# US 2016/0252201 A1 · Quick-connect clip-on connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0252201 A1 - Document ID: US20160252201A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/026,698 - Filed: 2013-10-03 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-03 - Assignees: Nobel Plastiques - Applicants: Nobel Plastiques - Inventors: Ramakrishnam Raju CHINTALAPATI; Fabien PORIGNAUX - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160252201A1 ## CPC - F16L 37/0841: {by means of a transversally slidable locking member surrounding the tube} - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL ## Abstract This female clip-onconnector (1), which is adapted to cooperate with a male attachment end fitting (20) of the type with a central bush (26) and a flange (25), includes a body (2) forming a cylindrical cavity and a transverse latch housing in front of the opening of the cylindrical cavity forming a housing for a single latch part (50) including two actuating parts (51) connected respectively to two jaws (52), said actuating parts and said jaws acting in a same direction transverse to the axis of the body, and spring means (54) for spring-loading each jaw (52) at all times towards its rest position in which the jaw (52) is close to the axis and in which the actuating part (51) is in its radially outermost position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Female clip-on connector (1) adapted to cooperate with a male attachment end fitting (20) of the type with a central bush (26) and a flange (25), the connector (1) including on the one hand a rigid plastic material body (2) comprising on one side a tubular part (3) for connection to a pipe (40) and on the other side a part forming an open cylindrical cavity (4) adapted to receive at least the end of the bush (26) and on the other hand an elastic latch constituted by a single latch part (50) independent of the body (2), disposed transversely in a latch housing (6) fixed relative to the body (2) and placed in front of the opening of the cylindrical cavity (4) of the body so as to lock onto the back of the flange (25) of the end fitting once the latter is in place in the cylindrical cavity (4), said single latch part (50) being symmetrical and comprising two radially opposite curved jaws (52) adapted to be moved towards each other or away from each other and away from the axis of the body (2) and two radially opposite actuating parts (51) flush in a rest position with the external envelope of the body (2) and accessible to two opposite fingers of a user for actuating the jaws, the jaws (52) being spring-loaded into a close-together rest position in which they form a transverse abutment (59) at the rear of the flange (25) of the end fitting when the latter is in place, the jaws (52) enabling radially outward retraction of this transverse abutment (59) when they are pushed into a spread apart position by the actuating parts (51), characterized in that the two jaws (52) and the two actuating parts (51) act in a same direction transverse to the axis of the body, each actuating part (51), orthogonal to said transverse direction, being disposed facing a respective jaw (52), also orthogonal to said transverse direction, and being rigidly connected by a rigid connecting bar (53) oriented in said transverse direction to the other jaw (52), respective spring means (54) being disposed between the external and internal surface parts respectively of each jaw (52) and the facing actuating part (51) to continuously spring-load each jaw (52) towards its rest position in which the jaw (52) is close to the axis and in which the actuating part (51) is in its radially outermost position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring means (54) consist of an elastically deformable leaf spring the contour of which is oval, preferably elliptical, having opposite curved surface parts adapted to bear on the external surface part of a jaw (52) and on the internal surface part of the facing actuating part (51), respectively. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the jaws (52), the actuating parts (51), the connecting bars (53) and the leaf springs (54) form a plastic assembly moulded in one piece. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the leaf springs (54) are made from a material having a modulus of elasticity lower than that of the material used to mould the rest of said assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4) Connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the body (2) and the transverse latch housing (6) form a single moulded plastic material part. ### Claim 6 Connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylindrical cavity (4) of the body (2) includes a cylindrical first section extending from the opening of the cylindrical cavity (4) to an internal cylindrical housing (5) adapted to receive the end (21) of the male end fitting (20), the cylindrical first section having a diameter greater than that of the male end fitting (20) and accommodating at least an O-ring (22), a spacer ring (23) and a closure ring (24). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the closure ring (24) is force-fitted in the cylindrical first section to immobilize the O-ring (22) and the spacer ring (23). ### Claim 8 Connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transverse latch housing (6) comprises abutment means (67, 68) adapted to cooperate with respective distal ends (57) of the actuating parts (51) to define the rest position and the spread apart position of the jaws (52). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) Pipe (40) for circulation of a fluid, notably fuel, oil or water, characterized in that said pipe comprises at least one end provided with a connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.