Patent ID: 7201403

Claim:
A quick connector for joining a pipe and a hose, comprising: a tubular connector housing provided with a connecting portion to be connected with a hose on one axial end thereof and a pair of engagement slits in diametrically opposed relation on an opposite axial end thereof, a wire retainer of horseshoe shape or generally horseshoe shape having a pair of engagement arms, and mounted to the connector housing on the opposite axial end thereof in such a manner that a pair of the engagement arms seat in the engagement slits so as to clip to the connector housing, the engagement arms being configured to project through the engagement slits into the connector housing and to snap-engage with an annular engagement projection formed on an inserting end portion of the pipe when the inserting end portion is inserted into the connector housing, wherein: each of the engagement slits has a width generally equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the engagement arm of the wire retainer, and has a first slit part on one circumferential end and a second slit part on the other circumferential end, the first slit part and the second slit part are discontinued with a divider portion of a narrow circumferential length interposed therebetween, the pair of the engagement arms of the wire retainer pass inside the divider portions and through the engagement slits, the wire retainer is mounted to the connector housing movably between a mounted position and a retracted position, the pair of the engagement arms engage with the annular engagement projection of the pipe when the wire retainer is in the mounted position, and the engagement arms allow the annular engagement projection to pass through when the wire retainer is in the retracted position, the wire retainer is also moved from the mounted position to the retracted position by pulling the wire retainer in a pull out direction, leading ends of the engagement arms of the wire retainer are bent inwardly to contact an outer surface of the connector housing so as to follow the outer surface thereof, the engagement arms gradually spread apart with leading ends thereof sliding over the outer surface of the connector housing, respectively, by pulling the wire retainer in the pull out direction, and the engagement arms spread apart until the engagement arms abut against the divider portions and engage with the divider portions, and thereby movement of the wire retainer in the pull out direction is blocked when the wire retainer is pulled out to the retracted position.