Back to results
US 12,716,537 B2Granted
Blind mate coupling with a self centering mechanism
AssigneeDanfoss A/S
InventorAmit Ramesh Shende
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Coupling assembly made up of a male fluid coupler and a female fluid coupler for a fluid line. The male and female fluid couplers are closed to flow in the uncoupled state and are open to flow when coupled. The male fluid coupler can include an alignment compensation arrangement that can adjust for any initial misalignment between the male and female fluid couplers. The alignment compensation arrangement can function as a universal connection joint to allow the male fluid coupler to universally pivot and move radially.
Claims20
A fluid coupler, comprising:
- a valve body defining a valve body axis;
- a valve arrangement for opening and closing fluid flow through the valve body;
- a valve mounting housing in which the valve body is mounted via an alignment compensation arrangement movable within the valve mounting housing, the valve mounting housing including a front end and a back end opposite the front end, the valve mounting housing defining a central mounting housing axis extending through the front end and the back end, the alignment compensation arrangement including:
- a spring positioned within the valve mounting housing and biasing the valve body towards the front end and away from the back end;
- and
- a tapered interface surface configured to interface with the valve body within the valve mounting housing, the tapered interface surface being positioned behind the spring,
- wherein the alignment compensation arrangement biases the valve body into an aligned position in which the valve body axis is coaxially aligned with the central mounting housing axis and enables the valve body to be axially displaced, angularly displaced, and radially translated relative to the valve mounting housing while the valve body remains interfaced with the tapered interface surface.
4 more elements
A fluid coupler, comprising:
- a valve body defining a valve body axis;
- a valve arrangement for opening and closing fluid flow through the valve body;
- a valve mounting housing in which the valve body is mounted via an alignment compensation arrangement movable within the valve mounting housing, the valve mounting housing including a front end and a back end opposite the front end, the valve mounting housing defining a central mounting housing axis extending through the front end and the back end, the alignment compensation arrangement including:
- a spring positioned within the valve mounting housing and biasing the valve body towards the front end and away from the back end;
- and
- a tapered interface surface configured to interface with the valve body within the valve mounting housing, the tapered interface surface being positioned behind the spring,
- wherein the alignment compensation arrangement biases the valve body into an aligned position in which the valve body axis is coaxially aligned with the central mounting housing axis and enables the valve body to be axially displaced, angularly displaced, and radially translated relative to the valve mounting housing,
- wherein the alignment compensation arrangement includes another tapered interface surface configured to interface with the valve body within the valve mounting housing;
- wherein the another tapered interface surface is positioned in front of the spring;
- wherein the tapered interface surface faces the back end of the valve mounting housing;
- and
- wherein the another tapered interface surface faces the front end of the valve mounting housing.
9 more elements
A fluid coupler, comprising:
- a valve body defining a valve body axis;
- a valve arrangement for opening and closing fluid flow through the valve body;
- a valve mounting housing in which the valve body is mounted via an alignment compensation arrangement movable within the valve mounting housing, the valve mounting housing including a front end and a back end opposite the front end, the valve mounting housing defining a central mounting housing axis extending through the front end and the back end, the alignment compensation arrangement including:
- a spring positioned within the valve mounting housing and biasing the valve body towards the front end and away from the back end;
- and
- a tapered interface surface configured to interface with the valve body within the valve mounting housing, the tapered interface surface being positioned behind the spring,
- wherein the alignment compensation arrangement biases the valve body into an aligned position in which the valve body axis is coaxially aligned with the central mounting housing axis and enables the valve body to be axially displaced, angularly displaced, and radially translated relative to the valve mounting housing,
- wherein the alignment compensation arrangement includes another tapered interface surface configured to interface with the valve body within the valve mounting housing;
- and
- wherein the another interface surface faces the front end of the valve mounting housing.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.