Permanent quick connector and assembly therewith

A quick connector assembly, comprising:

• a tubular male insertion member having a radially outwardly extending annular collar located between opposite ends;
• a housing having a tubular housing wall with an inner surface and an outer surface extending along a central longitudinal axis between open opposite ends with at least one locking opening extending through said housing wall, said inner surface bounding a through bore and having a shoulder extending radially inwardly from at least a portion thereof;
• and
• a retaining member having an annular retainer wall with inner and outer surfaces extending axially along said central longitudinal axis between open proximal and distal ends, said inner surface of said retaining member being sized for receipt about at least a portion of said outer surface of said housing wall, said retainer wall having at least one locking member cantilevered by an elongate arm fixed to said retainer wall, said elongate arm biasing said at least one locking member radially inwardly through said at least one opening radially inwardly from said inner surface of said tubular wall, said annular collar of said tubular male insertion member being disposed between said shoulder and said at least one locking member in axial alignment therewith, said at least one locking member being restrained against substantial axial and rotational movement within said at least one opening and being locked within said at least one opening to prevent removal of said tubular male insertion member from said housing;
• and
• a sleeve overlying said at least one locking member and preventing said at least one locking member from being removed from said at least one opening.

A method of coupling a quick connector assembly comprising:

• providing tubular male insertion member having a radially outwardly extending annular collar located between opposite ends;
• disposing the tubular male insertion member within a tubular housing wall of a housing;
• disposing a retainer wall annularly about the tubular housing wall of the housing;
• biasing at least one locking member of the retainer wall, by an elongate arm attached thereto, radially inwardly through at least one opening in the tubular housing wall to capture the annular collar of the tubular male insertion member within the housing;
• disposing a sleeve annularly about the at least one locking member to restrain the at least one locking member against substantial movement radially outwardly from the at least one opening to prevent removal of the at least one locking member from the at least one opening.