Quick connector

Abstract

A quick connector ( 10 ) has a pair of waist segments ( 76 and 81 ), a shoulder segment ( 163 ), a body segment ( 72 ) with an aperture ( 156 ) therein, and a leg segment ( 78 ). The leg segment ( 78 ) is defined by a pair of projecting elements ( 163 ) which are at least partially compressible toward one another thereby causing the pair of waist segments ( 76 and 81 ) to move toward one another. Thus, a swivellable connection is made which has the equivalent length and diameter of a convention non-swivellable threaded coupling. The quick connector ( 10 ) may be released by hand or a snap ring tool inserted into holes ( 410 ).

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A quick connector used to couple a male conduit to a female receptacle, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface therein, said quick connector comprising: 
 a body segment having an aperture therethrough defined by an inner edge therearound, said inner edge of said body segment surrounding a predetermined portion of said male conduit therewithin;    a pair of waist segments each having an interior edge thereabout, said body segment coupled to said pair of waist segments;    interface portions mounted on said pair of waist segments which attachably engage said female receptacle thereagainst;    a leg segment attached to said pair of waist segments clear of said aperture within said body segment thereof, said leg segment defined by a pair of projecting elements each extending substantially perpendicular to said pair of waist segments such that said leg segment is orientated substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of said male conduit adjacent thereto; and    said leg segment protruding through said bore of said female receptacle so as to be accessible from thereout, said interface portions insertable into said bore of said female receptacle by allowing said pair of projecting members of said leg segment to at least partially compress toward one another, said leg segment further urging said interface portions radially outward so as to be engagably coupled within said female receptacle, said interface portions being disengagable from said female receptacle by at least partially compressing said projecting members of said leg segment toward one another whereby said quick connector can be longitudinally removed from said female receptacle.    
     
     
         2 . The quick connector of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a shoulder segment projecting from a first of said pair of waist segments, said shoulder segment having one of said interface portions thereon which attachably engages said female receptacle thereagainst.  
 
     
     
         3 . The quick connector of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 a third of said waist segments movable somewhat independently from a first and second of said waist segments with said interior edge of said waist segments defining an opening therein; and  
 said shoulder segment projecting from a first and second of said waist segments, said leg segment coupling said first and second waist segments to said third waist segment.  
 
     
     
         4 . The quick connector of  claim 3  wherein: 
 said shoulder segment and said third waist segment are displaced away one another in a radial direction with a gap therebetween so as to be compressible toward one another by said leg segment substantially therebetween.  
 
     
     
         5 . The quick connector of  claim 4  wherein: 
 a second leg segment connects said first and second waist segments to said third waist segment, said first and second leg segments are located radially opposite from one another adjacent to and clear of said aperture in said body segment thereof, the radial orientation of said first and second leg segments are substantially perpendicular with the radial orientation of said waist segments.  
 
     
     
         6 . The quick connector of  claim 5  wherein: 
 said body segment is a separate part from said waist segments and said pair of leg segments thereon, said body segment further has a plurality of bendable tabs projecting therefrom which are each securely affixed to said waist segments adjacent thereto, said plurality of tabs extend from said body segment such that said aperture therein is in registry with said opening of said waist segments and is juxtapositioned centrally between said pair of leg segments adjacent thereto; and  
 said waist segments are radially compressible toward each other between said plurality of tabs and said body segment slidably adjacent thereto.  
 
     
     
         7 . The quick connector of  claim 6  wherein: 
 said body segment is located longitudinally adjacent to said waist segments on a surface opposite from said pair of leg segments extending therefrom.  
 
     
     
         8 . The quick connector of  claim 3  further comprising: 
 a second shoulder segment projecting from said third waist segment and a fourth waist segment adjacent thereto, said first and second shoulder segments projecting radially opposite from each other.  
 
     
     
         9 . The quick connector of  claim 3  wherein: 
 said pair of projecting elements of said leg segment are joined together at a distal end of each thereof by a truss element therebetween.  
 
     
     
         10 . The quick connector of  claim 2  wherein: 
 said shoulder segment is defined by a pair of flanges from which project a pair of side walls joined by a median wall, said shoulder segment has a distal edge thereto, said interface portion of said shoulder segment thereof is defined by a portion of said median wall and an opposing portion of each of said pair of flanges closest to said distal edge therenear.  
 
     
     
         11 . The quick connector of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a cover surrounding a predetermined portion of said male conduit with a portion thereof proximate to said female receptacle thereagainst, said cover substantially preventing contaminants from entering said bore of said female receptacle thereof.  
 
     
     
         12 . The quick connector of  claim 11  wherein said cover includes: 
 an annular hub section engagably surrounding a preselected portion of said male conduit, said hub section being longitudinally slidable therealong;  
 a cup section having an outer portion thereof, said cup section projecting outward from said hub therein;  
 an outer wall projecting from said outer portion of said cup section attached thereto, said outer wall being open toward said distal end of said male conduit thereof and having an inwardly turned lip therein, said inwardly turned lip being interlockably engagable with said female receptacle thereby providing a contaminant seal between said male conduit and said female receptacle coupled thereto.  
 
     
     
         13 . The quick connector of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a peripheral edge of said body segment has a smaller radial dimension than does said bore of said female receptacle.  
 
     
     
         14 . The quick connector of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an annular bulge radially formed around said male conduit against which said body segment is longitudinally positioned; and  
 a bushing longitudinally displaced adjacent to said annular bulge of said male conduit such that said body segment is securely affixed longitudinally therebetween.  15   
 
     
     
         19 . A swivelable quick connector comprising: 
 a pair of shoulder segments projecting opposite from one another with each having an interface portion thereon;    a plurality of waist segments supporting said pair of shoulder segments attached thereto;    a body segment juxtapositioned centrally in relation to said pair of shoulder segments thereabout and longitudinally adjacent to said plurality of waist segments thereagainst, said body segment having an aperture therethrough defined by an inner edge therearound; and    a pair of leg segments juxtapositioned between said pair of shoulder segments thereabout and being displaced clear of said aperture within said body segment thereof, said pair of leg segments each defined by a pair of projecting elements each extending substantially perpendicular from said plurality of waist segments attached thereto, said pair of leg segments located opposite from said body segment displaced therenear, said pair of projecting members of each of said pair of leg segments being at least partially compressible toward one another.    
     
     
         20 . A coupling system comprising: 
 a male conduit having a cylindrical shape thereto and a distal end thereof;    a female receptacle having a bore extending therethrough defined by an inside surface therearound, said female receptacle further having means for retaining therein, said distal end of said male conduit insertable within said bore of said female receptacle thereof; and    a quick connector having radially compressible means for retaining and longitudinally rigid means for retaining, said longitudinally rigid means of said quick connector positioned around said male conduit a predetermined distance from said distal end thereof, a predetermined portion of said male conduit adjacent to said quick connector thereabout having radially expanded means for longitudinally securing said longitudinally rigid means of said quick connector thereto, said radially compressible means of said quick connector being removably attached to said retaining means of said female receptacle, said quick connector coupling said male conduit to said female receptacle.    
     
     
         21 . The coupling system of  claim 20  wherein said radially compressible means of said quick connector includes: 
 a plurality of waist segments radially movable toward each other; and  
 means for urging said plurality of waist segments radially outward from each other.  
 
     
     
         22 . The coupling system of  claim 21  wherein said longitudinally rigid means of said quick connector includes: 
 a body segment having an aperture therethrough defined by an inner edge therearound, said body segment slidably coupled to said pair of waist segments.  
 
     
     
         23 . The coupling system of  claim 21  wherein said urging means includes: 
 a leg segment attached to said plurality of waist segments, said leg segment defined by a pair of projecting elements coupled to each other and extending from said plurality of waist segments.  
 
     
     
         24 . A coupling system for use in a coupling a male conduit having a distal end thereof to a female receptacle, said female receptacle having a bore centrally extending therethrough defined by an inside surface, said female receptacle further having a retaining formation, said coupling system comprising: 
 a quick connector having a first segment thereof which securely engages said male conduit thereto, said quick connector further having a second segment thereof which is attachably engagable with said retaining formation of said female receptacle thereto; and    a cover surrounding a predetermined portion of said male conduit external to said bore of said female receptacle, a predetermined portion of said cover being proximate to said female receptacle thereagainst thereby providing a contaminant seal between said male conduit and said female receptacle coupled thereto.    
     
     
         25 . A cover for use in substantially preventing contaminating particles from entering a bore within a female receptacle defined by an inside surface thereabout, a distal end of a male conduit insertable within said bore of said female receptacle, said cover comprising: 
 an annular hub section engagably surrounding a preselected portion of said male conduit, said hub section being longitudinally slidable therealong;    a cup section having an outer portion thereof, said cup section projecting outward from said hub section therein; and    an outer wall projecting from said outer portion of said cup section attached thereto, said outer wall being open toward said distal end of said male conduit thereof a portion of said outer wall being proximate with said female receptacle thereagainst thereby providing a contaminant seal between said male conduit and said female receptacle coupled thereto.    
     
     
         26 . The cover of  claim 25  further comprising: 
 an inwardly turned lip projecting from said outer wall, said inwardly turned lip being interlockably engagable with said female receptacle thereagainst.  
 
     
     
         27 . The cover of  claim 25  further comprising: 
 a quick connector disengagably coupling said male conduit within said bore of said female receptacle, said quick connector being longitudinally juxtapositioned along said male conduit between said cover and said distal end thereof.