Quick disconnect coupler
AssigneeBridge Products, Inc.
InventorsRichard B. Wade, David Chu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A quick disconnect coupler includes a seal retaining member movably mounted in a coupler housing. A sealing washer biases the retaining member toward first position, and an annular seal is mounted in the retaining member. This annular seal defines both axial and radial sealing surfaces, and it is configured to transmit sufficient force to the seal retaining member to move the seal retaining member to a rearward position in response to a first, larger diameter plug bearing on the axial sealing surface, and to form a radial seal around a second, smaller diameter plug.
Claims16
In a quick disconnect coupler of the type comprising:
- a housing which defines a central passageway which extends along an axis;
- a plurality of retaining elements disposed on respective sides of the central passageway;
- a retainer configured to hold the retaining elements radially inwardly, toward the central passageway, said retainer being manually movable to allow the retaining element to move radially outwardly;
- the improvement comprising:
- a seal retaining member movably mounted in the housing to move along the axis between first and second positions, wherein the first position is closer to the retaining elements than the second position, said seal retaining member having an opening aligned with the central passageway;
- a biasing element operative to bias the seal retaining element toward a first position;
- at least one seal mounted on the seal retaining member;
- said opening comprising at least first and second positions, wherein said first portion is closer to the retaining elements than the second portion, wherein said first portion is operative to center a first, larger diameter plug and defines an effective diameter of about 0.37 inch, and wherein said second portion is operative to center a second, smaller diameter plug and defines an effective diameter of about 0.32 inch.
In a quick disconnect coupler of the type comprising:
- a housing which defines a central passageway which extends along an axis;
- a plurality of retaining elements disposed on respective sides of the central passageway;
- a retainer configured to hold the retaining elements radially inwardly, toward the central passageway, said retainer being manually movable to allow the retaining elements to move radially outwardly;
- the improvement comprising:
- a seal retaining member movably mounted in the housing to move along the axis between first and second positions, wherein the first position is closer to the retaining elements than the second position, said seal retaining member having an opening aligned with the central passageway;
- a biasing element operative to bias the seal retaining element toward a first position;
- an annular seal mounted in the seal retaining member around the opening, said annular seal defining an axial sealing surface facing toward the retaining elements and a radial sealing surface;
- said annular seal being configured such that the annular seal transmits sufficient forces to the seal retaining member to move the seal retaining member to the second position in response to a first, larger diameter plug bearing on the axial sealing surface;
- and
- said annular seal being configured to form a radial seal around a second, smaller diameter plug with the seal retaining member in the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.