Quick connector with seal assembly retainer
AssigneeTI Group Automotive Systems, L.L.C.
InventorsJim Kerin, Stephen Gunderson, Richard M. Pepe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A quick connector coupling for a fluid line includes a female connector body defining a through bore, a tubular male member with a raised annular upset, and a retainer demountably coupled to the connector body. A seal assembly provides a fluid tight seal between the tube and body bore. A separate outer spacer is secured to the body to receive axial load of the seal assembly. The body defines spaced arcuate locking ledges having axially inward facing radial locking surfaces. The outer spacer is a continuous annular element includes an integral radial ring defining an annular axially outward facing radial abutment surface in radial abutting relation to the locking surfaces of said body ledges.
Claims18
A quick connector coupling including:
- a connector body having a generally cylindrical, stepped interior wall surface defining a throughbore, said throughbore of said body defining a retainer housing portion having an axial wall surface and a seal chamber portion having a cylindrical wall surface of reduced diameter relative to said wall surface of said retainer housing portion;
- wherein said throughbore includes an axial cylindrical surface intermediate said axial wall surface of said retainer housing portion and said cylindrical wall surface of said seal chamber portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said axial wall surface of said retainer housing portion and larger than said diameter of said cylindrical wall surface of said seal chamber portion,
- a seal assembly disposed in said seal chamber portion for providing a fluid tight seal between said connector body and a cylindrical sealing surface of a male member and
- a generally annular separate seal assembly retainer secured to said connector body in said throughbore,
- said connector body defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced arcuate locking ledges extending radially inwardly from said intermediate axial cylindrical surface in said throughbore, each said locking ledge including an axially inward facing radial locking surface, and a radially inner arcuate axial segment,
- said seal assembly retainer including an annular axially outward facing radial abutment surface in abutting relation to said axially inward facing radial locking surfaces of said locking ledges,
- and wherein said connector body includes a conical shoulder surface extending between said axial wall surface of said retainer housing portion and said intermediate axial cylindrical surface, said conical shoulder surface further extending between said axial wall surface of said retainer housing portion and said radial inner arcuate axial segment of each said locking ledge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.