LOCKING MECHANISM FOR REFRIGERANT LINE CAPS
First Claim
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1. A locking refrigerant line cap, comprising:
- an outer housing body;
an inner housing body including a key recess, the inner housing body being disposed within the outer housing body; and
a key disposed within the key recess of the inner housing body, wherein the key resides in a normally unlocked position where the outer housing body freely rotates about the inner housing body, further wherein placement of a magnet adjacent the outer housing body moves the key from its normally unlocked position to a locked position where the key engages both the key recess of the inner housing body and the outer housing body such that the inner housing body rotates with the outer housing body.
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Abstract
A locking refrigerant line cap includes an outer housing body, an inner housing body disposed within the outer housing body, and a key. The inner housing body includes a key recess, and the key is disposed within the key recess of the inner housing body. The key resides in a normally unlocked position where the outer housing body freely rotates about the inner housing body. However, placement of a magnet adjacent the outer housing body moves the key from its normally unlocked position to a locked position where the key engages both the key recess of the inner housing body and the outer housing body such that the inner housing body rotates with the outer housing body.
2 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A locking refrigerant line cap, comprising:
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an outer housing body; an inner housing body including a key recess, the inner housing body being disposed within the outer housing body; and a key disposed within the key recess of the inner housing body, wherein the key resides in a normally unlocked position where the outer housing body freely rotates about the inner housing body, further wherein placement of a magnet adjacent the outer housing body moves the key from its normally unlocked position to a locked position where the key engages both the key recess of the inner housing body and the outer housing body such that the inner housing body rotates with the outer housing body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of securing a locking refrigerant line cap to a refrigerant line valve, comprising:
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providing a locking refrigerant line cap comprising; an outer housing body including a keyway, an inner housing body including a key recess, wherein the inner housing body is disposed within the outer housing body, a plate disposed within the key recess, and a key disposed atop the plate within the key recess, wherein the key resides in a normally unlocked position where the outer housing body freely rotates about the inner housing body; placing the locking refrigerant line cap over the refrigerant line valve; placing a magnet adjacent the outer housing body, wherein a magnetic force of the magnet overcomes a magnetic force between the plate and the key; rotating the outer housing body about the inner housing body until the key recess of the inner housing body aligns with the keyway of the outer housing body; moving the key with the magnetic force of the magnet to a position where the key engages both the key recess of the inner housing body and the keyway of the outer housing body, thereby locking the inner housing body with the outer housing body such that the inner housing body rotates with the outer housing body; rotating the outer housing body including the inner housing body locked with the outer housing body such that the inner housing body engages the refrigerant line valve; and removing the magnet from the outer housing body, whereby the magnetic force between the key and the plate moves the key back onto the plate, thereby returning the key to its unlocked position.
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26. A method of securing a locking refrigerant line cap to a refrigerant line valve, comprising:
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providing a locking refrigerant line cap comprising an inner housing body disposed in an outer housing body and a cover securable with the outer housing body such that the cover and the outer housing body freely rotate about the inner housing body; placing the locking refrigerant line cap over the refrigerant line valve; placing a magnet adjacent the cover; rotating the cover and the outer housing body about the inner housing body until a key recess of the inner housing body aligns with a key slot of the cover; moving with a magnet force of the magnet a key disposed within the key recess of the inner housing body to a position whereby the key engages both the key recess of the inner housing body and the key slot of the cover, thereby locking the inner housing body with the cover such that the inner housing body rotates with the cover and the outer housing body; rotating the cover and the outer housing body including the inner housing body locked with the cover such that the inner housing body engages the refrigerant line valve; and removing the magnet from the cover whereby a biasing member disposed between the cover and the inner housing body biases the key from the key slot and into the key recess, thereby releasing the inner housing body from the cover such that the cover and the outer housing body freely rotate about the inner housing body.
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Specification