Universal threadless connection
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorRandall A. Maro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A male connector end having a first cylindrical portion having a first diameter, a second cylindrical portion having a second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and a male transition profile between the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion. The male transition profile is sized to accommodate both a first female transition profile and a second female transition profile to fluidly couple the male connector end to either one of a first female end having the first female transition profile or a second female end having the second female transition profile.
Claims20
A method of assembling a machine having at least one fluid connector, comprising:
- providing either one of:
- a first male connector comprising a first male transition profile comprising an intermediate cylindrical portion defined between a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion;
- a second male connector comprising a second male transition profile defined between a first cylindrical portion comprising a first diameter and a second cylindrical portion comprising a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter;
- providing either one of:
- a first female connector comprising a first female transition profile comprising an intermediate cylindrical portion defined between a first cylindrical opening and a second cylindrical opening;
- a second female connector comprising a second female transition profile defined between a first cylindrical opening having a first diameter and a second cylindrical opening having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter;
- and
- fluidly coupling one of the first male connector or the second male connector to either one of the first female connector or the second female connector.
A universal female fluid coupler, comprising:
- a universal female connector comprising a universal female transition profile defined between a first cylindrical opening having a first diameter and a second cylindrical opening having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter;
- wherein, the universal female connector is configured to separately fluidly couple to either one of:
- a first male connector comprising a first male transition profile comprising an intermediate cylindrical portion defined between a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion;
- or
- a second male connector comprising a second male transition profile defined between a first cylindrical portion comprising a first diameter and a second cylindrical portion comprising a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter;
- wherein, the universal female transition profile is different from both the first male transition profile and the second male transition profile.
A universal male fluid coupler, comprising:
- a universal male connector comprising a universal male transition profile defined between a first cylindrical portion comprising a first diameter and a second cylindrical portion comprising a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter;
- wherein the universal male connector is configured to separately fluidly couple to either one of:
- a first female connector comprising a first female transition profile comprising an intermediate cylindrical portion defined between a first cylindrical opening that corresponds with the first diameter and a second cylindrical opening that corresponds with the second diameter;
- or
- a second female connector comprising a second female transition profile defined between a first cylindrical opening that corresponds with the first diameter and a second cylindrical opening that corresponds with the second diameter;
- wherein the second female transition profile is different from the first female transition profile and the universal male transition profile is different from both the first female transition profile and the second female transition profile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.