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US 10,473,543 B2Granted
System for supporting the confirmation of a fluid connection
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorFrederick Joseph Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making and confirming a fluid connection involves making a fluid connection including, at a female piece side, a female piece, and at a male piece side, a male piece axially inserted into the female piece and a shoulder opposing the female piece. By the fitment of a socket portion of an end attachment over the female piece, a bifurcated claw of the socket portion engages between the female piece and the shoulder. Via the bifurcated claw, a disconnection force is applied between the female piece side and the male piece side by pivoting a torque wrench supporting the end attachment.
Claims20
A method of making and confirming a fluid connection, comprising:
- making a fluid connection, the fluid connection including, at a female piece side, a female piece, the female piece defining a front circumferential portion, an opposite circumferential portion opposing the front circumferential portion and an adjacent circumferential portion between a side of the front circumferential portion and the opposite circumferential portion, and having a retainer pushable towards the front circumferential portion to a retaining position, and at a male piece side, a male piece axially inserted into the female piece and a shoulder opposing the female piece;
- by the fitment of a socket portion of an end attachment that includes opposed sidewalls spaced for arrangement respectively along the retainer and the opposite circumferential portion when the retainer is pushed to its retaining position, and a bifurcated claw extending inside and transverse to the opposed side walls, radially over the female piece in a direction normal to a direction that the retainer is pushed to its retaining position, arranging the opposed sidewalls respectively along the retainer and the opposite circumferential portion, and with the bifurcated claw straddling the male piece, engaging the bifurcated claw between the female piece and the shoulder;
- and
- applying, via the bifurcated claw, a disconnection force between the female piece side and the male piece side by pivoting a torque wrench supporting the end attachment.
1 more element
A system for confirming a fluid connection, comprising:
- an end attachment including a socket portion configured to fit over a female piece included at a female piece side of a fluid connection, the female piece defining a front circumferential portion, an opposite circumferential portion opposing the front circumferential portion and an adjacent circumferential portion between a side of the front circumferential portion and the opposite circumferential portion, and having a retainer pushable towards the front circumferential portion to a retaining position, the socket portion including opposed sidewalls spaced for arrangement respectively along the retainer and the opposite circumferential portion when the retainer is pushed to its retaining position, and a bifurcated claw extending inside and transverse to the opposed side walls, wherein when the retainer is pushed to its retaining position, the socket portion is configured to fit radially over the female piece in a direction normal to a direction that the retainer is pushed to its retaining position, whereby the opposed sidewalls are arranged respectively along the retainer and the opposite circumferential portion, and the bifurcated claw straddles a male piece included at a male piece side of the fluid connection and axially inserted into the female piece, and engages between the female piece and a shoulder included at the male piece side of the fluid connection and opposing the female piece;
- a torque wrench supporting the end attachment;
- and
- a torque indicator responsive to the application of a disconnection torque with the torque wrench corresponding to the application of a disconnection force between the female piece side and the male piece side via the bifurcated claw to generate a disconnection torque application verification signal.
1 more element
A system for confirming a fluid connection, comprising:
- an end attachment including a socket portion configured to fit over a female piece included at a female piece side of a fluid connection, the female piece defining a front circumferential portion, an opposite circumferential portion opposing the front circumferential portion and an adjacent circumferential portion between a side of the front circumferential portion and the opposite circumferential portion, and having a retainer pushable towards the front circumferential portion to a retaining position, the socket portion including an adaptor, a base wall adjacent the adaptor, opposed sidewalls extending normally from the base wall away from the adaptor and spaced for arrangement respectively along the retainer and the opposite circumferential portion when the retainer is pushed to its retaining position, and a bifurcated claw extending inside and transverse to the opposed side walls, wherein when the retainer is pushed to its retaining position, the socket portion is configured to fit radially over the female piece in a direction normal to a direction that the retainer is pushed to its retaining position, whereby the base wall is arranged at the adjacent circumferential portion, the opposed sidewalls are arranged respectively along the retainer and the opposite circumferential portion, and the bifurcated claw straddles a male piece included at a male piece side of the fluid connection and axially inserted into the female piece, and engages between the female piece and a shoulder included at the male piece side of the fluid connection and opposing the female piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.