* * * *

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a quick coupling with flow deviation device.

A quick coupling comprising a first element and a second element that can be separably coupled is known.

Externally, the first element is mainly formed by an external sleeve and a connector. The external sleeve is provided with a hooking system with three helicoidal grooves. The connector has two threaded outlets for users interface (tube, control unit, etc.).

Internally, the first element is mainly formed by two valved couplings misaligned with each other and at least one guide pin.

The valved couplings are inserted one into a pressure line and the other into the exhaust line and serve the function of closing the flow when the coupling is uncoupled and open it when the coupling is coupled.

The guide pin allows the centering with the second element during the step of hooking.

Externally, the second element is mainly formed by a hooking ring nut, a safety ring nut and a connector. The hooking ring nut has three radially fixed pins which allow the second element to couple with the first element, by engaging the helicoidal grooves and due to the rotation of the ring nut.

Internally, the second element is mainly formed by two valved couplings misaligned with each other and at least one seat for the guide pin.

The valved couplings are inserted one into a pressure line and the other into the exhaust line and serve the function of closing the flow when the coupling is uncoupled and open it when the coupling is coupled.

The seat accommodates the guide pin of the first element allowing the centering with the first element during the step of hooking. Examples of known couplings are described in patents EP-0744522, EP-0932791, EP-0542342, EP-0580233 and EP-0686800, all to the Applicant.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick coupling consisting of a female part and a male part with a flow deviation device from a delivery line to a return line, activated when the coupling is uncoupled and deactivated when the coupling is coupled.

In accordance with the invention, such an object is achieved by a quick coupling comprising a first element and a second element that can be separably coupled, the first element mainly including hooking means, valved couplings for delivery and discharge lines, and a connector for user interface, the second element mainly including hooking means, valved couplings for delivery and discharge lines, and a connector for user interface, characterized in that said second element comprises a deviation valve movable between an uncoupled-coupling open position in which the delivery line is in communication with the discharge line of the second element by means of a canalization, and a coupled-coupling closing position in which a shutter of the first element pushes the deviation valve to close said communication.

These and other features of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment thereof shown by way of non- limitative example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of the first element of the coupling; figure 2 shows a left-hand view from of figure 4;

figure 3 shows a right-hand view of figure 4;

figure 4 shows a section view taken along line IV-IV in figure 3;

figure 5 shows a perspective view of the second element of the coupling;

figure 6 shows a right-hand view of figure 8; fϊgure 7 shows a left-hand view of figure 8;

figure 8 shows a section view taken along line VIII-VIII in figure 7; figure 9 shows a section view of the first and second elements aligned in a first position;

figure 10 shows a section view of the first and second elements aligned in a second position;

figure 11 shows a section view of the first and second elements aligned in a third position;

figure 12 shows a section view of the first and second elements aligned in a fourth position;

figure 13 shows a section view of the first and second elements aligned in a fifth position;

figure 14 shows a section view of the first and second elements aligned in a sixth position;

figure 15 shows a left -hand view of figure 8;

figure 16 shows a section view taken along line XVI-XVI in figure 15; figure 17 shows a side view of the first element;

figure 18 shows a section view taken along the line XVIII-XVIII in figure 17;

figure 19 shows a side view of the second element;

figure 20 shows a section view taken along the line XX-XX in figure 19;

figure 21 shows a section view of the coupling with a fixed shutter.

The figures show a quick coupling 100 consisting of a first element 50 and a second element 60.

Externally, the first element 50 (figures 1-4) is mainly formed by an external sleeve 1 and a connector 2. The external sleeve 1 is provided with a hooking system with three helicoidal grooves 3 and three front seats 4 for a safety device. The connector 2 has two threaded outlets 25 for user interface (tube, control unit, etc.). Internally, the first element 50 is mainly formed by two valved couplings 16 misaligned with each other, a shutter 6 and a guide pin 7.

The valved couplings 16 are inserted one into a pressure line 9 and the other in the exhaust line 10 and serve the function of closing the flow when the coupling is uncoupled and opening it when the coupling is coupled.

By means of a seal 8, shutter 6 closes an axial hole 61 which is put into communication with the pressure line 9 by means of a channel 91 transversal to the axis (figures 4 and 18).

The guide pin 7 allows the centering with the second element 60 during the step of hooking.

Externally, the second element 60 (figures 5-8) is mainly formed by a hooking ring nut 70, a safety ring nut 11 and a connector 12. The hooking ring nut 70 has three radially fixed pins 13 which allow the second element 60 to couple with the first element 50, by engaging the helicoidal grooves 3 and due the rotation of the ring nut 70.

Three safety pins 14 are fixed in the safety ring nut 11, axially sliding along with the ring nut 11 itself. The safety ring nut 11 is pushed against the hooking ring nut 70 by a compression spring 15.

Internally, the second element 60 is mainly formed by two valved couplings 17 misaligned with each other, a deviation valve 18 and a seat 19 for the guide pin 7.

The valved couplings 17 are inserted one into a pressure line 20 and the other into the exhaust line 21 and serve the function of closing the flow when the coupling is uncoupled and open it when the coupling is coupled.

A deviation valve 18 allows the communication of the pressure line 20 with the exhaust line 21 when the coupling is uncoupled and closes the communication when the coupling is coupled.

Connector 12 has two threaded outlets 122 at one end thereof, for users interface (tubes etc.), while the inner part which is connected to the first element 50, has the peculiarity that the two lines 20 and 21 become coaxial (figures 16 and 20), and by a spherical means 16, the rotation of the part 12' of connector 12 connected to the tubes is allowed with respect to the coupling 1 (in figure 16, part 12' is shown rotated with respect to figure 8). It is worth noting that said rotating part 12' may be also or alternatively provided with the first element 50 in coupling 2.

The seat 19 accommodates the guide pin 7 of the first element 50 thus allowing the centering with the first element 50 during the step of hooking.

In order to couple the coupling (figures 9-12), the external sleeve 1 of the first element 50 is inserted into the hooking ring nut 70 of the second element (fig.9), and centering is performed by rotating the two parts until the guide pin 7 enters in its seat 19 while the hooking pins 13 enter in the helicoidal grooves 4.. At this point, the first element 50 is driven into the second element 60 (fig.10-11) by rotating the hooking ring nut 70.

By touching the safety pins 14, the front part of the external sleeve 1 pushes the safety ring nut 11, thus allowing to continue the rotation of the hooking ring nut 70 until the hooking pins 13 reach the end of travel (end of helicoidal grooves). In this position, the coupling is completed and due to the compression spring 15, the safety pins 14 are pushed into the seats 4 frontally arranged on the external sleeve 1 , thus preventing the hooking ring nut 70 from rotating with respect to the external sleeve 1 , and thus avoiding the coupling from accidentally unhooking (fig. 12).

The first element 50 is blocked with the second element 60, while the coaxial rotating connector 12 of the male 60, which could also be placed on the first element 50, by virtue of the spherical means 16, may rotate (fig.12) thus avoiding possible twisting of flexible tubes.

In order to disconnect coupling 1, the safety ring nut 11 needs to be retracted so as to disengage the safety pins 14 from their seats 4 (fig.13), and thus rotate in the opposite direction with respect to the coupling (fig.14).

On one hand, the front seats 4 of the external sleeve 1 have a shoulder 41 (figure 1) so that the pin 14 may not exit during the releasing rotation, while on the other hand, they have an inclined plane 42 to allow the pin 14 to exit during the hooking rotation.

The deviation device of the second element 60 consists of a deviation valve 18, which puts the pressure line 20 into communication with the exhaust line 21 when the coupling is uncoupled by means of the channels 31 and 32, and closes communication when the coupling is coupled.

When the coupling is uncoupled (fig.9), the flow which comes from the pressure line 20, due to the hydrostatic push, pushes the valve 18 forward, thus creating the passage in the compartment 34 (figures 9-11, in particular see the enlargement in figure 11) of the valve 18 to flow into the exhaust line 21 through the channels 31 and 32 upstream and downstream of said compartment 33. This fluid recirculation prevents the pressure from being generated in the pressure line 20. When coupling, the valve 18 comes into contact with the shutter 6 of the first element 50 (fig.10) and is pushed against its seat 33 for closing.

With the valve 18 still open (fig.l 1), the valve of the first element, i.e. a sealing sleeve 22, is first opened thus allowing a possible pressure in the first element 50 to be discharged into the second element 60, and therefore the valve 18 being open to discharge into the exhaust line. When the coupling is completely coupled, the shutter 6 pushes the valve 18 towards the sealing seat 33 thus closing the communication between the pressure line 20 and the exhaust line 21 (enlargement in figure 12).

The shutter 6 of the first element 50 has a larger diameter dl than the diameter d2 of the valve 18, and therefore the hydrostatic push section of the shutter 6 is also greater than that of the valve 18. As a result of this concept, the pressure generates a greater force on the side of shutter 6, which pushes the valve 18 toward the seat 33, thus ensuring sealing.

Alternatively, as shown in figure 21, a fixed shutter 6 may be included, which in all cases pushes the deviation valve 18 into its seat 33, possibly with a diameter of the valve 18 which precisely fits the compartment 34. Unhooking the coupling includes a sequence of positions of valve 18 which are reversed as compared to those mentioned above.