Releasable push-to-connect tube fitting

A fitting of a variety adapted for a releasable connection with a distal tubing end of a given outer diameter, said fitting comprising:

• a generally annular body member extending axially along a central longitudinal axis of said fitting from a rearward end to a forward end formed as having an internal bore with a radial surface describing an internal gland disposed intermediate said forward and said rearward end, said gland having a rearward end wall and a forward end wall defining a contact edge with said radial surface of said bore;
• and
• a collet member having a generally cylindrical wall portion expandable to receive the tubing end therethrough and extending axially along said central longitudinal axis from between a forward first end of said collet member to a rearward second end defining an outer periphery of said collet member receivable for translational movement within said internal gland of said body member, said wall portion being longitudinally divided through the second end thereof, said wall portion being longitudinally divided through the second end thereof into at least a pair of arcuate, cantilevered segments each resiliently extending between a rearward distal end and a forward proximal end disposed intermediate the first and second ends of said collet member, and each having an inner surface defining a radially-inwardly extending projection disposed generally adjacent said distal end thereof and an outer surface having a camming portion extending intermediate said proximal and distal ends from a first rearwardly-inclined ramp surface defining a first acute angle from horizontal to a generally-contiguous second rearwardly-inclined ramp surface defining a second acute angle from horizontal greater than said first acute angle,
• and said collet member is journalable coaxially within said bore of said body member forward end disposing said collet member second end within said body member internal gland, said collet member being slidably movable within said bore therewithin from along a rearward position accommodating the radial outward movement of said segments resiliently expanding said wall portion for the insertion and removal of the tubing distal end through said collet member and, respectively, first and second rearward positions for operatively disposing said first ramp surface in abutting, force-transmitting engagement with said contact edge of said body member for transferring a first radially inwardly directed normal force component to said segment projections at a first predetermined rate effective for gripping the outer diameter of the tubing between said segments and delimiting the removal of the tubing end from said body member, and for disposing said second ramp surface in an abutting, force-transmitting engagement with said contact edge of said body member applying a second radially inwardly directed normal force component to said segment projections at a second predetermined rate effective for further gripping the outer diameter of the tubing between said segments.