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US 6,685,230 B1Granted
Rapid connection for tubes
AssigneeOLAB S.r.l.
InventorOlindo Bottura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for connecting tubes which comprises a housing 6 having an enclosed area 15 in which the crown of a spring washer 4 is enclosed such that the washer may rotate without translation A tube 20 can fit into the housing to be gripped by elastic teeth 11 which are distributed around the crown of the washer. The tube 20 may thereafter be released from the washer when a release lever 3 is pressed against the teeth 11 to bend them back away from the tube.
Claims13
A fitting for connecting an object, said fitting comprising:
- a body formed with a housing which has an entrance, said housing being formed with an enclosed area;
- a guide ring nut placed at said entrance;
- a toothed spring washer comprising a circular crown from which elastic gripping teeth extend in radial formation towards a center, said spring washer being positioned in said enclosed area formed in said housing, with said circular crown being located beneath said guide ring nut and said elastic teeth extending from said circular crown to press tightly against an object fitted into said housing, said enclosed area being higher than a thickness of said circular crown such that said spring washer may turn on its axis in said housing, wherein said circular crown of said spring washer when in a gripped condition is constrained in said enclosed area, and wherein said circular crown is formed with a radial extension extending away from said center, said radial extension serving as a support for said teeth and said radial extension not being co-planar with said teeth;
- and
- a release lever disposed inwardly of said guide ring nut and guided thereby for axial movement with respect to said housing, said release lever having a nose which, upon axial movement of said release lever, contacts said teeth and flexes them with respect to said circular crown to release said teeth from gripping arrangement with an object being gripped by said teeth.
2 more elements
In combination:
- a tube;
- and
- a fitting for connecting said tube, said fitting comprising:
- a body formed with a housing which has an entrance into which said tube extends, said housing being formed with an enclosed area;
- a guide ring nut placed at said entrance;
- a toothed spring washer comprising a circular crown from which elastic gripping teeth extend in radial formation towards a center, said spring washer being positioned in said enclosed area formed in said housing, with said circular crown being located beneath said guide ring nut and said elastic teeth extending from said circular crown to press tightly against said tube, said enclosed area being higher than a thickness of said circular crown to permit said spring washer to turn on its axis in said housing, wherein said circular crown of said spring washer when in a gripped condition is constrained in said enclosed area, and wherein said circular crown is formed with a radial extension extending away from said center, said radial extension serving as a support for said teeth and said radial extension not being co-planar with said teeth;
- and
- a release lever disposed inwardly of said guide ring nut and guided thereby for axial movement with respect to said housing, said release lever having a nose which, upon axial movement of said release lever, contacts said teeth and flexes them with respect to said circular crown to release said teeth from gripping arrangement with said tube being gripped by said teeth.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.