Conduit coupling apparatus and method

• US 9,429,262 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Orbit Irrigation Products (Pro-Mark LLC)
• Inventors: Hoskisson, Scot W., Ericksen, Kent C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bochna, David E
• Assistant Examiner(s): LINFORD, JAMES ALBERT
• Application Number:
  US13/216,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20110304137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 285/340, 285/921
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/091 by means of a ring provided with teeth or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0915 with a separate member for releasing the coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 43/008 made from plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49876 by snap fit

Abstract

A coupling for conveying fluid between a component of a fluid system and an insertion end of a conduit may include tapered inward protrusions. The coupling may also include a stop surface disposed at a generally perpendicular angle with respect to one or more planar surfaces of the tapered inward protrusions.

Claims

1. A coupling for conveying fluid between a component of a fluid system and an insertion end of a conduit, an outer surface of the insertion end of the conduit being smooth and free of grooves, flanges and beads, said coupling comprising:

a first member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface of the first member defining a first passageway through the first member, the first passageway extending from an entry end to a securing end of the first member, the interior surface of the first member further comprising a recess defining portion, wherein the recess defining portion defines a circular recess and has a generally J-shaped cross-sectional perimeter having a long face, a short face and a first angled face, the first angled face being disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the short face;

a second member in snap fit engagement with the first member, the second member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface of the second member defining a second passageway through the second member, the second passageway extending from an attachment end to an opposite end of the second member, the interior surface of the second member further defining an annular recess at the attachment end of the second member, the interior surface of the second member further defining a plurality of tapered inward protrusions and a stop surface, wherein the coupling comprises a longitudinal axis, the tapered inward protrusions being generally parallel with the longitudinal axis, each of the tapered inward protrusions comprising a radially inward protruding inclined region, a radially inward protruding flat region which has a planar surface, and two peripheral edges forming sidewalls of the protrusion, each peripheral edge comprising an inward radial dimension,

for each of the tapered inward protrusions, the inward radial dimension increases along the longitudinal axis from the annular recess to the opposite end of the second member within the inclined region, the inward radial dimension remaining constant along the longitudinal axis within the flat region, the inclined region being disposed intermediate the flat region and the annular recess of the second member along the longitudinal axis of the second member,

the stop surface being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second member and having a shape of a disk with a central opening, the stop surface being disposed at a generally perpendicular angle and contiguous with respect to the planar surface of the flat region of each of the tapered inward protrusions, wherein, for each of the tapered inward protrusions, the flat region is contiguous with the inclined region;

a gripping ring having an inner edge defining a series of teeth, the gripping ring being disposed within the circular recess of the first member;

a support ring being disposed within the circular recess of the first member, the support ring having a proximal face that abuts the gripping ring and a distal face that encloses a portion of the annular recess; and

an O-ring disposed within the annular recess.

2. A coupling for conveying fluid between a component of a fluid system and an insertion end of a conduit, an outer surface of the insertion end of the conduit being smooth and free of grooves, flanges and beads, said coupling comprising:

a first member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface of the first member defining a first passageway through the first member, the first passageway extending from an entry end to a securing end of the first member, the interior surface of the first member further comprising a recess defining portion, wherein the recess defining portion defines a circular recess and has a J-shaped cross-sectional perimeter having a long face, a short face and a first angled face, the first angled face being disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the short face;

a second member in snap fit engagement with the first member, the second member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface of the second member defining a second passageway through the second member, the second passageway extending from an attachment end to an opposite end of the second member, the interior surface of the second member further defining an annular recess at the attachment end of the second member, the interior surface of the second member further defining a plurality of tapered inward protrusions and a stop surface, wherein the coupling comprises a longitudinal axis, the tapered inward protrusions being generally parallel with the longitudinal axis, each of the tapered inward protrusions comprising a radially inward protruding inclined region, a radially inward protruding flat region which has a planar surface, and two peripheral edges forming sidewalls of the protrusion, each peripheral edge comprising an inward radial dimension,

for each of the tapered inward protrusions, the inward radial dimension increases along the longitudinal axis from the annular recess to the opposite end of the second member within the inclined region, the inward radial dimension remaining constant along the longitudinal axis within the flat region, the inclined region being disposed intermediate the flat region and the annular recess of the second member along the longitudinal axis of the second member,

the stop surface being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second member and having a shape of a disk with a central opening, the stop surface being disposed at a generally perpendicular angle and contiguous with respect to the planar surface of the flat region of each of the tapered inward protrusions, wherein, for each of the tapered inward protrusions, the flat region is contiguous with the inclined region;

a gripping ring having an inner edge defining a series of teeth, the gripping ring being disposed within the circular recess of the first member;

a support ring being disposed within the circular recess of the first member, the support ring having a proximal face that abuts the gripping ring, a distal face that encloses a portion of the annular recess, and an interior angled face and an exterior surface, the exterior surface being radially outward relative to the interior angled face, the exterior surface defining a region of lesser constant radius and a region of greater constant radius and a step intermediate the region of lesser constant radius and the region of greater constant radius, the region of greater constant radius being contiguous with the distal face, the region of greater constant radius being disposed intermediate the region of lesser constant radius and the attachment end of the second member, the attachment end of the second member abutting the distal face of the support ring; and

an O-ring disposed within the annular recess.

3. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the gripping ring comprises an outer body, and wherein the outer body of the gripping ring abuts the short face and the series of teeth of the gripping ring abut the first angled face when the coupling is in an unengaged position, the unengaged position comprising a position in which no conduit is engaged with the gripping ring of the coupling.

4. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the exterior surface of the support ring abuts the long face of the J-shaped cross-sectional perimeter.

5. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the first passageway is in fluid communication with the second passageway to form a coupling passageway.

6. The coupling of claim 5, wherein the coupling passageway extends along the longitudinal axis of the coupling.

7. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the entry end of the first member includes an entry face defining an entry opening, the entry face comprising a raised portion surrounding the entry opening.

8. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the interior surface of the first member further defines a mouth region, the first angled face being disposed at an acute angle relative to the mouth region, the first angled face and the mouth region defining an acute extension of the first member.

9. A coupling for conveying fluid between a component of a fluid system and an insertion end of a conduit, an outer surface of the insertion end of the conduit being smooth and free of grooves, flanges and beads, said coupling comprising:

a first member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface of the first member defining a first passageway through the first member, the first passageway extending from an entry end to a securing end of the first member, the interior surface of the first member further comprising a recess defining portion, wherein the recess defining portion defines a circular recess and has a generally J-shaped cross-sectional perimeter having a long face, a short face and a first angled face, the first angled face being disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the short face, the short face being disposed radially intermediate the long face and the first angled face;

a second member in snap fit engagement with the first member, the second member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface of the second member defining a second passageway through the second member, the second passageway extending from an attachment end to an opposite end of the second member, the interior surface of the second member further defining an annular recess at the attachment end of the second member, the interior surface of the second member further defining a plurality of tapered inward protrusions and a stop surface, wherein the coupling comprises a longitudinal axis, the tapered inward protrusions being generally parallel with the longitudinal axis, each of the tapered inward protrusions comprising a radially inward protruding inclined region, a radially inward protruding flat region which has a planar surface, and two peripheral edges forming sidewalls of the protrusion, each peripheral edge comprising an inward radial dimension,

for each of the tapered inward protrusions, the inward radial dimension increases along the longitudinal axis from the annular recess to the opposite end of the second member within the inclined region, the inward radial dimension remaining constant along the longitudinal axis within the flat region, the inclined region being disposed intermediate the flat region and the annular recess of the second member along the longitudinal axis of the second member,

the stop surface being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second member and having a shape of a disk with a central opening, the stop surface being disposed at a generally perpendicular angle with respect to the planar surface of the flat region of each of the tapered inward protrusions, wherein, for each of the tapered inward protrusions, the flat region is contiguous with the inclined region and extends from the inclined region toward the stop surface;

a gripping ring having an inner edge defining a series of teeth, the gripping ring being disposed within the circular recess of the first member;

a support ring being disposed within the circular recess of the first member, the support ring having a proximal face that abuts the gripping ring and a distal face that encloses a portion of the annular recess; and

an O-ring disposed within the annular recess.

10. The coupling of claim 9, wherein the gripping ring includes an outer body.

11. The coupling of claim 10, wherein the outer body of the gripping ring abuts the short face and the series of teeth of the gripping ring abut the first angled face when the coupling is in an unengaged position, the unengaged position comprising a position in which no conduit is engaged with the gripping ring of the coupling.

12. The coupling of claim 9, wherein the support ring includes an exterior surface, the exterior surface of the support ring abutting the long face of the generally J-shaped cross-sectional perimeter.

13. The coupling of claim 9, wherein the first passageway is in fluid communication with the second passageway to form a coupling passageway.

14. The coupling of claim 13, wherein the coupling passageway extends along a longitudinal axis of the coupling.

15. The coupling of claim 9, wherein the entry end of the first member includes an entry face defining an entry opening, the entry face comprising a recessed outer portion and a raised inner portion surrounding the entry opening.

16. The coupling of claim 9, wherein the interior surface of the first member further defines a mouth region, the first angled face being disposed at an acute angle relative to the mouth region, the first angled face and the mouth region defining an acute extension of the first member.

17. A method of manufacturing the coupling of claim 9, the method comprising:

positioning the O-ring within the annular recess of the second member;

positioning the gripping ring within the circular recess of the first member;

positioning the support ring within the circular recess of the first member such that the proximal face of the support ring abuts the gripping ring; and

placing the first member in snap fit engagement with the second member such that the distal face of the support ring encloses a portion of the annular recess.

18. The method of manufacturing the coupling of claim 17, wherein positioning the gripping ring within the circular recess of the first member comprises positioning an outer body of the gripping ring such that the outer body of the gripping ring abuts the short face and the series of teeth of the gripping ring abut the first angled face of the generally J-shaped cross-sectional perimeter.

19. The method of manufacturing the coupling of claim 18, wherein the support ring further comprises an exterior surface, and wherein positioning the support ring within the circular recess of the first member comprises positioning the support ring within the circular recess such that the proximal face of the support ring abuts the outer body of the gripping ring and the exterior surface of the support ring abuts the long face of the generally J-shaped cross-sectional perimeter.