Coupling arrangement and connection assembly
A coupling arrangement ( 12 ) includes a housing ( 6 ), at least one locking element ( 14 ) designed to at least partly surround the housing ( 6 ) forming a first area of contact ( 18 ) with the housing ( 6 ) via a positive locking or frictional connection to limit rotational movement of the housing ( 6 ), and a connecting element ( 16 ). The connecting element ( 16 ), arranged at least partly circumferentially around the housing ( 6 ) and being cylindrical with a center axis (X), has at least one locking recess ( 20 ) designed to at least partly take in the respective locking element ( 14 ) to limit rotational movement of the connecting element ( 16 ) via positive locking. The housing ( 6 ), the locking element ( 14 ) and the connecting element ( 16 ) are designed and arranged such as to limit movement of the housing ( 6 ) relative to the connecting element ( 16 ) at least in one direction of the center axis (X).
1. A connection assembly for connecting an injector to a fluid supply comprising:
a coupling arrangement comprising:
a housing,
at least one locking element designed to at least partly surround the housing forming a first area of contact with the housing via positive locking or frictional connection to limit rotational movement of the housing, and
a connecting element arranged at least partly circumferentially around the housing and being cylindrical with a center axis, the connecting element having a cylindrical shape and comprising at least one locking recess designed to at least partly take in the respective locking element to limit rotational movement of the connecting element via positive locking,
wherein the at least one locking recess is sized and shaped for insertion of the at least one locking element through the locking recess in a radial direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the housing after the housing has been received in the connecting element in the axial direction of the housing,
wherein the locking element is horseshoe-shaped and generally extends in a single plane,
wherein the horseshoe-shaped locking element has an inner circumference and an outer circumference radially outward from the inner circumference, and
wherein the horseshoe-shaped locking element includes a thicker central portion and thinner end portions, wherein a portion of the outer circumference of the locking element proximate the thicker central portion defines an outer surface that aligns with an outer surface of the cylindrical connecting element,
wherein the housing, the locking element and the connecting element are designed and arranged such as to limit movement of the housing relative to the connecting element at least in one direction of the center axis,
wherein the housing forms part of the injector, and
the connecting element, which is fixed to a pipe of the fluid supply, communicates with the pipe through a fluid recess at an axial end area of the connecting element.
2. The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first locking part comprising at least one of:
a first protrusion designed to form a second area of contact for the locking element, and
a first groove designed to at least partly take in the locking element.
3. The connection assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the connecting element comprises a second locking part comprising at least one of:
a second protrusion designed to form a third area of contact for the locking element, and
a second groove designed to at least partly take in the locking element and arranged at least partly at the same plane, which is perpendicular to the center axis of the connecting element extending through an axial point of the center axis, at which the locking recess of the connecting element is at least partly arranged.
4. The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the thicker central portion is flush with the cylindrical shape of the connecting element.
5. A method for locking a coupling arrangement for a fuel injector having a housing and a fluid supply, comprising the steps of:
inserting the housing within a connecting element in the axial direction of the housing in such a way that the connecting element is axially arranged at least partly circumferentially around the housing;
with the housing inserted in the connecting element, inserting a horseshoe-shaped locking element in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the housing through a locking recess formed in the connecting element to at least partly surround the housing, wherein the horseshoe-shaped locking element has an inner circumference and an outer circumference radially outward from the inner circumference, wherein the inserted locking element and the housing form a first area of contact limiting rotational movement of the housing, and such that a portion of the outer circumference of the inserted locking element located at a central portion of the locking element aligns with a cylindrical surface of the connecting element.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the housing of the injector is pre-arranged with the connecting element by putting the housing from the bottom up at least partly inside of the connecting element starting in the direction of a center axis of the connecting element facing away from a fluid recess.
7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the outer surface of the thicker central portion is flush with the cylindrical shape of the connecting element.