Quick connect coupling assembly

• US 20100111600A1
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swiftipet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DeBien Products, Inc.
• Inventors: De Bien, Humberto
• Granted Patent: US 7,954,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/375
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/005 Quick-couplings, safety-couplings or shock-absorbing devices between leash and collar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 24/47 Selectively interlocking member having movably attached or biased interlocking component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45482 and operator therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45508 and spring or resilient extension biasing about pivot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45529 Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45576 and connected surface at tip of head
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45581 having inserted end formed by oppositely biased surface segments

Abstract

A quick connect coupling assembly has a first and second component, and a locking assembly structured to retain the components in an attached orientation with one another. The locking assembly includes a plurality of locking elements each having a locking arm with a locking member mounted to a distal end, wherein the locking members are maintained in an outwardly extending orientation by a biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism comprises a spring mounted between oppositely disposed locking elements, wherein the spring is structured to maintain the locking members in an outwardly extending orientation. The quick connect coupling assembly also includes a release mechanism to permit the locking members to be temporarily disposed into a retracted orientation, thereby permitting the first and second components to be detached from one another.

Claims

1. A quick connect coupling assembly structured to allow quick connection and quick release, said coupling assembly comprising:

a first component and a second component cooperatively structured to assume an attached orientation,

a locking assembly structured to retain said first component and said second component in said attached orientation,

said locking assembly comprising a plurality of locking elements disposed in a movably engaging relation with said first component,

each of said locking elements comprising a locking arm having a locking member disposed at one end thereof,

said locking members structured to be disposed in an outwardly extending locking orientation,

said outwardly extending locking orientation at least partially defined by said locking members structured to engage at least a portion of said second component in an abutting relation to prevent detachment of said second component from said first component while disposed in said attached orientation,

a biasing mechanism structured to normally dispose and maintain said locking members in said outwardly extending locking orientation,

said biasing mechanism comprises a spring mounted between oppositely disposed ones of said plurality of locking elements wherein said spring is structured to maintain corresponding ones of said locking members in said normally disposed outwardly extending orientation, and

a release mechanism structured to permit said locking members to be temporarily disposed into an inwardly retracted release orientation.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first component comprises a fixed portion and a moveable portion wherein said moveable portion is rotatably attached to said fixed portion and is structured to swivel relative thereto.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a swivel member attached to one of said first component or said second component via a ball and socket interconnection.

4. A quick connect coupling assembly structured to allow quick connection and quick release, said coupling assembly comprising:

a first component and a second component cooperatively structured to assume an attached orientation,

a locking assembly structured to retain said first component and said second component in said attached orientation,

said locking assembly comprising a plurality of locking elements disposed in a movably engaging relation with said first component,

each of said locking elements comprising a locking arm having a locking member disposed at one end thereof,

said locking members structured to be normally disposed and maintained in an outwardly extending locking orientation,

said outwardly extending locking orientation at least partially defined by said locking members structured to engage at least a portion of said second component in an abutting relation to prevent detachment of said second component from said first component while disposed in said attached orientation,

a biasing mechanism structured to normally dispose and maintain said locking members in said outwardly extending locking orientation,

said biasing mechanism comprises a spring mounted between oppositely disposed ones of said plurality of locking elements wherein said spring is structured to maintain corresponding ones of said locking members in said normally disposed outwardly extending orientation,

a release mechanism structured to permit said locking members to be temporarily disposed into an inwardly retracted release orientation, and

a safety mechanism structured to prevent unintentional activation of said release mechanism.

5. The assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said release mechanism comprises at least one release member mounted to one of said plurality of locking elements.

6. The assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said release member is structured to be normally disposed in an outwardly extending orientation while said locking assembly is disposed in said locking orientation.

7. The assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said release member is disposable into a release orientation thereby temporarily disposing said locking members into said inwardly retracted release orientation such that said first component and said second component may be detached from one another.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said safety mechanism is structured to prevent unintentional disposition of said release member into said release orientation.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said safety mechanism is structured and normally disposed in a safety on configuration substantially overlying said release member.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said safety mechanism is structured and disposable into a safety off configuration substantially exposing said release member to permit disposition into said release orientation.

11. A quick connect coupling assembly structured to allow quick connection and quick release, said coupling assembly comprising:

a first component and a second component cooperatively structured to assume an attached orientation when disposed into a predetermined alignment with one another,

a locking assembly structured to retain said first component and said second component in said attached orientation,

said locking assembly comprising a plurality of locking elements movably interconnected to said first component,

each of said locking elements comprising a locking arm having a locking member disposed at one end thereof,

said locking members structured to be normally disposed and maintained in an outwardly extending locking orientation,

said outwardly extending locking orientation at least partially defined by said locking members structured to engage at least a portion of said second component in an abutting relation to prevent detachment of said second component from said first component while disposed in said attached orientation,

a biasing mechanism structured to normally dispose and maintain said locking members in said outwardly extending locking orientation,

said biasing mechanism comprises a spring mounted between oppositely disposed ones of said plurality of locking elements wherein said spring is structured to maintain corresponding ones of said locking members in said normally disposed outwardly extending orientation,

an attraction assembly structured to automatically position said first component and said second component into said predetermined alignment when said components are disposed in an attachment range of one another, and

a release mechanism structured to permit said locking members to be temporarily disposed into an inwardly retracted release orientation.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said locking elements are interconnected to said first component.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said attraction assembly comprises at least one attraction element mounted to one of said first component or said second component.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said attraction assembly comprises a plurality of magnetic attraction elements.

15. The assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein at least one of said plurality of magnetic attraction elements is mounted to each of said first and second components, said magnetic attraction elements being structured and disposed to create an attractive magnetic force to facilitate disposition of said first and second components into said predetermined alignment.

16. The assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said attractive magnetic force is selectively adjustable.

17. The assembly as recited in claim 16 further comprising at least one shielding element structured to direct said attractive magnetic force between said magnetic elements.

18. The assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein said at least one shielding element is further structured to prevent said attractive magnetic force from attracting an unintended object.