Assembly of male and female members

Abstract

The diameter of a front end opening section ( 20 - 1 ) extending rearward over a predetermined length from a front end opening of a male member reception hole ( 20 ) is larger than a diameter of a male member reception section ( 20 - 2 ) of the male member reception hole that follows the front end opening section. The backup ring ( 18 ) is allowed to engage an inner wall surface ( 20 - 3 ) of a front end opening section ( 20 - 1 ) as a backup ring ( 18 ) is pressed radially outward from an annular groove ( 24 ) by a seal ring ( 16 ) that is deformed by engagement with the inner wall surface of the male member reception hole ( 20 ) when a male coupling member ( 12 ) begins to be inserted into the male member reception hole ( 20 ), which prevents the backup ring ( 18 ) from coming out, in a radially outward manner, from the annular groove ( 24 ).

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . A female member of a male and female member assembly, the female member comprising:
 a front end opening; and   a male member reception hole extending rearward from the front end opening and having an inner wall surface, such that the male member reception hole is adapted to have a male member inserted therein from the front end opening,   wherein the male member, for which the male member reception hole is adapted to have inserted therein, includes an outer peripheral surface, includes an annular groove formed on the outer peripheral surface, includes a seal ring fitted into the annular groove, such that the seal ring is pressed and deformed by the inner wall surface of the male member reception hole to provide a seal between the inner wall surface and the annular groove when the male member is inserted into the male member reception hole, and includes a backup ring fitted into the annular groove, such that the backup ring is in contact with the seal ring and is located at a position that is closer to the front end opening of the female member than the seal ring when the male member is inserted into the male member reception hole and the seal ring is pressed and deformed by the inner wall surface of the male member reception hole,   wherein the male member reception hole includes a front end opening section extending rearward over a predetermined length from the front end opening of the female member,   wherein the male member reception hole includes a male member reception section extending rearward in relation to the front end opening of the female member and being located rearward from and next to the front end opening section,   wherein the front end opening section includes an inner wall surface having a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the seal ring as fitted in the annular groove of the male member, such that a spacing between the inner wall surface of the front end opening section and the outer peripheral surface of the male member is smaller than a radial thickness of the backup ring,   wherein the male member reception section includes an inner wall surface that adjoins the outer peripheral surface of the male member when the male member is inserted into the male member reception hole,   wherein the inner wall surface of the male member reception section has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the seal ring as fitted in the annular groove, such that the seal ring is deformed as insertion of the male member into the male member reception hole progresses to advance the seal ring into the male member reception section and such that the seal ring presses the backup ring and displaces the backup ring radially outward from the annular groove, and   wherein, when the backup ring is displaced radially outward, the backup ring is engageable with the inner wall surface of the front end opening section while remaining in the annular groove such that the inner wall surface of the front end opening section prevents the seal ring from becoming dislodged radially outward from the annular groove.   
   
   
       8 . The female member of  claim 7 , wherein the male member reception section and the front end opening section are connected by a tapered surface extending from the inner wall surface of the front end opening section to the inner wall surface of the male member reception section. 
   
   
       9 . The female member of  claim 7 , wherein the male and female member assembly is a pipe coupling, such that the female member is a female coupling member of the pipe coupling. 
   
   
       10 . The female member of  claim 7 , wherein the male and female member assembly is a pipe coupling.