Non-spill connect under pressure coupler
First Claim
1. A non-spill female coupler for quick connect/disconnect coupling with a corresponding male coupler, the non-spill female coupler comprising:
- a housing having an internal bore with an open forward end configured to receive the male coupler, and a supply passage for supplying pressurized fluid to the internal bore;
a valve body slidably movable in the internal bore, the valve body defining an internal main cavity that opens to the forward end of the internal bore, and an inlet passage through the valve body for communicating the pressurized fluid from the supply passage to the main cavity;
a valve member slidably movable in the valve body toward and away from a valve seat, the valve member having a front face, wherein the front face of the valve member is configured to engage a corresponding front face of the male coupler;
a face sleeve disposed radially outwardly of the valve member and radially inwardly of the valve body, the face sleeve being axially moveable relative to the valve member and the valve body between a forward and a rearward position, wherein the face sleeve has a front face that is configured to be flush with the front face of the valve member and is configured to be flush with a front face of the valve body when the face sleeve is in the forward position; and
a piston fixed to the valve member for common movement, the piston being interposed between the main cavity on one side of the piston and a trap chamber on an opposite side of the piston;
wherein the piston includes an internal flow passage extending through the piston to enable fluid connection of the main cavity with the trap chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A quick connect/disconnect coupling having a female coupler and a corresponding male coupler. The female coupler has a non-spill configuration and includes a housing and a valve body slidably movable in the housing. A valve member is slidably movable in the valve body toward and away from a valve seat, the valve member being configured to engage the male coupler. A piston is interposed between a main cavity and a trap chamber of the female coupler. The piston may be fixed to the valve member for common movement, and may include an internal flow passage for enabling fluid connection between the main cavity and trap chamber. A check valve may allow fluid flow from the trap chamber to the main cavity when the trap chamber pressure is greater than the main cavity pressure. A locking collar may be independently movable of the valve body to reduce the force required to connect the couplers.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A non-spill female coupler for quick connect/disconnect coupling with a corresponding male coupler, the non-spill female coupler comprising:
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a housing having an internal bore with an open forward end configured to receive the male coupler, and a supply passage for supplying pressurized fluid to the internal bore; a valve body slidably movable in the internal bore, the valve body defining an internal main cavity that opens to the forward end of the internal bore, and an inlet passage through the valve body for communicating the pressurized fluid from the supply passage to the main cavity; a valve member slidably movable in the valve body toward and away from a valve seat, the valve member having a front face, wherein the front face of the valve member is configured to engage a corresponding front face of the male coupler; a face sleeve disposed radially outwardly of the valve member and radially inwardly of the valve body, the face sleeve being axially moveable relative to the valve member and the valve body between a forward and a rearward position, wherein the face sleeve has a front face that is configured to be flush with the front face of the valve member and is configured to be flush with a front face of the valve body when the face sleeve is in the forward position; and a piston fixed to the valve member for common movement, the piston being interposed between the main cavity on one side of the piston and a trap chamber on an opposite side of the piston; wherein the piston includes an internal flow passage extending through the piston to enable fluid connection of the main cavity with the trap chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-spill female coupler for quick connect/disconnect coupling with a corresponding male coupler, the non-spill female coupler comprising:
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a housing having an internal bore with an open forward end configured to receive the male coupler, and a supply passage for supplying pressurized fluid to the internal bore; a valve body slidably movable in the internal bore, the valve body defining an internal main cavity that opens to the forward end of the internal bore, and an inlet passage through the valve body for communicating the pressurized fluid from the supply passage to the main cavity; a valve member slidably movable in the valve body toward and away from a valve seat, the valve member having a front face, wherein the front face of the valve member is configured to engage a corresponding front face of the male coupler; and a piston fixed to the valve member for common movement, the piston being interposed between the main cavity on one side of the piston and a trap chamber on an opposite side of the piston; wherein the piston includes an internal flow passage extending through the piston to enable fluid connection of the main cavity with the trap chamber; wherein the housing includes an outlet passage in fluid communication with a low pressure line; wherein the female coupler further comprises a relief valve configured to open and close a flow path between the trap chamber and the outlet passage; wherein, when the relief valve is activated, the flow path is opened to allow flow from the trap chamber to the outlet passage, thereby reducing pressure in the trap chamber and allowing the piston to shift rearwardly; wherein the relief valve is a first relief valve, and the female coupler further comprising a second relief valve configured to cooperate with the piston, the piston carrying a sealing surface for sealingly engaging the second relief valve; wherein, when the first relief valve is activated and the flow path is opened to allow flow from the trap chamber to the outlet passage, the pressure in the trap chamber is reduced such that the piston moves to disengage the piston sealing surface from the second relief valve, thereby enabling a flow path to open from the main cavity to the outlet passage across the piston internal flow passage and the trap chamber. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A non-spill female coupler for quick connect/disconnect coupling with a corresponding male coupler, the non-spill female coupler comprising:
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a housing having an internal bore with an open forward end configured to receive the male coupler, and a supply passage for supplying pressurized fluid to the internal bore; a valve body slidably movable in the internal bore, the valve body defining an internal main cavity that opens to the forward end of the internal bore, and an inlet passage through the valve body for communicating the pressurized fluid from the supply passage to the main cavity; a valve member slidably movable in the valve body toward and away from a valve seat, the valve member having a front face, wherein the front face of the valve member is configured to engage a corresponding front face of the male coupler; and a piston fixed to the valve member for common movement, the piston being interposed between the main cavity on one side of the piston and a trap chamber on an opposite side of the piston; wherein the piston includes an internal flow passage extending through the piston to enable fluid connection of the main cavity with the trap chamber; wherein the non-spill female coupler further comprises; a cylindrical face sleeve axially moveable relative to the valve body, the face sleeve having a front face, wherein the front face of the face sleeve is configured to be engageable with the front face of the male coupler when the male coupler is inserted into the female coupler; a sleeve spring urging the face sleeve forwardly; and a sealing sleeve disposed radially inwardly of the valve body and slidably movable in the main cavity, the sealing sleeve defining the valve seat toward the forward end of the main cavity; wherein the sealing sleeve is disposed radially inwardly of the face sleeve and axially moveable relative to the face sleeve, the sealing sleeve having a radially outward shoulder that is engageable with the face sleeve to move the sealing sleeve forward or rearward in response to axial movement of the face sleeve.
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15. A non-spill female coupler for quick connect/disconnect coupling with a corresponding male coupler, the non-spill female coupler comprising:
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a housing having an internal bore with an open forward end configured to receive the male coupler, and a supply passage for supplying pressurized fluid to the internal bore; a hydrostatically balanced valve body slidably movable in the internal bore, the valve body defining a main cavity that opens to the forward end of the housing internal bore, and an inlet passage through the valve body for communicating the pressurized fluid from the supply passage to the main cavity; a valve member slidably movable in the valve body toward and away from a valve seat, the valve member having a front face, wherein the front face of the valve member is configured to engage a corresponding front face of the male coupler; an unbalanced piston interposed between the main cavity and a trap chamber rearward of the piston, the unbalanced piston configured to move the valve member within the valve body; and a locking collar toward the open forward end of the internal bore, the locking collar being axially movable in a collar chamber between forward and rearward positions; wherein a spring is configured to bias the locking collar forwardly such that the axial movement of the locking collar during the coupling of the male coupler is independent of the movement of valve body; wherein the non-spill female coupler further comprises; a cylindrical face sleeve axially moveable relative to the valve body, the face sleeve having a front face, wherein the front face of the face sleeve is configured to be engageable with the front face of the male coupler when the male coupler is inserted into the female coupler; and a sleeve spring configured to urge the face sleeve forwardly; wherein the locking collar cooperates with the face sleeve, such that the face sleeve is operative to support at least one locking element radially outwardly at an unlock position when the face sleeve is in a forward position, and when the face sleeve is moved rearwardly to unsupport the locking element, the locking collar is operative to urge the locking element radially inwardly into a locking groove of the male coupler and hold the locking element in a locking position. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A non-spill female coupler for quick connect/disconnect coupling with a corresponding male coupler, the non-spill female coupler comprising:
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a housing having an internal bore with an open forward end configured to receive the male coupler, and a supply passage for supplying pressurized fluid to the internal bore; a valve body slidably movable in the internal bore, the valve body defining an internal main cavity that opens to the forward end of the internal bore, and an inlet passage through the valve body for communicating the pressurized fluid from the supply passage to the main cavity; a valve member slidably movable in the valve body toward and away from a valve seat, the valve member having a front face, wherein the front face of the valve member is configured to engage a corresponding front face of the male coupler; a piston fixed to the valve member for common movement, the piston being interposed between the main cavity on one side of the piston and a trap chamber on an opposite side of the piston; and a check valve configured to allow fluid flow from the trap chamber to the main cavity when the pressure in the trap chamber is greater than the pressure in the main cavity; wherein the piston carries a sealing surface configured to cooperate with the piston to open and close a flow path between the trap chamber and the main cavity. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification