Quick connector having ring for confirming proper connection
First Claim
1. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with said inside surface, said assembly comprising:
- a member having a throughbore and interface portions extending therefrom for engaging the female receptacle, said member surrounding a predetermined portion of the male conduit, said member being positionable within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle;
a confirmer body for confirming the positioning of said member within the female receptacle, said confirmer body including an aft end, said confirmer body being movable between a seated position wherein at least a portion of said confirmer body is nested within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said confirmer body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle and an unseated position wherein said confirmer body is in spaced apart relation from the enlarged lead-in section, said confirmer body transferring the pull apart force from said male conduit to said female receptacle through said interface portions; and
whereby said confirmer body confirms to an installer that the member is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said confirmer body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said confirmer body is moved toward said seated position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In its preferred embodiment, a quick connector (10) for connecting a male conduit (12) to a female receptacle (14) has a pair of waist segments (60 and 62), a body segment (56), and a pair of leg segments (68). Each of the leg segments (68) are defined by a pair of projecting elements (76) which are at least partially compressible toward one another thereby causing the pair of waist segments (60 and 62) to move toward one another. A confirmer ring (114) is provided on the pair of projecting elements (76). Confirmation that the quick connector (10) is properly locked in place is made when the confirmer ring (114) is fully seated within a portion of the opening (18) of female receptacle (14). An alternate embodiment provides for use of the confirmer ring (114) as an installing tool when connecting the male conduit (12) with the female receptacle (14). An additional alternate embodiment allows usage of the confirmer ring (114) as a tool for installation and decoupling of the male conduit (12) into the female receptacle (14), as well as for confirming the connection.
57 Citations
79 Claims
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1. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with said inside surface, said assembly comprising:
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a member having a throughbore and interface portions extending therefrom for engaging the female receptacle, said member surrounding a predetermined portion of the male conduit, said member being positionable within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle; a confirmer body for confirming the positioning of said member within the female receptacle, said confirmer body including an aft end, said confirmer body being movable between a seated position wherein at least a portion of said confirmer body is nested within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said confirmer body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle and an unseated position wherein said confirmer body is in spaced apart relation from the enlarged lead-in section, said confirmer body transferring the pull apart force from said male conduit to said female receptacle through said interface portions; and whereby said confirmer body confirms to an installer that the member is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said confirmer body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said confirmer body is moved toward said seated position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with said inside surface, said assembly comprising:
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a member having a throughbore and interface portions extending therefrom for engaging the female receptacle, said member surrounding a predetermined portion of the male conduit, said member being positionable within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle; and a confirmer body for confirming the positioning of said member within the female receptacle, said confirmer body including an aft end, said confirmer body being slidably movable along said male conduit between a seated position wherein at least a portion of said confirmer body is nested within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said confirmer body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle and an unseated position wherein said confirmer body is in spaced apart relation from the enlarged lead-in section, whereby engagement of said interface portions with said female receptacle results in said member being locked against removal from the female receptacle and whereby said confirmer body confirms to an installer that the member is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said confirmer body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said confirmer body is moved into said seated position, said confirmer body preventing disengagement of said interface portions with said female receptacle when said confirmer body is moved into said seated position. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with said inside surface, said assembly comprising:
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a member having a throughbore, said member surrounding a predetermined portion of the male conduit, said member being positionable within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle, said member including a body surrounding said male conduit and a pair of waist segments attached to said surrounding body, said waist segments being interconnected by a pair of leg segments, each of said leg segments being defined by a pair of projecting elements each extending perpendicular to said waist segments, each pair of projecting elements forming a gap therebetween; and a confirming ring for confirming the positioning of said member within the female receptacle, said confirming ring including a fore end and an aft end, said fore end having formed thereon a receptacle-abutting face for nesting with the enlarged lead-in portion of the female receptacle, said aft end of said ring having a finger formed thereon, said finger being slidably movable within one of said gaps formed between each pair of projecting elements. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with said inside surface, said assembly comprising:
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a member having a throughbore, said member surrounding a predetermined portion of the male conduit, said member being positionable within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle, said member including a body surrounding said male conduit and a pair of waist segments attached to said body, said waist segments being interconnected by a pair of leg segments, each of said leg segments being defined by a pair of projecting elements each extending perpendicular to said waist segments, each pair of projecting elements forming a gap therebetween; and a confirming ring for confirming the positioning of said member within the female receptacle, said confirming ring including a fore end and an aft end, said fore end having formed thereon a receptacle-abutting face for nesting with the enlarged lead-in portion of the female receptacle, said aft end of said ring having a pair of fingers formed thereon, one finger of said pair of fingers being slidably movable within one of said gaps formed between each pair of projecting elements, said ring being slidably movable along the male conduit between a seated position wherein at least a portion of said ring is nested within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said ring rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle and an unseated position wherein said ring is in spaced apart relation from the enlarged lead-in section, whereby said confirming ring confirms to an installer that the male conduit is positioned within the female receptacle when said connector assembly is correctly installed. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with said inside surface, said assembly comprising:
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a member having a throughbore, said member surrounding a predetermined portion of the male conduit, said member being positionable within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle, said member including a body disposed around said male conduit and a pair of waist segments attached to said body, said waist segments being interconnected by a pair of leg segments, each of said leg segments being defined by a pair of projecting elements each extending perpendicular to said waist segments, each pair of projecting elements forming a gap therebetween, said waist segments having interface portions mounted thereon, said waist segments being attachably engageable with the female receptacle; and a confirming ring for confirming the positioning of said member within the female receptacle, said confirming ring including a fore end and an aft end, said fore end having formed thereon a receptacle-abutting face for nesting with the enlarged lead-in portion of the female receptacle, said aft end of said ring having a finger formed thereon, said finger being slidably movable within one of said gaps formed between each pair of projecting elements, said ring being slidably movable along the male conduit between a seated position wherein at least a portion of said ring is nested within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said ring rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle and an unseated position wherein said ring is in spaced apart relation from the enlarged lead-in section, whereby engagement of said interface portions with the female receptacle results in said member being locked against removal from the female receptacle and whereby said confirmer ring confirms to an installer that the male conduit is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said ring rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said ring is moved toward said seated position.
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46. A method of coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle using a quick connector provided in association with said male conduit, said quick connector including a member having a leg segment extending substantially perpendicularly from said member, said female receptacle including a member-receiving channel, said quick connector further including a confirmer ring, said confirmer ring being slidable along said leg segment between a first position wherein said confirmer ring is spaced apart from said member and a second position wherein said confirmer ring is substantially seated against said female receptacle thereby confirming to the installer that said member of said quick connector is properly locked within said channel of said female receptacle, said method including the steps of:
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sliding said confirmer ring to said first position on said leg segment; inserting said male conduit into said female receptacle such that said member engages said channel of said female receptacle; sliding said confirmer ring from said first position to said second position; and confirming by reference to said confirmer ring that said member of said quick connector is locked within said channel. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of connecting a male conduit to a female receptacle using a quick connector provided in association with said male conduit, said quick connector including a member having a leg segment extending substantially perpendicularly from said member, said leg segment including a pair of projecting elements, said projecting elements being partially compressible toward one another, said female receptacle including a member-abutting wall and a member-receiving channel, said quick connector further including a ring positionable substantially adjacent said member, said method including the steps of:
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grasping the quick connector and the male conduit; and inserting said male conduit and a portion of said associated quick connector into said female receptacle, whereby said projecting elements are compressed toward one another, until said member abuts said member-abutting wall and said projecting elements move away from one another; and sliding said ring adjacent to said member to prevent said projecting elements from being compresses toward one another. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. A method of removing a male conduit from a female receptacle using a quick connector provided in association with said male conduit, said quick connector including a member having a pair of latches extending therefrom, said latches being partially compressible toward one another, said female receptacle including a member-abutting wall and a member-receiving channel, said quick connector further including a confirming ring operatively associated with said member for preventing compression of said latches when said confirming ring is in an installed condition and for confirming the correctness of the installation, said method including the steps of:
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removing said confirming ring; compressing said pair of latches toward one another; and removing said male conduit and said associated quick connector from said female receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, the female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with the inside surface, the bore having defined therein a latch-receiving slot, said assembly comprising:
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a latch deformable between an engaging position for engagement with the latch-receiving slot and a disengaging position for disengagement from the latch-receiving slot; a deformable spring operatively associated with said latch for urging said latch into said engaging position; and a confirmer ring for confirming the positioning of the male conduit within the female receptacle, said confirmer ring being operatively associated with said latch, said confirmer ring including a body, said body including an aft end, said body being movable in conjunction with said latch and the male conduit into a seated position wherein at least a portion of said body is nested within said enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle; whereby said confirmer ring transfers separation forces existing between the male conduit and the female receptacle away from the male conduit and confirms to an installer that the male conduit is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said body, in conjunction with said latch and the male conduit, is moved toward said seated position. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, the female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with the inside surface, the bore having defined therein a latch-receiving slot, said assembly comprising:
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a latch deformable between an engaging position for engagement with the latch-receiving slot and a disengaging position for disengagement from the slot; and a confirmer ring spring component for urging said latch into said engaging position and for confirming the positioning of the male conduit within the female receptacle, said confirmer ring spring component being operatively associated with said latch, said confirmer ring spring component including a body, said body including an aft end, said body being movable in conjunction with said latch and the male conduit into a seated position wherein at least a portion of said body is nested within said enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle; whereby said confirmer ring spring component confirms to an installer that the male conduit is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said body, in conjunction with said latch and the male conduit, is moved toward said seated position. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69)
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70. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, the female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with the inside surface, the bore having defined therein a latch-receiving slot, said assembly comprising:
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a confirmer ring including a latch portion deformable between an engaging position for engagement with the latch-receiving slot and a disengaging position for disengagement from the latch-receiving slot and for confirming the positioning of the male conduit within the female receptacle, said confirmer ring including a body, said body including an aft end, said body being movable in conjunction with said latch portion and the male conduit into a seated position wherein at least a portion of said body is nested within said enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle; a deformable spring operatively associated with said latch portion for urging said latch portion into said engaging position; and whereby said confirmer ring confirms to an installer that the male conduit is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said body, in conjunction with the male conduit, is moved toward said seated position. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72)
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73. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, the female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with the inside surface, the bore having defined therein a latch-receiving slot, said assembly comprising:
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a latch deformable between an engaging position for engagement with the latch-receiving slot and a disengaging position for disengagement from the latch-receiving slot; a deformable spring for urging said latch into said engaging position; and a confirmer ring for confirming the positioning of the male conduit within the female receptacle, said confirmer ring including a body, said body including an aft end, said body being movable in conjunction with said latch and the male conduit into a seated position wherein at least a portion of said body is nested within said enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle, said latch, said deformable spring, and said confirmer ring comprising a single integral component; whereby said confirmer ring transfers separation forces existing between the male conduit and the female receptacle away from the male conduit and confirms to an installer that the male conduit is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said body, in conjunction with said latch and the male conduit, is moved toward said seated position. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76)
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77. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle and to confirm the coupling, the female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with the inside surface, the bore having defined therein a latch-receiving slot, said assembly comprising:
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a latch-deformable spring including a latch portion and a deformable spring portion, said latch portion being deformable between an engaging position for engagement with the latch-receiving slot and a disengaging position for disengagement from the latch-receiving slot, said deformable spring portion urging said latch portion into said engaging position; a confirmer ring for confirming the positioning of the male conduit within the female receptacle, said confirmer ring being operatively associated with said latch-deformable spring, said confirmer ring including a body, said body including an aft end, said body being movable in conjunction with said latch-deformable spring and the male conduit into a seated position wherein at least a portion of said body is nested within said enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and wherein said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle; whereby said confirmer ring transfers separation forces existing between the male conduit and the female receptacle away from the male conduit and confirms to an installer that the male conduit is positioned within the female receptacle when said aft end of said body rests evenly with respect to the female receptacle when said body, in conjunction with said latch-deformable spring and the male conduit, is moved toward said seated position.
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78. A method of coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle using a quick connector provided in association with said male conduit, said quick connector including a member having a leg segment extending substantially perpendicularly from said member, said female receptacle including a member-receiving channel, said quick connector further including a confirmer ring, said confirmer ring being slidable along said leg segment between a first position spaced from said member and a confirming position adjacent said member where said confirmer ring is substantially seated against said female receptacle thereby confirming to the installer that said member of said quick connector is properly locked within said channel of said female receptacle, said method including the steps of:
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sliding said confirmer ring to said first position on said leg segment; inserting said male conduit into said female receptacle such that said member engages said channel of said female receptacle; sliding said confirmer ring to said confirming position; and confirming by reference to said confirmer ring that said member of said quick connector is locked within said channel.
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79. A quick connector assembly for coupling a male conduit to a female receptacle, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface and an enlarged lead-in section continuous with said inside surface, said assembly comprising:
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a member having a throughbore and interface portions extending therefrom for engaging the female receptacle, said member surrounding a predetermined portion of the male conduit, said member being positionable within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle; and a confirmer body being slidably movable along said male conduit between a seated position wherein at least a portion of said confirmer body is nested within the enlarged lead-in section of the female receptacle and an unseated position wherein said confirmer body is in spaced apart relation from the enlarged lead-in section, whereby engagement of said interface portions with said female receptacle results in said member being locked against removal from the female receptacle and whereby said confirmer body prevents disengagement of said interface portions with said female receptacle when said confirmer body is moved into said seated position.
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Specification