Connector assembly and method of manufacture

A connector for providing a quick connection to a tubular conduit of the type having an outer end and a radially extending latching member, said connector comprising:

• an inner member having first and second open ends and having a bore formed therein and extending between said open ends, said first open end being adapted to receive the outer end of the tubular conduit therein, and said second open end being adapted to receive an end of a tubular member therein;
• first retainer means for cooperating with the latching member of the tubular conduit for releasably retaining said conduit within the bore of the inner member;
• first seal means disposed in the bore of the inner member for providing a seal with the outer end of the tubular conduit;
• an outer member substantially encapsulating and surrounding said inner member, said outer member having first and second open ends which align with the first and second open ends, respectively, of the inner member to provide fluid communication between the tubular conduit and the tubular member through said inner and outer members, said inner and outer members being formed of different plastic materials;
• second seal means disposed in the bore of the inner member for providing a seal with the tubular member, when said tubular member is inserted therein;
• and
• second retainer means disposed in the bore of the inner member adjacent the second seal means for permitting insertion of the tubular member therein and for preventing subsequent removal of said tubular member therefrom, said tubular member having inner and outer layers of material and at least one intermediate layer sandwiched therebetween with said second seal means providing a seal with said intermediate layer.

In combination, a connector for attachment to the end of a conduit, said conduit having a radially extending latching member spaced inwardly from an outer end of said conduit, and a clip engageable with the latching member for retaining the conduit within said connector, said combination further including:

• the connector being formed with a stepped bore and a pair of opposed apertures communicating with said bore;
• the clip being an integral one-piece rigid plastic member having a pair of opposed ends connected by a pair of spaced sides forming an elongated opening therebetween extending between the end members, said opening including an enlarged portion sufficiently large to permit the latch member of the conduit to pass therethrough and a smaller portion which prevents passage of said latch member therethrough, a pair of curved flexible fingers extending outwardly for one of the ends and slidably engaging the connector to bias the clip toward a locked position with the conduit wherein the tubular conduit extends partially through the smaller portion of the clip opening, and a chamfered surface formed in a front surface of the sides and engageable by the outer end of the conduit to move the clip toward an unlocked position and overcome the bias of the flexible fingers to permit the passage of the end of the conduit between the sides and through the the enlarged portion after the clip has been mounted in apertures.