Bayonet quick coupler

• US 6,908,123 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluidmaster Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fluidmaster Incorporated
• Inventors: Le, Tuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Binda, Gregory J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNWOODY, AARON M
• Application Number:
  US10/014,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20020093199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 285/401, 285/402, 285/28, 285/337, 285/361, 285/360, 285/914, 285/373, 285/419, 285/921, 285/364
• US Class Current: 285/402
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/248 Bayonet-type couplings
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/252 the male part having lugs on its periphery penetrating in the corresponding slots provided in the female part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/921 Snap-fit

Abstract

A quick coupler formed of two identical sectors that snap lock together in a radially inward direction relative to a central axis of an annular hole passing through the coupler. The coupler is in the form of a nut or housing for surrounding the ends of two conduits that are to be coupled. The annular hole extends between opposite end faces and has structure near each end face. The structure at one end of the annular hole comprises a flange for retaining a first conduit when the sectors are snapped surroundingly snapped together on the end of the first conduit. The structure at the other end of the annular hole has circumferentially spaced lugs for cooperation with bosses on the second conduit in a bayonet quick coupling fashion. The combination of the coupler with first and second conduits having cooperating structure enabling the coupler to join the conduits in sealed fluid communication. The method of use of the combination comprises snap fitting the sectors onto an end of the first conduit by radially inward pressure.

Claims

1. A coupler in the form of a housing having opposite end faces, the coupler for joining two conduits together, wherein the coupler comprise:

an annular hole extending along an axis between said opposite end faces of the housing, the annular hole comprising a first inner diameter, lugs having a second inner diameter, and a flange having a third inner diameter, herein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, and the second diameter is greater than the third diameter;

the housing comprising a plurality of sectors that snap together;

wherein the plurality of sectors each have a rib; and

wherein each said rib lockingly engages a respective channel to prevent relative movement of the sectors in a plurality of radial directions.

2. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the sectors are sufficiently resilient to enable snap lock action in a relative radially inward direction between said plurality of sectors.

3. The coupler of claim 1, wherein at least one stopping flange is located at an end face of each of the sectors and engages an end face of another of the sectors and prevents relative axial movement between the sectors in a first and a second axial directions.

4. The coupler of claim 1, wherein each sector has an additional said stopping flange preventing relative movement between the sectors.

5. The coupler of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of sectors is identical to each other in size and shape.

6. The coupler of claim 1, further comprising a locking flange configured to engage a protrusion on one of the two conduits.

7. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the coupler is secured to at least one of the two conduits by a bayonet twist and lock action.

8. A coupler in the form of a nut having an annular hole extending between end faces and centered on an axis, the coupler being adapted for coupling two conduits together by a bayonet twist and lock action, comprising:

two sectors of the nut defining the annular hole and for surrounding ends of the two conduits by respective axial ends adjacent end faces of the nut;

the sectors being sufficiently resilient to snap lock together;

wherein the sectors snap lock together by relative radially inward movement; and

further comprising at least one axially elongated rib forming a radially outwardly facing groove and a another axially elongated rib forming a radially inwardly facing groove on each of the two sectors, wherein the ribs resiliently slide over each other into a seated position during a snap locking action of the two sectors.

9. The coupler of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of sectors is identical to each other in size and shape.

10. The coupler of claim 8, further comprising a locking flange configured to engage a protrusion on one of the two conduits.

11. The coupler of claim 8, further comprising a stopping flange connected to the another axially elongated rib forming a radially inwardly facing groove at an end thereof, to prevent relative axial movement between the two sectors.

12. The coupler of claim 8, further comprising a lug connected to one of the two sectors, configured to engage one of the ends of the two conduits.