Quick-connecting coupler for hoses, pipes and faucets

• US 7,140,645 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerald Cronley
• Original Assignee: Gerald Cronley
• Inventors: Cronley, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M.
• Application Number:
  US10/746,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20040164547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 285/32, 285/34, 285/35, 285/314, 285/322, 285/323
• 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 a male end for connection to a female end of an element, comprising:

a main frame;

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

a retaining member mounted for sliding movement relative to said main frame, said retaining member being at least partially telescopingly movable relative to said collet and comprising prevention means for preventing said flexible engaging means from disengaging with a female end of another element to be coupled thereto;

a retaining means mounted by said main frame for relative sliding motion with respect to said retaining member, said retaining means capable of retaining said retaining member in a retained position;

means for translating said flexible engaging means of said collet;

said means for translating being in operative association with said collet and said retaining member for alternatively moving said collet in a first direction and in a second direction;

each of said flexible engaging means being capable of mating engagement with a female-end of another element to be coupled;

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

2. The coupler according to claim 1,

wherein said main frame comprises a seat at said collet for seating against a sealing element of a female-end of another element to be coupled to thereagainst;

said means for translating cooperating with said main frame for moving said main frame body portion, and therefore said seat, in a direction away from said means for translating, whereby said seat is sealable against a sealing element in a female end of an element to be coupled to.

3. A coupler having a male-end for connection to a female end of another element, comprising:

a main body portion;

a collet mounted for slidable movement relative to said main body portion, said collet comprising flexible engaging means for engaging with a female end of another element to be coupled thereto;

an outer retaining member mounted for sliding relative to said main body portion, said outer retaining member being at least partially telescopingly movable about said collet and comprising prevention means for preventing said flexible engaging means from disengaging with a female end of another element to be coupled;

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

means for translating said flexible engaging means of said collet toward and away from said main body portion;

each of said flexible engaging means being capable of mating engagement with a female-end of another element to be coupled;

said prevention means comprising a canted surface;

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

4. The coupler according to claim 3,

wherein said main body portion comprises a seat at said collet for seating against a sealing element of a female-end of another element to be coupled to thereagainst;

said means

for translating cooperating with said main body portion for moving said main body portion, and therefore said seat, in a direction away from said means for translating, whereby said seat is sealable against a sealing element in a female end of an element to be coupled to.

5. 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 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 to initially engage with cooperating means of the female-end and for moving the collet a first lateral distance by contact of the collet against a limit-stop;

(c) after said step (b), allowing the collet 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 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.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step (d) comprises compressing a compressible member that engages with said collet.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of compressing comprises initially sliding an outer retaining member about the compressible member;

said method farther comprising retaining said collet in its engaged sealing state with the female-end, said step of retaining comprising additionally sliding said outer retaining member for lockingly engaging the outer retaining member.