초록 ▼

A breakaway coupling for a fuel supply hose includes a male valve body interfitting with a female valve body for defining a fuel passage, and the valve bodies enclose axially movable spring biased poppet valve members. The valve bodies are connected by a permanent magnetic coupling system which prov

A breakaway coupling for a fuel supply hose includes a male valve body interfitting with a female valve body for defining a fuel passage, and the valve bodies enclose axially movable spring biased poppet valve members. The valve bodies are connected by a permanent magnetic coupling system which provides for moving the valve bodies from a connected position to a disconnected position in response to a substantial axial tension force on the valve bodies. In one embodiment, the coupling system includes an annular strike member surrounding the fuel passage and a mating annular magnet member supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced permanent magnets of rare earth materials. In another embodiment, the valve bodies define a vapor return passage with a poppet valve member and disposed either radially outboard or inboard of the fuel passage. The magnetic coupling system also simplifies reconnecting the valve bodies.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A breakaway coupling adapted for use with a flexible fuel supply hose having a fuel supply passage, said coupling comprising a first body member and a second body member coupled together and defining a fuel supply passage with an axis, at least one axially movable valve

The invention claimed is: 1. A breakaway coupling adapted for use with a flexible fuel supply hose having a fuel supply passage, said coupling comprising a first body member and a second body member coupled together and defining a fuel supply passage with an axis, at least one axially movable valve member within at least one of said body members and movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said passage, a coupling system releasably connecting said body members and providing for movement of said body members from a coupled position to an uncoupled position in response to a substantial axial tension force on said valve bodies, said coupling system including a permanent magnet unit mounted on said first body member, a strike member mounted on said second body member, said magnet unit including an annular ferrous metal magnet member surrounding said fuel supply passage and receiving a permanent magnet, said magnet member is threadably connected to said first body member, and said magnet unit attracting said strike member in said coupled position with an axial force sufficient to require an axial tension force of at least one hundred pounds to separate said body members to said uncoupled position. 2. A breakaway coupling adapted for use with a flexible fuel supply hose having a fuel supply passage, said coupling comprising a first body member and a second body member coupled together and defining a fuel supply passage with an axis, at least one axially movable valve member within at least one of said body members and movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said passage, a coupling system releasably connecting said body members and providing for movement of said body members from a coupled position to an uncoupled position in response to a substantial axial tension force on said valve bodies, said coupling system including a permanent magnet unit mounted on said first body member, a strike member mounted on said second body member, said magnet unit attracting said strike member in said coupled position with an axial force sufficient to require an axial tension force of at least one hundred pounds to separate said body members to said uncoupled position, an annular first cover member having an end portion mounted on said first body member, an annular second cover member having an end portion mounted on said second body member, and one of said cover members surrounds the other of said cover members in telescopic relation. 3. A coupling as defined in claim 2 wherein said magnet unit comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced permanent magnets disposed around said fuel supply passage, and said magnets comprise rare earth materials. 4. A coupling as defined in claim 3 and including an annular ferrous metal member supporting said plurality of permanent magnets. 5. A coupling as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said permanent magnets is arcuate. 6. A coupling as defined in claim 2 wherein said strike member comprises an annular ferrous metal strike member secured to said second body member. 7. A coupling as defined in claim 2 wherein said cover members comprise cover members of substantially rigid plastics material, and a sealing ring between said cover members. 8. A coupling as defined in claim 2 wherein said body members also surround a vapor return passage, and a spring biased valve member within said vapor return passage within one of said body members. 9. A breakaway coupling adapted for use with a flexible fuel supply hose having a fuel supply passage, said coupling comprising a first body member and a second body member coupled together and defining a fuel supply passage with an axis, at least one axially movable valve member within at least one of said body members and movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said passage, a coupling system releasably connecting said body members and providing for movement of said body members from a coupled position to an uncoupled position in response to a substantial axial tension force on said valve bodies, said coupling system including an annular permanent magnet unit mounted on said first body member concentrically with said axially movable valve member, an annular ferrous strike member mounted on said second body member concentrically with said axially movable valve member, said magnet unit including a substantially cylindrical array of separate arcuate permanent magnets each having an axial length substantially greater than its radial thickness relative to said axis, said cylindrical array of magnets extending around said axially movable valve member and confined between an annular outer ferrous member and an annular inner ferrous member having corresponding end surfaces adjacent said annular ferrous strike member to complete a magnetic circuit when said body members are in said coupled position, and said magnet unit attracting said strike member in said coupled position with an axial force sufficient to require an axial tension force of at least one hundred pounds to separate said body members to said uncoupled position. 10. A coupling as defined in claim 9 wherein said permanent magnet unit is threadably connected to said first body member. 11. A coupling as defined in claim 9 and wherein said magnets comprise rare earth materials. 12. A coupling as defined in claim 9 and including an annular first cover member having an end portion mounted on said first body member, an annular second cover member having an end portion mounted on said second body member, and one of said cover members surrounds the other of said cover members in telescopic relation. 13. A coupling as defined in claim 12 wherein said cover members comprise substantially rigid plastics material, and a sealing ring between said cover members. 14. A coupling as defined in claim 9 wherein said body members also define a vapor return passage, and a spring biased valve member within said vapor return passage in one of said body members. 15. A coupling as defined in claim 9 wherein said annular ferrous strike member has a radial thickness substantially equal to a radial thickness of said magnet unit. 16. A coupling as defined in claim 9 wherein said annular ferrous strike member has an axial length substantially equal to an axial length of said magnet unit. 17. A coupling as defined in claim 9 wherein said annular outer ferrous member and said annular inner ferrous member are integrally connected by an end wall cooperating with said inner and outer ferrous members to define an annular groove receiving said arcuate permanent magnets. 18. A coupling as defined in claim 9 wherein said permanent magnets comprise eight arcuate magnets each including neodymium iron boron. 19. A coupling as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said arcuate permanent magnets has an axial length substantially equal to an axial length of said outer ferrous member.