Abstract:
A connector assembly that provides fluid communication between a first conduit and a second conduit. The connector assembly includes a first coupler, a retainer, and a second coupler. The retainer is carried by the first coupler. The second coupler has a groove. When the first and second couplers are brought together, they fluidly communicate with each other and the retainer is received with the groove so that the first and second couplers are prevented from unintentionally coming apart.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/343,845, filed May 4, 2010, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to connector assemblies that join two fluid conduits in a substantially leak-proof connection. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. Connection joints that join two fluid lines are currently known in the art. However, such connection joints have not been without their share of limitations. One limitation of some current connection joints is the necessity to use tools, such as screwdrivers, to tighten screws that secure one or both of the fluid lines together. Another limitation of some current connection joints is their tendency to give a user the impression that the fluid connection lines are securely joined together, when in fact they are not, thus potentially separating during the transfer of fluid within the lines and through the connection joint. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a connector assembly including a female coupler, a retainer, and a male coupler. The female coupler has a first end and has a second end. The female coupler has a first fluid passage that extends between the first and second ends. The second end is constructed to fit with a first conduit. The retainer is carried by the female coupler. The retainer has a portion that can be located within the first fluid passage. The male coupler has a first end that can be inserted into the first end of the female coupler. The male coupler has a second end that is constructed to fit with a second conduit. The male coupler has a second fluid passage that extends between the first and second ends of the male coupler. The male coupler has a groove. When the female coupler and the male coupler are brought together and the first and second fluid passages communicate with each other, the portion of the retainer can be received within the groove of the male coupler in order to inhibit separation of the male and female couplers. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a connector assembly including a first coupler, a second coupler, and a retainer. The first coupler has a first end and has a second end. The first coupler has a first fluid passage that extends between the first and second ends. The second end is constructed to fit with a first conduit. The first coupler has a slot that is open to the first fluid passage. The second coupler has a first end and a second end. The second coupler has a second fluid passage that extends between the first and second ends of the second coupler. The second end of the second coupler is constructed to fit with a second conduit. The second coupler has a groove. The retainer is carried by the first coupler, and the retainer has a portion that can extend through the slot of the first coupler. When the first and second coupler are brought together and the first and second fluid passages communicate with each other, the slot and the groove are aligned with each other and the portion of the retainer can be extended through the slot and can be received within the groove in order to inhibit separation of the first and second couplers. 
     In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a connector assembly that includes a first coupler, a second coupler, and a wire spring. The first coupler has a first end and has a second end. The first coupler has a first fluid passage that extends between the first and second ends. The second end is constructed to fit with a first conduit. The first coupler has a slot. The second coupler has a first end and has a second end. The second coupler has a second fluid passage that extends between the first and second ends of the second coupler. The second end of the second coupler is constructed to fit with a second conduit. The second coupler has a groove and has a chamfer located at an exterior surface of the second coupler. The chamfer is positioned forward of the groove with respect to the first end of the second coupler. The wire spring is carried externally around a part or more of the first coupler. The wire spring has a leg that can be extended through the slot of the first coupler and that can be received within the groove of the second coupler. In a first circumstance when the first and second couplers are brought together and the first and second fluid passages communicate with each other, the leg of the wire spring is extended through the slot of the first coupler, the leg of the wire spring rides on the chamfer of the second coupler, and the leg of the wire spring is received within the groove of the second coupler in order to inhibit separation of the first and second couplers. In a second circumstance when the first and second coupler are brought together and the first and second fluid passages communicate with each other, the wire spring is moved from a first position to a second position. In the first position, the leg of the wire spring is located outside of the first fluid passage and the leg is not received within the groove of the second coupler. And in the second position, the leg of the wire spring is extended through the slot of the first coupler and is received within the groove of the second coupler in order to inhibit separation of the first and second couplers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a female coupling member; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a left side view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a left side view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a right side view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of part of a housing of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1  and dual positions of a retainer; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective rear view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1  depicting open and locked locations of a retainer; 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view of part of a housing of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1  and dual positions of a retainer; 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 , depicting an internal O-ring, a bushing, and a retainer; 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view of the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 , depicting an internal O-ring, a bushing, and a retainer; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a male coupling member that is connectable into the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 19  is a side view of the male coupling member of  FIG. 18 ; 
         FIG. 20  is a cross-sectional view of the male coupling member of  FIG. 18 ; and 
         FIG. 21  is a cross-sectional view depicting the male coupling member of  FIG. 18  locked into the female coupling member of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 1-21  of the drawings, the teachings of embodiments of the present disclosure will be presented. Turning first to  FIG. 1 , a female coupling member, or female coupler, or first coupler,  10  is depicted with a variety of ways to securely lock or couple with a male coupling member, male coupler, or second coupler,  12 , depicted in  FIG. 16 , to form a quick connector assembly, or connector assembly,  14  ( FIG. 19 ). Continuing, with  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a housing  16  of female coupling member  10 , which may be hollow with a through hole or fluid passage, provides a receptacle  18  for male coupling member  12 . A seal  20 , which may be an O-ring, provides a circular and annular elastomeric surface against which the male coupling member  12  may seal, which will be presented later. A retainer  22 , which may be a u-shaped metal piece formed from wire or wire-like stock or a wire spring, may be moved to various positions within and around the female coupling member  10  to lock or unlock the male coupling member  12  from within the female coupling member  10 . Retainer  22  may have raised portion, or bridge,  24 , relative to the balance of retainer  22 , to provide a simple mechanical device that is externally accessible by a user to remove retainer  22  from housing  16 , such as with a finger or screwdriver-like lever arm or other way. 
       FIG. 3  depicts female coupling member  10  with retainer  22  in its fully installed position such that a retainer end  26  and a retainer end  28  ( FIG. 6 ) each reside within or under a cover  30 ,  32  or shield to protect retainer ends  26 ,  28 . The covers  30 ,  32  may also act as a stop, which is a structure to stop or prevent ends  26 ,  28  from moving and thus preventing prongs  64 ,  66 , also known as first and second legs, from moving deeper into the interior volume and fluid passage of housing  16 . Moreover, by protecting retainer ends  26 ,  28 , the retainer ends  26 ,  28  are unlikely to contact on any material that may contact housing  16  and inadvertently dislodge retainer  22  from its installed position and thereby dislodge male coupling member  12  from female coupling member  10 .  FIG. 4  depicts a male end  34  of female coupling member  10 . More specifically, male end  34  may receive a flexible conduit  36  such as a rubber hose that may be inserted over a nipple with barbed flanges  38  to transport a fluid through the female coupling member  10  and male coupling member  12 . Male end  34  may be equipped with a conduit stop flange  40  so that conduit  36  may stop and abut against a flange surface  42  when conduit  36  is forced over barbed flanges  38 . Also depicted in  FIG. 4  is how retainer end  26  resides within cover  30  of housing  16  when retainer  22  is fully installed into housing  16 . More specifically, when retainer  22  is fully installed or inserted within housing  16 , raised portion  24  of retainer  22  lies beside or behind a high retainer flange  44 , without protruding beyond or above an end  46  of retainer flange  44 , but does protrude beyond an end  48  of a low retainer flange  50 , as depicted in  FIG. 4 . While raised portion  24  lies at or below end  46  of flange  44 , raised portion  24  does lie above or beyond end  48  of retainer flange  50  to permit a human finger or leverage device to release or extract retainer  22  from housing  16 . Because flange ends  46 ,  48  protrude above a general exterior surface  52  of housing  16 , flanges  44 ,  50  protect retainer  22  from being damaged and from moving from its otherwise parallel position relative to an end face  54  of housing  16 . 
     While  FIG. 4  depicts retainer  22  in its installed or first position within housing  16 ,  FIG. 5  depicts housing  16  with retainer  22  extracted or pulled from its installed position and in its released or open or second position. More specifically, when retainer  22  is in its installed position, ends  26 ,  28  reside within their respective covers  30 ,  32 . However, when in its open position, as depicted in  FIG. 5 , retainer end  26  resides in a first housing groove or recess  58  and retainer end  28  resides in a second housing groove or recess  60  ( FIG. 6 ). For clarity,  FIG. 6  depicts end  28  within groove  60  and end  28  under cover  32  to simultaneously depict the possible locations of retainer  22 , even though only one retainer  22  exists and only one position of end  28  may occur at any one time. 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  depict left side views of female coupling member  10  and more specifically,  FIG. 8  depicts retainer  22  in an extracted or open position and  FIG. 9  depicts retainer  22  in its installed or locked position. As depicted in  FIG. 8 , when retainer  22  is extracted or open, retainer does not protrude and extend through a housing through slot, or slot,  56  ( FIG. 5 ) an into an interior and fluid passage of housing  16 , but as depicted in  FIG. 9 , when retainer  22  is installed, part of retainer  22  protrudes, extends, and is located into the interior and fluid passage of housing  16 . The slot  56  is open to the fluid passage of the housing  16  and communicates with the fluid passage of the housing  16 . Additionally, when retainer  22  is installed within housing  16 , raised portion  24  of retainer  22  is secured between retainer flange  44  and flange  50  to prevent any movement of retainer  22 , such as movement parallel to longitudinal axis  62  ( FIG. 4 ). Although retainer flanges  44 ,  50  prevent movement of retainer  22 , housing through slot  56  also prevents movement of retainer  22  in a direction parallel to longitudinal axis  62 . Moreover, when retainer  22  is installed, ends  26 ,  28  respectively reside within an interior partly defined by covers  30 ,  32 , as depicted in  FIG. 9 . 
       FIG. 10  is a right side view of female coupling member  10  and depicts the presence of retainer  22  in two positions. More specifically, retainer  22  is depicted in its open or extracted or first position and in its installed or second position. When in its installed position, raised portion  24  of retainer  22  is positioned immediately adjacent to retainer flange  44  such that end  46  of retainer flange  44  and raised portion  24  may be at equal levels with each other, but such that a highest portion of retainer flange  50  resides below or at a level less than the highest portion of raised portion  24  of retainer  22 . 
       FIG. 11  is a top view of female coupling member  10  depicting a location of retainer  22  when retainer  22  is in its open or retracted position, yet still attached (e.g. contacts due to a spring force) to housing  16 . More specifically, retainer  22  may be made of a metal so that retainer  22  acts as a spring as a first prong  64  or first leg  64  and second prong  66  or second leg  66  of retainer  22  are forced away from each other when ends  26 ,  28  contact an outer surface of housing  16 . Despite the location of ends  26 ,  28  of retainer  22  on an exterior surface of housing  16 , ends  26 ,  28  always contact housing  16  and exert a force upon housing  16 . Continuing with  FIG. 11 , because retainer  22  is in its retracted position, ends  26 ,  28  are not depicted under covers  30 ,  32  but rather end  26  is located in groove  58  and end  28  is located in groove  60 . Similar to  FIG. 11  in depicting retainer  22  is in its open or retracted position,  FIG. 12  is a bottom view of female coupling member  10 . More specifically, retainer  22  and raised portion  24  of retainer  22  are depicted situated between retainer flanges  44 ,  50  to prevent retainer  22  from moving in a direction parallel to central longitudinal axis  62 . 
     To better exemplify potential positions of retainer  22  on and through housing  16 ,  FIG. 13  depicts retainer  22  and only part of housing  16 , with the balance of female coupling member  10  parts removed from  FIG. 13 . More specifically,  FIG. 13  depicts retainer  22  in its two likely positions, first retainer  22  may be positioned in its open or retracted position in which ends  26 ,  28  of retainer prongs  64 ,  66  respectively reside in corresponding grooves  58 ,  60  of housing  16  that are approximately at 3 O&#39;clock and 9 O&#39;clock positions of housing  16  when viewed as depicted in  FIG. 13 . To move retainer  22  and change position of retainer ends  28 ,  28  to a lock position, retainer  22  may be moved upwards in a direction in accordance with arrow  68  and in a direction toward the fluid passage of the housing in order to cause the spring loaded retainer prongs  64 ,  66  to be forced together and toward each other to thereby move into a respective cover  30 ,  32 . When end  26  is within cover  30  and end  28  is within cover  32 , prong  64  and prong  66  move into an interior volume  70  or fluid passage of the housing by passing and extending through housing through slots  56 ,  57  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) in housing  16 . 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  show the use of the retainer  22 , such as a wire spring retainer that is made from metal, with elastic or spring-back properties. More specifically, retainer end  28  lies within groove  60  when retainer  22  is in its retracted position. Retainer end  28  can not move from groove  60 , regardless of female coupling member  10  position, unless acted upon by an outside force, because groove  60 , which spans both sides of housing through slot  57 , is formed by a wall  72  and a slope  74  and end  28  contacts wall  72  and slope  74 . Thus, because end  28  exerts a force substantially toward longitudinal centerline  62 , a force in a different direction is required to move end  28  from groove  60 . To move end  28  from groove  60  and upward to end of housing through slot  57  and under cover  32 , a force in accordance with arrow  68 , as discussed in conjunction with  FIG. 13 , or similar force, is required. When an external force is applied to retainer  22  in its extracted position in order to move retainer end  28  from groove  60  to under cover  32 , proximate or at a slot end  76 , retainer end  28  passes along and upon slope  74  and onto housing exterior surface  78  before settling under cover  32 . Although an external force, such as supplied by a human hand or finger, is necessary to begin moving the retainer  22 , once the retainer  22  is in motion, the spring-back or elastic nature of the retainer  22  assists in moving end  28  under cover  32 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 15 , when a force in accordance with arrow  68  is applied to raised portion  24  of retainer  22  when retainer ends  26 ,  28  are residing in grooves  58 ,  60 , the retainer ends  26 ,  28  will begin to move from grooves  58 ,  60  and move toward their respective covers  30 ,  32 , which may act as a stop or barrier for ends  26 ,  28 . As the ends  26 ,  28  move, the retainer prongs  64 ,  66  move within and through a respective housing through slot  56 ,  57  and ends  26 ,  28  slide upon and contact housing surface  52 . Because retainer prongs  64 ,  66  are elastic and flexible, prongs  64 ,  66  retain a restoring force to spring back or elastically return to their pre-flexed positions, as ends  26 ,  28  move along sloped surfaces  73 ,  74  when ends  26 ,  28  move from their respective groove  73 ,  74 . Thus, as each end  26 ,  28  moves from its respective groove  73 ,  74 , prongs  64 ,  66  move away from each other, that is, prong  64  moves in accordance with arrow  80  and prong  66  moves in accordance with arrow  82 . As prongs  64 ,  66  move farther away from each other and the distance between them increases, the force necessary to increase such distance between them also increases and the restoring force, or stored spring-back force, becomes greater. When the ends  26 ,  28  of prongs  64 ,  66  reach peaks  88 ,  90  on the housing surface, the restoring force is at its greatest and further urging of retainer  22  toward covers  30 ,  32  then requires less force. Less force is required to move ends  26 ,  28  beyond or past their respective peaks  88 ,  90 , because after passing peaks  88 ,  90  ends  26 ,  28  begin to move toward each other as ends  26 ,  28  proceed toward covers  30 ,  32 . As the straight-line distance between ends  26 ,  28  becomes less, the force stored in the prongs  64 ,  66  is used to bring the ends  26 ,  28  closer together and inwardly toward the fluid passage of the housing. Thus, the force, as indicated by arrow  68 , required to move the ends  26 ,  28  to covers  30 ,  32  becomes less and less until each end  26 ,  28  is under a respective cover  30 ,  32 . When ends  26 ,  28  are under a respective cover  30 ,  32 , prongs  64 ,  66  then reside within internal volume  70  of housing  16  to securely lock male coupling member  12  in place within female coupling member  10 , which will be presented later. 
       FIGS. 16 and 17  depict cross-sectional views of female coupling member  10 , and exhibit the spatial relationships, which include but are not limited to seal or O-ring  20 , a bushing  92 , and prong  64  of retainer  22 .  FIG. 16  depicts an outside diameter of bushing  92  that has a small annular groove  94  that engages and mates against a corresponding small annular ridge  96  that protrudes into interior volume  70  of housing  16  to retain the bushing  92  within the female coupling member  10  when the male coupling member  12  is removed from the female coupling member  10 . With continued reference to  FIG. 16 , female coupling member  10  exhibits a first inner bore  98 , a transitional bore  100 , and an intermediate bore  102 , which lies between first inner bore  98  and transitional bore  100 . 
       FIGS. 18 ,  19 , and  20  depict the male coupling member  12 , which is constructed in some ways complementary to, and works in some ways in conjunction with, female coupling member  10 . More specifically, to bring together female coupling member  10  and male coupling member  12 , insertion end  108  of male coupling member  12  is inserted into receiving end  110  ( FIG. 16 ) of female coupling member  10 . Male coupling member  12  is securely inserted and locked into female coupling member  10  when prongs  64 ,  66  of retainer  22  click or snap into a blind annular groove, or groove,  112  of male coupling member  12 .  FIG. 21  depicts male coupling member  12  secured within female coupling member  10 . 
     In further description of male coupling member  12 ,  FIG. 18  depicts blind groove  112  within which retainer  22  resides during a locked junction of male coupling member  12  and female coupling member  10 . During a locked juncture, a chamfered surface  114  of bushing  92  ( FIG. 16 ) comes into contact with a chamfered surface, or chamfer,  116  located on male coupling member  12 . Moreover, as male coupling member  12  is inserted, protruding tabs  118 ,  120  of male coupling member  12  align with notches  104 ,  106  ( FIGS. 1 and 17 ) of female coupling member  10 . Also, as male coupling member  12  is inserted into female coupling member  10 , the groove  112  is brought into axial alignment with the slot  56 . 
     Male coupling member  12  may be secured within female coupling member  10  in one of two methods or circumstances. In a first method, retainer  22  may be situated with ends  26 ,  28  residing within grooves  58 ,  60  of female coupling member  10  and then male coupling member  12  may be inserted into female coupling member  10 . Retainer  22  may then be forced upward such that retainer ends  26 ,  28  reside under respective covers  30 ,  32 . With such an insertion method, prongs  64 ,  66  will reside within blind groove  112  of male coupling member  12 . In a second method, the retainer  22  may already be positioned in female coupling member  10  such that ends  26 ,  28  reside under their respective covers  30 ,  32 . With retainer  22  positioned as such, insertion end  108  of male coupling member  12  may be forced into receiving end  110  of female coupling member  10  until a “snap” or “click” is heard, along with a slight jolting of both, female coupling member  10  and male coupling member  12 . During insertion, chamfered surface  116  causes prongs  64 ,  66  to ride up chamfered surface  116  and expand prongs  64 ,  66  such that they are forced from an inside of female coupling member  10  such that prongs  64 ,  66  do not interfere with insertion end  108  of male coupling member  12 . That is, prongs  64 ,  66  are forced from internal volume of female coupling member  10 . After hearing a snap or click when prongs  64 ,  66  pass completely over chamfered surface  116 , prongs  64 ,  66  will spring into interior volume of female coupling member  10  so that prongs  64 ,  66  reside securely and are received within blind groove  112  of male coupling member  12 . In both methods of insertion, tabs  118 ,  120  are received within notches  104 ,  106  and prevent rotational movement between male coupling member  12  and female coupling member  10  when coupled together. O-ring or sealing means  20  is elastomeric and compressible to provide a fluid-resistive seal between male coupling member  12  and female coupling member  10 . 
     To release male coupling member  12  from female coupling member  10 , raised portion  24  of retainer  22  is simply pulled from female coupling member  10  until ends  26 ,  28  move from under covers  30 ,  32  to within grooves  58 ,  60  of housing  16 , that is, from retainer  22  position depicted in  FIG. 4  to that of  FIG. 5  to permit male coupling member  12  to slide from female coupling member  10 . 
       FIG. 20  depicts barbed flanges  124  and conduit stop flange  126  in a cross-sectional view of male coupling member  12 . Barbed flanges  124  and conduit stop flange  126  function in the same way as corresponding parts described above in connection with female coupling member  10 . Together, barbed flanges  124  and conduit stop flange  126  assist in securing a flexible conduit (not shown) to male coupling member  12 . 
     It is to be understood that the foregoing description is not a definition of the invention, but is a description of one or more preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed herein, but rather is defined solely by the claims below. Furthermore, the statements contained in the foregoing description relate to particular embodiments and are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or on the definition of terms used in the claims, except where a term or phrase is expressly defined above. Various other embodiments and various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiment(s) will become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such other embodiments, changes, and modifications are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims. 
     As used in this specification and claims, the terms “for example,” “for instance,” and “such as,” and the verbs “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and their other verb forms, when used in conjunction with a listing of one or more components or other items, are each to be construed as open-ended, meaning that that the listing is not to be considered as excluding other, additional components or items. Other terms are to be construed using their broadest reasonable meaning unless they are used in a context that requires a different interpretation.