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US-20260126139-A1 - ROTARY JOINT FOR HOSE REEL DEVICES

US20260126139A1US 20260126139 A1US20260126139 A1US 20260126139A1US-20260126139-A1

Abstract

The rotary joint ( 1 ) for hose reel devices, comprises: one rotor body ( 2 ) and one stator body ( 3 ) coaxially associated along a main axis ( 4 ) to define a male-female coupling and a duct ( 5 ) for the flow of a liquid product; interconnection means ( 6 ) comprising at least one bearing element ( 6 ) placed between the rotor body ( 2 ) and the stator body ( 3 ) and adapted to enable the rotation of the rotor body ( 2 ) with respect to the stator body ( 3 ); wherein the rotor body ( 2 ), in use, can be locked together with the supporting body ( 7 ) of a hose reel device ( 8 ), the supporting body ( 7 ) and the rotor body ( 2 ) rotating locked together to enable the winding/unwinding of a hose around/from the supporting body ( 7 ); wherein the stator body ( 3 ), in use, is connectable to a delivery tube of the liquid product to be dispensed with the hose.

Inventors

  • Leonardo RUOZI

Assignees

  • RAMEX S.R.L.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251105
Priority Date
20241106

Claims (13)

  1. 1 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) for hose reel devices, comprising: at least one rotor body ( 2 ) and at least one stator body ( 3 ) having a substantially tubular conformation and coaxially associated along a main axis ( 4 ) to define a male-female coupling and a duct ( 5 ) for the flow of a liquid product; interconnection means ( 6 ) placed between said rotor body ( 2 ) and said stator body ( 3 ) and adapted to enable the rotation of said rotor body ( 2 ) around said main axis ( 4 ) with respect to said stator body ( 3 ); wherein said rotor body ( 2 ), in use, can be locked together with the supporting body ( 7 ) of a hose reel device ( 8 ), said supporting body ( 7 ) and said rotor body ( 2 ) rotating locked together around said main axis ( 4 ) to enable the winding/unwinding of a hose around/from the supporting body ( 7 ); wherein said stator body ( 3 ), in use, is connectable in a fluid-operated manner to a delivery tube of the liquid product to be dispensed with the hose; characterized by the fact that said interconnection means ( 6 ) comprise at least one bearing element ( 6 ) placed between said rotor body ( 2 ) and said stator body ( 3 ).
  2. 2 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that said interconnection means ( 6 ) comprise at least two of said bearing elements ( 6 ) arranged in succession with each other along said main axis ( 4 ).
  3. 3 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that said bearing elements ( 6 ) are of the radial type and by the fact that the inner rings ( 6 a ) and the outer rings ( 6 b ) of each of said bearing elements ( 6 ) are arranged in contact with the inner rings ( 6 a ) and with the outer rings ( 6 b ) of said adjacent bearing element ( 6 ), respectively.
  4. 4 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the outer surface of the one of either said rotor body ( 2 ) or said stator body ( 3 ) positioned externally to the other is substantially seamless.
  5. 5 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the one of either said rotor body ( 2 ) or said stator body ( 3 ) positioned internally of the other defines a first axial abutment surface ( 12 ) on which the inner ring ( 6 a ) of one of said bearing elements ( 6 ) is positioned in abutment.
  6. 6 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the one of either said rotor body ( 2 ) or said stator body ( 3 ) positioned externally to the other defines a second axial abutment surface ( 13 ) on which the outer ring ( 6 b ) of one of said bearing elements ( 6 ) is positioned in abutment, said first abutment surface ( 12 ) and said second abutment surface ( 13 ) being coplanar with each other.
  7. 7 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one annular body ( 14 ) associated with the one of either said rotor body ( 2 ) or said stator body ( 3 ) positioned internally to the other, wherein said annular body ( 14 ) defines a first axial holding surface ( 15 ) on which the inner ring ( 6 a ) of one of said bearing elements ( 6 ) is positioned in abutment, said first holding surface ( 15 ) being arranged on the opposite side of said first abutment surface ( 12 ) with respect to said bearing elements ( 6 ) so as to bound a containment seat of the bearing elements themselves.
  8. 8 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one ring nut element ( 16 ) associated with one of either said rotor body ( 2 ) or said stator body ( 3 ) in a removable manner and defining a second axial bearing surface ( 17 ), upon which the outer ring ( 6 b ) of one of said bearing elements ( 6 ) is positioned in abutment, said second holding surface ( 17 ) being arranged on the opposite side of said second abutment surface ( 13 ) from said bearing elements ( 6 ).
  9. 9 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that said ring nut element ( 16 ) is internally screwable to the one of either said rotor body ( 2 ) or said stator body ( 3 ) which is arranged externally.
  10. 10 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one sealing element ( 18 ) placed between either said rotor body ( 2 ) or said stator body ( 3 ) adapted to prevent the liquid product from flowing out of said duct ( 5 ) and by the fact that the one of either said rotor body ( 2 ) or said stator body ( 3 ) positioned within the other defines, at the relevant outer surface, at least one housing compartment ( 19 ) of said sealing element ( 18 ).
  11. 11 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that between said rotor body ( 2 ) and said stator body ( 3 ) is defined at least one work chamber ( 20 ) adapted to allow said inner ring ( 6 a ) to roll.
  12. 12 . Rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that said work chamber ( 20 ) is placed between said bearing elements ( 6 ) and said housing compartment ( 19 ).
  13. 13 . Hose reel device ( 8 ), comprising: at least one base frame ( 11 ) connectable to a supporting surface; at least one supporting body ( 7 ) of a hose, associated with said base frame ( 11 ) and rotatable with respect to the latter to allow winding/unwinding the hose around/from said supporting body ( 7 ); at least one rotary joint ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ; wherein said supporting body ( 7 ) is locked together in rotation with said rotor body ( 2 ) around said main axis ( 4 ), said main axis ( 4 ) being substantially coincident with the axis of rotation of said supporting body ( 7 ); wherein said stator body ( 3 ) is associated with the delivery tube of the liquid product to be dispensed with the hose.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a rotary joint for hose reel devices. BACKGROUND ART In various manufacturing and/or working sectors, hoses made of a flexible material are widely used to dispense liquids, such as water or fuel. In order to facilitate the use, transport, and storage of the aforementioned hoses, hose reel devices are commonly used. Hose reel devices generally comprise a base frame, which can be connected to a surface, and a supporting body, to which one end of a hose is attached and which supporting body is made to rotate with respect to the base frame so as to wind or unwind the hose itself. Hose reel devices of known type comprise a rotary joint associated with the supporting body and defining a flowing duct for a liquid. The flowing duct can be connected on one side to the hose that can be wound around the supporting body and on the other side to a delivery tube for the liquid to be dispensed. This rotary joint allows the supporting body to rotate with respect to the delivery tube, which in fact remains stationary during the winding/unwinding of the hose. The rotary joints which are generally mounted on hose reel devices comprise: a rotor body that is connected to the supporting body and rotates locked together with the latter;a stator body that is connected to the liquid delivery tube and that is coupled to the rotor body to form a male-female coupling;interconnection means adapted to enable the rotation of the rotor body with respect to the stator body. The interconnection means of the rotary joints known to date comprise a plurality of balls positioned between the rotor body and the stator body, which allow these to rotate with respect to each other. Appropriately, the rotor body and the stator body have a substantially tubular conformation to define the flowing duct for the liquid to be dispensed. The stator body and the rotor body bound at least one substantially ring-shaped housing seat, wherein the balls are positioned so as to define a crown of balls arranged between the rotor body and the stator body. Specifically, respective grooves are made on the rotor body and on the stator body which, when the rotor body and the stator body are coupled, define the housing seat for the balls. However, this type of rotary joint for hose reel devices has some drawbacks related to the presence of the crown of balls and of the grooves on the rotor body and on the stator body, which result in couplings with play between the rotor body and the stator body. In particular, the creation of grooves on the rotor body and on the stator body requires complex mechanical machining operations involving wide machining tolerances, which result in the aforementioned coupling with play. The presence of play between the rotor body and the stator body can cause the latter to tilt with respect to the axis of mutual alignment during use. This tilting causes uneven friction between the parts in contact, during use, and, consequently, uneven wear of the same, while reducing the smooth rotation of the rotor body with respect to the stator body. Furthermore, the loss of coaxiality between the rotor body and the stator body results in a lower seal of the working liquid flowing duct, which consequently limits the maximum working pressure that can be used, thus affecting the performance of the rotary joint. Furthermore, in order to fit the balls into the housing seat, it is necessary to make one or more through openings on the outermost one of either the rotor body or the stator body. The presence of these through openings not only complicates the manufacture of the rotary joint but also promotes the accumulation of dirt on the outer surface of the rotary joint. Furthermore, to allow the rotor body to rotate with respect to the stator body, the balls must be lubricated and, consequently, a channel must be created for the introduction of the lubricant and an additional seal must be provided to limit its leakage. In addition, in ball rotary joints, the inner part of the rotary joint and the ball containment seats are made of galvanized metallic material, and the balls are made of hardened metallic material, such as stainless steel. As the balls slide, they quickly wear down the inner surface of the rotary joints at the relevant containment seats. This aspect inevitably leads to misalignment between the rotor body and the stator body in known types of ball rotary joints. In the light of these considerations, it is clear that the rotary joints for hose reel devices of known type are complex to manufacture, require frequent and complicated maintenance, and are characterized by reduced performance that limits their fields of application. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The main aim of the present invention is to devise a rotary joint for hose reel devices that allows reducing the couplings with play between the rotor body and the stator body. Within the scope of this aim, the present invention aims to devise a rotar