Push-To-Connect Mechanism and Method, For A Coupling

Abstract

Improvement in a quick disconnect coupling that includes a tubular coupler half, having a radially outwardly-directed roller on an outer surface portion thereof; a tubular nipple half, having a push-to-connect mechanism, including a cup-shaped member, concentrically surrounding a nipple body portion, this mechanism including a locking device having a basically L-shaped contoured slot including a helically-directed ramp inlet and a locking slot portion; the improvement comprising that the push-to-connect mechanism includes the rotatable journaling of the cup-shaped member, for limited rotational pivoting relative to the nipple half; this mechanism also including a biasing member for concurrently normally biasing the cup-shaped member to an at-rest position relative to the nipple body. A method for joining includes an initial contact between the axially-aligned roller and the helical ramp; further interaction rotationally displacing the cup shaped member until the roller enters the locking portion, resulting in reverse pivoting of the cup-shaped member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nipple assembly utilizing the push-to-connect helical slot mechanism (PtCHSM) of the present invention for rotatably interlocking same with a mating coupler assembly which together comprise a quick disconnect coupling, showing both prior to the assembly of the axially aligned nipple and coupling halves.

FIG. 2 is a frontal view of the axially aligned, but still separated, coupler and nipple halves in preparation for their coupling assembly.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 during the assembly process, at the time when the nipple half rollers come into linear contact with helically tapered portions of the coupler half collar slots.

FIG. 4 illustrates the completion of the coupling assembly of the nipple and coupler halves, after the partial rotation of the nipple collar, relative to the coupler half, thereby biasing the coupler rollers into and thus locking the rollers in nipple collar slot locking portions.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing the partial rotary movement of the coupler half relative to the nipple half, thereby freeing the coupler half rollers from the nipple half collar slot locking portions, prior to the linear movement that is still required to fully separate the nipple and coupler halves.

FIG. 6 is a frontal view of the coupler half of the quick disconnect coupling.

FIG. 6 a is a frontal view, partly in longitudinal section, taken along line 6a-6a of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the nipple half of the quick disconnect coupling that utilizes the mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a frontal view, partly in section, taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 a is an enlarged version of circled area 8a of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a perspective frontal view, looking into the interior, of the collar portion of the mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the main body portion of the nipple half of the mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a nipple half spring retainer of the mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a collar spring that is operatively interposed between the body portion and the collar of nipple half of the mechanism of the present invention.

Claims

1. In a quick disconnect coupling including: a. a coupler half having a centrally apertured, shaped, generally tubular body; an inner coupler end incorporating a tapered inlet portion and an adjoining internal sealing arrangement; and a generally cylindrical outer surface portion including at least one radially outwardly-directed roller;b. a nipple half having a centrally apertured, shaped, generally tubular body;an inner body end with a central end aperture; a push-to-connect mechanism including a cup-shaped member concentrically surrounding said inner body, having at least one locking device that includes a basically L-shaped contoured slot having a helically-directed, angled, ramp inlet portion and a locking slot portion; said coupler and nipple halves being adapted to be axially interconnected, with said nipple inner body end being sealingly received within said coupler half internal sealing arrangement, said coupling halves being interconnected via said coupler half roller being received within said locking slot portion of said nipple half cup-shaped member, wherein the improvement comprises:c. said push-to-connect mechanism including the rotatable journaling of said cup-shaped member, on said nipple half tubular body, for limited rotational 18 pivoting relative thereto; ande. said push-to-connect mechanism also including a biasing member for concurrently normally biasing said cup-shaped member to an at-rest position, relative to said nipple half tubular body.

2. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 1, wherein said coupler half includes a pair of diametrically opposed rollers and said nipple half includes a pair of diametrically opposed locking devices.

3. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 2, wherein said cup-shaped member further includes a radially outwardly-directed operator actuating handle for pivoting said cup-shaped member against the biasing action of said biasing member.

4. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 3, wherein said actuating handle extends radially outwardly from an outer end portion of said cup-shaped member.

5. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 1, wherein said biasing member takes the form of a tensioned spring.

6. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 1, wherein said push-to-connect mechanism further includes an anti-freeze bearing, interposed between said nipple half tubular body and said cup-shaped member for preventing said cup-shaped member from freezing to said nipple half tubular body in low temperature operating conditions.

7. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 1, wherein said push-to-connect mechanism further includes a generally annular retainer for retaining said biasing member, said retainer being secured, against rotation, on said nipple half body and having one end of said biasing member secured thereon.

8. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 7, wherein said retainer includes spaced, parallel, flange portions, including at least one intermediate flat surface area portion.

9. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 8, wherein a circular end portion of said cup-shaped member includes at least one axially extending pin member, said pin member extending into said retainer flat surface area portion, with lateral ends of said flat surface area portion serving to limit the rotational/pivotal movement of said cup-shaped member relative to said nipple half tubular body.

10. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 9, wherein another end of said biasing member is secured to said circular end portion of said cup-shaped member, with said rotational/pivotal movement of said cup-shaped member further tensioning said biasing member.

11. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 1, wherein said cup-shaped member further includes, on an internal peripheral surface thereof, a coupling-misconnect prevention mechanism for preventing the connection with coupler halves other than said coupler half.

12. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 11, wherein said coupling-misconnect prevention mechanism includes at least one radially inwardly-projecting ridge.

13. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 12, wherein said ridge is peripherally-extending and one of continuous and segmented.

14. The improved quick disconnect coupling of claim 11, wherein said coupling-misconnect prevention mechanism includes at least one of a plurality of peripherally and axially spaced individual ridges.

15. In a quick disconnect coupler half and nipple half assembly combination, a method for operatively and lockingly interconnecting said coupler and nipple halves, said method including the steps of: a. axially aligning said coupler and nipple halves, with said coupler half including an outer surface portion having at least one radially outwardly-directed roller axially aligned with a push-to-connect mechanism including a locking device, having a basically L-shaped contoured slot, in a cup-shaped member rotatably journalled on said nipple half, said cup-shaped member being normally biased, in one rotational direction, for limited rotational pivoting relative to said nipple half, to an at-rest position, by a tensioned biasing member;b. making initial axial contact between said roller and a helically-directed, angular, inlet ramp portion of said cup member L-shaped slot; andc. continuing further axial interaction between said roller and said inlet ramp portion, thereby rotationally pivotally displacing said cup-shaped member in opposition to said normally biased rotational direction and thereby further tensioning said biasing member until said roller enters a circumferentially-extending locking slot portion of said contoured slot, causing said biasing member to automatically pivot said cup-shaped member back to its at-rest position, causing said roller to reside in the distal end of said locking slot portion, resulting in said push-to-connect mechanism locking said assembly combination together.

16. The assembly method of claim 15, further including a subsequent disassembly method, said disassembly method including the additional steps of: d. manually biasing said cup-shaped member in a rotational direction, in opposition to the normally biased rotational direction of said tensioned biasing member, until said roller enters an axially extending outlet portion of said contoured slot; ande. axially separating said assembly combination until said roller is fully axially removed from said cup-shaped member, with removal of said manual biasing of said cup-shaped member causing same to automatically pivot back to its at-rest position.

17. A quick disconnect coupling comprising in combination: a. a coupler assembly having a centrally apertured, shaped, generally tubular body; an inner coupler end incorporating a tapered inlet portion and an adjoining internal sealing arrangement; and a generally cylindrical outer surface portion including a pair of radially outwardly-directed rollers;b. a nipple assembly having a centrally apertured, shaped, generally tubular body; an inner body end with a central end aperture; a push-to-connect mechanism including a cup-shaped member concentrically surrounding said inner body, having a pair of opposed locking devices, each including a basically L-shaped contoured slot having a helically-directed, angled, ramp inlet portion and a locking slot portion; said coupler and nipple assemblies being adapted to be axially interconnected, with said nipple inner body end being sealingly received within said coupler assembly internal sealing arrangement, said coupling assemblies being interconnected via said coupler assembly rollers being received within respective ones of said locking slot portions of said nipple assembly cup-shaped member;c. said push-to-connect mechanism including the rotatable journaling of said cup-shaped member, on said nipple assembly tubular body, for limited rotational pivoting relative thereto; andd. said push-to-connect mechanism also including a biasing member for concurrently normally biasing said cup-shaped member to an at-rest position, relative to said nipple assembly tubular body.

18. The quick disconnect coupling combination of claim 17, wherein said cup-shaped member further includes a radially outwardly-directed operator actuating handle for manually pivoting said cup-shaped member against the action of said biasing member.

19. The quick disconnect coupling combination of claim 18, wherein said actuating handle extends radially outwardly from said cup-shaped member.

20. The quick disconnect coupling combination of claim 17, wherein said biasing member takes the form of a tensioned spring.

21. The quick disconnect coupling combination of claim 17, wherein said push-to-connect mechanism further includes an anti-freeze bearing, interposed between said nipple assembly tubular body and said cup-shaped member for preventing said cup-shaped member from freezing to said nipple assembly tubular body during low temperature operating conditions.

22. The quick disconnect coupling combination of claim 20, wherein said push-to-connect mechanism further includes a generally annular retainer for confining said tensioned spring, said retainer being secured, against rotation, on said nipple assembly body and having one end of said tensioned spring secured thereon.

23. The quick disconnect coupling combination of claim 22, wherein said retainer includes spaced, parallel, flange portions, including at least one intermediate flat surface portion.

24. The quick disconnect coupling assembly of claim 23, wherein an end portion of said cup-shaped member includes at least one axially extending pin member, said pin member extending into said retainer flat surface area portion, with lateral ends of said flat surface area portion serving to limit the rotational/pivotal movement of said cup-shaped member relative to said nipple assembly tubular body.

25. The quick disconnect coupling assembly of claim 24, wherein another end of said tensioned spring is secured to said end portion of said cup-shaped member, with said rotational/pivotal movement of said cup-shaped member, in one direction, further tensioning said spring.

26. The quick disconnect coupling assembly of claim 17, wherein said cup-shaped member further includes, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a coupling-misconnect prevention mechanism for preventing the connection with coupler assemblies other than said coupler assembly.

27. The quick disconnect coupling assembly of claim 26, wherein said coupling-misconnect prevention mechanism includes at least one radially inwardly-projecting rib.

28. The quick disconnect coupling assembly of claim 27, wherein said rib is peripherally-extending and one of continuous and segmented.

29. The quick disconnect coupling assembly of claim 26, wherein said coupling-misconnect prevention mechanism includes at least one of a plurality of peripherally and/or axially spaced individual tabs.

30. The quick disconnect coupling assembly of claim 17, wherein at least portions of said pair of opposed, basically L-shaped, slots are similarly circumferentially directed.