Patent ID: 8028392

Claim:
A method of joining and disjoining fluid passages comprising the steps of: providing a female portion having a first interior surface defining a first fluid passage having an outlet opening, and a sealing bore, and defining a stabilizing bore, and an annular stop wall axially in between said sealing bore and said stabilizing bore, and an inlet opening proximate said stabilizing bore; providing a clip; providing a sealing element; providing a male portion having a second interior surface defining a second fluid passage having an outlet opening, and having an exterior surface defining an annular seal groove and an annular clip groove; placing said seal element in said seal groove; placing said clip in said clip groove; providing a capture sleeve; slideably mounting said capture sleeve upon said exterior surface of said male portion axially spaced from said clip groove; forming a dual function frustoconical ramp into said first interior surface of said female portion; inserting said outlet opening of said male portion through said inlet opening of said female portion; compressing said sealing element between said dual function frustoconical ramp and said seal groove; compressing said clip between said dual function frustoconical ramp and said clip groove; and continuing said insertion until said clip axially passes said stop wall and said first fluid passage is in fluid communication with said second fluid passage; axially positioning said capture sleeve such that said clip groove and said clip are surrounded by said capture sleeve; and retracting said male portion from said female portion.