Female quick-connect coupling element, and a quick-connect coupling incorporating such an element

A female quick-connect coupling element for releasably joining together pipes for pressurized fluid, said female element being suitable for receiving an end-piece of a male element in interfitting manner, along a longitudinal axis of said female element, said female element being equipped with:

• at least one locking member for locking an end-piece of a male element in the interfitted configuration;
• a fluid flow duct;
• a valve for controlling the flow of fluid through the flow duct, which valve includes an element mounted to move relative to a seat;
• a discharge circuit for discharging the fluid contained in an internal volume portion forming the flow duct downstream from the seat of the valve in the flow direction of the pressurized fluid;
• and
• a hollow end-piece defining the flow duct in part and suitable for coming to bear against a seal carried by a male element fitted into the female element;
• said female quick-connect coupling element being characterized in that:
• the hollow end-piece is constituted by an inner sleeve and by an outer sleeve that are coaxial and mounted to move axially relative to each other;
• the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are each adapted to come into abutment against the seal carried by the male element;
• and
• a space defined between the two sleeves is in fluid connection with the discharge circuit.