Female fluid connection element, connection subassembly and connection comprising such a female element

The invention relates to a female fluid connection element making it possible to form, with a male element, a coupler allowing the removable junction of circulation pipes for a fluid, the pipes potentially having alignment flaws.

In general, injection molds, in particular for injection of plastic, include at least two parts, one of these parts being a stationary mold and the other part comprising a moving slide. The two mold parts are generally not perfectly aligned. These molds include cooling circuits in which a cooling fluid circulates and which communicate in the injection phase. These circuits therefore need to be coupled and uncoupled in each plastic injection cycle. It is further necessary to guarantee the absence of leak of the cooling fluid in the coupled configuration and in the uncoupled configuration, since drippings can migrate toward the injection surfaces of the mold in contact with the injected material and harm the quality of the injected part.

It is known to use a flexible hose, which remains connected at all times to the cooling circuits of the two parts of the mold and which accommodates the movements and alignment flaws of the mold parts. However, the flexible hoses wear out quickly and must be changed regularly to avoid accidental leaks, which is expensive in terms of maintenance.

It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,580 to propose a so-called “quick” coupler allowing a rapid connection and disconnection accommodating limited alignment flaws between two connection elements, while making one of the elements of the coupler float within a frame. The floating coupler element is then complementary with a valve. However, during uncoupling, drippings remain on the outer surfaces of the connection elements, these surfaces also being radially exposed to the outside, and the drippings can migrate toward the injection surfaces of the mold.

The invention more particularly aims to address these problems, by proposing a coupler with protection against drippings and which is further easy to maintain.

To that end, the invention relates to a female connection element able to be coupled with a male element for the removable fluid junction of two pipes. The female element comprises a body centered on a first longitudinal central axis and which defines an inner volume for receiving the male element, a front side and a rear side. The female element further comprises a central plunger longitudinally secured to the body and positioned within the inner volume, as well as a slide valve movable within the inner volume around the central plunger, between a forward closing position, in which the slide valve cooperates tightly with the body and the central plunger, and a withdrawn open position.

According to the invention, the body forms an outer flange ring positioned around the inner volume and has an outer radial surface, a front axial face and a rear axial face. The front axial face and the rear axial face are parallel and annular and protrude radially from the rest of the body. The outer flange ring comprises at least two passages, each passage being arranged through the outer flange ring and coupling the outer radial surface and the inner volume. A distal sealing gasket is housed in the body at an inner radial surface of the body, which delimits the inner volume. A front face of the slide valve in the closed position and the distal sealing gasket are positioned longitudinally on either side of the passages, while the distal sealing gasket is located in front of the passages.

Owing to the invention, during the uncoupling of the female element and the male element, it is possible to discharge the coolant drippings contained in the inner volume, in front of the slide valve, through the outer flange ring, toward the outside such that the drippings cannot migrate toward the injection surfaces of the molds whereas for the coupling, the outer flange ring is suitable for being mounted with the possibility of travel perpendicular to the first central axis in order to adapt to the alignment flaws of the pipes to be joined. The passages arranged in the outer flange ring allow a flow of compressed air to pass, which drives the coolant drippings from the outer surfaces of the male element, before it is removed from the inner volume of the flange ring. The distal gasket ensures the sealing between the inner volume and the male element when the male element cooperates with the female element, avoiding the diffusion of coolant drippings outside the inner receiving volume. Furthermore, the distal gasket performs a function of scraping the outer radial surface of the male element when the latter is removed from the inner volume of the flange ring, during the uncoupling of the male and female elements of the coupler.

According to advantageous but optional aspects of the invention, such a female element may incorporate one or more of the following features, considered in any technically allowable combination:

the female element further comprises a front sealing gasket housed on the front axial face and a rear sealing gasket housed on the rear axial face, the front sealing gasket and the rear sealing gasket being centered on the first central axis;

a median plane of a distal groove housing the distal sealing gasket is positioned longitudinally between the front axial face and the rear axial face of the flange ring;

each passage comprises an outer volume that emerges on the outer radial surface of the flange ring, as well as a volume of reduced section relative to the outer volume, the volume of reduced section being inner relative to the outer volume;

in section in a plane orthogonal to the first central axis, the walls delimiting the volume of reduced section are flared and diverge toward the inner volume;

the flange ring comprises two passages that are distributed at 180° about the first central axis and each volume of reduced section covers an angular sector of 45° to 100° about the first central axis;

a width of reduced section taken along the first central axis is at least two times smaller than an orthoradial dimension of the volume of reduced section;

a proximal sealing gasket is housed in the body in a proximal groove emerging on an inner radial surface portion of equal diameter to an inner radial surface portion on which a distal groove emerges in which the distal sealing gasket is housed and, in the closed position of the slide valve, the proximal sealing gasket is radially interposed between the slide valve and the body;

the body delimits an annular volume by which each passage emerges in the inner volume, a diameter of the annular volume being greater than the diameter of an inner radial surface portion on which a distal groove emerges in which the distal sealing gasket is housed;

the female element comprises an obstacle, blocked in rotation relative to the body about the first central axis and extending radially from the outer radial surface of the flange ring;

an axial distance between a median plane of a groove housing the distal sealing gasket and the front face of the slide valve in the closed position is between 8 mm and 40 mm; and

the central plunger has a planar front face and the front face of the slide valve and the front face of the plunger are flush when the slide valve is in the forward closed position.

The invention also relates to a connection subassembly, which comprises a frame and a female element as mentioned above, wherein the frame delimits an inner duct and an inner housing, the inner housing defining a second longitudinal central axis parallel to the first central axis, the female element being mounted in the inner housing of the frame with the possibility of movement of the body and the frame radially with respect to the second central axis, with the front axial face of the outer flange ring in tight sliding contact with the frame and the rear axial face of the outer flange ring in tight sliding contact with the frame, while the inner duct of the frame communicates with the inner volume of the female element, the frame delimiting at least two orifices emerging in the inner housing across from the outer flange ring in a direction radial to the second central axis.

This subassembly makes it possible to perform an effective cleaning function of a male element complementary to the female element.

According to other advantageous, but optional aspects of the invention, such a connection subassembly may incorporate one or more of the following features, considered in any technically allowable combination:

one of the orifices is connected to a pressurized air source;

the obstacle of the female element cooperates with the frame in a circumferential direction with respect to the first central axis in order to block the rotation of the body relative to the frame in a configuration where each of the orifices is across, in a radial direction, from at least one of the passages.

The invention further relates to a coupler that comprises a female element as mentioned above and a male element that, in the coupled configuration of the coupler, is introduced into the inner volume of the body. An annular front face of the male body pushes the slide valve back into the withdrawn open position, while the distal sealing gasket is in contact with an outer radial surface of the male element in an intermediate uncoupling configuration in which the slide valve is in the forward closed position.

This coupler has the same advantages as the female element of the invention.

The invention will be better understood, and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly, in light of the following description of two embodiments of a female element, a connection subassembly, a coupler according to its principle, provided solely as an example and done in reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a coupler according to a first embodiment of the invention and comprising a female element, which in turn is according to the first embodiment of the invention, and a male element, in an uncoupled configuration;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-section along the broken plane II-II in FIG. 1 , of the coupler of FIG. 1 , with the addition of a part of a frame associated with the female element;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a subassembly according to the invention and comprising the coupler of FIG. 1 in the coupled configuration, according to a longitudinal section plane of the coupler, orthogonal to the plane of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 , the coupler being shown in an intermediate uncoupled configuration;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 , of a subassembly also according to the invention and comprising a coupler according to a second embodiment of the invention, in a coupled configuration;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 , the coupler being shown in an intermediate uncoupled configuration.

FIG. 1 shows a coupler R of the fluid type.

The coupler R comprises a male element 2 and a female element 4 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The male element 2 is complementary to the female element 4 .

The male element 2 comprises a body 6 , which has a shape of revolution centered on a longitudinal axis X 6 and defines an inner pipe 8 , a front end 6 A, a rear end 6 B and an outer radial surface 6 C of the front end 6 A, the outer diameter of which is denoted d 6 . The outer radial surface 6 C is a cylinder of circular section centered on the longitudinal axis X 6 , that is to say, the outer radial surface 6 C has a constant outer diameter d 6 .

In this respect, a longitudinal or axial direction is defined as extending along the central longitudinal axis of the element in question, that is to say, horizontal in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 6 . A direction radial to an axis is defined as being orthogonal to this axis, a plane radial to an axis as being a plane containing this axis and extending in a radial direction, a plane orthoradial to an axis is a plane orthogonal to a plane radial to this axis and not intersecting this axis, and a direction orthoradial to an axis is a direction orthogonal to a plane radial to this axis and not intersecting this axis. A direction circumferential to an axis is defined as being oriented in a direction corresponding to a rotation about this axis. For each considered element, the term “inner” means “facing toward the central longitudinal axis”, while the term “outer” means “facing away from the central longitudinal axis”.

For greater clarity, the front side of a male element, respectively of a female element, is defined as the side of this male element, respectively of this female element, oriented in the longitudinal direction in the sense of the fitting or coupling, that is to say, oriented toward the female element, respectively toward the male element, at the very beginning of the fitting. The front side of the female element 4 is oriented toward the left in FIG. 1 , while the front side of the male element 2 is oriented toward the right in FIG. 1 . Conversely, the rear side of a male element, respectively of a female element, is defined as the longitudinal direction opposite the female element, respectively the male element.

Thus, in the example of FIGS. 1 and 3 to 6 , the front of the male element 2 is situated to the right of this male element, while the front of the female element 4 is situated to the left of this female element.

The rear end 6 B of the male element 2 is threaded and is designed to be screwed on a plate, with insertion of a sealing gasket 10 .

The front end 6 A delimits a seat 12 and has an annular front face 12 A. The male element 2 further comprises a valve 14 and a return spring 16 A. The valve 14 has a front face 14 A. The return spring 16 A and the valve 14 are housed in the inner pipe 8 , the return spring 16 A bearing, on the front side, on the valve 14 while, on the rear side, the return spring 16 A bears on a ring 16 B, which in turn is immobilized in the body 6 by a stop segment 16 C. The return spring 16 A, which is kept compressed in the inner pipe 8 , returns the valve 14 to abut forwardly against the seat 12 of the body 6 . A sealing gasket 18 is housed in the valve 14 and ensures the tightness between the valve 14 and the seat 12 in the bearing configuration of the valve 14 against the seat 12 , which corresponds, for the valve 14 of the male element 2 , to a so-called closed position.

In the closed position, the front face 14 A of the valve 14 is advantageously flush with the annular front face 12 A of the seat 12 .

The female element 4 comprises a body 20 of revolution centered on a first longitudinal central axis X 20 .

The body 20 defines an inner volume V 20 and comprises an outer flange ring 22 , which is monobloc with the rest of the body 20 . The outer flange ring 22 has a front axial face 24 A, a rear axial face 24 B, an outer radial surface 26 A and a stepped inner radial surface 26 B made up of three annular inner radial surface portions, namely a front inner radial surface portion 26 B 1 and a rear inner radial surface portion 26 B 2 delimiting the inner volume V 20 and an intermediate inner radial surface portion 26 B 3 positioned, along the first central axis X 20 , between the inner radial surface portions 26 B 1 and 26 B 2 . The faces 24 A and 24 B protrude radially from the rest of the body 20 . In other words, the rest of the body 20 positioned longitudinally on either side of the outer flange ring 22 has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer radial surface 26 A of the outer flange ring 22 . The intermediate inner radial surface portion 26 B 3 has a diameter d 34 . The diameter d 34 is larger than the diameter d 22 of the front and rear inner radial surface portions 26 B 1 and 26 B 2 , which is common. The diameter d 22 is smaller than the inner diameter d 20 of the body 20 behind the rear inner radial surface portion 26 B 2 and is equal to the diameter d 6 , to within any radial play. A transition zone T 22 is defined as being a frustoconical part centered on the first central axis X 20 behind the inner radial surface 26 B.

The front axial face 24 A and the rear axial face 24 B are annular surfaces, parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first central axis X 20 .

The outer flange ring 22 bears an obstacle 28 that is mounted gripped in a radial bore arranged in the outer flange ring 22 and that extends radially centrifugally relative to the first central axis X 20 past the outer radial surface 26 A of the outer flange ring 22 . The obstacle 28 , visible in FIGS. 1 and 2 , here is a pin, which is blocked relative to the body 20 , in particular the obstacle 28 is blocked in rotation relative to the body 20 about the first central axis X 20 .

A front sealing gasket 30 A, for example a toroidal gasket made from elastomer, is housed in an annular groove centered on the first central axis X 20 and arranged in the front axial face 24 A, while a rear sealing gasket 30 B, for example a toroidal gasket made from elastomer, is housed in an annular groove centered on the first central axis X 20 and housed in the rear axial face 24 B.

The inner volume V 20 emerges on the outside by a mouth 22 A, which has a profile flared in the forward direction.

The outer flange ring 22 further has two passages 32 arranged through the outer flange ring 22 . Only one of these passages 32 is visible in FIG. 1 , while both passages 32 are visible in FIG. 2 , along a section plane transverse with respect to the first central axis X 20 , and in FIGS. 3 and 4 , along a median section plane, that is to say, longitudinal and orthogonal with respect to the section plane of FIG. 1 .

The two passages 32 pass radially through the outer flange ring 22 and couple the outer radial surface 26 A to the inner volume V 20 . Each of the passages 32 defines an outer volume 32 A and a volume of reduced section 32 B, which are visible in FIGS. 2 to 4 . The outer volume 32 A emerges on the outer radial surface 26 A of the outer flange ring 22 . The volume of reduced section 32 B is said to be “of reduced section” because it delimits a maximum passage section smaller than the maximum passage section of the outer volume 32 A in an orthoradial plane, that is to say, a plane perpendicular to a direction radial to the first central axis X 20 , and because the passage section of the outer volume 32 A in an orthoradial plane decreases toward the volume of reduced section 32 B. The volume of reduced section 32 B is radially closer to the first central axis X 20 than the outer volume 32 A and emerges within the outer flange ring 22 in an annular volume 34 delimited by the intermediate inner radial surface portion 26 B 3 . The annular volume 34 is a cylinder of circular section centered on the first central axis X 20 , the length of which is denoted L 34 , measured parallel to the first central axis X 20 , and the height of which is denoted H 34 , measured radially with respect to this axis. The height H 34 is equal to the difference in diameter d 22 of the portions 26 B 1 - 26 B 2 , on the one hand, and the diameter d 34 of the portion 26 B 3 , on the other hand. The annular volume 34 is arranged in the inner radial surface 26 B and extends all the way around the first central axis X 20 and the inner volume V 20 . The outer volume 32 A and the associated volume of reduced section 32 B are specific to a passage 32 , while the annular volume 34 is shared by both passages 32 . In other words, each passage 32 emerges in the inner volume V 20 by means of the same annular volume 34 . The intersection between the annular volume V 34 and the inner radial surface portions 26 B 1 - 26 B 2 constitutes the mouth of the passages 32 in the inner volume V 20 . The two passages 32 are distributed at 180° around the first central axis X 20 inasmuch as the two outer volumes 32 A, respectively the two volumes of reduced section 32 B, are distributed at 180° around the first central axis X 20 .

Reference l 32 denotes the width, measured in a direction parallel to the first central axis X 20 , of the volume of reduced section 32 B emerging in the annular volume 34 . In practice, the width l 32 is on the order of 2 mm. The length L 34 of the annular volume 34 is greater than the width l 32 of each volume of reduced section 32 B. In practice, the length L 34 is greater than the width l 32 by a length of between 1 mm and 2.5 mm.

In section in the plane orthogonal to the first central axis X 20 shown in FIG. 2 , the walls of each volume of reduced section 32 B define two lines t 32 . The two lines t 32 of each passage 32 diverge toward the first central axis X 20 .

A first angular sector α is defined as being the angle, about the first central axis X 20 , between the intersections of the lines t 32 of a volume of reduced section 32 B and the outer radial surface of the annular volume 34 , that is to say, the intermediate inner radial surface portion 26 B 3 .

The first angular sector α is wide enough to sweep the entire front face 12 A of the body 6 of the male element 2 and the entire front face 14 A of the valve 14 , as explained later in the present disclosure.

In practice, the first angular sector α is between 45° and 100°. Preferably, the first angular sector α is between 55° and 90°.

An orthoradial dimension L 32 of the volume of reduced section 32 B is defined as being the maximum length, taken in an orthoradial direction, between the lines t 32 of a volume of reduced section 32 B. The orthoradial dimension L 32 is greater than or equal to 90% of the diameter d 22 or of the diameter d 6 , preferably at least equal to the diameter d 22 or the diameter d 6 , the diameter d 22 being equal to 15 mm in the example.

For a given volume of reduced section 32 B, the width l 32 is at least two times smaller than the orthoradial dimension L 32 , preferably at least five times smaller than the orthoradial dimension L 32 . The flow of pressurized air coming from the inlet orifice 86 is thus concentrated along a plane orthogonal to the first central axis X 20 .

An angular sector β is also defined as being the angle, about the first central axis X 20 , between the intersection of the lines t 32 of a volume of reduced section 32 B and the adjacent outer volume 32 A. In practice, the second angular sector β is between 45° and 65°, preferably on the order of 55°.

In light of the divergent nature of the lines t 32 toward the first central axis X 20 , the first angular sector α has a value greater than that of the second angular sector β.

Each outer volume 32 A has a distal or front surface 36 and a proximal or rear surface 38 , which are visible in FIGS. 3 and 4 . The distal surface 36 and the proximal surface 38 of an outer volume 32 A are inclined relative to a plane orthogonal to the first central axis X 20 and converge toward the first central axis X 20 .

An angle A 36 is defined as being the angle between the line of the distal surface 36 in the median plane of the volume of reduced section 32 B radial to the first central axis X 20 and an axis radial to the first central axis X 20 and contained in the median plane; an angle A 38 is also defined as being the angle between the line of the proximal surface 38 in the median plane of the volume of reduced section 32 B and an axis radial to the first central axis X 20 and contained in the median plane.

The proximal surface 38 is more inclined than the distal surface 36 , that is to say, the angle A 38 is greater than the angle A 36 .

In practice, the angle A 38 is on the order of 65°, while the angle A 36 is on the order of 25°. Advantageously, the sum of the angle A 38 and the angle A 36 is equal to 90°, an outer volume 32 A having a proximal face 38 orthogonal to its distal face 36 being easier to machine than an outer volume with another angle, in particular by milling.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the radial bore bearing the pin 28 extends perpendicular to a plane of symmetry of the passages 32 that is radial to the first central axis X 20 .

A distal groove 40 , in which a distal sealing gasket 40 A is housed, for example an O-ring made from elastomer, is arranged radially in the inner radial surface 26 B, more specifically in the front inner radial surface portion 26 B 1 . The distal groove 40 is located longitudinally with respect to the first central axis X 20 between the annular volume 34 and the mouth 22 A.

A proximal groove 42 , in which a proximal sealing gasket 42 A is housed, for example an O-ring made from elastomer, is arranged radially in the inner radial surface 26 B, more specifically in the rear inner radial surface portion 26 B 2 . The proximal groove 42 and the distal groove 40 are located on either side of the annular volume 34 along the first central axis X 20 . The distal sealing gasket 40 A and the proximal sealing gasket 42 A are thus located on either side of the annular volume 34 along the first central axis X 20 . The distal sealing gasket 40 A is located in front of each of the passages 32 in the direction where the distal sealing gasket 40 A is positioned in a front part of the body 20 that is delimited longitudinally by the passages 32 . Thus, the distal sealing gasket 40 A is located in front of the mouth of each of the passages 32 in the inner volume V 20 . The proximal sealing gasket 42 A is located behind each of the passages 32 in the direction where the proximal sealing gasket 42 A is positioned in a rear part of the body 20 that is delimited longitudinally by the passages 32 . Thus, the proximal sealing gasket 42 A is located behind the mouth of each of the passages 32 in the inner volume V 20 .

Each of the distal groove 40 and proximal groove 42 has a bottom and two side walls. A median plane P 40 of the distal groove 40 is defined as being a plane orthogonal to the first central axis X 20 , passing through the middle of the bottom of the distal groove 40 and a median plane P 42 of the proximal groove 42 is defined as being a plane orthogonal to the first central axis X 20 , passing through the middle of the bottom of the proximal groove 42 . The distal groove 40 and the proximal groove 42 are positioned in the body 20 such that their respective median planes P 40 and P 42 are located, along the first central axis X 20 , between the surfaces 24 A and 24 B.

The female element 4 further includes a central plunger 44 , a slide valve 46 and a second spring 48 .

The central plunger 44 comprises a base 50 , a head 52 and an elongated rod 54 , the rod 54 being aligned in its length on the first central axis X 20 and being coupled to a rear end of the base 50 and a front end of the head 52 .

The central plunger 44 is kept in the inner volume V 20 by a stop segment 60 blocking the base 50 along the first central axis X 20 . The head 52 has a shape of revolution about the first central axis X 20 and defines an outer peripheral surface 56 and a front face 58 . A gasket 62 , for example an O-ring made from elastomer, is housed in a groove arranged radially in the outer peripheral surface 56 .

The slide valve 46 is movable along the first central axis X 20 between a forward closed position in which the slide valve 46 cooperates tightly with the body 20 and the central plunger 44 and closes a rear part of the inner volume V 20 , and a withdrawn position of the rear part of the inner volume V 20 .

The slide valve 46 has a shape of revolution about the first central axis X 20 and comprises a rear skirt 64 , an outer radial face 66 A, an inner radial face 66 B and a front face 68 .

The rear skirt 64 has an outer surface 64 A and an inner surface 64 B, the inner surface 64 B diverging toward the rear, while the outer surface 64 A is cylindrical with a circular section and has a diameter d 64 . In particular, the diameter d 64 of the rear skirt 64 is less than or equal, to within any assembly play, to the inner diameter d 20 of the inner volume V 20 , but greater than the diameter d 22 . An inclined face T 64 is defined as being the inclined surface relative to the first central axis X 20 located at the junction between the outer surface 64 A of the rear skirt and the outer radial face 66 A of the slide valve 46 .

Under the effect of the second spring 48 , which bears jointly on the base 50 of the central plunger 44 and on the slide valve 46 , the slide valve 46 is pushed back in the forward direction and the inclined face T 64 abuts against the transitional zone T 22 of the body 20 .

When the slide valve 46 bears against the body 20 , the outer radial face 66 A of the slide valve 46 cooperates tightly with the proximal gasket 42 A, in other words, the proximal sealing gasket 42 A is radially inserted between the slide valve 46 and the body 20 and the slide valve 46 cooperates tightly with the body 20 by means of the gasket 42 A, while the inner radial face 66 B of the slide valve 46 cooperates tightly with the gasket 62 of the central plunger 44 .

This configuration of the female element 4 corresponds to the closed position of the slide valve 46 , visible in FIGS. 1 and 4 .

In this closed position, the front face 68 of the slide valve 46 and the front face 58 of the central plunger 44 are advantageously flush and positioned behind the mouth of the passages 32 in the inner volume V 20 . The front face 68 of the slide valve 46 and the distal sealing gasket 40 A are positioned longitudinally on either side of the passages 32 , while the distal sealing gasket 40 A is located in front of the passages 32 . Thus, the passages 32 emerge in the inner volume V 20 between the proximal sealing gasket 42 A and the distal sealing gasket 40 A and fluid communication is possible between the two passages 32 through the inner volume V 20 .

An axial distance d 70 is defined, visible in FIG. 4 , as being the length, measured parallel to the first central axis X 20 , between the median plane P 40 and the front face 68 of the slide valve 46 in the closed position.

In practice, the axial distance d 70 is between 8 mm and 40 mm. In the example of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , the axial distance d 70 is equal to 9 mm.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 , the female element 4 is assembled to a frame 72 . The female element 4 and the frame 72 together form a connection subassembly 74 . The frame 72 here is part of an injection mold and delimits an inner duct 76 , which forms the end of a cooling circuit through the injection mold. The frame 72 here is formed by a front part 78 and a rear part 80 , the front part 78 being secured to the rear part 80 by reversible assembly means, such as screws.

The rear part 80 defines a rear inner housing V 80 , which is cylindrical with a circular section centered on a longitudinal second central axis X 72 , while the front part 78 defines another front inner housing V 78 , cylindrical with a circular section centered on the second central axis X 72 , of inner diameter greater than the inner diameter of the rear inner housing V 80 . The inner duct 76 is also centered on the second central axis X 72 .

The union of the front V 78 and rear V 80 inner housings defines the inner housing V 72 of the frame 72 .

The front inner housing V 78 is delimited, toward the front, by an annular axial face 82 A and emerges toward the rear by an opening 84 . Toward the rear, the front inner housing V 78 is delimited by an annular axial surface 82 B of the front face of the rear part 80 , the annular axial surface 82 B being coaxial with and facing the annular axial face 82 A. The front inner housing V 78 is radially delimited by an inner radial surface 78 A arranged on the front part 78 .

The front part 78 further has two orifices 86 .

The two orifices 86 are located at 180° from one another relative to the second central axis X 72 , extending radially to the second central axis X 72 , and couple the outside to the inner radial surface 78 A of the front part 78 . In a variant, the orifices 86 can be inclined relative to the radial direction. A first of the two orifices 86 , called “inlet” orifice, is designed to be connected to a pressurized air source, while the second of the two orifices 86 , called “outlet” orifice, constitutes a discharge of the pressurized air introduced through the inlet orifice 86 .

The path of the pressurized air passing through the inlet orifice 86 , then passing through the passage 32 located opposite it and penetrating the inner volume V 20 , is shown schematically by a wavy arrow F 4 in FIG. 4 . Similarly, the pressurized air discharged through the outlet orifice 86 is shown schematically by a wavy arrow F 5 . The orifice 86 located at the top of FIG. 4 here is arbitrarily chosen as being the inlet orifice in order to illustrate the conveyance of the pressurized air. It is thus understood that during the uncoupling operation, the pressurized air coming from the inlet orifice 86 drives any drippings from the outer radial surface 6 C of the male element 2 , as well as the annular front face 12 A and the front face 14 A of the valve 14 , the drippings being discharged through the outlet orifice 86 .

A slot 88 is further arranged longitudinally in the front part 78 . The slot 88 , visible in FIG. 2 , is open on the front inner housing V 78 .

In FIGS. 3 and 4 , the female element 4 is assembled to the frame 72 , that is to say, the body 20 is housed in the inner housing V 72 , the first central axis X 20 being parallel to the second central axis X 72 .

In particular, the outer flange ring 22 is housed in the front inner housing V 78 of the front part 78 , the front axial face 22 A being mounted tightly and sliding over the front annular axial surface 82 A by the insertion of the front gasket 30 A. Jointly, the rear axial face 24 B is mounted tightly and sliding over the rear annular axial surface 82 B by the insertion of the rear gasket 30 B. When the female element 4 is assembled to the frame 72 , the obstacle 28 cooperates with the slot 88 of the frame 72 in the circumferential direction at the first central axis X 20 and blocks the rotation of the body 20 relative to the frame 72 about the first central axis X 20 . The female element 4 is thus freely translated transversely to the second central axis X 72 relative to the frame 72 , while the outer radial surface 26 A of the outer flange ring 22 is not in contact with the inner radial surface 78 A of the front part 78 . In the example of the figures showing the connection subassembly 74 , the outer flange ring 22 is shown in contact with the inner radial surface 78 A at the bottom of each figure.

Irrespective of the position of the body 20 in the front inner volume V 78 , the sealing gaskets 30 A and 30 B ensure the tightness between the body 20 and the frame 72 , and the inner duct 76 communicates with the rear part of the inner volume V 20 , behind the gasket 62 . Owing to the cooperation of the obstacle 28 with the slot 88 , the angular orientation of the female element 4 relative to the frame 72 is defined and the outer volume 32 A of one of the passages 32 is continuously opposite, in a radial direction with respect to the second central axis X 72 , one of the orifices 86 arranged through the frame 72 . In other words, the obstacle 28 of the female element 4 blocks the rotation of the body 20 relative to the frame 72 about the first central axis X 20 in a configuration where each of the orifices 86 is opposite, in a radial direction, at least one of the passages 32 .

The orifices 86 have a cylindrical section. The diameter of the orifices 86 is smaller than the longitudinal and orthoradial dimension of the outer mouth of each passage 32 , the outer mouth being the closed contour defined by the intersection between the outer volume 32 A of a passage 32 and the outer radial surface 26 A of the outer flange ring 22 .

The male element 2 is mounted tightly on a plate 90 , by screwing and insertion of the sealing gasket 10 . An end pipe V 90 of the cooling circuit is arranged through the plate 90 , the end pipe V 90 communicating with the inner pipe 8 of the male element 2 .

The plate 90 is for example part of a mold slide, which is not shown in the figures. The coupler subassembly 74 and the male element 2 mounted on the plate 90 together belong to a connection installation 92 .

Between the uncoupled configuration shown in FIG. 1 and the coupled configuration shown in FIG. 3 , the male element 2 is brought closer to the female element 4 following a fitting movement, shown by arrow F 1 in FIG. 1 , arrow F 1 being parallel to the longitudinal axis X 6 and oriented toward the front of the male element 2 .

The longitudinal axis X 6 and the first central axis X 20 are generally parallel, but may have alignment flaws on the order of 0.5 mm at most.

While the male element 2 is moved following the fitting movement, the front end 6 A of the male element 2 comes back into contact with the mouth 22 A of the female element 4 . The female element 4 then adapts to the position of the male element 2 by a movement of the outer flange ring 22 in the inner housing V 72 of the frame 72 , radially with respect to the second central axis X 72 , until the longitudinal axis X 6 and the first central axis X 20 are aligned.

The fitting movement continuing, the body 6 of the male element 2 engages in the inner volume V 20 , the distal sealing gasket 40 A comes into contact with the outer radial surface 6 C of the male element 2 and the annular frontal face 12 A comes into contact with the front face 68 of the slide valve 46 . The continued fitting movement results in the slide valve 46 being pushed back into the open position against the resilient force of the second spring 48 . At the same time, the front face 58 of the central plunger 44 comes into contact with the front face 14 A of the valve 14 and the valve 14 is pushed back into the open position against the resilient force of the return spring 16 .

The proximal sealing gasket 42 A next comes into contact with the outer radial surface 6 C of the male element 2 . The proximal sealing gasket 42 A participates in fluidly insulating the passages 32 of the inner pipe 8 and the inner duct 76 . The outer radial surface 6 C of the male element 2 is then jointly in tight contact with the distal sealing gasket 40 A and the proximal sealing gasket 42 A.

Advantageously, the distal sealing gasket 40 A and the proximal sealing gasket 42 A are identical to one another. The outer radial surface 6 C having a constant outer diameter d 6 , the inner diameters of the parts of the inner radial surface 26 V in which the distal groove 40 , in which the distal sealing gasket 40 A is housed, and the proximal groove 42 , in which the proximal sealing gasket 42 A is housed, emerge, are equal.

The coupled configuration of the female element 4 and the male element 2 is reached and corresponds to the configuration shown in FIG. 3 .

The connection is said to be quick because it does not require additional tooling, but only bringing the female element 4 and the male element 2 closer by following the fitting movement. In this sense, the coupling R is also called “quick coupling”.

While the coupler R is in the coupled configuration, the coolant circulates between the inner duct 76 of the frame 72 , the inner volume 20 of the body 20 of the female element 4 , the inner pipe 8 of the male element 2 and the end V 90 of the cooling pipe of the plate 90 .

The valve 14 , the central plunger 44 , the slide valve 46 and the front end 6 A of the male element 2 then bathe in the coolant.

Between the coupled configuration of FIG. 3 and the intermediate uncoupling configuration shown in FIG. 4 , the plate 90 is separated from the frame 72 following a movement in the direction opposite the fitting movement, shown by an arrow F 2 in FIG. 4 , which corresponds to an uncoupling movement.

The inlet orifice 86 is then supplied with pressurized air, which, as long as the slide valve 46 is in the withdrawn open position, passes through the passages 32 and escapes through the outlet orifice 86 via the annular volume 34 , bypassing the body 6 of the male element 2 . The pressurized air thus sweeps over the outer radial surface 6 C of the male element 2 and any drippings of coolant that were not stopped by the proximal gasket 42 A. The gaskets 30 A and 30 B thus form a tight barrier against the pressurized air, which cannot be introduced into the rear inner volume V 80 or escape toward the outside of the frame 72 between the frame 72 and the body 20 .

According to a sequence that is the opposite of the coupling sequence, the slide valve 46 is pushed back by the second spring 48 into the closed position, the valve 14 is pushed back by the return spring 16 A into the closed position, while the male element 2 still cooperates with the distal gasket 40 A.

In this configuration, and while the male element 2 continues to withdraw from the female element 4 but stays received in the inner volume V 20 , the pressurized air coming from the inlet orifice 86 passes through the passages 32 and sweeps over the front face 58 of the central plunger 44 , the front face 14 A of the valve 14 , the annular front face 12 A of the male element 2 and the front face 68 of the slide valve 46 . The pressurized air also sweeps over the outer radial surface 6 C of the male element 2 . Thus, any dripping existing on these surfaces is driven by the pressurized air into the outlet orifice 86 and discharged outside the inner volume V 20 , such that no dripping can pollute the injection surfaces of the mold when the male element 2 is completely removed from the connection subassembly 74 . The uncoupling movement is completed with the loss of tightness at the distal gasket 40 A. The distal sealing gasket 40 A provides, when it cooperates with the outer radial surface 6 C, a barrier against the flow of the pressurized air coming from the inlet orifice 86 toward the outside through the mouth 22 A and, during the withdrawal movement of the male element 2 , a scraping function of the outer radial surface 6 C. The supply of pressurized air is then suspended.

The female element 4 and the male element 2 are then ready for a new connection.

In the second embodiment of the female element 4 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the elements similar to those of the first embodiment bear the same references and work in the same way. Hereinafter, the differences between the first embodiment and the second embodiment will mainly be described.

In this second embodiment, there are ten passages 32 . The number of passages 32 can be adjusted based on the needs and the size of the elements 2 and 4 of the coupler R. The passages 32 are distributed, preferably evenly, radially about the first central axis X 20 in the outer flange ring 22 , one of the passages 32 being situated radially across from a first inlet orifice 86 , while another one of the passages 32 is situated radially across from a second outlet orifice 86 .

In this second embodiment, the outer volumes 32 A of the different passages 32 come together and define a shared peripheral volume, which facilitates the passage of the pressurized air around the outer flange ring 22 irrespective of the position of the outer flange ring 22 in the frame 72 .

The volumes of reduced section 32 B of the passages 32 each have a cylindrical shape with a circular section, the axis of which is radially inclined relative to the first central axis X 20 and converges with the first central axis X 20 toward the rear of the female element 4 . This incline of the axes of the volumes of reduced section 32 B emerging in the annular volume 34 is said to be “sloped” and results in orienting the jets of air passing through the passages 32 toward the front of the male element 2 during the uncoupling, thus increasing the effectiveness of the blowing of the drippings.

The annular volume 34 through which the passages 32 emerge in the inner volume V 20 has a more longitudinally elongated shape than in the first embodiment. In particular, the axial distance d 70 between the distal groove 40 and the front face 68 of the slide valve 46 in the closed position here is equal to 20 mm.

More generally, the axial distance d 70 is adjusted to account for the speed of the uncoupling movement of the male element 2 , the uncoupling movement being shown by arrow F 3 in FIG. 6 . Thus, when the uncoupling speed of the male element 2 is high, a longer axial distance d 70 causes the residence time of the male element 2 , in particular of the annular front face 12 A of the body 6 and of the front face 14 A of the valve 14 , opposite the annular volume 34 in the radial direction, to be longer. The blowing time of the drippings is thus longer and the cleaning is more effective.

In this second embodiment, the diameter d 64 of the rear skirt 64 is equal, to within any assembly play, to the inner diameter d 20 of the inner volume V 20 and the tightness between the body 20 and the slide valve 46 in the closed position is provided by a sealing gasket 142 A, for example an O-ring made from elastomer, which is housed in a groove arranged radially in the outer radial surface of the slide valve 46 and which cooperates tightly with the body 20 behind the passages 32 in the closed position of the slide valve 46 .

In the closed position of the slide valve 46 , the distal sealing gasket 40 A and the front face 68 of the slide valve 46 are positioned longitudinally on either side of the passages 32 . In other words, the distal sealing gasket 40 A is positioned on one longitudinal side of the mouth of each passage 32 in the inner volume V 20 , while the front face 68 of the slide valve 46 is positioned on the other longitudinal side of the mouth of each passage 32 in the inner volume V 20 . Thus, the passages 32 emerge in the inner volume V 20 between the gasket 142 A and the distal sealing gasket 40 A and fluid communication is possible between two passages 32 through the inner volume V 20 .

In the coupled configuration of the coupler R visible in FIG. 5 , the tightness between the body 6 of the male element 2 and the slide valve 46 in the open position is provided by a frontal sealing gasket 192 , for example made from elastomer, housed in a groove arranged in the annular front face 12 A of the body 6 .

The tightness between the front axial face 24 A of the outer flange ring 22 and the front annular axial face 82 A of the frame 72 is achieved by a front sealing gasket 130 A, for example an O-ring made from elastomer, housed in a groove arranged in the front annular axial face 82 A of the frame, instead of the front gasket 30 A housed in the outer flange ring 22 in the first embodiment.

Similarly, the tightness between the rear axial face 24 B of the outer flange ring 22 and the rear annular axial surface 82 B of the frame 72 is, in the second embodiment, achieved by a rear sealing gasket 130 B, for example an O-ring made from elastomer, housed in a groove arranged in the rear annular axial surface 82 B of the frame 72 , instead of the rear gasket 30 B housed in the outer flange ring 22 in the first embodiment.

Irrespective of the embodiment, for a given shape of the outer flange ring 22 , the distal gasket 40 A is located as close as possible to the mouth 22 A, so that the axial distance d 70 is as long as possible. In practice, the distal gasket 40 A, as well as the distal groove 40 in which the distal gasket 40 A is housed, are aligned with the front axial face 24 A of the outer flange ring 22 , in that the plane in which the front face 24 A extends intersects the groove 40 . The effectiveness of the blowing of the drippings is thus maximized for a given bulk of the outer flange ring 22 .

In a variant that is not shown, and for all of the embodiments, more than two orifices 86 can be arranged through the frame 72 , for example three orifices 86 , comprising one inlet orifice 86 and two outlet orifices 86 . In the first embodiment, it is then possible to provide three or more passages 32 , to provide the circulation of the air within the connection subassembly 74 . In all cases, the number of passages 32 is chosen by the designer of the female element 4 , to be greater than or equal to two.

In a variant that is not shown, the annular volume 34 of the passages 32 is omitted. The supply of pressurized air of the inlet orifice 86 is then only effective when the slide valve 46 is in the closed forward position.

In a variant that is not shown, for the rotational blocking of the body 20 relative to the frame 72 in a configuration where each of the orifices 86 is radially opposite at least one of the passages 32 , an obstacle of the body 20 in the form of a longitudinal slot arranged in a hollow from the outer radial surface 26 A of the collar 22 cooperates, in a circumferential direction about the first central axis X 20 , with a blocking pin fixed in rotation relative to the frame 72 about the second central axis X 72 . The blocking pin extends radially toward the second central axis X 72 from the inner radial surface 78 A.

The embodiments and alternatives mentioned above can be combined to provide new embodiments of the invention.