Fluid conduit coupling assembly having male and female couplers with integral valves

• US 20070169825A1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Original Assignee: Value Plastics Incorporated (Nordson Corporation)
• Inventors: Packham, Trent Turner, Townsend, Raymond, Cairns, Richard, Hofheins, Leonard, Elshof, Robert, Lombardi, Francis, Niven, Gregg
• Granted Patent: US 7,806,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/614.50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/226 Spindles or actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/229 Stopcocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/22 Valves or arrangement of valves A61M39/02, A61M39/0247, A61M39/16 take precedence; regulating valves in infusion systems A61M5/16881; in devices worn by the patient for the reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge, or in colostomy devices A61F5/4405
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/32 at least one of two lift valves being opened automatically when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87957 Valves actuate each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87965 Valve- or closure-operated by coupling motion

Abstract

The present invention is a fluid conduit coupling assembly for coupling a first fluid conduit to a second fluid conduit. The fluid conduit coupling assembly comprises a first coupler and a second coupler. The first coupler is for connecting to the first fluid conduit and comprises a first housing and a first valve. The first valve comprises a first lever arm. The second coupler is for connecting to the second fluid conduit and comprises a second housing and a second valve. The second valve comprises a second lever arm. When a force is applied to couple together the couplers, at least a portion of said force is communicated to each lever arm, thereby causing each valve to pivot from a closed position to an open position. The first valve and first lever arm are contained within the first housing, and the second valve and second lever arm are contained within the second housing.

Claims

1. A fluid conduit coupling assembly for coupling a first fluid conduit to a second fluid conduit, the fluid conduit coupling assembly comprising:

a first coupler including a first mating end, a first attachment end for attaching to the first fluid conduit, a first fluid flow path extending between the first mating end and the first attachment end, and a first valve in the first fluid flow path; and

a second coupler including a second mating end for mating with the first mating end, a second attachment end for attaching to the second fluid conduit, a second fluid flow path extending between the second mating end and the second attachment end, and a first member adapted to open the first valve when the first and second mating ends are mated together such that the first and second fluid flow paths are joined.

2. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the second coupler further includes a second valve in the second fluid flow path, and the first coupler further includes a second member adapted to open the second valve when the first and second mating ends are mated together such that the first and second fluid flow paths are joined.

3. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve is pivotal between an open position and a closed position.

4. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 3, wherein the first valve is a stopcock, plug valve or ball valve.

5. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 3, wherein the first valve includes a lever arm and the first member encounters the lever arm when the first and second mating ends are mated together, thereby causing the valve to pivot to the open position.

6. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 5, wherein the first valve is biased to the closed position.

7. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 6, wherein the first valve is biased via a helical spring.

8. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the first fluid flow path has a non-circular cross-section through the first valve.

9. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 8, wherein said cross-section is generally rectangular.

17. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the first fluid flow path has a non-circular cross-section through the first valve.

18. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 17, wherein said cross-section is generally rectangular.

10. A fluid conduit coupling assembly for coupling a first fluid conduit to a second fluid conduit, the fluid conduit coupling assembly comprising:

a first coupler including a first mating end, a first attachment end for attaching to the first fluid conduit, a first fluid flow path extending between the first mating end and the first attachment end, a first valve in the first fluid flow path, and a first valve actuator operably coupled to the first valve; and

a second coupler including a second mating end for mating with the first mating end, a second attachment end for attaching to the second fluid conduit, and a second fluid flow path extending between the second mating end and the second attachment end,

wherein when the first and second mating ends are mated together such that the first and second fluid flow paths are joined, the first valve actuator abuts against a portion of the second coupler and is displaced, thereby causing the first valve to open.

11. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 10, wherein the second coupler further includes a second valve in the second fluid flow path and a second valve actuator operably coupled to the second valve, wherein when the first and second mating ends are mated together such that the first and second fluid flow paths are joined, the second valve actuator abuts against a portion of the first coupler and is displaced, thereby causing the second valve to open.

12. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 11, wherein said portion of the second coupler is the second valve actuator and said portion of the first coupler is the first valve actuator.

13. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 10, wherein the first valve is pivotal between an open position and a closed position.

14. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 13, wherein the first valve is a stopcock, plug valve or ball valve.

15. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 10, wherein the first valve is biased to a closed position.

16. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 15, wherein the first valve is biased to a closed position via a biasing member acting on the first valve actuator.

19. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 10, wherein the first valve actuator retreats into the first coupler upon abutting against said portion of the second coupler.

20. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 10, wherein the first valve actuator displaces in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first fluid flow path upon abutting against said portion of the second coupler.

21. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 10, wherein the first valve actuator telescopically displaces about the first fluid flow path upon abutting against said portion of the second coupler.

22. A fluid conduit coupling assembly for coupling a first fluid conduit to a second fluid conduit, the fluid conduit coupling assembly comprising:

a first coupler for connecting to the first fluid conduit and comprising a first housing and a first valve, wherein the first valve comprises a first lever arm; and

a second coupler for connecting to the second fluid conduit and comprising a second housing and a second valve, wherein the second valve comprises a second lever arm,

wherein when a force is applied to couple together the couplers, at least a portion of said force is communicated to each lever arm, thereby causing each valve to pivot from a closed position to an open position.

23. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 22, wherein the first valve and first lever arm are contained within the first housing, and the second valve and second lever arm are contained within the second housing.

24. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 22, wherein the first coupler further comprises a first structural member, the second coupler further comprises a second structural member, and when the couplers are coupled together, the first structural member extends into the second coupler to contact the second lever arm and the second structural member extends into the first coupler to contact the first lever arm.

25. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 22, wherein the first coupler further comprises a first body operably coupled to the first lever arm, the second coupler further comprises a second body operably coupled to the second lever arm, and wherein when the couplers are coupled together, the first body is displaced relative to the first housing via contact with a portion of the second coupler and the second body is displaced relative to the second housing via contact with a portion of the first coupler.

26. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 25, said portion of the first coupler is the first body and said portion of the second coupler is the second body.

27. A method of coupling a first fluid conduit to a second fluid conduit, the method comprising:

providing a first coupler connected to the first fluid conduit and a second coupler connected to the second fluid conduit, wherein the couplers each include a housing and a valve with a lever arm;

aligning a mating end of the first coupler with a mating end of the second coupler;

applying a force to the couplers to cause the mating ends to engage; and

communicating at least a portion of the force to the lever arm of each valve to cause each valve to pivot from a closed position to an open position.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein when the mating ends engage, a structural member of each coupler enters the other coupler and displaces the lever arm of said other coupler.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein when the mating ends engage, a body member of each coupler encounters a portion of the other coupler and displaces relative to its respective housing to cause its respective valve to pivot.

30. A fluid conduit coupling assembly comprising a first coupler and a second coupler, wherein the couplers are adapted to couple to each other and each coupler includes a stopcock, plug valve or ball valve that is caused to pivot from a closed position to an open position via the act of coupling together the couplers.

31. The fluid conduit coupling assembly of claim 30, wherein each valve further includes a means for causing each valve to pivot during the act of coupling together the couplers.

32. A valve comprising a valve body formed of a first polymer and received in a valve seat opening formed of a second polymer material, wherein the first polymer has a durometer range of approximately 60 to approximately 65 Rockwell R Scale, the second polymer has a durometer range of approximately 118 to approximately 122 Rockwell R Scale, and the valve body is press fit into the seat opening to cause the surfaces of the valve body and valve seat opening to interface.

33. The valve of claim 32, further comprising a fluid flow path extending through the valve body having a diameter transverse to the longitudinal length of the valve body that is at least approximately 10 percent of the diameter of the valve body.

34. The valve of claim 32, further comprising a fluid flow path extending through the valve body having a diameter transverse to the longitudinal length of the valve body that is less than approximately 75 percent of the diameter of the valve body.

35. The valve of claim 32, wherein the interface between the surfaces of the valve body and valve seat opening is the only sealing mechanism employed by the valve to prevent fluid flow between the surfaces of the valve body and valve seat opening.

36. The valve of claim 32, wherein the press fit generally maintains pressure between the interfaced surfaces of the valve body and valve seat opening in the range of approximately 2.0 psi to approximately 45.0 psi.