Quick disconnect for aerosol spray can

A quick connect/disconnect assembly (10) comprises a male insert (50) secured to one end of a hose assembly (14), a separate female adapter (52) for attachment to an aerosol can (12), and dual seal arrangement (68, 70) within the adapter, and a releaseable latch (78) for positively interconnecting the insert and adapter. Upon insertion of the male insert (50), leakage of any fluid is contained within the female adapter (52).

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates generally to a coupling device. More 
particularly, this invention concerns a quick connect/disconnect assembly 
for interconnecting a hose and a source of fluid under pressure, such as 
an aerosol can of solvent, with little or no leakage for greater safety. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Various fluid couplers or coupling devices have been available heretofore. 
For example, the ordinary garden hose typically includes adapters at both 
ends. Each adapter generally includes an internally threaded portion, an 
externally knurled portion to facilitate manually screwing it onto a water 
spigot or the like, and a gasket therein for sealing. More recently, quick 
connect/disconnect adapters have been developed for this purpose. Of 
course, while the water supply is under pressure, a manual valve is 
provided in the spigot so that it can be turned off during connection or 
disconnection. 
In contrast, aerosol cans of fluid, be it liquid or gas, have no such 
separate manual valves. Instead, aerosol cans generally include a port at 
one end that is normally closed off by an internal diaphragm which, when 
displaced or punctured, allows the pressurized fluid therein to escape 
through the port. A press nozzle with an actuator pin is typically used 
for this purpose. Aerosol cans of paint and the like are thus convenient 
and easy to use, but can present certain difficulties in some 
applications. 
For example, aerosol cans of solvent have been used for years to clean 
automotive fuel systems. One popular manner of application has been to 
spray the solvent directly into the throat of a carburetor. This 
technique, however, cannot be used with fuel injection systems because a 
closed connection is required. Hose assemblies with a manual on/off valve 
have been available for this purpose. However, the hose assemblies of the 
prior art utilize simple threaded connections which can allow excess fluid 
to escape during connection as well as disconnection, particularly when 
used by inexperienced or unskilled personnel. This in turn can lead to 
harmful and even potentially dangerous consequences. It will be understood 
that solvents of this type are hazardous and extremely flammable. 
A need has thus arisen for a new and improved coupling assembly for quickly 
connecting or disconnecting a hose assembly to an aerosol can without 
leakage. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a coupling assembly which overcomes the 
foregoing and other difficulties associated with the prior art. In 
accordance with the invention, there is provided a quick 
connect/disconnect assembly for interconnecting a hose assembly and an 
aerosol can, particularly an aerosol can of flammable fluid wherein 
leakage can present a safety and health hazard. The quick 
connect/disconnect assembly herein comprises a male insert which is 
mounted on one end of the hose assembly, and a separate female adapter for 
mounting on the can. The insert includes a hollow actuator pin and is 
configured for receipt by an axial bore in the adapter. After the adapter 
has been mounted on the can and upon insertion of the insert therein, a 
cylindrical portion of the insert slidably engages a seal arrangement 
within the adapter as the hollow actuator pin of the insert extends 
through the adapter and engages the diaphragm in the aerosol can for fluid 
communication. Any leakage of fluid is minimized and contained within the 
adapter. A spring-biased latch is provided for releaseably interconnecting 
the insert and the adapter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring now to the Drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate 
like or corresponding elements throughout the views, and particularly 
referring to FIG. 1, there is shown, the quick connect/disconnect assembly 
10 of the invention coupled between an aerosol can 12 and a hose assembly 
14 of the type used in cleaning automotive fuel systems, for example. The 
aerosol can 12 contains a suitable solvent and is of substantially 
conventional construction. A suitable solvent for this purpose can be 
selected from a wide variety of solvents and includes a mixture of 
solvents such as a mixture of methanol, diacetone alcohol, toluene, and 
xylene. The hose assembly 14 is also of substantially conventional 
construction. Hose assembly 14 includes a suitable length of flexible hose 
16, one end of which is connected to a nut or coupling 18 that is adapted 
to be screwed onto the pressure tap 20 in a fuel rail 22, shown 
schematically in dotted lines. For example, the hose 16 can be about 21 
inches long and be constructed from rubber or other suitable material. The 
threaded coupling 18 can be constructed of any suitable material, such as 
metal and preferably brass. The other end of the flexible hose 16 can be 
connected to another nut or coupling like coupling 18, but is preferably 
connected to one side of an on/off valve 24. A valve of any suitable 
construction can be utilized such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 
2,929,406, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by 
reference. Valve 24 includes a control handle 26 which can be manually 
actuated between an open position as shown in solid lines, and a closed 
position as shown in dotted lines, to control fluid flow in the hose 16. 
As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the quick connect/disconnect 
assembly 10 of the invention allows the hose assembly 14 to be positively 
connected in fluid communication with the aerosol can 12 with minimal 
leakage and thus more safety. Although the quick connect/disconnect 
assembly 10 is particularly adapted for interconnecting an aerosol can and 
hose assembly, it will be understood that it can be used in other 
applications. 
FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which a hose assembly 14 was connected to 
an aerosol can 12 in the prior art. An adapter 28 was secured to one end 
of the body of the shutoff valve 24, the end opposite that to which the 
hose 16 was secured. The adapter 28 included external threads 30 on one 
end, internal threads 32 on the other end, and wrench flats 34 on an 
enlarged portion therebetween. A tube or hollow actuator pin 36 was 
provided by means of an interference fit within an axial bore 38 extending 
through the adapter 28. The outer end of the hollow pin 36 extended into 
the end recess containing the internal threads 32, but not beyond the end 
of the adapter 28. A gasket 40 was also provided therein. However, as the 
adapter 28 was screwed onto the external threads 42 of the nipple 44, the 
hollow pin 36 was simultaneously advanced through the axial outlet port 46 
and engaged the diaphragm (not shown) in the can allowing fluid to escape 
before the adapter was fully screwed down with the gasket 40 firmly seated 
against the end of the nipple. For purposes of clarity, the diaphragm has 
been omitted. Thus, at least some fluid would be lost. This arrangement 
was also susceptible to misalignment, cross-threading and thus further 
leakage. It was also susceptible to over torquing and thus damaging the 
threads 42 on the can 12. The quick connect/disconnect assembly 10 of the 
invention avoids these drawbacks. 
The structural details of the quick connect/disconnect assembly 10 can be 
seen in FIGS. 3-5. The quick connect/disconnect assembly 10 is a two-part 
assembly comprising a male insert 50 secured to one end of the hose 
assembly 14, and a separate female adapter 52 for mounting on the aerosol 
can 12. In the embodiment shown, the insert 50 can be constructed from any 
suitable material, such as metal and preferably brass. Insert 50 includes 
external threads 54 at one end by which it is secured to the valve 24. 
Wrench flats 56 are provided on an enlarged portion 57 adjacent threads 
54, and an intermediate diameter cylindrical portion 58 is provided 
between a reduced diameter cylindrical portion 60 and the wrench flats. 
The intermediate diameter portion 58 includes an outside groove 62 for 
latching purposes as will be explained hereinafter. The insert 50 also 
includes an axial bore 51 extending therethrough, with a tube or hollow 
actuator pin 64 fitted therein which extends outwardly from the reduced 
diameter portion 60 in order to define a fluid passage through the insert. 
In accordance with the preferred construction, pin 64 comprises a slotted 
steel spring pin or roll pin. 
The female adapter 52 comprises a separate member which is adapted to be 
screwed onto the nipple 44 of can 12 at one end and for receiving the 
insert 50 through its other end. A dual seal arrangement is provided 
within the adapter 52 for defining a sealed connection between nipple 44, 
insert 50 and the adapter upon insertion of the insert. In particular, the 
adapter 52 includes an axial bore 66 and an adjacent groove containing an 
O-ring 68 for slidably receiving in sealing engagement the reduced 
diameter portion 60 of the insert 50. The O-ring 68 can be made from any 
suitable polymeric material. Such materials include the fluoroelastomers 
such as the VITON.RTM. materials available from DuPont and the 
FLUOREL.RTM. materials available from 3M. These materials are believed to 
be copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene. In addition, 
a sleeve gasket 70 is provided between O-ring 68 and the internal threads 
72 at one end by which the adapter 52 is screwed onto the nipple 44. At 
one end, the sleeve gasket 70 abuts and sealingly engages the end of 
nipple 44 when adapter 52 is mounted thereon such as a polymeric material, 
and captures the O-ring 68 therein at its other end. The sleeve gasket 70 
can be constructed from any suitable material, such as a polymeric 
material preferably polypropylene. A smooth counterbore 74 is provided at 
the other end of the adapter 52 for receiving and locating the 
intermediate diameter portion 58 of the insert 50. The adapter 52 can be 
constructed from any suitable material, such as metal and preferably 
brass. A band of knurling 76 is preferably provided to facilitate manually 
screwing the adapter 52 onto the aerosol can 12. 
The insert 50 and adapter 52 are releaseably interconnected by means of a 
latch 78, which is preferably located on one end of the adapter. Any 
suitable latch can be used. As illustrated, latch 78 comprises a slide 80 
movable in a direction transverse to the axis of the adapter 52 in a 
guideway defined by a pair of opposing notches 82 undercut into spaced 
apart raised portions on the end of the adapter. The transverse portion of 
the slide 80 includes an oblong hole 84 which is movable across the 
counterbore 74 into and out of registry therewith and simultaneous locking 
engagement with the groove 62 in the insert 50. The hole 84 includes a 
notch 86 on one side thereof with portions of different widths for 
engaging different portions of a locking pin 88 which is normally biased 
outwardly by a small compression spring 90 seated in an offset blind 
longitudinal bore as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. Similarly, the slide 
80 is normally biased outwardly by a compression spring 92 seated between 
thumb tab 94 and a blind radial bore as also shown in dotted lines in FIG. 
5. Thus, when the thumb tab 94 is pressed inwardly against spring 92, the 
slide 80 is shifted so that hole 84 is generally centered with respect to 
the counterbore 74 in order to receive the insert 50. Spring 90 urges pin 
88 upwardly so that a shoulder 96 on the pin engages the wide portion of 
notch 86 in order to hold latch 78 open. 
After the adapter 52 has been manually screwed onto the can 12, the insert 
50 on the hose assembly 14 can then be connected thereto by means of a 
quick and simple push-on motion. As insert 50 is pushed into the adapter 
52, the actuator pin 64 engages the diaphragm (not shown) in can 12; 
however, any leakage is captured within the adapter. As the insert 50 is 
pushed into the adapter 52, the raised portion 57 containing the wrench 
flats 56 comes into contact with the pin 88, which is thus depressed 
against spring 90 allowing the neck 98 of the pin to register with the 
notch 86, thereby releasing the slide 80 so that spring 92 can shift it 
into locking engagement with groove 62 in the insert. When it is desired 
to release the quick connect/disconnect assembly 10, the thumb tab 94 is 
pressed to shift slide 80 so that spring 90 extends pin 88 thereby urging 
the insert and adapter apart. 
From the foregoing it will thus be apparent that the present invention 
comprises an improved quick connect/disconnect assembly having several 
advantages over the prior art. In contrast to the one-piece devices of the 
prior art which required screwing one end of the hose assembly onto the 
aerosol can while at the same time establishing fluid communication, the 
invention herein utilizes a two-part assembly wherein one part is first 
screwed onto the can followed by quick axial insertion of the other part 
through a sealed chamber within the adaptor in order to minimize and 
capture any leakage. Other advantages will be evident to those skilled in 
the art. 
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in 
the accompanying Drawings, and described in the foregoing Detailed 
Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited only 
to the embodiments disclosed, but is intended to embrace any alternatives, 
equivalents, modifications and/or rearrangements of elements falling 
within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.