Hybrid insert for fluid couplings

• US 5,845,943 A
• Filed: 12/02/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Colder Products Company (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Colder Products Company (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, James W., Ramacier, Patrick J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicholson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US08/758,670
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 251/149.6, 137/269, 137/614.04, 137/614.05, 141/367, 285/12, 285/317, D23/262, D24/129
• US Class Current: 285/12
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0841 by means of a transversally slidable locking member surrounding the tube
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/42 the valve having an axial bore communicating with lateral apertures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87957 Valves actuate each other

Abstract

A hybrid male coupling member adaptable to couple with at least two types of female coupling members includes a one piece integrally molded housing having a front engagement wall, a fluid path being defined by an inner wall. The inner wall has an engagement section disposed proximate a front end of the housing. The male coupling member further includes a first groove being disposed around an outer wall of the housing and a second groove being disposed in the first groove. When the male coupling member couples with the first female coupling member, the engagement section of the male coupling member engages with a spring-biased poppet of the first female coupling member and forces the poppet toward a back end of the first female coupling member so as to allow the fluid to flow therethrough, a plastic clip being received in the first groove to latch the male coupling member and the first female coupling member together. When the male coupling member couples with the second female coupling member, the front engagement wall of the male coupling member engages with a spring-biased poppet of the second female coupling member and forces the poppet toward a back end of the second female coupling member so as to allow the fluid to flow therethrough, a metal clip being disposed in the second groove to latch the male coupling member and the second female coupling member together.

Claims

1. A hybrid insert member adaptable to couple with at least two different types of female receptacle members, comprising:

a one piece integrally molded housing having front and back ends, inner and outer walls, and first engaging means for engaging the insert member with a first one of the female receptacle members;

a fluid path being defined by the inner wall along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the inner wall having second engaging means for engaging the insert member with a second, different one of the female receptacle members; and

groove means, disposed around the outer wall of the housing, for locking the first and second female receptacle members, said groove means being engageable with each of the two different types of female receptacle members.

2. A hybrid insert member adaptable to couple with at least two types of female receptacle members, comprising:

a one piece integrally molded housing having front and back ends, inner and outer walls, and a front wall integrally connecting the inner and outer walls;

a fluid path being defined by the inner wall along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the inner wall having an engagement section disposed proximate the front end of the housing, the engagement section being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

a first groove being disposed around the outer wall of the housing;

a second groove being disposed in the first groove, the second groove parallel to the first groove around the longitudinal axis; and

a first one of the female receptacle members being lockable in the first groove when the insert member couples with the first female receptacle member, a second one of the female receptacle members being lockable in the second groove when the insert member couples with the second female receptacle member.

3. A hybrid insert member according to claim 2, further comprising a third groove disposed proximate the front end of the housing, the third groove retaining a resilient O-ring.

4. A hybrid insert member according to claim 2, wherein the inner wall has a first bore section extending substantially the entire fluid path from the back end to the engagement section, a second larger bore section extending from the engagement section to the front end of the housing.

5. A hybrid insert member adaptable to couple with at least two types of female receptacle members, comprising:

a one piece integrally molded housing having front and back ends, inner and outer walls, and first engaging means for engaging the insert member with a first one of the female receptacle members;

a fluid path being defined by the inner wall along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the inner wall having second engaging means for engaging the insert member with a second one of the female receptacle members; and

groove means, disposed around the outer wall of the housing, for locking the first and second female receptacle members wherein the groove means includes first groove means disposed around the outer wall of the housing for locking the first female receptacle member, and second groove means disposed in the first groove means for locking the second female receptacle member.

6. A hybrid insert member adaptable to couple with a first female receptacle member and a second female receptacle member, the first female receptacle member including a first spring-biased poppet having a cylindrical portion projecting forward of a radially extending ribbed portion, the second female receptacle member including a second spring-biased poppet having a cylindrical portion substantially flush with a radially extending ribbed portion, the first female receptacle member having a clip member with a latch plate transversely disposed proximate a front end of the first female receptacle member, the second female receptacle member having a clip member with a latch plate transversely disposed proximate a front end of the second female receptacle member, each of the latch plates having an edge portion configured for engagement with the insert member, the edge portion of the latch plate of the second female receptacle member having a lesser thickness than that of the first female receptacle member, the hybrid insert member comprising:

a one piece integrally molded housing having front and back ends, inner and outer walls, and a front wall integrally connecting the inner and outer walls;

a fluid path for a flow of fluid therethrough being defined by the inner wall along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the inner wall having an engagement section disposed proximate the front end of the housing, the engagement section being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the inner wall having a first bore section extending substantially the entire fluid path from the back end of the housing to the engagement section, a second larger bore section extending from the engagement section to the front end of the housing;

a first groove being disposed around the outer wall of the housing;

a second groove being disposed in the first groove, the second groove parallel to the first groove around the longitudinal axis; and

wherein when the insert member couples with the first female receptacle member, the second larger bore section of the insert member slides over the cylindrical portion of the first female receptacle member such that the engagement section of the insert member engages with a front end of the cylindrical portion and forces the first spring-biased poppet toward a back end of the first female receptacle member so as to allow the fluid to flow through the first female receptacle member, the edge portion of the latch plate of the first female receptacle member being disposed in the first groove so as to latch the insert member and the first female receptacle member together, and wherein when the insert member couples with the second female receptacle member, the front wall of the insert member engages with the ribbed portion of the second female receptacle member and forces the second spring-biased poppet toward a back end of the second female receptacle member so as to allow the fluid to flow through the second female receptacle member, the edge portion of the latch plate of the second female receptacle member being disposed in the second groove so as to latch the insert member and the second female receptacle member together.