Quick release connector that is assembled easily and quickly

• US 7,387,524 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shih-Chung Cheng
• Original Assignee: Shih-Chung Cheng
• Inventors: Cheng, Shih-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams; Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUONGCHI T
• Application Number:
  US11/749,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20070275590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 439/352, 439/357, 439/350, 439/356, 285/319, 285/316
• US Class Current: 439/352
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/086 by means of latching members pushed radially by spring-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0982 with a separate member for releasing the coupling

Abstract

A quick release connector includes a connector body, a positioning ring, a mounting sleeve, and an elastic member. The connector body has a peripheral wall formed with two opposite receiving holes and two opposite guide slots. The positioning ring is provided with a plurality of flexible locking blocks. Thus, the locking blocks are combined together by the positioning ring, so that the locking blocks of the positioning ring are placed into the receiving holes and the guide slots of the connector body easily and quickly, thereby simplifying the construction of the quick release connector, and thereby facilitating assembly and fabrication of the quick release connector.

Claims

1. A quick release connector, comprising:

a connector body having an inside formed with a mounting chamber and having a peripheral wall formed with two opposite receiving holes connected to the mounting chamber and two opposite guide slots connected to the mounting chamber;

a positioning ring mounted on the peripheral wall of the connector body and provided with a plurality of flexible locking blocks movably mounted in the receiving holes and the guide slots of the connector body and extendable into the mounting chamber of the connector body;

a mounting sleeve movably mounted on the connector body and having an inner wall provided with a plurality of inwardly extending push blocks that are movable to press the locking blocks of the positioning ring to push the locking blocks of the positioning ring into the mounting chamber of the connector body;

an elastic member mounted on the connector body and biased between the connector body and the mounting sleeve to push the mounting sleeve outwardly relative to the connector body and to push the push blocks of the mounting sleeve to press the locking blocks of the positioning ring;

wherein each of the receiving holes of the connector body is provided with two outwardly extending catch walls each formed with a positioning groove to retain the positioning ring.

2. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the receiving holes and the guide slots of the connector body are arranged in a staggered manner.

3. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the receiving holes of the connector body are perpendicular to the guide slots of the connector body.

4. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the catch walls of the receiving holes are formed on two opposite sides of the peripheral wall of the connector body.

5. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the guide slots of the connector body extends in a transverse direction of the connector body.

6. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the guide slots of the connector body has a side formed with an oblique guide edge.

7. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the positioning ring is substantially C-shaped.

8. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking blocks of the positioning ring align with the receiving holes and the guide slots of the connector body respectively.

9. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the push blocks of the mounting sleeve align with the blocks of the positioning ring respectively.

10. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

each of the locking blocks is integrally formed on a periphery of the positioning ring;

the locking blocks are combined together by limit of the positioning ring.

11. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the catch walls of each of the receiving holes extends in an axial direction of the connector body.

12. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 11, wherein positioning groove of each of the catch walls of each of the receiving holes extends in a transverse direction of the connector body.

13. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the positioning ring has a side formed with a slit so that the positioning ring is made flexible and is mounted on the connector body from the slit.

14. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 13, wherein the slit of the positioning ring is separated from and located between two of the locking blocks.

15. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall of the connector body is provided with two opposite support plates aligning with a respective guide slot of the connector body to support the positioning ring.

16. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 15, wherein the support plates of the connector body and the catch walls of the receiving holes are arranged in a staggered manner.

17. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 15, wherein each of the support plates of the connector body extends in an axial direction of the connector body.

18. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 15, wherein each of the support plates of the connector body is located at a middle position of the respective guide slot of the connector body.

19. The quick release connector in accordance with claim 15, wherein each of the support plates of the connector body and the positioning groove of each of the catch walls of each of the receiving holes are located at the same height.