# US 10,118,813 B2 · Connector and socket > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,813 B2 - Document ID: US10118813B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/630,541 - Filed: 2017-06-22 - Published: 2017-12-28 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-23 - Assignees: Surpass Industry Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Surpass Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Masamichi Kobayashi; Masahiro Hasunuma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118813B2 ## CPC - B67D 7/0294: {Combined with valves} - F16K 1/304: {Shut-off valves with additional means} - F16K 1/308: {Connecting means} - F16K 11/08: comprising only taps or cocks - F16K 11/0856: {having all the connecting conduits situated in more than one plane perpendicular to the axis of the plug} - F16K 31/602: {Pivoting levers, e.g. single-sided (F16K31/605 takes precedence)} - F16K 35/02: to be locked or disconnected by means of a pushing or pulling action - F16L 37/084: combined with automatic locking - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL ## Abstract Provided is a connector including a plug and a socket. The socket includes: a socket body in which a second liquid outflow passage and a second liquid inflow passage are formed; a ball lock mechanism that is attached to the socket body and fixes the socket body to a key ring; and a switching mechanism that switches an open state and a closed state of a rotary valve. The switching mechanism includes an opening/closing arm that regulates releasing of the fixation of the socket body to the key ring by the ball lock mechanism in the open state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A connector to be attached to an opening of a liquid storing container, the connector comprising: a plug to be attached to the opening; and a socket to be detachably attached to the plug, wherein the plug includes: a plug body in which a first liquid outflow passage through which a liquid contained in the liquid storing container is drawn out and a first liquid inflow passage for guiding the liquid flowing in from an outside of the liquid storing container into the liquid storing container are formed, the socket includes: a socket body in which a second liquid outflow passage through which the liquid drawn out from the first liquid outflow passage flows to the outside and a second liquid inflow passage for guiding the liquid flowing in from the outside of the liquid storing container to the first liquid inflow passage are formed; a lock mechanism that is attached to the socket body and fixes the socket body to the opening; and a switching mechanism that switches an open state and a closed state, the open state being a state in which the first liquid outflow passage and the second liquid outflow passage communicate with each other and the first liquid inflow passage and the second liquid inflow passage communicate with each other, and the closed state being a state in which the first liquid outflow passage and the second liquid outflow passage do not communicate with each other and the first liquid inflow passage and the second liquid inflow passage do not communicate with each other, and the switching mechanism includes a regulating member that regulates releasing of the fixation of the socket body to the opening by the lock mechanism in the open state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The connector according to claim 1, wherein the socket includes a regulating mechanism that regulates switching from the closed state to the open state by the switching mechanism. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The connector according to claim 2, wherein the switching mechanism includes a releasing mechanism that accepts an operation by an operator and releases a regulated state in which switching from the closed state to the open state by the regulating mechanism is regulated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The connector according to claim 3, wherein the opening is formed into a cylindrical shape about a first axial line, the socket body has a cylindrical insertion hole formed along a second axial line intersecting with the first axial line so as to penetrate through each of the second liquid outflow passage and the second liquid inflow passage, the socket includes a columnar rotary valve including an outflow through-hole formed at a position where the second liquid outflow passage is disposed on the second axial line and an inflow through-hole formed at a position where the second liquid inflow passage is disposed on the second axial line, the rotary valve being inserted into the insertion hole, the regulating mechanism includes a shaft-like member extending along the first axial line, and an urging member that urges the shaft-like member against the switching mechanism, the switching mechanism switches the open state and the closed state by rotating the rotary valve about the second axial line and includes an accommodation hole that accommodates the shaft member and regulates the rotation of the rotary valve in the closed state, and the releasing mechanism releases the regulated state by urging the shaft-like member accommodated in the accommodation hole in a direction opposing an urging force generated by the urging member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The connector according to claim 4, wherein the switching mechanism includes a concave portion that accommodates a leading end of the shaft-like member without regulating the rotation of the rotary valve in the open state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The connector according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed into a cylindrical shape about a first axial line and an engagement groove is formed in an outer peripheral surface along a circumferential direction about the first axial line, and the lock mechanism includes: a plurality of lock balls to be engaged with the engagement groove; a first cylindrical member formed into a cylindrical shape about the first axial line and including a plurality of opening holes having a diameter smaller than an outer diameter of each of the lock balls; a second cylindrical member formed into a cylindrical shape about the first axial line and including a regulating portion that is disposed on an outer periphery of the first cylindrical member, the regulating portion being configured to regulate the lock balls accommodated in the opening holes to be in a state where the lock balls are engaged with the engagement groove; and an urging force generation portion having one end along the first axial line that is fixed to the first cylindrical member, and having another end along the first axial line that is fixed to the second cylindrical member, the urging force generation portion being configured to urge the second cylindrical member against a position where the regulating portion is in contact with the lock balls. ### Claim 7 A socket to be detachably attached to a plug to be attached to an opening of a liquid storing container, the plug including a plug body in which a first liquid outflow passage through which a liquid contained in the liquid storing container is drawn out and a first liquid inflow passage for guiding the liquid flowing in from an outside of the liquid storing container into the liquid storing container are formed, the socket comprising: a socket body in which a second liquid outflow passage through which the liquid is drawn out from the first liquid outflow passage flows to the outside and a second liquid inflow passage for guiding the liquid flowing in from the outside of the liquid storing container into the first liquid inflow passage are formed; a lock mechanism that is attached to the socket body and fixes the socket body to the opening; and a switching mechanism that switches an open state and a closed state, the open state being a state in which the first liquid outflow passage and the second liquid outflow passage communicate with each other and the first liquid inflow passage and the second liquid inflow passage communicate with each other, and the closed state being a state in which the first liquid outflow passage and the second liquid outflow passage do not communicate with each other and the first liquid inflow passage and the second liquid inflow passage do not communicate with each other, wherein the switching mechanism includes a regulating member that regulates releasing of the fixation of the socket body to the opening by the lock mechanism in the open state.