Connectors incorporating retainers and stopper mechanisms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8925974-B2
Application number	US-51861707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2007
Priority date	Dec 27, 2006
Publication date	Jan 6, 2015
Grant date	Jan 6, 2015

Abstract

A connector has a pivot shaft extending axially between a pair of flanges of a connector body. The retainer includes a bearing portion at one end, with an expandable insertion slot engageable with the pivot shaft such that the retainer pivots about the pivot shaft. The retainer has a temporary engagement position where a pipe can be inserted and removed and a regular engagement position where a bulge portion of the pipe is engaged preventing the pipe from being removed. A stopper claw formed on an opening edge of the insertion slot contacts with a contact surface, preventing the connector body from pivoting beyond the temporary engagement position. This prevents a condition where the retainer further pivots past the temporary engagement position which can cause the insertion slot to expand and the retainer separating from the pivot shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connector comprising:
a connector body including a fluid pathway formed therein to extend therethrough, one end having an insertion opening that opens to allow insertion of a pipe having a bulge portion formed to protrude therefrom, and the other end to which a tube can be connected;
a pivot shaft formed on the connector body, the pivot shaft defining a pivot axis; and
a retainer having a bearing portion with an insertion slot capable of fitting…

Assignees

• Nagaya Takanori
• Tozaki Kenji
• Narita Morio
• Togo Seisakusho Kk
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nagaya Takanori
• Tozaki Kenji
• Narita Morio

Classifications

• F16L37/144 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F16L37/08 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic