Quick connector

• US 7,108,297 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Riko Company Limited.
• Original Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Ishida, Yoshimitsu, Takayanagi, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M.
• Application Number:
  US10/401,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20030184088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 285/319, 285/305, 285/351, 285/921
• US Class Current: 285/319
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0987 the flexible hook being progressively compressed by axial tensile loads acting on the coupling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/921 Snap-fit

Abstract

An inner peripheral surface of a tube connecting portion of a tubular connector housing is divided into a first receiving portion on one axial side and a second receiving portion on an opposite axial side by an inwardly directed annular parting projection. A first O-ring of one axial side and a second O-ring of an opposite axial side are disposed with intervening a collar therebetween on an opposite axial side in the first receiving portion. The first O-ring is made of FKM and the second O-ring is made of FVMQ. A third O-ring is disposed on one axial side in the second receiving portion. The third O-ring is also made of FVMQ.

Claims

1. A quick connector for a gasoline fuel path to be connected with a pipe including an inserting end portion provided with an annular engagement projection, comprising:

a tubular connector housing provided with a tube connecting portion on one axial end thereof and a projection receiving portion to receive the annular engagement projection of the pipe on an opposite axial end thereof, the tube connecting portion being formed to be fitted with a tube on an outer periphery thereof;

retainer means provided on the projection receiving portion and configured so as to snap-engage with the annular engagement projection of the pipe when the inserting end portion of the pipe is inserted into an insertion opening on an end of the projection receiving portion;

sealing means disposed in the tube connecting portion of the tubular connector housing to provide a seal between the tubular connector housing and the inserting end portion provided on the pipe, the sealing means including a first sealing member to provide a seal between the tubular connector housing and the pipe and a second sealing member to provide a seal between the tubular connector housing and the pipe; and

an inner peripheral surface of the tube connecting portion being divided by an inwardly directed annular parting projection formed integrally therein into a first receiving portion on one axial end and a second receiving portion on an opposite axial end thereof;

the first sealing member being fitted in the first receiving portion and the second sealing member being fitted in the second receiving portion;

a first resin bush fitted on one axial end of the first receiving portion, and a second resin bush fitted on one axial end of the second receiving portion.

2. The quick connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the inwardly directed annular parting projection has an inner diameter generally identical to an outer diameter of the inserting end portion of the pipe.

3. The quick connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein an outer peripheral surface of the tube connecting portion is provided with a projecting stop portion or projecting stop portions expanding in diameter toward the opposite axial end thereof.

4. The quick connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein;

the first sealing member being fitted in a space defined between the first resin bush and the inwardly directed annular parting projection, the second sealing member being fitted in a space defined between the second resin bush and the inwardly directed annular parting projection, the space with the first sealing member therein between the first resin bush and the inwardly directed annular parting projection and the space with the second sealing member therein between the second resin bush and the inwardly directed annular parting projection being configured to be closed by the inserting end portion of the pipe when the inserting end portion of the pipe is inserted in the tubular connector housing.

5. The quick connector as set forth in claim 4 wherein the first resin bush and the second resin bush each have an inner diameter generally identical to an outer diameter of the inserting end portion of the pipe.

6. The quick connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first sealing member is a first annular sealing member having gasoline resistant property.

7. The quick connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein the first annular sealing member is made of material selected form a group consisting of fluoro-type rubber and acrylonitrile-butadiene type rubber.

8. The quick connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second sealing member is a second annular sealing member having waterproofness and dust proofness properties.

9. The quick connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein the second annular sealing member is made of an elastic material of ozone resistant property.

10. The quick connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein the second annular sealing member is made of material selected from a group consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), fluoro-rubber (FKM), acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber/polyvinyl chloride blend rubber (NBR/PVC), fluoro-silicone-rubber (FVMQ), ethylene-propylene-diene-rubber (EPDM) and thermoplastic olefin (TPO).

11. The quick connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sealing means further includes a third sealing member fitted near the first sealing member in the first receiving portion to provide a seal between the tubular connector housing and the pipe.

12. The quick connector as set forth in claim 11 wherein the third sealing member is a third annular sealing member having low-temperature resistant property.

13. The quick connector as set forth in claim 12 wherein the third annular sealing member is made of material selected from a group consisting of fluoro-silicone-rubber (FVMQ), acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber/polyvinyl chloride blend rubber (NBR/PVC), ethylene-propylene-diene-rubber (EPDM) and thermoplastic olefin (TPO).

14. The quick connector as set forth in claim 11 wherein the second resin-bush has an inner diameter generally identical to an outer diameter of the inserting end portion of the pipe, and the second sealing member is annular.

15. The quick connector as set forth in claim 11 wherein the pipe is inserted in the connector housing so that one axial end of the inserting end portion of the pipe passes sequentially through the second, third, first sealing members while the tube is fitted on the outer periphery of the tube connecting portion beyond sequentially axial positions of the first, third and second sealing members.