Connector to be attached to liquid tank and liquid tank provided with the connector

• US 7,819,381 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Surpass Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Surpass Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Abe, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr.; John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIETJEN, MARINA ANNETTE
• Application Number:
  US11/628,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20080272323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 251/144, 251/149.6, 137/614.04, 222/400.7
• US Class Current: 251/144
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0829 Keg connection means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0266 by gas acting directly on the liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0294 Combined with valves

Abstract

The object is to provide a connector to be attached to a liquid tank, which reduces a trouble of arranging a plug, is advantageous in cost and capable of preventing misconnection, is provided by compactly integrating two types of plugs, which are a liquid delivery plug and a gas feeding plug. The connector is to be attached to a liquid tank for delivery of an internal liquid, and is constructed of: a plug (1) fixedly mounted on the tank; and, a corresponding socket (2) connected thereto. The connector is characterized by the plug (1) and the socket (2), wherein: the plug (1) is provided with a liquid passage (8) and a gas passage (12); and, the socket (2) is provided with: a liquid passage (38) communicating with the liquid passage (8); a liquid passage connecting piece (21) communicating with the liquid passage (38); a gas passage (34) communicating with the gas passage (12); and, a gas passage connecting piece (37) communicating with the gas passage (34).

Claims

1. A connector to be attached to a liquid tank for delivery of its internal liquid, comprising:

said connector is constructed of a plug fixedly mounted on said tank and a socket connected with said plug;

said plug is provided with;

a cup-shaped body having a fitting means for fixing to said tank;

a plug tube which has an engagement means engaged with said socket and is vertically provided in a central area of a concave portion of said cup-shaped body with a gap at said plug tube'"'"'s surrounding area;

a liquid passage and a gas passage formed in said cup-shaped body to vertically pass through said plug tube;

a siphon tube, being a unified portion of said cup-shaped body, integrally formed from the bottom of said cup-shaped body to communicate with the liquid passage; and

said socket is provided with;

an engagement means engaging with said plug portion;

a valve unit;

a liquid passage communicated with said liquid passage of said plug tube and a liquid passage connecting piece communicated with said liquid passage of said socket; and

a gas passage communicated with said gas passage of said plug tube and a gas passage connecting piece communicated with said gas passage of said socket.

2. A connector to be attached to a liquid tank as set forth in claim 1, wherein said valve unit of said socket is constructed of:

a sleeve element provided with a valve seat in its lower portion;

a valve disposed inside said sleeve element; and

a spring for urging said valve seat,

wherein said gas passage is so formed as to vertically extend along an outer side of said sleeve element and also to be in communication with said gas passage connecting piece; and

when said valve is opened, said liquid passage disposed in the side of said plug is in communication with said liquid passage disposed in the side of said socket,

wherein said gas passage disposed in the side of said socket is in communication with said gas passage disposed in the side of said plug.

3. The connector to be attached to said liquid tank as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said plug is provided with a plug cap which covers said plug tube at a time when said socket is not connected.

4. The connector to be attached to said liquid tank as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein a color ring is fitted in an opening in an upper surface of said cup-shaped body of said plug, wherein said color ring is classified in color in accordance with the kinds of said liquid in said tank.

5. The connector to be attached to said liquid tank as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein a key is formed in an opening in the upper surface of said cup-shaped body of said plug, wherein said key has its installation position varied in accordance with the kind of said liquid stored in said tank.

6. The connector to be attached to said liquid tank as set forth claim 1 or 2, wherein an upper end of said gas passage having been formed in said plug tube is opened into an upper side surface of said plug tube.

7. The connector to be attached to said liquid tank as set forth in claim 2, wherein said socket is constructed of:

a sleeve;

an inner tube, which is slidably inserted in said sleeve and has its inner peripheral surface formed into said gas passage;

said valve unit installed inside said inner tube;

said liquid passage connecting piece, which is screwed from the upper surface of the inner tube for supporting an upper surface of said valve unit; and

said gas passage connecting piece mounted on an upper portion of said inner tube.

8. The connector to be attached to said liquid tank as set forth in claim 7, wherein one or a plurality of gas passages are formed in an outer side of said sleeve element, wherein an upper end of each of said gas passages is opened into an annular gap formed between said inner tube and said liquid passage connecting piece.

9. The connector to be attached to said liquid tank as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said cup-shaped body of said plug is provided with a male screw portion as a fitting means to be fixed to said tank in its intermediate portion,

wherein said male screw portion is threadably engaged with a mouth stopper portion of an upper surface of said tank, and a bulging portion which bulges out over an edge portion of said mouth stopper portion is provided in an upper portion of said plug, and said bulging portion is covered with a dust protective cap.

10. A liquid tank and a connector attached thereto, comprising:

two pieces of mouth stopper portions in an upper surface of said liquid tank,

wherein at least one of said mouth stopper portions is connected with said connector, and

wherein said connector is the connector of any one of claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 7, thereby providing a circulation passage for connecting said two connectors.

11. The liquid tank as set forth in claim 10, wherein a valve, a pump and a filter are installed in said circulation liquid passage.