Patent ID: 6899132

Claim:
A fluid coupler comprising: a female coupler; and, a male coupler adapted to be inserted into and connected to said female coupler; said female coupler comprising: a cylindrical coupler body having a first axial end and a second axial end, said cylindrical coupler body further having a first through hole extending from said first axial end to said second axial end, said first axial end being adapted for connection with a conduit; a ball valve including a second through hole having a first axial opening end and a second axial opening end, said ball valve being positioned at said second axial end of said cylindrical coupler body such that said ball valve is rotatable around a rotational axis extending through a center of said ball valve between a first rotational position wherein said first axial opening end of said second through hole is in alignment with and fluidly connected with said first through hole and a second rotational position wherein said first axial opening end is out of alignment with and fluidly disconnected from said first through hole; and, a valve holding casing connected to said cylindrical coupler body and disposed around said ball valve to rotatably hold it, said valve holding casing having an elongated through hole provided along a path along which said second axial opening end of said second through hole moves when said ball valve is moved between said first and second rotational positions, said elongated through hole allowing said male coupler to be inserted into said second through hole from the outside of said valve holding casing through said second axial opening end of said second through hole when said ball valve is in said second rotational position and allowing said male coupler which has been inserted into said second through hole between said first and second rotational positions; said ball valve having a first flat sliding surface formed on a spherical outer surface of said ball valve which extends in a direction normal to said rotational axis, and a flat stop surface raised from said first flat sliding surface and reaching said spherical outer surface of said ball valve, the first flat sliding surface and the flat stop surface together defining a recess; said valve holding casing having an interior surface and an alignment portion formed on said interior surface and extending into said recess, said alignment portion having a second flat sliding surface extending in parallel and slidably engaged with said first flat sliding surface; said flat stop surface being adapted to engage with said alignment portion when said ball valve has been moved to a first one of said first and second rotational positions from a second one said first and second rotational positions to stop the rotational movement of said ball valve.