Patent ID: 11898676
Assignee: MERCURY PLASTICS LLC
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 19:
20. A waterway connection assembly comprising:
a male fitting comprising a first raised curb and a second raised curb defining a recess therebetween;
a female fitting comprising a saddle and a first aperture and a second aperture within opposing sidewalls of the female fitting;
a clip comprising a first leg and a second leg extending from a seat where the first leg comprises a first leg protrusion and a first tab and the second leg comprises a second leg protrusion, where the first tab extends from a base of the first leg in a first axial direction;
wherein the clip is positioned about the female fitting with the seat positioned at the saddle and the first leg and the second leg extending about the saddle into the first aperture and the second aperture, respectively, where the first leg protrusion and the second leg protrusion extend from the first leg and the second leg through the first aperture and the second aperture, respectively;
wherein a sidewall of the male fitting is configured to drive the first leg protrusion and the second leg protrusion apart to advance the male fitting into the female fitting and wherein the first leg protrusion and the second leg protrusion snap towards each other into the recess of the male fitting upon fully advancing the male fitting into the female fitting; and
a first retaining extension projecting axially from a sidewall of the first leg protrusion and a second retaining extension projecting axially from a sidewall of the second leg protrusion, the first retaining extension being disposed radially inwardly of the female fitting and extending in an axial direction toward the second raised curb when the sidewall of the first leg protrusion engages a face of the first aperture and the second retaining extension being disposed radially inwardly of the female fitting and extending in an axial direction toward the second raised curb when the sidewall of the second leg protrusion engages a face of the second aperture; and
wherein, when the sidewall of the first leg protrusion engages the face of the first aperture, an opposing surface of the first leg protrusion engages the first raised curb and, when the sidewall of the second leg protrusion engages the face of the second aperture, an opposing surface of the second leg protrusion engages the first raised curb.