Patent ID: 7425022

Claim:
A tube coupling comprising a coupling body having an open ended throughway to receive a tube, an annular shoulder in the throughway facing the open end of the throughway, an ‘O’ ring seal for sealing with a tube located against the annular shoulder in the throughway, a collet located in the open end of the throughway for locking a tube in the throughway, the collet having an annular member projecting out of the open end of the throughway and resilient arms extending from the annular member into the throughway, the throughway having a cam surface adjacent said open end which is tapered towards the open end of the throughway with which the ends of the arms are engageable to force the arms inwardly with movement of the collet outwardly of the throughway into gripping engagement with a tube extending through the collet into the throughway, and a ring disposed in the throughway between the collet and ‘O’ ring seal, one side of the ring adjacent the collet having a ramp around its inner periphery to engage the ends of the collet arms when the collet is depressed into the throughway to release the arms from the tube and thereby allow release of a tube from the coupling body and the other side of the ring having a ramp around its inner periphery to engage and push radially outward against the O ring seal to hold the seal in alignment in the throughway when the collet is depressed into the throughway.