US 7,575,023 B2Granted

Disposable breakaway nozzle connector

AssigneeHusky Corporation

InventorCraig J. Fraser

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A disposable breakaway hose connector for a fuel line prevents untimely decoupling, and avoids unnecessary leakage. The breakaway connector includes a pair of fittings, for connecting to the fuel line, an inner sleeve provided for limited sliding movement upon one of the fittings, with each fitting incorporating a poppet valve, to provide for closure when decoupling occurs, or other unseating, from within the respect fittings, during normal aggregate and usage. Detents are provided within one of the fittings for interconnecting to normally retain the connector as assembled, but various O-rings arranged within an inner sleeve and upon one of the fittings, provide for limited movement when tensioning force is exerted and clearance for disconnection. A fluid chamber is provided intermediate of the O-rings, to equalize and counterbalance fluid pressures that occasionally spike within the connector and hose line.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A fluid breakaway connector for connecting fluid line sections or attachments comprising:

a first fitting of generally tubular shape connectable to one section of fluid flow line;
a second fitting of generally tubular shape connectable to the other section of fluid flow line and including a second extension therewith said second extension having a circumferential groove and an inner sleeve coaxial with said second fitting, concentric with said second extension, and having a length approximately that of said second extension;
said first and second fittings being slidably connected within an outer sleeve, said fittings being held together by a detent means, said detent means engaging said circumferential groove and being disposed to release upon exceeding a pre-determined tensile force;
said first and second fittings forming a fuel flow passage;
said first and second fittings having check valves, each fitting having a valve seat for the seating of its respective check valves after decoupling of said breakaway connector, one of said check valves having a first extension therewith in said first fitting, and disposed for encountering the other check valve means during breakaway to hold the check valves unseated from their respective valve seats and allowing fluid and vapors to pass through the concentric flow lines and said connector during normal usage;
said first and second fittings having connector mounts for securing said check valves to the fittings, said connector mounts allow fluid flow therethrough, and disposed to allow vapor flow through said fuel flow passage;
said check valves having cooperating internal vapor passages, said vapor passages cooperatively connected to said fuel flow passage of each connector mount to allow vapors to flow through said vapor passage and out through a spider connector concentric section;
means for blocking said flow of fluid and vapors through said connector when said connector is decoupled;
and
a chamber formed between said inner sleeve and said second fitting and disposed for the reception therein of fluid from the flow line to provide for equalization of fluid forces generated within said device during routine fluid flow to prevent premature decoupling of said connector and leakage from said connector.

7 more elements

A fluid breakaway connector of a generally tubular shape for connecting fluid line sections or attachments comprising:

a first fitting having a forward end, an inner groove upon the perimeter of the forward end, and an O-ring seating upon said inner groove;
and,
a second fitting having a forward end that engages the forward end of said first fitting, a forward extension having a circumferential groove, two or more o-rings mutually parallel, spaced apart, and upon the perimeter of the forward extension, an inner sleeve surrounding said o-rings and said forward extension, a plurality of locking bearings proximate to the forward end and contained between said inner sleeve and said forward extension, and one or more shear pins opposite said forward end placed through said inner sleeve and into said circumferential groove of said forward extension;
said o-rings upon said second fitting form a chamber upon said forward extension and inside said inner sleeve to equalize pressures within said chamber and outside said o-rings and to reduce premature breakage of said shear pins when an imbalance in pressure arises within said chamber and outside said o-rings.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/503,562Filed 11 Aug 2006
Published: US 2008/0035222 A114 Feb 2008
Granted: 18 Aug 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

F16L 55/1015
Means for stopping flow in pipes or hoses: couplings closed automatically when disengaging force exceeds preselected value
B67D 7/3218
Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid: relating to emergency shut-off means
F16K 17/40
Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves: with a fracturing member, e.g. fracturing diaphragm, glass, fusible joint
F16L 55/1007
Means for stopping flow in pipes or hoses: couplings closed automatically when broken