Rapid-connect coupler and receptacle having anti-rotation feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11460136-B2
Application number	US-202016838251-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2020
Priority date	Apr 5, 2019
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

A rapid connect coupler for connecting a fluid holding tank to a receptacle in a non-rotatable manner can include a housing, a probe configured to translate in a longitudinal direction within the housing, and a handle assembly configured to cause the probe to translate within the housing. The handle assembly can be movable between a plurality of positions corresponding to decoupled, coupled and venting positions. The coupler can also include a slidable sleeve coupled to an outer surface of the probe and configured to translate with the probe in the longitudinal direction, the sleeve including a collar configured to engage the receptacle in the coupled and uncoupled positions to prevent rotation of the coupler with respect to the receptacle when the two components are engaged to one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coupler for connecting a tank to a receptacle including an adapter having a plurality of bearings, the coupler comprising:
a housing;
a probe configured to translate in a longitudinal direction within the housing;
a handle assembly configured to cause the probe to translate within the housing, wherein the handle assembly is movable between a first position corresponding to a decoupled position where the tank is capable of being disconnected from the receptacle, a second position corresponding to a coupled position where the tank is capable of being connected to the receptacle, and a third position corresponding to a venting position where the tank is capable of being connected to the receptacle and venting of fluid is enabled; and
a slidable sleeve coupled to an outer surface of the probe and configured to translate with the probe in the longitudinal direction, the sleeve including a collar configured to engage the receptacle in the coupled position and the venting position in a manner such that the collar is prevented from rotating relative to the receptacle in both the coupled position and the venting position;
wherein the collar comprises a plurality of channels positioned radially around the collar for engaging the adapter, and each channel being configured to receive any one of the plurality of bearings included on the adapter.

2. The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels extend axially along an outer surface of the collar to prevent the collar from rotating relative to the receptacle in both the coupled position and the venting position.

3. The coupler of claim 1 , wherein each channel is configured to prevent one of the plurality of bearings coupled thereto from sliding out from a back end of the channel.

4. The coupler of claim 1 , wherein each channel is formed by two walls configured to form a close fit around one of the plurality of bearings coupled thereto.

5. The coupler of claim 1 , further comprising a stop assembly configured to selectively arrest the translation of the probe in a first translation direction when the handle assembly is moved from the second position to the third position.

6. The coupler of claim 5 , wherein the stop assembly is configured to arrest the translation of the probe by providing a hard stop for the probe in the first translation direction.

7. The coupler of claim 6 , wherein the stop assembly is configured to enable translation of the probe in a second probe translation direction, opposite the first translation direction, when the hard stop is provided.

8. The coupler of claim 5 , wherein the stop assembly comprises a pawl configured to occupy both an active position and an inactive position, wherein the active position arrests the translation of the probe.

9. The coupler of claim 8 , wherein the stop assembly comprises a catch fixed to the housing and configured to hold the pawl in the inactive position, a lever configured to engage the pawl, and a spring fixed to both the housing and the lever and configured to bias the pawl to the active position via the lever.

10. The coupler of claim 9 , wherein the stop assembly comprises a cam configured to disengage the pawl from the catch and cause the pawl to occupy the active position.

11. The coupler of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly includes one or more handles rotatably coupled to the housing and operatively coupled to the probe.

12. The coupler of claim 1 , further comprising a poppet and a valve seat located inside of the probe, the poppet configured to translate with respect to the probe.

13. A coupler for connecting a tank to a receptacle, comprising:
a housing;
a probe configured to translate in a longitudinal direction within the housing;
a handle assembly configured to cause the probe to translate within the housing, wherein the handle assembly is movable between a first position corresponding to a decoupled position where the tank is capable of being disconnected from the receptacle, a second position corresponding to a coupled position where the tank is capable of being connected to the receptacle, and a third position corresponding to a venting position where the tank is capable of being connected to the receptacle and venting of fluid is enabled; and
a slidable sleeve coupled to an outer surface of the probe and configured to translate with the probe in the longitudinal direction, the sleeve including a collar configured to engage the receptacle in the coupled position and the venting position in a manner such that the collar is prevented from rotating relative to the receptacle in both the coupled position and the venting position; and
a plurality of radially translatable retaining objects configured to bind the coupler to the receptacle.

14. The coupler of claim 13 , wherein the slidable sleeve is configured to cause radial translation of the retaining objects.

15. The coupler of claim 14 , further comprising a ball cage, wherein the plurality of radially translatable retaining objects include a plurality of balls disposed in the ball cage.

16. A coupler for connecting a tank to a receptacle having a plurality of bearings, the coupler comprising:
a housing;
a probe configured to translate in a longitudinal direction within the housing;
a handle operatively coupled to the probe to translate the probe within the housing, wherein the handle is movable between a decoupled position that corresponds with the tank being disconnected from the receptacle, a coupled position that corresponds with the tank being connected to the receptacle, and a venting position that corresponds with fluid being enabled to vent when the tank is connected to the receptacle; and
a slidable sleeve coupled to and configured to translate with the probe, wherein the sleeve includes a collar configured to engage and prevent rotation relative to the receptacle in the coupled position and the venting position;
wherein an outer surface of the collar defines channels that are positioned radially around the collar, wherein each of the channels is configured to receive one of the plurality of bearings to couple the collar to the receptacle, and wherein the channels extend axially along the outer surface of the collar to prevent rotation of the collar relative to the receptacle when coupled together.

17. The coupler of claim 16 , wherein the channels that extend axially along the outer surface of the collar are equidistantly spaced apart from each along the outer surface of the collar.

18. The coupler of claim 16 , wherein the collar includes a back wall adjacent the channels to prevent the plurality of bearings from sliding through and beyond the channels.

Assignees

• Engineered Controls Int Llc

Inventors

• Tickle Tracy N
• Howard Jeffrey S
• Thomas Chad

Classifications

• F17C2260/032

  Avoiding freezing or defrosting · CPC title

• F16L55/07

  Arrangement or mounting of devices, e.g. valves, for venting or aerating or draining (apparatus for draining F16T) · CPC title

• F16L37/36 Primary

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

• F17C2205/0382

  Constructional details of valves, regulators · CPC title

• F17C2205/037

  Quick connecting means, e.g. couplings · CPC title