Description

NOZZLE INJECTION FOR GREASE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an injection nozzle member for grease which is connected with a grease-supply pump so as to inject grease into a lubrication section (referred hereinafter to as 'an injection section') of various kinds of machine. More particularly, the invention relates to an injection nozzle for grease in which, even with making repetitive connections and disconnections between a nozzle body, which is connected with a grease-supply pump, and a connector (so called a nipple), which is fastened to an injection section, fastening means for fastening the connector to the nozzle body is essentially prevented from being broken while engagement between the nozzle body and the connector is continuously and stably maintained, and complete hermetic sealability is secured, preventing leakage of grease.

[2]

Background Art

[3] An injection nozzle member for grease according to the prior art is shown in FIG. 8, wherein reference numerals of elements are designated identical to those of elements shown in other drawings.

[4] The conventional injection nozzle member for grease includes, in general, a nozzle body 1 connected with an injecting pipe 81 of a pump 80; and a connector 40 having a diamond-type lower engaging rod 42, which is to be inserted into and be drawn out of an upper center hole of an engaging pipe 20 of the nozzle body 1, an upper connecting rod 43 connected with an injection section 90, and a nut 41 formed between both the upper and lower rods, the connector being provided with a center through-hole 44 for injecting grease.

[5] The nozzle body 1 includes a stepped connecting pipe 10 having an upper engaging portion 13 with a center mounting through-hole 12 and a lower engaging portion 11 with a center screw hole 11a, the center through-hole 12 and the center screw hole 11a being divided by a step 14; the engaging pipe 20 engaged with the connecting pipe 10 at the upper engaging portion 13 and having an inner inclined surface 21 under the upper center hole thereof; a coil spring 60 seated on the step 14 of the connecting pipe 10; a grease-supply pipe 200 inserted into the mounting through-hole 12 and seated on the coil spring 60; a support pipe 30 having a center hole, through which the supply pipe 200 is inserted, and an upper recess 31, in which an end portion of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 is introduced; and fastening means supported on an annular support step on an outer circumference of the support pipe 30 so as to prevent the

engaging rod 42 of the connector 40, which is inserted into the upper center hole of the engaging pipe 20, from being released and release the fastened engaging rod by drawing the nozzle body 1.

[6] In such an injection nozzle member for grease, when the lower end of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 is introduced into the upper recess 31 of the support pipe 30 through the upper center hole of the engaging pipe 20 of the nozzle body 1, the fastening means engages an outer upper inclined face of the engaging rod 42 to thereby prevent the release of the engaging rod 42. In this state, when a user wants to release the engaging rod 42 from the nozzle body 1, in a state where the connecting rod 43 of the connector 40 is engaged with the injection section 90, the nozzle body 1 is forcedly drawn relative to the injection section so as to release the engaging force of the fastening means, thereby removing the engaging rod. That is, the drawing force on the nozzle body 1 enables the fastening means to come into contact with an inclined surface 21 of the connecting pipe 20 at an upper outer face thereof. As a result, the drawing force then is directly transferred to the fastening means, so that the support pipe 30 seated on the coil spring 60 moves down while compressing the coil spring.

[7] After the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 has been released from the nozzle body 1, when the drawing force on the nozzle body 1 is released, the support pipe 30 that moved down then moves up by a restoration force of the compressed coil spring 60, so that the fastening means returns to its original position.

[8] In this state, when a user wants to fasten again the engaging rod 42 of the connector

40 to the nozzle body 1, the fastening operation is as follows. In a state where the connecting rod 43 of the connector 40 is engaged with the injection section 90, when the upper face of the engaging pipe 20 is brought into contact with the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40, and then the nozzle body 1 is forcedly pushed up, the pushing force enables the support pipe 30 and the fastening means to move down, forming a space in an upper internal portion of the engaging pipe 20, into which the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 can be inserted. Then, when the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 is introduced into the space of the engaging pipe 20, and then the pushing force of the nozzle body 1 is released, the engaging rod 42 is fastened to the fastening means while the fastening means returns to its original position by the release of the pushing force of the nozzle body, so that the engaging rod is prevented from being released.

[9] However, in the conventional injection nozzle member having the above construction and operation, since the fastening means comprises a gripper 300 consisting of a plurality of elastic gripping pieces 301, a problem frequently arises that the gripper is likely to be broken because of repetitive connection/disconnection between the nozzle body 1 and the connector 40. That is, since the gripper 300 has longitudinal cut-off

slots 302 which extend deeply (near to the lower end of the gripper), the elastic gripping pieces 30 can be easily broken by repetitive connecting/disconnecting occurring between the nozzle body 1 and the connector 40.

[10] Further, since hermetic sealability is obtained through a process in which the supply pipe 200 to be inserted into the support pipe 30 is made of cushioned synthetic resin, and the engaging pipe 20 then is forced to come into contact with the upper face of the supply pipe 200, grease problematically leaks from the injection section 90 by supply pressure of the grease when injected into the injection section 90 with powerful pumping force of the pump 80. This is because the supply pressure of grease owing to a powerful pumping force is exerted upon the outer surface of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40.

[H]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[12] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems of breakage of the gripper and leakage of the grease occurring in the prior art, and the present invention is directed to improve a shape and a gripping structure of a gripper and adopt an O-ring so as to solve the above problems.

[13] Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[14]

Technical Solution

[15] An injection nozzle member for grease according to the present invention includes a nozzle body 1 ; and a connector 40 having a diamond- type lower engaging rod 42, which is to be inserted into and be drawn out of an upper center hole of an engaging pipe 20 of the nozzle body 1, an upper connecting rod 43 connected with an injection section 90, and a nut 41 formed between both the upper and lower rods, the connector being provided with a center through-hole 44 for injecting grease. The nozzle body 1 includes: a stepped connecting pipe 10 having an upper engaging portion 13 with a center mounting through-hole 12 and a lower engaging portion 11 with a center screw hole 11a, the center through-hole 12 and the center screw hole 11a being divided by a step 14; the engaging pipe 20 engaged with the connecting pipe 10 at the upper engaging portion 13 and having an inner inclined surface 21 under the upper center hole thereof; a coil spring 60 seated on the step 14 of the connecting pipe 10; and a support pipe 30 inserted into the mounting through-hole 12 and seated on the coil spring 60 and having an upper recess 31, in which an end portion of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 is introduced. The support pipe 30 is provided with an upper

circumferential piece 32 having a plurality of upper-side open type receiving holes 32a which are respectively enlarged from inside to outside. Fastening balls 50 are received in the receiving holes 32a such that inner portions thereof come into contact with an upper inclined outer face of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40, and upper portions thereof with the inclined surface 21 of the engaging pipe 20. O-rings 70 and 70' are respectively provided on connecting boundaries between the support pipe 30 and the mounting hole 12 of the nozzle body 1 and between a lower inclined outer face of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 and the upper recess 31 of the support pipe 30.

[16] In such an injection nozzle member for grease, when the nozzle body 1 is forcedly drawn from the injection section 90 in a state where the connecting rod 43 of the connector 40 is engaged with the injection section 90, since the fastening balls 50 come into contact with the inclined surface 21 of the connecting pipe 20 at the upper outer face thereof, the drawing force of the nozzle body 1 is directly transferred to the fastening balls 50. Then, the drawing force enables the support pipe 30 seated on the coil spring 60 to move down while compressing the coil spring 60. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 2, the fastening balls 50 roll down along the upper inclined outer face of the engaging rod 42 and the inclined surface 21 of the engaging pipe 20, toward the outside from the upper end of the support pipe 30, so that the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 fastened to the nozzle body 1 is released from the nozzle body 1.

[17] After the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 has been released from the nozzle body 1, when a user wants to fasten again the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 to the nozzle body 1, the fastening operation is as follows. In a state where the connecting rod 43 of the connector 40 is engaged with the injection section 90, when the upper face of the engaging pipe 20 is brought into contact with the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40, and then the nozzle body 1 is forcedly pushed up, the pushing force enables the support pipe 30 and the fastening balls 50 to move down, forming a space in an upper internal portion of the engaging pipe 20, into which the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 can be inserted. At the same time, when the pushing force of the nozzle body 1 is released, the engaging rod 42 is fastened to the fastening balls at the upper inclined face thereof, while the fastening balls return to their original positions by the release of the pushing force of the nozzle body.

[18] In the present invention, the fastening balls 50 are held between the upper inclined face of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 and the inclined surface 21 of the engaging pipe 20 without deviating from their proper positions. Further, the fastening balls 50 are located in the receiving holes 32a in the upper portion of the support pipe 30, which is upwardly movable owing to the repellent force of the coil spring 60. Thereby, the fastening balls 50 come into continuous contact, on their upper faces,

with the inclined surface 21 of the engaging pipe 20, so that the engaging rod 42 is prevented from shaking or deviating from a proper position.

[19] The O-ring 70 is provided between an inner wall of the upper recess 31 of the support pipe 30 and the lower inclined outer face of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40. Then, even in the case where grease-supply pressure is exerted upon the outer face of the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 when grease is injected using the powerful pumping force of a pump 80, a grease-leaking phenomenon does not occur in the course of grease flowing towards the center through-hole 44 of the connector 40. This is because the path of grease leakage, such as through a gap, is not created between the lower inclined face of the engaging rod 42 and the inner wall of the upper recess 31 of the support pipe 30. Further, the O-ring 70' is also provided between the outer face of the support pipe 30 and the mounting hole 12 of the connecting pipe 10, so that a grease-flowing path is completely isolated from the outside thereof, thereby preventing the leakage of grease from the connecting pipe 10 and the support pipe 30.

[20] For reference, as illustrated in FIG. 7, when the pump 80 operates with the nozzle body 1 coupled to an injecting pipe 81 of the pump 80, the grease-supply path extends from the screw hole 1 Ia of the nozzle body 1 to the center through-hole 44 of the connector via the mounting hole 12 of the nozzle body and the center hole of the support pipe 30.

Advantageous Effects

[21] According to the present invention, the plurality of fastening balls 50 comes into continuous contact with the inclined surface 21 of the engaging pipe 20 because of the coil spring 60, so that the connecting state between the engaging pipe 20 and the engaging rod 42 of the connector 40 is well maintained, the engaging rod 42 is rarely damaged by the fastening means, prolonging lifetime, and upon supply of grease, complete hermetic sealability is provided, preventing the grease leakage.

[22]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[23] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary injection nozzle member according to the present invention;

[24] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an exemplary operation of the injection nozzle member shown in FIG. 1 ;

[25] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' in FIG. 1;

[26] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a support pipe of the injection nozzle member according to the present invention;

[27] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a support pipe of the injection nozzle member according to the present invention;

[28] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an engaging pipe of the injection nozzle member according to the present invention; [29] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating the state in which the injection nozzle member of the invention is adapted to a grease pump; [30] FIG. 8(A) is a view illustrating an injection nozzle member according to the prior art; and [31] FIG. 8(B) is a plan view illustrating a gripper of the injection nozzle member according to the prior art.

[32] <Description of Symbols of the Main Parts in the Drawings>

[33] 1: Nozzle Body 10: Connecting Pipe

[34] 11 : Lower Engaging Portion 11a: Screw Hole

[35] 12: Mounting Hole 13: Upper Engaging Portion

[36] 14: Step 20: Engaging Pipe

[37] 21 : Inclined Surface 30: Support Pipe

[38] 31: Upper Recess 32: Circumferential Piece

[39] 32a: Receiving Hole 40: Connector

[40] 41 : Nut 42: Engaging Rod

[41] 43: Connecting Rod 44: Center Through-Hole

[42] 50: Fastening Ball 60: Coil Spring

[43] 70, 70': O-ring 80: Pump

[44] 81: Injecting Pipe 90: Injection Section

[45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60]

[62] [63] [64] [65] [66]