Patent ID: 7533908

Claim:
A coupling assembly comprising: a first member extending from a leading end to a trailing end and having an outer surface; a first resiliently expandable locking element disposed about the outer surface of the first member and defining a first locking surface; a second member extending from a receiving end to a remote end, the second member having an inner surface sized to receive at least a portion of the first member and an inwardly facing groove extending outwardly from the inner surface, the groove being at least partially defined by a second locking surface that extends outwardly from the inner surface towards the remote end of the second member; a locking sleeve disposed about and axially movable with respect to the outer surface of the first member between unlocked and locked positions; and a second resiliently expandable locking element disposed about the outer surface of the first member between the locking sleeve and the first resiliently expandable locking element, wherein, after insertion of the first member into the second member and upon movement of the locking sleeve from its unlocked position to its locked position, the locking sleeve forces the second resiliently expandable locking element to expand radially outward, such that it becomes trapped between the first locking surface of the first resiliently expandable locking element and the second locking surface of the second member, thereby locking the first and second members together.