Patent ID: 8469406
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A socket configured to receive and lock a plug, the socket comprising: a cylindrical socket body having: a plug-locking element radially movable in the first through-hole between a locking position where the plug-locking element engages with a locking recess formed in an outer peripheral surface of the plug inserted into the plug-receiving part to prevent the plug from being pulled out of the plug-receiving part and an unlocking position where the plug-locking element disengages radially outward from the locking recess of the plug to allow the plug to be pulled out of the plug-receiving part; a sleeve-operating element radially movable in the second through-hole; a sleeve provided around the cylindrical socket body displaceably in a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical socket body and urged forward; and a collar provided in the plug-receiving part slidably in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical socket body and urged forward, the collar having a plug forward end-receiving part that is open forward to receive an insert part of the plug extending rearward from a forward end of the plug toward the locking recess; wherein, when the plug is not inserted in the socket, the collar is placed in a first position where the collar pushes the sleeve-operating element radially outward to make the sleeve-operating element engage with the sleeve to prevent the sleeve from being displaced forward, thereby allowing the plug-locking element to be displaced between the locking position and the unlocking position, and when the plug is inserted in the socket, the collar is placed in a second position where the collar is pushed rearward by the plug received in the collar such that an outer peripheral surface of the insert part of the plug comes substantially in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the plug forward end-receiving part of the collar, thereby allowing the sleeve-operating element to be displaced radially inward, and thus causing the sleeve to be displaced forward to press the plug-locking element into the locking position; wherein the plug-receiving part having a guide portion located forward of the collar and adjacent to a forward end edge of the collar as placed in the first position to prevent the forward end of the plug as inserted into the socket from engaging with the forward end surface of the collar and to guide the forward end of the plug into the collar; wherein the guide portion is an annular projection projecting radially inward in a tapered fashion from an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical socket body and having a smaller inner diameter than that of the collar, the tapered projection annular projection being for the guidance of the plug into the collar.