Coupling

Abstract

A system includes a body with a fluid passage therethrough, a first open end, and an opposite termination, a valve positioned within the body and including first and second ends, the valve moving between open and closed positions, the valve being biased into the closed position, and a seal positioned on the second end of the valve, the seal forming the closed position when the valve is biased towards the first open end of the body, and the seal engaging a shoulder formed by the body to retain the valve within the body. The seal is accessible from the termination of the body to allow the valve to be coupled to the body.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/547,445 filed on Oct. 14, 2011, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Quick disconnect couplings are used in various applications to connect two lines to create a fluid pathway therethrough. The couplings typically include cooperating male and female couplings that form the connection. A latch is used to connect the male and female couplings. An example of such a coupling is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,158 filed on May 31, 1991, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Various components on the couplings can move to accomplish the connection therebetween. For example, a latch of the female coupling (or body) typically moves within the female coupling to connect the female coupling to the male coupling (or insert). Also, the male coupling is typically at least partially received within the female coupling to accomplish the connection.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for forming couplings. In one aspect, a female coupling includes a body defining a fluid pathway therethrough, and a slot extending transversely with respect to the fluid pathway, and a latch positioned in the slot to move between locked and unlocked positions. A mating male coupling defining a fluid pathway forms the complete coupling.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an example coupling.

FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the coupling of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example body of the coupling of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the body of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the body of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the body of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is perspective view of an example insert of the coupling of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the insert of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the insert of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the insert of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section view of the coupling of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the body of FIG. 2 during assembly.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the insert of FIG. 6 during assembly.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an example system including the coupling of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 14 is another perspective of the system of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the system of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is another perspective view of the system of FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an example fluid supply module.

FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the fluid supply module of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a side view of another embodiment of a body including two materials.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the body of FIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This application is directed to systems and methods for forming couplings.

FIG. 1A and 1B show an example coupling 100 including a body 110 (sometimes referred to as a female coupling) and an insert 120 (sometimes referred to as a male coupling).

In the example shown, the insert 120 is being coupled to the body 110 by a clip or latch 130. The body 110 and the insert 120 together form a fluid passage way therethrough. The latch 130 moves in a direction that is generally transverse to the longitudinal direction of the fluid pathway to couple the body 110 and the insert 120, as described further below.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, the body 110 is shown. The body 110 includes an opening 230 into which the insert 120 is inserted. The latch 130 includes a main body 210 that moves within a slot 220. In FIG. 2, the latch 130 is in a resting or locked position. The latch 130 can be biased or forced into the locked position using an integral cantilever or spring 131. The latch 130 is moved in a direction A within the slot 220 of the body 110 to an unlocked position. The latch 130 can be moved to this position to, for example, connect or release the portion of the insert 120 that is introduced through the latch 130.

The body 110 houses a valve 250 positioned therein. The valve 250 is biased by a spring 258 to a closed position as shown in FIG. 5. Upon mating with the insert 120, the valve 250 is moved backwards to an open position so fluid can flow therethrough. The body 110 also includes a termination 240. In this example, the termination 240 is a barbed termination that can be secured to a conduit, as described below. Other terminations can be used. For example, in an alternative design, the termination can be a separate part that is joined to the body.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-9, the insert 120 is shown. The insert 120 includes a front portion 410 and a termination portion 420. The front portion 410 can be inserted into the opening 230 in the body 110 and through the latch 130 to couple the insert 120 to the body 110 and to form the fluid pathway therethrough. A seal 411 seals the insert 120 within the inner diameter of the body 110. See FIG. 10, described below. The termination portion 420 remains outside the body 110 so that the termination portion 420 can be connected to another structure, such as a container or a conduit containing a fluid (e.g., liquid or gas).

The insert 120 houses a valve 450 positioned therein. The valve 450 is biased by a spring 458 to a closed position as shown in FIG. 9. Upon mating with the body 110, the valve 450 is moved backwards to an open position so that fluid can flow therethrough.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the body 110 and the insert 120 are shown in the coupled state. In this state, the valves 250, 450 are in the open positions so that fluid can flow therethrough. During mating of the body 110 and the insert 120, the valves 250, 450 contact and push against one another to move the valves 250, 450 backwards to open the fluid path as shown.

In this example, front portions 252, 452 of the valves 250, 450 form a “make before you break” connection, in that a seal 254 on the valve 250 and a seal 454 on the valve 450 are unseated after the valves 250, 450 are coupled so that there is little or no loss of any fluid flowing through the coupling 100 when the body 110 and the insert 120 are uncoupled.

When coupled as shown in FIG. 10, the latch 130 is accepted into a latch groove 530 formed on the insert 120. See FIGS. 9 and 10. In this example, the latch groove 530 is angled from a beginning 532 to an end 534 of the latch groove 530. Specifically, the latch groove 530 forms a smaller outer diameter at the beginning 532 and a larger outer diameter at the ending 534. This generally forms a slope for the latch groove 530. In other examples, the slope can be more or less pronounced or can be formed in other configurations, such as stepped, etc. A corresponding structure 135 on the latch 130 can be configured in a complementary shape, or can simply be formed in a different geometry, such as a flat portion without any slope.

One possible advantage of forming the latch groove 530 in this manner is that there is additional material forming the insert 120 at the end 534 of the latch groove 530. This material can function to strengthen the insert 120 at this juncture and help resist breakage of the insert 120 at the latch groove 530.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the body 110 and the insert 120 can be assembled as follows. Initially, the body 110 and the insert 120 can be molded using a known technique, such as injection molding, using a polymeric material such as acetal, nylon, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, polysulfone, etc. The valves 250, 450 can be formed in a similar manner. Other techniques, such as metal injection molding and/or machining, can also be used.

Next, for the body 110, the spring 258 is placed on the valve 250, and the valve 250 is introduced into the opening 230 formed in the body 110. The valve 250 is compressed in a direction X against the spring 258 until in the position shown in FIG. 11. In this position, an end 270 of the valve 250 is accessible from an opening 242 formed in the termination 240 so that the seal 254 can be placed in a seal groove 272 formed in the end 270 of the valve 250. In this example, the seal 254 is an O-ring.

Once the seal 254 is in position, the valve 250 can be released, allowing the spring 258 to force the valve 250 forward until the seal 254 engages a shoulder 244 formed in the termination 240. In this position, the seal 254 resists further forward biasing by the spring 258 so that the valve 250 is retained in the body 110. In addition, with the seal 254 engaging the shoulder 244, fluid flow through the body 110 is stopped.

The insert 120 is similarly assembled by forcing the valve 450 and the spring 458 through the insert 120 until a seal groove 472 is accessible through the termination portion 420. The seal 454 is then placed in the seal groove 472 to maintain the valve 450 within the insert 120 and to seal the insert 120 when the valve 450 is in the closed position.

Referring now to FIGS. 13-16, an example system 500 incorporating the body 110 and the insert 120 is shown.

In this example, the system 500 includes a container 510 that is sized to hold a fluid, such as gasoline or another fuel. In this example, the container 510 is used as a source of fuel for a boat or other vehicle. Other configurations are possible.

The container 510 includes a cap 512 that can be rotated to affix or remove the cap 512 from the container 510. The cap 512 can be removed to introduce additional fluid into the container 510. Once filled, the cap 512 is replaced to maintain the fluid in the container 510.

The container 510 also includes a vent 514 configured to maintain the interior of the container 510 at a given pressure. For example, the vent 514 can be configured to let fluid (e.g., air) into and/or out of the container 510 as necessary to compensate for removal of density from the container (e.g., make-up air) and/or the expansion and contraction of the fluids contained within the container 510.

The container 510 further includes a fluid supply module 516 with a base 520 that is coupled to the container 510. The fluid supply module 516 includes a fluid passage that extends from the base 520 to an opening 518. A hose barb extends into the container 510 (see, e.g., hose barb 621 in FIGS. 17-18). When connected to the container 510 as shown, fluid from within the container 510 can be drawn through the fluid passage to the opening 518.

The opening 518 is threaded to correspond with threads on the termination portion 420 of the insert 120. The insert 120 is screwed into the opening 518 to couple the insert 120 to the fluid supply module 516. Other mounting configurations are possible.

In this configuration, the insert 120 is in fluid communication with the fluid in the container 510. The valve 450 closes the insert 120 so that the fluid within the container 510 does not escape until the insert 120 is mated with the body 110.

The termination 240 of the body 110 is connected to tubing 532 that extends to a destination for the fluid, such as an engine of the boat. When the body 110 is connected to the insert 120, the valves 250, 450 are moved to their open positions, thereby allowing fluid to flow from the container 510, through the fluid supply module 516 and insert 120/body 110, and through the tubing 532 to a desired destination.

When the fluid within the container 510 is depleted, the body 110 can be disconnected from the insert 120 by actuating the latch 130 and removing the body 110 from the insert 120. The valves 250, 450 close as the body 110 is removed so that the flow of fluid through the body 110 and the insert 120 is stopped. Once disconnected, the container 510 can be removed and refilled, as needed.

Referring now to FIGS. 17 and 18, an alternative design for a fluid supply module 616 is shown. In this example, the fluid supply module 616 includes an insert module 618 that is configured in manner similar to that of the insert 120 described above. However, the insert module 618 is molded as an integral part of the fluid supply module 616. The insert module 618 is sized to be coupled to the body 110 and includes the valve 250 to allow fluid to flow therethrough.

The fluid supply module 616 also includes a termination 620 that is configured in a manner similar to that of the opening 518. The termination 620 is threaded to allow a legacy fluid line to be connected thereto. The termination 620 can be closed with a plug 622 that is threaded onto the termination 620 when not in use. In this manner, the fluid supply module 616 is configured to allow for backwards compatibility with existing infrastructure.

Referring now to FIGS. 19 and 20, another example of a body 710 is shown. The body 710 is similar to that of the body 110 described above, except that the body 710 is formed of a first portion 715 and a second portion 720. The first and second portions 715 and 720 are affixed to one another to form the body 110.

In one example, the first and second portions 715, 720 are coupled by a welding technique, such as by sonic welding, staking, adhesive, etc., or by insert molding or by pressing or a snap fit. The first and second portions 715, 720 can be made of different materials to accommodate different applications. For example, in one application, the first portion 715 is made of a polymeric material, and the second portion 720 is made of a metal material, such as brass. This allows for the second portion 720 to be more easily terminated for different applications and to be manufactured more cost-effectively. The different materials can also exhibit other benefits, such as added strength and allowance for molding of complete geometries, such as those exhibited by the body. Other configurations are possible.

Various modifications and alterations of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure, and it should be understood that the inventive scope of this disclosure is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a body defining a fluid passage therethrough, a first open end, and an opposite termination;

a valve positioned within the body and including first and second ends, the valve moving between open and closed positions, the valve being biased into the closed position; and

a seal positioned on the second end of the valve, the seal forming the closed position when the valve is biased towards the first open end of the body, and the seal engaging a shoulder formed by the body to retain the valve within the body;

wherein the seal is accessible from the termination of the body to allow the valve to be coupled to the body; and

wherein an insert that is coupled to a fluid container is configured to move the valve from the closed position to the open position when the body is coupled to the insert.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid supply module configured to be coupled to a container to access fluid contained therein.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the fluid supply module defines an insert, the insert including a first portion sized to be received in the body to form a connection therebetween.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the insert further includes an insert valve.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the insert defines a latch groove to receive a latch plate of the body to connect the insert to the body.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the latch groove is sloped.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the body is formed of two materials.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the fluid container; and

the insert mounted to the fluid container.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the insert is formed integrally with a fluid supply module that is coupled to the container.

10. A system comprising:

a fluid container defining a space to hold fuel;

a fluid supply module coupled to the fluid container and configured to access the fuel contained therein;

an insert coupled to the fluid supply module; and

a coupler sized to be coupled with the insert, the coupler including: a body defining a fluid passage therethrough, a first open end, and an opposite termination; a valve positioned within the body and including first and second ends, the valve moving between open and closed positions, the valve being biased into the closed position; and a seal positioned on the second end of the valve, the seal forming the closed position when the valve is biased towards the first open end of the body, and the seal engaging a shoulder formed by the body to retain the valve within the body;

wherein the seal is accessible from the termination of the body to allow the valve to be retained in the body;

wherein, when the coupler is coupled to the insert, the valve is moved by the insert from the closed position to the open position so that fuel flows from the fluid container, through the fluid supply module and the insert, and through the coupler.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the insert including a first portion sized to be received in the body to form a connection therebetween.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the insert is formed integrally with the fluid supply module that is coupled to the fluid container.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the insert further includes an insert valve.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the insert defines a latch groove to receive a latch plate of the body to connect the insert to the body.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the latch groove is sloped.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein additional material is used to form the latch groove at the slope to strengthen the insert.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the body is formed of two materials.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a first material is polymeric, and a second material is a metal.

19. A system comprising:

a fluid container defining a space to hold fuel;

a fluid supply module coupled to the fluid container and configured to access the fuel contained therein;

an valved insert integrally formed with the fluid supply module; and

a coupler sized to be coupled with the insert, the coupler including: a body defining a fluid passage therethrough, a first open end, and an opposite termination; a valve positioned within the body and including first and second ends, the valve moving between open and closed positions, the valve being biased into the closed position; and a seal positioned on the second end of the valve, the seal forming the closed position when the valve is biased towards the first open end of the body, and the seal engaging a shoulder formed by the body to retain the valve within the body; wherein the seal is accessible from the termination of the body to allow the valve to be retained in the body;

wherein, when the coupler is coupled to the insert, the valve is moved by the insert from the closed position to the open position so that fuel flows from the fluid container, through the fluid supply module and the insert, and through the coupler.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the insert defines a latch groove to receive a latch plate of the body to connect the insert to the body, the latch groove is sloped, and additional material is used to form the latch groove at the slope to strengthen the insert.