Patent ID: 7390029

Claim:
A quick connector having a housing in which an end part of a tube provided with an annular ridge is insertable, and a U-shaped retainer capable of being pressed into the housing in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the housing through an opening formed in the housing and of engaging with the annular ridge to connect the tube to the housing, said retainer comprising legs, said quick connector comprising a restraining ring having an inside diameter not greater than the outside diameter of the annular ridge and greater than the outside diameter of the tube, capable of axially moving in the housing between a restraining position for restraining the retainer from movement and a releasing position for releasing the retainer, said retaining ring being provided with locking parts, capable of engaging with the legs of the retainer extending along the opposite sides of the retainer, to restrain the retainer from movement; wherein the restraining ring is movable to the releasing position to release the retainer so that the retainer can be moved when the end part of the tube is inserted in the housing and is placed correctly at a predetermined connecting position, wherein holding grooves are formed in the inner surfaces of end parts of the legs, respectively, and axial relief grooves are formed in the inner circumference of the housing respectively in alignment with the holding grooves when the retainer is temporarily combined with the housing, wherein the locking parts are disengaged from the holding grooves and are engaged in the relief grooves, respectively, when the restraining ring is moved from the restraining position to the releasing position, wherein the restraining ring is formed integrally with the retainer with shear parts connecting the restraining ring and the retainer so as to permit the shear parts to shear off when the restraining ring is pressed deep into the housing by the annular ridge of the tube, wherein the shear parts extend between the locking parts and the holding grooves.