Quick connector
AssigneeProprietary Technology, Inc.
InventorDonald D. Bartholomew
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A quick connector (10) has a pair of waist segments (76 and 81), a shoulder segment (163), a body segment (72) with an aperture (156) therein, and a leg segment (78). The leg segment (78) is defined by a pair of projecting elements (163) which are at least partially compressible toward one another thereby causing the pair of waist segments (76 and 81) to move toward one another. Thus, a swivellable connection is made which has the equivalent length and diameter of a convention non-swivellable threaded coupling. The quick connector (10) may be released by hand or a snap ring tool inserted into holes (410).
Claims23
A quick connector used to couple a male conduit to a female receptacle, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface therein, said quick connector comprising:
- a body segment having an aperture therethrough defined by an inner edge therearound, said inner edge of said body segment surrounding a predetermined portion of said male conduit therewithin;
- a pair of waist segments each having an interior edge thereabout, said body segment coupled to said pair of waist segments;
- interface portions mounted on said pair of waist segments which attachably engage said female receptacle thereagainst;
- a leg segment attached to said pair of waist segments clear of said aperture within said body segment thereof, said leg segment defined by a pair of projecting elements each extending substantially perpendicular to said pair of waist segments such that said leg segment is orientated substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of said male conduit adjacent thereto;
- and
- said leg segment protruding through said bore of said female receptacle so as to be accessible from thereout, said interface portions insertable into said bore of said female receptacle by allowing said pair of projecting members of said leg segment to at least partially compress toward one another, said leg segment further urging said interface portions radially outward so as to be engagably coupled within said female receptacle, said interface portions being disengagable from said female receptacle by at least partially compressing said projecting members of said leg segment toward one another whereby said quick connector can be longitudinally removed from said female receptacle.
A swivelable quick connector comprising:
- a pair of shoulder segments projecting opposite from one another with each having an interface portion thereon;
- a plurality of waist segments supporting said pair of shoulder segments attached thereto;
- a body segment juxtapositioned centrally in relation to said pair of shoulder segments thereabout and longitudinally adjacent to said plurality of waist segments thereagainst, said body segment having an aperture therethrough defined by an inner edge therearound;
- and
- a pair of leg segments juxtapositioned between said pair of shoulder segments thereabout and being displaced clear of said aperture within said body segment thereof, said pair of leg segments each defined by a pair of projecting elements each extending substantially perpendicular from said plurality of waist segments attached thereto, said pair of leg segments located opposite from said body segment displaced therenear, said pair of projecting members of each of said pair of leg segments being at least partially compressible toward one another.
A coupling system comprising:
- a male conduit having a cylindrical shape thereto and a distal end thereof;
- a female receptacle having a bore extending therethrough defined by an inside surface therearound, said female receptacle further having means for retaining therein, said distal end of said male conduit insertable within said bore of said female receptacle thereof;
- and
- a quick connector having radially compressible means for retaining and longitudinally rigid means for retaining, said longitudinally rigid means of said quick connector positioned around said male conduit a predetermined distance from said distal end thereof, a predetermined portion of said male conduit adjacent to said quick connector thereabout having radially expanded means for longitudinally securing said longitudinally rigid means of said quick connector thereto, said radially compressible means of said quick connector being removably attached to said retaining means of said female receptacle, said quick connector coupling said male conduit to said female receptacle.
A coupling system for use in a coupling a male conduit having a distal end thereof to a female receptacle, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface, said female receptacle further having a retaining formation, said coupling system comprising:
- a quick connector having a first segment thereof which securely engages said male conduit thereto, said quick connector further having a second segment thereof which is attachably engagable with said retaining formation of said female receptacle thereto;
- and
- a cover surrounding a predetermined portion of said male conduit external to said bore of said female receptacle, a predetermined portion of said cover being proximate to said female receptacle thereagainst thereby providing a contaminant seal between said male conduit and said female receptacle coupled thereto.
A cover for use in substantially preventing contaminating particles from entering a bore within a female receptacle defined by an inside surface thereabout, a distal end of a male conduit insertable within said bore of said female receptacle, said cover comprising:
- an annular hub section engagably surrounding a preselected portion of said male conduit, said hub section being longitudinally slidable therealong;
- a cup section having an outer portion thereof, said cup section projecting outward from said hub section therein;
- and
- an outer wall projecting from said outer portion of said cup section attached thereto, said outer wall being open toward said distal end of said male conduit thereof a portion of said outer wall being proximate with said female receptacle thereagainst thereby providing a contaminant seal between said male conduit and said female receptacle coupled thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.