Coupling for automobile air conditioning system

A male coupling end for releasably engaging with a female coupling end in fluid tight relation for enabling the flow of fluid material through said coupling ends, said female coupling end including an aperture therein, a pair of generally opposed step areas and a pair of tapered portions, each tapered portion adjacent one of said step areas, the height of each said tapered portion increasing with proximity to said adjacent step area, said female coupling and including at least one longitudinally extending slot, said slot bounded by surfaces extending radially outward, said male coupling end including an extending portion accepted in said aperture when said coupling ends are engaged, a first fluid passage through said extending portion whereby fluid is enabled to flow between said male coupling end and said female coupling end, and a pair of generally opposed leaf spring leg members each having a first end attached to said male coupling end and a second end having an inwardly extending finger portion, wherein said finger portions engage said step areas when said coupling ends are engaged to hold said coupling ends in engagement, and wherein at least one of said leg members is accepted in said slot and said radially outward extending surfaces extend beyond the first end of said one leg member, whereby relative rotational movement of said coupling ends is prevented.

A coupling releasably connecting fluid conduits in fluid tight relation and enabling the flow of fluid material therethrough, comprising:

• a first coupling end and a second coupling end, each coupling end having a fluid passage therethrough, said fluid passages connected in fluid tight relation when said coupling ends are engaged;
• a pair of leaf spring leg members, each said leaf spring leg member mounted at a first member end to said first coupling end, said leaf spring leg members extending generally longitudinally and diametrically opposed, each leg member having a radially extending finger portion at a second member end disposed from said first member end;
• a collar portion extending circumferentially on a said second coupling end, said collar portion including a radially extending back wall surface, said back wall surface longitudinally disposed from said first coupling end when said coupling ends are engaged, said back wall surface including a pair of step areas thereon, each step area engaging a finger portion of a leg member when said coupling ends are engaged, said collar portion including a pair of longitudinally extending slots in said collar portion, wherein a leg member is accepted in each said slot when said coupling ends are engaged.