Two piece molded female coupling

• US 5,052,725 A
• Filed: 05/02/1990
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Colder Products Company (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Colder Products Company (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Meyer, David W., Blenkush, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bordas, Carol I.
• Application Number:
  US07/519,339
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 285/308, 285/305, 285/374, 285/403, 285/317
• US Class Current: 285/308
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0841 by means of a transversally slidable locking member surrounding the tube

Abstract

A one piece female coupling member (24) having a front end and back end, the female coupling member (24) defining a path (34) for the flow of fluid therethrough. A male coupling member (22) having a front end and a back end and defining a path (32) for the flow of fluid therethrough, the front end of the male coupling member (22) being insertable into the front end of the female coupling member (24). A seal (36) cooperates with an external surface of the male coupling member (22) and an internal surface of the female coupling member (24) for providing a fluid tight seal therebetween. A one piece quick connecting/disconnecting clip member (26) is slidably mounted in a slot (58) of the female coupling member. The clip member (26) is slidable between a connecting position wherein it engages the male coupling member and a disconnecting position wherein it is disengaged from the male coupling member, the clip member (26) being biased toward the connecting position by a resilient biasing member ( 74).

Claims

1. A quick connecting/disconnecting coupling, comprising:

(a) a one piece female coupling member having a front end and a back end, the female coupling member defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough;

(b) a male coupling member having a front end and a back end and defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough, the front end of a male coupling member being insertable into the front end of the female coupling member;

(c) seal means cooperating with an external surface of the male coupling member and an internal surface of the female coupling member for providing a fluid tight seal therebetween; and

(d) a one piece plastic quick connecting/disconnecting clip member slidably mounted on the female coupling member including means for retaining said clip member in the female coupling member, the clip member slidable between a connecting position wherein it engages the male coupling member and a disconnecting position wherein it is a disengaged from the male coupling member, the clip member further including a resilient biasing member of one piece with the clip member, the clip member being biased toward the connecting position by the biasing member, the clip member further including a plate portion, the plate portion defining an aperture alignable with the male coupling member and of larger diameter than the front end portion of the male coupling member, the resilient biasing member engaging the female coupling member at a distal end of the resilient biasing member, clearance being provided between the biasing member and the female coupling member intermediate of the distal end of the resilient biasing member and a point of attachment to the clip member.

2. A quick connecting/disconnecting coupling in accordance with claim 1, wherein the clip member is slidably disposed in a slot extending transversely of the female coupling member, the male coupling member having a recess in its surface alignable with the slot upon insertion of the male coupling member a predetermined distance into the female coupling member.

3. A quick connecting/disconnecting coupling in accordance with claim 2, wherein the slot is of greater width proximate an upper end than a lower end, the clip member including projections disposed along its side edges engageable with shoulder portions of the slot at the intersection of the upper and lower end.

4. A quick connecting/disconnecting coupling in accordance with claim 2, wherein the clip member includes a tab portion.

5. A female coupling member, comprising:

(a) a one piece integrally molded plastic housing having a front end and a back end and defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough, a slot being defined in said housing and extending generally transversely of the housing; and

(b) a one piece integrally molded quick connecting/ disconnecting clip member slidably mountable in the housing slot, the clip member being retained against axial movement by the housing, the clip member being slidable between a first position and a second position, the clip member projecting into the fluid pathway where said clip member is engageable with a male coupling member to hold the male coupling member within the front end of the female coupling member when in the second position, the clip member being biased into the second position, the clip member further including a plate portion extending generally transversely of the female coupling, the plate portion defining an aperture therein alignable with the male coupling member, the clip member further including a resilient biasing member of one piece with the clip member having an at rest position, the resilient biasing member being displaced from its at rest position and in a displaced position when the clip member is in the first position, the biasing member tending to bias the clip member back to the second position when in the displaced position, the resilient biasing member engaging the housing at a distal end of the resilient biasing member, clearance being provided between the biasing member and the housing intermediate of the distal end of the resilient biasing member at the point of attachment to the clip member.

6. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 5, wherein the clip member has a tab portion extending generally axially of the female coupling member.

7. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 6, wherein the resilient biasing member extends generally axially of the housing.

8. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 7, wherein the housing is cut partially away to provide additional clearance between the resilient biasing member and the housing.

9. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 7, wherein the tab portion and plate portion of the clip member and the housing are more rigid than the resilient biasing member.

10. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 7, wherein the housing is provided with a raised surface extending about its circumference, the raised surface cooperating with the distal end of the resilient biasing member to restrict transverse movement of the distal end of the biasing member toward the fluid pathway of the housing.

11. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 7, wherein the plate portion includes an edge portion of less thickness than the plate portion which projects into the fluid pathway in the second position.

12. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 7, wherein the clip member receiving slot extends transversely through the female coupling housing.

13. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 7, wherein the plate portion includes projections cooperating with the housing to retain the clip member in the housing.

14. A female coupling member in accordance with claim 7, wherein the plate portion includes oppositely facing, substantially flat major surfaces and spaced apart side edges, the projections including barbed portions located along the side edges of the plate member engageable with shoulder portions along sides of the clip member receiving slot.

15. A female coupling member, comprising:

(a) a one piece integrally molded plastic housing having a front end and a back end and defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough, a slot being defined in said housing and extending generally transversely of the housing; and

(b) a one piece integrally molded quick connecting/disconnecting clip member slidably mountable in the housing slot, the clip member being retained against axial movement by the housing, the clip member being slidable between a first position and a second position, the clip member projecting into the fluid pathway when in the second position, the clip member further including a plate portion extending generally transversely of the female coupling, the plate portion defining an aperture therein alignable with the male coupling member, the clip member further including an integral resilient biasing member having an at rest position, the resilient biasing member being displaced from its at rest position and in a displaced position when the clip member is in the first position, the biasing member tending to bias the clip member back to the second position when in the displaced position, the clip member further including a tab portion extending generally axially of the female coupling member, the resilient biasing member extending generally axially of the housing and engaging the housing at a distal end of the resilient biasing member, clearance being provided between the biasing member and the housing intermediate of the distal end of the resilient biasing member and the point of attachment to the clip member, the housing being provided with a raised surface cooperating with the distal end of the resilient biasing member to restrict transverse movement of the distal end of the biasing member toward the fluid pathway of the housing.