Quick connect coupling with a self-resetting retention mechanism
AssigneeThe Gates Corporation
InventorDonald R. Gilbreath
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A quick connect coupling includes a male coupling and a female coupling. A stop may be associated with the male coupling and configured to prevent the male coupling from being inserted into a port of the female coupling beyond a predetermined depth. The stop may be axially slidable between a first position and a second position. The first position may be located between a leading edge of the male coupling and the second position. The stop may be biased towards the first position so that the stop substantially resets to the first position.
Claims20
A quick connect hydraulic coupling with a retention mechanism to prevent inadvertent disconnection, comprising:
- a female coupling with an external surface and an internal surface which defines a port;
- a male coupling having an external surface, an internal surface, a leading edge, a longitudinal axis, and a geometric profile adapted for insertion into said female coupling;
- and
- a stop mechanism disposed at least partially around the external surface of the male coupling and configured to prevent the male coupling from being inserted into said port of the female coupling beyond a predetermined position, the stop mechanism slidable relative to the longitudinal axis of the male coupling between a first position and a second position, the first position located between the leading edge of the male coupling and the second position, the stop mechanism biased towards the first position so that the stop mechanism resets to the first position upon removal of an insertion force.
A method for selectively engaging or disengaging of a metallic hydraulic coupling, comprising:
- providing a female coupling with an external surface, an interior surface and a leading edge which defines a port;
- providing a male coupling with an exterior surface, an internal surface which defines a flow path, and a leading edge sized for insertion into said port of said female coupling;
- a locking mechanism operably positioned proximate to said external surface of said male coupling and said internal surface of said female coupling and which can be selectively actuated and released upon the insertion and retraction of the male coupling within the female coupling;
- providing a stop positioned between the female coupling leading edge and a shoulder extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the male coupling, said stop having a first locking position which prevents any travel of the male coupling within the female coupling, and a second released position which allows the male coupling to travel further within said female port to disengage said locking mechanism and allow the removal of said male coupling from said female coupling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.