Quick connect air duct fittings

Claim 2

A quick connection system for interconnecting a flexible air tube between a pair of companion air passage sections of a high velocity conditioned air supply system conveying conditioned air to a room and discharging it through an orifice as an undiffused concentrated stream projecting into the room to induce mixing circulation, the air tube comprising a tubular sleeve of insulation material surrounding a central air conveying bore bounded by an inner cylindrical surface and an outer cylindrical cover member surrounding the sleeve, the connection system including an annular first connector of integral molded construction to be assembled on any end portion of the air tube and having a substantially frustoconical annular neck portion sized to tightly fit into the air tube bore in sealing contact with the inner surface of the tube, a face plate portion projecting radially outwardly from one end of the neck portion and defining a flat circular face perpendicular and concentric to the neck portion axis, and an outer annular flange portion integrally extending in the same direction as the neck portion from the face plate portion spaced outwardly in coaxial relation to the neck portion to receive said sleeve in surrounding relation theReon, said face plate portion having coupling formations including a pair of circumferentially spaced bayonet slots and a pair of male bayonet protrusions interspersed between the slots having enlarged head portions spaced from the face; and companion connector structure for said companion air passage sections to be mated with the first connector defining an abutment face to sealingly engage the first connector face with the air passages of the companion sections and said bore in alignment and having means to interfit with said coupling formations for releasably coupling the first connector to either of the companion sections responsive to relative rotation of the first connector about the axis of the bore.

Claim 3

A quick connection system as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer flange portion of said first connector has a pair of axially spaced, outwardly projecting circular bead formations on the exterior surface thereof defining an outwardly facing trough to be encircled by said outer cover member of the air tube, and a fastening band for surrounding the cover member to retain the same in said trough for opposing withdrawal of the air tube from assembled relation to the first connector.

Claim 4

A quick connection system as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said companion sections is a larger diameter cylindrical conduit having a lateral outlet opening therein for passage of conditioned air into the air tube, the companion connector structure for said conduit comprising a second annular connector having a centrally bored integral neck insertable through the outlet opening in said conduit and a face plate portion projecting radially outwardly from one end of the neck and including a flanged perimeter shaped to sealingly abut against the cylindrical exterior surface of the conduit, encircling the outlet opening, the face plate portion of said second connector defining a flat circular face to sealingly abut the flat face of said first connector and having circumferentially spaced bayonet slots and male bayonet protrusions for mating with the protrusions and slots respectively of the first connector, and said second connector having fasteners slidably and tiltably supported thereon and including shoulder formations movable through the bore of said neck and said outlet opening upon sliding and tilting of the fasteners to dispose the shoulder formations inwardly against wall portions of the conduit bounding the outlet opening therein to secure the second connector thereon.

Claim 5

A quick connection system as defined in claim 2, wherein one of said companion sections is a larger diameter cylindrical conduit having a lateral outlet opening therein for passage of conditioned air into the air tube, the companion connector structure for said conduit comprising a second a annular connector having a centrally bored integral neck insertable through the outlet opening in said conduit and a face plate portion projecting radially outwardly from one end of the neck and including a flanged perimeter shaped to sealingly abut against the cylindrical exterior surface of the conduit, encircling the outlet opening, the face plate portion of said second connector defining a flat circular face to sealingly abut the flat face of said first connector and having circumferentially spaced bayonet slots and male bayonet protrusions for mating with the protrusions and slots respectively of the first connector, and said second connector having fasteners slidably and tiltably supported thereon and including shoulder formations movable through the bore of said neck and said outlet opening upon sliding and tilting of the fasteners to dispose the shoulder formations inwardly against wall portions of the conduit bounding the outlet opening therein to secure the second connector thereon.

Claim 6

A quick connection system as defined in claim 3, wherein said fasteners each comprise a spring clip having a central leg with a trunnion formation on one end of the leg and an enlarged foot at the other end defining said shoulder Formation and extending substantially perpendicular to the leg; the second connector having a slot for each fastener in the neck and face plate portions thereof accommodating sliding movement of the trunnion formation parallel to the axis of the neck and arcuate movement of the fastener about an axis perpendicular to and spaced from the neck axis.

Claim 7

A quick connection system as defined in claim 4, wherein said fasteners each comprise a spring clip having a central leg with a trunnion formation on one end of the leg and an enlarged foot at the other end defining said shoulder formation and extending substantially perpendicular to the leg, the second connector having a slot for each fastener in the neck and face plate portions thereof accommodating sliding movement of the trunnion formation parallel to the axis of the neck and arcuate movement of the fastener about an axis perpendicular to and spaced from the neck axis.

Claim 8

A quick connection system as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said companion air passage sections is a discharge orifice member to be fixed to a bounding surface of the room, the orifice member being formed of an integral molded body and comprising an annular face plate portion having a rear surface portion adjacent the outer perimeter to abut the bounding surface of the room and a central, outwardly flaring circular bore defining a smooth unencumbered and unobstructed orifice for discharge of the conditioned air therethrough as a concentrated undiffused stream projecting into the room, the face plate portion of the orifice member having rearwardly facing annular surface portions outwardly surrounding said bore therein for engagement by the face of said first connector and a pair of male bayonet protrusions projecting rearwardly and located for interfitting in mating relation in the slots of said first connector to draw said face into sealing abutment with said annular surface portions responsive to relative rotation of the first connector about the axis of said orifice.

Claim 9

A quick connection system as defined in claim 3, wherein one of said companion air passage sections is a discharge orifice member to be fixed to a bounding surface of the room, the orifice member being formed of an integral molded body and comprising an annular face plate portion having a rear surface portion adjacent the outer perimeter to abut the bounding surface of the room and a central, outwardly flaring circular bore defining a smooth unencumbered and unobstructed orifice for discharge of the conditioned air therethrough as a concentrated undiffused stream projecting into the room, the face plate portion of the orifice member having rearwardly facing annular surface portions outwardly surrounding said bore therein for engagement by the face of said first connector and a pair of male bayonet protrusions projecting rearwardly and located for interfitting in mating relation in the slots of said first connector to draw said face into sealing abutment with said annular surface portions responsive to relative rotation of the first connector about the axis of said orifice. 9 A quick connection system for interconnecting an air tube to a larger diameter cylindrical conduit having a lateral outlet opening therein for passage of conditioned air from the conduit into the air tube comprising an annular connector device comprising a centrally bored neck insertable through the outlet opening in said conduit, a face plate portion integrally joining said neck and projecting radially outwardly therefrom and an annular flange of shorter axial length than the neck projecting integrally from the face plate portion in outwardly coaxial enshrouding relation to said neck and having a free edge shaped to conform to and sealingly abut the cylindrical exterior surface portion of the conduit encircling the outlet opening, the face plate portion of the connector device defining a flat circular face to sealingly abut a corresponding flat face of connector means on said air tube and having circumfErentially spaced bayonet slots and male bayonet protrusions for mating with like formations on said connector means, and a pair of fasteners slidably and tiltably supported thereon and including shoulder formations movable through the bore of said neck and said outlet opening upon sliding and tilting of the fasteners to dispose the shoulder formations inwardly against wall portions of the conduit bounding the outlet opening therein to secure the connector device thereon.

Claim 10

A quick connection system as defined in claim 9 wherein said fasteners each have a transversely enlarged head at one end and a transversely enlarged foot at the other end defining a shoulder approximately the diameter of the bore of said neck, diametrically adjoining neck and face plate portions of the connector device having slot means therein for receiving said head and accommodating sliding movement of the fastener heads along axes paralleling the bore axis and concurrent tilting movement about axes paralleling a normal to said bore axis to pass the enlarged feet through said bore into inwardly lapping abutment with wall portions of said conduit to secure the connector device thereon.