Squeeze-to-release quick connector
First Claim
1. A squeeze-to-release quick connector adapted for selective locking engagement with a male member defining an outwardly extending abutment surface, said quick connector comprising:
- a generally cylindrical, elongated body portion open at one end for receiving said male member and forming a conduit receiving adapter at an opposite end;
an annular retaining ring disposed concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end;
two circumferentially opposed, generally parallel, axially elongated beam members interconnecting said retaining ring and body portion, each said beam member affixed at one end thereof to said retaining ring and at an opposed end thereof to said body portion; and
at least two circumferentially spaced detents extending inwardly from said retaining ring to capture said abutment surface to effect positive engagement of said quick connector and male member, the detents extending from the opposed end of the beam members and radially spaced from said beam members by a slot, means, formed on and extending axially from each detent and spaced from the adjacent beam member for exhibiting radially inward bending movement into engagement with a male member inserted into the body portion to resist pulloff of the male member when the retaining ring is in a normal state, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from said beam members to release said abutment surface of a male member from engagement with said detents for removal of said male member.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A squeeze-to-release quick connector for engaging a flanged male member includes a cylindrical body portion which is open at one end for receiving the male member and forms a conduit receiving adapter at its opposite end. An annular retainer ring is axially spaced from the open end and is attached to the body portion by two circumferentially opposed, generally parallel axially elongated beam members. Each beam member is affixed at one end to the retaining ring and at an opposed end to a mount located on the body portion axially spaced from the open end. Two circumferentially spaced detents extend inwardly from a retaining ring to capture the male abutment surface to effect positive engagement therebetween. The opposed ends of the beam members extends axially beyond an abutment surface of the detents and is spaced from the detents. A finger is formed on each detent extending axially from the abutment surface of the detent toward the open end of the body portion and is spaced from the adjacent beam member.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A squeeze-to-release quick connector adapted for selective locking engagement with a male member defining an outwardly extending abutment surface, said quick connector comprising:
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a generally cylindrical, elongated body portion open at one end for receiving said male member and forming a conduit receiving adapter at an opposite end; an annular retaining ring disposed concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end; two circumferentially opposed, generally parallel, axially elongated beam members interconnecting said retaining ring and body portion, each said beam member affixed at one end thereof to said retaining ring and at an opposed end thereof to said body portion; and at least two circumferentially spaced detents extending inwardly from said retaining ring to capture said abutment surface to effect positive engagement of said quick connector and male member, the detents extending from the opposed end of the beam members and radially spaced from said beam members by a slot, means, formed on and extending axially from each detent and spaced from the adjacent beam member for exhibiting radially inward bending movement into engagement with a male member inserted into the body portion to resist pulloff of the male member when the retaining ring is in a normal state, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from said beam members to release said abutment surface of a male member from engagement with said detents for removal of said male member. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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2. A squeeze-to-release quick connector adapted for selective locking engagement with a male member defining an outwardly extending abutment surface, said quick connector comprising:
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a generally cylindrical, elongated body portion open at one end for receiving said male member and forming a conduit receiving adapter at an opposite end; an annular retaining ring disposed concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end;
.two circumferentially opposed, generally parallel, axially elongated beam members interconnecting said retaining ring and body portion, each said beam member affixed at one end thereof to said retaining ring and at an opposed end thereof to said body portion; and at least two circumferentially spaced detents extending inwardly from said retaining ring to capture said abutment surface to effect positive engagement of said quick connector and male member, the detents extending from the opposed end of the beam members and radially spaced from said beam members by a slot, an abutment surface formed on each detent releasibly engagable with the abutment surface on the male member inserted into the body portion, a finger formed on each detent and extending axially from the abutment surface of each detent toward the open end of the body portion, the finger spaced from the adjacent beam member, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from the beam members to release the abutment surface of the male member from engagement with the detents for removal of the male member. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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21. A squeeze-to-release quick connector adapted for selective locking engagement with a male member defining an outwardly extending abutment surface, said quick connector comprising:
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a generally cylindrical, elongated body portion open at one end for receiving said male member and forming a conduit receiving adapter at an opposite end; an annular retaining ring disposed concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end, said retaining ring including two circumferentially opposed gripping surfaces adapted to be squeezed to effect release on an outer surface thereof; two circumferentially opposed, generally parallel, axially elongated beam members interconnecting said retaining ring and body portion, each said beam member affixed at one end thereof to said retaining ring and at an opposed end thereof to a mount located on said body portion axially spaced from said open end and extending radially outward from said body portion such that said beam members are radially spaced from said body portion, said beam members extending generally parallel to an outside surface of said body portion and angularly offset from said gripping surfaces on said retaining ring; at least two circumferentially spaced detents extending inwardly from said retaining ring to capture said abutment surface to effect positive engagement of said quick connector and male member, the detents extending axially from the opposed end of the beam members and radially spaced from and substantially angularly aligned with said beam members, each detent having an abutment surface formed thereon, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at said gripping surfaces to release said abutment surface on a male member from engagement with said detents for removal of said male member; a finger formed on each detent and extending axially from the abutment surface of each detent toward the open end of the body portion; and a slot formed between each finger and the adjacent beam member permitting radially inward bending of the finger into engagement with a male member inserted into the female member to resist pulloff of the male member when the retaining ring is in a normal state.
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22. A squeeze-to-release quick connector assembly comprising:
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a generally tubular male part having an outwardly extending abutment surface; and a female part including a generally cylindrical elongated body portion open at one end for receiving said male part and forming a conduit receiving adapter at an opposite end, said female part further including an annular retaining ring disposed concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end, said retaining ring joined to said body portion by two circumferentially opposed parallel, axially elongated beam members, each beam member affixed at one end thereof to said retaining ring and at an opposed end thereof to said body portion, said retaining ring including two circumferentially spaced inwardly extending detents operative to engage said abutment surface to effect interlocking of said male and female parts, the detents extending axially from the opposed end of the beam members and radially spaced from the beam members by a slot, means, formed on and extending axially from each detent and spaced from the adjacent beam member for exhibiting radially inward bending movement into engagement with a male member inserted into the body portion to resist pulloff of the male member when the retaining ring is in a normal state, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from said beam members to release said abutment surface from said detents for removal of said male part. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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23. A squeeze-to-release quick connector assembly comprising:
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a generally tubular male part having an outwardly extending abutment surface; and a female part including a generally cylindrical elongated body portion open at one end for receiving said male part and forming a conduit receiving adapter at an opposite end, said female part further including an annular retaining ring disposed concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end, said retaining ring joined to said body portion by two circumferentially opposed parallel, axially elongated beam members, each beam member affixed at one end thereof to said retaining ring and at an opposed end thereof to said body portion, said retaining ring including two circumferentially spaced inwardly extending detents operative to engage said abutment surface to effect interlocking of said male and female parts, the detents extending from the opposed end of the beam members and radially spaced from the beam members by a slot, an abutment surface formed on each detent releasibly engagable with an abutment surface on the male part when the male part is inserted into the female part, a finger formed on each detent and extending axially from the abutment surface of each detent toward the open end of the body portion, the finger spaced from the adjacent beam member said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from said beam members to release said abutment surface from said detents for removal of said male part. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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27. A squeeze-to-release quick connector comprising:
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a generally cylindrical body portion open at one end for receiving a male member; a substantially annular retaining ring disposed concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end; at least one beam member interconnecting said retaining ring and said body portion; and detent means carried by said retaining ring operative to capture an engagement surface on said male member in a relaxed condition and displaceable upon elastic distention of said retaining ring to release said male member, the detent means extending from the retaining ring and radially spaced from the at least one beam member by a slot, means, formed on and extending axially from each detent and spaced from the adjacent beam member for exhibiting radially inward bending movement into engagement with a male member inserted into the body portion to resist pulloff of the male member when the retaining ring is in a normal state, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from said at least one beam member to release said engagement surface on said male member from said detent means for removal of said male member. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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28. A squeeze-to-release quick connector comprising:
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a generally cylindrical body portion open at one end for receiving a male member; a substantially annular retaining ring disposed concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end; at least one beam member interconnecting said retaining ring and said body portion; and detent means carried by said retaining ring operative to capture an engagement surface on said male member in a relaxed condition and displaceable upon elastic distention of said retaining ring to release said male member, the detent means extending from the retaining ring and radially spaced from the at least one beam member by a slot, a finger formed on and extending axially from the detent means toward the open end of the body portion, the finger spaced from the adjacent beam member, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from said at least one beam member to release said male member from said detent means for removal of said male member. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification