REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation-In-Part of Serial Number 439,992, filed November 8, 1982, and entitled "Anti- Vibration High-Pressure, Quick-Disconnect Coupling."

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to couplings and, more par¬ ticularly, to readily detachable couplings suitable for usage in both high and low pressure environments. The coupling is intended for use with hydraulic and other fluid lines which may be under pressure when one end is charged, when both ends are charged and/or when neither end is charged. The*present invention seems to satisfy certain long felt needs, including safety needs, in the coupling area, which have not been met by prior art.

The prior art as best known to the inventor, is believed to appear primarily in U. S. Class No. 137, Subclasses 614.04 and 630.22, and is characterized by such patents as U.S.P.N. 1,580,618 to Lovequist; U.S.P.N. 2,518,299 to Fernandez; U.S.P.N. 2,931,668 to Baley; U.S.P.N. 3,217,747 to Voisine; U.S.P.N. 3,174,508 to Zahuranec; U.S.P.N. 3,520,331 to Locke; and U.S.P.N. 3,918,492 to Karcher.

The art, reflected in the above, does not disclose a quick-disconnect coupling suitable for use in the many high and low pressure environments in which vibration is also pre¬ sent. Such prior art designs as do exist have not been suit¬ able for use in both high and low pressure applications where the fluid flowing through the coupling is or may be exposed to extreme vibration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a quick-disconnect coupling having an elongate male element characterized by a longitudinal axial bore having first and second regions separ¬ ated by an orifice, and also having an annular third region surrounding the first region. Also included in the coupling design is an elongate female element having a longitudinal bore including first, second and third regions, separated res¬ pectively by orifices, in which the external surface of a ma¬ ting end of said female element constitutes locking means to the interior of said annular third region of the longitudinal bore of said male element, such locking means thereby provid¬ ing means for quick-fitably securing said male and female ele¬ ments into mating position. Also included in the present design is a pair of normally closed inner-spring biased valves disposed at a common axial communication between the mating ends of the respective male and female elements, said inner valves acting to define a fluid flow condition at said axial communication, responsive to pre-selected fluid pressure

conditions associated with either venting and/or normal fluid flow through the instant coupling. Further provided in the present design are a pair of outer-spring biased valves dis¬ posed at the outer orifices in the male and female elements, respectively, and axially opposite in location to said axial communication of said male and female elements where the outer valves act to find a fluid flow condition at said outer ori¬ fices only after venting of the inner valves has been completed. Accordingly, a normal fluid flow condition through the entire axial length of said male and female elements will occur only after both pairs of normally closed valves have become actua¬ ted into an open condition.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick-disconnect coupling suitable for use in high vibration, high and low pressure applications.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling particularly suited for use in association with machinery and other apparatus subject to continuous high and strong vibration.

It is a further object to provide a detachable coupling of the self-sealing type suitable for use in conveying compressed gases of the light gravity type, whether in liquid or vapor form, such as helium or oxygen.

It is a still further object to provide a coupling of the above type that will provide enhanced safety features as against the prior art.

It is a still further object to provide a coupling which may, even while under high pressure, be coupled and uncoupled

with the use of one hand -- totally eliminating the use of a wrench.

The above, other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in con¬ junction with the accompanying drawings and claims, in which similar reference numerals relate to similar parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an elevational sectional view of the present coupling showing the respective male and female elements there¬ of completely disconnected.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 1, however, showing the position of the coupling and its consti¬ tuent elements during engagement of the inner valves but prior to actuation of the outer valves.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, however, showing the constituent elements thereof in the position which they assume after the coupling is fully connected and both inner and outer valves are fully actuated in order to permit normal fluid flow throughout.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view showing more fully the inner and outer valves and their associated spring elements, housings and 0-ring structures.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the exploded view of Fig. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to Fig. 1, those reference numerals below 100 are implied with relationship to the male (or right) side of the present coupling, while those reference numerals of 100 and above are implied with reference to the female (or left) side of the coupling. As will be apparent, a male and female component having a substantially identical structure or func¬ tion are both denoted by the same first digit, e.g., male ele¬ ment 39 would correspond to female element 139; male element 23 would correspond to female element 123, and so forth.

With reference first to the elongate male element, there is provided a longitudinal axial bore which comprises a -first axial region 20 and a second axial region 30, these regions being separated by outer orifice 39. Also occurring within the male element is an annular third region 22 which substan¬ tially surrounds said second region 30. Defining the outer circumference of said annular third region 22 is a threaded interior surface 40 of elongated nut means 48. It is seen that elongated nut means 48 serves as a housing by which both inner spring valve 21 and outer spring valve 49 may be protected. It is noted that both inner valve 21 and outer valve 49 are biased into normally closed positions, this being position shown in Fig. 1 prior to connection of the elements. The structure of the inner and outer valve assemblies is shown more extensively in Fig. 4 in which, proceeding from right to left of said figure, is shown said outer valve 49, outer 0-ring 52, said outer ori¬ fice 39 (which permits communication between first region 20

and second region 30), outer valve housing 55, outer valve stem 23, outer valve spring 94, and spring valve locking pin 47.

Proceeding to the male inner valve assembly, shown in Fig. 4, are inner valve stem 92, male inner valve 21, male communication stem 93, inner male 0-ring 33, and inner valve assembly 32.

At the center of Fig. 4 is shown axial communication ma¬ ting orifice 70.

Continuing to the female side of the assembly, in Fig. 4, there is shown a female axial communication stem 193, a female inner valve 121, female inner valve stem 192, female inner housing 132, and female inner valve 0-ring 133.

Finally, at the far left of Fig. 4, is shown outer valve 149, outer valve stem 123, outer valve spring 194, outer valve spring locking pin 147, female outer valve housing 155 and female outer 0-ring 152. Also shown is the female outer ori¬ fice (of which there are actually two) connecting female first region 120 with female second region 130.

Returning again to Fig. 1, additional illustrated ele¬ ments are female third region 135 and its associated exterior threadings 140, first secondary 0-ring 175 which is circumfer- entially disposed within third female region 135, secondary 0-ring 176 which is also circumferentially disposed within the interior of third female region 135, and sealing 0-ring 177 (better shown in Fig. 3) which serves a sealing and vibration absorption function when the male and female elements are fully

connected and fluid flow has been initiated.

With reference now to Figs. 2 and 3, it is seen that the complementary threading and grooving, 140 and 40 respectively, comprise locking means by which the male and female elements may be inter-engaged to a point which will create contact bet¬ ween communications stems, 93 and 193 respectively, thereby closing axial communication mating area 70. As noted above, both inner and outer valves are normally closed and, accor¬ dingly, can only open when subjected to sufficient pressure along the axis thereof.

In the present design, an important safety feature is accomplished by virture of the fact that, as shown in Fig. 2, the inner valves 21 and 121 open prior to the opening of the outer valves 49 and 149. This mode is termed venting and permits equalization of pressure to develop between the male and female sides of the coupling before actual usage thereof begins. This is an extremely important feature in that were fluid flow to initiate through a valve that had not been fully vented (achieved equal pressure throughout the regions thereof) the result could be an initially erratic flow characteristic, which could present danger to the user.

It is to be noted that by virture of the essentially sym¬ metric design of the present invention, the same is completely reversible and, thereby, the coupling can be used in either direction and concern need not be had on the part of the user regarding which end of the assembly is to be the output and/or which the input.

It is to be additionally noted that the male and female elements are provided with fluid flow grooves 72 and 172 res¬ pectively, into which the outer valves 49 and 149 can easily move. The beginnings of the fluid flow grooves 72 and 172 are defined by the presence of locking rings 51 and 151, which prevent the outer valve assemblies, when closed, from "float¬ ing" into said fluid flow grooves.

In Fig. 3 is shown the full engagement of the thread structure 40 and 140. As a result of this maximum engagement, that is, maximum threading of the complementary threads and grooves 40 and 140, the inner valve stems 92 and 192 will coact with the outer valve stems 23 and 123 in order to urge the springs 94 and 194 -- and therefore the outer valves 49 and 149 -- into an open position. As noted, this fully open position (both inner and outer valves) can be achieved only when a user of the present coupling has engaged the thread structure 40 and 140 to its fullest possible extent. The user is thus forced to make himself aware of when the coupling is in normal, full-force flow condition and, therefore, the possi¬ bility of accidental fluid flow through the entire coupling is considerably diminished.

In high pressure environments, the outer valves 49 and 149 compress against their respective 0-rings 52 and 152, the inner valves 21 and 121 compress against their respective 0-rings 33 and 133, and the entire radial wall 60 of the male member compresses into the sealing 0-ring 177. In such

environments, secondary 0-rings 175 and 176 are also of con¬ siderable importance.

In low pressure environments, the outer valves 49 and 149 make use of their respective 0-rings 52 and 152, in that there exists - via the aide of the springs 94 and 194 - sufficient pressure to create full engagement.

Note that in low pressure applications, the 0-rings 52 and 152 seal against the inner tapered radius of outer valve housings 55 and 155; while in high pressure applications, said 0-rings are forced against the outer tapered radius of outer valve housings 55 and 155, and the rear parts of the actual valves 49 and 149 (rather than said 0-rings) seat against the tapered radius of outer valve housings 55 and 155. This is of critical importance because the 0-rings 52 and 152 cannot distort or extrude in either direction.

Likewise, the inner valves 21 and 121 seat against the inner tapered walls of the inner valve assemblies 32 and 132 to protect the inner 0-rings 33 and 133 from distortion and extrusion.

The instant coupling, due to the arrangement of the seat¬ ing of the 0-rings within the valve housings, can withstand severe shock -- thereby eliminating one of the deficiencies of prior art coupling devices.

It is also to be appreciated that the 0-rings embodied in the present invention serve to insulate it from the effects of high vibration, which has previously been a problem area in high pressure applications.

It is to be further appreciated that the present inven¬ tion can, while under pressure, be coupled and uncoupled with no danger of leakage into the environment; moreover, such coupling and uncoupling can be accomplished with the use (strength) of one hand, thereby eliminating the need for a wrench.

Ease of manufacture of the present design is accomplished by virture of the modularized valving and spring biasing struc¬ ture, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

While there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that within such embodiment certain changes in the detail, construction, form and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.