Two-part fluid coupling with guide structure

A male fluid coupling structure;

• the male fluid coupling structure being configured for removable coupling with a female fluid coupling structure, which female fluid coupling structure is in fluid-flow communication with a vessel, the male fluid coupling structure being in fluid-flow communication with a conduit and being removably supportable upon and coupling with the female fluid coupling structure to effect fluid-flow communication between the vessel and the conduit substantially without transmission of coupling and de-coupling forces to the vessel;
• the male and female fluid coupling structures being disengageable to both discontinue the fluid-flow communication between the vessel and conduit and to also close communication between the conduit and ambient;
• said male fluid coupling structure comprising:
• a male fluid coupling assembly including:
• an elongate probe member defining a passage for fluid-flow communication with a conduit, said probe member defining an opening from said passage outwardly on said probe member;
• a sleeve-like valve member carried on said probe member for movement between a first position in which said valve member spans and closes said opening, and a second position in which said sleeve-like valve member is at least in part clear of said opening to allow fluid communication between said passage and the ambient surrounding said probe member at said opening;
• and
• resilient means yieldably biasing said sleeve-like valve member to said first position;
• a guide structure;
• said guide structure defining:
• engaging means for supporting on the female fluid coupling structure, and for reciprocally carrying said male fluid coupling assembly for axial relative movement, said male fluid coupling assembly being axially movable relative to said guide structure between a first relative position substantially within said guide structure with said sleeve-like valve member in said first position, and a second relative position of axial advancement at least partially outside of said guide structure and in which said sleeve-like valve member is moved to said second relative position, said male fluid coupling assembly and said guide structure defining cooperating means for relatively moving said sleeve-like valve member to said second position in response to movement of said male fluid coupling assembly from said first relative position to said second relative position.

A two-part fluid coupling structure having a female coupling part for fluid-flow communication with a vessel, and a male coupling part for fluid-flow communication with a conduit, said coupling parts being mutually engageable to effect fluid-flow communication between said vessel and said conduit, and being disengageable to both discontinue said fluid-flow communication and also to mutually close fluid-flow communication between ambient and each of said vessel and conduit;

• said two-part coupling structure comprising:
• said female coupling part having:
• a female cap member defining a through bore communicating between ambient and said vessel, and a radially inwardly opening circumferential groove on said through bore spaced outwardly of said vessel along said through bore;
• a disk-like plug member having a wall portion for spanning and closing said through bore of said cap member, said plug member including a circumferential first ring portion which is sealingly receivable forcefully into said through bore of said cap member in an axial direction outwardly of said vessel, and said first ring portion radially outwardly defining a circumferential ridge receivable into said circumferential groove of said cap member to lock said plug member into sealing relation therewith, said plug member further defining a radially inner second ring portion spaced from said first ring portion and like disposed, said second ring portion further defining an outer radially outwardly opening circumferential groove;
• said male coupling part having:
• an elongate probe member defining a blind axial passage for fluid-flow communication with said conduit and a wall portion closing said axial passage adjacent a forward end of said probe member, said probe member defining a stepped outer diameter with an enlarged-diameter forward flange portion including a forwardly extending third ring portion, said third ring portion defining a radially inwardly protruding annular rib by the cooperation of oppositely axially extending angulated surface portions, said third ring portion being received between said first and said second ring portions of said plug member to engage said rib of said third ring portion into said groove of said second ring portion, and said flange portion also cooperating with a smaller-diameter portion of said probe member to define a rearwardly-disposed shoulder, said probe member defining a lateral aperture opening from said blind passage outwardly on said smaller-diameter portion rearwardly of and adjacent to said shoulder;
• a sleeve member carried slidably on said smaller-diameter portion of said probe member between a first position across and closing said lateral aperture and a second position at least partially rearwardly of and opening said lateral aperture, said sleeve member having a circumferential axially-disposed forward end edge surface engageable in said first position of said sleeve member with said shoulder of said probe member flange portion, and further having a radially outwardly extending lug portion at a rear end thereof opposite to said forward end edge, said sleeve member also outwardly carrying resilient sealing means for sealingly engaging retainingly into said circumferential groove of said cap member;
• a guide structure reciprocably carrying said probe member and said sleeve member, said guide structure including a forward flange portion having a central opening therein, and means for engaging supportingly upon said cap member with said central opening in alignment with said through bore of said cap member, means for defining a guide way for said probe and sleeve member to allow reciprocation thereof via said central opening into and from said through bore of said female coupling part, said guide structure defining an abutment surface engaged by said lug of said sleeve member to stop relative motion thereof upon a certain advancement of said male coupling part probe member relative to said forward flange portion, said probe member of said male coupling part continuing in forward advancement relative to said forward flange portion to move relative to said sleeve member to said second position thereof with said lateral aperture at least partially uncovered.

A two-part coupling structure for manual engagement and disengagement, said coupling structure having a female coupling part and a male coupling part each with a respective fluid-flow path therein, said coupling parts being supportingly engageable with one another to mutually align axially with one another and to supportingly react manually-applied axial connection and disconnection forces, and said coupling parts establishing fluid-flow communication of said respective fluid-flow paths in response to axial relative movement;

• said two-part coupling structure comprising:
• said female coupling part including:
• a female cap member having a through bore defining a respective fluid-flow path, said cap member having a radially outwardly extending flange portion circumscribing said through bore;
• a disk-like plug member having a wall portion for spanning said through bore of said cap member to close said fluid-flow path of said cap member;
• said cap member and said plug member defining first cooperating means for both sealingly engaging one another to close said fluid-flow path of the cap member with said wall portion of said plug member and for removably attaching together and detaching from one another in response to respective oppositely-directed first and second axial forces;
• said male coupling part including:
• an elongate probe member having an axial passage defining said respective fluid-flow path, and a wall portion closing said axial passage adjacent a forward end of said probe member, said probe member defining a stepped outer diameter with an enlarged-diameter forward flange portion cooperating with a smaller-diameter portion of said probe member to define a rearwardly-disposed shoulder, said probe member defining a lateral aperture opening outwardly from said axial passage on said smaller-diameter portion rearwardly of and adjacent to said shoulder;
• a sleeve member carried slidably on said smaller-diameter portion of said probe member between a first position across and closing said lateral aperture and a second position at least partially rearwardly of and opening said lateral aperture, said sleeve member having an elongate cylindrical outer surface portion of a size to be received closely into said through bore of said cap member, said sleeve member having a forwardly-disposed circumferential end edge surface engageable in said first position of said sleeve member with said rearwardly-disposed shoulder of said probe member;
• said probe member and said plug member defining cooperating means for removably attaching together and detaching from one another in response to respective oppositely-directed third and fourth axial forces, which third axial attaching force is less than said second axial force so that upon insertion of said male coupling part into said female coupling part said probe member first sequentially attaches with said plug member and then disengages said plug member from said cap member for movement of said plug member inwardly of said female coupling part along with said inserting probe member;
• and
• a guide structure reciprocably carrying said male coupling part and including means for supportingly engaging with said cap member both to react said manually-applied axial forces and to align said male coupling part with said through bore, said guide structure and said sleeve member including cooperating means for stopping relative movement of said sleeve member toward said cap member while allowing said probe member to continue this forward relative motion, thus relatively moving said sleeve member from said first position to said second position as said male coupling part is advanced by manually-applied force into said female coupling part.