CONNECTOR APPARATUS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tube-to-tube connector apparatus comprising:
- a hollow and polymeric body;
a seal located within the body;
a hollow and polymeric male adaptor extending from the body, the male adaptor having a substantially circular periphery cross-sectionally smaller as compared to the body; and
a retainer located within and coupled to the body, the retainer including a central aperture defined at least in part by a plurality of inwardly and forwardly projecting tube-engaging teeth.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A connector apparatus is provided. In another aspect, at least a majority of a connector apparatus is a polymeric material. A further aspect of a connector apparatus couples together multiple tubes, which may optionally be of different materials. Yet another aspect employs a connector apparatus which can be of a quick connect variety to one or more tubes without requiring threaded engagement of the tube, thereby avoiding undesired thread stripping and/or thread misalignment.
22 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A tube-to-tube connector apparatus comprising:
-
a hollow and polymeric body; a seal located within the body; a hollow and polymeric male adaptor extending from the body, the male adaptor having a substantially circular periphery cross-sectionally smaller as compared to the body; and a retainer located within and coupled to the body, the retainer including a central aperture defined at least in part by a plurality of inwardly and forwardly projecting tube-engaging teeth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A tube-to-tube connector apparatus comprising:
-
a polymeric adaptor including a through-bore and an exterior surface, the exterior surface being defined by enlarged and reduced circumference configurations; a polymeric body including a through-bore, the body further including an attachment feature; a seal located within the body; a polymeric collar including an attachment feature disengageably attaching with the attachment feature of the body through at least rotational movement, part of the collar being internal to the body and part of the collar being externally accessible from beyond the body in all assembled conditions. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A connector assembly comprising:
-
(a) a polymeric connector comprising a hollow body and a hollow male adaptor extending from the body, and a hollow annular member rotatably coupled to the body adjacent an end opposite the adaptor; (b) a retainer entirely located within the body, the retainer including an outer circular ring within which is a central aperture, at least four projections inwardly extending from the ring; (c) a first tube attached to the male adaptor; and (d) a second, metallic tube having a constant cylindrical section attached to the projections of the retainer and located internally within the hollow of the annular member. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of connecting together multiple tubes, the method comprising:
-
(a) inserting a first tube over a male end of a polymeric connector; (b) inserting a second tube of metallic material inside a female end of the polymeric connector in a substantially linear manner with less than half the insertion force being required as compared to the extraction force required to linearly pull out the second tube from the assembled connector; (c) sealing the second tube within the polymeric connector such that the opening of the second tube is aligned with a through-bore of the male end; (d) securing the tubes to the polymeric conhector without requiring a heated coupling; and (e) allowing disengagement of the second tube from the connector through at least a rotational motion. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification