Quick-connecting coupler for hoses, pipes and faucets

• US 20040164547A1
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gerald Cronley
• Original Assignee: Gerald Cronley
• Inventors: Cronley, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 7,140,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/34
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/1215 using hooks provided with a screw-thread adapted to engage and mesh with an appropriate corresponding part

Abstract

A coupler for coupling an end of a hose to a mating end of a faucet or another hose. In the first embodiment, the female end of the coupler is mechanically locked in sealing engagement with a male end by simply translation thereof by means of wedges and an outer retaining sleeve. In a second embodiment, hydraulic pressure provides the final seal, with the female end being a spring split-ring locked and compressed by means of an outer locking sleeve, which outer locking sleeve is released by squeezing it in order to deform it. A third embodiment combines the first and second-embodiments.

Claims

1. A coupler having one of a female-end and a male end for connection to mating cooperating end of an element, comprising:

a main frame;

a collet means mounted for slidable movement by said main frame, said collet means comprising flexible engaging means for engaging a cooperating portion of a mating cooperating end of an element to be coupled to;

a retaining member mounted for sliding movement by said main frame, said retaining member being at least partially telescopingly movable relative to said collet means and comprising prevention means for preventing said flexible engaging means from disengaging with the mating cooperating end of an element to be coupled to male-portion of an element, and also comprising first engaging means;

a retaining means mounted by said main frame for relative sliding motion with respect to said retaining member, and comprising second cooperating means, said retaining means capable of retaining said retaining member in a retained position via said first and second cooperating means;

means for translating said flexible engaging means of said collet means;

said means for translating comprising third cooperating means in operative association with said collet means and said retaining member for alternatively moving said collet means in a first direction and in a second direction.

2. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein said third engaging means of said means for translating comprises wedge means having a first wedge-surface, a second wedge-surface and a third wedge-surface;

said main frame comprising a first canted-surface means for contact with said first wedge surface of said wedge means for movement of said wedge means therealong;

said retaining member comprising a second canted-surface means for contact with said second wedge-surface of said wedge-means; and

said collet means comprising engaging surface means for contact with said third wedge-surface;

said wedge means causing said collet means to move relative to said main frame by said contacting third wedge-surface and said engaging surface means when said retaining member is moved relative to said collet means by contact of said second canted-surface means with said second wedge-surface of said wedge-means.

3. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein each of said first cooperating means and said second cooperating means comprises a canted surface for compressing said retaining member, and further comprising cooperating locking means for retaining said outer retaining member in a position relative to said compressible inner retaining member for keeping said inner retaining member in a compressed state.

4. The coupler according to claim 3, wherein said third engaging means of means for translating comprises wedge means having a first wedge-surface, a second wedge-surface and a third wedge-surface;

said main frame comprising a first canted-surface means for contact with said first wedge surface of said wedge means for movement of said wedge means therealong;

said retaining member comprising a second canted-surface means for contact with said second wedge-surface of said wedge-means; and

said collet means comprising engaging surface means for contact with said third wedge-surface;

said wedge means causing said collet means to move in said main frame by said contacting third wedge-surface and said engaging surface means when said retaining member is moved relative to said collet means by contact of said second canted-surface means with said second wedge-surface of said wedge-means.

5. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprises a flexible, compressible sleeve;

said first cooperating means and said second cooperating means comprising compressing means for compressing said retaining member;

said flexible, compressible sleeve comprising third cooperating means, and said collet means comprising fourth cooperating means, said third cooperating means and fourth cooperating means cooperating being in operative engagement so that when said said first cooperating means and said second cooperating means compress said flexible, compressible sleeve, said collet means is allowed greater translational movement by said means for translating.

6. The coupler according to claim 1, wherein said collet means is a male-end for reception in a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

each of said flexible engaging means comprising male-end means for mating engagement with a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

said prevention means comprising a prevention element having a first canted surface;

each of said flexible engaging means of said collet means comprising a second canted surface for cooperative engagement with said first canted surface for expanding said flexible engaging means outwardly into engagement with the female-end of element to be coupled to when said retaining member is moved relative to said collet means.

7. The coupler according to claim 6, wherein said main frame comprises a seat-end at said collet means against which seats a sealing element of a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

said third cooperating means cooperating with said main frame for moving said main frame, and therefore said seat-end, in a direction away from said third cooperating means, whereby said seat-end is sealed against a sealing element in the female end of an element to be coupled to.

8. The coupler according to claim 4, wherein said collet means is a male-end for reception in a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

each of said flexible engaging means comprising male-end means for mating engagement with a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

said prevention means comprising a prevention element having a first canted surface;

each of said flexible engaging means of said collet means comprising a second canted surface for cooperative engagement with said first canted surface for expanding said flexible engaging means outwardly into engagement with the female-end of element to be coupled to when said retaining member is moved relative to said collet means.

9. The coupler according to claim 8, wherein said main frame comprises a seat-end at said collet means against which seats a sealing element of a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

said first canted-surface means in contact with said first wedge surface of said wedge means translating said main frame for moving said main frame, and therefore said seat-end, in a direction away from said wedge means, whereby said seat-end is sealed against a sealing element in the female end of an element to be coupled to.

19. The method according to claim 1-8, wherein said step of compressing comprises initially sliding an outer setting sleeve about the compressible member;

said method further comprising retaining said collet member in its engaged sealing state with the female-end, said step of retaining comprising additionally sliding said outer setting sleeve for lockingly engaging means of the outer setting sleeve with cooperating engaging means on the compressible member.

10. In a coupler having one of a female-end and a male-end for connection to a mating end of an element, comprising:

a main body portion;

collet means mounted for slidable movement relative to said main body portion, said collet means comprising flexible engaging means for engaging with a mating portion of an element to be coupled to;

an outer retaining member mounted for sliding relative to said main frame, said outer retaining member being at least partially telescopingly movable about said collet means and comprising means for preventing said flexible engaging means from disengaging with the mating of an element to be coupled to, and comprising first engaging means;

retaining means capable of holding said outer retaining member in a locking position; and

means for moving said flexible engaging means of said collet means toward and away from said main body portion.

11. The coupler according to claim 10, wherein said means for moving comprises wedge means having a first wedge-surface, a second wedge-surface and a third wedge-surface;

said main body portion comprising a first canted-surface means for contact with said first wedge surface of said wedge means for movement of said wedge means therealong;

said outer retaining member comprising a second canted-surface means for contact with said second wedge-surface of said wedge-means; and

said collet means comprising engaging surface means for contact with said third wedge-surface;

said wedge means causing said collet means to move relative to said main body portion by said contacting third wedge-surface and said engaging surface means when said retaining member is moved relative to said collet means by contact of said second canted-surface means with said second wedge-surface of said wedge-means.

12. The coupler according to claim 10, wherein said outer retaining member comprises a first cooperating means;

said retaining means being mounted by said main body portion for relative sliding motion in said outer retaining member, and comprising second cooperating means;

said retaining means comprising a compressible member capable of holding said outer retaining member in a locking position via said first and second cooperating means;

each of said first cooperating means and said second cooperating means comprising means for compressing said retaining means, and further comprising cooperating locking means for locking said outer retaining member in a position relative to said compressible member for keeping said compressible member in a compressed state.

13. The hose coupler according to claim 10, wherein said retaining means comprises a compressible member having a first end-portion and a second end-portion;

said collet means being capable of abutting contact with said second end-portion of said compressible member;

said outer retaining member having means for compressing said compressible member when said outer retaining member is moved in the direction of said collet means, whereby when said compressible member is compressed, said collet means is allowed movement by said means for moving in a direction toward said main body portion to thereby secure a mating end of an element to be coupled to

14. The coupler according to claim 13, wherein said compressible member comprises a tubular element having cutout means-in-order to form a plurality of furcated arms;

said tubular element having an outer circumferential surface and first cooperating means formed on said outer circumferential surface;

said outer retaining member comprising said second cooperating means for cooperating with said first cooperating means for compressing-said plurality of arms, and further-comprising additional cooperating means for releasably holding said outer retaining member in a position relative to said compressible member for keeping said compressible member in a compressed state.

15. The coupler according to claim 10, wherein said collet means is a male-end for reception in a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

each of said flexible engaging means comprising male-end means for mating engagement with a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

said means for preventing comprising a prevention element having a first canted surface;

each of said flexible engaging means of said collet means comprising a second canted surface for cooperative engagement with said-first canted surface for expanding said flexible engaging means outwardly into engagement with the female-end of element to be coupled to when said retaining Member is moved relative to said collet means.

16. The coupler according to claim 15, wherein said body portion comprises a seat-end at said collet means against which seats a sealing element of a female-end of an element to be coupled to;

said means for moving cooperating with said main frame for moving said main frame, and therefore said seat-end, in a direction away from said third means for moving, whereby said seat-end is sealed against a sealing element in the female end of an element to be coupled to.

17. A method of coupling a male-end of an element to a female-end of another element, which coupler comprises a main body portion having a first end and a second end comprising:

(a) inserting a female-end partially about a flexible, floating collet member having mating engaging means for the female-end;

(b) said step (a) comprising pushing the female-end to cause the engaging means of the collet member to initially engage with cooperating means of the female-end and for moving the collet member a first lateral distance by contact of the collet means against a limit-stop;

(c) after said step (b), allowing the collet member additional lateral movement;

(d) said step (c) comprising moving the limit stop a distance that allows said additional lateral movement;

(e) substantially simultaneously moving said collet member a further distance as defined by said step (d) in a first direction and said second end of said main body portion in the opposite direction;

(f) said step (e) sealing said second end of said-main body portion against a sealing member in the female-end of the other element.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said step (d) comprises compressing a compressible member having engaging means that engage with said collet member, said step of compressing moves the engaging means away from the collet member to thus allow said additional lateral movement.