Two part coupling connected by a clip
AssigneeParker Hannifin France SAS
InventorPhilippe Poder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A coupling formed of a tubular body defining an internal channel. The body is formed of a first part for connecting the channel to a circuit element and a second part defining a housing for a pipe end, the first and second parts including mutually engaged end portions, wherein the housing extends into the end portion of the second part and the end portions include facing openings for receiving a clip element for securing the parts to each other. The opening of the second part opens into the housing and the clip element has a locking portion that is elastically deformable from a retaining state to a free state for extracting the clip element. The clip element projects into the housing such that the pipe end prevents the locking portion from deforming to its free state and being extracted.
Claims19
A coupling for connecting an element of a fluid circuit in fluid communication to a pipe having a pipe end, the coupling comprising:
- a generally tubular body having an internal body channel therethrough, the body comprising:
- a first body section extending axially between a first end portion couplable to the element for connecting the element in fluid communication with the body channel, and a second end portion formed by a tubular first wall having a first opening therethrough;
- and
- a second body section extending axially between a first end portion couplable to the pipe for connecting the pipe in fluid communication with the body channel, and a second end portion formed by a tubular second wall having a second opening therethrough, one of the second end portion of the first or the second body section being received coaxially in the second end portion of the other body section to define a chamber, with the first and the second opening being aligned in registration, and
- a clip received in the chamber, the clip having a generally annular locking portion deformable from a normal state to a flattened state, the clip in the flattened state of the locking portion being insertable through the aligned first and second openings into the chamber, and the clip returning in the chamber to the normal state of the locking portion with the locking portion extending transversely in the chamber,
- whereby with the pipe end being received in the chamber coaxially through the clip, the deformation of the clip locking portion from the normal state to the flattened state is delimited by the pipe so as to prevent the clip from being extracted from the body.
A method of making a coupling for connecting an element of a fluid circuit in fluid communication to a pipe having a pipe end, the coupling comprising a generally tubular body having an internal body channel therethrough, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a first body section extending axially between a first end portion couplable to the element for connecting the element in fluid communication with the body channel, and a second end portion formed by a tubular first wall having a first opening therethrough;
- (b) providing a second body section extending axially between a first end portion couplable to the pipe for connecting the pipe in fluid communication with the body channel, and a second end portion formed by a tubular second wall having a second opening therethrough;
- (c) providing a clip having a generally annular locking portion deformable from a normal state to a flattened state;
- (d) receiving one of the second end portion of the first or the second body section coaxially in the second end portion of the other body section to define a chamber;
- (e) aligning the first and the second opening in registration;
- (f) deforming the clip from the normal state to the flattened state;
- and
- (g) inserting the clip in the flattened state of the locking portion through the aligned first and second openings into the chamber, the clip returning in the chamber to the normal state of the locking portion with the locking portion extending transversely in the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.