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US 10,443,767 B2Granted
Coupling assembly
AssigneeSelf-Energising Coupling Company Limited
InventorMatthew Joseph Readman
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSelf-Energising Coupling Company Limited
InventorMatthew Joseph Readman
Estimating the term…
A coupling assembly for releasably interconnecting fluid passages comprises male and female coupling members, which are mated by inserting a probe and socket of the members respectively. Each coupling member has a first end arranged for connection to a fluid passage. When mated in use, the coupling assembly provides a straight fluid conduit between the fluid passages comprising through-bores in each of the coupling members coincident along a first longitudinal axis. When mated in use, the probe and socket are arranged coincident on a second longitudinal axis, which is inclined to the first axis. Sealing means comprising an annular sealing ring proximate each of the socket and probe are arranged, when mated in use, either side of an intersection between the through-bore and socket. The sealing arrangement is such that fluid within the fluid conduit exerts a net force resisting separation of said coupling members.
A coupling assembly for releasably interconnecting fluid passages comprising male and female coupling members, which are mated in use by inserting a probe of the male member into a socket of the female member, the male coupling member being a unitary piece including a proximal region and a distal region in the form of a substantially cylindrical rod that forms the probe, whereby the proximal region includes a first aperture arranged to be connected to a fluid passage, and the male coupling member further includes a through-bore that has a substantially straight axis and that extends continuously in both mated and un-mated configurations between the first aperture and a second aperture on a circumferential face of the probe, wherein the female coupling member includes a first end arranged for connection to a fluid passage and a substantially straight through-bore extending from the first end and a circumferential face of the socket, and wherein when mated in use, the through-bores of each coupling member are coincident along a first longitudinal axis and the probe and socket are coincident along a second longitudinal axis, which is inclined to the first axis and wherein fluid is unable to flow from the through-bore of the male member into the socket when the probe of the male member is fully engaged in the socket, the through-bores along the first longitudinal axis providing a straight fluid conduit between the two fluid passages wherein fluid is substantially retained in the conduit by sealing means.
A method of releasably interconnecting fluid passages comprises inserting a probe of a male coupling member into a corresponding socket of a female coupling member, the coupling members being connected to ends of the fluid passages and at a junction between the fluid passages, the male coupling member being a unitary piece including a proximal region and a distal region in the form of a substantially cylindrical rod that forms the probe, whereby the proximal region includes a first aperture arranged to be connected to one of the fluid passages, and the male coupling member further includes a through-bore that has a substantially straight axis and that extends continuously in both mated and un-mated configurations between the first aperture and a second aperture on a circumferential face of the probe, wherein the female coupling member includes a first end arranged for connection to the other of the fluid passages and a substantially straight through-bore extending from the first end and a circumferential face of the socket, and wherein when mated in use, the through-bores of each coupling member are coincident along a first longitudinal axis and the probe and socket are coincident along a second longitudinal axis, which is inclined to the first axis and wherein fluid is unable to flow from the through-bore of the male coupling member into the socket when the probe of the male coupling member is fully inserted into the socket, the through-bores along the first longitudinal axis providing a straight fluid conduit between the fluid passages wherein fluid is substantially retained in the conduit by sealing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.