Flexible tubing connector

A connector for releasably retaining a terminal portion of a length of tubing, the connector comprising:

• a coupler member having a proximal end with a proximal opening thereto and a distal end with a distal opening thereto, said coupler member having a circular bore therethrough with an interior circumferential wall and a proximal annular shoulder within said bore extending from the wall;
• an O-ring member disposed on the annular shoulder for creating a liquid-tight seal with the terminal portion of the length of tubing-when said length is presented;
• a generally cylindrical guide member having a circular guide bore therethrough, said guide member axially secured in place within the coupler bore immediately inside the proximal opening of the coupler member;
• a grip ring member having a radially deployable toothed distal end for grippingly engaging the terminal portion of the length of tubing when presented into the proximal opening for retention;
• a sleeve limiter disposed around the ring member for restricting radial movement of the grip ring member, said ring member and surrounding limiter disposed concentrically within the guide member;
• and
• an exteriorly accessible hand-operable release member for axially deploying the toothed distal end of the grip ring member, said release member additionally operable in concert with the terminal portion of the length of tubing when entered into the proximal opening for retention such that the release member is moved by the length of tubing during tubing insertion to cause radial deployment of the toothed distal end of the grip ring member and surrounding receipt of said terminal portion, and with said release member thereafter moving to a non-release position upon reverse direction of travel of said length of tubing for automatic retention of said terminal portion.