Quick connect coupling assembly

• US 7,640,639 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Swiftipet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DeBien Products, Inc.
• Inventors: de Bien, Humberto
• Primary Examiner(s): SWIATEK, ROBERT P
• Application Number:
  US11/441,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20060213455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 243/03, 246/06, 246/14, 246/15, 246/16, 246/25, 119/772, 119/776
• US Class Current: 24/615
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/005 Quick-couplings, safety-couplings or shock-absorbing devices between leash and collar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 24/47 Selectively interlocking member having movably attached or biased interlocking component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45482 and operator therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45508 and spring or resilient extension biasing about pivot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45529 Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45576 and connected surface at tip of head
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45581 having inserted end formed by oppositely biased surface segments

Abstract

A quick connect coupling assembly has a first and second component, and a locking assembly structured to retain the components in an attached orientation with one another. The locking assembly includes a plurality of locking elements each having a locking arm with a locking member mounted to a distal end, wherein the locking members are maintained in an outwardly extending orientation by a biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism may comprise magnetic biasing elements attached to each oppositely disposed locking element, the magnetic biasing elements structured to create a repulsive magnetic force between one another. The quick connect coupling assembly also includes a release mechanism to permit the locking members to be temporarily disposed into a retracted orientation, thereby permitting the first and second components to be detached from one another.

Claims

1. A quick connect coupling assembly structured to allow quick connection and quick release, said coupling assembly comprising:

a first component and a second component cooperatively structured to assume an attached orientation,

a locking assembly structured to retain said first component and said second component in said attached orientation,

said locking assembly comprising a plurality of locking elements disposed in a movably engaging relation with said first component,

each of said locking elements comprising a locking arm having a locking member disposed at one end thereof,

said locking members structured to be disposed in an outwardly extending locking orientation,

said outwardly extending locking orientation at least partially defined by said locking members structured to engage at least a portion of said second component in an abutting relation to prevent detachment of said second component from said first component while disposed in said attached orientation,

a biasing mechanism structured to normally dispose and maintain said locking members in said outwardly extending locking orientation,

said biasing mechanism comprising a magnetic biasing element mounted to each of oppositely disposed ones of said plurality of locking elements, and

a release mechanism structured to permit said locking members to be temporarily disposed into an inwardly retracted release orientation.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first component comprises a fixed portion and a moveable portion wherein said moveable portion is rotatably attached to said fixed portion and is structured to swivel relative thereto.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a swivel member attached to one of said first component or said second component via a ball and socket interconnection.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said magnetic biasing elements are structured and disposed to create a repulsive magnetic force between one another.

5. The assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said magnetic biasing elements are further structured such that said repulsive magnetic force maintains corresponding ones of said locking members in said normally disposed outwardly extending orientation.

6. The assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said repulsive magnetic force is selectively adjustable.

7. A quick connect coupling assembly structured to allow quick connection and quick release, said coupling assembly comprising:

a first component and a second component cooperatively structured to assume an attached orientation when disposed into a predetermined alignment with one another,

a locking assembly structured to retain said first component and said second component in said attached orientation,

said locking assembly comprising a plurality of locking elements movably interconnected to said first component,

each of said locking elements comprising a locking arm having a locking member disposed at one end thereof,

said locking members structured to be normally disposed and maintained in an outwardly extending locking orientation,

said outwardly extending locking orientation at least partially defined by said locking members structured to engage at least a portion of said second component in an abutting relation to prevent detachment of said second component from said first component while disposed in said attached orientation,

a biasing mechanism structured to normally dispose and maintain said locking members in said outwardly extending locking orientation,

an attraction assembly structured to automatically position said first component and said second component into said predetermined alignment when said components are disposed in an attachment range of one another, and

a release mechanism structured to permit said locking members to be temporarily disposed into an inwardly retracted release orientation.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said locking elements are pivotably interconnected to said first component.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said locking elements are slidably interconnected to said first component.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said attraction assembly comprises at least one attraction element mounted to one of said first component or said second component.

11. The assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said attraction assembly comprises a plurality of magnetic attraction elements.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein at least one of said plurality of magnetic attraction elements is mounted to each of said first and second components, said magnetic attraction elements being structured and disposed to create an attractive magnetic force to facilitate disposition of said first and second components into said predetermined alignment.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said attractive magnetic force is selectively adjustable.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein at least one of said magnetic attraction members comprises an adjustable mount structured to be moveable such that a distance between said magnetic elements is selectively adjustable.

15. The assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein at least one of said magnetic attraction members comprises an adjustable mount structured such that said magnetic attraction element is removeably mounted to one of said first component or said second component.

16. The assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said magnetic attraction members are structured and disposed so as to prevent physical contact with one another.

17. The assembly as recited in claim 12 further comprising at least one shielding element structured to direct said attractive magnetic force between said magnetic elements.

18. The assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein said at least one shielding element is further structured to prevent said attractive magnetic force from attracting an unintended object.

19. A quick connect coupling assembly structured to allow quick connection and quick release, said coupling assembly comprising:

a first component and a second component cooperatively structured to assume an attached orientation,

a locking assembly structured to retain said first component and said second component in said attached orientation,

said locking assembly comprising a plurality of locking elements movably interconnected to said first component,

each of said locking elements comprising a locking arm having a locking member disposed at one end thereof,

said locking members structured to be normally disposed and maintained in an outwardly extending locking orientation,

said locking members further structured to be disposed in an abutting relation to at least a portion of said second component,

a complementary locking interface at least partially defined between said locking elements and said portion of said second component disposed in said abutting relation structured to restrict detachment of said second component from said first component,

a biasing mechanism structured to normally dispose and maintain said locking members in said outwardly extending locking orientation,

a release mechanism structured to permit said locking members to be temporarily disposed into an inwardly retracted release orientation,

an attraction assembly structured to facilitate disposition of said first component and said second component into a predetermined alignment, and

a safety mechanism structured to prevent unintended activation of said release mechanism.

20. The assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein said release mechanism comprises a plurality of release members, each of said release members being mounted to a different one of each of said plurality of locking elements.

21. The assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein one of said first component or said second component comprises a global positioning system microchip structured to permit tracking a location of said component via a GPS satellite tracking system.