초록 ▼

A two-way uncoupling valve assembly (300) is disclosed. The two-way uncoupling valve assembly (300) includes a male coupling member (306) and a female coupling member (308). The female coupling member (308) includes a two-way valve assembly (304) and a locking mechanism (302) for cooperating with th

A two-way uncoupling valve assembly (300) is disclosed. The two-way uncoupling valve assembly (300) includes a male coupling member (306) and a female coupling member (308). The female coupling member (308) includes a two-way valve assembly (304) and a locking mechanism (302) for cooperating with the male coupling member (306) to retain the two-way uncoupling valve assembly (300) and to enable the two-way uncoupling valve assembly (300) to be shut off or turned on. In addition, the two-way uncoupling valve assembly (300) includes a threaded nut (318) which cooperates with a threaded collar portion (336) to enable threaded connection of the male coupling member (306) to the female coupling member (308). Accordingly, the present invention provides in a single mechanism a two-way valve assembly along with a quick disconnect, connect feature.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly for use in a fluid line, the flow of fluid generally being in a downstream direction, the coupling assembly comprising: (a) a female coupling member having a front end and a back end, said female coupling member defining a path for the flow of fluid therethr

1. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly for use in a fluid line, the flow of fluid generally being in a downstream direction, the coupling assembly comprising: (a) a female coupling member having a front end and a back end, said female coupling member defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough; (b) a male coupling member having a front end and a back end and defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough, the front end of said male coupling member facing the front end of said female coupling member, said male coupling member including a hollow tubular portion, said tubular portion being constructed and arranged for removable insertion into the front end of said female coupling member, said female coupling member defining an axial tubular bore within which said tubular portion of said male coupling member is concentrically received, said tubular portion of said male coupling member including a seal about its circumference for providing a fluid-tight seal between the outside surface on said tubular portion and the inside surface of said tubular bore of said female coupling member upon insertion of said male coupling member into said female coupling member; (c) a valve assembly adapted for reciprocating longitudinal axial movement within the tubular bore of said female coupling member between a front end position and a back end position, said valve assembly being constructed and arranged for engaging said male coupling member upon insertion of said male coupling member into said female coupling member a predetermined distance whereby said valve assembly is caused to move toward the back end of said female coupling member into said back end position thereby enabling fluid flow from said male coupling member through said female coupling member, said valve assembly including means for sealing off the fluid flow path through said female coupling member when said valve assembly is in said front end position; (d) locking means proximate the front end of said female coupling member for releasably locking said male coupling member in said female coupling member when said valve assembly is in said back end position, said locking means being activated upon insertion of said male coupling member a predetermined distance into said female coupling member; (e) release means interconnected to said locking means for deactivating said locking means whereby said male coupling member is released by said locking means; (f) biasing means adapted for biasing said valve assembly toward the front end of said female coupling member into said front end position whereby when said male coupling member is released by deactivating said locking means, said valve assembly is biased into said front end position forcing said male coupling member in a downstream direction and preventing the flow of fluid through said female coupling member; and (g) threaded coupling means for removably coupling said male coupling member to said female coupling member in a coupled state, said threaded coupling means enabling axial movement of said male coupling member to provide for axial movement of said valve assembly within said female coupling member between said back end position and said front end position while in said coupled state. 2. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said release means includes a lever interconnected to said locking means, said lever deactivating said locking means upon application of a force radially directed toward the longitudinal axis of the coupling assembly. 3. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said male coupling member includes a groove at least partially about the circumference thereof, said groove cooperating with said locking means to releasably retain said male coupling member and said female coupling member in said coupled state. 4. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for sealing off the fluid flow path through said female coupling member when said valve assembly is in said front end position includes an O-ring seal abutting against a projection into the bore of the female coupling member. 5. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, said threaded coupling means including a threaded collar portion adjacent said front end of said female coupling member and a threaded nut portion slideably retained on said male coupling member, said threaded nut portion and said threaded collar portion cooperating to removably connect said female coupling member to said male coupling member. 6. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said male coupling member includes check valve means proximate the back end for preventing the back flow of fluid. 7. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said check valve means includes a duck bill valve apparatus fixedly secured in the male coupling member. 8. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said two-way uncoupling valve assembly includes indicia indicating when fluid flow is enabled or prohibited, said indicia including a colored band about said male coupling member. 9. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said two-way uncoupling valve assembly includes pressure exhaust means for exhausting off downstream pressure. 10. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 9, wherein said exhaust means includes an aperture in said female coupling member upstream from said seal of said tubular portion when said valve assembly is in said front end position, said aperture being in communication with the axial fluid flow path of said female coupling member and the ambient atmosphere, said aperture being closed by said seal when said valve assembly is in said back end position. 11. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 5, said threaded coupling means constructed and arranged to prohibit under operator control release of said locking means whereby accidental release of the locking mechanism is prohibited, thereby assuring that fluid flow is not accidentally shut off. 12. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, said threaded coupling means constructed and arranged to prevent activation of said locking means until said male coupling member and said female coupling member are securedly connected. 13. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein said threaded nut forces against a shoulder portion of said male coupling member upon being backed away from said locking means after said locking means has been activated, said threaded nut forcing said male coupling member away from said female coupling member thereby securedly wedging said locking means in the activated position. 14. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 12, wherein said threaded nut is constructed and arranged such that the threaded nut must be substantially threaded onto said threaded portion of said female coupling member before said male coupling member can be forced sufficiently far into said female coupling member to enable said locking means to be activated. 15. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said female coupling member and said male coupling member are made from a brass material. 16. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly in accordance with claim 15, wherein said threaded nut is made from an aluminum material. 17. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly for use in a fluid line, the folow of fluid generally being in a downstream direction, the coupling assembly comprising: (a) a female coupling member having a front end and a back end, said female coupling member defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough; (b) a male coupling member having a front end and a back end and defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough, said male coupling member including a first tubular portion proximate the front end and a second tubular portion proximate the back end, said first tubular portion being constructed and arranged for removable insertion into the front end of said female coupling member, said female coupling member defining an axial tubular bore for concentrically receiving said first tubular portion, said first tubular portion including a seal about its circumference near the front end thereof for providing a fluid type seal between the outside surface of said first tubular portion and the inside surface of said tubular bore of said female coupling member upon insertion of said first tubular portion into said tubular bore; (c) coupling means including a threaded nut member slideably mounted on said second tubular portion of said male coupling member and an axially extending threaded portion proximate the front end of said female coupling member for removably coupling said male coupling member to said female coupling member in a coupled state, said coupling means enabling said first tubular portion of said male coupling member to be slideably positioned in said female coupling member for movement between a first position and a second position while in said coupled state, said male coupling member including stop means proximate the front and back ends of said second tubular portion for limiting the axial movement of said threaded nut member along said second tubular portion; (d) a valve assembly adapted for reciprocating longitudinal axial movement within said female coupling member between a closed position wherein fluid flow is prohibited and an open position wherein fluid flow is enabled, said valve assembly being constructed and arranged for engaging said male coupling member upon insertion of said male coupling member into said female coupling member beyond a predetermined distance, said first tubular portion causing said valve assembly to move into said open position upon movement of said first tubular portion into said first position and further causing said valve assembly to move into said closed position upon movement of said first tubular portion into said second position; (e) a locking means mounted on said female coupling member for releasably locking said male coupling member in position when said valve assembly is in said open position; (f) spring biasing means adapted for biasing said valve assembly into the closed position; and (g) release means interconnected with said locking means for deactivating said locking means, whereby said valve assembly is forced into said closed position by said spring biasing means, said valve assembly forcing said first tubular portion of said male coupling member into said second position. 18. A two-way uncoupling valve assembly for use in a fluid line, the flow of fluid generally being in a downstream direction, the coupling assembly comprising: (a) a female coupling member having a front: end and a back end, said female coupling member defining a fluid flow path for the flow of fluid therethrough, said fluid flow path including an axially directed tubular bore proximate the front end of said female coupling member, said female coupling member including a valve assembly adapted for reciprocating longitudinal axial movement within said female coupling member between a front end position and a back end position, said valve assembly including seal means for sealing off the fluid flow path through said female coupling member when said valve assembly is in said front end position, said valve assembly being configured to enable fluid flow through said female coupling member when in said back end position, said valve assembly including biasing means for biasing said valve assembly into said front end position, said female coupling member further including an axially directed threaded portion proximate the front end thereof; (b) a male coupling member having a front end and a back end, the front end of said male coupling member facing the front end of said female coupling member, said male coupling member defining a path for the flow of fluid therethrough, said male coupling member including a first hollow tubular portion proximate the front end thereof and a second hollow tubular portion downstream from said first hollow tubular portion, said first hollow tubular portion being constructed and arranged for being slideably and concentrically received by said axially directed tubular bore of said female coupling member, said first tubular portion including a seal about its circumference providing a fluid-tight seal between said first tubular portion and said axially directed bore of said female coupling member; (c) a threaded nut member interconnected to said male coupling member, said threaded nut member cooperating with said threaded portion of said female coupling member to enable said male coupling member to be removably connected to said female coupling member in a connected state, said threaded nut member being slideably mounted on said second tubular portion to enable axial movement of said male coupling member when in said connected state with said female coupling member, said male coupling member including stop means for cooperating with said threaded nut member to limit axial movement of said male coupling member between first and second positions when in said connected state with said female coupling member, said tubular portion of said male coupling member engaging and forcing said valve assembly of said female coupling member into said back end position when in said first position whereby fluid flow is enabled; (d) locking means mounted on said female coupling member for releasably locking said male coupling member in said first position; and (e) release means for releasing said locking means, said biasing means cooperating with said valve means to force said male coupling member towards said second position upon release of said locking means, whereby said valve assembly is moved into said front end position, thereby shutting off the flow of fluid.