AU777370B2

AU777370B2 - Quick-connect hose end couplings

Info

Publication number: AU777370B2
Application number: AU26507/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Darwin C. Olson
Original assignee: Eaton Aeroquip LLC
Current assignee: Eaton Aeroquip LLC
Priority date: 2000-03-15
Filing date: 2001-03-13
Publication date: 2004-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-13
Also published as: AU2004214589A1; MXPA01002664A; CA2341497A1; AU2650701A

Description

4 a S&F Ref-: 548708

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name and Dwia Coiporatioii Address P.Box 96+ of Applicant: Toledo Ohio 43697 0904, United States of America C~e*~ot4 2 44( Avvote~&~ Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Darwin C Olson Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower,Level 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 Quick-Connect Hose End Couplings The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5945c 1 QUICK-CONNECT HOSE END COUPLINGS The present invention is directed to quick-connect hose end couplings. More particularly, the present invention is directed to quick-connect couplings wherein the couplings couple hoses to fittings in a non-rotational relationship.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Pneumatic devices, such as air brakes, are widely used in the automotive industry. Typically compressed air stored in tanks is applied to air brake operating mechanisms through flexible hoses which have couplings at both ends that couple with male stem members. If the ends tend to twist with respect to one another, collets within the couplings wear quite rapidly which can lead to failure of the collets and thus the coupling.

Current non-rotational couplings have collets in bodies made of brass which tend to wear due to vibration when hoses with which the couplings are used are not pressurized. Moreover, there are plant capacity limitations when brass collets and brass fitting bodies are used. In that brass components are expensive, significant cost reductions 25 are available by not utilizing brass components. In addition, there are advantages to using non-brass *oeo *i [R:\LIBP]00757.doc:zm components because devices such as hose end bodies which have a 90 degree bend are much easier and less expensive to produce when they are not made of brass.

In addition, there is need to provide a coupling configuration which acts directly on a collet to prevent rotation of the collet when the coupling is engaged as well as arrangements which resist clogging of collets by dirt and foreign objects.

Couplings which are pressurized infrequently but still have significant and continuous vibration applied thereto tend to wear if the collets associated therewith are allowed to rotate or move due to vibration. This phenomenon can reduce the life of coupling components and needs to be addressed.

C.

*i [R.\LIBP)00757.doczmi In view of the aforementioned considerations, there is a need for improvement in hose couplings which have a non-rotational connection with male stem members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION to The present invention is directed to a coupling arrangement or coupling a hose to a male stem having a non-circular end portion and a groove adjacent that end portion.

The invention comprises a fitting body having a bore and first end portion adapted for connecting with a hose, and a second end portion adapted to receive the male stem. The body has a non-circular section adapted to receive a non-circular end portion of the stem as well as a sealing section between the non-circular section and the first end portion. A cap member is disposed in fixed relation at the first end of the fitting body, the cap member having axially extending lugs with axially extending spaces therebetween which extend into the bore of the body. A collet is seated within the cap member, the collet having axially extending arms received within the axially extending spaces between the axially extending lugs of the cap wherein the collet is restrained from rotation within the *00o *o 1R \LIBPJ00757.doc:zmi cap. The arms of the cap have a first detent thereon adapted to be received in the groove on the male stem to lock the stem within the fitting body when the collet is in a locked position. A seal is disposed in the sealing section of the fitting body between the lugs and is adapted to engage the male stem in a radial direction.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the collet, body and cap are made of a plastic material.

In further aspects of the invention, the lugs on the cap have inwardly extending ribs for engaging the male stem adjacent the groove in the stem and the arms of the collet have externally projecting ribs which are received on lands in spaces between the axially extending lugs of the cap when the collet is in the locked position. In still further aspects of the invention, the arms and lugs have end faces which face the seal wherein the end faces of the lugs on the cap engage the seal to keep the seal from extruding between the arms of the collet.

*eoeo IR.\LIBP]OO757dczmi BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters 0o designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a side view of a hose having hose end coupling arrangements with fitting bodies which couple the male stem members; FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the hose and hose end coupling arrangements in elevation with different male stem members than those of FIG. 1; [R:\LIBP00757.doc zmi FIG. 3 is a prospective view of a hose end coupling arrangement; FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the end coupling arrangement of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is an end view of the end coupling arrangement of FIGS. 3 and 4; FIG. 6 is a prospective view of another embodiment of an end coupling arrangement in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the end coupling arrangement of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is an end view of the end coupling arrangement of FIGS. 6 and 7; FIG. 9 is a top prospective view of a cap used with the coupling arrangement of FIGS. 1 through 8; FIG. 10 is a prospective view of the other end of the cap of FIG. 9, and [R \LIBP100757 doc zmi FIG. 11 is a prospective view of a collet which cooperates with the cap of FIGS.

9 and 10 to provide the coupling arrangement of FIGS. 1-8.

io DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1, there is a shown a hose assembly (10) configured in accordance with the principles of the present invention wherein a hose (12) has coupling arrangements (14) at opposite ends (18 and 20) of the hose. The coupling arrangements (14) couple with male stems having coupling portions The male stems may be of various configurations such as the male stem (24) which is obtusely angled, the male stem (26) which is T-shaped, the male stem (28) which is straight or the male stem (30) which is L-shaped.

The coupling portions (22) of the various male stems (24-30) are configured for cooperation with the coupling arrangements (14) at the ends (18 and 20) of the hose (12).

*o.

*o* (R:\LIBP|00757 doc:zmi 8 In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the hose assembly (10) may be used as drop line from the frame rail of a tractor trailer down to a brake chamber, with the hose (12) being of a conventional air brake hose configuration and coupling assemblies (14) being plastic. The male stem members (24-30) are brass machinings. While the illustrated coupling arrangements have a particular use with hose assemblies (10) used for drop lines, the coupling assemblies (14) may be used for any application where a coupling [R \LIBP]00757 doc zmi -9arrangement has a non-rotatable engagement with a male stem. In accordance with features of the present invention, the coupling arrangement (14) is made of plastic material, such as an engineering plastic which for example may be glass filled NYLON® or any other plastic material which is suitable for the desired application.

Referring now to the enlarged Figures 3-5 where the coupling arrangement (14) according to the present invention is shown in isolation, it is seen that the coupling arrangement includes a fitting body (35) having a first end portion (36) and a second end portion The first end portion (36) is received within a hose, such as the hose (12) of Figures 1 and 2, while the second end portion (37) couples with the coupling portion (22) of a male stem member such as the male stem members (24-30) of Figure 1 and 2. The first end portion (36) has a series of annular teeth (38) which grip the material of the hose (12) so as to retain the hose (12) thereon when a collar, such as a crimping collar (39) (Figures 1 and 2) squeezes the hose against the annular teeth. Between the first and second end portions (36 and 37) of the fitting body (35) there is disposed a non-circular portion (42) which is shaped as a hexagon, the non-circular portion (42) being joined to a sealing section (44) by a double step (46) which has a first shoulder (48) and a second shoulder Outboard of the sealing section (44) there is a quick-connect coupling section (54) that receives a quick-connect coupling arrangement (56) that is comprised of a cap (58) and a collet A seal is provided by an O-ring (62) which is disposed between the shoulder (50) and ends (64 and 66) of the cap (58) and collet respectively.

In accordance with the present invention, the cap (58) is ultrasonically welded to the second end portion (37) of the fitting body (35) which is accomplished in accordance with known procedures since both the cap (58) and the coupling arrangement (35) are DANA-123 P-1 made of plastic material. As is readily seen in Figure 4, the cap (58) has a step separating an exterior collar portion (72) from an insertion portion (74) wherein the step abuts an end face (76) of the end portion (37) of the coupling arrangement The cap (58) is thus integral with the second end portion (37) and non-rotatably fixed thereon.

Alternatively, the cap (58) may be a cap portion that is unitary with the fitting body The collet (60) is axially slid into the cap (58) and retained therein by external ribs (78) which seat behind a concave surface (80) in the cap After the collet (60) has been axially pushed into the cap (58) it is seen that there is a gap (82) which allows for axial movement of the collet (60) in order to allow for a quick disconnect of the coupling portion (22) of the male stem member from the coupling arrangement In operation, the male stem member coupling portion (22) which has a non-circular end portion (84) in the form of a hexagon is pushed through the collet The noncircular portion (84) of the male stem coupling portion (22) complements the non-circular portion (42) of the coupling arrangement (35) so that the fittings (24-30) (Figures 1 and 2) do not rotate within the coupling arrangement (35) and therefor do not rotate with respect to the hose When the male stem member coupling portion (22) is pushed home, the O-ring reel (62) forms a radial seal against a circular sealing surface (86) on the coupling ooooo portion (22) of the male stem member, while detents (88) on the collet (60) seat within the circular groove (90) disposed adjacent the sealing surface (86) so as to lock the coupling portion (22) of the male stem member within the coupling arrangement When it is desired to decouple the hose arrangement (10) from the male stem coupling portion (22), the collet (60) is moved inwardly to close the gap (82) so that the exterior ribs (78) axially clear the end (96, Fig. 9) of the cap This allows the free end portion (66) of the collet DANA-123 P-1 -11to expand outwardly when the coupling portion (22) of the male stem is pulled in a direction axially away from the coupling arrangement (14).

Referring now to Figures 6-8 where another embodiment of the coupling arrangement is shown, it is seen that the coupling arrangement is L-shaped with a degree bend so that the first end portion is perpendicular to the second end portion The coupling arrangement of the second embodiment is substantially the same as the coupling arrangement (14) shown in Figure 4 of the first embodiment in that the quick-connect portions (54) and and the non-circular portions (42) and are the same. There is an enormous economic advantage in making the fitting body Lshaped because it is far less expensive to mold a fitting body firom the plastic material than to machine a brass fitting. By making the fitting body L-shaped, the male stem member can be made straight so that instead of using the L-shaped male stem member of Figure 2 an L-shaped fitting body can be used in combination with a straight male stem member, such as the male stem member (28) of Figure 2.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10 in combination with Figure 11 where the cap (58) and the collet (60) are shown isolated and in perspective, it is seen that the cap (58) .has a collar portion (90) which extends axially past the axially-facing, radially-extending *ooo° shoulder (76) and an inwardly extending collar (91) which projects inwardly from the radially-facing shoulder. The inwardly extending collar (91) engages the inner surface of the fitting body (35) (see Figures 4 and 7) while the collar (90) projects outwardly from the fitting body to help define an annular space (92) which receives the collet (60) there within.

Within the collar (90) there is a shoulder (93) which axially faces a corresponding shoulder (94) on the collet (60) (see Figure 11). The shoulder (93) serves as a stop when the collet DANA-123 P-1 -12is pressed inwardly to clear the rib (78) from engagement with the cap at an axiallyextending shoulder (95) when the collet (60) is pressed inwardly, in order to remove the male stem coupling (22) in order to disconnect the hose assembly (10) (Figures 1 and 2) from one of the male stem members (24-30).

The cap (58) has four axially-extending lugs (101, 102, 103 and 104). Between these lugs are spaces (106, 107, 108 and 109). The lugs (101-104) have inwardly projecting ribs (110-113) which engage and steady the male stem coupling (22) as it is slid into place by a budding the sealing surface (86) of the male stem coupling. Once the coupling (22) is seated, the ribs (110-113) are positioned over the groove (90) of the male stem coupling (22) but are not received in the groove. The lugs (101-104) have end faces (116-119) which face the O-ring (62) (see Figures 4 and As will be explained further, these end faces (116-119) prevent the O-ring from extruding into the collet (60) and interfering with the integrity of the coupling arrangement (14).

Referring now mainly to Figure 11, it is seen that the collet (60) has axially extending arms (121-124) with spaces (126-129) therebetween. When the collet (60) is slid into the cap it is slid in so that the lugs (101-104) are received in spaces (126- 129) of the collet and so that the arms (121-124) are received in the spaces (106-109) of the cap Consequently, the collet nests within the cap (58) as is shown in Figures 4 and 7. The surface (80) is concave in that it slopes inwardly, consequently any pulling force on the male stem coupling (22) causes the surface (80) to cam the detents (88) more tightly into the groove (90) by progressively providing a radial force against the external ribs (78).

DANA-123 P-I 13 s Since the spaces (126-129) are filled with the lugs (101-104) the tendency of the O-ring seal (62) to extrude between the arms (121-124) of the collet (60) is precluded. A pair of tabs (130) (only one of which is shown in FIG. 11) are received in grooves (132) in the exposed end face (134) of the cap (58) to facilitate initial alignment of the arms (121-124) with the spaces (106-109) between the lugs on the cap (58).

(R \LIBP]00757doc zmi 14 The tabs (130) are flexible and fit into the slots (132) to assure that the collet (60) is in the locked position at all times regardless of whether or not the hose assembly (10) is pressurized or not.

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5.5.

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S. 55 S S

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55 S S S [R \LIBPj00757.doc zmi To disconnect the male stem coupling the tabs (130) flex when the collet (60) is depressed when pushed toward the fitting body Since the rim (30) helps assure that the collet (60) will be firmly squeezed against the male stem when excess pressure or an axial of load is applied to the hose, the tabs (130) may replace the rim (80) since the tabs (130) serve the same function.

[R \LIBP]00757 doc zm In addition to the lugs (101-104) preventing rotation of the collet (60) and keeping the O-ring seal (62) from extruding into the collet, the lugs reduce the possibility of dirt and foreign objects entering the fitting body (35) through the gaps (126-129) of the collet while the ribs (110-113) engage against the male stem (22) to provide a retraction force on the stem which is preloaded into the fitting body thereby ensuring that the collet (60) remains in the locked position even when the hose assembly (10) is not pressurized.

0* *0 0 *00 [R:\LIBP]00757 doc:zmi 17 From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

*ooo 9 0 oooo 0.0 C S o 0 [R:\LIBP]00757 doc:zmi Upon further study of the specification and appended claims, further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

**o So a *o a a [R\LIBP]00757 doc zmi

Claims

1. A coupling arrangement for coupling a hose to a male stem having a non-circular end portion thereon and a groove therein, comprising: a body having a first end portion adapted for connecting with a hose and a second end portion adapted to receive the male stem; the body having a non-circular section adapted to receive the non-circular end portion of the male stem as well as a sealing section between the non-circular section and the first end portion; a cap member non-rotationally fixed at the first end of the body, the cap member 1o having axially extending lugs with axially extending spaces therebetween; a collet seated within the cap, the collet having axially extending arms received within the axially extending spaces between the axially extending lugs of the cap, wherein the collet is restrained from rotation within the cap and fitting body, the arms having first detents therein adapted to be received in the groove on the stem, and a seal disposed in the sealing section of the body adjacent to the lugs and adapted to engage the male stem in a radial direction.

2. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the lug and arms have ends which terminate at an axial location adjacent the seal.

3. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the lugs on the cap have inwardly extending ribs for engaging the stem adjacent the groove in the stem.

4. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the arms of the collet have externally projecting ribs which are received in spaces between the axially extending lugs of the cap when the collet is in the locked position. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the fitting, cap and collet 25 are made of plastic material. S°6. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the arms and lugs have end faces which face the seal and wherein the end faces on the arms of the collet are axially displaced away from the seal when the collet is in the locked position, wherein the end faces of the lugs on the cap hold the seal spaced from the end faces of the arms on the S 30 collet.

7. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the collet has a pair of *°•oeo I radially extending tabs which are received in radially extending slots on an exposed face of the cap. A coupling arrangement for coupling a hose to a male stem having a non-circular end portion thereon and a groove therein, comprising: [R \LIBP]00757 doc:zu a body of plastic material having a first end portion adapted for connecting with a hose and a second end portion adapted to receive the male stem; the body having a non- circular section adapted to receive the non-circular end portion of the male stem as well as a sealing section between the non-circular section and the first end portion; a cap member of plastic material non-rotationally fixed at the first end of the body, the cap member having axially extending lugs with axially extending spaces therebetween; a collet of plastic material seated within the cap, the collet having axially 1o extending arms received within the axially extending spaces between the axially extending lugs of the cap, wherein the collet is restrained from rotation within the cap and fitting body, the arms having first detents therein adapted to be received in the groove on the stem, and a seal disposed in the sealing section of the body adjacent to the lugs and adapted to engage the male stem in a radial direction.

9. The coupling arrangement of claim 8, wherein the male stem is made of metal. The coupling arrangement of claim 8, wherein the male stem is made of brass.

11. The coupling arrangement of claim 10, wherein the second end portion extends at 900 with respect to the first end portion. S12. The coupling arrangement of claim 8, wherein the second end portion .e oo extends at 900 with respect to the first end portion. Dated 22 July, 2003 Dana Corporation Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person eo SPRUSON FERGUSON RU B Po00757 doc: mn