Quick connector

• US 7,390,029 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanoh Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Sanoh Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Matsubara, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunwoody; Aaron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kee; Fannie C.
• Application Number:
  US10/544,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20060170211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 285/23, 285/319, 285/321, 285/921, 285/3
• US Class Current: 285/321
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/10 Indicators for correct coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/144 the securing element being U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/921 Snap-fit

Abstract

A quick connector has a housing, a retainer for locking a tube at a correct position for complete connection in the housing and a restraining ring for restraining the retainer from being pressed into the housing to its locking position unless the tube is inserted in the housing and placed at the correct position for complete connection to avoid connecting the tube to the quick connector in a falsely locked state. The restraining ring is provided with locking bars that engage with the legs of the retainer to restrain the retainer from being pressed into the housing. The locking bars permit releasing the restraining ring to its releasing position to enable the retainer to be pressed into the housing to the locking position.

Claims

1. A quick connector having a housing in which an end part of a tube provided with an annular ridge is insertable, and a U-shaped retainer capable of being pressed into the housing in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the housing through an opening formed in the housing and of engaging with the annular ridge to connect the tube to the housing, said retainer comprising legs,

said quick connector comprising

a restraining ring having an inside diameter not greater than the outside diameter of the annular ridge and greater than the outside diameter of the tube, capable of axially moving in the housing between a restraining position for restraining the retainer from movement and a releasing position for releasing the retainer, said retaining ring being provided with locking parts, capable of engaging with the legs of the retainer extending along the opposite sides of the retainer, to restrain the retainer from movement;

wherein the restraining ring is movable to the releasing position to release the retainer so that the retainer can be moved when the end part of the tube is inserted in the housing and is placed correctly at a predetermined connecting position,

wherein holding grooves are formed in the inner surfaces of end parts of the legs, respectively, and axial relief grooves are formed in the inner circumference of the housing respectively in alignment with the holding grooves when the retainer is temporarily combined with the housing, wherein the locking parts are disengaged from the holding grooves and are engaged in the relief grooves, respectively, when the restraining ring is moved from the restraining position to the releasing position,

wherein the restraining ring is formed integrally with the retainer with shear parts connecting the restraining ring and the retainer so as to permit the shear parts to shear off when the restraining ring is pressed deep into the housing by the annular ridge of the tube, wherein the shear parts extend between the locking parts and the holding grooves.

2. The quick connector according to claim 1 characterized in that the shear parts extend between the upper surface of each locking part and a side wall of the holding groove and between the lower surface of the same locking part and a side wall of the same holding groove, respectively.

3. The quick connector according to claim 1 characterized in that the locking parts are formed at diametrically opposite positions, respectively, on the restraining ring.

4. The quick connector according to claim 1 characterized in that the retainer is very thin.

5. The quick connector according to claim 4 characterized in that the thickness of the retainer is smaller than the outside diameter of the tube.

6. The quick connector according to claim 5 characterized in that the thickness of the retainer is smaller than half the outside diameter of the tube.

7. A quick connector having a housing in which an end part of a tube provided with an annular ridge in insertable, and a U-shaped retainer capable of being pressed into the housing in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the housing through an opening formed in the housing and of engaging with the annular ridge to connect the tube to the housing, said retainer comprising legs, said quick connector comprising a restraining ring having an inside diameter not greater than the outside diameter of the annular ridge and greater than the outside diameter of the tube, capable of axially moving in the housing between a restraining position for restraining the retainer from movement and a releasing position for releasing the retainer, said retaining ring being provided with locking parts, capable of engaging with the legs of the retainer extending along the opposite sides of the retainer, to restrain the retainer from movement;

wherein the restraining ring is movable to the releasing position to release the retainer so that the retainer can be moved when the end part of the tube is inserted in the housing and is placed correctly at a predetermined connecting position,

wherein holding grooves are formed in the inner surfaces of end parts of the legs, respectively, and axial relief grooves are formed in the inner circumference of the housing respectively in alignment with the holding grooves when the retainer is temporarily combined with the housing, wherein the locking parts are disengaged from the holding grooves and are engaged in the relief grooves, respectively, when the restraining ring is moved from the restraining position to the releasing position,

wherein the restraining ring is not integrally formed with the retainer, and the restraining ring is provided with elastic parts that push the restraining ring toward the restraining position.

8. The quick connector according to claim 7 characterized in that the elastic parts have a shape resembling a plate spring.