Patent Publication Number: US-2022235890-A1

Title: Quick connector with modular flow control insert

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/141,929 filed on Jan. 26, 2021. This provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure is generally directed to quick connectors. More specifically, this disclosure is directed to a quick connector having a modular flow control insert. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Quick connectors are often used in applications where it is necessary to connect and disconnect fluid lines with some regularity. In certain applications, the quick connector is provided with a flow control device, such as for example, a valve or flow restrictor that is used to control the flow of fluid through the connector when the connector is in a connected state. Often, these types of quick connectors are manufactured with the flow control devices built into, and integrated with, the structure of the connector. In such arrangements, a particular variety or type of quick connector is required to be used to perform a particular flow function. For example, in applications requiring only one-way fluid flow a type of quick connector having a one-way valve device fitted in the flow channel of the connector would be used. In another application, restricting the amount of fluid flowing through the connector would require a different type of flow device to be built into the fluid channel of the connector. Therefore, manufactures of quick connectors often are forced to manufacture a large variety of the quick connector types in order to satisfy a particular fluid flow application. It would be desirable, to provide a single quick connector adapted to accept a replaceable flow control insert in the flow channel of the connector allowing a single quick connector to perform a different fluid flow function. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure is directed to a quick connector having a modular flow control insert. 
     In a first embodiment, an assembly is provided that includes a receptacle having a first and a second interior passage providing a path for fluid flow between the first and the second interior passage. A chamber is formed in the receptacle in fluid communication between the first and the second interior passage. A flow control insert is installed in the chamber that regulates the fluid flow between the first and the second interior passages. 
     In a second embodiment a connector is provided that comprises a receptacle having a first and a second interior passage including a chamber in fluid communication between the first and the second interior passages. An insert for controlling the flow of fluid between the first passage and the second passage is installed in the chamber. 
     In a third embodiment, a process for controlling the flow of a fluid in a connector is provided. The process includes providing a receptacle having a first and a second interior passage and a chamber in fluid communication between the first and second interior passage. The process further includes installing a flow control insert into the chamber to regulate fluid flow between the first and the second passage. 
     Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side exterior view of an example quick connector according to this disclosure; 
       FIG . 2  illustrates a sectional view of the example quick connector of  FIG. 1  according to this disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an example modular flow control insert according to this disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a sectional view of the example modular flow control insert illustrated in  FIG. 3  according to this disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a sectional view of the assembled quick connector showing the operation of the example modular flow control insert according to this disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The figures, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the invention may be implemented in any type of suitably arranged device or system. 
     The purpose of the present disclosure is to incorporate a modular flow control insert, such as for example a valve into a quick connector package to provide additional functionality to the connector. The disclosure of the present embodiment will be explained using a flow control insert in the form of a “float valve” or “liquid discriminator” which allows vapors through the valve but blocks the flow of a liquid, such as for example, to avoid liquid fuel from getting into and contaminating the vapor recovery system of a vehicle during refueling. However, the modular concept of the present disclosure can also be applied using different types of valves, regulators, or other flow control devices that can be used with the quick connector of the present embodiment to provide functions for different use specifications to be met with the same molded connector parts. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exemplary quick connector  10  of the present disclosure is shown. The quick connector  10  provides a fluid tight connection between two fluid lines or tubes. A first tube  14  having an endform  16  is arranged to be inserted into a cylindrical and hollow first interior passage  18  located in the interior of a first end of receptacle  12 . The receptacle  12  includes a second or coupling end  20  for coupling the quick connector  10  to a second tube or to a device. The coupling end  20  may include a hollow male stem  32  having a second interior passage  35 . The male stem  32  may include one or more barbed flanges  34  that can be friction fitted into the second tube (not shown), for example, to couple the quick connector  10  to the tube. The receptacle  12  further includes a locking device  30  that is arranged to be manually moved out of a locking position to allow endform  16  to be easily installed into passage  18 . Once the endform  16  is installed in passage  18 , the locking device  30  is manually moved into a locking position where it engages a retaining shoulder  17  located on endform  16 , thereby locking the endform  16  in place in the quick connector  10 . The endform  16  and first tube  14  can be quickly disconnected from the receptacle  12  by manually moving the locking device  30  from shoulder  17  and removing the first tube  14  and endform  16 , thereby disconnecting the first tube  14  from quick connector  10 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , a sectional view through the quick connector  10  is shown. As can be seen, endform  16  is arranged to be installed into the first interior passage  18  of the receptacle  12  through an opening  13 . A mouth portion  19  of endform  16  is inserted into first passage  18  through opening  13  until mouth  19  rests near shoulder surfaces  31 . A series of O-ring seals  11  installed on the interior surface of the first passage  18  squeeze around endform  16  preventing leakage of fluid passing therethrough. The endform  16  is locked in position in the receptacle  12  by manually manipulating the locking device  30  to capture retaining shoulder  17 , as explained above. 
     A flow insert chamber  25  is defined by a circumferential wall  27  that forms a cavity in the first passage  18  between coupling end  20  and shoulder surfaces  31 . In this embodiment, a flow channel is formed between the mouth  19  of endform  16  into the chamber  25  and through the second passage  35  of male stem  32  of the coupling end  20  into a second tube installed over stem  32  or vice-versa. The coupling end  20  may extend at any convenient angle applicable to the intended use of receptacle  12 , which means that the coupling end  20  can have a longitudinal axis that may extend from the axis of the receptacle  12 , horizontally, at a 90 degree angle from the axis, or obliquely defining an angle between coupling end  20  and receptacle  12  that is not equal to 180 degrees. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , a modular flow control insert of the type configured to be used in the present disclosure is illustrated. The exemplary modular flow control insert shown is a float valve  50 . The float valve  50  is comprised of a hollow ball  55  contained in a cylindrical cage  66  by a retainer floor  56  and a head end  53 . The ball  55  is designed to be lightweight and capable of floating on the surface of a liquid. A circular opening  61  is centrally located on retainer floor  56 . Cage  66  includes openings  51  located around the periphery of cage  66  to allow fluid to flow therethrough. The head end  53  also includes a circular opening  52  located on a top surface of head end  53 . As can be best seen at  FIG. 4 , the ball  55  is arranged to be housed within cage  66  and travel axially in the cage  66  along cylindrical interior walls  68 . The head end  53  further includes sealing surfaces  63  located on an interior surface of the cage that are chamfered at a suitable angle to the ball  55  that allows the ball  55  to seal against the sealing surfaces  63 . When liquid is not flowing in the quick connector  10  the ball  55  rests on the retainer floor  56  and partially extending though opening  61 . Vapors or gasses entering opening  52  of the float valve  50 , for example from the second interior passage  35 , would flow around ball  52  into the first interior passage  18 . The float valve  50  of the present invention is assembled as a unitary structure from a suitable metal or thermoplastic material. The unitary structure forms the modular flow control insert that can be fitted into insert chamber  25  of quick connector  10 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 5  the fully assembled flow valve  50  of this disclosure is installed into quick connector  10  by inserting the valve  50  head end  53  into the first interior passage  18  through the opening  13  of the receptacle  12 . The flow valve  50  is pushed up into the first interior passage  18  until it reaches and is accepted into the cavity formed by chamber  25 . The head end  53  of flow valve  50  rests against stop surface  78  formed at the top end of chamber  25 . The outer walls of cage  66  engage and make a liquid tight friction fit with the chamber  25  walls  27 . Once the flow valve  50  is installed into the cavity formed by chamber  25 , the first interior passage  18  is open to accept the endform  16  therein to form a fluid connection between the first and second tubes. 
     With renewed reference to  FIG. 5 , the operation of the exemplary float valve  50  of the present disclosure will be explained. The float valve  50  installed in quick connector  10  of this embodiment is arranged stop the flow of liquid entering the second interior passage  35  from the first interior passage  18 , such as for example, to block liquid fuel from entering the vapor recovery system of a vehicle during refueling. In normal operation, the second tube (not shown) is installed on stem  32  connecting a vehicles vapor recovery system to quick connector  10 . Vapors and other gases from the vapor recovery system flow in the direction of arrow A and enter stem  32  via the second interior passage  35 . The vapors enter opening  52  of the float valve and travel through float valve  50  and exit over ball  55  through opening  61  into endform  16  and out through tube  14 . As was explained earlier, the ball  55  rests on retainer surface  56  loosely, allowing vapors and gasses to flow around ball  55  and exit opening  61 . 
     However, if a vehicle&#39;s fuel tank is over-filled allowing fuel to enter the vehicles overflow tube, liquid fuel enters endform  16  from tube  14 , in the direction of arrow F. Liquid fuel would enter opening  61  of the float valve  50 , causing ball  55  to float and ride on the liquid fuel and travel axially along interior walls  68  until reaching sealing surfaces  63 . The ball  55  by engaging against sealing surfaces  63  seals the second interior passage  35  from the liquid fuel and stops the flow of liquid fuel from tube  14  into the second interior passage  35 . Further fuel flow or flow pressure would increase the force exerted by the ball  55  against sealing surfaces  63 . In this embodiment, the float valve  50  modular insert effectively stops liquid fuel from entering into second passage  35  and contaminating a vehicles vapor recovery system. 
     In this exemplary embodiment the modular flow control insert used with quick connector  10  has been described as a float valve, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other types of flow regulating inserts can be equally applied to the cavity of insert chamber  25  to provide functions for different use specifications to be met with the same molded connector parts. 
     The description in the present application should not be read as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential or critical element that must be included in the claim scope. The scope of patented subject matter is defined only by the allowed claims. Moreover, none of the claims is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) with respect to any of the appended claims or claim elements unless the exact words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim, followed by a participle phrase identifying a function. Use of terms such as (but not limited to) “mechanism,” “module,” “device,” “unit,” “component,” “element,” “member,” “apparatus,” “machine,” “system,” “processor,” or “controller” within a claim is understood and intended to refer to structures known to those skilled in the relevant art, as further modified or enhanced by the features of the claims themselves, and is not intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). 
     While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.