Abstract:
An adapter and associated apparatus for transferring gas/fluid are presented herein. The adapter is configured to connect valves and connectors of plural sizes to each other. The adapter includes an outer surface having an outer thread for connection to a tightening nut of the connector. The adapter also includes a first and second inner surfaces sized for different size valves.

Description:
FIELD 
     The present application for patent relates to fluid and gas transfer equipment, and more particularly to adapters for connecting connectors to gas or fluid valves. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Gas and fluid transfer systems typically include valves and any number of connectors. The valves receive the gas or fluid from a sources and can either permit or block the flow of the gas or fluid to a destination. Where the valve permits the flow of gas/fluid, the gas/fluid is received by the connector. 
     The connector and the valve connection is air tight, thereby preventing the release of gas/fluid. The air tight connection is achieved by threadably connecting the opening of the valve with one end of the connector. To make a threadable connection, the connector and valve must be appropriately sized for each other. 
     Valves and connectors are usually manufactured, distributed, and sold separately from each other and in a variety of different sizes. Accordingly, combinations of valves and connectors of different sizes are incompatible. An adapter is used to establish a connection between valves and connectors of differing sizes. 
     An adapter includes a first portion which is sized for and threadably receives the valve and a second portion which is sized for and threadably receives the connector. However, to connect a particular valve to a particular connector, the adapter must appropriately sized for both. As the variety of sizes of valves and connectors grows linearly (n), the number of types of adapters needed grows on an n{circumflex over ( )}2 basis. As the number of differently sized adapters grows, stocking and inventory problems arise as sellers must keep appropriate stock of each sized adapter. 
     Accordingly, it would be advantageous if the number of adapters required to match each of a set of valves to each of a set of connectors could be reduced. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed to an adapter capable of connecting plural sizes of valves to a connector. The adapter has an outer surface with a thread thereon for connection to the connector. The adapter also has a distal inner surface with a thread thereon to accept a first sized valve, and a proximate inner surface with a thread thereon to accept a valve of a second size. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A a diagram of an adapter in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
     FIG. 1B is a diagram of an overhead view of the adapter illustrated FIG. 1A; 
     FIG. 2A is an illustration of a valve, seal, adapter, and a connector, connectable to form a first embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2B an illustration of a gas/fluid transport apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3A is an illustration of a valve, seal, adapter, and a connector, connectable to form a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 3B is an illustration of a gas/fluid transport apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIG. 1A, there is illustrated a diagram of an adapter in accordance with the teachings and principals of the present invention. The adapter includes a hollow substantially cylindrical member  100  made of, for example, plastic or a non-ferrous metal, such as brass. The cylindrical member  100  includes an outer surface  105  with an outwardly extending thread  110 . The outer surface  105  is capable of receiving an appropriately sized connector by mating the thread  110  on the outer surface  105  with a thread on an inner surface of the connector. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1B, there is illustrated an overhead view of the adapter illustrated in FIG.  1 A. The outer surface  105  can also include flat surfaces  107   a,    107   b  to facilitate tightening or removing the adapter from the valve/connecting with a wrench or pliers. 
     The cylindrical member  100  includes a first portion  100   a,  a second portion  100   b,  and a third portion  100   c.  The first portion  100   a  is hollow and substantially cylindrical with an outer diameter  115 , a first diameter  120   a,  and a first inner surface  125   a.  The second portion  100   b  is hollow and substantially cylindrical with outer diameter  115 , a second diameter  120   b,  and a second inner surface  125   b.  The third portion  100   c  is hollow and substantially cylindrical with outer diameter  115 , a proximate diameter  120   c,  and third inner surface  125   c.  The first diameter  120   a  is smaller than the third diameter  120   c.    
     The first portion  100   a  includes a first thread  130   a  about the first inner surface  125   a  and having a diameter equal to the first diameter  120   a.  The third portion  100   c  includes a second thread  130   c  about the third inner surface  125   c  and having a diameter equal to the third diameter  120   c.  The first portion  100   a,  and third portion  100   c  are each capable of receiving an appropriately sized valve by mating the first thread  130   a  or second thread  130   c  with a thread on an outer surface of the valve or connector. 
     The adapter includes a seal  135  to facilitate an air tight connection between the adapter and valve received at either the first portion  100   a  or third portion  100   c.  The seal  135  can be made of a flexible material such as thermoplastic rubber, nitrile rubber, or etylene-propylene-compound diene rubber. The seal  135  is also hollow and substantially cylindrical with an outwardly skirt  135   a,  an outwardly extending step  135   c,  and an inverse skirt  135   d.  The seal  135  has a diameter selected to be similar to the second diameter  120   b,  while the skirt  135   a  has a maximum diameter selected to be similar to the first diameter  120   a,  and the step  135   c  has a diameter selected to be similar to the third diameter  120   c.    
     The seal  135  is disposed inside the cylindrical member  100 , such that the step  135   c  is surrounded by the third portion  100   c  and the skirt  135   a  is surrounded by the first portion  100   a.  The step  135   c  and the base of the skirt  135   a  preferably rest against opposite sides of the second region  100   b.  When a valve is received by the third portion  100   c,  the step  135   a  is pressed against the side of the second portion  100   b,  thereby forming an air tight seal. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a block diagram of a gas/fluid transport apparatus configured in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A illustrates a valve  205 , a seal  135 , an adapter  99 , and a connector  210 . FIG. 2B illustrates the gas/fluid transport apparatus formed by connecting the valve  205 , seal  135 , adapter  99 , and the connector  210  in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
     The valve  205  receives gas/fluid transports through a first opening  215  and transports the gas/fluid through a second opening  220 . The transport of the gas/fluid is controlled by a gate  225  which either blocks or permits the flow of the gas/fluid by opening or closing a passage from the first opening  215  to the second opening  220 . The passage is opened or closed by rotating a faucet head  230 . 
     The second opening  220  is surrounded by a substantially cylindrical region  235  which includes a thread thereon  240 . The cylindrical region  235 , depending on size, is connectable to the third inner surface  125   c  by meting the thread  240  on the cylindrical region  235  with the second thread  130   c.  Connection of the cylindrical region  235  of the valve  205  to the third inner surface causes the step  135   c  of the seal  135  to be pressed onto one side of the second region  100   b,  while the skirt  135   a  is pressed into the first region  100   a.    
     The connector  210  receives the gas/fluid through an opening  250  in a tube  255  and transports the gas/fluid to a destination, through the tube  255 . The tube  255  is attached to a tightening nut  260  with an internal thread  265 . The tightening nut  260  is connectable to the outer surface  105  by meting the thread  110  on the outer surface to the internal thread  265 . 
     The tightening nut  260  includes therein a connector seal  270 . The connector seal  270  includes a ramp  275  with a rising edge facing the hose  255 . The connector seal  270  is sized such that the smallest diameter of the ramp  275  is smaller than the first diameter  120   a  and largest diameter of the ramp is larger than the third diameter  120   c.  When the tightening nut  260  is connected to the outer surface  105 , the ramp  275  is passed into and against the first region  100   a,  thereby forming an airtight seal. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a block diagram of a gas/fluid transport apparatus configured in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3A illustrates a valve  205 , a seal  135 , an adapter  99 , and a connector  210 . FIG. 3B illustrates the gas/fluid transport apparatus formed by connecting the valve  205 , seal  135 , adapter  99 , and the connector  210  in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
     The substantially cylindrical region  235 , depending on size, is connectable to the first inner surface  125   a  by meting the thread  240  on the cylindrical region  235  with the first thread  130   a.  The tightening nut  260  is connectable to the outer surface  105  by meting the thread  110  on the outer surface to the internal thread  265 . Connection of the tightening nut  260  to the outer surface  105  causes the connector seal  270  to be pressed into and against the third region  100   c.  Additionally, the falling edge of the ramp  275  is received by the inverse skirt  135   d  causing the seal  135  to be pressed against the edge of the cylindrical region  235 , thereby forming an airtight seal. 
     Although preferred embodiments of the present inventions have illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it will be understood that the inventions are not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but are capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims and equivalents thereof.