Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a divisional application of U.S. Pat. Application Serial No. 11/580,406, Filed Oct. 15, 2006, entitled QUICK CONNECT COUPLING STABILIZATION APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/217,751 filed Sep. 1, 2005, entitled QUICK CONNECT COUPLING, which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to flexible hose couplings. More particularly, it relates to quick connect hose couplings, and specifically to push-to-connect and quick to disconnect flexible hose couplings. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Quick connect couplings are known. In such couplings a port adapter may include the female portion or port and be pre-assembled on an associated fixture, machine or equipment or the female portion or port may be machined as part of associated fixtures, machinery or equipment. The hose connection or male portion or hose stem, including a hose insert portion and a ferrule, is typically attached to an open end of the hose to be connected to the fixture, machinery or equipment. The hose stem portion has a hose insert portion, which is inserted into the open end of the hose. A ferrule, or the like, is then typically compressed about the hose end containing the insert causing all portions to be permanently affixed. Merely pressing the hose connection portion into the female portion or port subsequently completes the hose connection. Such quick connect couplings are particularly desirable when the hose must be connected in a location which is not readily accessible since it eliminates the need for starting threads and the danger of cross threading and eliminates the need to use a related tool which might not fit in the available space. Since the port adapter may be threaded into place as a pre-assembly operation, or the port preexists in the associated fixture, machine or equipment, it is easy to insure that the port is proper and ready. Further, the time of assembly and, in turn, the assembly costs are reduced. 
     Historically, the considerations that have driven the design of such couplings have included complexity of port design, effecting machineability, complexity of stem design, complexity and location of sealing elements such as o-rings or other shape of seals, complexity and location of locking components such as clips of various shapes, total number of components needed to complete the coupling, and interplay of the geometry of the port and the stem. All of these have greatly affected the cost of producing such couplings which impacts greatly upon their economic viability. 
     It has also been important to ensure that such couplings can be used safely and reliably. Obviously, one of the primary purposes of such couplings is to provide a long lasting leak-free connection. However, over time, increasing emphasis has been placed upon safety. Typical quick disconnect characteristic of such couplings give rise to a greater opportunity for inadvertent and sudden disconnects, with grave results. This is particularly true in the environments where use of such couplings is especially appealing. These include industrial or heavy machinery locations where installations of fluid connections are numerous, dense, and almost inaccessible, having movement of many hard and heavy objects nearby, including the fixtures upon which the couplings are often attached. Unexpected impacts upon quick to disconnect couplings or maintenance in such difficult quarters can increase the likelihood of inadvertent disconnects. Inadvertent disconnects on pressurized systems can lead to damaged or broken machines, destroyed premises, severe injuries to maintenance or other workers, or even death, such as through unexpected machinery movement or spray of very hot fluids at high pressure. 
     One example of a push to connect and quick to disconnect coupling can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,360 to Timbers, which is incorporated herein by this reference. Timbers appears to be an attempt to provide both straight-forward push to connect and quick to disconnect processes while simplifying port and stem design to contain cost. Timbers discloses the advantage of a simple port design where no sealing or locking components or clips are integral. However, the disclosed stem is more complex including all sealing and locking components. Further, the locking component is intricate and relatively complex. Significantly, the disclosed coupling requires an additional component, or stop member, to make the coupling resistant to inadvertent disconnection. The complexity and additional components increases the cost of the coupling. The coupling of Timbers completes its fluid connection by simply pressing the male portion into the female portion. With the stop member removed, the coupling is disconnected by additional insertion of the male portion into the female portion into closer engagement. This causes the port to compress the locking component. The intricate shape of the locking component then allows it to grab onto the stem and stay compressed such that its locking function is deactivated. The two portions are then separated. 
     It was apparently contemplated that the coupling of Timbers would be inadvertently disconnected too easily to be safe in many environments. Accordingly, the stop member was included on the disclosed fitting. The stop member interferes with the male and female portions being pressed into closer engagement by filling space between the female and male portions. It would appear that the coupling with the stop member in place is resistant to inadvertent disconnection. 
     However, both the use and shape of the stop member leaves substantial opportunity for the coupling to experience disastrous inadvertent disconnection. First, there is no way to ensure that the stop member will be properly installed on the coupling during the entire time of its deployment. The stop member could be absent from the beginning or removed at any time during the life of the coupling leaving no tell-tale sign that anything is amiss. In such a condition the coupling would no longer be resistant to inadvertent disconnection. Second, the disclosed shape of the stop member includes a loop that extends radially away from the coupling. In the environments described above as those where the use of a quick to connect and quick to disconnect coupling is especially appealing, the loop would be subject to gathering debris or being hooked by moving objects. This gives rise to substantial opportunity for the stop member to be stripped from the coupling. Once again, the coupling would no longer be resistant to inadvertent disconnection. 
     Safety is also compromised by the existence of such a rigid loop in many industrial or heavy machinery environments. It can be a direct source of damage or injury through the entanglement of debris, tools, clothing, hair or fingers. Further, it is not inconsequential that every time the coupling is to be disconnected, the metal loop, comprising the stop member, is removed to become lost as hazardous debris. 
     Additional problems arise in solutions, such as Timbers and other prior art quick to connect and disconnect couplings employing a clip. There is the potential for the clip to reciprocate in its annular groove or the like. This reciprocation may occur along the centerline axis of the coupling or stem during operation in which impulsing pressure and/or lateral loading is present. This reciprocating motion or “shuttling” effect is not desirable as it may accelerate wear on the retention elements of the male and female fitting portions. This may consequently have an adverse effect on the potential life of the connection. This shuttling effect may become more apparent and significant on larger bore couplings in which the clip cross-sectional thickness and consequently its annular groove width is greater, allowing more room for the shuttling to occur. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed to systems and methods which stabilize a quick to connect and quick to disconnect coupling, minimizing axial shuttling of the stem within the port under pressure variation and impulse while having greatly enhanced safety by being highly resistant to inadvertent disconnection. The resistance to inadvertent disconnection preferably does not rely on human intervention to ensure all safety components are present upon the coupling. 
     An example of a coupling that exhibits greatly enhanced safety by being highly resistant to inadvertent disconnection can be seen in the Gates QuickLoc™ Direct couplings. Such coupling embodiments provide a quick connect and quick to disconnect hose coupling with an improvement in safety while retaining economical production and the benefits of such quick connect/disconnect couplings. Such couplings may employ a clip, a male portion having an annular groove adapted to receive the clip, a female portion, and a sealing element. Ports of such couplings may also have a dual function frustoconical portion, or the like, adapted to compress the sealing element during joinder of the male portion with the female portion as well as to compress the clip into the annular groove in preparation of separating the male portion from the female portion. Embodiments of these couplings may employ a sleeve slideably placed about the male portion and adapted to capture the clip compressed within the annular groove. However, such designs employing a clip and an annular groove or the like, might have a potential for shuttling, as discussed above. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide quick connect and quick to disconnect hose couplings with an improvement in coupling stability while retaining economical production and the benefits of such couplings. 
     The present invention is a quick to connect and quick to disconnect fluid coupling of the type having a clip, a male portion having an annular groove adapted to receive the clip, a female portion, and a sealing element. The male portion has a conical groove where the dust seal resides. The groove is located on the male portion such that the dust seal seals an exterior end of the slideable sleeve. The groove and dust seal react in a manner such that when installed the sleeve is pushed axially forward towards the clip and step groove. The forward loading of the sleeve in turn takes up clearance in the retaining groove, or step, portion of the stem, this in turn limits and dampens the free motion of the stem relative to the port once the coupling is connected. Furthermore, this forward preloading of the stem, clip and sleeve within the port aligns the male and female potions of the coupling and provides resistance to radial movement of the stem relative to the port when a side load is introduced to the coupling. 
     Embodiments of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention are adapted to be deployed in conjunction with a quick to connect and quick to disconnect fluid coupling. A quick to connect and quick to disconnect fluid coupling system employing the present apparatus may include a clip, a male stem having an annular clip groove adapted to receive the clip and a female port having a step groove adapted to receive the clip upon insertion of the stem into the port. When the coupling is joined, various apparatus embodiments preferably abut the clip disposed about the stem and in the groove defined by the port portion of the coupling, thereby retaining the clip against a wall of the groove defined by the port. Preferably the apparatus abutting the clip prevents shuttling of the stem within the port. Particularly, the apparatus abutting the clip may minimize shuttling of the stem within the port under pressure variations, impulsing and physical manipulation of the stem (such as may occur due to hose movement). The apparatus may be biased toward the clip, axially retaining the stem relative to the groove defined by the port. 
     The apparatus may take the form of a sleeve slideably disposed about the stem portion of the coupling. Additionally, the apparatus might employ a dust seal groove defined in the stem, spaced apart from clip and a dust seal disposed in the seal groove. The dust seal may abut a shoulder of the sleeve that is distal from a lead-in end of the sleeve that abuts the clip. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the sleeve abutting the dust seal biases the sleeve toward the clip, thereby biasing the abutting of the sleeve against the clip. 
     To facilitate joinder of the coupling, the apparatus or sleeve may also be adapted to radially retain or capture the clip, compressed in an annular groove of the stem, for insertion of the stem into the port. Additionally or alternatively, the apparatus or sleeve may be adapted to abut the clip, prior to insertion of the stem into the port, to stabilize the clip and axially align the clip with the stem for insertion of the stem into the port. This axial alignment of the clip with the stem may seat the clip on a retaining step defined by the stem. During insertion of the stem into the port a clip axially aligned by the apparatus may abut a port lead-in angle and the port lead-in angle may compress the clip axially into an annular stem retaining groove, enabling the stem to be installed in the port without the clip being fully retained under an apparatus sleeve. 
     To facilitate disconnection of the coupling the apparatus may be adapted to radially retain the clip compressed in an annular groove of the stem. For example, the apparatus may be adapted to radially retain the clip compressed in the annular groove when the stem is further inserted into the port in preparation of separating the stem from the port. More particularly, the port may further comprise a frustoconical ramp adapted to compress the clip into an annular clip groove of the stem when the stem is further inserted into the port in preparation of separating the stem from the port and a sleeve comprising the apparatus may be adapted to radially retain the clip compressed in the annular groove for removal of the stem from the port. 
     Thus, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention a method for preventing shuttling of a stem within the port of a joined coupling may comprise the steps of slideably disposing a sleeve about a stem portion of a coupling, abutting a clip disposed about the stem with a lead-in end of the sleeve, and retaining the clip against a wall of a groove defined by a port portion of the coupling to prevent shuttling of the stem within the port under pressure variations, impulsing, physical manipulation of the stem, and the like. Additionally, this method might employ a dust seal groove defined in the stem, spaced apart from clip, a dust seal disposed in the dust seal groove, and a shoulder of the sleeve, distal from the lead-in end, abutted against the dust seal, thereby biasing the sleeve toward the clip and biasing the abutting of the sleeve against the clip. 
     In accordance with embodiments of such methods, the sleeve thus slideably disposed about a stem portion of a coupling may be used to radially retain a clip disposed about the stem portion, with the clip compressed into an annular groove of the stem portion, to facilitate inserting the stem portion into a port portion of the coupling. During such insertion a lead-in end of the sleeve may abut against a frustoconical ramp defined by the port portion, thereby arresting movement of the sleeve into the port and radially releasing the clip. Subsequently, the lead-in end of the sleeve may abut against the clip, as discussed above, to retain the clip against a wall of a groove defined by a port portion of the coupling to prevent shuttling of the stem within the port. 
     Method embodiments also may alternatively facilitate installation of the stem in the port, without capturing the clip, by abutting a lead-in end of said sleeve against the clip disposed about the stem and disposed in an annular groove of the stem, stabilizing the clip and axially aligning the clip with the stem for inserting the stem into the port. Axially aligning the clip with the stem might seat the clip on a stem retaining step and when inserting the stem in the port further the clip may be abutted with a port lead-in angle. The port lead-in angle compresses the clip axially into the stem&#39;s annular retaining groove, in accordance with such embodiments, enabling the stem to be installed in the port without the clip being fully retained under the sleeve. 
     In accordance with method embodiments the clip may be radially retained with the sleeve to compress the clip in an annular groove of the stem for removing the stem from the port. To this end a frustoconical ramp such as discussed above may be defined by the port such that further inserting the stem into the port compresses the clip into an annular clip groove defined by the stem, such that the clip may be radially retained using the sleeve to compress the clip into the annular groove for removing the stem from the port. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of the specification in which like numerals designate like parts, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a partially fragmented, generally one quarter cut-away, view of a decoupled (or disconnected) quick connect coupling employing an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially fragmented, generally one quarter cut-away, view of a quick connect coupling employing an embodiment of the present invention, shown during coupling operation (insertion); 
         FIG. 3  is a partially fragmented, generally one quarter cut-away, view of a coupled quick connect coupling employing an embodiment of the present invention for stabilization; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded detail, from the circled portion of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a partially fragmented, generally one quarter cut-away, view of a quick connect coupling employing an embodiment of the present invention showing further insertion of the fitting preparatory to decoupling or disconnection; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded detail, from the circled portion of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a locking element in the form of a snap-ring; 
         FIG. 8  is an elevation of a disconnect tool; and, 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of the disconnect tool of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , embodiment  100  of the present invention is shown deployed in conjunction with, or as a part of, quick connect coupling  101 . Coupling  101  includes female portion or port  110  and hose stem, or male portion,  112 . Sleeve  102  is mounted upon and in slideable relation to stem  112 . Sleeve  102  has capture cylinder  104  and shoulder  106 . When coupling  101  is coupled, sleeve capture cylinder  104  preferably secures stem  112  from shuttling in port  110 , as described in greater detail below. Additionally, sleeve  102  is preferably used to connect and disconnect coupling  101 , as also discussed in greater detail below. 
     The example female portion or port  110  is illustrated as part of an adapter  114 , as one contemplated embodiment and for convenience of illustration. Alternately, and possibly preferably, port  110  may be machined into the body of a fixture, machine or equipment (not depicted). For those instances where port  110  is formed into an adapter  114 , as illustrated, adapter  114  provides the base for port  110 . For those instances where port  110  is formed into a fixture, machine or equipment, these provide the base. Port  110  has an interior surface  120  defining an inlet opening  122 , an outlet opening  124 , a fluid passage  126 , a first frustoconical ramp  128 , a first cylinder  130 , annular wall  132 , second frustoconical ramp  136 , and optionally second cylinder  134 . In the illustrated example, first frustoconical ramp  128  is a dual function ramp serving functions in both the connection and disconnection operations, to be described later. Second frustoconical ramp  136  is a lead-in ramp providing a port lead-in angle, which may be significant to connection operation in the example fitting, as also described later. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , exemplar hose stem  112  includes shaft  138  with a bore  140  having a stem inlet opening  142  and a stem outlet opening  144 . The shaft has an exterior surface  146  defining a first annular seal groove  148 , an annular clip groove  150 , an annular retaining step groove  152 , a second annular seal groove (dust seal groove  154 ), flange or debris barrier  156 , hose stop  158 , hose insert  160 , and annular sleeve retaining groove  186 . 
     Hose insert  160  may be placed in an opened end of a hose (not depicted) that would carry a subject fluid. Insertion would normally progress until the end of the hose met the hose stop  158 . The hose would be affixed in common manner with a clamp or ferrule (not depicted). 
     First annular seal groove  148  carries first seal  162  and seal backing or anti-extrusion ring  164 . First seal  162  may be a sealing element in the form of an o-ring or the like. Anti-extrusion ring  164  preferably serves to increase the pressure at which the coupling can operate without fluid leaking past first seal  162 . Other available seal designs are also contemplated and compatible with the present invention, as are other coupling configurations. 
     Clip  166  is a locking element that may take the form of a snap-ring, trapezoid, or the like, which may have a gap, such as gap  168 , depicted in  FIG. 7 . Other clip shapes, such as with a square as opposed to a round cross section, are also contemplated. Clip  166  is sized small enough that gap  168  must be enlarged to allow clip  166  to be large enough to pass over external stem surface  146 . However, clip  166  is also preferably sized such that gap  168  can be reduced to allow clip  166  to be reduced in diameter sufficiently to pass through first cylinder  130  of port  110 . Preferably clip  166  is thick enough that it fills a substantial portion of the void created by first ramp  128  and optionally by second cylinder  134  of port  110 . When so sized, clip  166  additionally acts as a wear buffer prolonging the life of coupling  101  by minimizing the wearing of port  110 , particularly when deployed in conjunction with the present invention, as discussed more fully below. Gap  168  is preferably large enough to allow adequate reduction of clip  166  within clip groove  150 . Clip  166  can be initially carried loosely in clip groove  150  of stem  112  when stem  112  is not coupled with port  110 . 
     Second annular seal groove, dust seal groove  154 , of stem  112  preferably carries a second seal, such as dust seal  170 . Sleeve  102  is mounted upon exterior surface  146  of stem  112  in slideable relation to stem  112 . As mentioned above, sleeve  102  has capture cylinder  104  and shoulder  106 . When sleeve  102  is moved against dust seal  170 , such as by sleeve shoulder  106  abutting dust seal  170 , sleeve  102  is held partially over clip groove  150  with clip  166  butted against lead-in end  178  of sleeve  102  (see  FIG. 2 ) held firmly ready for initial preparation for installation. Dust seal groove  154  may incorporate a ramped surface providing geometry allowing movement of dust seal  170  by sleeve  102 . Such a ramped surface utilizes inherent resilient tension provided by the dust seal o-ring to resist excessive motion of sleeve  102 . Alternatively, when sleeve  102  is moved forward, toward stem outlet  144 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 , clip  166  is captured by sleeve cylinder  104  within clip groove  150 . Preferably, an uncoupled stem&#39;s clip is retained in this manner during shipment and prior to insertion into a port. 
     Dust seal  170  both seals the interface between exterior surface  146  and sleeve  102  against movement of contaminants, and provides friction to dampen movement of sleeve  102 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , third seal  180  may be placed about capture cylinder  104  to span the gap between shoulder  106  and port  110  when coupling when coupling  101  is connected. Third seal  180  seals the interface of capture cylinder  104  and second ramp  136  against contaminants and/or the like. 
     Capture cylinder  104  may include one or more press spots  188  which are the result of a crimping or pressing operation, and function as restraining detents. It is also contemplated that these restraining detents could be formed by machining or molding similar shapes into capture cylinder  104 . Press spots  188  are diminutive to allow sleeve  102  to be slid into place upon exterior surface  146 . Once so placed, the interaction of retaining groove  186  and press spot  188  restricts sleeve  102  from being removed from exterior surface  146 . 
     Connection of coupling  101  is effected by inserting stem  112  into port  110 , as depicted in a beginning phase, with regard to the relationship of stem  112  to port  110 , in FIG.  2 . In accordance with embodiments of the present invention clip  166  is captured by sleeve  102  in preparation for insertion of stem  112  in port  110 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 . Insertion of stem  112  may continue, through the position depicted in  FIG. 2  (with or without sleeve  102  extending over clip  166 ), to the position depicted in  FIG. 3 , and detailed in  FIG. 4 . During insertion, first seal  162  is preferably guided by second ramp  136  into alignment with first cylinder  130 . First seal  162  is then compressed by first ramp  128  so that first seal  162  can move into a satisfactory sealing position between stem  112  and fluid passage  126 . Because of this sealing relationship, fluid passage  126  can also be referred to as a sealing bore. Sleeve  102  is also preferably guided by second ramp  136  into alignment with first cylinder  130 . As insertion progresses, sleeve lead-in  178  abuts first ramp  128 . After abutment of sleeve lead-in  178  and first ramp  128 , insertion of shaft  138  of stem  112  continues even though insertion of sleeve  102  is preferably halted by this abutment. This results in sleeve  102  moving toward dust seal  170 , sleeve  102  releasing clip  66 , and sleeve shoulder  106  preferably pressing dust seal  170  up annular dust seal groove  154 . At this point, clip  166  is preferably captured by passage  126 . Stem  112  then retracts, or is retracted, to the point depicted in  FIG. 3 , where clip  166  expands into the void left by first ramp  128  and second cylinder  134 . Stem  112  and port  110  are now in axial locking relationship. If a force is applied to stem  112  to expel or pull it from port  110 , such as under the influences of fluid pressure or pulling upon stem  112  (“non-allowed separation”), clip  166  will be pressed into step groove  152  by wall  132 . Clip  166  will then be jammed between step groove  152  and wall  132 . Retraction of stem  112  from port  110  will not be allowed. 
     It is contemplated that insertion could be accomplished from a beginning point with sleeve  102  abutting dust seal  170 , and sleeve lead-in  178  in turn abutting clip  166  ( FIG. 2 ). In this configuration clip  166  is not captured by sleeve  102  prior to connection. In this instance, insertion forces would include not only the force necessary to compress first seal  162  by second ramp  136 , and by first ramp  128  in sequence, but the additional force necessary to compress clip  166  by second ramp  136 . The force required to compress clip  166  by second ramp  136  might be substantial, particularly in contrast, to utilizing the above-described configuration (initially illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) where clip  166  is captured by sleeve  102 . Still, in accordance with the present invention, the position of dust seal  170 , abutted against the sleeve shoulder  106  of sleeve  102  biases the sleeve into contact with clip  166  and thereby facilitates connection. When deployed as shown in  FIG. 2  sleeve lead-in  178  abuts clip  166 , holding clip  166  in a more stable, axially aligned, position prior to insertion. When insertion begins using this configuration clip  166  is forced down second ramp  136  and at the same time sleeve  102  is forced back against dust seal  170 , which in turn compresses dust seal  170  and forces dust seal  170  up annular dust seal groove  154 , biasing sleeve  102  toward clip  166 . This interaction between dust seal  170 , dust seal groove  154 , sleeve  102  and clip  166  ensures that alignment of clip  166  is maintained during the insertion and compression phase until the clip reaches first cylinder  130  and before locking into wall  132 . 
     Repeated attempts for non-allowed separation of coupling  101  while in the axial locking relationship, would typically wear upon wall  132 , and clip groove  150 . However, the sizing of clip  166  described earlier and the presence of step groove  152  assist to prevent wear, but dust seal  170  pushing against shoulder  106  of sleeve  102  causing sleeve lead-in  178  to abut against clip  166 , preloading the coupling ( FIG. 3 ) greatly reduces such wear. Selecting a clip sized large enough to fit snugly in the void left by first ramp  128  and second cylinder  134 , causes the clip to provide the additional function of a protective insert. A smaller sized clip would work against wall  132  under the influences of non-allowed separation, wearing the material from which port  110  is formed, which is commonly softer than the material from which a clip is formed. The addition of step groove  152  causes wear to occur in an orderly manner that gives indication of such wear. For example stem  112  seating in a less inserted manner in port  110 , causes leakage through first conical ramp  128  when in axial locking relationship, without a connection failure of coupling  101 . Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention abutment of sleeve lead-in  178  against clip  166 , as shown in  FIG. 3  and detailed in  FIG. 4 , inhibits axial movement of stem  112  within port  110  about the clip groove  150  and thereby prevents shuttling of stem  112  within port  110  under an alternating load when stem  112  and port  110  are connected. Inhibiting this shuttling movement further reduces the potential for wear on step groove  152 . Furthermore, capture cylinder  104  of sleeve  102  at least partially fills the space between external surface  146  and first cylinder  130 , further stabilizing stem  112  against lateral movement in relation to port  110 . Accordingly, first cylinder  130  becomes a stabilizing bore in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     Preferably, disconnection of coupling  100  is effected by first increasing the insertion of stem  112  into port  110  as depicted by the arrow in  FIG. 5 .  FIGS. 5 and 6  depict an intermediate position. In this first disconnection step, first ramp  128  displaces clip  166  from step groove  152  toward clip groove  150  and then compresses clip  166  into clip groove  150 . During this first step of disconnection first ramp  128  can be regarded as a disconnection ramp. Insertion continues until sleeve lead-in  178  abuts first ramp  128 , and clip  166  is compressed to a size that fits within passage  126 . Sleeve  102  is then axially moved to the position depicted in  FIG. 1 , in relation to stem  112 , to capture clip  166 . This may be affected, not by moving sleeve  102  in the direction of the arrow, but rather by holding it steady while shaft  138  is retracted opposite of the direction indicted by the arrow in  FIG. 6 . In practice, this may be accomplished by applying a wedging action between shoulder  106  and flange  156 . A tool (not shown), such as a blade screwdriver, can provide the wedging action by inserting the screwdriver&#39;s blade between shoulder  106  and flange  156  and twisting. Special purpose tool  800  depicted in  FIGS. 8 and 9  can also provide the wedging action. Tines  801  are inserted between flange  156  and shoulder  106 . Special purpose tool  800  is then rocked by applying pressure to handle  802  to provide the wedging action. Once clip  166  is thus captured under sleeve  102 , the jamming of clip  166  between wall  132  and step groove  152 , discussed above, cannot occur. The stem  112  becomes free to be disconnected from port  110  and stem  112  may be retracted from port  110 . 
     There are several subtle aspects to the instant invention that make it essentially fail safe against inadvertent disconnection. Primarily, disconnection requires a combination of actions that will not occur naturally. Merely pushing upon stem  112  has no effect upon causing disconnection. Even pushing upon both stem  112  and shoulder  106  will not lead to disconnection. Disconnection requires the concerted efforts of pushing stem  112  into port  110  and wedging shoulder  106  apart from flange  156 . Further, urging capture sleeve  102  toward the clip capture position without first increasing the insertion of stem  112  into port  110  is completely ineffective for two complementary reasons. One, sleeve lead-in  178  preferably tends to abut clip  166 , or move clip  166  farther out of clip groove  150  as well as back toward step groove  152 . Two, step groove  152  is preferably too shallow to allow clip  166  to be compressed to a size that fits within passage  126 . Preferably, sleeve shoulder  106  does not extend beyond the outside diameter of flange  156 . Accordingly, sleeve  102  preferably does not lend itself to being simply gripped and pushed into this clip capture position. These subtleties further provide a quick to connect and quick to disconnect coupling that is relatively much safer than other quick to connect and quick to disconnect couplings, while also being stabilized to minimizing axial shuttling of the stem within the port under pressure variation, impulse, and/or the like, axially aligning the clip with the stem, or capturing the clip, for insertion of the stem into the port, and retaining other desirable features. 
     Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the present invention, may be employed with other coupling designs. Particularly sleeve  102  may be mounted upon and in slideable relation to the stem of a coupling of another configuration and dust seal  170  and annular dust seal groove  154  may be employed with sleeve  102  on such a stem to obtain similar results as described above to prevent shuttling and or aid in disconnection. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

Technology Category: 4