Patent ID: 8056581

Claim:
A connector for providing a connection to a gas source, the connector comprising: a female connector portion connectable to the gas source, wherein the female connector portion includes: an exterior sleeve, a mounting member that includes a ball latching mechanism and an interior surface with a sealing surface, a shroud that includes an interior surface with a sealing surface, a poppet valve slideably disposed within an interior of the mounting member and within an interior of the shroud, the poppet valve including an o-ring retained between a first lip and a second lip to provide a seal between an outer surface of the poppet valve and the sealing surface of the mounting member and between the outer surface of the poppet valve and the sealing surface of the shroud, the first and second lips projecting from the outer surface of the poppet valve so as to capture the o-ring and to protect the o-ring from contact with gas from the gas source, and the sealing surface of the mounting member being parallel to the sealing surface of the shroud, a connector housing; wherein the exterior sleeve is slideably mounted on an exterior surface of both the mounting member and the connector housing, the mounting member is separate from and mounted to the connector housing and extends from an end thereof, the shroud surrounds at least a portion of the poppet valve and includes an outermost proximal end adjacent the mounting member, the outermost proximal end having vent openings that provide gas flow between an interior of the shroud and an exterior of the shroud, and the shroud further includes a distal end spaced from the outermost proximal end with a gas flow opening formed in the distal end that provides gas flow between the interior of the shroud and the exterior of the shroud, the poppet valve includes a flow restriction element at an end thereof, and the flow restriction element is disposable within the gas flow opening at the distal end of the shroud, and the outermost proximal end of the shroud abuts an end of the mounting member and a shoulder of the connector housing so that the shroud is fixed to the mounting member and the connector housing; a first spring is engaged with the exterior sleeve to bias the exterior sleeve towards the end of the mounting member, and a second spring is engaged with the poppet valve to bias the poppet valve to a closed position to seal with the interior surface of the mounting member.