US 11,988,314 B2
Male element of a fluidic coupling, fluidic coupling comprising such a male element and method for assembling such a male element
Alain-Christophe Tiberghien, Sevrier (FR); Christophe Durieux, Gilly sur Isere (FR); and Frederic Morel, Lathuile (FR)
Assigned to STAUBLI FAVERGES, Faverges-Seythenex (FR)
Appl. No. 17/626,547
Filed by STAUBLI FAVERGES, Faverges-Seythenex (FR)
PCT Filed Jul. 24, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/070926
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 12, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/018759, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1908526 (FR), filed on Jul. 26, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0243851 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. F16L 37/23 (2006.01); F16L 37/40 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 37/23 (2013.01) [F16L 37/40 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A male element of a fluidic coupling for coupling with a female element, the male element comprising a hollow body, which extends along a longitudinal axis and which has a distal cylindrical extension, the male element also comprising a ring axially integral with the body, which surrounds the cylindrical extension and has an inner face and an outer face, the inner face of the ring defining an annular space with the cylindrical extension, radial housings being provided in the ring, the male element further comprising locking balls housed in the radial housings and which are movable radially between an inner position, in which the balls partially emerge from the inner face of the ring, and an outer position, in which the balls do not emerge from the inner face of the ring, the balls being radially retained within their respective radial housing by narrowings comprised of inner projections, the locking balls being arranged in the inner face of the ring and outer projections which are formed where each respective radial housing meets the inner and outer faces of the ring,
wherein:
the ring is formed by assembling a first part and a second part, the first and second parts being integral with each other along the longitudinal axis, the first part being axially integral with a distal bearing surface orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the second part being annular and comprising a proximal bearing surface, the proximal and distal bearing surfaces being in longitudinal contact with each other,
longitudinal slots are provided in one of the first or second parts of the ring, the longitudinal slots each having a first wall and opening axially onto a mouth surface of this part of the ring, the mouth surface being at least partially opposite a surface of the other of the first or second parts of the ring along the longitudinal axis, while the other of the first or second parts of the ring has second walls opposite each longitudinal slot along the longitudinal axis, each radial housing being delimited by the first wall of the longitudinal slot and the opposite second wall,
at least one of the first or second walls has the outer projection or at least one of the outer projections located at the junction of the walls of each radial housing with the outer face of the ring, and
at least one of the first or second walls has the inner projection or at least one of the inner projections located at the junction of the walls of each radial housing with the inner face of the ring, the inner and outer projections extending into each radial housing and forming the radial retaining narrowings for the locking balls in the radial housing.