Latch assembly for joining two conduits
First Claim
1. A connector assembly for coupling together first and second fluid conduits, the assembly comprisinga first connector including a proximal end for coupling with the first fluid conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a fluid pathway between the proximal and distal ends, and a housing extending about at least a portion of the fluid pathway, wherein the housing includes a slot open to an inner cavity within the housing that at least partially defines a cantilevered release button within a wall of the housing extending distally to a free end of the cantilevered release button from a fixed end of the cantilevered release button;
- anda second connector including a proximal end for coupling with the second fluid conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a fluid pathway between the proximal and distal ends, and a housing extending about at least a portion of the fluid pathway, wherein a wall of the housing defines a cantilevered region therein extending proximally to a free end of the cantilevered region from a fixed end of the cantilevered region with an engagement feature near the free end of the cantilevered region, whereinwhen the distal ends of the connectors are moved towards each other in opposed fashion, the cantilevered region passes underneath the slot to allow the engagement feature to engage the slot and connect the first connector to the second connector.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A latch assembly for connection of conduit, the assembly comprising a female portion and a male portion, wherein each of the female portion and the male portion have a shell and a connection device. The connection device of the female portion includes a connection assembly with a molded-in slot, a release button, and a raised rib or alternatively is a connection opening. The connection device of the male portion includes a cantilevered region with a ramped engagement feature or alternatively is a raised cantilevered release button. When connected the cantilevered region or button deflects to accommodate the female portion until the ramped engagement feature or button engages the molded-in slot or connection opening, thus releasing the deflection. Depressing the release button disengages the latch allowing separation of the assembly.
593 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A connector assembly for coupling together first and second fluid conduits, the assembly comprising
a first connector including a proximal end for coupling with the first fluid conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a fluid pathway between the proximal and distal ends, and a housing extending about at least a portion of the fluid pathway, wherein the housing includes a slot open to an inner cavity within the housing that at least partially defines a cantilevered release button within a wall of the housing extending distally to a free end of the cantilevered release button from a fixed end of the cantilevered release button; - and
a second connector including a proximal end for coupling with the second fluid conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a fluid pathway between the proximal and distal ends, and a housing extending about at least a portion of the fluid pathway, wherein a wall of the housing defines a cantilevered region therein extending proximally to a free end of the cantilevered region from a fixed end of the cantilevered region with an engagement feature near the free end of the cantilevered region, wherein when the distal ends of the connectors are moved towards each other in opposed fashion, the cantilevered region passes underneath the slot to allow the engagement feature to engage the slot and connect the first connector to the second connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A connector assembly for coupling together first and second fluid conduits, the assembly comprising
a first connector including a proximal end for coupling with the first fluid conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a fluid pathway between the proximal and distal ends, and a housing extending about at least a portion of the fluid pathway, wherein a wall of the housing defines a cantilevered button and a free end of the cantilevered button extends towards the proximal end of the first connector; - and
a second connector including a proximal end for coupling with the second fluid conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a fluid pathway between the proximal and distal ends, and a housing extending about at least a portion of the fluid pathway, wherein a wall of the housing defines a connection opening therein that is open to an inner cavity within the housing, wherein when the distal ends of the connectors are moved towards each other in opposed fashion, the cantilevered button passes underneath the connection opening to be received in the connection opening, engage the connection opening, and connect the first connector to the second connector. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A latch assembly for the connection of conduits, the latch assembly comprising
a female portion including a shell, a slot defined within a wall of the shell such that the slot is open to an inner cavity within the shell, and a release button forming a part of the wall of the shell and defined at least partially by the slot; - and
a male portion including a shell that defines a cantilevered region within a wall of the shell, the cantilevered region further having an engagement feature;
whereinthe cantilevered region is adapted to deflect upon engagement with the female portion; the engagement feature is adapted to engage the slot; and the release button is adapted to disengage the engagement feature from the slot when depressed, thereby allowing separation of the female and male portions. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A latch assembly for connection of conduits, the latch assembly comprising
a female portion including a shell and a connection opening defined within a wall of the shell that is open to an inner cavity within the shell; - and
a male portion including a shell having a slot open to an inner cavity within the shell and a cantilevered button defined at least partially by the slot within a wall of the shell;
whereinthe cantilevered button is adapted to deflect upon engagement with the female portion and further engage the connection opening; the cantilevered button is adapted to disengage the connection opening when depressed, thereby allowing separation of the female and male portions; and
the cantilevered button has a free end that faces away from an end of the male portion that extends farthest into the female portion when the male and female ends are engaged. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A connector assembly for coupling together first and second fluid conduits, the assembly comprising
a first connector including a proximal end for coupling with the first fluid conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a fluid pathway between the proximal and distal ends, and a housing extending about at least a portion of the fluid pathway, wherein the housing includes a slot open to an inner cavity within the housing that at least partially defines a cantilevered release button within a wall of the housing extending distally to a free end of the cantilevered release button from a fixed end of the cantilevered release button; - and
a second connector including a proximal end for coupling with the second fluid conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, a fluid pathway between the proximal and distal ends, and a housing extending about at least a portion of the fluid pathway, wherein a wall of the housing defines a cantilevered region therein extending distally to a free end of the cantilevered region from a fixed end of the cantilevered region with an engagement feature near the free end of the cantilevered region, wherein when the distal ends of the connectors are moved towards each other in opposed fashion, the cantilevered region passes underneath the slot to allow the engagement feature to engage the slot and connect the first connector to the second connector. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification