Quick-disconnect fluid coupling

A fluid coupling for fluid conducting lines, said coupling comprising:

• a generally cylindrical socket having an axial fluid flow passage therethrough and a coupling end portion;
• a generally cylindrical mating plug having a coupling end portion that is coupleable with said coupling end portion of said socket for coaxial coupled relation between said socket and said mating plug, said mating plug having a corresponding axial flow passage therethrough so that when said coupling end portion of said mating plug is coupled with said coupling end portion of said socket a single fluid flow passage is defined through said socket and said mating plug;
• a plurality of ball detents carried in radially directed and circumferentially spaced apertures in said coupling end portion of said socket;
• a ball receiving race circumscribing said plug that is engaged by said ball detents to secure said plug in coaxial coupled relation with said socket;
• a ball retaining sleeve circumscribing said coupling end portion of said socket for releasably securing said ball detents in engagement with said race on said plug, said sleeve having a shoulder projecting radially inwardly and having an inclined surface for engaging said ball detents in a radially inward position, said shoulder defining on one side thereof between said sleeve and said socket a first annular passage into which said ball detents are received in a radially outward position for inserting and removing said plug from said socket, said shoulder defining on the other side thereof between said sleeve and said socket a second annular passage;
• a helical compression spring circumscribing said socket and located in said second annular passage for longitudinally urging said ball retaining sleeve to maintain said ball detents in a radially inward position;
• and
• a stop ring associated with said spring and against which said spring urges said ball retaining sleeve to maintain said ball detents in a radially inward position, said stop ring comprising a material fusible at a predetermined temperature, whereby at said predetermined temperature, said stop ring is fused, said spring is released, and said ball retaining sleeve releases said ball detents from engagement with said race on said plug so that said plug may be released from coaxial coupled relation with said socket.

A ball detent fluid coupling comprising:

• a generally cylindrical socket having an axial fluid flow passage therethrough and a coupling end portion for receiving a corresponding plug;
• a generally cylindrical mating plug having a coupling end portion that is coupleable with said coupling end of said socket for coaxial coupled relation between said socket and said plug, said plug having a corresponding axial flow passage therethrough so that when said coupling end portion of said plug is received in said socket, a single fluid flow passage is defined through said coupling;
• a plurality of ball detents carried in radially directed and circumferentially spaced apertures substantially in a single plane in said coupling end portion of said socket;
• a first annular ramp on said plug for urging said ball detents radially outwardly when said plug is being inserted into said socket;
• a race circumscribing said plug that is engaged by said ball detents to secure said plug in coaxial coupled relation with said socket, one side wall of said race being defined by a second annular ramp that is adjacent said first annular ramp and is of opposite slope, said second annular ramp urging said ball detents radially outwardly when said plug is withdrawn from said socket;
• a slidable ball retaining sleeve circumscribing said coupling end portion of said socket for releasably securing said ball detents in engagement with said race on said plug, said sleeve having a shoulder projecting radially inwardly and having an inclined surface for engaging said ball detents in a radially inward position, said shoulder defining on one side thereof between said sleeve and said socket a first annular passage into which said ball detents are received in a radially outward position in response to said first and second annular ramps on said plug when said plug is respectively inserted into and removed from said socket, said shoulder defining on the other side thereof between said sleeve and said socket a second annular passage;
• a helical compression spring circumscribing said socket and located in said second annular passage normally longitudinally urging said ball retaining sleeve to maintain said ball detents in a radially inward position, said ball retaining sleeve being responsive to a sliding movement for retracting in opposition to said helical compression spring to release said ball detents, and said inclined surface of said inwardly projecting shoulder being urged by a predetermined separating force applied to at least one of said socket and plug in opposition to said spring to release said ball detents when said ball detents are urged radially outwardly by said first and second ramps on said plug, whereby said plug is released from secured coaxial coupled relation;
• a valve mounted in the fluid flow passage of said socket and having a valve spring associated therewith urging said valve in opposition to said ball retaining sleeve to eject said plug from said coupling end portion of said socket and to close said fluid flow passage, said valve ejecting said plug from said socket and closing said passage when said ball retaining sleeve is released;
• an inclined shoulder extending radially outwardly from said socket;
• and
• a stop ring matingly mounted on said inclined shoulder on said socket and against which said spring urges said ball retaining sleeve to maintain said ball detents in a radially inward position, said stop ring comprising a material that is fusible at a predetermined temperature, whereby when said stop ring fuses at said predetermined temperature, said spring is released from urging said ball retaining sleeve in a ball retaining position and said valve ejects said plug from said socket and closes said flow passage.

A socket component for a quick-disconnect fluid coupling for fluid conducting lines, the coupling having a generally cylindrical mating plug defining a coupling end portion for being received in said socket, the plug having an axial fluid flow passage therethrough, a first annular ramp for urging ball detents radially outwardly when the plug is being inserted into said socket, and a race circumscribing the plug that is engaged by ball detents to secure the plug in coaxial coupled relation with said socket, one side wall of the race being defined by a second annular ramp that is adjacent to the first annular ramp and is of opposite slope, the second annular ramp urging the ball detents radially outwardly when the plug is withdrawn from said socket, wherein said socket component comprises:

• a generally cylindrical socket having an axial fluid flow passage therethrough and a coupling end portion for receiving the corresponding mating plug so that when said socket and the mating plug are joined in coaxial coupled relation, a single fluid flow passage is defined through the plug and said socket;
• a plurality of ball detents retained in ball retaining apertures defined by said socket for securing the mating plug in coaxial coupled relation with said socket;
• a slidable ball retaining sleeve circumscribing said coupling end portion of said socket for releasably securing said ball detents in engagement with said race on said plug, said sleeve having a shoulder projecting radially inwardly and having an inclined surface for engaging said ball detents in a radially inward position, said shoulder defining on one side thereof between said sleeve and said socket a first annular passage into which said ball detents are received in a radially outward position in response to said first and second annular ramps on said plug when said plug is respectively inserted into and removed from said socket, said shoulder defining on the other side thereof between said sleeve and said socket a second annular passage;
• a helical compression spring circumscribing said socket and located in said second annular passage normally longitudinally urging said ball retaining sleeve to maintain said ball detents in a radially inward position, said ball retaining sleeve being responsive to a sliding movement for retracting in opposition to said helical compression spring to release said ball detents, and said inclined surface of said inwardly projecting shoulder being urged by a predetermined separating force applied to at least one of said socket and plug in opposition to said spring to release said ball detents when said ball detents are urged radially outwardly by said first and second ramps on said plug, whereby said plug is released from secured coaxial coupled relation;
• a valve mounted in the fluid flow passage of said socket and having a valve spring associated therewith urging said valve in opposition to said ball retaining sleeve to eject said plug from said coupling end portion of said socket and to close said fluid flow passage, said valve ejecting said plug from said socket and closing said passage when said ball retaining sleeve is released;
• an inclined shoulder extending radially outwardly from said socket;
• and
• a stop ring matingly mounted on said inclined shoulder on said socket and against which said spring urges said ball retaining sleeve to maintain said ball detents in a radially inward position, said stop ring comprising a material that is fusible at a predetermined temperature, whereby when said stop ring fuses at said predetermined temperature, said spring is released from urging said ball retaining sleeve in a ball retaining position and said valve ejects the plug from said socket and closes said flow passage.