Parallel quick release coupling having leakproof arrangements

A quick release coupling includes male and female connector assemblies releasably secured together. The male connector assembly includes two parallel male connectors and the female connector assembly includes two parallel female connectors. A sleeve assembly is releasably connected to one ends of the female connectors. A plunger assembly is provided in each of the sleeve assembly and female connector. A sleeving assembly is provided on each of the female connector and the sleeve assembly. The parallel female connectors can be disconnected from the parallel male connectors or connected together at the same time. After the female connectors have disengaged from the male connectors, leakproof arrangements in the female connector assembly act to prevent water in the female connector assembly from leaking.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to couplings and more particularly to a parallel quick release coupling having leakproof arrangements used in fluid applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Operations of integrated circuit (IC) chips play a great role in obtaining information. The higher the performance of IC chips, the greater the generated heat is. IC chips and substrates may malfunction due to high temperature. Fluid based cooling is critical to desktops, laptops and display cards. Thus, it is desirable to have a leakproof coupling used in fluid applications.

Referring toFIG.15, it schematically depicts an application involved a conventional coupling including two female connectors60and two male connectors61connected to the female connectors60respectively. One female connector60is connected to an end of an inlet pipe641and the other female connector60is connected to an end of an outlet pipe642. A water pipe643for absorbing heat is disposed in a laptop63and interconnects the male connectors61. Hot water carried from the water pipe643flows to the outlet pipe642and in turn to a cooling device62to be cooled. The cooled water then flows to the water pipe643through the inlet pipe641. This completes a cooling cycle. A leakproof arrangement is provided in the female connector60. The male connectors61are smaller. The installation of leakproof arrangement may occupy internal space of the male connector61, resulting in a decrease of the cooling water flowing through the male connector61. Thus, there is no leakproof arrangement in the male connector61. However, a connection of the female connector60to the corresponding male connector61may cause hot water in the water pipe643to leak out of the joining portion of the female connector60and the corresponding male connector61, or a disconnection of the female connector60and the corresponding male connector61may cause hot water in the water pipe643to leak out of the disconnected portion of the female connector60and the corresponding male connector61. When the pump of the cooling device62operates, a great quantity of cooling water may leak out of the disconnected portion of the female connector60and the corresponding male connector61.

Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a coupling comprising a male connector assembly including two male connectors, a first board, and two first nuts wherein the male connectors each are axially hollow and include an annular first flange on an outer surface, the first board includes two spaced first holes with the male connectors disposed through respectively, the first nuts are threadedly secured to the male connectors respectively, and the first board has one surface urging against the other surfaces of the first flanges so that the male connectors are parallel; and a female connector assembly including a board assembly and a sleeve assembly releasably disposed on the board assembly and releasably connected to the male connector assembly wherein the board assembly includes two female connectors, a second board, two second nuts, two plunger assemblies, and two sleeving assemblies; and the female connectors each are axially hollow and include an annular second flange on an outer surface, and an annular first groove adjacent to the second flange; wherein the female connector further comprises a sleeve sealing ring disposed on the first groove; wherein the second board includes two spaced second holes with the female connectors passing through respectively; wherein the second nuts each are threadedly secured to the female connector; wherein the second board urges against the other surface of each of the second flanges so that the female connectors are parallel; wherein the plunger assemblies are spring loaded and the plunger assemblies each are disposed in the sleeving assembly; wherein the sleeving assemblies each include a male connector sealing ring for the plunger assembly; wherein one end of the plunger assembly in the sleeving assembly is distal the second nut; wherein the female connector engages with one end of the plunger assembly so that the plunger assembly in the sleeving assembly is partially disposed in the female connector, and the sleeve assembly is disposed on the sleeving assembly and a portion of the female connector; and wherein the sleeve assembly includes two sleeve members and a third board having two spaced third holes each with an end of the sleeve member fastened therein; wherein when the male connectors each exert a force on each of the plunger assemblies and move toward the female connector, inside of each of the male connectors communicates with each of the plunger assemblies and inside of each of the female connectors; and wherein when the male connectors each do not exert a force on each of the plunger assemblies, the plunger assemblies are locked in the sleeving assemblies respectively and the plunger assemblies each do not communicate with inside of each of the female connectors.

The invention has the following advantages and benefits in comparison with the conventional art: the female connector assembly has two parallel female connectors which can be disconnected or connected at the same time. After the female connectors have disengaged from the male connectors, the leakproof arrangements in the female connector assembly act to prevent water in the female connector assembly from leaking.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS.1to10, a parallel quick release coupling in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a male connector assembly10and a female connector assembly20releasably connected to the male connector assembly10as discussed in detail below.

As shown inFIG.3specifically, the female connector assembly20includes a board assembly21and a sleeve assembly27releasably disposed on the board assembly21.

As shown inFIGS.2and4specifically, the male connector assembly10includes two male connectors11, a first board12, and two first nuts13. The male connector11is axially hollow and includes an annular first flange111on an outer surface. The first board12includes two spaced first holes121with the male connectors11disposed through respectively. The first nut13is threadedly secured to an externally threaded section115of the male connector11. The first board12has one surface urging against the other surfaces of the first flanges111so that the male connectors11are parallel.

The male connector11further comprises an axial first extension112extending from one surface of the first flange111, and a first enlargement113disposed at an open end of the first extension112and having a cross-section greater than that of the first extension112. The diameter of the first enlargement113gradually increases toward the first extension112. A support section114, the externally threaded section115, and a joining section116all axially, sequentially extend from the other surface of the first flange111. A cross-section of the joining section116is less than that of the externally threaded section115, the cross-section of the externally threaded section115is less than that of the support section114, and the cross-section of the support section114is less than that of the first hole121. An annular first groove117is formed on the joining section116. The support section114is disposed in the first hole121. The first nut13is threadedly secured to the externally threaded section115.

As shown inFIGS.2,3and5specifically, the board assembly21includes two female connectors22, a second board23, two second nuts24, two plunger assemblies25and two sleeving assemblies26. The female connector22is axially hollow and includes an annular second flange221on an outer surface, and an annular first groove224adjacent to the second flange221. A sleeve sealing ring262is disposed on the first groove224. Two spaced second holes231are through the second board23. The female connectors22pass through the second holes231respectively. The second nut24is threadedly secured to an externally threaded section of the female connector22. The second board23urges against the other surface of each second flange221so that the female connectors22are parallel.

The plunger assemblies25are spring loaded and the plunger assembly25is disposed in the sleeving assembly26. The sleeving assembly26includes a male connector sealing ring263for the plunger assembly25. One end of the plunger assembly25in the sleeving assembly26is distal the second nut24and the female connector22engages with one end of the plunger assembly25. As such, the plunger assembly25in the sleeving assembly26is partially disposed in the female connector22. The sleeve assembly27is disposed on the sleeving assembly26and a portion of the female connector22. The sleeve assembly27includes two sleeve members271, a third board272, and two spaced third holes2721through the third board272. One end of the sleeve member271is fastened in the third hole2721by means of threads or adhesive.

The female connector22further comprises a second extension222extending out of the second nut24, and a plurality of (two) annular second latching sections223on the second extension222, each second latching section223having an increased cross-section toward the second flange221.

As shown inFIGS.1,5and6specifically, the plunger assembly25includes a plunger251including an opening2512at one end, an urging member2514at the blind other end, a plurality of through holes2511through a cylindrical surface of the plunger251and communicating with the opening2512, an annular second groove2513disposed on the cylindrical surface and between the through holes2511and the urging member2514, a plunger sealing ring252disposed in the second groove2513, and a plunger spring253having one end urging against the urging member2514and the other end urging against a stepped-diameter bore section of the female connector22, the plunger spring253being tapered from the female connector22to the plunger251.

The sleeving assembly26includes a sleeve261, a plurality of through holes2611through a cylindrical surface of the sleeve261, a plurality of steel balls264disposed in the through holes2611respectively, an annular groove2613in an inner surface of the sleeve261, the male connector sealing ring263disposed in the annular groove2613, a sleeve spring265disposed on the sleeve261, an annular groove2612in the cylindrical surface of the sleeve261, and a C-shaped retaining ring266disposed in the annular groove2612. The sleeve member271includes an annular raised section2711on an inner surface and an annular second groove2712adjacent to the raised section2711. The sleeve spring265has one end urging against the raised section2711. The steel balls264are disposed in the second groove2712with the sleeve spring265being compressed by the raised section2711.

When the male connector11does not exert a force on the plunger assembly25, the plunger assemblies25are locked in the sleeving assemblies26respectively. That is, the plunger spring253between the plunger251and the female connector22exerts a force on the plunger251. Thus, each steel ball264is held in the through hole2611through the cylindrical surface of the sleeve261, and the through holes2511through the plunger251are blocked by the inner surface of the sleeve261. As a result, the opening2512of the plunger assembly25is prevented from communicating with inside of the female connector22through the through holes2511.

As shown inFIGS.7-10specifically, the male connector11is attached to a socket on one side of a lap top41. The female connectors22are connected to an inlet pipe421and an outlet pipe422respectively at the same time. A water pipe423for absorbing heat is disposed in the laptop41and interconnects the male connectors11of the male connector assembly10. Water cooling carried out by the parallel quick release coupling is discussed below. When the male connector11exerts a force on the plunger assembly25, the exerted force by the male connector11compresses the plunger spring253and moves the plunger251toward the female connector22. When the joining section116of the male connector11moves into the sleeve261and the first groove117moves to the through holes2611, the steel balls264are held in place by the first groove117. And in turn, the sleeve spring265expands to push the sleeve member271toward a direct away from the third board272. Thus, the male connector11is locked in the sleeve261, thereby connecting the male connector assembly10and the female connector assembly20together. With the provision of the plunger sealing ring252and the male connector sealing ring263, when the male connector assembly10and the female connector assembly20are connected together, the plunger sealing ring252and the mail connector sealing ring263urge against an outer surface of the plunger251, the through holes2511communicate with the opening2512through inside of the male connector11, and the through holes2511communicate with inside of the female connector22. Fluid flows through the inlet pipe421, one female connector22, one corresponding male connector11and the water pipe423in the laptop41to absorb heat of the laptop41. Hot water carried from the water pipe423flows through the other male connector11, the corresponding other female connector22, and the outlet pipe422prior to entering a cooling device40to be cooled. The cooled water then flows to the inlet pipe421. This completes a cooling cycle. It is envisaged by the invention that the laptop41can be effectively cooled. With the provision of the female connector assembly20, the parallel female connectors22are held in place. Thus, the female connectors22can be connected to the male connectors11respectively at the same time, or the female connectors22can be disconnected from the male connectors11respectively at the same time. Fluid begins to flow when the male connector assembly10and the female connector assembly20are connected together. Thus, leaking through any female connector22is prevented. The parallel quick release coupling of the invention can also be applied to a desktop or display card for absorbing heat generated in operation.

Referring toFIGS.11to12, a parallel quick release coupling in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment except the following: Two opposite cover plates232extend horizontally out of elongated top and bottom of the second board23respectively. The cover plate232engages with top (or bottom) of the third board272. In conjunction withFIGS.1to10, tightly holding both the second board23and the third board272with the hand may lock the sleeve member271when the female connectors22are connected to the male connectors11or the female connectors22are disconnected from the male connectors11. And in turn, the steel balls264are prevented from entering the first groove117. This is not desired because it may leak water. It is envisaged by the invention that with the provision of the cover plates232, it is possible to prevent a user from using the hand to tightly hold both the second board23and the third board272. As a result, the possibility of leakage is greatly decreased.

Referring toFIGS.13to14, a parallel quick release coupling in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the third preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment except the following: A cover30is provided on the female connector assembly20and includes two covering plates301extending horizontally out of elongated top and bottom thereof respectively. The covering plates301engage with top and bottom of each of the second board23and the third board272. Similar to the cover plates232of the second preferred embodiment, with the provision of the covers30, it is possible to prevent a user from using the hand to tightly hold both the second board23and the third board272.