Snap-in-place valved coupler
AssigneeParker-Hannifin Corporation
InventorsTodd D. Lambert, Shawn D. Ellis, Brian K. Forner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coupler that can be configured for easy insertion and removal from an unthreaded cavity within a manifold or other part. The coupler includes an axially movable lock member that also carries a valve member for sealing against a valve seat of a main coupler body. The coupler also has a plurality of radially flexible fingers spaced apart by slots, and a lock member has one or more stop portions that engage the fingers to prevent radial collapse of the fingers for retention of the coupler in the cavity in the part.
Claims21
A coupler for snap-in-place connection in a cavity in a part, wherein the cavity has an enlarged width portion and a reduced width portion between the enlarged width portion and a face of the part to which the cavity opens, and the intersection of the enlarged and reduced width portions form a shoulder spaced inwardly from the face of the part, the coupler comprising
- a coupler body having a tubular main body portion and a connecting portion extending axially from the main body portion, the connecting portion being radially flexible between a reduced width condition for enabling insertion of the connection portion into the cavity and an enlarged width condition enabling the connecting portion to engage behind the shoulder of the cavity and thereby create an axial interference preventing the connecting portion from being withdrawn from the cavity;
- and
- a lock member disposed within an interior passage in the coupler body, the lock member and connecting portion having surfaces that interfere through a range of axial movement of the lock member so as to hold the connecting portion in the enlarged width condition over such range of axial movement, thereby to prevent the connecting portion from contracting to its reduced width condition that would allow withdrawal of the connecting portion from the cavity, and which surfaces do not interfere at least at a release position of the lock member outside the first range of movement so as to allow the connecting portion to contract to its reduced width condition, thereby to enable withdrawal from or insertion of the connecting portion into the cavity.
A coupler for snap-in-place connection in a cavity in a part, wherein the cavity has an enlarged width portion and a reduced width portion between the enlarged width portion and a face of the part to which the cavity opens, and the intersection of the enlarged and reduced width portions form a shoulder spaced inwardly from the face of the part, the coupler comprising
- a coupler body having a tubular main body portion and a connecting portion extending axially from the main body portion, the connecting portion including a plurality of resilient fingers that extend axially from the main body portion and are circumferentially spaced apart by respective axially extending slots that allow the fingers to radially contract from a radially expanded latching position to a radially contracted release position;
- and
- the lock member has at least one stop portion for interfering with such radial contraction of the fingers so at to hold the fingers in the their radially expanded latching positions thereby to prevent withdrawal of the coupler from the socket when the fingers are engaged behind the shoulder.
A method of installing a coupler into a cavity in a part, wherein the cavity has a radially enlarged portion and a reduced width portion between the enlarged width portion and a face of the part to which the cavity opens, and the intersection of the enlarged and reduced width portions form a shoulder spaced inwardly from the face of the part, the method comprising
- axially moving a lock member disposed within an interior passage in a tubular coupler body to a release position so as to allow a connecting portion of the coupler body to contract to a reduced width condition permitting insertion of the connecting portion into the cavity;
- and
- axially shifting the lock member relative to the coupler body such that surfaces on the lock member and connecting portion interfere through a range of axial movement of the lock member so as to hold over such range of axial movement the connecting portion in an enlarged width condition that engages behind the shoulder to prevent withdrawal of the connecting portion from the cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.