Abstract:
An example quick connect fitting assembly includes a fitting for communicating flow between at least three openings. A quick connect portion of the fitting defines one of the openings. The quick connect portion is for connecting the fitting to a conduit

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a quick connect fitting for dividing the flow from a stub-out. 
         [0002]    Current practice during building construction is to complete the rough-in plumbing and provide a stub-out pipe so that the rough-in plumbing may be checked for leaks, etc. The stub-out pipe is generally a small diameter pipe. After capping the stub-out pipe and checking for leaks, plumbers connect a plumbing fixture, such as a dishwasher or a faucet, to the stub-out pipe. Often, it is desirable to connect more than one fixture near the location of a single stub-out and to divide the flow from a single stub-out. 
         [0003]    Stub-outs are frequently located under kitchen cabinets and other cramped areas. The stub-outs are sometimes difficult to connect to fixtures, especially if using adhesive or fusion bonding between the stub-out and the plumbing from the stub-out to the fixture. Further, these traditional plumbing means are often time consuming, require several additional tools, and are difficult to verify. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An example quick connect fitting assembly includes a fitting for communicating flow between at least three openings. A quick connect portion of the fitting defines one of the openings. The quick connect portion is for connecting the fitting to a conduit. 
         [0005]    The example quick connect fitting assembly may include a fitting for communicating flow from a stub-out conduit between at least three openings within the fitting. A quick connect includes a mount housing having a multitude of fingers defined about an axis and a slot generally transverse to the axis. The quick connect further includes a retainer mountable within the slot. The retainer has a set of conduit attachment legs and a set of housing attachment legs defined within a common plane. The set of housing attachment legs engages a surface within the slot to retain the stub-out conduit within the mount housing. 
         [0006]    The example quick connect fitting may include a quick connect assembly having a mount housing and a retainer. The mount housing has a multitude of circumferential fingers defined about an axis and a slot generally transverse the axis. The retainer mounts at least partially within the slot. The retainer has a set of conduit attachment legs and a set of housing attachment legs defined within a common plane. The set of housing attachment legs engages a corresponding surface within the slot to retain the retainer within the mount housing. The quick connect assembly is securable to a conduit adjacent an opening within the conduit. The conduit is for communicating flow between at least three conduit openings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a general perspective view of an example quick connect fitting assembly; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the  FIG. 1  quick connect fitting assembly engaging two stops and a stub-out conduit; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the  FIG. 1  quick connect fitting assembly; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the  FIG. 1  quick connect fitting assembly; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5A  is a sectional view of the  FIG. 1  quick connect fitting assembly taken along the length thereof in an unlocked position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5B  is a sectional view of the  FIG. 1  quick connect fitting assembly taken along the length thereof in a locked position; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken at line  3 D- 3 D in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows an example quick connect fitting assembly  20  having a fitting portion  24  and a quick connect portion  28 . In this example, the fitting assembly  20  moves flow between three openings  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c . The quick connect portion  28  defines the opening  30   a , and the fitting assembly  20  includes two extensions  34  each defining one of the other openings  30   b ,  30   c.    
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIG. 2  with continuing reference to  FIG. 1 , the quick connect portion  28  of the fitting assembly  20  engages a stub-out conduit  38 . Flow of water, for example, moves through the stub-out conduit  38  in a known manner. The fitting portion  24  divides flow from the stub-out conduit  38  directing some of the flow through the opening  30   b  and some of the flow through the opening  30   c . In this example, stops  42  engage each of the extensions  34 . The stops  42  each include a valve  46  for controlling flow from the stop openings  50 . Turning the valves  46  controls flow through the stop openings  50  in a known manner. Although the fitting assembly  20  is generally described as controlling flow moving from the stub-out conduit  38 , other examples may include controlling flow moving from the fitting assembly  20 . 
         [0017]    In this example, a Y axis defined by the extensions  34  is perpendicular to the axis X defined by the quick connect portion  28  and the opening  30   a  associated with the quick connect portion  28 . Accordingly, the example fitting assembly  20  has a general T profile. As the openings  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c  are defined either by the quick connect portion  28  or the extension  34  for receipt within a quick connect portion of another plumbing device, the fitting assembly  20  divides flow between the openings  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c  without threaded fasteners or adhesives. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the quick connect portion  28  of the quick connect fitting assembly  20  generally includes an anti-rotation disc  54 , an anti-rotation spacer  58 , a first o-ring seal  62 , a spacer  66 , a second o-ring seal  70 , a mount housing  74 , and a retainer  78 , which fits within a mount housing slot  74   s . In this example, the quick connect portion  28  is attachable to the stub-out conduit  38  without adhesive or welding. 
         [0019]    The stub-out conduit  38  generally defines a smaller diameter  82  and a larger diameter  86 , which together adapt the stub-out conduit  38  for receipt within the quick connect portion  28 . The smaller diameter  82  defines an attachment groove  90  for receipt of the retainer  78 . An internal structure  94 , such as a multitude of splines, are engageable with the anti-rotation disc  54  to rotationally fix the fitting assembly  20  on the stub-out conduit  38 . 
         [0020]    The extensions  34  include structures similar to the stub-out conduit  38 . That is, the extensions  34  each include a diameter  98  defining a groove  102  and an internal structure  104 . Such geometry facilitates receipt and retention of the extensions  34  within the quick connect portion of another plumbing device, such as the stops  42  of  FIG. 2 . In this example, the fitting assembly  20  provides two extensions  34  suitable for engagement by other quick connect plumbing devices. As known, the stub-out conduit  38  is engageable by only the one quick connect portion  28 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the mount housing  74  includes a multitude of circumferential fingers  106  defined about a longitudinal axis X. Each finger  106  includes a barbed end  108  ( FIG. 3 ). The barbed end  108  engages a corresponding internal groove  112  within the fitting portion  24 . The barbed end  108  further defines a stop surface  116 , which axially retains the o-ring seal  70 , the spacer  66 , and the o-ring seal  62  within the fitting portion  24 . The mount housing  74  fits over the smaller diameter  82  and the retainer  78  aligns with the attachment groove  90 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the retainer  78  includes a partially annular set of conduit attachment legs  120  and a set of housing attachment legs  124 . The conduit attaching legs  120  and the housing attachment legs  124  are defined within a common plane P ( FIG. 5 ). The conduit attachment legs  120  engage the attachment groove  90  to axially retain the stub-out conduit  38  therein. The housing attachment legs  124  each include a barbed end  128 , which engage a corresponding surface  132  located within the slot  74   s.    
         [0023]    Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.