipe, tee, adapter 100, etc., which are not limited here. The first external piping component 200 and the second external piping component 300 are connected by mating, that is, the external connector of the first external piping component 200 needs to be mated with the external connector of the second external piping component 300. In one embodiment, the external connector of the first external piping component 200 is a plug-in connector, which can be a male connector 11 or a female connector 12 of a plug-in connector. Here, we take the male connector 11 of the first external piping component 200 as an example. In this embodiment, the external connector of the second external piping component 300 is a connector that cannot be matched with the external connector of the first external piping component 200. For example, the external connector of the second external piping component 300 may be an external thread connector 31, an internal thread connector, a heat fusion connector, a male connector 11 of a plug-in connector, or a female connector 12 whose size does not match the male connector 11 of the first external piping component 200. Here, we take an external thread connector 31 as an example. Therefore, the external connectors of the first external piping component 200 and the second external piping component 300 cannot be directly connected.

[0035] The adapter 100 provided in this embodiment has two connectors, which are located at both ends of the adapter 100 and are configured to indirectly connect the outer connectors of the first external conduit component 200 and the second external conduit component 300. The first connector 1 of the adapter 100 is formed as a female connector 12 that matches the plug-in connector of the first external conduit component 200, and the second connector 2 is formed as an internally threaded connector that matches the outer connector of the second external conduit component 300. When assembling the first external conduit component 200 and the second external conduit component 300, it is only necessary to connect the first connector 1 of the adapter 100 to the outer connector of the first external conduit component 200, and then connect the outer connector of the second external conduit component 300 to the second connector 2 to complete the connection between the first external conduit component 200 and the second external conduit component 300. Similarly, depending on the actual application scenario, the first connector 1 of the adapter 100 may be formed as a male connector 11, and the second connector 2 may be formed as other connector structures; this also applies to this application.

[0036] In this embodiment, the first connector 1 of the adapter 100 can communicate with the first external piping component 200 having a plug-in connector, and the second connector 2 of the adapter 100 can communicate with the external connector of the second external piping component 300, thereby achieving indirect communication between the first external piping component 200 and the second external piping component 300. This avoids situations where the external connector structures of the piping components are incompatible, making installation and docking difficult. Furthermore, the adapter 100 and the first external piping component 200 are connected via a plug-in structure, making disassembly and assembly convenient and reducing the risk of leakage.

[0037] Second Embodiment

[0038] In the second embodiment of this application, the structure of the plug connector is described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] In this embodiment, the term "plug-in connector" refers to a pair of male connectors 11 and female connectors 12 that can be plugged into each other. Figure 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a pair of matching male connectors 11 and female connectors 12 in the plugged-in state. Figure 3 is a schematic axial cross-sectional view of a pair of matching male connectors 11 and female connectors 12 in the plugged-in state. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, for a pair of matching male connectors 11 and female connectors 12, the male connector 11 is inserted and fixed by extending into the female connector 12, thereby achieving direct positioning of the male connector 11 and female connector 12. Furthermore, a limiting groove 111 is formed on the outer surface of the male connector 11, and a corresponding insertion hole 121 is formed on the side wall of the female connector 12. A separately provided pin is inserted into the insertion hole 121 and confined within the limiting groove 111, so that the male connector 11 and female connector 12 can be dually positioned radially and axially. While allowing for quick assembly and disassembly of the male connector 11 and female connector 12, the installation stability between the male connector 11 and female connector 12 can also be guaranteed.

[0040] "Plug-in connector" refers to a pair of mating male connector 11 and female connector 12. The first connector 1 is formed as either male connector 11 or female connector 12, in which case the male connector 11 or female connector 12 of the first connector 1 is a mating plug-in connector with the external connector of the first external piping component 200. The second connector 2 can also be either male connector 11 or female connector 12, in which case the male connector 11 or female connector 12 of the second connector 2 is a mating plug-in connector with the external connector of the second external piping component 300. However, the dimensions of the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are not necessarily matched. The second connector 2 being either male or female allows the adapter to be used in situations where the external piping component has two plug-in connectors that do not match each other, such as two male connectors, two female connectors, or one male connector and one female connector with mismatched dimensions.

[0041] The following description uses a pair of mating male connectors 11 and female connectors 12 to illustrate the mating structure of the plug-in connectors.

[0042] A limiting groove 111 is provided on the outer surface of the male connector 11. The limiting groove 111 can be provided completely around the entire circumference of the male connector 11, or it can be provided partially around the male connector 11. In one embodiment, the limiting groove 111 is an annular groove around the entire circumference of the male connector 11. During the process of a pair of matching male connectors 11 extending into the female connector 12, the male connector 11 can rotate 360° around the central axis, thereby adjusting the orientation of the corresponding pipeline components of the male connector 11 and the female connector 12. Moreover, during assembly, it is not necessary to align the insertion hole 121 with the limiting groove 111. After the pin is inserted, it can be limited and engaged with the limiting groove 111, making installation more convenient. In an optional embodiment, the limiting groove 111 is perpendicular to the central axis of the male connector 11. If the male connector 11 is made of metal, the male connector 11 with the annular limiting groove 111 can be directly manufactured by turning, which is more convenient for processing.

[0043] The insertion hole 121 is on the female connector 12. When the male connector 11 extends into the female connector 12 to the installation position, the insertion hole 121 is axially aligned with the limiting groove 111. Thus, after the pin is inserted into the insertion hole 121, it extends into the limiting groove 111, thereby achieving axial limiting of the female connector 12 and the male connector 11. In one embodiment, the insertion hole 121 can be arranged tangentially to the male connector 11, which facilitates the processing of the female connector 12 and the male connector 11, and the pin falls into the limiting groove 111 after being inserted into the insertion hole 121. The insertion hole 121 can be a through hole tangentially to the male connector 11 and extending through the female connector 12, which further facilitates processing, and the pin can be inserted from either side to achieve axial limiting of the female connector 12 and the male connector 11, improving the reliability of the adapter with a plug-in structure.

[0044] The female connector 12 may further include a main body 123 and a boss 122, the boss 122 protruding from the main body 123, and a socket 121 formed within the boss 122. In one embodiment, the boss 122 may extend tangentially along the female connector 12, thereby facilitating machining. The presence of the boss 122 helps ensure the insertion direction of the pin and increases the length of the socket, thereby improving the reliability of the plug-in structure composed of the pin and the socket, especially enabling effective limiting of a single pin 4. In some embodiments, the socket 121 is open at only one end, forming a blind hole, resulting in better sealing.

[0045] During the installation of the female connector 12 and the male connector 11, the pin needs to extend into the socket 121 and engage with the limiting groove 111 on the surface of the male connector 11 for positioning. The structure of the pin is not limited here, as long as it can extend into the socket 121 and fall into the limiting groove 111. Depending on the application scenario, the pin can be a single pin 4, a U-shaped pin, etc. The above simple replacement of the mating shape of the pin and the socket 121 is also within the protection scope of this application.

[0046] In some optional embodiments, the pin may also be configured to contact the bottom surface of the limiting groove 111. The pin may be tangent to the inner ring of the limiting groove 111. Thus, after the pin is inserted, it can fully extend into the limiting groove 111 and abut against the bottom surface of the limiting groove 111, thereby further improving the reliability of the limiting structure of the pin in the limiting groove 111 and reducing the risk of the pin coming out of the limiting groove 111.

[0047] For a single pin 4 that is straight, the pin may include an insertion part 41 and an extension part 42. The insertion part matches the shape of the socket 121 and extends into the socket 121. The extension part is fixed to the end of the insertion part away from the socket 121. The extension part can serve as a handle during installation, allowing the user to hold or use tools to insert or remove the pin during assembly and disassembly, making assembly and disassembly more convenient.

[0048] For the case where the pin is a U-shaped pin, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the female connector 12 has two insertion holes 121. The two insertion holes 121 extend in the same direction and are mirror-symmetrical along the diameter of the female connector 12. This allows both ends of the U-shaped pin to simultaneously extend into both insertion holes 121, further improving the reliability of the insertion and fixing structure between the pin, insertion holes 121, and limiting groove 111. It also balances the limiting force at the connection point and improves stress concentration at a single insertion hole 121. This embodiment illustrates the use of a U-shaped pin with two insertion holes 121, but it does not limit the use of a U-shaped pin to the two insertion holes 121. In some embodiments, two single pins 4 can be inserted into the two insertion holes 121 respectively for limiting, which also falls within the scope of this application.

[0049] In some optional embodiments, the adapter has one or more sealing rings fitted onto the outer surface of the male connector 11. The sealing rings protrude from the outer surface of the male connector 11, and the other structures are the same, so they will not be described in detail here. As shown in Figure 3, the sealing rings include at least a first sealing ring 112 disposed between the outer end of the male connector 11 and the limiting groove 111. The outer end refers to the end of the female connector 12 facing the male connector 11, or the end of the male connector 11 facing the female connector 12, when the female connector 12 and the male connector 11 are assembled. When the male connector 11 is inserted into the female connector 12, the sealing ring fitted on the outer surface of the male connector 11 is compressed and deformed, thereby pressing it between the inner surface of the female connector 12 and the outer surface of the male connector 11. Furthermore, the first sealing ring 112 is closer to the outer end of the male connector 11, which can achieve a sealing effect on the connection structure between the female connector 12 and the male connector 11, preventing the medium from leaking out from the connection between the female connector 12 and the male connector 11.

[0050] Optionally, two or more (>2) first sealing rings 112 can be provided to achieve a better sealing effect. As shown in Figure 3, the sealing ring may also include a second sealing ring 113, which is respectively disposed on both sides of the limiting groove 111. The second sealing ring 113 provides a second layer of protection for the seal between the male connector 11 and the female connector 12, further enhancing the sealing effect. In addition, after assembly, the second sealing ring 113 is closer to the outer end of the female connector 12, which can balance the compressive force of the first sealing ring 112 on the inner surface of the female connector 12, thereby improving the bending resistance of the pipeline at the connection point and providing effective protection for the first sealing ring 112.

[0051] Optionally, the outer diameter of the limiting groove 111 on the side near the outer end of the male connector 11 is smaller than the outer diameter of the side of the limiting groove 111 away from the outer end. Since the sealing ring protrudes from the surface of the male connector 11, and the outer surface of the male connector 11 needs to engage with the inner surface of the corresponding female connector 12, the sealing ring is prone to twisting and breaking due to friction with the inner wall of the female connector 12 when the male connector 11 is inserted into the matching female connector 12 for installation. By appropriately reducing the outer diameter of the limiting groove 111 on the side near the outer end, friction between the sealing ring and the inner wall of the female connector 12 can be avoided. Furthermore, only a protruding step portion matching the outer surface of the male connector 11 needs to be formed at the corresponding position on the inner wall of the female connector 12, so that in the installed position, the sealing ring of the male connector 11 abuts against the step portion on the inner wall of the female connector 12, thereby ensuring a sealing effect.

[0052] Third Embodiment

[0053] The third embodiment of this application provides a structure for an adapter 100. The other structures are the same as those in the first and / or second embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4, the first connector 1 of the adapter 100 is a female connector 12, and the second connector 2 is also a female connector 12. The adapter 100 can be used when the external connectors of the first external pipeline component 200 and the external connectors of the second external pipeline component 300 are both male connectors 11.

[0055] Similarly, in other embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the first connector 1 of the adapter 100 is a male connector 11, and the second connector 2 is also a male connector 11. The adapter 100 can be applied to the case where the external connectors of the first external pipeline component 200 and the external connectors of the second external pipeline component 300 are both female connectors 12.

[0056] In another embodiment, the case where the first connector 1 of the adapter 100 is a male connector 11 / female connector 12 and the second connector 2 is a female connector 12 / male connector 11 is also applicable to this application. It can be used when the external connectors of the first external pipeline component 200 and the second external pipeline component 300 are male connector 11 and female connector 12 respectively, but cannot be directly connected due to factors such as size mismatch.

[0057] Fourth embodiment

[0058] The fourth embodiment of this application provides a structure for an adapter 100.

[0059] The first connector 1 of the adapter 100 is a male connector 11 / female connector 12, and the second connector 2 of the adapter 100 is an external thread / internal thread connector, as shown in Figure 6, which illustrates the structure where the first connector 1 is a female connector 12 and the second connector 2 is an external thread connector 31. This adapter 100 is suitable for situations where the external connector of the first external piping component 200 is a plug connector (i.e., male connector 11) and the external connector of the second external piping component 300 is a threaded connector (i.e., internal thread connector).

[0060] In some alternative embodiments, as shown in FIG7, the second connector 2 can also be a union nut connector. The union nut connector does not change the orientation of the pipeline component when tightened, thereby better ensuring that both pipeline components are installed in the correct orientation.

[0061] As shown in Figure 8, the adapter 100 may further include a main body section 5 and a telescopic section 6. The first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are positioned on either side of the main body section 5. One end of the telescopic section 6 is telescopically connected to the main body section 5, and the other end is fixedly connected to either the first connector 1 or the second connector 2. That is, the main body section 5 and the first connector 1 can be indirectly connected via the telescopic section 6. The telescopic section 6 is configured to control the distance between the first connector 1 and the main body section 5. Alternatively, the main body section 5 and the second connector 2 can be indirectly connected via the telescopic section 6, which controls the distance between the second connector 2 and the main body section 5. Figure 8 illustrates an example where the telescopic section 6 is positioned between the main body section 5 and the first connector 1. The outer diameter of the telescopic section 6 is smaller than the inner diameter of the main body section 5, allowing it to extend out of or retract into the main body section 5 to change the distance between the main body section 5 and the first connector 1. When the distances between the connectors of the first and second pipeline components differ, the telescopic nature of the adapter 100 can compensate for the difference in distance between the connectors, thus making it suitable for more application scenarios and more complex installation environments.

[0062] The other structures are the same as those in the first and / or second embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0063] Fifth embodiment

[0064] The fifth embodiment of this application provides a structure for an adapter 100.

[0065] The first connector 1 of the adapter 100 is a male connector 11 / female connector 12, and the second connector 2 of the adapter 100 is a heat fusion connector (made of random copolymer polypropylene (PPR)). As shown in Figure 9, an example is illustrated where the first connector 1 is a female connector 12 and the second connector 2 is a heat fusion connector. This adapter 100 is suitable for situations where the external connector of the first external piping component 200 is a plug connector (i.e., male connector 11) and the external connector of the second external piping component 300 is a heat fusion connector.

[0066] The other structures are the same as those in the first and / or second embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0067] In summary, the second connector can be any one of the following: a union nut connector, an internal thread connector, an external thread connector, or a thermofusion connector. This allows the adapter to be used when one of the external connectors is a plug connector and the other is a conventional thread connector or a thermofusion connector. The union nut can maintain the orientation of the two pipeline components, so that the orientation of the connectors on both sides of the adapter can be freely adjusted.

Claims

1. An adapter, comprising: The first connector (1) is either a male connector (11) or a female connector (12); The second connector (2) is configured to mate and connect with the external connector. The male connector (11) is formed as a hollow tube, and a limiting groove (111) is provided on its outer surface; The female connector (12) is formed as a hollow tube and has an insertion hole (121) that penetrates the side wall of the female connector (12).

2. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein, The second connector (2) is a male connector (11) or a female connector (12).

3. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein, The second connector (2) is any one of the following: union nut connector, internal thread connector, external thread connector (31), or heat fusion connector.

4. The adapter according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising: The main body segment (5) has the first connector (1) and the second connector (2) located on both sides of the main body segment (5); The telescopic section (6) is telescopically connected at one end to the main body section (5) and fixedly connected at the other end to the first connector (1) or the second connector (2).

5. The adapter according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The limiting groove (111) is perpendicular to the central axis of the male connector (11).

6. The adapter according to claim 5, wherein, The limiting groove (111) is arranged around the entire circumference of the male connector (11).

7. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein, One or more sealing rings are fitted on the outer surface of the male connector (11), the sealing rings protruding from the outer surface of the male connector (11), and at least one of the sealing rings is disposed between the outer end of the male connector (11) and the limiting groove (111).

8. The adapter according to claim 7, wherein, The male connector (11) is a hollow cylinder, and the outer diameter of the limiting groove (111) on the side closer to the outer end of the male connector (11) is smaller than the outer diameter of the limiting groove (111) on the side farther away from the outer end.

9. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein, The insertion hole (121) is a through hole or a blind hole.

10. The adapter according to claim 9, wherein, The female connector (12) includes a main body (123) and a boss (122), and the insertion hole (121) is opened in the boss (122).

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