Coupling Assembly with Retaining Clip Member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016102791-A1
Application number	US-201514878464-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 8, 2015
Priority date	Oct 9, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A female coupling device includes: a main body, and a clip member coupled to the main body, the clip member having a plurality of arms extending perpendicularly therefrom, with the plurality of arms forming at least one pair of arms, with the pair of arms including a first distance therebetween and a second distance therebetween, with the first distance being sized to engage a clip groove of a mating male coupling device, and with the second distance being sized to disengage the mating male coupling device. In a locked position, the pair of arms is positioned so that the first distance is adjacent to the mating male coupling device. In an unlocked position, the pair of arms is positioned so that the second distance is adjacent to the mating male coupling device.

First claim

1 . A female coupling device, comprising:
a main body defining a first fluid passageway therethrough; and a clip member coupled to the main body, the clip member defining a clip body and a plurality of arms extending perpendicularly therefrom, with the plurality of arms forming at least one pair of arms, with the pair of arms including a first distance therebetween and a second distance therebetween, with the first distance being sized to engage a clip groove of a mating male coupling device, and with the second distance being sized to disengage the mating male coupling device; wherein, in a locked position, the pair of arms is positioned so that the first distance is adjacent to the mating male coupling device so that the pair of arms is received in the clip groove to couple the mating male coupling device to the female coupling device; and wherein, in an unlocked position, the pair of arms is positioned so that the second distance is adjacent to the mating male coupling device to allow the mating male coupling device to be removed from the female coupling device.

2 . The female coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the female coupling device is coupled to another female coupling device to form a dual coupling assembly.

3 . The female coupling device of claim 1 , wherein each arm in the pair of arms includes a bottom portion extending generally towards an opposite arm in the pair of arms.

4 . The female coupling device of claim 3 , wherein a space is formed between the pair of arms.

5 . The female coupling device of claim 4 , wherein the pair of arms is configured to flex away from one another as the male coupling device is inserted into the female coupling device.

6 . The female coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the main body defines a pair of openings through which the pair of arms of the clip member extends when the clip member is in the unlocked position, and a member positioned between the pair of openings.

7 . A female coupling assembly, comprising:
a main body including a first female coupling device and a second female coupling device, with the first female coupling device defining a first fluid passageway therethrough, and the second female coupling device defining a second fluid passageway therethrough; and a clip member coupled to the main body, the clip member defining a clip body and a plurality of arms extending perpendicularly therefrom, with the plurality of arms forming at least one pair of arms, with the pair of arms including a first distance therebetween and a second distance therebetween, with the first distance being sized to engage a clip groove of a mating male coupling device, and with the second distance being sized to disengage the mating male coupling device; wherein, in a locked position, the pair of arms is positioned so that the first distance is adjacent to the mating male coupling device so that the pair of arms is received in the clip groove to couple the mating male coupling device to the female coupling assembly; and wherein, in an unlocked position, the pair of arms is positioned so that the second distance is adjacent to the mating male coupling device to allow the mating male coupling device to be removed from the female coupling assembly.

8 . The female coupling assembly of claim 7 , wherein each pair of arms includes a bottom portion extending generally towards an opposite arm in each pair of arms.

9 . The female coupling assembly of claim 8 , wherein a space is formed between each pair of arms.

10 . The female coupling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the arms in each pair of arms are configured to flex away from one another as the male coupling device is inserted into the first female coupling device.

11 . The female coupling assembly of claim 7 , wherein the main body defines at least a pair of openings through which the plurality of arms of the clip member extends when the clip member is in the unlocked position, and a member positioned between the pair of openings.

12 . The female coupling assembly of claim 7 , wherein the arms in each pair of arms are configured to flex away from one another as the male coupling device is inserted into the first female coupling device.

13 . The female coupling assembly of claim 7 , wherein each of the first female coupling device and the second female coupling device is valved.

14 . The female coupling assembly of claim 7 , further comprising at least two slots formed by the main body through which each of the arms of each pair of arms extends, with a front surface of the slots being angled to force the pair of arms into the clip groove of the mating male coupling device.

15 . A female coupling assembly, comprising:
a main body including a first female coupling device and a second female coupling device, with the first female coupling device defining a first fluid passageway therethrough, and the second female coupling device defining a second fluid passageway therethrough; and a clip member coupled to the main body, the clip member defining a clip body and a plurality of arms extending perpendicularly therefrom, with the plurality of arms forming at least one pair of arms, with the pair of arms including a first distance therebetween and a second distance therebetween, with the first distance being sized to engage a clip groove of a mating male coupling device, and with the second distance being sized to disengage the mating male coupling device; wherein, in a locked position, the pair of arms is positioned so that the first distance is adjacent to the mating male coupling device so that the pair of arms is received in the clip groove to couple the mating male coupling device to the female coupling assembly; and wherein, in an unlocked position, the pair of arms is positioned so that the second distance is adjacent to the mating male coupling device and the pair of arms is flexed outwardly to allow the mating male coupling device to be removed from the female coupling assembly.

16 . The female coupling assembly of claim 15 , wherein a space is formed between each pair of arms.

17 . The female coupling assembly of claim 16 , wherein the arms in each pair of arms are configured to flex away from one another as the male coupling device is inserted into the female coupling device.

18 . The female coupling assembly of claim 17 , wherein each of the pair of arms forms a notch between which the second distance is defined.

19 . The female coupling assembly of claim 18 , wherein the arms in each pair of arms are configured to flex away from one another as the male coupling device is inserted into the female coupling device.

20 . The female coupling assembly of claim 15 , further comprising openings formed by the main body through which the arms of each pair of arms extend when in the unlocked position.

Assignees

• Colder Prod Co

Inventors

• Johnson Robert Keith
• Wilhelm Grant Armin
• Langer Elizabeth Joy

Classifications

• A61M39/1011

  Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties (A61M39/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L37/08

  in which the connection between abutting or axially overlapping ends is maintained by locking members (F16L37/22 - F16L37/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61M2039/1016

  Unlocking means providing a secure or comfortable disconnection · CPC title

• F16L55/07

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

• F16L21/08 Primary

  with additional locking means (F16L21/06 takes precedence; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00) · CPC title