Source: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/44283101/Squeeze-to-release-Quick-Connector---Patent-5213376
Timestamp: 2014-07-10 19:50:08
Document Index: 604972943

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n18', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 11', 'art 11', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'arts 11', 'art 11', 'art 12']

Squeeze-to-release Quick Connector - Patent 5213376
United States Patent: 5213376
5,213,376
abutment surface to effect positive engagement therebetween.
Szabo; George (Ortonville, MI)
07/753,758
285/39  ; 285/423; 285/921
F16L 37/00&amp;nbsp(20060101); F16L 37/084&amp;nbsp(20060101); F16L 035/00&amp;nbsp()
285/423,921,38,39
mount located on said body portion axially spaced from said open end such that said beam members are radially spaced from said body portion;  and
at least two circumferentially spaced detents extending inwardly from said retaining ring to capture said abutment surface to effect positive engagement of said quick connector and male member, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at
angularly offset locations from said beam members to release said abutment surface from said detents for removal of said male member.
2.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said mounts extend radially outwardly from the outside surface of said body portion.
3.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said mounts are disposed approximately axially midway between the ends said body portion.
4.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said mounts are axially disposed from said open end by a dimension that is approximately equal to one half the inner diameter of said body portion.
5.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said beam members extend axially a distance approximately equal to the inner diameter of said body portion.
6.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein body portion, conduit receiving adapter, retaining ring and beam members are integrally formed.
7.  The quick connector of claim 6, wherein said female part is formed of injection molded plastic.
8.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said retaining ring defines two circumferentially opposed gripping surfaces adapted to be squeezed to effect said release on an outer surface thereof angularly offset from said beam members by
9.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said retaining ring and beam members are constructed of resilient material.
10.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said detents are substantially angularly aligned with said beam members.
11.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein each said detent comprises a radially tapered ramp surface facing away from said body portion and an abutment surface facing toward said body portion.
12.  The quick connector of claim 11, wherein said retaining ring includes a skirt portion axially extending away from body portion.
13.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said beam members extend generally parallel to the outside surface of said body portion.
14.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said male member abutment surface comprises an annular upset flange formed near one end of said male member.
15.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said retaining ring has a cross-sectional area which varies from a maximum positionally coinciding with said beam members to a minimum offset approximately 90 degrees therefrom.
16.  The quick connector of claim 1, wherein said retaining ring comprises two opposed crescent shaped sectors joined at areas of minimum cross-section.
17.  A squeeze-to-release quick connector assembly comprising:
a generally tubular male part defining an outwardly extending abutment surface;  and
concentrically with said body portion axially spaced from said open end, said retaining ring joined to said body portion by two circumferentially opposed parallel, axially elongated beam members, each member affixed at one end thereof to said retaining
ring and at an opposed end thereof to a mount located on said body portion axially spaced from said open end such that said beam members are radially spaced from said body portion, said ring defining two circumferentially spaced inwardly extending
detents operative to engage said abutment surface to effect interlocking of said male and female parts, said retaining ring being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from said beam members to release said abutment surface from said
detents for removal of said male part.
18.  A squeeze-to-release quick connector comprising:
at least one beam member interconnecting said retaining ring and a mount carried by said body portion axially spaced from said open end such that said beam members are radially spaced from said body portion;  and
detent means carried by said retaining ring operative to capture an engagement surface on said male member in a relaxed condition and displaceable upon elastic distention of said retaining ring to release said male member, said retaining ring
being adapted to be squeezed at angularly offset locations from said beam members to release said abutment surface from said detents for removal of said male member.  Description
Snap-fit or quick connectors have been found to be useful in a wide range of applications.  In particular, they are frequently employed for joining fluid carrying conduit in automotive and industrial applications.  Such connectors have found
general acceptance in as they are typically capable of being closed in a single uniaxial movement which facilitates automated assembly, and entail simple designs which are relatively inexpensive to produce.
are often required to effect release of quick connect fittings, designs such as those described in U.S.  Pat.  Nos.  3,990,727 and 4,844,512 provide for manual release of the fitting without the necessity of separate tools.  Although representing an
advancement in the art, such &quot;squeeze-to-release&quot; designs often have certain shortcomings.
In applications where hazardous material is to flow through a fitting, prevention of inadvertent release is of primary concern.  Accordingly, relatively high axial pull-apart strength specifications are mandated.  In order comply with such
The present invention overcomes the above described shortcomings of the prior art by providing a connector which is suitable for long term operation, is inexpensive to manufacture, is compact and is capable of being assembled by robots.  The
generally parallel, axially elongated beam members.  Each beam member is affixed at one end to the retaining ring and at the other end to a mount located on the outside surface of the body portion axially spaced from the open end.  Finally, two or more
circumferentially spaced detents extend inwardly from the retaining ring which are operative to capture the abutment surface of the male member to effect positive axial engagement therebetween.  This arrangement has the advantage of an inexpensive
squeeze-to-release engagement mechanism for a quick connector exhibiting high pull off strength while being actuatable with relatively low release forces.
According to one aspect of the invention, the beam members extend axially a distance approximately equal to the characteristic inner diameter the body portion.  This arrangement provides the advantage of achieving large radial displacement of the
detents while imposing relatively little flexure induced stress on the beam members during release to enhance life of the connector.  This arrangement further minimizes the chance of inadvertent decoupling due to side-impact loads.
axis of elongation.  As best seen in FIG. 3, bore 14 exits rightwardly from body portion 13 to define an opening 15 for receiving male connector part 12.  Body portion 13 transitions leftwardly into a conduit receiving adapter 16 which is generally
tubular and through which bore 14 emerges leftwardly.  The outer surface of adapter 16 defines two or more circumferential barbs 17 axially spaced therealong for engaging the inner diameter of a rubber or otherwise suitable conduit (now shown) in the
rightwardly as opening 15.  A radially inwardly directed circumferential retaining rib 23 is formed within bore segment 22 axially interspaced between step 21 and opening 15.  The radially outwardmost portion of bore segment 22 intermediate step 21 and
rib 23 is designated as a seal receiving recess 24.  In application, it is contemplated that an annular elastic seal, such as an O-ring (see FIG. 4), would be disposed within recess 24 and retained in position by rib 23 for providing sealing engagement
between bore 14 of body portion 13 and the outer diameter surface of male connector part 12.
end to the transverse face of retaining ring 25 nearest opening 15.  The remaining ends of beam members 26 and 27 are joined to body portion 13 through intermediate respective mounting bosses 28 and 29 extending radially outwardly from body portion 13.
In the preferred embodiment, beam members have a pentagon-shaped cross-section as seen in FIG. 2 and 8.  Alternatively, rhombic, diamond, lozenge or similar cross-section profiles could be substituted.
Retaining ring 25 has a central opening 30 which has a characteristic diameter exceeding that of bore segment 22 for providing clearance for male connector part 12 as best viewed in FIGS. 4 through 7.  Two circumferentially spaced detents extend
radially inwardly from retaining ring 25 within central opening 30.  Each detent is angularly aligned with one of the beam members 26, 27 (see FIG. 2) and forms a radially tapering ramp surface 32 on a side of each detent 31 facing away from opening 15
and a radially transverse abutment surface 33 on a side thereof facing opening 15.  Detents 31 extend radially inwardly within central opening 30 such as to have a diametrical spacing therebetween which is greater than the diameter of bore segment 18 and
slightly less than the diameter of bore segment 22 which, as viewed in FIG. 3, is designated D. Beam members 26 and 27 extend an axial length designated L between retaining ring 25 and mounting bosses 28 and 29, respectively.  As will be described in
detail hereinbelow, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, dimensions D and L are generally equal.  To achieve this result, mounting bosses 28 and 29 are axially positioned intermediate opening 15 and adapter 16, preferably axially coextensive
with radial step 21 of body portion 13.  Such positioning provides a substantially rigid base for mounting beam members 26 and 27 which is well spaced axially leftwardly from opening 15 to permit distention of retaining ring 25, as will be described in
detail hereinbelow without distortion of the open end of body portion 13.  Furthermore, beam members are spaced radially outwardly of and generally parallel to (in the relaxed condition) body portion 13, and transition into bosses 28, 29 and retaining
ring 25 through contoured tapers to avoid abrupt transitions which can create stress raisers.
formed from upper and lower crescent portions 34 and 35 joined at the ends thereof through web members 37 and 38.  The thickest section of crescent portions 34 and 35 is formed in the circumferential center thereof to positionally coincide or angularly
The entire female connector part 11 is preferably injection molded as a single homogeneous piece from suitable material such as Nylon 66 unfilled.  Although many materials would be suitable for practicing the present invention, Nylon 66 has been
found to be particularly advantageous in certain automotive applications.  When the retaining ring 25 is configured as described hereinabove, the portions thereof adjacent beam members 26 and 27 are relatively stiff while web members 36 and 37 are
relatively compliant.  Thus, connector assembly 10 can be released to enable uniaxial separation of female connector part 11 and male connector part 12 simply by grasping and squeezing together of grip surfaces 38 and 39.  The crescent-shape
configuration furthermore provides for greater travel of web members 36 and 37 from their illustrated relaxed position in which detents 31 engage the male connector part 12 to a release condition in which detents 31 are momentarily radially displaced
outwardly to effect release of the male connector part 12.  This configuration has been found to provide substantially easier release of the connector assembly 10 as compared to prior art approaches involving release rings with uniform diameter and/or
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, female and male connector parts 11 and 12 are illustrated in the engaged position.  In the preferred embodiment of the invention, male connector part 11 is a standard tube end with an upset or radially outwardly
28, 29.  This permits distention of retaining ring 25 from the configuration shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 to the configuration shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 with the application of relatively little effort by the user while, simultaneously, maintaining structural
rigidity both at the opening 15 as well as the circumferential positioning of detents 31.  This represents a substantial improvement over known prior art designs which either are so rigid as to make release extremely difficult and require the exercise of
large effort or, so flimsy that the detents tend to self-rotate in distortion and not release the male part.  Such self-rotation can be envision by a slight rotation of each detent 31, causing a corner of each abutment surface 33 to remain engaged with
abutment surface 42 of male part 12.  The propensity of such circumferential distortion is substantially reduced with the present design.  Furthermore, many prior art designs tend to have large inherent stress risers, resulting in premature fracture
failures.  The provision of relatively long beam members 26 and 28 in the present invention, distributes the forces of distention along the beam and significantly reduces the likelihood of failure while permitting great design flexibility in material
selection for specific applications.
Squeeze-to-release quick connector, Szabo, George Szabo, Application number 07 753-758, Pipe Joints Or Couplings, connector assembly, female connector, ITT Corporation, body portion, Publication date, preferred embodiment, said body, The quick, Patent Office, Document Number
INTRODUCTIONThe present invention relates to snap-fit connectors, and more particularly to such connectors which are employed in fluid conduit systems to facilitate assembly and disassembly.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSnap-fit or quick connectors have been found to be useful in a wide range of applications. In particular, they are frequently employed for joining fluid carrying conduit in automotive and industrial applications. Such connectors have foundgeneral acceptance in as they are typically capable of being closed in a single uniaxial movement which facilitates automated assembly, and entail simple designs which are relatively inexpensive to produce.A further advantage of quick connect fittings is that they provide an effective seal for handling volatile or hazardous fluids such as gasoline while permitting ease of disassembly and reassembly during repair of a host system. Although toolsare often required to effect release of quick connect fittings, designs such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,990,727 and 4,844,512 provide for manual release of the fitting without the necessity of separate tools. Although representing anadvancement in the art, such "squeeze-to-release" designs often have certain shortcomings.In applications where hazardous material is to flow through a fitting, prevention of inadvertent release is of primary concern. Accordingly, relatively high axial pull-apart strength specifications are mandated. In order comply with suchspecifications, manufactures of prior art designs typically employed material with a relatively high characteristic flex modulus (such as glass filled Nylon 12) to prevent warping or deformation of abutting locking surfaces within the connector underaxial loading conditions. Unfortunately, materials with increased flex modulus are inherently stiffer and can require substantially higher release forces. A related problem is found in that the stiffer material tolerates only relatively short radialdisplacement o
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