Low spill female coupling

• US 5,709,243 A
• Filed: 12/03/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aeroquip Corporation (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Aeroquip Corporation (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Wells, Michael P., Densel, David S., Vogel, Todd J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chambers, A. Michael
• Application Number:
  US08/759,998
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 137/614.01, 137/614.03, 137/614.04
• US Class Current: 137/614.03
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/23 by means of balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/34 at least one of the lift valves being of the sleeve type, i.e. a sleeve is telescoped over an inner cylindrical wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87933 Common joint and valve seat faces, or sections joined by closing members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87949 Linear motion of flow path sections operates both

Abstract

A female coupling member includes a body portion, a slideable sleeve positioned in the body portion and an axially extending stem valve sealingly engageable with the sleeve. Axial movement of the sleeve relative to the stem valve opens the female coupling member to the flow of fluid. The stem valve is provided with a cavity sized to receive a protruding nose of a male member to be attached thereto. The slideable sleeve and the stem valve are designed to receive the male coupling member including its flat insertion end and protruding nose with minimal air inclusion and minimal fluid loss upon disengagement.

Claims

1. For use with a male coupling member having (1) a body portion with an entrance end including an annular surface defining an opening communicating with an axial passageway and (2) an axially extending stem valve axially movable in said axial passageway between a closed position and an open position, said stem valve including a nose with extends through said opening and outwardly from said annular surface when said stem valve is in said closed position, a female coupling member comprising:

(a) a body having a passageway extending along an axis from a receiving end to an opposing end, said receiving end (1) sized to receive said male coupling member body portion and (2) defining an opening to said passageway;

(b) a sleeve having an engagement end and an opposing end positioned in said passageway for axial movement therein from a forward position in the vicinity of said receiving end to a retracted position closer to said opposing end;

(c) a stem valve mounted on said body and extending through said sleeve and having an enlarged head sealingly engageable with said sleeve, said sleeve and said stem valve being relatively moveable between an engaged, closed position and an open position, said enlarged head having a cavity sized to receive said nose when said male coupling member entrance end engages said sleeve engagement end; and

(d) a spring yieldingly urging said sleeve toward said forward position,

movement of said male coupling member into said female coupling member engaging said annular surface against said sleeve engagement end and said nose in said cavity and thereafter axially displacing said sleeve out of engagement with said stem valve, said female coupling member being configured such that engagement of said annular surface against said engagement end prior to axially displacing said sleeve to said open position causes those portions of the joined male coupling member and female coupling member in the area of said annular surface and said engagement end to be occupied substantially entirely by portions of said male coupling member body and stem valve and by portions of said female coupling member body, sleeve and stem valve with substantially no spaced apart areas for the accumulation of fluid.

2. A female coupling member according to claim 1, further including an annular seal extending radially inwardly into said passageway in the vicinity of said receiving end sized to sealingly receive said male coupling member body portion.

3. A female coupling member according to claim 2, wherein said annular seal is positioned to sealingly engage said male coupling member body portion simultaneously with or prior to said annular surface engaging said sleeve engagement end.

4. A female coupling member according to claim 1, wherein said stem valve is fixedly mounted in said body.

5. A female coupling member according to claim 1, wherein said stem valve is mounted for axial movement in said body of an extent which is less than the extent of axial movement of said sleeve.

6. A female coupling member according to claim 1, wherein said body includes a wall extending laterally of said axis between said sleeve and said opposing end and said stem valve is fixedly secured to said wall.

7. A female coupling member according to claim 1, wherein said body includes a wall extending laterally of said axis between said sleeve and said opposing end, said wall including an aperture, said stem valve slidingly received in said aperture for axial movement between a forward position and a retracted position closer to said opposing end and further including means yieldingly urging said stem valve toward said forward position.

8. A female coupling member according to claim 1, further including a sealing gasket providing a seal between said sleeve and said body and further including a vent in said body axially positioned between said sealing gasket and said sleeve opposing end.

9. A female coupling member according to claim 1, wherein said male coupling member includes an outwardly facing cylindrical wall portion extending away from said entrance end and a tapering wall portion extending outwardly at an acute angle to said axis to an abutment and said female coupling member body includes a first inwardly facing cylindrical wall section extending axially inwardly from said receiving end and sized to permit movement of said abutment therethrough, a second inwardly facing cylindrical wall section having a size to receive said male coupling member cylindrical wall portion in close relationship and an inwardly tapering wall portion joining said first and second inwardly facing cylindrical wall sections, said inwardly tapering wall portion positioned and disposed at an angle to receive said male coupling member tapering wall portion in substantially face-to-face relationship when said nose is received in the cavity of said stem valve enlarged head.

10. A female coupling member according to claim 9, further including an annular sealing ring extending inwardly from said second inwardly facing cylindrical wall section positioned axially to sealingly engage said male coupling member outwardly facing cylindrical wall portion prior to or simultaneously with the opening of said stem valve.

11. A female coupling member according to claim 9, wherein said body is provided with a reduced diameter cylindrical wall section between said second inwardly facing wall section and said opposing end and said sleeve is provided with (1) a sealing gasket in the vicinity of said engagement end engageable with said second inwardly facing cylindrical wall and (2) an outwardly facing cylindrical wall surface slideably received in said body reduced diameter cylindrical wall section, said body having a vent located in an axial position between said sealing gasket and said reduced diameter cylindrical wall section.

12. A female coupling member according to claim 9, wherein said female coupling member body further includes a tapered section extending from said second inwardly facing cylindrical wall section outwardly in an axial direction toward said opposing end and said sleeve is provided with an annular ring engageable with said tapered section for limiting axial movement of said sleeve toward said receiving end.

13. A female coupling member according to claim 12, wherein said female coupling member body further includes an inwardly tapering wall portion extending in an axial direction toward said opposing end positioned between said tapered section and said opposing end and said sleeve is provided with an abutting surface engageable with said body inwardly tapering wall portion.

14. A female coupling member according to claim 1, wherein said sleeve is a one-piece member.

15. A female coupling member according to claim 1, wherein said body includes a primary unit extending from said receiving end and a closure unit at said opposing end affixed to said primary unit, said closure unit including a wall extending laterally of said axis.

16. A female coupling member according to claim 15, wherein said wall has an aperture and a predetermined thickness in the axial direction and said stem valve (i) extends through said aperture and (ii) has spaced apart shoulders extending outwardly beyond said aperture on opposite sides of said wall, said shoulders being spaced apart a distance greater than said predetermined thickness to permit axial movement of said stem.

17. A female coupling member according to claim 15, wherein said wall includes a central aperture and said stem valve is slidingly received in said aperture.

25. A female coupling member according to claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 22 or 23, wherein said sleeve engagement end is provided with .an annular seal extending axially outwardly therefrom.

18. A female coupling member for use with a male coupling member having a body portion with a substantially flat annular entrance end, a cylindrical wall portion extending from said entrance end and an axially moveable valve with a nose extending outwardly from said entrance end, said female coupling member comprising

(a) a body portion having a receiving end for receiving said male member,

(b) an axially slideable sleeve positioned in said body portion for movement toward and away from said receiving end, said sleeve having a substantially flat abutment end sized to be engaged by said entrance end,

(c) means yieldingly urging said sleeve toward said receiving end,

(d) an annular seal in said body portion positioned and sized to sealingly engage said male member cylindrical wall portion,

(e) a stem valve positioned in said body portion, said stem valve sealingly engageable with said sleeve and having a free end (1) facing toward said body receiving end and (2) having a cavity contoured to receive said male coupling member nose,

engagement of said male member to said female member urging said axially slideable sleeve away from said receiving end and out of sealing engagement with said stem valve, and creating a substantially planar annulus defined by said male coupling member annular entrance end and said sleeve abutment end encircling said joined male coupling member nose and said stem valve free end such that, prior to urging said sleeve out of engagement with said stem valve, the portions of the engaged male coupling member and female coupling member encircled by and adjacent said planar annulus having substantially no spaced apart areas for presence of fluid.

19. A female coupling member according to claim 18, wherein said stem valve is mounted in an axially fixed position.

20. A female coupling member according to claim 18, wherein said stem valve is mounted for limited axial movement.

21. A female coupling according to claim 18, wherein said sleeve has an inwardly facing annular seal spaced from said abutment end and said stem valve has an enlarged head at said free end, said enlarged head being engageable to both said annular seal and said sleeve adjacent to said annular seal.

22. For use with a male coupling member having (1) a body portion with an entrance end including an annular surface defining an opening communicating with an axial passageway, an outwardly facing cylindrical wall portion adjacent said entrance end and an outwardly extending abutment spaced from said entrance end and (2) an axially extending stem valve axially movable in said axial passageway between a closed position and an open position, said stem valve including a nose which extends through said opening and outwardly from said annular surface when said stem valve is in said closed position, a female coupling member comprising:

(a) a body having a passageway extending along an axis from a receiving end to an opposing end, said receiving end (1) sized to receive said male coupling member body portion and (2) defining an opening to said passageway, a first inwardly facing cylindrical wall section extending axially inwardly from said receiving end and sized to permit movement of said abutment therethrough, a second inwardly facing cylindrical wall section having a size to receive said male coupling member cylindrical wall portion in close relationship and a tapered section extending from said second inwardly facing cylindrical wall section outwardly in an axial direction toward said opposing end;

(b) a sleeve having an engagement end and an opposing end positioned in said passageway for axial movement therein from a forward position in the vicinity of said receiving end to a retracted position closer to said opposing end, said sleeve having an annular ring engageable with said tapered section for limiting axial movement of said sleeve toward said receiving end;

(c) a stem valve mounted on said body and extending through said sleeve and having an enlarged head sealingly engageable with said sleeve, said sleeve and said stem valve being relatively moveable between an engaged, closed position and an open position, said enlarged head having a cavity sized to receive said nose when said male coupling member entrance end engages said sleeve engagement end; and

(d) a spring yieldingly urging said sleeve toward said forward position,

movement of said male coupling member into said female coupling member engaging said annular surface against said sleeve engagement end and said nose in said cavity and thereafter axially displacing said sleeve out of engagement with said stem valve.

23. A female coupling member according to claim 22, wherein said female coupling member body further includes an inwardly tapering wall portion extending in an axial direction toward said opposing end positioned between said tapered section and said opposing end and said sleeve is provided with an abutting surface engageable with said body inwardly tapering wall portion.

24. A female coupling member according to claim 22 wherein said female coupling member is configured such that engagement of said annular surface against said engagement end prior to relative movement of said sleeve and said stem valve to said open position causes those portions of the joined male coupling member and female coupling member in the area of said annular surface and said engagement end to be occupied substantially entirely by portions of said male coupling member body and axially extending stem valve and by portions of said female coupling member body, sleeve and stem valve with substantially no spaced apart areas for the accumulation of fluid.

26. For use with a male coupling member having (1) a body portion with an entrance end including an annular surface defining an opening communicating with an axial passageway and (2) an axially extending stem valve axially movable in said axial passageway between a closed position and an open position, said stem valve including a nose which extends through said opening and outwardly from said annular surface when said stem valve is in said closed position, a female coupling member comprising:

(a) a body having a passageway extending along an axis from a receiving end to an opposing end, said receiving end (1) sized to receive said male coupling member body portion and (2) defining an opening to said passageway, an inwardly facing cylindrical wall portion spaced from said receiving end and terminating at an outwardly tapering wall portion, said outwardly tapering wall portion defining a part of an inwardly facing annular groove,

(b) a sleeve having an engagement end and an opposing end positioned in said passageway for axial movement along said inwardly facing cylindrical wall portion from a forward position in the vicinity of said receiving end to a retracted position closer to said opposing end, said sleeve having an outwardly facing annular groove and a ring positioned in said outwardly facing annular groove for movement with said sleeve, said ring extending radially outwardly into said body inwardly facing annular groove and engageable with said outwardly tapering wall portion to limit movement of said sleeve toward said forward position;

(c) a stem valve mounted on said body and extending through said sleeve and having an enlarged head sealingly engageable with said sleeve, said sleeve and said stem valve being relatively moveable between an engaged, closed position and an open position, said enlarged head having a cavity sized to receive said nose when said male coupling member entrance end engages said sleeve engagement end; and

(d) a spring yieldingly urging said sleeve toward said forward position,

movement of said male coupling member into said female coupling member engaging said annular surface against said sleeve engagement end and said nose in said cavity and thereafter axially displacing said sleeve out of engagement with said stem valve.

27. A female coupling member according to claim 26 wherein said female coupling member is configured such that engagement of said annular surface against said engagement end prior to axially displacing said sleeve to said open position causes those portions of the joined male coupling member and female coupling member in the area of said annular surface and said engagement end to be occupied substantially entirely by portions of said male coupling member body and stem valve and by portions of said female coupling member body, sleeve and stem valve with substantially no spaced apart areas for the accumulation fluid.

28. A female coupling member according to claim 26, wherein said stem valve is mounted for axial movement in said body of an extent which is less than the extent of axial movement of said sleeve.

29. The female coupling member according to claim 26, further including an outwardly facing groove on said sleeve and an annular seal positioned in said groove and engaging said body second inwardly facing cylindrical wall section.

30. The female coupling member according to claim 29, wherein said annular seal is engaged to said body inwardly facing cylindrical wall throughout axial movement of said sleeve from said forward position to said retracted position.

31. A female coupling according to claim 26, wherein said sleeve has an inwardly facing annular seal spaced from said engagement end and said stem valve enlarged head is engageable to both said annular seal and said sleeve adjacent to said annular seal.

32. For use with a male coupling member having (1) a body portion with an entrance end including an annular surface defining an opening communicating with an axial passageway and (2) an axially extending stem valve axially moveable in said axial passageway between a closed position and an open position, said stem valve including a nose which extends through said opening and outwardly from said annular surface when said valve is in said closed position, a female coupling member comprising:

(a) a body having a passageway extending along an axis from a receiving end to an opposing end, said receiving end (1) sized to receive said male coupling member body portion and (2) defining an opening to said passageway;

(b) a sleeve having an engagement end and an opposing end positioned in said passageway for axial movement therein from a forward position in the vicinity of said receiving end to a retracted position closer to said opposing end, said engagement end having an annular seal extending axially outwardly for sealing engagement with said male coupling member entrance end;

(c) a stem valve mounted on said body and extending through said sleeve and having an enlarged head sealingly engageable with said sleeve, said sleeve and said stem valve being relatively moveable between an engaged, closed position and an open position, said enlarged head having a cavity sized to receive said nose when said male coupling member entrance end engages said sleeve engagement end; and

(d) creating a substantially planar annulus defined by said male coupling entrance end and said sleeve annular seal encircling said joined male coupling member nose and said stem valve free end such that, prior to urging said sleeve out of engagement with said stem valve, the portions of the engaged male coupling member and female coupling member encircled by and adjacent said planar annulus having substantially no spaced apart areas for presence of fluid.