Female coupler for a fluid circuit

Claim 1

A female coupler for engagement with a male coupler having a check valve, said female coupler comprising: (a) a housing having a bore open at at least one end and a passage communicating with the bore at a location spaced from the open end; (b) a receptacle slidably positioned within the housing bore and having an engagement bore open to the open end of the housing bore for receiving a male coupler, a main bore spaced from the engagement bore, a passageway joining the engagement and main bores, an inlet port providing communication between the main bore and housing passage, and an outlet providing communication between the main bore and housing bore; (c) a piston having a rod extending from one side thereof slidably positioned within said main bore and dividing said main bore into a first chamber into which the rod extends and with which the inlet port and passageway communicates and a second chamber with which the outlet port communicates, said piston and rod having an additional bore extending therethrough from one chamber to the other; (d) a first poppet valve having a guidance portion slidable in said additional bore, a head portion in the first chamber for movement between positions opening and closing the passageway, and a projection extending from the head portion through the passageway; (e) a stop within the main bore between the piston and passageway; (f) a spring acting between the stop and first poppet valve urging the first poppet to a position closing the passageway; (g) a second poppet valve movable between open and closed positions for controlling flow through the outlet port; and (h) a flow check prevention valve positioned within said additional bore for controlling fluid flow through said additional bore by permitting fluid flow therethrough in one direction at a lower pressure than it permits fluid flow in the opposite direction.