Connector assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11326728-B2
Application number	US-202117154423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2021
Priority date	Jan 22, 2020
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A connector assembly includes a male connector and a female connector. The male connector comprises a male connector housing, a male connector valve core, and a male connector push rod. The female connector comprises a female connector housing, a female connector valve core, and a female connector push rod. The male connector valve core has a closed position, the female connector valve core has a closed position, and the male connector is capable of being at least partially inserted into the female connector. When the male connector is inserted to a proper place in the female connector, the male connector push rod pushes the female connector valve core away from the closed position, and the female connector push rod pushes the male connector valve core away from the closed position, so that the male connector fluidly communicates with the female connector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connector assembly, comprising:
a male connector including a male connector housing, a male connector valve core, and a male connector push rod, the male connector housing is internally provided with a male connector fluid passage and comprises an insertion end, the male connector valve core is movably disposed in the male connector fluid passage, and the male connector push rod is connected to the male connector housing; and
a female connector including a female connector housing, a female connector valve core, and a female connector push rod, the female connector housing is internally provided with a female connector fluid passage and comprises a receiving end, the female connector valve core is movably disposed in the female connector fluid passage, and the female connector push rod is connected to the female connector housing and comprises a groove that is configured to at least partially receive a pin portion of the female connector valve core,
wherein the insertion end of the male connector is capable of being inserted into the receiving end of the female connector, the male connector push rod is capable of being inserted into the female connector housing from the receiving end of the female connector to push the female connector valve core, and the female connector push rod is capable of being inserted into the male connector housing from the insertion end of the male connector to push the male connector valve core.

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the male connector push rod extends out of the insertion end of the male connector, and the female connector push rod is at least partially accommodated in the female connector housing.

3. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the male connector valve core has a closed position; when the male connector valve core is in the closed position, the male connector fluid passage is closed, and when the male connector valve core leaves the closed position, the male connector fluid passage is opened;
the female connector valve core has a closed position; when the female connector valve core is in the closed position, the female connector fluid passage is closed, and when the female connector valve core leaves the closed position, the female connector fluid passage is opened; and
when the insertion end of the male connector is inserted to a proper position in the receiving end of the female connector, the male connector push rod pushes the female connector valve core away from the closed position, so as to open the female connector fluid passage, and the female connector push rod pushes the male connector valve core away from the closed position, so as to open the male connector fluid passage, so that the male connector fluidly communicates with the female connector.

4. The connector assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the male connector further comprises a male connector elastic device, the male connector elastic device is disposed between the male connector valve core and the male connector housing, and the male connector elastic device is configured to provide an elastic force to the male connector valve core such that the male connector valve core is capable of reaching the closed position; and
the female connector further comprises a female connector elastic device, the female connector elastic device is disposed between the female connector valve core and the female connector housing, and the female connector elastic device is configured to provide an elastic force to the female connector valve core such that the female connector valve core is capable of reaching the closed position.

5. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the male connector valve core has a slope surface for sealing, and an inner wall of the male connector housing is provided with a slope surface for engaging that engages with the slope surface for sealing; and
the female connector valve core has a slope surface for sealing, and an inner wall of the female connector housing is provided with a slope surface for engaging that engages with the slope surface for sealing.

6. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the male connector push rod and the male connector housing are integrally formed, and the female connector push rod and the female connector housing are integrally formed.

7. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the male connector push rod comprises a first supporting portion and a first rod portion, the first supporting portion is connected to an inner wall of the male connector housing, and the first rod portion extends from the first supporting portion in an axial direction of the male connector; and
the female connector push rod comprises a second supporting portion and a second rod portion, the second supporting portion is connected to an inner wall of the female connector housing, and the second rod portion extends from the second supporting portion in an axial direction of the female connector;
wherein the first rod portion and the second rod portion are arranged in a staggered manner in a radial direction of the connector assembly.

8. The connector assembly according to claim 7 , wherein
the first supporting portion has a male connector hole, and the male connector hole is configured to allow the female connector push rod to pass through; and
the female connector has a female connector hole penetrating the second supporting portion in the axial direction, and the female connector hole is configured to allow the male connector push rod to pass through.

9. The connector assembly according to claim 8 , wherein
the male connector push rod comprises at least two first rod portions, and the at least two first rod portions are uniformly distributed around the male connector hole.

10. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the male connector valve core comprises a recessed portion formed by recessing inward from a surface at a distal end of the male connector valve core, and the recessed portion is configured to match a shape of a distal end of the female connector push rod, so as to be capable of accommodating the distal end of the female connector push rod.

11. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the pin portion is movable in the groove.

12. A connector assembly, comprising:
a male connector including a male connector housing, a male connector valve core, and a male connector push rod, the male connector housing is internally provided with a male connector fluid passage and comprises an insertion end, the male connector valve core is movably disposed in the male connector fluid passage, and the male connector push rod is integrally formed with the male connector housing; and
a female connector including a female connector housing, a female connector valve core, and a female connector push rod integrally formed with the female connector housing, the female connector housing is internally provided with a female connector fluid passage and comprises a receiving end, the female connector valve core is movably disposed in the female connector fluid passage, and the female connector push rod is integrally formed with the female connector housing,
wherein the insertion end of the male connector is capable of being inserted into the receiving end of the female connector, the male connector push rod is capable of being inserted into the female connector housing from the receiving end of the female connector to push the female connector valve core, and the female connector push rod is capable of being inserted into the male connector housing from the insertion end of the male connector to pus

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Ma Yue
• Shi Jielei
• Zheng Ziteng

Classifications

• F16L37/32 Primary

  at least one of two lift valves being opened automatically when the coupling is applied · CPC title

• F16L29/04

  with a cut-off device in each of the two pipe ends, the cut-off devices being automatically opened when the coupling is applied · CPC title

• F16L37/36

  with two lift valves being actuated to initiate the flow through the coupling after the two coupling parts are locked against withdrawal · CPC title

• F16L37/22

  in which the connection is maintained by means of balls, rollers or helical springs under radial pressure between the parts · CPC title

• F16L37/252

  the male part having lugs on its periphery penetrating into the corresponding slots provided in the female part · CPC title