초록 ▼

A two-part coupling structure includes a male coupling part and a female coupling part which are mutually engageable to open fluid communication between a fluid-storage vessel and a conduit. The coupling parts are disengageable from one another to discontinue fluid communication between the vessel a

A two-part coupling structure includes a male coupling part and a female coupling part which are mutually engageable to open fluid communication between a fluid-storage vessel and a conduit. The coupling parts are disengageable from one another to discontinue fluid communication between the vessel and the conduit, and also to close communication between ambient and each of the vessel and conduit. The retention volume of fluid which is trapped between the connected male and female coupling parts and which is exposed to or lost to ambient when the coupling parts are disconnected is very small. Because of particular structural features, the coupling parts will function reliably even with fluid having chunks or particulates of non-fluid material therein.

대표청구항 ▼

A two-part coupling structure having a female coupling part for fluid flow communication with a vessel, and a male coupling part for fluid flow communication with a conduit, said coupling parts being mutually engageable to effect fluid flow communication between said vessel and said conduit, and bei

A two-part coupling structure having a female coupling part for fluid flow communication with a vessel, and a male coupling part for fluid flow communication with a conduit, said coupling parts being mutually engageable to effect fluid flow communication between said vessel and said conduit, and being disengageable to both discontinue said fluid flow communication and also to mutually close fluid flow communication between ambient and each of said vessel and conduit; said two-part coupling structure comprising: said female coupling part having: a yieldably shape-retaining female cap member defining a through bore communicating between ambient and said vessel, and a radially inwardly opening circumferential groove on said through bore spaced outwardly of said vessel along said through bore; a yieldably shape-retaining disk-like plug member having a wall portion for spanning and closing said through bore of said cap member, said plug member including a circumferential ring portion which is sealingly receivable forcefully into said through bore of said cap member in an axial direction outwardly of said vessel, and said ring portion radially outwardly defining a circumferential ridge receivable into said circumferential groove of said cap member to lock said plug member into sealing relation therewith, said ring portion further defining an inner radially inwardly opening circumferential groove; said cap member and said plug member cooperating to define a first axial force for engagement of said plug member ring portion into said through bore of said cap member, and an oppositely directed second axial force for disengagement of said plug member from said cap member removing said plug member inwardly of said vessel from said through bore of said cap member; said male coupling part having: an elongate yieldably shape-retaining probe member defining a blind axial passage for fluid flow communication with said conduit and a wall portion closing said axial passage adjacent a forward end of said probe member, said probe member defining a stepped outer diameter with an enlarged-diameter forward flange portion of a size to be received into said plug member ring portion, said forward flange portion defining a radially outer circumferential rib receivable into said inner groove of said ring portion, and also cooperating with a smaller-diameter portion of said probe member to define a rearwardly-disposed shoulder, said probe member defining a lateral aperture opening from said blind passage outwardly on said smaller-diameter portion rearwardly of and adjacent to said shoulder; a yieldably shape-retaining sleeve member carried slidably on said smaller-diameter portion of said probe member between a first position across and closing said lateral aperture and a second position at least partially rearwardly of and opening said lateral aperture, said sleeve member having a stepped outer diameter with an elongate smaller-diameter portion of a size to be received closely into said through bore of said cap member, said sleeve member having a circumferential axially-disposed forward end edge surface engageable in said first position of said sleeve member with said shoulder of said probe member flange portion, and further having a larger-diameter radially outwardly extending flange portion at a rear end thereof opposite to said forward end edge, said flange portion of said sleeve member being engageable with said cap member to slide said sleeve member from said first position to said second position thereof, said sleeve member also outwardly carrying resilient sealing means for sealingly engaging retainingly into said circumferential groove of said cap member substantially simultaneously with said flange portion of said sleeve member engaging said cap member; said probe member and said plug member cooperatively defining a third axial force for engagement of said probe member flange portion into said plug member ring portion, which third axial engagement force is less than said second axial force for disengagement of said plug member from said cap member; upon insertion of said male coupling part into said female coupling part said probe member first sequentially engaging with said plug member and then disengaging said plug member from said cap member for movement of said plug member inwardly of said vessel with said inserting probe member, said sleeve member engaging said cap member and moving to said second position thereof relative to said inserting probe member to uncover said lateral aperture and to open fluid flow communication between said vessel and said conduit; said probe member and said plug member cooperatively defining a fourth axial force for disengagement of said probe member from within said ring portion of said plug member which is greater than said first axial force necessary to engage said plug member ring portion into said bore of said cap member, so that upon withdrawal of said male coupling part from said female coupling part said plug member first sequentially re-engages with said cap member followed by said probe member disengaging from said plug member, said resilient sealing means retaining and relatively moving said sleeve member forwardly along said withdrawing probe member to said first position thereof to re-close said lateral aperture, and said shoulder of said enlarged-diameter flange portion of said withdrawing probe member engaging said sleeve member to overcome said resilient retention and remove said sleeve member axially outwardly from within said cap member.