Quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly

A quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly comprises male and female half hose assemblies wherein the half hose assemblies respectively comprise a male and female connector, an outer tube member for conducting a first fluid therethrough, an inner tube member for conducting a second fluid therethrough, a joint retainer nut member for securing the male and female connectors together, and a sleeve member mechanically and fluidically connecting axially inner ends of the inner tube members together. Threaded disengagement of the joint retainer nut member releases the male and female connectors from each other, whereby the half hose assemblies may be readily pulled apart in opposite axial directions disengaging the axially inner end of one of the inner tube members from the sleeve member so as to achieve quick disconnection of the hose assembly. Subsequent axial engagement of the inner end of the inner tube member with the sleeve member, insertion of the male connector within the female connector, and re-engagement of the joint retainer nut member achieves quick connection of the hose assembly.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates generally to coaxial pipe, tube, and/or hose
 connection assemblies, and more particularly to a coaxial pipe, tube,
 and/or hose connection assembly which is particularly adapted for use in
 connection with power tools which employ such a system or assembly in
 order to simultaneously supply power-driving or coolant air and lubricant
 to the power tool.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 Coaxial pipe, tube, and/or hose connection assemblies, particularly those
 which are used to supply a combination of power-driving or coolant air and
 lubricating oil to power tools, are known in the art. Exemplary of one
 type of such known prior art is the fitting or assembly disclosed in U.S.
 Pat. No. 4,116,475, which issued to Glaser et al. on Sep. 26, 1978. In
 accordance with such typical or conventional prior art assemblies or
 fittings, a quick disconnect coaxial coupling socket 17 is disclosed in
 FIG. 1, for example, as comprising a male pipe threaded fitting 18 within
 which there is disposed a central or axial tube 24, for mating with a
 barbed insert 13 of an injection lubricator so as to conduct a suitable
 lubricant therethrough, and a surrounding annular air passage 19. A
 three-legged spacer or locator 26 radially supports the axially disposed
 lubricant tube 24 with respect to the housing 18 and the air passage 19.
 Other similar embodiments are disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3.
 While the aforenoted patent to Glaser et al. discloses a typical coaxial
 pipe or tubular assembly or connector for conducting a combination of
 fluids therethrough, such as, for example, air and a lubricating oil, such
 an assembly is not directed to an assembly of the type which can readily
 accommodate coaxially disposed hoses and connections between hose
 sections. It is frequently required in connection with the use of such
 hose assemblies upon, for example, cutting tools or the like, to shorten
 or lengthen or otherwise change or replace the hose sections or
 assemblies. In addition, in order to minimize operational downtime as much
 as possible, the exchange or replacement process must be able to be
 accomplished relatively quickly and easily. These criteria cannot be
 readily satisfied or met with the assembly of Glaser et al.
 While the patent to Glaser et al. characterizes the structural assembly
 thereof as being of the quick disconnect/connect type, it is seen that the
 entire coupling socket 17, comprising male pipe threaded fitting 18, must
 be rotated relative to the fitting 10 in order to mount the coupling
 socket 17 upon the fitting 10 as a result of the threaded engagement of
 the male pipe threaded fitting 18 of the coupling socket 17 and the female
 pipe thread 11 of the fitting 10. This is difficult or awkward to
 accomplish whereby the assembly may not necessarily be considered a quick
 connect/disconnect type assembly. In addition, it is noted that due to the
 axially recessed disposition of the barbed insert 13 within the fitting
 10, it is sometimes difficult to properly coaxially align the barbed
 insert 13 with the grommet 21 in order to provide fluidic communication
 between tubes 16 and 24 of the fitting 10 and socket 17 because the
 forward end of the coupling socket 17 is already partially disposed
 internally of the fitting 10 before the barbed insert 13 can engage the
 grommet 21.
 Another quick disconnect coupling for coaxial fluid lines is disclosed in
 U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,827 which issued to Boelkins on Jun. 28, 1974. The
 quick connection/disconnection process of such coupling, however, is
 relatively complex. More particularly, the coupling assembly comprises a
 plurality of locking balls 22 and a slidable sleeve 26 mounted upon a
 valve body member 18 of a socket portion 10. In addition, a sleeve valve
 32 is also slidably mounted upon the body member 18. In order to therefore
 disconnect the plug portion 12 from the socket portion 10, the sleeve
 valve 32 must first be moved to the left as shown in FIG. 2 whereupon the
 locking mechanism sleeve 26 can then also be moved to the left so as to
 release the locking balls 22 and thereby allow the plug portion 12 to be
 withdrawn from the socket portion 10.
 It is also desirable from a manufacturing and assembly point of view that
 the mating hose sections of the coaxial hose assembly be substantially
 identical or at least complementary with respect to each other to the
 greatest possible extent. In addition, from an operational point of view,
 whereby the various fluids are able to flow through the hose assemblies
 with maximized flow efficiency and minimized flow resistance,
 substantially straight-through axial flow paths are desired. Still
 further, the hose assemblies must be provided with a requisite amount of
 structural integrity so as to ensure proper and desired mechanical
 interconnection between the various components of the assembly as well as
 to ensure the integrity of the fluidic communication between the hose
 sections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,414 which issued to Inaba on Mar. 22, 1988
 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,160,703 which issued to Fleming on Nov. 16, 1915 are
 exemplary of additional coaxial pipe joint assemblies wherein
 substantially axial flow of both the inner and outer fluids through the
 assemblies are provided. It is noted, however, that aside from the
 external joint nut or joint body 1 and 26, respectively, there is no
 provision of a mechanical joint or interengaging interface between the
 pipe components because the joint interfaces of both patented assemblies
 are of the butt-joint type which also require packing 25 and 29,
 respectively.
 A need therefore exists in the art for a quick connect/disconnect coaxial
 hose assembly which in fact readily enables quick and easy connection and
 disconnection of the hose assemblies, which is comprised of substantially
 identical or complementary component parts, which provides substantially
 axial flow-through of the dual fluids, and which provides good mechanical
 interconnections so as to ensure both structural and fluidic integrity of
 the assembly.
 OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
 Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and
 improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly for conducting
 dual fluids therethrough.
 Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved
 quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly for conducting dual fluids
 therethrough and wherein such hose assembly overcomes the various
 drawbacks characteristic of the prior art assemblies.
 An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and
 improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly for conducting
 dual fluids therethrough and wherein such hose assembly comprises
 substantially identical or complementary component parts.
 A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved
 quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly for conducting dual fluids
 therethrough in a substantially axial manner and wherein the component
 parts of such hose assembly provide good mechanical interconnections so as
 to ensure both the structural and fluidic integrity of the assembly.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The foregoing and other objects are achieved in accordance with the
 teachings of the present invention through the provision of a new and
 improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly which comprises a
 pair of outer tubular members fabricated, for example, from polyurethane,
 and a pair of inner tubular members fabricated, for example, from nylon,
 and wherein the assembly further comprises connector members for quickly
 and easily connecting free end portions of the inner and outer tubular
 members in a coaxial manner so as to provide for the dual coaxial
 transmission of lubricant and air fluids through the inner and outer
 tubular members.
 More particularly, the connector members of the hose assembly comprise a
 tubular male connector upon an external portion of which a free end of a
 first one of the outer polyurethane tubes is secured by a first threaded
 tube retainer. In a similar manner, the free end of a second one of the
 outer polyurethane tubes is secured by a second threaded tube retainer
 upon an external portion of a tubular female connector. Each one of the
 inner nylon tubes is respectively disposed internally within one of the
 outer polyurethane tubes as well as within one of the tubular male and
 female connectors, and a pair of centering spacers are respectively
 disposed around the inner nylon tubes and within the internal bores of the
 male and female connectors so as to maintain the inner nylon tubes
 properly coaxially disposed within the male and female connectors. A
 central sleeve member is disposed about the internally mating free ends of
 the inner nylon tubes so as not only to, in effect, mechanically
 interconnect the nylon tubes together, but in addition, to ensure the
 integrity of the fluidic flow of the lubricant through the nylon tubes. An
 external, threaded joint nut, which in effect threadedly connects the male
 and female connectors, and more particularly, respective hose assembly
 halves together, completes the hose assembly.
 When it is desired to disconnect the respective hose assembly halves, the
 external threaded joint nut, which is slidably disposed upon the female
 connector, is threadedly disengaged from an externally threaded portion of
 the male connector, and the male and female connectors are simply pulled
 apart in opposite axial directions. Such an operation disengages the male
 connector from its internal disposition within the female connector, and
 in addition, causes separation of the free end of one of the inner nylon
 tubes from the central sleeve member which remains secured upon the free
 end of the other one of the inner nylon tubes.
 In order to reconnect the respective hose assembly halves, or to exchange
 or replace one of the respective hose assembly halves with a new or
 different hose assembly half, the male connector, having the first one of
 the outer polyurethane tubes disposed thereon and a first one of the inner
 nylon tubes disposed therein, is axially inserted into the female
 connector, having the second one of the outer polyurethane tubes disposed
 thereon and a second one of the inner nylon tubes disposed therein, so as
 to, in effect, define therewith the outer annular air passageway through
 the hose assembly. At substantially the same time, the sleeve member,
 which may, for example, have been retained upon the first one of the inner
 nylon tubes operatively associated with the male connector, is easily
 axially mated with the free end of the second one of the inner nylon tubes
 operatively associated, for example, with the female connector. When the
 male and female connectors are fully mated with each other, whereby the
 sleeve member is also fully or properly seated upon the free end of the
 second one of the inner nylon tubes, the external joint nut is
 subsequently threadedly re-engaged with the externally threaded portion of
 the male connector, whereby the re-connection of the hose assembly is
 completed, locked, and secured.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the
 new and improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly
 constructed in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present
 invention is disclosed and generally indicated by the reference character
 10. More particularly, the quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly
 10 comprises, in effect, two mating half hose assemblies, that is, a male
 half hose assembly 12 and a female half hose assembly 14. Considering
 first the male half hose assembly 12, the latter comprises a tubular male
 connector 16 which has an internally stepped configuration defined by a
 first annular wall member 18 extending axially inwardly and forwardly from
 an axially outer or rearward end portion 20 so as to define a first
 relatively small internal bore region 22, and a second annular
 counterbored wall member 24 extending axially inwardly and rearwardly from
 an axially inner or forward end portion 26 so as to define a second
 relatively large internal bore region 28, the wall members 18 and 24
 defining a shoulder portion 30 at the interface or intersection thereof.
 The axially outer or rearward end portion 20 of the male connector 16
 comprises an external surface portion 32 which has a substantially
 frusto-conical configuration and is adapted to have a free or open end of
 a first outer tube member 34 mounted thereon. The male connector 16 also
 comprises a second external surface portion 36, at an axial position which
 is substantially coincident with the stepped shoulder portion 30, which is
 provided with external threads 38 for mating with an internally threaded
 portion 40 provided upon a first end portion 41 of a first tube retainer
 nut 42. The opposite or second end portion 43 of the tube retainer nut 42
 is provided with an internal frusto-conical portion 44 which is
 substantially similar or complementary to the external frusto-conical
 portion 32 of the male connector 16. In this manner, when the free or open
 end of the first outer tube member 34 is mounted or disposed upon the
 external surface portion 32 of the male connector 16, and the respective
 threaded portions 38 and 40 of the male connector 16 and the tube retainer
 nut 42 are threadedly engaged with each other such that the tube retainer
 nut 42 is axially moved upon the male connector 16 in a tightening
 direction, the frusto-conical surfaces 32 and 44 of the male connector 16
 and tube retainer nut 42 wedgingly secure the open or free end of the
 outer tube member 34 upon the male half hose assembly 12. The male
 connector 16 also comprises a radially enlarged flanged portion 46 at a
 substantially axially central portion thereof, and when the tube retainer
 nut 42 is fully tightened upon the male connector 16, the first end
 portion 41 of the tube retainer nut 42 will engage the flanged portion 46
 of the male connector 16.
 The female half hose assembly 14 is substantially identical to the male
 half hose assembly 12 except for the obvious male-female engagement
 portions which will be discussed shortly. More particularly, the female
 half hose assembly 14 comprises a tubular female connector 48 which has an
 internally stepped configuration defined by a first annular wall member 50
 extending axially inwardly and forwardly from an axially outer or rearward
 end portion 52 so as to define a first relatively small internal bore
 region 54, and a second annular, first counterbored wall member 56 so as
 to define a second relatively large internal bore region 58. The wall
 members 50 and 56 define a first annular shoulder portion 60 at the
 interface or intersection thereof, and the tubular female connector 48 is
 seen to further comprise a third annular, second counterbored wall member
 62 which extends axially inwardly and rearwardly from an axially inner or
 forward end portion 64 so as to define a third relatively large internal
 bore region 66. The wall members 62 and 56 define a second annular
 shoulder portion 68, and it is therefore seen that the second relatively
 large internal bore region 58 is defined or extends between the shoulder
 portions 60 and 68. In addition, when the male and female connectors 16
 and 48 are engaged with each other and connected together, the forward end
 portion 26 of the male connector 16 is accommodated within the internal
 bore or socket region 66 of the female connector 48 and is adapted to abut
 annular shoulder portion 68 of the female connector 48. The forward end
 portion 26 of the male connector 16 also comprises an annular recessed
 portion 70 within which an annular O-ring sealing member 72 is disposed so
 as to provide fluidic sealing of the internal bore regions 28 and 58 of
 the assembly 10 as will be appreciated shortly.
 The axially outer or rearward end portion 52 of the female connector 48
 comprises a first external surface portion 74 which is similar to the
 external surface portion 32 of the male connector 16 and has a
 substantially frusto-conical configuration which is adapted to have a free
 or open end of a second outer tube member 76 mounted thereon. The female
 connector 48 also comprises a second external surface portion 78, at an
 axial position which is substantially coincident with the first shoulder
 portion 60, which is provided with external threads 80 for mating with an
 internally threaded portion 82 provided upon a first end portion 83 of a
 second tube retainer nut 84. The opposite or second end portion 85 of the
 second tube retainer nut 84 is provided with an internal frusto-conical
 portion 86 which, similar to frusto-conical portion 44 of the first tube
 retainer nut 42, is complementary to the external frusto-conical portion
 74 of the female connector 48. In this manner, when the free or open end
 of the second outer tube member 76 is mounted or disposed upon the
 external surface portion 74 of the female connector 48, and the respective
 threaded portions 80 and 82 of the female connector 48 and the second tube
 retainer nut 84 are threadedly engaged with each other such that the
 second tube retainer nut 84 is axially moved upon the female connector 48
 in a tightening direction, the frusto-conical surface portions 74 and 86
 of the female connector 48 and the second tube retainer nut 84 wedgingly
 secure the open or free end of the second outer tube member 76 upon the
 female half hose assembly 14. The female connector 48 is further provided
 with a first external, radially outward flanged portion 88, and when the
 second tube retainer nut 84 is fully tightened upon the female connector
 48, the first end portion 83 of the second tube retainer nut 84 will
 substantially engage the flanged portion 88 of the female connector 48.
 In order to complete the mechanical interconnection of the male and female
 half hose assemblies 12 and 14 and thereby establish the quick
 connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly 10, as will be more fully
 appreciated shortly, a joint retainer nut member 90 is slidably disposed
 upon the female connector 48. A third external surface portion 92 of the
 male connector 16 is provided with external threads 94 for mating with an
 internally threaded portion 96 of a first end portion 98 of the joint
 retainer nut member 90. The female connector 48 also comprises a second
 external flanged portion 100 while the joint retainer nut member 90 is
 provided with a radially inwardly extending flanged portion 102 at a
 second opposite end 104 thereof. Consequently, when the threaded portions
 94 and 96 of the the male connector 16 and the joint retainer nut member
 90 are threadedly engaged, flanged portion 102 of joint retainer nut
 member 90 engages flanged portion 100 of the female connector 48 so as to
 retain the male and female connectors 16 and 48 engaged with each other
 through means of the engagement of their inner end portions 26 and 64.
 In order to complete the entire hose assembly 10 and provide for the dual,
 coaxial transmission of two different fluids through the assembly 10, each
 one of the male and female half hose assemblies 12 and 14 is also
 respectively provided with an inner tube member 106 and 108. The inner
 tube member 106 is coaxially disposed interiorly of the first outer tube
 member 34 of the male half hose assembly 12 and is disposed within the
 internal bore regions 22 and 28 thereof, and similarly, inner tube member
 108 is coaxially disposed interiorly of the second outer tube member 76 of
 the female half hose assembly 14 and is disposed within the internal bore
 regions 54 and 58 thereof. In order to maintain the coaxial disposition of
 the inner tube members 106 and 108 with respect to the outer tube members
 34 and 76, spacers 110 and 112 are respectively disposed internally within
 the male and female connectors 16 and 48 and are disposed externally about
 the inner tube members 106 and 108. The spacers 110 and 112 are
 conventional three-legged spacers which in effect support the inner tube
 members 106 and 108 with respect to the male and female connectors 16 and
 48 and also permit fluid flow thereabout. The spacers 110 and 112 may, for
 example, be press-fitted upon the internal diameter or peripheral wall
 portions of the male and female connectors 16 and 48, but may have
 internal diameter dimensions which are just slightly larger than the outer
 diameters of inner tube members 106 and 108. Spacers 110 and 112 may be
 fabricated as molded components from suitable plastic material, such as,
 for example, polypropylene or nylon.
 Consequently, as can be appreciated, a first fluid, such as, for example,
 an oil or lubricant, can be axially transmitted through the inner tube
 members 106 and 108, while a second fluid, such as, for example, air can
 be axially conducted through the first outer tube member 34, the bore
 regions 22 and 28 of the male connector 16, through the spacer 110, and
 subsequently through the bore region 58 of the female connector 48,
 through the spacer 112, through the bore region 54 of the female connector
 48, and out through the second outer tube member 76. In order to provide
 good mechanical interconnection between the inner ends of the inner tubes
 106 and 108, as well as to ensure the integrity of the fluidic
 communication or transmission of the oil or lubricant through the inner
 tube members 106 and 108, a single sleeve member 114 is disposed about and
 envelops both inner end portions of the inner tubes 106 and 108. It is
 noted that the first and second outer tube members 34 and 76 may be
 fabricated from any suitable material and may comprise any conventional
 construction which is adapted to conduct pressurized fluids therethrough,
 and as an example, the outer tube members 34 and 76 may be fabricated from
 polyurethane. Inner tube members 106 and 108 may be fabricated from, for
 example, nylon, and the sleeve member 114 may also be fabricated from a
 relatively rigid plastic material, such as, for example, nylon,
 polyethylene, or polypropylene.
 When the half hose assemblies 12 and 14 of the overall hose assembly 10 are
 to be disengaged from each other, the joint retainer nut member 90 is
 threadedly disengaged from the male connector 16 and the two half hose
 assemblies 12 and 14 are simply pulled apart in opposite directions. The
 male connector 16 will separate from the female connector 48 as a result
 of the disengagement of the inner end portion 26 of the male connector 16
 being disengaged from the inner end portion 64 of the female connector 48.
 In addition, the inner tube 108 of the female half hose assembly 14 will
 be disengaged from the sleeve member 114. In view of the fact that the
 sleeve member 114 is disposed upon the inner ends of the inner tubes 106
 and 108 through means of, for example, a friction fit, the sleeve member
 114 will always be maintained, for example, upon the inner tube 106 of the
 male half hose assembly 12 by disposing a greater axial length portion of
 the sleeve member 114 upon the inner tube 106 of the male half hose
 assembly 112 than a corresponding axial length portion of the sleeve
 member 114 upon the inner tube 108 of the female half hose assembly 14. Of
 course, these interrelationships can in effect be reversed if it is
 desired to maintain the sleeve member 114 upon the inner tube 108 when the
 half hose assemblies 12 and 14 are separated from each other. It is also
 noted that in view of the fact that the outer diameter of the sleeve
 member 114 is greater than the inner diameter of the spacers 110 and 112,
 the provision of the sleeve member 114 upon the inner ends of the inner
 tubes 106 and 108 by means of the aforenoted friction also ensures that
 the inner tubes 106 and 108 cannot inadvertently be removed or disengaged
 from their respective half hose assemblies 12 and 14.
 It is further noted that in connection with the particular axial
 disposition of the sleeve member 114 upon the inner tubes 106 and 108 that
 the left end of the sleeve member 114 as viewed in FIG. 1 is disposed at
 an axial position which in effect is substantially coplanar with the open
 or inner end portion 26 of the male connector 16. In a similar manner, the
 inner end of the inner tube 108 is also disposed at an axial position
 which in effect is substantially coplanar with the inner end portion 64 of
 the female connector 48. In this manner, when the half hose assemblies 12
 and 14 are to be engaged or connected to each other, after, for example,
 one of the half hose assemblies 12 or 14 has been replaced, exchanged, or
 the like, axial mating of the sleeve member 114 and the inner end of the
 inner tube 108 is readily simplified because both inner end portions of
 such members or components 114 and 108 are located within externally
 accessible radially extending planar regions of their respective half hose
 assemblies 12 and 14. Once the sleeve member 114 and the inner end of the
 inner tube member 108 have been initially mechanically mated, and the
 operator personnel can in fact readily feel or sense such mating, the half
 hose assemblies 12 and 14 are simply pushed together in opposite axial
 directions whereupon the inner end portion 26 of the male connector 16
 will be fully inserted within and mechanically mated or engaged with the
 inner end portion 64 of the female connector 48. Threaded engagement of
 the joint retainer nut member 90 with the third externally threaded
 portion 92,94 of the male connector 16 then completes the assembly or
 connection of the half hose assemblies 12 and 14 of the overall hose
 assembly 10 in a quick connect manner. It is further noted that due to the
 initial or prior mechanical engagement of the sleeve member 114 and the
 inner end of the inner tube member 108, as well as the mechanical
 engagement of the inner end portion 26 of the male connector 16 with the
 inner end portion 64 of the female connector 48, the threaded engagement
 of the joint retainer nut member 90 with the third externally threaded
 portion 92,94 of the male connector 16 is simplified and facilitated
 because the operator personnel do not have to physically hold the half
 hose assemblies 12 and 14 together while threading the joint retainer nut
 member 90 upon the male connector 16.
 With reference now being made to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of the quick
 connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly of the present invention is
 disclosed and is generally indicated by the reference character 200. This
 embodiment is precisely the same as the first hose assembly embodiment
 disclosed in FIG. 1, with the exception of one part or section thereof
 which will be described shortly, and consequently, detailed structure of
 this embodiment will not be described in any lengthy detail. In addition,
 only the major components of the assembly have been provided with
 reference characters so as to disclose the descriptive continuity of this
 embodiment with respect to the first embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1, and
 it is noted further that in connection with such reference characters,
 corresponding parts of the embodiments have been denoted by similar
 reference characters except that the reference characters of this second
 embodiment are in the 200 series. Still further, the half hose assemblies
 of this embodiment have been designated by the reference characters 213
 and 215 so as to eliminate any confusion with one of the internal spacers
 212 and the sleeve member 214.
 More particularly, in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 2, the male
 and female connectors 216 and 248 may be fabricated from a suitable
 plastic material, and in lieu of the male connector 16 of the half hose
 assembly 12 being provided with the annular recessed portion 70 and the
 O-ring sealing member 72 disposed therein, the inner end portion 226 of
 the male connector 216 may have a radial thickness which is less than that
 of the inner end portion 26 of the male connector 16 and may be provided
 with an annular, radially outwardly projecting flanged portion 227 which
 is adapted to engage the inner peripheral wall of the inner end portion
 264 of the female connector 248 so as to provide the fluidic sealing
 therebetween which was similarly provided by the O-ring sealing member 72
 of the embodiment of FIG. 1. In view of the fabrication of the male and
 female connectors 216 and 248 from a suitable plastic material, the
 flanged portion 227 establishes or defines a friction or interference fit
 with the inner peripheral wall of the inner end portion 264 of the female
 connector 248.
 With reference now being lastly made to FIG. 3, a third embodiment of the
 present invention is disclosed and is generally indicated by the reference
 character 300. As was the case with the second embodiment of FIG. 2, this
 third embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment of
 FIG. 1, except for one section or part thereof which will be discussed
 shortly, and accordingly, a detailed description of the structure of this
 embodiment will not be set forth herein. In addition, only the major
 components of the assembly have been provided with reference characters so
 as to disclose the descriptive continuity of this embodiment with respect
 to the first and second embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein
 corresponding parts of the embodiments have been denoted by similar
 reference characters except that the reference characters of this
 embodiment are in the 300 series.
 More particularly, it will be recalled that in accordance with the
 embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG. 1, the spacers 110 and 112
 were disposed internally within the male and female connectors 16 and 48
 with a friction or interference fit, and the internal diameters of the
 spacers 110 and 112 were just slightly larger than the outer diameters of
 the inner tube members 106 and 108. In accordance with the third
 embodiment of the present invention as disclosed in FIG. 3, the outer
 diameters of the spacers 310 and 312 are slightly less than the inner
 diameters of the male and female connectors 316 and 348 so as to permit
 the spacers 310 and 312 to be slidably movable with respect to the male
 and female connectors 316 and 348, however, the inner diameters of the
 spacers 310 and 312 are such with respect to the outer diameters of the
 inner tube members 306 and 308 as to define a friction or interference fit
 therewith. In addition, spring members 323 and 325 are respectively
 operatively associated with the spacers 310 and 312.
 In particular, the spring members 323 and 325, which may be, for example,
 coil springs disposed about the inner tube members 306 and 308, are
 interposed between the axially outer ends of the spacers 310,312 and the
 shoulders 330,360. In this manner, the spring members 323 and 325 bias the
 spacers 310,312 and the inner tube members 306, 308 axially inwardly such
 that the sleeve member 314 and the inner ends of the inner tube members
 306 and 308 are disposed at their proper axial positions. In addition, the
 presence of the spring members 323 and 325, as well as the friction
 fitting of the spacers 310 and 312 upon inner tube members 306 and 308
 prevents inadvertent withdrawal of the inner tube members 306 and 308 out
 from the half hose assemblies 313 and 315 in view of the engagement of the
 spring members 323 and 325, and also that of the spacers 310 and 312, with
 the shoulders 330 and 360 should the inner tube members 306 and 308 be
 attempted to be withdrawn from the half hose assemblies 313 and 315. Still
 further, and similarly, the spring members 323 and 325 create a biasing
 force which acts axially inwardly such that the inner tube members 306 and
 308 are always biased toward their mating or engaged positions. In lieu of
 coil springs, the spring members 323 and 325 may comprise a plurality of
 springs disposed in an annular or circumferential pattern around the inner
 tube members 306 and 308.
 It is thus seen that in accordance with the teachings and principles of the
 present invention, a new and improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial
 hose assembly has been provided which not only provides for the quick
 connection and disconnection of the half hose assemblies with respect to
 each other so as to facilitate the exchange or replacement of one or more
 of the half hose assemblies, but in addition, each half hose assembly is
 comprised of substantially identical or complementary parts. Still
 further, straight, axial flowthrough of both fluids of the coaxial fluid
 system is achieved, and the assembly provides mechanical interconnections
 which provide or ensure both good structural and fluidic integrity.
 Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are
 possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood
 that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be
 practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.