Fluid coupler device and interface structure of daughterboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9470848-B2
Application number	US-201314057164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2013
Priority date	Nov 30, 2012
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A receptacle has a backward-movable floating mechanism and includes a receptacle-side slider, a first lock mechanism (first ball) functioning to couple and fix the receptacle to a plug, and a second lock mechanism (second ball, indentation) that prevents the backward movement. The plug includes a plug-side slider and an indentation. When the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the plug-side slider is prevented from moving forward by the first ball and only the housing of the plug moves forward. When connection between male and female members is complete, the first ball fits into the indentation and the plug-side slider moves forward to lock the first ball. The receptacle-side slider is pushed backward by the plug-side slider, the second lock mechanism is unlocked and the housing of the receptacle is moved backward by the floating mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid coupler device comprising a plug receiving one of a male member attached to an end of a pipe and a female member attached to an end of a pipe and a receptacle receiving the other of the male member and the female member for coupling the pipes through which a fluid flows;
wherein the receptacle comprises:
a receptacle-side slider including a floating mechanism capable of moving backward in the direction opposite to a direction in which the plug is to be connected and being pressed by a receptacle-side spring in the direction in which the plug is to be connected;
a first lock mechanism functioning to couple and fix the receptacle to the plug; and
a second lock mechanism functioning to prevent the backward movement of the floating mechanism;
the plug comprises:
a plug-side slider being pressed by a plug-side spring in the direction in which the receptacle is to be connected; and
an indentation in which the first lock mechanism fits, a press force of the plug-side spring being stronger than that of the receptacle-side spring; and
when the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the plug-side slider hits against the first lock mechanism and is prevented from moving forward, the plug-side spring is compressed to move only the plug forward;
when connection between the male member and the female member is complete, the first lock mechanism fits into the indentation and movement of the plug-side slider is no longer prevented, in order to move the plug-side slider forward;
the forward movement of the plug-side slider places the first lock mechanism in a lock state to couple and fix the plug to the receptacle and the plug-side slider pushes the receptacle-side slider to cause the receptacle-side slider to move backward; and
the backward movement of the receptacle-side slider unlocks the second lock mechanism to cause the floating mechanism to move the receptacle backward.

2. The fluid coupler device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first lock mechanism comprises a first ball held by a receptacle sidewall so as to be movable in the direction perpendicular to a direction in which the plug is to be connected; and
when the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the first ball is pushed by a plug sidewall inserted on the inside of the receptacle sidewall so that the first ball protrudes outside the receptacle sidewall and the plug-side slider positioned on the outside of the receptacle sidewall is prevented from moving forward;
when connection between the male member and the female member is complete, the indentation formed in the plug sidewall reaches the location of the first ball and the first ball is pushed by the plug-side slider so that the first ball protrudes on the inside of the receptacle sidewall and fits in the indentation;
the second lock mechanism comprises an indentation provided in the receptacle sidewall and a second ball held by a bracket sidewall positioned on the outside of the receptacle sidewall so as to be movable in the direction perpendicular to a direction in which the plug is to be connected;
the second ball is pushed by the receptacle-side slider positioned on the outside of the bracket sidewall so that the second ball protrudes on the inside of the bracket sidewall and fits into an indentation in the receptacle sidewall to prevent the backward movement of the floating mechanism; and
the backward movement of the receptacle-side slider allows the second ball to move to unlock the second lock mechanism.

3. An interface structure of a daughterboard to be vertically attached to a backboard, comprising:
an optical connector and a plug of a fluid coupler device according to claim 2 ,
wherein locations in which the plug and the optical connector are attached are chosen so that the optical connector is connected after a receptacle of the fluid coupler device is allowed to move backward by unlocking the second lock mechanism, the receptacle being attached to the backboard.

4. The fluid coupler device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first lock mechanism comprises a first tongue lock including a plurality of lock pieces formed by axially dividing a cylinder excluding one end of the cylinder, each of the lock pieces having a protrusion formed at a front end of the lock piece, the protrusions protruding inward; and
when the plug is inserted into the receptacle, a lock shaft on the plug side enters the first tongue lock, the plurality of lock pieces are pushed and opened outward to prevent the plug-side slider positioned on the outside of the lock shaft from moving forward;
when connection between the male member and the female member is complete, the protrusions of the first tongue lock fits into the indentation formed in an outer periphery of the lock shaft;
the second lock mechanism comprises an indentation formed in an outer periphery of a floating shaft and a second tongue lock including a plurality of lock pieces formed by axially dividing a cylinder excluding one end of the cylinder, each of the lock pieces having a protrusion formed at a front end of the lock piece, the protrusions protruding inward;
a protrusion of the second tongue lock fits into the indentation in the floating shaft and the receptacle-side slider overlies the second tongue lock to prevents the backward movement of the floating mechanism; and
the backward movement of the receptacle-side slider allows displacement of the second tongue lock to unlock the second lock mechanism.

5. An interface structure of a daughterboard to be vertically attached to a backboard, comprising:
an optical connector and a plug of a fluid coupler device according to claim 4 ,
wherein locations in which the plug and the optical connector are attached are chosen so that the optical connector is connected after a receptacle of the fluid coupler device is allowed to move backward by unlocking the second lock mechanism, the receptacle being attached to the backboard.

6. An interface structure of a daughterboard to be vertically attached to a backboard, comprising:
an optical connector and a plug of a fluid coupler device according to claim 1 ,
wherein locations in which the plug and the optical connector are attached are chosen so that the optical connector is connected after a receptacle of the fluid coupler device is allowed to move backward by unlocking the second lock mechanism, the receptacle being attached to the backboard.

Assignees

• Japan Aviation Electronics Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Imaki Osamu
• Shimazu Hideto

Classifications

• F16L37/56

  for double-walled or multi-channel pipes {or pipe assemblies} · CPC title

• G02B6/3814 Primary

  with cooling or heat dissipation means · CPC title

• G02B6/4268

  Cooling (of instruments G12B15/00; of electric apparatus H05K7/20; of semiconductor devices H10W76/47) · CPC title