Patent ID: 6830070
Filing Date: 2004-12-14
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
A fluid coupler comprising:a female coupler member having (i) an interior surface defining a male coupler member receiving hole having an axis, and (ii) a first fluid passage having an end opening at said interior surface; a male coupler member having (i) an exterior surface, and (ii) a second fluid passage having an end opening at said exterior surface, said male coupler member being insertable into said male coupler member receiving hole along said axis such that said exterior surface extends parallel to said axis and so as to bring said male coupler member into a fixed connection condition in which said male coupler member is fixedly connected to said female coupler member and retained at a fixed connection position relative to said female coupler member, with the fixed connection condition being designed to be canceled or broken, when an excessive tension is applied to a fluid line in which the fluid coupler is installed, via tension acting on said female and male coupler members that causes said female and male coupler members to separate from one another; a spring member for applying a force to said male coupler member, after being inserted within said male coupler receiving hole, so as to hold said male coupler member at the fixed connection position; and a first valve mounted on said interior surface and positioned between said exterior surface and said interior surface when said male coupler member is inserted within said male coupler member receiving hole, said first valve having an outer surface and an inner surface to be slidably engaged with said interior surface and said exterior surface, respectively, when said male coupler member is inserted within said male coupler member receiving hole, said first valve also having a through hole having an outer end opening at said outer surface and an inner end opening at said inner surface, such that when said male coupler is in the fixed connection condition, said outer end of said through hole and said inner end of said through hole are aligned with said end of said first fluid passage and said end of said second fluid passage, respectively, so as to effect fluid communication between said first fluid passage and said second fluid passage, which fluid communication is to be canceled due to loss of at least one of alignment of said outer end of said through hole relative to said end of said first fluid passage and alignment of said inner end of said through hole relative to said end of said second fluid passage, which loss is caused when said male coupler member is moved in a direction opposite to a direction of insertion of said male coupler member into said male coupler receiving hole, corresponding to cancellation of the fixed connection condition.