Automatic locking quick release mechanism

Abstract

A quick release locking connector system for fluid or mechanical systems. The system of the invented subject matter includes a female connector having an assembled body, a release collar, a release collar spring, a ball bearing, a locking collar, and a locking spring. The system also includes a male connector having an insertion end, a locking flare, and a visual locking indicator. When the male connector is inserted into the female connector, the locking flare interacts with the locking collar. Upon insertion, the visual locking indicator is covered by the female connector. The system provides a safe and reliable connection, reduces the risk of leaks, and facilitates easy connection and disconnection of components.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to fluids and rapid release mechanisms. Background Technology

[0002] The background description contains information that may help in understanding the invention. This does not imply that any information provided in this application is prior art or related to the invention claimed herein, nor does it imply that any publications explicitly or implicitly referenced are prior art.

[0003] Quick-release connectors are useful in fluid and mechanical systems because they allow for the rapid and convenient connection and disconnection of components. This saves time and effort in setting up, maintaining, or modifying fluid or mechanical systems. Quick-release connectors also provide safe and reliable connections, reducing the risk of leaks due to improper installation and vibration-induced loosening, thus ensuring effective system operation. Furthermore, quick-release connectors help minimize component wear and extend system lifespan.

[0004] Many different quick-release solutions already exist. For example, U.S. Patent Application No. 2017 / 0205010 describes a quick connector that includes color coding to ensure easy mating of male and female quick connectors. On the other hand, U.S. Patent No. 10,221,976 relates to a quick-release system that can be used to form a fluid seal between different tubular assemblies. These two references are just a few of the many existing references in this field, but there is still room for improvement in the prior art.

[0005] For example, in many quick-release connectors, the O-rings used to create a fluid seal are located on the male connector, making them susceptible to damage from external factors such as shock and UV radiation. Furthermore, while visual indicators have been considered to assist in mating male and female components, they can also be used to indicate that a correct fluid connection has been established, reducing the occurrence of incorrect connections. Additionally, many quick-release connectors—as well as clip-on connectors—require two-handed operation, at least in part because of the presence of multiple components that must be operated simultaneously (clip-on connectors), or because the locking / unlocking mechanism is spring-loaded, making one-handed operation difficult.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need in the art for a new type of quick connector that can be operated with one hand and achieves a simple and verifiable correct connection through multiple redundancies using only one hand.

[0007] All of the terms discussed in this application, as well as all other external materials, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. If any definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent with or contradicts the definition of that term provided in this application, the definition of that term provided in this application shall prevail, and the definition of that term provided in the reference shall not apply.

[0008] Therefore, what is not yet recognized is that quick-release connectors for fluid or mechanical systems can be further improved by incorporating features that enhance convenience, reducing the rate of connection failures while improving user experience and ease of operation. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention provides systems and methods relating to quick-release connectors for various mechanical applications. In one aspect of the subject matter, the quick-release locking connector includes: an assembly body; a release collar disposed around the assembly body; a spring located between the assembly body and the release collar; a plurality of ball bearings disposed in a plurality of through holes, each through hole passing through the assembly body; a locking collar disposed within the assembly body; and a locking spring disposed between the assembly body and the locking collar.

[0010] In some embodiments, the spring and locking spring drive the release collar and locking collar in the same direction, respectively. The locking collar may include a notch on its side facing the assembly body. The release collar may have a locking protrusion on its inner side facing the assembly body. In some embodiments, the assembly body has a stop protrusion. In some embodiments, the assembly body includes a locking channel. In one embodiment, the release collar has a notch, and the assembly body has a protrusion configured to engage within the notch when the release collar is moved to bring the female connector into an unlocked state.

[0011] In another aspect of the subject matter of this invention, a quick-release locking connector system includes a female connector and a male connector. The female connector includes: an assembly body; a release collar disposed around the assembly body; a spring located between the assembly body and the release collar; a plurality of ball bearings disposed in a plurality of through holes, wherein each through hole passes through the assembly body; a locking collar disposed within the assembly body; and a locking spring disposed between the assembly body and the locking collar.

[0012] The male connector includes: an insertion end; a locking flare disposed on the insertion end, the locking flare being configured to interact with a locking collar when the male connector is inserted into the female connector; and a visual locking indicator disposed on the insertion end, the visual locking indicator being covered by the female connector when the male connector is inserted into the female connector.

[0013] In some embodiments, the spring and locking spring drive the release collar and locking collar in the same direction, respectively. The locking collar may have a notch on its side facing the assembly body. The release collar may have a locking protrusion on its inner side facing the assembly body. In some embodiments, the assembly body has a stop protrusion. The female connector may also include a locking channel. The release collar may have a slot, and the assembly body includes a protrusion configured to engage within the slot when the release collar slides to unlock the female connector.

[0014] It should be understood that the subject matter disclosed in this invention provides many advantageous technical effects, including a quick-locking and quick-release connector system that reduces the occurrence of connection failures while facilitating one-handed use.

[0015] The various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals denote similar components. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the female quick connector.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the female quick connector.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a female quick connector in a position to be connected to the male connector above it.

[0019] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a female quick connector with a partially inserted male component.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the female quick connector in a connected state with the fully inserted male component.

[0021] Figure 6A A female quick connector with a visually recognizable locking feature is shown.

[0022] Figure 6B It shows Figure 6A Bottom tilt view of the female quick connector.

[0023] Figure 7A A female quick connector with a locking channel is shown.

[0024] Figure 7B It shows Figure 7A The female quick connector in the middle has a clip set in the locking channel. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The following discussion provides exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of this invention. Although each embodiment represents a single combination of elements of the invention, the subject matter of this invention is considered to encompass all possible combinations of the disclosed elements. Thus, if one embodiment includes elements A, B, and C, and a second embodiment includes elements B and D, the subject matter of this invention is also considered to encompass other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if such combinations are not explicitly disclosed.

[0026] As used in the specification of this application and the following claims, the terms "a," "an," or "say" include the plural form unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. Furthermore, as used in the specification of this application, "in" includes both "in" and "on," unless the context clearly specifies otherwise.

[0027] Furthermore, as used in this application, and unless the context otherwise requires, the term “connected to” is intended to include both direct connections (where two interconnected elements are in contact with each other) and indirect connections (where at least one additional element is located between the two elements). Therefore, “connected to” and “connected with” are used synonymously.

[0028] Embodiments of the subject matter of this invention relate to quick-connect / release devices that can be used with, for example, pneumatic lines, mechanical systems, etc. For example, pneumatic systems can benefit from efficient and easy-to-use quick-release connectors, making component replacement easier. In other cases, the systems of the subject matter of this invention can be used with purely mechanical systems for attaching or removing different components. For example, an automobile can include a female connector of the subject matter of this invention on its gear shift lever, wherein the gear shift lever has a male connector on its bottom portion. By providing a female quick-release connector on the gear shift lever, different gear shift levers can be easily replaced.

[0029] Figure 1 An exploded view of the female quick connector of the inventive subject is shown. The female quick connector 100 includes a release collar 102, a retaining clip 104, a ball bearing 106, a release collar spring 108, a locking collar 110, a locking spring 112, an O-ring 114, and an assembly body 116. These components together form the female quick connector 100, which is configured to receive the male quick connector of the inventive subject.

[0030] Figure 2A cross-sectional view of the assembled female quick connector 100 is shown. This view illustrates how the ball support 106 interacts with the release collar 102 and the locking collar 110. For example, this view shows the female quick connector in a stationary state, with the release collar 102 in an unretracted position, thereby holding the ball support 106 toward the inner portion of the female locking connector 100. Each ball support is disposed within a through-hole connecting the inner portion of the assembly body 302 to the outer portion of the assembly body 302. The diameter of these through-holes should be larger than the diameter of the ball support 106, but the dimensions should be sufficiently close to ensure that the ball support 106 does not wobble or undergo unnecessary movement during operation.

[0031] The release collar 102 includes a flared base 118 that flares outward to facilitate a user's grip on the assembly when it is pulled back to the retracted position, and a locking protrusion 120. The inner diameter of the locking protrusion 120 is smaller than the inner diameter of the rest of the release collar 102. From the end of the locking protrusion 120 downward toward the end of the flared base 118, the release collar 102 has a constant inner radius, wherein the difference between the inner radius of the release collar and the inner radius of the locking protrusion 120 is sufficient to accommodate the release collar spring 108. Therefore, the locking protrusion 120 is circumferentially positioned along the inner side of the release collar. The locking protrusion 120 is designed to interact with the ball bearing 106 and also forms a surface against which the release collar spring 108 can be pressed.

[0032] exist Figure 2 In the diagram, the locking protrusion 120 is shown as retaining the ball bearing 106 inwardly toward the middle portion of the female quick connector 100. The release collar 102 is pressed upward by the release collar spring 108 and prevented from being completely disconnected from the female quick connector 100 by the retaining clip 104. When the collar spring 108 presses the release collar 102 upward, the locking protrusion 120 abuts against the retaining clip 104, thereby preventing further movement of the release collar 102. The retaining clip 104 is an annular assembly that is mounted in a retaining clip groove 122. The retaining clip 104 may be made of, for example, metal or plastic, and may include cutouts to allow it to be bent so that it can be placed into the retaining clip groove 122. When the release collar 102 is in Figure 2 When in the indicated position, the locking protrusion 120 will also press the ball bearing 106 inward.

[0033] Figure 2 An internally disposed O-ring 114 is also shown. The O-ring facilitates the formation of an airtight or liquid-tight seal between the female quick connector 100 and the male quick connector coupled thereto. The O-ring 114 is located within a portion of the female quick connector 100 whose inner diameter is adapted to the dimensions and specifications of the mating male quick connector, thereby allowing the O-ring 114 to press against the outer surface of the male component. These features are... Figures 3 to 5 A more detailed demonstration was provided in the text.

[0034] The female quick connector 100 has three different states: not connected; waiting to be connected; and connected. Figure 2 The female quick connector 100 is shown in an unconnected state. This unconnected state is typically the least likely state for the female quick connector 100: in this state, the release collar 102 is pushed upwards, causing the ball bearing 106 to be pressed inwards. This situation usually only occurs when the male quick connector is fully inserted into the female quick connector 100, thus pressing down the locking collar 110 to move the ball bearing 106 inwards, which in turn causes the release collar 102 to move upwards due to the force exerted by the release collar spring 108. This state can also be achieved, for example, by manually pressing down the locking collar 110 to compress the locking spring 112 while the male quick connector is not inserted.

[0035] Figures 3 to 5 The female quick connector 100 and male quick connector 200 are shown arranged in order from unconnected to connected. Figure 3 In the middle, the female quick connector 100 is in the ready-to-connect state. To put the female quick connector 100 into the ready-to-connect state, the user must pull down the release collar 102. As mentioned above, the flared base 118 makes this operation easier, less prone to slippage or loss of grip, and thus easier to operate with one hand.

[0036] When the release collar 102 is pulled downwards, the release collar spring 108 is compressed between the spring protrusion 124 and the locking protrusion 120 of the assembly body 116. The presence of the spring protrusion 124 ensures that the collar spring 108 has a pressing surface when compressed during normal use. Following the spring protrusion 124 is the stop protrusion 126. The stop protrusion 126 acts as a stop point for the release collar 102. When the release collar 102 is pulled downwards, it eventually encounters the stop protrusion 126. Therefore, the stop protrusion 126 is positioned sufficiently below the assembly body 116 to allow the release collar 102 to move a sufficient distance to allow the locking collar 110 to press the ball support 106 outwards.

[0037] Therefore, when the release collar 102 is pulled down (as shown in the image), Figure 3(As indicated by the arrow next to it), the locking spring 112 presses the locking collar 110 upward. When the locking collar 110 is pressed upward, it presses the ball bearings 106 outward. When the ball bearings 106 are pressed outward, they prevent the release collar 102 from moving upward again. The locking collar 110 has a notch 128 along its top edge. The notch 128 facilitates the outward movement of the ball bearings 106 when the locking collar 110 moves upward, while preventing the locking collar 110 from completely disengaging from the female quick connector 100. Since at least a portion of each ball bearing 106 still extends into the interior space of the female quick connector 100, preventing it from being fully pressed outward by the release collar 102, the locking collar 110 is held in place by the ball bearings 106. Compared to a ball bearing without a notch 128 in contact with the locking collar 110, the notch 128 is designed so that the locking collar 110 can move the ball bearing by contacting different portions of the ball bearing surface. In other words, without the notch 128, the force vector on the ball bearing resulting from its interaction with the locking collar 110 is almost entirely vertical (e.g., consistent with the upward movement of the locking collar 110), but with the notch 128, the force vector acting on the ball bearing is more radially outward. In some embodiments, the notch 128 can be configured as a sloped or curved surface, which can produce the same effect.

[0038] Therefore, the outer diameter of the locking collar 110 is smaller than the inner diameter of the assembly body 116 in which it is located, but its size and specifications should be similar so that it can move in a piston-like manner within the assembly body 116 and there is not excessive clearance between the two components.

[0039] The male quick connector 200, shown above the female quick connector 100, is positioned to be inserted into the female quick connector 100. As described above, the female quick connector 100 is in a ready-to-connect state such that when the male quick connector 200 is inserted into the female quick connector 100, the female quick connector 200 can lock after full insertion. Compared to the female quick connector 200, the male quick connector 100 has fewer components. Therefore, the male quick connector 100 has an insertion end 202, a locking flare 204, a visual locking indicator 206, and a flare base 208. The male quick connector 200 is shown with a standard coupling 210 at the top; it should be understood that this standard coupling is representative of any number of coupling components included according to specific requirements.

[0040] Figure 4A male quick connector 200 is shown partially inserted into a female quick connector 100. Therefore, the insertion end 202 is partially inserted into the female quick connector 100 such that only one O-ring 114 contacts both the female quick connector 100 and the male quick connector 200. The insertion end 202 has a tapered end (e.g., rounded corners, chamfered corners, etc.) to facilitate engagement of the insertion end 202 with the O-ring 114. Because the O-ring 114 is designed to form a seal between the male quick connector 200 and the female quick connector 100, the inner diameter of the O-ring 114 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion end 202, ensuring a tight seal between the insertion end 202 and the assembly body 116 where the O-ring 114 is located. The O-ring 114 is held in place by an O-ring groove 130.

[0041] The O-ring 114 of the invention is disposed on the inner surface of the female quick connector 100, rather than on the outer surface of the male quick connector 200. This configuration makes it easy to inspect the mating surfaces (e.g., the outer surface of the male quick connector 200 that contacts the O-ring 114 when fully inserted into the female quick connector 100).

[0042] When the male quick connector 200 from Figure 4 Continue moving downwards from the indicated position. Figure 5 In the indicated position, the locking flare 204 moves into the assembly body 116 and eventually interacts with the locking collar 110. As the locking flare 204 impacts the locking collar 110 and is pressed further downward, the locking collar 110 moves downward and out of the path of the ball support 106. After the locking collar 110 is pressed downward and out of the path of the ball support 106, the release collar 102 is pressed upward by the release collar spring 108, thereby applying pressure to the ball support 106. This pressure continues to be applied until the male quick connector 200 is pressed downward into the female quick connector 100 far enough, i.e., it is in the locked position, as shown in FIG6.

[0043] In Figure 6, the male quick connector 200 is fully inserted into the female quick connector 100, and the female quick connector 200 is in the locked state. When the male quick connector 200 is fully inserted into the female quick connector 200, the locking flare 204 passes through the ball bearing 106, and the release collar 102 can be fully moved upwards by the release collar spring 108. By fully pressing the release collar 102 to its locked position (e.g., pushing the male quick connector 200 into the female quick connector 100 until the flare base 208 abuts against the top surface of the female quick connector 200), the inner wall of the release collar 102 presses inwards against the ball bearing 106, causing the ball bearing 106 to move inwards toward the male quick connector above the locking flare 204 (as shown). This locking action produces a click, providing the user with audible confirmation that the mechanism is locked and a seal has been formed between the male quick connector 200 and the female quick connector 100. In addition to audible confirmation, the male quick connector 200 also includes a visual locking indicator 206. The visual locking indicator 206 is a component that can be brightly colored and is located on the male quick connector 200 near the flared base 208. By abutting it against the flared base 208, the visual locking indicator is only concealed when the male quick connector 200 is fully inserted into the female quick connector 100 and the female quick connector 100 is in the locked state.

[0044] Figure 6A and Figure 6B An embodiment of a female quick connector 300 is shown, which includes features to prevent accidental unlocking. Figure 6A and Figure 6B The diagram shows a female quick connector 300 in a locked state (meaning the release collar is pushed upwards). The assembly body 302 is provided with a mark 304, a protrusion 310 (e.g., a surface feature extending beyond the surrounding surface), and a second mark. When the mark 304 aligns with the second mark 306 (a logo in this example) on the release collar 308, the release collar 308 can be moved from the locked state (e.g., translated along the assembly body 302) to the unlocked state because the notch 312 in the release collar 308 aligns with the protrusion 310 (e.g., as shown in the diagram). Figure 6B (As shown). When mark 304 is not aligned with the second mark 306, the slot 312 in the release collar 308 is not aligned with the protrusion 310, and therefore cannot move. This causes the release collar 308 to remain in the locked state, thereby preventing accidental unlocking. Figure 6B The female quick connector 300 is shown from one angle: this angle shows the protrusion 310 aligned with the slot 312.

[0045] Figure 7AAn embodiment of a female quick connector 400 with a locking channel 402 is shown. The locking channel 402 is a feature on the assembly body 404, located directly below the release collar 406. Figure 7B As shown, the locking clip 408 can be placed in the locking channel 402 so that the locking clip 408 can prevent the release collar 406 from sliding relative to the assembly body 404.

[0046] Embodiments of the subject matter of this invention can be used in a variety of different applications. For example, the quick connectors described in this application can be used in the following hose systems: crimp hoses, Superleggera PTFE AN04–AN20 hoses, Ultra SteelPTFE AN04–AN20, Mil-Spec SL PTFE AN04–AN20, Mil-Spec US PTFE AN04–AN20, SuperStrasse CPE rubber AN04–AN20, fluid-compatible gasoline hoses, ethanol hoses, engine oil hoses, transmission oil hoses, ethylene glycol coolant hoses, nitrous oxide hoses, gear oil hoses, brake fluid hoses, compression hoses, SuperStrasse CPE rubber AN04–AN20, etc.

[0047] Therefore, specific systems and methods for quick connectors are disclosed. However, those skilled in the art will understand that further modifications can be made beyond those described above without departing from the inventive concept of this application. Therefore, the subject matter of this invention should not be limited except within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, in interpreting this disclosure, all terms should be interpreted as broadly as possible while remaining consistent with the context. In particular, the terms "comprising" and "including" should be interpreted as referring to various elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the mentioned elements, components, or steps may coexist, be used, or be combined with other elements, components, or steps not expressly mentioned.

Claims

1. A quick-release locking connector, comprising: Assemble the main body; A release collar is disposed around the assembly body; A spring, located between the assembly body and the release collar; Multiple ball bearing members are disposed in multiple through holes, each through hole passing through the assembly body; A locking collar, wherein the locking collar is disposed within the assembly body; as well as A locking spring is disposed between the assembly body and the locking collar.

2. The quick-release locking connector according to claim 1, wherein, The spring and the locking spring drive the release collar and the locking collar in the same direction, respectively.

3. The quick-release locking connector according to claim 1, wherein, The locking collar includes a notch on the side of the locking collar facing the assembly body.

4. The quick-release locking connector according to claim 1, wherein, The release collar includes a locking protrusion on its inner side facing the assembly body.

5. The quick-release locking connector according to claim 1, wherein, The assembly body includes a stop protrusion.

6. The quick-release locking connector according to claim 1 further includes a locking channel.

7. The quick-release locking connector system according to claim 1, wherein, The release collar includes a slot, and the assembly body includes a protrusion configured to engage within the slot when the release collar slides to bring the female connector into an unlocked state.

8. A quick-release locking connector system, comprising: Female connector, the female connector comprising: Assemble the main body; A release collar is disposed around the assembly body; A spring, located between the assembly body and the release collar; Multiple ball bearing members are disposed in multiple through holes, each through hole passing through the assembly body; Locking collar, the locking collar being disposed within the assembly body; and A locking spring is disposed between the assembly body and the locking collar; Male connector, the male connector comprising: Insertion end; A locking flare, disposed on the insertion end, the locking flare being configured to interact with the locking collar when the male connector is inserted into the female connector; and A visual locking indicator is disposed on the insertion end and is configured to be covered by the female connector when the male connector is inserted into the female connector.

9. The quick-release locking connector system according to claim 8, wherein, The spring and the locking spring drive the release collar and the locking collar in the same direction, respectively.

10. The quick-release locking connector system according to claim 8, wherein, The locking collar includes a notch on the side of the locking collar facing the assembly body.

11. The quick-release locking connector system according to claim 8, wherein, The release collar includes a locking protrusion on its inner side facing the assembly body.

12. The quick-release locking connector system according to claim 8, wherein, The assembly body includes a stop protrusion.

13. The quick-release locking connector system according to claim 8, wherein, The female connector also includes a locking channel.

14. The quick-release locking connector system according to claim 8, wherein, The release collar includes a slot, and the assembly body includes a protrusion configured to engage within the slot when the release collar is slid to put the female connector into an unlocked state.

Images