Patent ID: 7565917
Filing Date: 2009-07-28
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A connector that is used in a connection, to an object of supply, of a supply line that is used for the supply of fluid from a fluid supply apparatus to said object of supply, and a vent line that is used for the return of fluid from said object of supply to said fluid supply apparatus, and that constitutes a part of said supply line and said vent line itself, said connector comprising: a supply side connector provided on said fluid supply apparatus; an inlet side connector that is coupled detachably to said supply side connector, provided on said object of supply; a first supply valve and a second supply valve that carry out restriction and allowance of the flow of said fluid through said supply line, said supply line being divided into a supply side supply line and an inlet side supply line, said first supply valve being provided on the supply side supply line of said supply side connector, and said second supply valve being provided on said inlet side supply line of said inlet side connector; a vent valve that carries out restriction and allowance of the flow of said fluid through said vent line, said vent line being divided into a supply side vent line and an inlet side vent line, and said vent valve being provided on said inlet side vent line of said inlet side connector; and a valve opening and closing apparatus that operates the opening and closing of said first and second supply valves and said vent valve, wherein said supply side connector comprises a first inner cylinder, and said inlet side connector comprises a second inner cylinder, said first and second inner cylinders constituting connection parts of said supply side supply line and said inlet side supply line, said supply side connector comprises a first outer cylinder, and said inlet side connector comprises a second outer cylinder, said first and second outer cylinders enclosing said first and second inner cylinders, and said first and second outer cylinders constituting connection parts of said supply side vent line and said inlet side vent line, said first supply valve is provided in said first inner cylinder, and said second supply valve is provided in said second inner cylinder, said first and second supply valves being of a construction such as to carry out switching between restriction and release of the flow of said fluid through said supply side supply line and said inlet side supply line by changing their positions in the axial direction of said first and second inner cylinders, said vent valve is provided between said second outer cylinder and said second inner cylinder, and is of a construction such as to carry out switching between restriction and release of the flow of said fluid through said supply side vent line and said inlet side vent line by changing its position in said axial direction, said valve opening and closing apparatus is of a construction such as to operate opening and closing of said first and second supply valves and said vent valve by respectively moving them in the axial direction, said first supply valve of said supply side connector includes: said second supply valve of said inlet side connector includes: said vent valve includes: an end connection of said first outer cylinder of said supply side connector is of a construction such as to be projected further than an end connection of said first inner cylinder of said supply side connector, and to be inserted into said second outer cylinder of said inlet side connector in a process in which said supply side connector and said inlet side connector are coupled, inside said second inner cylinder of said inlet side connector there is provided a first presser part that contacts said supply side valve body in a state in which said first outer cylinder of said supply side connector is inserted into said second outer cylinder of said inlet side connector, and moves said supply side valve body from said shut off position toward the upstream side on said supply side supply line, inside said first inner cylinder of said supply side connector there is provided a second presser part that contacts said inlet side valve body in a state in which both said first and second inner cylinders are connected, and moves said inlet side valve body from said shut off position toward the downstream side of said inlet side supply line, on said first outer cylinder of said supply side connector there is provided a third presser part that contacts said vent side valve body in a state in which said first outer cylinder of said supply side connector is inserted into said second outer cylinder of said inlet side connector and both said first and second inner cylinders are connected, and moves said vent side valve body from said shut off position toward the upstream side of said inlet side vent line, said first biasing member, said second biasing member, said third biasing member, said first presser part, said second presser part, and said third presser part constitute said valve opening and closing apparatus, said inlet side valve body of said inlet side connector constitutes said first presser part, said supply side valve body of said supply side connector constitutes said second presser part, an end connection of said first outer cylinder of said supply side connector constitutes said third presser part, and a biasing force of said second biasing member is greater than that of said first biasing member, so that from when said supply side valve body and said inlet side valve body make contact until both said first and second inner cylinders are connected, only said supply side valve body is moved to the upstream side from said shut off position, and said inlet side valve body is held in said shut off position.