Snap-fitting connecting device with improved tensile strength
A device for connection between a first piece and a second piece including: a male part and a female part, the male part being intended to be inserted in the female part along the first direction, the male part including a snapping-on portion and a guide portion downstream of the snapping-on part in the direction of insertion of the male part in the female part, the female part including a snapping-on portion and a guide portion downstream of the snapping-on part, the male part and the female par being such that the guide portions provide guidance in the first direction of the male part before the snapping-on portions cooperate with each other.
1 . A device for connection between a first piece and a second piece intended to be stressed in a first direction, including:
a male part intended to be secured to the first piece and a female part intended to be secured to the second piece, the male part being intended to be inserted in the female part along the first direction,
the male part including at least one first guide portion and a first snapping-on portion, the first guide portion being disposed downstream of the first snapping-on portion in the direction of insertion of the male part in the female part,
the female part including a second guide portion and a second snapping-on portion, the second guide portion being disposed downstream of the second snapping-on portion in the direction of insertion of the male part in the female part,
the male part and the female part being configured so that the first and second guide portions cooperate with each other and provide guidance in the first direction of the male part before the first and second snapping-on portions cooperate with each other,
wherein the male part and the female part are manufactured from the same material.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , including a first shoulder that connects the first guide portion of the male part and the first snapping-on portion of the male part.
3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the first snapping-on portion of the male part includes a bevel bordering the first shoulder, the bevel narrowing in the direction of the first guide portion of the male part.
4 . The device according to claim 1 , including a bevel that directly connects the first guide portion, or its diameter, and the first snapping-on portion, or its diameter.
5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first guide portion of the male part includes a cylindrical shape of revolution with a first diameter, and the first snapping-on portion of the male part includes a cylindrical shape of revolution with a second diameter greater than the first diameter and delimiting a shoulder, oriented towards the first piece, and wherein the second guide portion of the female part includes a bore sized to receive the first guide portion of the male part and the second snapping-on portion of the female part includes at least one arm provided with a finger intended to cooperate with the shoulder of the male part and to form an axial stop for the male part.
6 . The device according to claim 1 , including a bevel between the first guide portion of the male part and the first snapping-on portion of the male part, and wherein at least one finger includes an insertion edge, opposite to a stop face intended to come into contact with a shoulder, intended to cooperate with said bevel to facilitate the moving of the at least one finger away from the first direction in the second direction.
7 . The device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first guide portion of the male part includes a cylindrical shape of revolution with a first diameter, and the first snapping-on portion of the male part includes a cylindrical shape of revolution with a second diameter greater than the first diameter and delimiting the shoulder, oriented towards the first piece, and wherein the second guide portion of the female part includes a bore sized to receive the first guide portion of the male part and the second snapping-on portion of the female part includes at least one arm provided with a finger intended to cooperate with the shoulder of the male part and to form an axial stop for the male part, and
wherein the bore includes a bottom, the distance between the bottom of the bore and the axial stop faces of the fingers is greater than the distance between the free end of the first guide portion of the male part and the shoulder.
8 . The device according to claim 7 , wherein the bottom of the bore forms an axial stop for the free end of the first guide portion of the male part in the direction of insertion of the male part in the female part.
9 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the dimension of the first guide portion of the male part in the first direction is such that it enters a bore, of the female part before the first snapping-on portion of the male part begins to cooperate with the second snapping-on portion of the female part.
10 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the second snapping-on portion of the female part includes two arms each provided with a finger intended to cooperate with a shoulder, of the male part and to form an axial stop for the male part, said arms being diametrically opposed.
11 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the male part includes a portion for connection between the first snapping-on portion and the first piece.
12 . A method for assembling a first piece and a second piece by means of the connection device according to claim 1 , the first piece including the male part and the second piece including the female part, including:
aligning the male part and the female part in the first direction,
inserting the male part in the female part by relative movement along the first direction and cooperation of the guide portion of the male part and the guide portion of the female part, and then
snapping on by cooperation of the snapping-on portion of the male part with the snapping-on portion of the female part until the male part is axially held in the female part in a direction opposite to the insertion direction, the cooperation of the guide portion of the male part and the guide portion of the female part continuing during the snapping-on phase.
13 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the male part and the female part are manufactured from plastics material.
14 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein the male part and the female part are manufactured from a material selected from a group consisting of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) family, the polyethersulfone (PESU) family, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyphthalamide (PPA).
15 . A hydraulic 3/2 control valve, including an electromagnetic actuator, a first piston cooperating with a piston seat, at least one device for connection between the first piston and a rod secured to the core at least in the first direction, and a second piston secured to the first piston in the first direction, the first piston and the second piston being aligned in the first direction, the at least one device including:
a male part intended to be secured to the first piece and a female part intended to be secured to the second piece, the male part being intended to be inserted in the female part along the first direction,
the male part including at least one first guide portion and a first snapping-on portion, the first guide portion being disposed downstream of the first snapping-on portion in the direction of insertion of the male part in the female part,
the female part including a second guide portion and a second snapping-on portion, the second guide portion being disposed downstream of the second snapping-on portion in the direction of insertion of the male part in the female part,
the male part and the female part being configured so that the first and second guide portions cooperate with each other and provide guidance in the first direction of the male part before the first and second snapping-on portions cooperate with each other.
16 . The hydraulic 3/2 control valve according to claim 15 , wherein first piston and the second piston are in a single piece.
17 . A hydraulic circuit including at least one hydraulic 3/2 control valve according to claim 15 and a fluid source connected to the hydraulic 3/2 control valve.
18 . A cooling circuit for a motor vehicle, at least one 3/2 hydraulic control valve according to claim 15 and a source of cooling fluid connected to the hydraulic control valve.