Quick-Connecting Coupler for Hoses, Pipes and Faucets

A quick-connecting coupler for coupling one threaded male end of a first part to another threaded portion of a second part, comprising:

• a main housing having a first end for connecting to a portion of a second part, and a second female end defining a hollow interior for connecting to a threaded male end of a first part, and a sealing element operatively associated with said second female end for providing a fluid seal;
• a mounting element for engaging with a threaded male end of a first part to be inserted in said second female end;
• said mounting element comprising a pair of spaced-apart fork elements, each said fork element having of an elongated interior surface facing the elongated interior surface of the other said fork element;
• at least one sloping thread-engaging element formed in each said elongated interior surface for engaging with a threaded male end of a first part to be inserted in said second female end;
• said second female end comprising a main wall having an inner circular wall portion interiorly of which is defined said hollow interior for receiving therein a mating male end, and a pair of diametrically-opposed channels formed in said main wall for sliding therein said pair of spaced-apart fork elements, a respective said fork element being slidingly received in a respective one of said pair of diametrically-opposed channels;
• said second female end further comprising a pair of diametrically-opposed, interior cutout portions formed in said inner circular wall portion that cooperate with the hollow interior of said pair of diametrically-opposed channels and with the hollow interior of said second female end, a respective one of said pair of diametrically-opposed, interior cutout portions being associated with a respective one of said pair of diametrically-opposed channels, each of said pair of diametrically-opposed, interior cutout portions exposing a respective said at least one sloping thread-engaging element to said hollow interior of said second female end;
• said pair of spaced-apart fork elements being spaced apart a distance such that the interior-most facing portions of said thread-engaging elements are spaced apart a lateral distance such that said thread-engaging elements project into the interior of said second female end when said fork elements are in said pair of diametrically-opposed channels for engaging with threads of a threaded male end inserted in said second female end.

A method of coupling a threaded male end of a first part to a second part using a coupler, where said coupler comprises a first end for connecting to the second part, and a second female end for connecting to the threaded male end of the first threaded male part;

• a sealing element operatively associated with said second female end for providing a seal;
• a coupler element for engaging with the threaded male end of the first part which coupler element comprises at least one fork element with interior-facing thread-engaging elements;
• said female end having at least one channel for sliding therein at least one fork element, and also having at least one interior cutout portion that allows fluid cooperation between the hollow interior of said at least one channel and the hollow interior of said female end, said method comprising:
• (a) inserting the threaded male end of the first part in said female end until at least some of the threads thereof are exposed to the hollow interior of said at least one channel via said at least one interior cutout portion;
• (b) sliding said at least one fork element in said at least one channel;
• (c) said step (b) comprising exposing and projecting the interior-facing thread-engaging means into the interior of said female end;
• (d) said step (c) comprising engaging said interior-facing thread-engaging means with the threads of the threaded male end of the first part;
• and
• (e) sealing the threaded male end of the first part in said female end against said sealing means.