Coupling device for fluid lines and manufacturing method therefor
阅读说明:本技术 用于流体管路的联接装置和关于此的制造方法 (Coupling device for fluid lines and manufacturing method therefor ) 是由 E.米勒 T.瓦尔 P.吉利亚德 于 2018-05-29 设计创作,主要内容包括:提出一种用于流体管路(5)的联接装置(1),所述联接装置具有联接单元(4),所述联接单元由插入空隙(26)穿过,待联接的流体管路(5)能够插入到所述插入空隙(26)中。联接单元(4)具有基础单元(6),在所述基础单元处布置有用于固定保持基础单元(6)的保持结构(14)并且所述基础单元由环形的壳体(12)和在端侧在前面被安置在所述壳体处的密封圈(13)组装。壳体(12)由塑料构成并且密封圈(13)由热塑性的弹性体构成。两个构件通过激光熔透型焊接借助于至少一个激光熔透型焊接连接部(27)不可脱开地固定在彼此处。(A coupling device (1) for a fluid line (5) is proposed, having a coupling unit (4) which is penetrated by an insertion recess (26), into which insertion recess (26) a fluid line (5) to be coupled can be inserted. The coupling unit (4) has a base unit (6) at which a holding structure (14) for fixedly holding the base unit (6) is arranged and which is assembled from an annular housing (12) and a sealing ring (13) which is arranged at the front on the end face at the housing. The housing (12) is made of plastic and the sealing ring (13) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer. The two components are fixed to each other by means of at least one laser penetration welding connection (27) in a non-releasable manner by means of laser penetration welding.)
1. Coupling device for fluid lines, having a coupling unit (4) with a longitudinal axis (16), which is designed to be inserted with its front side (22) into a fastening recess (3) of a separate carrier component (2) and fastened to the carrier component (2) in a position of use, wherein the coupling unit (4) is axially penetrated by an insertion recess (26) into which a fluid line (5) to be coupled can be inserted from the rear side (23) of the coupling unit (4), and wherein the coupling unit (4) has a sleeve-shaped base unit (6) to which an annular retaining structure (14) designed for fixedly retaining the inserted fluid line (5) is fastened and which comprises an annular housing (12) and a housing (12) which is arranged on the front end side at the housing (12) and fastened thereto (c) ((c)) 12) Sealing ring (13) of (1), characterized in that the sealing ring (13) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and is fixed in a non-releasable manner to a housing (12) made of plastic by means of at least one laser-fusion-through welding connection (27).
2. Coupling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (12) consists of a thermoplastic plastic, wherein the housing suitably consists of polyamide.
3. Coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sealing ring (13) consists of a laser beam transparent material and the housing (12) consists of a laser beam absorbing material, wherein at least one laser penetration weld connection (27) has at least one laser weld seam (46) which is formed through the sealing ring (13) in a transition region (48) between the sealing ring (13) and the housing (12).
4. Coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing (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 penetration weld connection (27) has at least one laser weld seam (46) which is formed through the housing (12) in a transition region (48) between the housing (12) and the sealing ring (13).
5. Coupling device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the at least one laser weld seam (46) is a ring seam which is closed on itself and arranged coaxially with respect to the housing (12) and the sealing ring (13).
6. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least one laser penetration type weld connection (27) is configured in the region of the front side of the housing (12) facing the sealing ring (13).
7. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one laser penetration type weld connection (27) is configured in the region of an outer circumferential surface (52) of the housing (12) facing away from the insertion interspace (26).
8. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the housing (12) has, at its front side facing the sealing ring (13), a radially inwardly projecting, in particular bent, annular front end section (53) having an outer circumferential surface (52) facing away from the insertion gap (26) with a direction component directed axially towards the front, to which outer circumferential surface the sealing ring (13) is seated with a rear end surface (56), wherein at least one laser penetration-type weld connection (27) is configured in a transition region (48) between the outer circumferential surface (52) of the front end section (53) of the housing (12) and the rear end surface (56) of the sealing ring (13).
9. Coupling device according to claim 8, characterized in that the outer peripheral surface (52) of the front end section (53) of the housing (12) is convexly curved and the rear end surface (56) of the sealing ring (13) has a concave curvature matching the outer peripheral surface, seen in longitudinal section of the base unit (6).
10. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least one laser penetration type weld connection (27) is configured in the region of an inner circumferential surface (58) of the housing (12) facing the insertion interspace (26).
11. Coupling device according to claim 10, characterized in that the housing (12) terminates, on its front side facing the sealing ring (13), in a hollow-cylindrical front end section (55), into which the sealing ring (13) is axially sunk with a rear-side annular fixing section (63), wherein at least one laser penetration-type weld connection (27) is formed in a radial transition region (48) between an inner circumferential surface (58) of the hollow-cylindrical front end section (55) of the housing (12) and an outer circumferential surface (62) of the annular fixing section (63) of the sealing ring (13).
12. Coupling device according to claim 11, characterized in that the sealing ring (13) is annularly stepped at its outer periphery and has a support face (64) coupled to the fixing section (63) which is oriented axially towards the back, which support face rests at a front end face of a front end section (55) of the housing (12).
13. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the annular retaining structure (14) is formed by an annular retaining element (14 a) having a plurality of spring-elastic retaining claws (24) which project into the insertion recess (26) and are configured so as to be loaded for the purpose of their fixed retention onto the outer circumference of a fluid line (5) inserted into the insertion recess (26).
14. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the annular retaining structure (14) is fixed in an annular retaining deepening (32) which is formed separately from the housing (12) or is constructed axially between the housing (12) and the sealing ring (13).
15. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the coupling unit (4) has a fastening ring (10) which is provided for its fixing in a fixing recess (3) of the carrier structural part (2), is expediently supported at an end face (42) on the rear of the housing (12) and projects radially beyond the housing (12) with at least one fastening projection (37) which is provided for form-fitting engagement in a wall (38) of the carrier structural part (2) which delimits the fixing recess (3).
16. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that a release sleeve (8) for the release-action actuation of the holding structure (14) is axially displaceably mounted in the housing (12), which release sleeve projects with an actuation section (34) from the housing (12) on the rear side and is expediently snapped into the housing (12).
17. Coupling device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the carrier structural part (2) belongs to the coupling device (1) and has a fluid channel (11) which is connected to the fixing interspace (3).
18. Method for producing a coupling device for fluid lines with a coupling unit (4) having a longitudinal axis (16) which is designed in order to be inserted with its front side (22) into a fastening recess (3) of a separate carrier structural part (2) and fixed in a position of use at the carrier structural part (2), wherein the coupling unit (4) is axially guided through an insertion recess (26) into which a fluid line (5) to be coupled can be inserted from the rear side (23) of the coupling unit (4), and wherein the coupling unit (4) has a sleeve-shaped base unit (6) to which an annular retaining structure (14) designed for fixedly retaining the inserted fluid line (5) is fixed and which comprises an annular housing (12) and is arranged at the front on the end side to the housing (12) ) A sealing ring (13) at the housing (12) and fixed thereto, characterized in that, independently of one another, the sealing ring (13) is produced from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and the housing (12) is produced from plastic and then the sealing ring (13) and the housing (12) are fixed to one another in a non-releasable manner by means of laser penetration welding.
19. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the coupling device (1) is constructed according to any one of claims 1 to 18.
Technical Field
The invention relates to a coupling device for fluid lines, having a coupling unit with a longitudinal axis, which is designed to be inserted with its front side into a fastening recess of a separate carrier component in advance and to be fastened to the carrier component in a position of use, wherein the coupling unit passes axially through an insertion recess into which a fluid line to be coupled can be inserted from the rear side of the coupling unit, and wherein the coupling unit has a sleeve-shaped base unit, to which an annular holding structure designed for the fixed holding of the inserted fluid line is fastened and which comprises an annular housing and a sealing ring which is arranged at the front on the end side on the housing and is fastened to the housing.
The invention further relates to a method for producing such a coupling device.
Background
A coupling device of the aforementioned type known from DE 102011109788 a1 has a coupling unit with a multi-part base unit, wherein the base unit has an annular housing and a sealing ring which is arranged at the front at the end face on the housing. The sealing ring is fixed to the housing by means of a snap connection, which simplifies the assembly of the coupling unit in the fastening recess of the carrier component. The coupling unit can be fixed in the fixing recess of the separate carrier structure part by means of a fastening ring supported on the housing.
DE 102015000990 a1 discloses a coupling device for fluid lines, which comprises a coupling unit having a retaining ring for the fixed retention of an inserted fluid line. The retaining ring is fixed at a structural assembly formed by the safety ring and the support ring, at which structural assembly a sealing ring is also fixed. The sealing ring is arranged at the front end face of the support ring, for example by gluing or preheating. Alternatively, the sealing ring can also be embodied as a separate component with respect to the support ring.
Disclosure of Invention
The object of the invention is to provide a simple, rapid and cost-effective production of the coupling device.
In order to solve this problem, in a coupling device of the type mentioned at the outset, it is provided that the sealing ring is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and is fastened to the housing formed from plastic in a non-releasable manner by means of at least one laser-fusion-through welding connection.
The object is further achieved by a method of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the sealing ring is produced from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and the housing is produced from plastic independently of one another, and then the sealing ring and the housing are fixed to one another in a non-releasable manner by means of laser penetration welding.
The coupling device designed and produced according to the invention has a sleeve-shaped base unit with a structural unit which is preassembled before being inserted into the carrier structural component, into which structural unit, on the one hand, a housing which is preferably decisive for the stability of the coupling unit and a sealing ring for sealing the fluid line with respect to the carrier structural component are integrated. In this way, a separate insertion of the sealing ring is dispensed with during the assembly of the coupling unit, which is complicated in terms of handling and is prone to errors, particularly in the case of small overall dimensions. Accordingly, a separate assembly station for inserting the sealing ring is dispensed with when the coupling device is automatically installed, thereby reducing the necessary investment, such as space requirements, and also reducing the necessary assembly time. It is particularly advantageous for the seal ring to be fixedly connected to the housing by means of at least one laser penetration welding connection, which is realized by means of laser penetration welding. The welding connection is carried out in a combined manner depending on the selected raw materials through the housing or through the sealing ring, in order to form at least one laser weld seam in the transition region between the two components without separate supply of welding raw materials. The process of laser penetration welding allows short joining times when joining the base units, so that there is a particular capability for integration into an automated assembly process with short cycle times and high piece numbers. Additional auxiliary materials, such as, for example, adhesives, can be dispensed with. The use of thermoplastic elastomers allows the injection molding production of the sealing ring independently of the housing and provides optimum elasticity for ensuring the desired sealing function. Preferably, the thermoplastic elastomer based on polyurethane (TPU) is applied as a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).
Advantageous developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.
The housing can be constructed substantially of each plastic suitable for laser penetration type welding. Preferably, however, the housing is manufactured from a thermoplastic plastic, which allows cost-effective injection molding. Polyamides are considered particularly suitable.
The material-fit joining process for laser penetration welding is based on the fact that, in two joining partners, one of the two joining partners consists of a material transparent to the laser beam and the other of the two joining partners consists of a material which absorbs the laser beam. The concept is not absolutely referred to, but it should be understood that a material transparent to a laser beam has a high degree of transmittance in a wavelength region of the laser, and a material absorbing the laser beam has a high degree of absorption for the laser. The laser beam applied for the welding process is guided through the laser beam-transparent material into the joining partners previously arranged on each other in the joining region, where it is absorbed by the material absorbing the laser beam, wherein heat is released by which the two joining partners are melted, so that they preferably enter into a material-fitting mutual connection under the simultaneous application of an external joining force.
In a possible embodiment of the coupling device, the sealing ring is composed of a laser-beam-transparent material and the housing is produced from a material that absorbs the laser beam, wherein the laser penetration-type welded connection is formed through the sealing ring in the transition region between the sealing ring and the housing.
In an alternative embodiment, the housing is made of a material transparent to the laser beam and the sealing ring is produced from a material that absorbs the laser beam. Here, the laser penetration type welded connection is then produced in such a way that a laser beam is applied through the housing.
In the case of a laser penetration-type welded connection, at least one laser weld seam is preferably produced, which is embodied as an annular seam that is closed in itself and coaxial with respect to the housing and with respect to the sealing ring. The laser welding process is preferably carried out by so-called contour welding. One and the same laser weld seam can be caused by only one single laser beam treatment or preferably by the overflow of a plurality of laser beams lying on top of one another.
During the welding process, the base unit is expediently fixed in position and the laser beam is moved around the longitudinal axis of the drive unit one or more times along a circumferential angle of 360 °. Basically, however, there is also the possibility that the laser beam or the laser beam exit unit outputting the laser beam is held stationary and the base unit to be welded is allowed to rotate by means of suitable devices.
Advantageously, the laser penetration welding is carried out in the region of the front side of the housing facing the sealing ring, in order to produce at least one laser penetration welding connection there.
In particular when the thermoplastic elastomer of the sealing ring has the property of being transparent to a laser beam, it is advantageous if at least one laser penetration-type welded connection is formed in the region of the outer circumferential surface of the housing facing away from the insertion recess of the coupling unit. In this connection, it is particularly expedient for the housing to be provided at its front side facing the sealing ring with an annular front end section projecting radially inwards, which has an outer circumferential surface facing away from the insertion gap, which outer circumferential surface is directed axially forwardly as a whole, but has at least a directional component directed axially forwardly. The annular front end section can be bent, in particular with respect to the coupled length section of the housing, which is preferably achieved by ultrasonic treatment. The sealing ring has a rear end face, with which it is seated on the aforementioned outer circumferential face when the welding method is applied, wherein at least one laser penetration welding connection is formed in the transition region between the outer circumferential face of the front end section of the housing and the rear end face of the sealing ring by means of laser penetration welding.
The outer circumferential surface of the front end section of the housing, as seen in the longitudinal section of the base unit, is preferably convexly curved, while the rear end surface of the sealing ring is matched to the convexly curved portion and is correspondingly concavely curved. In this way, a large-area mutual contact of the housing and the sealing ring can be achieved.
In particular when the plastic of the housing consists of a material which is transparent to the laser beam necessary for the laser penetration type welding connection, it is advantageous if at least one laser penetration type welding connection is formed in the region of the inner circumferential surface of the housing facing the insertion recess. In this case, the sealing ring projects into the housing and the welded connection is established by means of a laser beam penetrating the housing.
In this case, it is advantageous if the housing terminates on its front side facing the sealing ring with a hollow-cylindrical front end section into which the sealing ring is axially recessed with a rear annular fastening section. Then, at least one laser penetration-type weld connection is formed in a radial transition region between an inner circumferential surface of the hollow-cylindrical front end section of the housing and an outer circumferential surface of the annular fastening section of the sealing ring.
In this connection, it is particularly expedient for automated production that the sealing ring is annularly stepped at its outer circumference and has a support surface, which is connected to the fastening section and is oriented axially toward the rear and which rests against the front end face of the front end section of the housing. The insertion depth of the sealing ring is thereby definitively preset when the components to be welded to one another are axially placed at one another prior to the welding process.
The annular retaining structure for fixing the inserted fluid line is expediently formed by an annular retaining element having a plurality of spring-elastic retaining claws which project into the insertion recess. During insertion of the fluid line, the holding claws are bent elastically radially outward, so that an elastic restoring force is built up, by means of which the holding claws are pressed firmly against the outer circumference of the inserted fluid line, so that they are held in place.
The annular retaining structure, in particular the annular retaining element, is expediently fixed in a retaining deepening formed in the region of the inner periphery of the base unit. In a possible embodiment, the holding deepening is formed separately from the housing, wherein the side of the holding deepening is expediently formed by an end section of a bent annular front of the housing.
Furthermore, there is alternatively the advantageous possibility of providing an axial intermediate space between the housing and the sealing ring, which intermediate space forms an annular retaining deepening. In this case, the retaining structure can be incorporated between the two components before the housing and the sealing ring are placed at each other.
The coupling device expediently has a separate fastening ring with respect to the base unit for the purpose of fixing the coupling unit in the fixing recess of the carrier structural part. The fastening ring has at least one radial fastening projection which engages into a wall of the carrier structure part when the fastening ring is pressed into the fastening recess for fastening the coupling unit. The fastening ring is expediently supported at the rear end face of the housing of the base unit during the pressing-in and preferably also in the pressed-in state.
If the coupling device is to provide the possibility that the inserted fluid line can be easily and safely removed again from the coupling unit at any time when required, the coupling unit is expediently equipped or can be equipped with a release sleeve which is axially displaceably mounted in the housing of the base unit and projects from the housing at the rear side with a manually loadable actuating section.
As long as the holding structure has spring-elastic holding claws, the release sleeve is expediently located on the rear side in front of said holding claws, so that it acts on the holding claws by the pressure on the actuating section and can be removed from the outer circumference of the inserted fluid line.
The release sleeve is expediently held fixedly in the housing by a snap-on connection.
The release sleeve is optional. The release sleeve can also be omitted if required in order to realize the coupling unit very cost-effectively.
In the carrier structural part which expediently participates in the coupling device, a fluid channel is preferably formed which is connected to the fastening recess. In this way, the line channel formed in the fluid line is in fluid connection with the fluid channel of the carrier structural part in the coupled fluid line.
The carrier component expediently relates to a component of fluidic technology, for example a housing of a valve or a fluid-actuated drive. In this way, the coupling unit can be mounted very simply directly on the fluid-technical component. However, the coupling device can also be realized as a coupling element which is present as a structural unit, in which case the carrier structural part is designed as a fastening means for fastening the coupling element to a component of the fluid technology and has a fastening interface suitable for this, for example a screw joint.
Drawings
The invention is explained in more detail subsequently with the aid of the attached figures. Wherein:
fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a preferred embodiment of a coupling device according to the invention, wherein the coupling unit is shown in its position of use inserted into a carrier structure part shown in dotted lines and the coupled fluid lines are shown in dashed lines,
figure 2 shows an axial front view of the coupling unit according to figure 1 in the direction of the line of sight according to arrow II from figure 1,
figure 3 shows an isometric illustration of the coupling unit from figures 1 and 2,
figure 4 shows an exploded view of the coupling unit illustrated in figures 1 to 3,
figure 5 shows in a representation corresponding to figure 1 a longitudinal section through a further preferred embodiment of the coupling device according to the invention,
figure 6 shows a side view of the coupling device from figure 5 in the direction of the line of sight according to arrow VI from figure 5,
fig. 7 shows an isometric illustration of the coupling unit from fig. 5 and 6, and
fig. 8 shows an exploded illustration of the coupling unit which can be seen from fig. 5, 6 and 7.
The description that follows refers to all the embodiments of the coupling device according to the invention illustrated in the figures, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, as long as no further description is given.
Detailed Description
The coupling device 1 comprises a
The coupling device 1 is suitable for coupling a
In contrast to the present exemplary embodiment, the
Preferably, the coupling device 1 is embodied as a structural assembly, which is assembled from at least one
In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier
In a non-depicted embodiment of the coupling device 1, the
The
The
The annular and preferably one-
The
The sealing
Preferably, both the
The sealing
The
The
The
In the uncoupled state of the
The
The
The
In principle, the
The pressing-in force necessary for pressing-in the
Preferably and in accordance with the illustrated embodiment, a laser penetration-type weld connection 27 is formed in the region of the front side of the
Fig. 1 to 4 illustrate an embodiment of the coupling device 1, which is optimized with regard to laser penetration welding, in which a laser beam is guided through the material of the sealing
Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment of fig. 1 to 4, the sealing
The laser beam transparent material has a high transmittance in the region of the wavelength of the applied laser. In contrast, the raw material that absorbs the laser beam has a high degree of absorption in the wavelength region.
The laser light introduced according to
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of fig. 1 to 4, the laser penetration-type welding connection 27 can advantageously be formed in the region of an outer
In this connection, it is expedient for the
The
The bent
The
According to the exemplary embodiment of fig. 1 to 4, the sealing
During the production of the
Multiple complete rotations can be performed during the welding process in order to construct a
In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 5 to 8, the
On the rear side, the sealing
The
According to fig. 5, the welding process is carried out by means of a laser beam which is guided according to
Compared to the embodiment of fig. 1 to 4, this offers the advantage that the
In order to ensure a defined insertion depth of the sealing
By limiting the insertion depth, it can advantageously be achieved that the width of the retaining deepening 32, measured in the axial direction of the longitudinal axis 16, is slightly greater than the thickness of the
In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 1 to 4, the
Preferably, the sealing
In the embodiment of fig. 5, the bearing
The sealing
The sealing
Preferably, the sealing