Patent Application
20240159340
This disclosure relates to a connector for coupling a tube to a device. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a fluid connector having a mounted retainer and guiding components for guiding and capturing an endform of a tube.
in fluid piping in which a tube, such as a pipe or a hose, is joined to another device such as a pump, tank or another tube, a fluid connector may be used for joining the tube to the other device such as for example a quick connect/quick disconnect fluid connector. In the automotive industries quick connect fluid connectors are used to provide connection between two components, conduits and between components and conduits, such as hoses and the like. The quick connect fluid connector typically provides a coupling between a male tube that is received in a tubular receptacle. The male tube may include an endform for snap engagement of the tube with the receptacle that provides a locking relation between them. The tubular receptacle can be formed from plastic or metal, as appropriate for the specific application. A seal ring located between an inner periphery of a socket of the receptacle and an outer periphery of the endform provides a fluid-tight seal that prevents leaking when the endform is coupled to the receptacle.
Currently known quick connect fluid connectors are relatively complicated to assemble or disassemble causing connection errors or failure-prone connections. A further disadvantage of the known fluid connectors is that the retainer may be completely separated from the connector in particular when in a non-engaged position, and thus represents a component that may be lost. Additionally, known connectors are not provided with guiding components for properly guiding the endform into the locking relation with the receptacle and the retainer.
It would be desirable to provide an improved fluid connector which has a minimal number of separate components.
It would also be desirable to provide an improved fluid connector having guiding components for properly orienting an endform into a locking relation with a receptacle of the connector.
A connector and a process for coupling a tube to another device is disclosed. The connector comprises a receptacle for receiving an endform formed on an end of the tube. The receptacle includes a socket mated to a modular head. A retainer embraces the receptacle and has first and second legs with portions of the first and second legs extending through a respective window into an opening in the modular head. Guiding components located in the modular head opening and on an the endform direct the endform through the modular head opening to the socket and into a locking relationship with the retainer.
For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The figures, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the invention may be implemented in any type of suitably arranged device or system.
The fluid connector 10 comprises a receptacle 16 for receiving the endform 14 of the tube 12. The receptacle 16 may comprise of two separate pieces. The first piece of the receptacle 16 is a socket 22. The socket 22 has a female end 18 and a coupling end 20. The female end 18 of the socket 22 receives the lower portion 19 end of the endform 14 within a socket opening 73. The socket 22 includes an annular outer wall 26 surrounding the female end 18.
A latch 30 may be fashioned on the outer wall 26. In an aspect, a plurality of latches 30 may be fashioned on the outer wall 26 of the female end 18. The latches may be rectangular and include a chamfered surface that extends obliquely outward from outer wall 26. An annular brim 37 extends about the lower periphery of outer wall 26 below latches 30. The brim 37 further includes a locating notch 38 extending partially into brim 37. A second locating notch 38 (not shown) may be formed on brim 37 on an opposite side of the socket 22.
The coupling end 20 is used to couple the connector 10 to another device. The coupling end 20 may include a male stem 32 for mating with a receptacle of another device. The male stem 32 may include one or more barbed flanges 34 that can be friction fitted into another tube, for example, to couple the connector 10 to the other tube. In this embodiment, fluid from the tube 12 can pass from the tube through the female end 18 of the socket 22 and through the male stem 32 of the coupling end 20 of the connector 10 and into the other tube installed over stem 32 or vice-versa. The coupling end 20 may extend at any convenient angle applicable to the intended use of receptacle 16, which means that the coupling end 20 can have a feature, where the male stem 32, can have a longitudinal axis that may extend from the axis of the female end 18 obliquely or acutely, defining an angle between coupling end 20 and female end 18 that is not equal to 180 degrees.
The second piece of the receptacle 16 is a modular head 40. The modular head 40 has a mating end 42 located at a lower portion of modular head 40 that has an annular outer wall 44 extending about the periphery of modular head. Openings 46 extends through the outer wall 44 along the mating end 42. Additionally, the outer wall 44 includes a locating projection 48 adapted to be received by a locating notch 38 when the modular head 40 is installed on socket 22. A second locating projection (not shown) may extend from wall 44 on a side opposite of the locating projection 48 shown and similarly arranged to be received an associated locating notch 38 therein.
The modular head 40 mates with the socket 22 to provide the receptacle 16. The mating end 42 of the modular head 40 is arranged to be inserted over the outer wall 26 of the socket 22. The mating of the modular head 40 to socket 22 is made by aligning a locating projection 48 with an associated locating notch 38 and the modular head forced downward toward brim 37 to allow the chamfered portions of latches 30 to ride against the inside surface of the wall 44 until they are received within an associated opening 46, creating a snap-fit mechanical connection between the modular head 40 and socket 22. The mating end 42 of modular head 40 rests on brim 37 when the modular head 40 is fully inserted on socket 22 as can be best seen at
As illustrated in
As illustrated in the isometric sectional view of
As the endform 14 continues to be urged downward towards socket 22 and its final resting position, the ramp member 11 of endform 14 encounters legs 62 and 64 of the wire retainer 60. Further downward travel of the endform 14 causes the ramp member 11 to push each leg 62 and 64 out of a respective window 71, and out of the way of the endform 14 clearing the endform 14 to continue its downward travel. As the endform 14 reaches the socket 22 and its final resting position, the ramp member 11 stops pushing legs 62 and 64, allowing the legs to assume their relaxed positions and to snap-back through an associated window 71 and into groove 13 of the endform 14. Legs 62, 64 of the wire retainer 60 in their relaxed condition locate within groove 13 capturing the endform 14 in the receptacle 16. As explained above, with the endform 14 installed in receptacle 16 in its final resting position, the sealing assembly 76 squeezes around the surface of lower portion 19 sealing the exterior of the endform 14 from fluid flowing in connector 10.
It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The term “communicate,” as well as derivatives thereof, encompasses both direct and indirect communication. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrase “associated with,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, have a relationship to or with, or the like. The phrase “at least one of,” when used with a list of items, means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and only one item in the list may be needed. For example, “at least one of: A, B, and C” includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C.
The description in the present application should not be read as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential or critical element that must be included in the claim scope. The scope of patented subject matter is defined only by the allowed claims. Moreover, none of the claims is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) with respect to any of the appended claims or claim elements unless the exact words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim, followed by a participle phrase identifying a function. Use of terms such as (but not limited to) “mechanism,” “module,” “device,” “unit,” “component,” “element,” “member,” “apparatus,” “machine,” “system,” or “controller” within a claim is understood and intended to refer to structures known to those skilled in the relevant art, as further modified or enhanced by the features of the claims themselves and is not intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).
While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.
