AU2008307131A1 - Quick hitch coupling - Google Patents

Description

WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 1 QUICK HITCH COUPLING FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention relates to quick hitch couplings for connecting and disconnecting two inter-related components. The invention is particularly concerned with couplings for connecting components of hand held motorised blower and/or suction implements used for cleaning up debris outdoors, and will primarily be described in that context. However it is to be understood that such couplings, with 10 minor modifications, may also be used for connecting a wide range of other items, such as, for instance, attachments for power tools, agricultural implements to tractors, food preparation implements to kitchen mixers and blenders, attachments to pumps and compressors, connectors to heavy electrical equipment, connectors to hydraulic and pneumatic hoses, and so forth. 15 The invention also extends to the combination of the quick hitch coupling with the inter-related componentry. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 20 Hand held blower and/or suction implements often comprise two or more detachably coupled components designed to be separated or connected by an operator possessing little, if any, technical expertise. In the case of blower implements, the blower tube may be detachable from the impeller/power source 25 to enable a replacement tube to be connected. In the case of suction and suction/blower implements, the debris-collecting compartment, that is, the bag or container, may be detachable from the impeller/power source, sometimes along with the suction/blower tube, to enable the compartment to be emptied of the collected debris, and then refitted. 30 Numerous types of couplings have been developed to enable such detachability, however none effectively enables detachment in a particularly quick and easy WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 2 manner. The majority of commonly used couplings in such implements require one of the components to be rotated relative to the other prior to separation of the components from one another. This often requires some considerable force to be exerted as well as a certain amount of dexterity making the process quite difficult 5 for some people. Typical such couplings are the subject of US Patents 2,487,470 (Osborn); 2,912,261 (Meyerhoefer); 3,149,362 (Smithson) and 4,017,937 (Hanold); and International Patent Application WO 89/12493. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken 10 as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that the referenced prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 15 It is an object of the invention to provide a coupling which enables two inter related components to be quickly and easily connected to or disconnected from each other without the need for any undue applied force, to at least provide the public with a useful alternative. 20 It is a further object of the invention to provide the aforementioned coupling in combination with componentry to which it is, or may be, coupled. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 25 According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coupling arrangement which enables two inter-related components to be connected to or disconnected from one another, said coupling comprising a locking element mountable about an opening in one component and a plurality of pins mountable about an opening in the other component, said pins being engagable in 30 correspondingly aligned recesses in the locking element when the components are brought together in sealing contact, and lockable or unlockable therein when WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 3 the locking element is operatively displaced by an operator, said operative displacement occurring without relative rotational movement of the components. The locking element may have a taper wedge configuration. 5 According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provide a device comprising two inter-related components each having an opening, wherein the components can be detachably connected so that their openings are in direct communication with one another, said device including a plurality of pins mounted 10 about the opening in one of the components, and a locking element mounted about the opening of the other component, said locking element having a plurality of recesses into which the pins of the said one component extend in order to connect the components together, the construction and arrangement being such that the locking element can be operatively displaced without the relative 15 movement of the components in order to detach the components from one another, or to couple the components to one another. The locking element may have a taper wedge configuration. 20 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The term "inter-related components" used above and throughout the specification is intended to mean the components of a device which are adapted to function together as a whole to enable the device to operate in its intended manner. 25 By providing a locking element which enables the components of a device to be connected or disconnected without the need to rotate either one of the components itself, means that less force is required as an operator does not have to contend with the weight of one or even both of the components, and that, in 30 turn, facilitates and expedites the entire connection or disconnection process.

WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 4 The locking element can take many forms but it will normally adopt a configuration which conforms with, or is related to, the configuration of the openings in the two components which themselves typically have corresponding dimensions so as to ensure that there is no impediment to material and/or air 5 passing through the openings from one of the components to the other. In most cases, and particularly in the case of motorised blower and/or suction implements, the locking element will suitably have a substantially annular or ring like configuration to enable it to be fitted concentrically about a circular opening in one of the components and to be held in situ by that component. 10 Fitting of the locking element about the opening is additionally preferably effected in such a manner as to enable it to operatively rotate about the primary central axis of that opening by a predetermined amount. Thus, in the case where the locking element is in the form of a ring which is fitted around a circular opening, 15 the fitting is preferably effected such that the ring can rotate through a predetermined angle or arc of rotation that is defined between the two radial boundaries. The two radial boundaries define the limits at which the locking element respectively locks the two components together and releases the two components from one another. 20 Operative rotation of the locking element may preferably be accomplished by a lever fitted thereto which projects radially outwards to enable an operator to move the locking element from a locked position to an unlocked position, and vice versa. 25 Each of the plurality of pins which are supportable in the other of the two components and which engage with the locking element, may preferably have an elongated shank with an enlarged head portion on one end and be supportable at the other end by either being integrally co-joined to the other component or by 30 being physically attachable thereto by screw-threading, riveting, press-forming, or the like. Most preferably, there is a screw-thread formed on each pin to enable it WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 5 to be screwed into a complementary shaped screw-threaded hole in the other component. Each of the recesses in the locking element with which a corresponding pin of the 5 other of the two components is engagable, may suitably be in the form of a slot having a locking formation associated therewith for retaining a pin when the locking element is operatively moved to a locked position. Each slot may have an arcuate configuration and extend between the two radial boundaries defining the angle or arc of rotation through which the locking element is able to- rotate. 10 The arcuate pin slot may include an enlarged section at one end through which the end of a pin protrudes when the two components are initially brought together. 15 Preferably, each pin has an enlarged head portion, as described above, which can fit through the enlarged section but not through the remaining section of the slot, thereby preventing the pin from coming out of the slot when the locking element is rotated towards its locked position. 20 The locking formation may preferably be a tapered elongated rib or shoulder extending along a radially inner surface of the arcuate pin slot and having a radial projection with such a graduated height that it functions to increasingly retain the pin more firmly as it is moved progressively along the slot. 25 The coupling may include a retainer for retaining the locking element in its mounted position on the other component. The retainer may include an annular flange which is mountable onto the other component co-extensive with the mouth of the other component, so that a cavity is defined between the retainer and the other component, in which cavity the locking element is held captive and 30 displaceable between its locked position and unlocked position.

WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 6 The coupling may further include a sealing arrangement for sealing the region extending outwardly between the openings of the components when the components are coupled to each other. The sealing arrangement may comprise an annular gasket or packing seal member which fits face-to-face over the 5 retainer, so that the seal is firmly sandwiched and compressed between the retainer and the one component when the two components parts are coupled. In one form of the invention, the gasket has a cut-away portion to accommodate the operative lever when the components are coupled together. The seal may define apertures which align with the recesses in the locking element and through which 10 apertures the enlarged pin heads pass when the two components are brought together in alignment. The coupling may further include a dust barrier for resisting dust and other entrained particles in the air stream between the components, from interfering 15 with the locking element and the pins which engage with the locking element. The dust barrier may be in the form of a dust plate, e.g. an annular dust plate that extends across a face of the locking element. The device incorporating the coupling described above is preferably a hand held 20 blower-vacuum implement. One of the components of that device will be the power source which can be an electric plug-in motor and air impeller, or a gasoline motor and air impeller; and the other component will be a blower tube, a debris-collecting compartment, or a combination of a blower/suction tube and a debris-collecting compartment. 25 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A coupler assembly and apparatus incorporating a coupler assembly, in accordance with the invention, may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It will be 30 convenient to hereinafter describe in detail two embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The purpose of providing this detailed description is to instruct persons having an interest in the subject matter of the WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 7 invention how to carry the invention into practical effect. However it is to be clearly understood that the specific nature of this detailed description does not supersede the generality of the preceding broad description. 5 In the accompanying diagrammatic drawings: Figure 1 shows a schematic three-dimensional view of a portable blower-vacuum apparatus, in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, having two components which are detached from one another but which can be releasably 10 coupled together; Figure 2 shows an exploded three-dimensional side-on perspective view of a coupling, in accordance with the invention; 15 Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional side-on perspective view of part of the coupling depicted in Figure 2, when coupled; Figure 4 shows an enlarged three-dimensional side-on perspective view of a part of the coupling depicted in Figure 3; 20 Figures 5A to 5C show sectional views of part of the coupling depicted in Figure 4, in three operative positions respectively; and Fig 6 is an exploded three dimensional view of a blower vacuum device in 25 accordance with a second embodiment of the invention. In all of the drawings like reference numerals refer to like parts. The portable blower-vacuum device comprises two primary components 10 and 30 14. Component 10 includes a basic housing 12 and a cowling 16 from which a tubular suction/blower tube 11 extends, and an opening 20. Component 14 includes a scroll case 13 to which is fitted a gasoline motor and an air-impeller WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 8 15. An opening 22 is located in the side of the scroll case of component 14 through which air is blown or sucked. The components 10 and 14 are to be coupled to each other in such a manner that the openings 20, 22 are brought into sealing alignment with one another. 5 The portable blower-vacuum device includes a coupling, in accordance with the invention, comprising a locking element 44 mounted about the opening 22 in the scroll case 13 and a plurality of pins 26 mounted in spaced locations around the opening 20 in the cowling 16. The locking element 44 is retained in such a 10 manner that it is operatively displaceable between a locked position in which the locking element 44 captures the pins 26 when the two components 10 and 14 are positioned with their respective openings 20, 22 adjacent to one another, and to an unlocked position in which the said pins 26 are not captured and thereby permit the two components 10, 14 to be separated. The locked position is such 15 as to enable flow communication between the suction/blower tube 11 and an impelled air flow path in the scroll case 13. The pins 26 are elongated and project in a perpendicular direction, see arrow 28 in Fig.1, from their spaced locations around the face of cowling 16 on the member 20 10. Furthermore, the pins 26 are unequally spaced from one another around the opening 20 so as to ensure that the cowling 16 and scroll case 13 can only be fitted together in one particular way, thereby preventing any misalignment of the two components. 25 Each of the pins 26 includes an enlarged head portion 34 at one end and a mounting portion 33 at its opposite end. The mounting portion 33 includes a screw thread for threading into a screw threaded socket provided on a mounting block 38 which defines the opening 20 of the cowling 16. The pins 26 are mounted so that their enlarged head portions 34 project in the direction from 30 which the scroll case is brought into engagement with the cowling 16, in other words, in the direction of arrow 28 (see Figure 1).

WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 9 The enlarged head portion 34 defines a pin contact surface 42 (see Figures 5A to 5C) facing back towards the mounting block 38. The locking element 44 is in the form of an annular locking member or ring and is 5 retained in a position in which its inner opening overlaps with the opening 22 in the scroll case 13. The locking element 44 is retained in position so that it is operatively able to rotate about a central axis 46 shown in Figure 3. In this application of the coupling in the blower-vacuum apparatus, the axis 46 coincides with the direction shown by arrow 28. 10 The locking element 44 is operatively able to be rotated through a predetermined angle or arc, see reference character "A" in Figure 3. The angular displacement or rotation is about axis 46 between two radially extending borders 45, 47 of the arc A. Rotation of the locking ring 44 towards one radial border 45 captures the 15 pins 26 and rotation towards the other radial border 47 releases the pins 26. The locking element 44 defines for each pin 26 an associated slot 48 and a locking formation 50 projecting into the slot 48. The locking formation 50 includes a tapered locking surface 51 that faces back towards the scroll case 13 on which 20 the locking element 44 is retained. The locking surface 51 cooperates with the pin contact surface 42 when the locking element 44 is displaced towards its locked position. The slot 48 is arcuate and has an arc length relating to the angle or arc of rotation A. 25 The slot 48 defines a hole 49 through which the enlarged pin head 34 passes when the cowling 16 and the scroll case 13 are positioned with their openings 20, 22 are brought together. In that instance, the pin contact surface 42 of the pin 26 projects beyond the locking surface 51 of the locking formation 50, so that the pin contact surface 42 and the locking surface 51 are positioned relative to each 30 other for cooperation in abutment with each other as the locking element 44 is rotated through the predetermined angle A towards its locked position.

WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 10 The locking formation 50 is in the form of a tapered elongated rib extending radially along the inner edge surface of the slot 48 in a circumferential direction of the annular locking element 44. The locking formation 50 has a radially outward projecting height which is large enough to ensure that it prevents the enlarged pin 5 head 34 from leaving the slot 48 when the locking element 44 is rotated towards its locked position, thereby to capture the pin 26. Similarly, another rib 53 (see Figure 5C) extends along a radially outer edge surface of the slot 48 opposite rib 50. 10 The ribs 50 and 53 taper axially from one end to the other end to frictionally force the keying surface 42 tighter against the locking surfaces 51 and 55 of the ribs 50 and 53 as the locking element 44 is rotated towards its locked position. It will be appreciated that the locking element 44 includes a slot 48 for each pin, 15 and thus, in this embodiment, the locking element 44 has four slots 48, one for each of the pins 26. The slots 48 and the pins 26 are configured relative to each other to ensure that there is preferably only one orientation between the scroll case 13 and the cowling 16 that permits free unhindered engagement of the pins 26 with the slots 48, thus ensuring the scroll case 13 and the cowling 16 are pre 20 orientated correctly before they can be coupled to one another. The coupling also includes a retainer 62 for retaining the locking element 44 in position. The retainer 62 comprises an annular flange or mounting plate 62 which is mountable onto the scroll case 13 co-extensive with the locking element 44 so 25 that the locking element 44 is held captive between the mounting plate 62 and the scroll case 13. The mounting plate 62 has a circular inner diameter which provides a sliding rotational fit for the spigot 57 of the locking element 44. The mounting plate 62 has a diametrical dimension larger than that of the annular 30 locking element 44, so that a radially outer part of the mounting plate 62 extends beyond the outer periphery of the locking element 44, through which part a plurality, four in this embodiment, of apertures 64 are defined for receiving screws WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 11 or bolts for attaching the mounting plate 62 to the scroll case 13. Thus, a cavity is formed between the scroll case 13 and the mounting plate 62 in which cavity the locking element 44 fits in position and is able to rotate about axis 46. 5 The locking element 44 further has a spigot 57 projecting axially outwardly from a radially inner peripheral edge of the locking element 44. The spigot 57 mates loosely but snugly with the inner opening of the mounting plate 62, so that the locking element 44 is restrained from transverse movement relative to the scroll case 13 but is still able to rotate through the predetermined angle (see A) relative 10 to the scroll case 13, about axis 46. The locking element 44 includes a lever 56 projecting radially outwardly from it to provide a grip for a user to rotate the locking element 44 between its locked and unlocked positions, as the case may be. The lever 56 is in the form of a flat 15 rectangular tab of which one end is connected in overlapping relationship with the locking element 44, and its other end includes a cap 60, for example of plastics material, which slips frictionally tight over the other end of the tab 56 to protect the hand of the user from the sharp edges of the lever 56. 20 Further, the mounting plate 62 includes four enlarged orifices 68 which are positioned to align with the holes 49 of the slots 48 so that the enlarged head portions 34 of the pins 26 can pass through the holes 68 into the holes 49 of the slots 48. 25 The locking element 44 also includes a sealing arrangement to seal the small gap between the cowling 16 and the scroll case 13 when these two components are connected to each other with the locking element 44. The sealing arrangement comprises an annular seal or gasket 70 which is sandwiched and compressed between the cowling 16 and the scroll case 13 when they are coupled with the 30 locking element 44. In one form of the invention, the gasket 70 may have a cut away portion 72 to provide clearance for the operation of the lever 56 when the locking element is coupled. In another form, the gasket may have a continuously WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 12 extending wall 73. Four holes 74 are defined by the gasket 70 and located to align with holes 68 of the mounting plate 62. Thus the device incorporates a coupling, wherein the cowling 16 and the scroll 5 case 13 are to be quickly releasably coupled, in flow communication with each other with one opening 20 in aligned relationship with the other opening 22. The pins 26 are mounted around the opening 20 in the cowling 16 on the mounting blocks 38. The pins 26 are mounted by bolting them through a flange part 21 defining the opening 20 of the cowling 16. The pins 26 are spaced so that a 10 predetermined orientation of the cowling 16 and the scroll case 13 relative to each other is required to couple these two components together. The locking element 44 is positioned in the recess provided between the scroll case 13 and the mounting plate 62 which is screwed or bolted to the scroll case 15 13 with the spigot 57 mating with the inner wall of the plate 62. The gasket 70 can be held in position by passing the pins 26 through the holes 74 of the gasket 70, and may be glued to the face plate 21. Then the scroll case 13 of the component 14 and the cowling 16 of the component 10 are brought 20 closer to each other so that the pins 26 enter the holes 49 of the slots 48 until the enlarged head portion 34 of the pins 26 has passed beyond the tapered wedge formations 50 and 53. Referring to Figure 4, an enlarged view of the slot 48 and the pin 26 is depicted. 25 The arcuate slot 48 has a hole 49 which is large enough to pass the head portion 34 of the pin 26 therethrough in the direction shown by arrow 39. The wedge formations 50 and 53 project from the radial edges of the slot 48 into the slot, and taper axially from the lower ends near the hole 49 to the higher ends at the opposite end of the slot 48. The wedges 50 and 53 have contact or wedging 30 surfaces 51 and 55 which act upon the keying surface 42 of the head portion 34 when the locking element 44 is rotated about the axis 46 in the direction shown by arrow 37. With the pins 26 being fixedly mounted relative to the mounting WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 13 blocks 38, the locking element 44 is forced axially away from the head portion 34 which facilitates forcing the cowling 16 and the scroll case 13 closer together thus firmly sandwiching and compressing the gasket 70 between these two components. 5 In a particularly preferred form of the device, a plate or cover having a flat face is affixed to the inner face of the scroll case 13. Typically, the plate is of a metal or metal alloy material, but may be made from other materials suitable for this specific application. The plate has a lip to provide a dust seal. The flat face of the 10 plate also acts to protect the face of the scroll case 13 from entrained debris and thereby prevents the scroll case (which is typically of a moulded plastic material) from becoming overheated due to friction from impact by debris at high speed. The locking element, the pins, and the annular flange are preferably fabricated 15 from a metal alloy material, but they may also be fabricated from other materials, for example, a systemic plastic material to suit specific applications. It is envisaged that the coupling can be utilised in applications where the diameter of the openings to be connected in a mouth to mouth relationship, on a common 20 axis, will generally lie in a size range from about 50mm diameter to about 250 mm diameter. Many types of devices may incorporate such a coupling, in accordance with the invention, including, but not limited to power tools and attachments, agricultural 25 implement connections to tractor power take-offs, flexible shaft drive connections, commercial and domestic kitchen/food preparation implement attachments, such as mixers and blenders, interchangeable nozzles and attachments for apparatus such as pumps and compressors, heavy equipment electrical connectors, hydraulic hose connectors, pneumatic hose connectors. 30 Advantageously, the coupling is easy to construct and to operate by a user, and is applicable to a wide range of devices. The configuration of the pins 26 and WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 14 slots 48 guide a user to conveniently and easily connect the two inter-related components in their correct relative orientation to each other. In certain prior art devices, two components are to be rotated relative to each other to effect coupling. However, in accordance with the invention, the rotation of the locking 5 element 44 effects coupling as opposed to rotation of the two components relative to each other, making coupling simple and effective. The quick hitch coupling according to the present invention enables easy assembly and disassembly of the device to provide access to the interior of the device for maintenance. Advantageously, the coupling incorporates a sealing arrangement. 10 Figure 6 illustrates a blower-vacuum device in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. As this embodiment has many similarities to the embodiment illustrated in the 15 Figures 1 to 4, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same components unless otherwise illustrated. In the Figure 6 embodiment the shape and configuration of the cowling is somewhat different to that in the first embodiment. Further there are two pin 20 blocks associated with the cowling for receiving the ends of two spaced locking pins Further the shape and configuration of the scroll case 13 is somewhat different to the scroll case in Figure 1. 25 Further the device includes a dust plate positioned behind the scroll case 13. As shown in Figure 6 the dust plate is conveniently in the form of an annular plate that fits over one surface of the locking member 44. 30 The dust plate provides a barrier against the ingress of dust and particles entrained in the air stream passing through the cowling into the area where the WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 15 heads of the locking pins engage their associated slots. This may be referred to generally as a locking zone. By resisting the passage and entry of dust particles into the locking zone the 5 mechanism can work freely and easily over an extended period of time. Without a dust plate the locking mechanism might tighten and be stiff to operate after extended use. The Figure 6 device basically operates in the same manner as the Figure 1 10 device. The blower vacuum device described above and illustrated in Figure 6 comprises two detachable components 10, 14 of reasonable size. One said component 10 has the blower tube 11 and a solid particle collector mounted thereto. The blower 15 tube 11 has a length of about 1 m. Further the particle collector is relatively bulky being sized to receive a reasonable amount of solids therein. Similarly the component 14 houses the impeller for displacing the air stream through the device and also the engine for driving the impeller. This component would therefore also be of a fair size and a fair weight. 20 Therefore it would be quite unwieldy to rotate one of the components relative to the other component to detach them from each other as is required from time to time during use of the article. Such an action would require some dexterity and reasonably long arms of a user. It would not be easy for an elderly person or a 25 petite woman to perform the task However with the quick coupling device with the rotatable locking plate of the Figure 6, device this action can be performed quickly and easily with a minimum of strength and manual dexterity. A user would simply reach out to the handle or 30 lever 56 with one hand and rotate it through about 20 degrees to unlock the locking plate 44 and detach the two components 10, 14. One hand would be on the handle 56 of the locking plate 44 and the other hand might typically be on the WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 16 handle of the housing 12. Similarly the re-attachment of the two components 10, 14 is accomplished with a simple manual rotation of the handle 56 in an opposite direction. 5 A further advantage of the quick coupling device described above with reference to Figures 1 and 6 is that it provides a very reliable coupling of one component to the other. Further the two components are positively attached to each other by a plurality of pins that are laterally spaced apart from each other. 10 It will of course be realized that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is herein set forth. 15 In this specification the term "comprising" shall be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term "including" and will be understood to imply the inclusions of stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps, this definition also applying to variations on the term "comprising" such as "comprise" and 20 "comprises".

Claims (22)

1. A coupling which enables two inter-related components to be connected to or disconnected from one another, said coupling comprising a locking element 5 mountable about an opening in one component and a plurality of pins supportable about an opening in the other component, said pins being engageable in correspondingly aligned recesses in the locking element when the components are brought together in sealing contact, and lockable or unlockable therein when the locking element is operatively displaced by an operator, said operative 10 displacement occurring without relative rotational movement of the components.

2. A coupling as claimed in claim 1, wherein the openings in the components are circular and the locking element has a substantially ring-like configuration. 15

3. A coupling as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locking element is mounted about the opening in one component in such a manner as to enable it to operatively rotate about a primary central axis of that opening by a predetermined amount. 20

4. A coupling as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predetermined amount of rotation is defined by two boundaries which radiate from the primary central axis, said boundaries delineating the positions at which the locking element respectively locks the two components together and releases the two components from one another. 25

5. A coupling as defined in claim 4, wherein operative rotation of the locking element is effected by means of a lever fitted thereto which projects in a radial direction from the locking element. 30

6. A coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the plurality of pins has an elongated shank with an enlarged head portion on one WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 18 end and a screw thread on the other end for threaded attachment to the other component.

7. A coupling as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the recesses in the 5 locking element is a slot having a locking formation associated therewith for retaining a pin when the locking element is operatively moved to a locking position.

8. A coupling as claimed in claim 7, wherein each slot has an arcuate 10 configuration and extends between two radiating boundaries defining an angle of rotation through which the locking element is able to rotate.

9. A coupling as claimed in claim 8, wherein the slot includes an enlarged section at one end and the pin has an enlarged head, said enlarged head being 15 of such a size that it can fit through the enlarged section but not through the remaining section of the slot when the two components are brought together.

10. A coupling as claimed in claim 9, wherein the locking formation is a tapered elongated rib extending along a radial inner surface of the pin slot and 20 having such a height that it functions to firmly retain the pin in situ.

11. A coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including a retainer for retaining the locking element in its mounted position on the other component. 25

12. A coupling as claimed in claim 11, wherein the retainer is an annular flange which is mountable on the other component co-extensive with the opening of the other component so that a cavity is defined between the retainer and the other component, in which cavity the locking element is held captive and 30 displaceable between its locked position and unlocked position. WO 2009/043091 19 PCT/AU2008/001451

13. A coupling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including a sealing arrangement for sealing the region extending outwardly from the openings of the components when the components are brought together. 5

14. A coupling as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sealing arrangement is a gasket.

15. A coupling as claimed in claim 14, wherein the gasket has apertures that align with the recesses in the locking element. 10

16. A coupling as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15, when dependant upon claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the gasket is sandwiched and compressed between the retainer and the one component when the two components are coupled. 15

17. A device comprising two inter-related components each having an opening, wherein the components can be detachably connected so that their openings are in direct communication with one another, said device including a plurality of pins mounted about the opening in one of the components, and a locking element mounted about the opening of the other component, said locking element having a 20 plurality of recesses into which the pins of the said one component extend, the construction and arrangement being such that the locking element can be operatively displaced without relative movement of the components in order to detach the components from one another, or to couple the components to one another. 25

18. A device as claimed in claim 17 and including any one or more of the features defined in any one of claims 2 to 16.

19. A device as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, which is a suction-blower. 30

20. A device as claimed in claim 19, which is an outdoor blower-vacuum, CI II-ZTITI ITI- C II-T IPI II I- 2M WO 2009/043091 PCT/AU2008/001451 20

21. A coupling substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. An outdoor blower-vacuum device substantially as herein described with 5 reference to the accompanying drawings.