Patent ID: 8220113
Filing Date: 2012-07-17
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A coupling device for connecting sections of fluid tubing comprising: an upper clamp ring; a lower clamp ring attached to the upper clamp ring at a hinge joint, allowing the upper clamp ring and the lower clamp ring to rotate about the hinge joint and to surround abutting flanged ends of the fluid tubing; a shaft having a distal end pivotally connected to the upper clamp ring, a mid-section which is receivable into a slotted opening in the lower clamp ring, and a proximal end extending below the slotted opening when the mid-section is inserted in the slotted opening; a winding mechanism cooperative with the proximal end of the shaft and rotatable from a proximal winding limit to a distal winding limit so as to move an engagement surface along an axis of the shaft toward the lower clamp ring until the engagement surface applies to the lower clamp ring a force which is sufficient for securely engaging the upper clamp ring with the lower clamp ring, thereby firmly joining together the sections of fluid tubing, the winding mechanism being configured to maintain the winding mechanism on the shaft and to prevent rotation of the winding mechanism beyond the proximal and distal winding limits; and an adjustment mechanism cooperative with and disposed between the engagement surface and the winding mechanism, the adjustment mechanism being rotatable relative to the winding mechanism so as to adjust a distance between the engagement surface and the winding mechanism, thereby adjusting the amount of force applied by the engagement surface to the lower clamp ring when the winding mechanism is rotated to the distal winding limit.