Abstract:
A male connector includes a connecting member which has a cone-shaped exit defined therein and the connecting member is connected to a pipe connector to define a space therebetween. A movable member has a cone-shaped end and multiple openings are defined through the wall of the movable member. The movable member is movably located in the space and the cone-shaped end seals the cone-shaped exit of the connecting member along the direction of the fluid. The cone-shaped end has multiple grooves or release holes to slowly release the residual pressurized fluid of the pneumatic tool or the hydraulic tool so as to safely separate the male and female connectors and mitigate the noise.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a male connector, and more particularly, to a safety pressure releasing mechanism of a male connector for pneumatic or hydraulic piping systems. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The conventional connecting device  9  used for pneumatic or hydraulic piping systems generally comprises a female connector  91  and a male connector  92 , wherein the female connector  91  has multiple beads  911  located at the inner periphery thereof and the male connector  92  has a groove  921  defined in the outside thereof. The male connector  92  is inserted into the female connector  91  and the beads  911  are engaged with the groove  921  to position the relative positions between the male and female connectors  92 ,  91 . The connecting device  9  is widely used for the pneumatic tools or hydraulic tools. The pneumatic tools are powered by the pressurized air wherein the male connector  92  is located at the inlet of the pneumatic tool and the female connector  91  is connected to the hose  93  connected with the air compressor. When the female connector  91  is not yet connected with the male connector  92 , there is a valve in the female connector  91  to seal the female connector  91  so that the pressurized air cannot not released from the female connector  91 . When the female connector  91  is connected with the male connector  92 , the male connector  92  pushes the valve so that the pressurized air is introduced into the pneumatic tool via the valve and the male connector  92 . The male connector  92  is positioned by the engagement between the beads  911  and the groove  921 . 
         [0003]    However, because the air compressor continuously provides the pressurized air, so that when separating the male connector  92  from the female connector  91 , the pressure in the hose will accelerate the male connector  92  to be separated from the female connector  91 , and the hose  93  swings randomly and quickly. The female connector  91  on the hose  93  may hit the users and the release of the pressure from the male connector  92  generates noise which may damage the hearing function of the users. 
         [0004]    The present invention intends to provide a male connector which is able to release the pressure remained therein when the male connector is separated from the female connector. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention relates to a male connector and comprises a tubular connecting member which has a first connecting portion and a first connecting end respectively located on two ends thereof. The outer diameter of the first connection portion is larger than that of the first connecting end. The connecting member with the first connecting portion and the first connecting end are made integrally and form multiple radial sections. A cone-shaped exist is defined in the connecting member. A tubular pipe connector has a second connecting portion and a second connecting end located on two ends thereof. The outer diameter of the second connection portion is larger than that of the second connecting end. The pipe connector with the second connecting portion and the second connecting end are made integrally and form multiple radial sections. A hollow movable member has a cone-shaped end at the first end thereof. Multiple openings are defined through the wall of the movable member. The movable member is movably located in the space formed between the connecting member and the pipe connector. The cone-shaped end seals the cone-shaped exit of the connecting member. 
         [0006]    Preferably, the cone-shaped end of the movable member has multiple grooves defined in the outer surface thereof. 
         [0007]    Preferably, the cone-shaped end of the movable member has multiple grooves defined axially in the outer surface thereof. 
         [0008]    The present invention has the movable member movably located in the male connector so as to seal the cone-shaped exit to prevent the residual pressure from ejecting from the male connector when the male connector is separated from the female connector. The movable member allows the pressurized fluid to slowly exit from the male connector to reduce noise. 
         [0009]    The present invention is composed of a connecting member, a pipe connector, a movable member and a seal ring, the assembling is easy. 
         [0010]    The travelling end of the movable member is movable in the travelling passage at low friction so that the movable member is moved to seal the cone-shaped exit eventually and the pressurized fluid can slowly exit from the male connector. 
         [0011]    The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows that the male connector or the present invention is cooperated with a pneumatic tool; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view to show the male connector of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view to show that the fluid enters into the male connector of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view to show that the fluid is released from the male connector of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view to show another embodiment of the male connector of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view to show that the fluid is released from the male connector disclosed in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view to show yet another embodiment of the male connector of the present invention, wherein the fluid is released from the male connector; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view to show the conventional female connector and the conventional male connector, and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of the conventional male connector. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the male connector of the present invention comprises a connecting member  1 , a pipe connector  2  and a movable member  3 . 
         [0022]    The connecting member  1  is a tubular member and has a first connecting portion  11 , a first hexagonal portion  14  and a first connecting end  12 , wherein the first connecting portion  11  and the first connecting end  12  are respectively located on two ends of the connecting member  1 . The outer diameter of the first connection portion  11  is larger than that of the first connecting end  12 , and smaller than that of the first hexagonal portion  14 . The connecting member  1  with the first connecting portion  11 , the first hexagonal portion  14  and the first connecting end  12  are made integrally and form multiple radial sections. The first connecting portion  11  has inner threads  111  and a cone-shaped exist  13  is defined in the connecting member  1 . 
         [0023]    The pipe connector  2  is a tubular member and comprises a second connecting portion  21 , a second hexagonal portion  23  and a second connecting end  22 , wherein the second connecting portion  21  and the second connecting end  22  are located on two ends of the pipe connector  2 . The outer diameter of the second connection portion  21  is larger than that of the second connecting end  22 , and smaller than that of the second hexagonal portion  23 . The pipe connector  2  with the second connecting portion  21 , the second hexagonal portion  23  and the second connecting end  22  are made integrally and form multiple radial sections. The second connecting portion  21  has outer threads  211 . 
         [0024]    The movable member  3  is a hollow member and has a cone-shaped end  31  at the first end thereof. Multiple openings  32  are defined through the wall of the movable member  3 , preferably, there are four openings  32 . The movable member  3  is movably located in a space  4  which is formed between the connecting member  1  and the pipe connector  2 , when the connecting member  1  is connected to the pipe connector  2 . The cone-shaped end  31  seals the cone-shaped exit  13  of the connecting member  1  when the movable member  3  moves along the direction that the pressurized fluid  51  moves. The movable member  3  has a travelling end  313  at the second end thereof, wherein the outer diameter of the travelling end  313  is larger than the outer diameter of the movable member  3  so as to form a stepped portion. The length of the travelling end  313  is one third of the length of the movable member  3 . The outer diameter “D” of the travelling end  313  is larger than the outer diameter “d” of the movable member  3 . The length “L 2 ” of the movable member  3  is longer than the length “L 1 ” from the cone-shaped exit  13  to an entrance of the travelling passage  41 , and shorter than the length “L” of the space  4 . A travelling passage  41  is defined between the connecting member  1  and the pipe connector  2 , and the travelling passage  41  communicates with the space  4 . The travelling end  313  is movable in the travelling passage  41 . The cone-shaped end  31  of the movable member  3  has multiple grooves  311  defined in the outer surface thereof. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the pipe connector  2 , the seal ring  42 , the movable member  3  and the connecting member  1  are assembled in sequence, wherein the outer threads  211  of the pipe connector  2  are connected with the inner threads  111  of the connecting member  1 , by using two wrenches, the connecting member  1  and the pipe connector  2  are connected to each other. The seal ring  42  is secured to prevent leakage of the male connector “A”. A hose  52  is mounted to the second connecting end  22  of the male connector “A” and the other end of the hose  52  is connected to the pneumatic tool  5  or the hydraulic tool as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0026]    As shown in Fig,  3 , the movable member  3  moves along the flowing of the pressurized fluid  51  in the space  4 , the friction between the travelling end  313  and the travelling passage  41  is low so that the movable member smoothly moves with the flowing of the pressurized fluid  51  regardless of the volume of the pressurized fluid  51 . When the male connector “A” is connected to the female connector which is connected with the source of pressure, the pressurized fluid  51  is introduced into the pneumatic tool  5  or the hydraulic tool. The travelling end  313  of the movable member  3  moves the inner end  411  of the travelling passage  41  of the space  4 . Because of the openings  32 , the pressurized fluid  51  successfully flows to the pneumatic tool  5  or the hydraulic tool and drives the pneumatic tool  5  or the hydraulic tool. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , when separating the male connector “A” from the female connector, the pressurized fluid  51  flows from the pneumatic tool  5  or the hydraulic tool toward the male connector “A”. The pressurized fluid  51  moves the movable member  3  and the travelling end  313  of the movable member  3  seals the cone-shaped exit  13  of the connecting member  1 . Because of the grooves  311  defined in the cone-shaped end  31 , the residual pressurized fluid  51  in the hose  52  is released from the grooves  311  and exits from the cone-shaped exit  13 . In other words, when the cone-shaped end  31  is engaged with the cone-shaped exit  13 , the residual pressurized fluid  51  in the hose  52  is released from the male connector “A” slowly. Therefore, the hose  52  does not swing randomly and the male connector “A” does not hurt the users. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , another embodiment is disclosed and the difference from the first embodiment is that the cone-shaped end  31  of the movable member  3  has multiple release holes  312  defined axially therethrough. The multiple release holes  312  replace the grooves  311 . When the cone-shaped end  31  is engaged with the cone-shaped exit  13 , the residual pressurized fluid  51  in the hose  52  is released from the release holes  312 , so that when the residual pressurized fluid  51  in the hose  52  is released from the male connector “A” slowly. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 7  shows yet another embodiment of the male connector of the present invention, wherein the difference from the previous two embodiments is that the cone-shaped end  31  of the movable member  3  does not have the grooves  311  or the release holes  312 , when the cone-shaped end  31  is engaged with the cone-shaped exit  13 , the surface  310  of cone-shaped end  31  is not completely matched with the inner surface  130  of the cone-shaped exit  13 . There are multiple gaps formed between the surface  310  of cone-shaped end  31  and the inner surface  130  of the cone-shaped exit  13 , the residual pressurized fluid  51  in the hose  52  is released from the male connector “A” via the gaps. However, this embodiment requires a certain period of time to completely release the residual pressurized fluid  51  in the hose  52 . 
         [0030]    While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.