Abstract:
A coupling assembly for providing a fluid connection comprising a female connector, a tube, a retainer and a cap. The female connector defines a bore. The bore extends axially inwardly into the connector from an entrance. An annular face is defined in the bore axially inwardly of the entrance. The tube is received within the bore. The tube has an enlarged upset. The retainer is disposed in the bore. The retainer has a member directly contacting the upset and extends to the annular face to retain the tube in the bore. The cap is slidably mounted on the tube and is attached to the female connector. The cap has a protrusion directly contacting the upset.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to fluid line systems which include coupling assemblies, and more particularly, to a coupling assembly of the type for connecting a male member formed at the end of a tube in a hollow female connector. 
     In the automotive and other fields, one type of coupling assembly often utilized to provide a fluid connection between two components or conduits is a quick connector coupling, which generally includes a male member received and retained in a female connector. Use of a quick connector coupling is advantageous in that a sealed and secured fluid line may be established with a minimum amount of time and expense. 
     A retainer is often used to secure the male member within the female connector. One such type of retainer includes a plurality of locking beams which extend between a radial upset formed on the male member and an annular face defined in the female connector. The abutment of the retainer with the radial upset at one end and the annular face at the other end prevents the withdrawal of the male member from the female connector. This type of retainer is prevalent in the art and has proven effective in many fluid line applications. 
     Nevertheless, such retainers have occasionally been prone to failure. During the connection of the male member in the female connector, the male member may be inserted insufficiently into the female connector for the upset formed on the male member to surpass the locking beams of the retainer. This insufficient insertion of the male member into the female connector allows the male member to be accidentally removed from the female connector with little effort. 
     Another concern associated with the use of a retainer having a plurality of locking beams is contaminants entering into the entrance of the female connector and being embedded between the locking beams. The presence of contaminants in the female connector can cause the male member, female connector or retainer to erode and fail prematurely. Furthermore, the presence of contaminants in the female connector prevents a tool from entering the female connector to release the retainer for removal of the male member from the female connector. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a coupling assembly for providing a fluid connection comprising a female connector, a tube, a retainer and a cap. The female connector defines a bore. The bore extends axially inwardly into the connector from an entrance. An annular face is defined in the bore axially inwardly of the entrance. The tube is received within the bore. The tube has an enlarged upset. The retainer is disposed in the bore. The retainer has a member directly contacting the upset and extends to the annular face to retain the tube in the bore. The cap is slidably mounted on the tube and is attached to the female connector. The cap has a protrusion directly contacting the upset. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a section view of a coupling assembly prior to insertion of a male member into a female connector. 
     FIG. 2 is a section view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 after the male member has been properly inserted into the female connector. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a retainer. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an insertion verifier dust cap. 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the insertion verifier dust cap of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the insertion verifier dust cap of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the insertion verifier dust cap as taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 8 is a section view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 2 after the insertion verifier dust cap has been attached to the female connector. 
     FIG. 9 is a section view taken ninety degrees from the coupling assembly of FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a coupling assembly of the present invention. The coupling assembly  10  comprises a male member  12 , a hollow female connector  14 , a retainer  16 , a first O-ring  18 , a first spacer  20 , a second O-ring  22 , a second spacer  24  and an insertion verifier dust cap  26 . 
     The male member  12  is formed at the end of a hollow and rigid tube  28  which forms a part of a fluid line system. The tube  28  may lead to a component in a fluid line system, or may itself be a portion of a component in a fluid line system. Male member  12  includes a radially enlarged annular flange or upset  30  formed at a given distance from the distal end  32  of the male member  12 . 
     The female connector body  14  is hollow and defines an axial bore  34  extending axially inward from an entrance  36 . The entrance  36  is defined by a radially inward extending rim  38  having an apex  40 . The rim  38  is chamfered at the axially outward surface  42  to facilitate the insertion of the male member  12  into the connector body  14 . Axially inward from the entrance  36  is a first annular face  44 . Axially inward from the first annular face  44  is a first cylindrical surface  46  and a first conical surface  48  terminating at a second annular face  50 . Axially inward from the second annular face  50  is a second cylindrical surface  52  terminating at a third annular face  54 . Axially inward from the third annular face  54  is a third cylindrical surface  56  terminating at a fourth annular face  58 . Located at the center of the fourth annular face  58  is an entrance to a reduced diameter cylindrical bore  60  forming the fluid line opposite the tube  28 . The first annular face  44 , together with the first cylindrical surface  46 , the first conical surface  48 , the second annular face  50 , the second cylindrical surface  52 , the third annular face  54 , the third cylindrical surface  56  and the fourth annular face  58 , define the axial bore  34 . 
     The first O-ring  18 , the first spacer  20 , the second O-ring  22  and the second spacer  24  are inserted in the axial bore  34 . The first O-ring  18 , the first spacer  20 , the second O-ring  22  and the second spacer  24  are situated radially inward of the second cylindrical surface  52 . 
     Thereafter, the retainer  16  is inserted into the axial bore  34 . The retainer  16  includes four circumferentially spaced legs  62  which abut the upset  30  of the male member  12  to retain the male member  12  in the axial bore  34  upon full insertion of the male member  12  into the female connector  14 . 
     Each leg  62  includes a radially inner section  64  which abuts the upset  30  of the male member  12 . A bump  66 , formed on each radially inner section  64 , provides a relatively great force resisting tube insertion. Braces  68  extend circumferentially from each circumferential side of the radial inner sections  64  to provide additional strength against buckling of the retainer. 
     The radially inner section  64  includes a lip  70  which abuts the upset  30  of the male member  12 . The lip  70  is bent radially outwardly such that it contacts the upset  30  over a relatively great surface area. A rear bend  72  connects the radially inner section  64  with a radially outer section  74 . A cylindrical forward ring  76  connects the plurality of circumferentially spaced legs  62 . The ring abuts the second annular face  50  and the rear bend abuts the first abutment face  44  to retain the retainer  16  in the axial bore  34 . 
     The insertion verifier dust cap  26  of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4-7. The cap  26  is a dual diameter cylindrical shaped shell. The cap  26  can be opened axially as two shell halves  78  are connected by a hinge  80  on one side. The two shell halves  78  are snapped together by a rectangular housing  82  formed on the outer surface of one shell and a clasp  84  formed on the outer surface of the other shell. The rectangular housing  82  has a bore  86  defined therein and a protrusion  88  formed on the radially outer surface of the housing  82 . The clasp  84  has a U-shaped catch  90  formed at the radially outer surface. The U-shaped catch  90  has a window  92  in the center for retaining the protrusion  88 . Radially inward of the U-shaped catch  90  is an outwardly extending pin  94  for insertion into the bore  86  of the housing  82 . 
     Once the clasp  84  and the housing  82  of the two shell halves  78  are snapped together, the two shell halves  78  form the dual diameter cylindrical shaped cap  26 . 
     The cap  26  has a first cylindrical portion  96  having an enlarged diameter and a second cylindrical portion  98  having a reduced diameter. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inner diameter D 1  of the first cylindrical portion  96  is sized to be at least as large as the outer diameter D 2  of the female connector  14  radially outwardly of the entrance  36 , thus allowing the first cylindrical portion  96  to surround a portion of the connector body  14  radially outward and axially inward of the entrance  36 . The first cylindrical portion  96  is connected to the second cylindrical portion  98  by an annular portion  100 . Formed on the outer surface of the first cylindrical portion  96  and perpendicular to the abutting surfaces of the two shell halves  78  are a pair of grooved finger tabs  102 . 
     Two circumferentially spaced protruding arms  104  are formed on the inner surface of the annular portion  100  of the cap  26 . The arms  104  extend axially from the annular portion  100 . The distal end of each arm includes a hook  106  extending radially outward. Each hook  106  has an axially inward surface  108  for abutment with the first annular surface  44  of the female connector  14  to retain the cap  26  to the female connector  14 . Located axially outward from the axially inward surface  108  is a ramped surface  110  to facilitate the insertion of the arms  104  into the female connector  14 . 
     Two circumferentially spaced protruding beams  112  are formed on the inner surface of the annular portion  100  of the cap  26  ninety degrees from the arms  104 . The beams  112  extend axially from the annular portion  100 . Each beam  112  has a terminal surface  114  for abutment with the upset  30  of the male member  12 . 
     The coupling assembly  10  of the present invention functions as follows. The first O-ring  18 , the first spacer  20 , the second O-ring  22 , the second spacer  24  and the retainer  16  are pre-assembled into the female connector  14 . The first O-ring  18 , the first spacer  20 , the second O-ring  22  and the second spacer  24  are inserted into the axial bore  34  and situated radially inward of the second cylindrical surface  52 . Thereafter, the retainer  16  is inserted into the axial bore  34  until the ring  76  abuts the second annular face  50  and the rear bend  72  abuts the first abutment face  44  to retain the retainer  16  in the bore  34 . 
     The male member  12  is then inserted into the female connector  14 . The terminal end  32  of the male member  12  is inserted through the entrance  36  of the female connector  14 , between the radially inner section  64  of the retainer  16 , through the ring  76  of the retainer  16 , through the second spacer  24 , the second O-ring  22 , the first spacer  20  and the first O-ring  18 , and finally into the portion of the axial bore  34  defined by the third cylindrical surface  56 . The first O-ring  18  and the second O-ring  22  form a seal between the male member  12  and the axial bore  34  of the female connector  14 . The upset  30  of the male member  12  then contacts the radially inner section  64  of the retainer  16 . Upon further insertion of the male member  12  into the female connector  14 , the upset  30  of the male member  12  applies an axially inward and a radially outward force, pushing the radially inner section  64  radially outward. When inserted properly, the male member  12  is inserted until the upset  30  of the male member  12  surpasses the lip  70  of the radially inner section  64 . Once the upset  30  of the male member  12  surpasses the lip  70 , the radially inner section  64  springs radially inward, abutting the upset  30  of the male member  12 , and prevents the male member  12  from withdrawing from the female connector  14 . 
     Once the male member  12  has been inserted into the female connector  14 , the cap  26  is mounted around the tube  28  forming the male member  12  with the first cylindrical portion  96  axially toward the female connector  14 . The cap  26  is mounted around the tube  28  by placing the inner surface of the second cylindrical portion  98  of one of the shell halves  78  around the tube. The other shell half  78  then pivots around the hinge  80  to surround the tube  28 . To snap the two shell halves  78  together, the U-shaped catch  90  flexes radially outward until the protrusion  88  is situated within the window  92  of the U-shaped catch  90 . The U-shaped catch  90  then springs radially inward and retains the protrusion  88  within the U-shaped catch  90 . At the same time, the pin  94  is inserted into the bore  86  to provide axial and radial stability. 
     After the cap  26  is mounted on the tube  28 , the cap  26  is slid axially toward the female connector  14 . The cap  26  is rotationally aligned such that the arms  104  and the beams  112  are aligned between the legs  62  of the retainer  16  allowing the arms  104  and the beams  112  to fit between the legs  62  of the retainer  16 . As the cap  26  is slid axially toward the female connector  14 , the first cylindrical portion  96  surrounds at least a portion of female connector  14  radially outward and axially inward of the entrance to prevent contaminants from entering the entrance of the connector body. 
     If the male member  12  has been properly inserted into the female connector  14 , such that the upset  30  of the male member  12  was inserted past the lips  70  of the radially inner sections  64 , the hooks  106  of the arms  104  contact the rim  38  of the female connector  14  and the beams  112  fit between the legs  62  of the retainer  16 . Since at least a portion of the ramped surface  110  has a diameter larger than the apex  40  of the rim  38 , further force applied to the cap  26  in the axial direction causes the arms  104  to flex radially inward such that the diameter of the ramped surface  110  in contact with the rim  38  is the same diameter as the apex  40  of the rim  38 . The cap  26  is slid axially until the rim  38  surpasses the ramped surface  10  of the hook  106 . The arms  104  then spring radially outward wherein the axially inward surfaces  108  of the hooks  106  act as abutment surfaces against the first annular face  44 , preventing the cap  26  from withdrawing from the female connector  14 . Furthermore, upon full insertion of the arms  104  into the female connector  14 , the terminal surfaces  114  of the beams  112  abut the upset  30  of the male member  12 , preventing the male member  12  from withdrawing from the female connector  14 . 
     If the male member  12  has not been properly inserted into the female connector  14 , such that the upset  30  of the male member  12  was not inserted past the lips  70  of the radially inner surfaces  64  during the insertion of male member  12  into the female connector  14 , the terminal surfaces  114  of the beams  112  abut the upset  30  of the male member  12  and push the male member  12  axially inward into the female connector  14 . Just prior to the point where the rim  38  surpasses the ramped surfaces  110  of the hooks  106 , the upset  30  of the male member  12  surpasses the lip  70  of the radially inner section  64 . Therefore, the beams  112  of the cap  26  verify that the male member  12  has been properly inserted into the female connector  14  by pushing the upset  30  of the male member  12  axially inward until the male member  12  is properly inserted. 
     The cap  26  of the present invention can also be used as a release tool to withdraw the male member  12  from the female connector  14  after the male member  12  has been properly inserted into the female connector  14 . To use the cap  26  as a release tool, the cap  26  is mounted around the tube  28  forming the male member  12  with the second cylindrical portion  98  axially toward the female connector  14 . The cap  26  is mounted around the tube  28  by placing the inner surface of the second cylindrical portion  98  of one of the shell halves  78  around the tube  28 . The other shell half  78  then pivots around the hinge  80  to surround the tube  28 . The two shell halve  78  are snapped together and the cap  26  is slid axially toward the female connector  14 . As the second cylindrical portion  98  of the cap  26  is inserted into the axial bore  34  of the female connector  14 , the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion  98  contacts the radially inner sections  64  of the retainer  16 . As the cap  26  is further inserted axially inward, the second cylindrical portion  98  pushes the radially inner sections  64  radially outward. The cap  26  is inserted axially inwardly until the terminal end of the second cylindrical portion  98  contacts the upset  30  of the male member  12 . The outer diameter D 3  of the second cylindrical portion  98  is sized to at least as large as the diameter D 4  of the upset  30  of the male member  12 . Thus, upon the terminal end of the second cylindrical portion  98  contacting the upset  30  of the male member  12 , the diameter of the radially inner section  64  is expanded to be at least as large as the diameter D 4  of the upset  30  of the male member  12 . Thereafter, the upset  30  of the male member  12  is able to fit through the radially inner section  64  and be withdrawn from the female connector  14 . 
     Various features of the present invention have been described with reference to the above embodiment. It should be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as represented by the following claims.