Automatic dry release valve coupling
First Claim
1. A quick connect/disconnect coupling for a fluid conduit, said coupling comprising:
- assemblies for attaching to the ends of a conduit to be connected and for subsequently mating together, each assembly comprising a normally closed channel;
means for expelling fluid from between said assemblies when said assemblies are to be connected to each other;
means for preventing fluid from entering said assemblies from the ambient and means for preventing leakage from said conduit to the ambient when said assemblies are being connected and disconnected;
means for opening said normally closed channels, said means causing said channels to open responsive to said mating together of said assemblies; and
integral latch means for securing said assemblies together responsive to said mating together of said assemblies, said latch means disconnectable, without significant damage to said coupling, by manually operable unlatching means or by the application of a predetermined tensile force, whereby said latch means may be selectively immediately reconnected.
16 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a new and useful fluid conduit coupling apparatus which allows quick connection and disconnection with substantially no introduction of ambient fluids or air into the process fluid. In one aspect of the invention there is provided a quick connect/disconnect coupling for a fluid conduit, the coupling comprising assemblies for attaching to the ends of a conduit to be connected and for subsequently mating together, each assembly comprising a normally closed channel; a fluid expulsion arrangement for expelling fluid from between the assemblies when the assemblies are to be connected to each other; sealing arrangement for preventing fluid from entering the assemblies from outside when the assemblies are being connected; opener arrangement for opening the normally closed channels, operable by the connecting of the assemblies to each other; latch arrangement for securing the assemblies together, the latch means disconnectable by means of a hand operated unlatching means or by the application of a predetermined tensile force.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A quick connect/disconnect coupling for a fluid conduit, said coupling comprising:
-
assemblies for attaching to the ends of a conduit to be connected and for subsequently mating together, each assembly comprising a normally closed channel;
means for expelling fluid from between said assemblies when said assemblies are to be connected to each other;
means for preventing fluid from entering said assemblies from the ambient and means for preventing leakage from said conduit to the ambient when said assemblies are being connected and disconnected;
means for opening said normally closed channels, said means causing said channels to open responsive to said mating together of said assemblies; and
integral latch means for securing said assemblies together responsive to said mating together of said assemblies, said latch means disconnectable, without significant damage to said coupling, by manually operable unlatching means or by the application of a predetermined tensile force, whereby said latch means may be selectively immediately reconnected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
first and second said assemblies having therein closure means moveable between first positions in which said channels are closed and second positions in which said channels are open;
biasing means for biasing said closure means to said closed position;
wherein said channels for mating together are dimensioned such that an end part of a first channel closely overlaps with an end part of a second channel;
and wherein said overlapping end parts comprise structure acting on respective opposite closure means in mating together said channels to move said respective closure means to the open positions.
-
-
19. The coupling of claim 18 wherein said closure means in a first said channel comprises a centrally disposed plug;
- and in a second said channel, an annular slider between a wall of said channel and a fixed centrally disposed member;
whereby when said channels are juxtaposed and moved axially for mating together, a leading edge of said first channel acts against said annular ring, and said fixed member acts against said plug to thereby move said two closure means to said second positions to open said channels.
- and in a second said channel, an annular slider between a wall of said channel and a fixed centrally disposed member;
-
20. The coupling of claim 19 wherein said biasing means comprise springs.
-
21. The coupling of claim 1 wherein said assemblies each include two said low passages whereby to attach pairs of fluid conduits.
-
22. A fluid conduit connect/disconnect coupling comprising:
-
first and second flow channels each having first and second ends, said first ends for attaching to fluid conduits and said second ends for mating with each other for providing a flow passage between said conduits; and
integral quick connect/disconnect means between said channels engaged by said mating and selectively disengaged, without significant damage to said coupling by the imposition of tensile force or by latch means, whereby said quick connect/disconnect means may be selectively immediately re-engaged;
and wherein said flow channels include moveable closure means biased to close said channels, complementary surfaces associated with said closure means, and sealing means, whereby when said channels are moved into an initial mating position, said surfaces abut to force fluid from between them, and on further movement of said channels, said sealing means provide a seal between said channels and said channels force said closure means to move against said bias to thereby open said flow channels.
-
-
23. A fluid conduit coupling comprising:
-
first and second flow passage assemblies, each having a flow passage therethrough and each having a first end for attaching to a fluid conduit and each having a second end, said second ends of said first and second assemblies configured to mate with each other by relative axial movement;
said first assembly having therein closure means moveable between a first position in which said passage is closed off and a second position in which said passage is open, means for biasing said closure means toward said first position, said closure means having a leading surface toward said second end of said passage;
said second passage having therein a fixed member having a leading surface toward said second end, a closure means moveable between a first position in which said passage is closed off and a second position in which said passage is open, and means for biasing said closure means toward said first position;
and wherein said leading surfaces are complementary and are in contact when said second ends of said assemblies are juxtaposed, whereby when said assemblies are moved axially toward each other to mate, fluid is forced from between said leading surfaces and further such axial movement causes said closure means to move against said biasing means to open said flow passages; and
integral quick connect/disconnect means between said assemblies and engaged by said axial movement and selectively releaseable, without significant damage to said coupling, by means of a predetermined tensile force or by a mechanical latch, whereby said quick connect/disconnect means may be selectively immediately reconnected.
-
Specification