Patent ID: 9435474
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: F02M,F16L

Claim Text:
1. A fluid communication device, comprising: a tubular body including a tubular end piece extending in an axial direction, said tubular end piece connectable by axial insertion into a plug-in pipe having an outer annular locking neck; an assembly head, separate from said tubular body, in which said tubular end piece is received, said assembly head including a receiving chamber coaxial with said tubular end piece and adapted to receive said plug-in pipe to connect said assembly head to said tubular end piece; a U-shaped locking element including two arms inserted into said receiving chamber along an insertion direction perpendicular to said axial direction, said two arms disposed within said receiving chamber in a pre-assembled state, said two arms elastically spreadable apart from one another in said receiving chamber along said insertion direction upon axial displacement of said plug-in pipe in said receiving chamber toward a position of abutment in which said plug-in pipe is fully connected to said tubular end piece, said two arms engaged within said annular locking neck of said plug-in pipe upon said plug-in pipe reaching said position of abutment to lock said plug-in pipe in said assembly head; and an intermediate ring mounted in said receiving chamber and slidably movable in said axial direction between a frontal position and a dorsal position to effect a pre-opening of said locking element, said intermediate ring axially spaced from said plug-in pipe and adapted to be pushed axially between said frontal and dorsal positions by contacting engagement with said plug-in pipe when said plug-in pipe is displaced in said receiving chamber toward said tubular end piece, said intermediate ring including chamfers engageable with said two arms of said locking element to spread said two arms apart from one another prior to said plug-in pipe reaching said position of abutment.