US5074601A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Quick-release connector for flexible hoses and the like
Assignee: Norma Germany GmbH
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Filing: 1990-10-02
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Granted: 1991-12-24
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Expires: 2010-10-02
Abstract
Abstract A quick-release connector wherein a tubular male component has a rear portion insertable into the end portion of a first conduit and a front portion insertable into the resilient front part of a tubular female component. The male component has an annular protuberance between the front and rear portions and the protuberance has a conical front flank and a radial rear flank. The rear part of the female component is insertable into the end portion of a second conduit and the front part has two arms with internal male detents within a ring which connects the front ends of the arms to each other. In order to insert the front portion of the male component, the conical flank of the protuberance is caused to move the detents apart until the detents snap behind the radial flank of the protuberance. An annular disengaging member has two parallel walls which are inwardly adjacent the arms behind the detents and have ramps which can be moved against the arms to thus move the detents apart and permit extraction of the protuberance and front portion of the male component from the female component. The disengaging member is more or less permanently connected with the female component and is movable transversely of the female component between a first end position in which the ramps deform the arms and a second end position in which the detents are free to engage the radial flank of the protuberance.
Inventors
- 👤 Ralf Spors
- 👤 Gerhard Wachter
- 👤 Ralf Hohmann
- 👤 Frank Bahner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 23:27
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L37/00; F16L37/08; F16L37/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S285/00; Y10S285/921
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
320 words
A quick-release connector for a pair of conduits, comprising a tubular male component having a rear portion connectable with one of the conduits, a front portion and a protuberance between said portions, said protuberance having a conical front flank sloping inwardly toward said front portion and a substantially radial flank confronting said rear portion; an elongated tubular female component having a rear part connectable with the other of the conduits and a resilient front part arranged to receive the front portion of said male component, said front part comprising a ring and a pair of arms disposed substantially diametrically opposite each other and extending longitudinally of said female component between said ring and said rear part, said front part further comprising an internal male detent for each of said arms, each of said detents being aligned with the respective arm and having a conical cam face sloping outwardly away from said rear part, said male detents being displaceable by said conical flank during insertion of said front portion into said front part and each detent further having a substantially radial shoulder confronting said rear part and abutting said radial flank upon completed insertion of said front portion; and means being irremovably attached to said front part at least upon said completed insertion for disengaging said detents from said protuberance to permit extraction of said front portion from said front part, said disengaging means having two spaced apart walls each of which is inwardly adjacent one of said arms and each of which is movable transversely of said front part between first and second positions, said walls having ramps which engage and spread said arms apart in response to movement of said walls toward said first positions to thereby disengage said detents from said protuberance, said ramps permitting said arms to move their detents toward each other due to resiliency of said front part in the second positions of said walls.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
320 words
A quick-release connector for a pair of conduits, comprising a tubular male component having a rear portion connectable with one of the conduits, a front portion and a protuberance between said portions, said protuberance having a conical front flank sloping inwardly toward said front portion and a substantially radial flank confronting said rear portion; an elongated tubular female component having a rear part connectable with the other of the conduits and a resilient front part arranged to receive the front portion of said male component, said front part comprising a ring and a pair of arms disposed substantially diametrically opposite each other and extending longitudinally of said female component between said ring and said rear part, said front part further comprising an internal male detent for each of said arms, each of said detents being aligned with the respective arm and having a conical cam face sloping outwardly away from said rear part, said male detents being displaceable by said conical flank during insertion of said front portion into said front part and each detent further having a substantially radial shoulder confronting said rear part and abutting said radial flank upon completed insertion of said front portion; and means being irremovably attached to said front part at least upon said completed insertion for disengaging said detents from said protuberance to permit extraction of said front portion from said front part, said disengaging means having two spaced apart walls each of which is inwardly adjacent one of said arms and each of which is movable transversely of said front part between first and second positions, said walls having ramps which engage and spread said arms apart in response to movement of said walls toward said first positions to thereby disengage said detents from said protuberance, said ramps permitting said arms to move their detents toward each other due to resiliency of said front part in the second positions of said walls.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of said walls has a stop which abuts the respective arm in the second positions of said walls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The connector of claim 1, wherein said disengaging means is an annular member which further comprises two webs alternating with said walls, one of said webs abutting said protuberance in said first positions of said walls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The connector of claim 1, wherein said ring has an inner diameter and said protuberance has an outer diameter smaller than said inner diameter, said detents being spaced apart from each other a distance which is less than said outer diameter when said front portion is extracted from said front part.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The connector of claim 1, further comprising at least one elastically deformable annular sealing element arranged to surround said front portion within said front part in inserted position of said front portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The connector of claim 1, wherein said arms have internal surfaces adjacent the respective detents and transversely extending recesses provided in said internal surfaces for the respective walls.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The connector of claim 1, wherein said arms abut the respective ramps in said first positions of said walls.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The connector of claim 7, wherein said ramps have a slope such that said arms automatically maintain said walls in said second positions due to resiliency of said front part unless said walls are forcibly held in said first positions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The connector of claim 1, wherein said walls further comprise platforms adjacent the respective ramps and engaging the respective arms in the first positions of said walls to prevent said arms from moving said walls toward said second positions due to resiliency of said front part.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The connector of claim 9, wherein said platforms have parallel outer surfaces which engage the respective arms in the first positions of said walls.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-12-23 | 1995-06-24 | 1995-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-12-23 | 1999-06-24 | 1999-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-12-23 | 2003-06-24 | 2003-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |