Patent ID: 8720952
Filing Date: 2014-05-13
Classification: F16L

Abstract:
1. A connector configured to be coupled to a cylindrical male member that has an insertion end provided with a ring-shaped protrusion protruding radially from a position that is spaced from an axial leading end of the insertion end, the connector comprising: a female member comprising a cylindrical portion on one axial end of the connector, the cylindrical portion being provided with an insertion opening end into which the insertion end of the cylindrical male member is inserted, paired windows penetrating radially and being disposed circumferentially to face each other, and a locker end locking to the ring-shaped protrusion of the cylindrical male member, which is inserted into the female member through the insertion opening end, to prevent the cylindrical male member from disengaging; and a checking member extending outward from and being retained on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the female member, and comprising a letter “C”-shaped portion having opposite ends and being capable of expanding diametrically by elastic deformation, and a pair of locker protrusions protruding inwardly from the opposite ends of the letter “C”-shaped portion respectively and then being inserted into the cylindrical portion through the paired windows in the female member, respectively, the locker protrusions of the checking member locking to the windows in the female member to inhibit the checking member from disengaging from the cylindrical portion of the female member before the cylindrical male member is coupled to the female member, wherein when the locker protrusions are pressed by the ring-shaped protrusion of the cylindrical male member being inserted into the female member, the locker protrusions move radially outward to expand the letter “C”-shaped portion of the checking member diametrically, thereby enabling the checking member to disengage from the cylindrical portion of the female member, the cylindrical portion of the female member has a fitting dent that opens on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the female member, and the checking member further comprising a fitting protrusion protruding inwardly from an inner peripheral surface of the letter “C”-shaped portion and positioned, along the inner peripheral surface of the letter “C”-shaped portion, spaced from the locker protrusions and between the locker protrusions, and then being fitted into the fitting dent of the cylindrical portion of the female member circumferentially, wherein the fitting protrusion of the checking member, which is fitted into the fitting dent in the cylindrical portion of the female member circumferentially, inhibits a force that the cylindrical male member exerts on the letter “C”-shaped portion in diametric expansion, to prevent the force from shifting the letter “C”-shaped portion of the checking member circumferentially, and when the checking member is pulled to an axial perpendicular direction from the cylindrical portion of the female member, an elastic restoring force of the locker protrusions withstands an axial perpendicular direction force less than or equal to the elastic restoring force so as to not disconnect from the female member.