초록 ▼

An improved quick connect coupling is provided for releasably connecting a pair of conduits, such as ordinary garden hose. The coupling comprises interlocking male and female fittings adapted for respective connection to a pair of hoses, wherein the male fitting includes a male member with an extern

An improved quick connect coupling is provided for releasably connecting a pair of conduits, such as ordinary garden hose. The coupling comprises interlocking male and female fittings adapted for respective connection to a pair of hoses, wherein the male fitting includes a male member with an external circumferential groove for axial alignment with a generally opposed pair of arcuate slots in a female member on the female fitting. A C-shaped retainer is carried about the female fitting and includes a central spring base supporting a pair of locking arms which terminate in free ends having axially projecting lock tabs at the radially inner edges thereof, wherein these locking arms extend through the arcuate slots to position the arm free ends in engagement with radially oriented cam surfaces on the female member. In a normal unstressed condition of the retainer, the radially inner edges of the locking arms including the lock tabs extend into the male member groove to lock the coupling. When the coupling is subjected to water pressure, slight axial displacement of the male and female fittings move the lock tabs into locking engagement with the inner diameter surface of the female fitting thereby preventing retainer expansion and resultant inadvertent coupling disconnection. When the water pressure is turned off, however, the retainer spring base can be pushed radially inwardly to displace the locking arm free ends along the cam surfaces and outwardly from the male member groove to unlock the coupling.

대표청구항 ▼

A quick connect coupling for releasably connecting a pair of fluid flow conduits, comprising: a male fitting for connection to one of the conduits and including a generally tubular male member having an external, generally circumferential groove formed therein; a female fitting for connection to the

A quick connect coupling for releasably connecting a pair of fluid flow conduits, comprising: a male fitting for connection to one of the conduits and including a generally tubular male member having an external, generally circumferential groove formed therein; a female fitting for connection to the other conduit and including a generally sleeve-shaped female member with an open outboard end for sliding reception of said male member, said female member defining a generally opposed pair of arcuate slots; a generally C-shaped spring retainer having a generally opposed pair of locking arms including generally radially inner edges presented toward each other; and a pair of lock tabs supported respectively on said arms generally at said inner edges thereof and projecting axially therefrom in a common direction, said arms and tabs supported thereon each having a combined axial width for reception through said female member arcuate slots; said retainer being carried about said female member with said locking arms extending at least partially through said arcuate slots with said lock tabs projecting generally toward the outboard end of said female member, said locking arms being movable between locked and unlocked positions with said inner edges and said tabs resepectively projecting radially through said slots for reception into said male member groove to connect said fittings against axial separation and displaced radially outwardly from said male member groove to disconnect said fittings and permit axial separation thereof; said female member including a pair of generally radially oriented cam surfaces, and said locking arms having cam follower surfaces movably engageable with said cam surfaces to displace said locking arms between said locked and unlocked positions, said retainer being carried about said female member with said cam follower surfaces in engagement with said cam surfaces and movable between first positions and second positions for displacing said cam follower surfaces along said cam surfaces to move said locking arms between said locked and unlocked positions; said fittings being movable axially a short distance away from each other in response to fluid pressure within the conduits when said fittings are connected to displace said lock tabs to positions axially offset from said arcuate slots and radially within said female member whereby said tabs are engageable with the inner diameter surface of said female member to prevent radially outward movement of said locking arms relative to said male member groove.