Concave fluid coupling element and fluid coupling

Abstract

The utility model discloses a female fluid coupling element and a fluid coupling. The fluid coupling includes a female fluid coupling element and a complementary male fluid coupling element. A female body of the female fluid coupling element includes a distal body and a proximal body. The latch moves laterally in the distal body between a locked position and an unlocked position. The latch has a rearward axial locking surface configured to prevent the complementary male fluid coupling element from moving out of the female body. When the distal body and the proximal body are in the assembled configuration, the elastically deformable barrier is partially received in the outer recess of the distal body and the inner recess of the proximal body, preventing separation of the distal body from the proximal body. The spring of the latch is located entirely on one side of the longitudinal median plane and the outer actuation surface of the latch is located entirely on the other side of the longitudinal median plane. The maximum longitudinal dimension of the spring is smaller than the maximum longitudinal dimension of the transverse shell. The present application provides a reliable female fluid coupling element that is radially and longitudinally compact.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to female fluid coupling elements and fluid couplings comprising such female fluid coupling elements. Such female fluid coupling elements and such fluid couplings are well suited for cooling applications. BACKGROUND

[0002] It is known from CN 1320302 C to propose a female fluid coupling element having a latch and a female body comprising two bodies assembled together by hooking a recess of one of the two bodies with a complementary recess of the other. This design limits the material of the body as at least one of the two bodies should be deformed in order to hook the recess with the complementary recess. Moreover, this deformation requires a long deformable recess.

[0003] The present application provides a reliable female fluid coupling element which is compact in radial and longitudinal direction. SUMMARY

[0004] According to one aspect of the present utility model, a female fluid coupling element comprises a female body centered on a longitudinal center axis. The female body comprises a distal body and a proximal body assembled together along the longitudinal center axis. The female body defines an internal conduit. The distal body defines an opening of the internal conduit through which a complementary male fluid coupling element can be introduced into the female body. The proximal body defines a rear portion of the internal conduit. The female body further comprises a latch movable in a transverse direction to the longitudinal center axis in a transverse housing of the distal body. The latch is movable in the transverse housing between a locked position and an unlocked position. The transverse housing opens to an exterior of the distal body. The latch has a central opening along the longitudinal center axis configured to receive the complementary male fluid coupling element when the complementary male fluid coupling element is introduced into the female body. The central opening is defined by a tooth. The tooth has a rear axial locking surface configured to longitudinally cooperate with the complementary male fluid coupling element when the latch is in the locked position to prevent the complementary male fluid coupling element from moving out of the female body in a coupled state of the female fluid coupling element and the complementary fluid coupling element. The latch has an exterior actuation surface accessible from an exterior of the female body. The latch in the unlocked position allows the complementary male fluid coupling element to move out of the female body. The female fluid coupling element further comprises a resiliently deformable barrier partially housed in an external groove of the distal body and in an internal groove of the proximal body when the female body is in an assembled configuration. The barrier is configured to cooperate with a proximal axial wall of the external groove and with a distal axial wall of the internal groove to prevent longitudinal separation of the distal body and the proximal body. The female fluid coupling element further comprises a female valve and a central stem. The female valve is movable within the internal conduit between a closed position and an open position of the internal conduit. The female valve is radially located between the central stem and the female body. The female valve tightly cooperates with the central stem and with the female body in the closed position. The spring is entirely located on one side of a longitudinal median plane extending through the longitudinal center axis and perpendicular to the transverse direction, while the exterior actuation surface of the latch is entirely located on the other side of the longitudinal median plane. The spring is in contact with a bottom surface of the distal body. The bottom surface defines the transverse housing in the transverse direction. A maximum dimension of the spring along the longitudinal center axis is less than a maximum longitudinal dimension of the transverse housing.

[0005] According to another aspect of the present utility model, the barrier is an open ring having a longitudinal dimension strictly greater than a radial thickness of the open ring.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present utility model, the concave fluid coupling element is a sealing gasket that ensures a tight fit of the concave valve with the concave body in the closed position. The concave fluid coupling element further comprises a spacer ring that defines a proximal axial wall of a sealing groove that accommodates the sealing gasket, while a distal body defines a bottom cylindrical wall and a distal axial wall of the sealing groove. A rear portion of the central rod is longitudinally interposed between the spacer ring and the proximal body. The spacer ring is able to abut against a rear surface of the concave body in a forward direction.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present utility model, in the assembled configuration of the proximal body and the distal body, the rear portion of the central rod is longitudinally movable relative to the proximal body and relative to the distal body when the spacer ring abuts against the rear surface of the concave body in the forward direction, and when the barrier cooperates with the distal axial wall of the inner groove and with the proximal axial wall of the outer groove.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present utility model, the spacer ring extends at least at the same longitudinal level as the barrier.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present utility model, the concave fluid coupling element further comprises a pin that is engaged in a complementary longitudinal recess of the distal body, such that the pin is fixed with the concave body in a transverse direction. The complementary longitudinal recess intersects the transverse housing. The pin is engaged in a transverse groove of the latch, such that the movement of the latch in the transverse direction towards the locking position is limited by the abutment of a surface that delimits the transverse groove against the pin when the concave body does not receive the complementary convex fluid coupling element.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present utility model, the outer actuation surface of the latch is part of a cylindrical surface that is at least partially flush with a cylindrical portion of the outer surface of the distal body when the latch abuts against the pin.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present utility model, the latch defines a receiving recess that is defined in a forward direction by a rear axial locking surface of the tooth and that extends longitudinally to a rear surface of the latch. The maximum longitudinal dimension of the transverse housing is greater than the maximum longitudinal dimension of the latch.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present utility model, the concave fluid coupling element further comprises a plastic ring. In the assembled configuration of the proximal body and the distal body, a front end of the proximal body is received in an annular rear recess of the distal body. The plastic ring surrounds the concave body and is longitudinally interposed between a rear surface of the distal body and a front surface of the proximal body.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present utility model, a fluid coupling comprises a female fluid coupling element according to the present utility model and a complementary male fluid coupling element. The complementary male fluid coupling element has a male body with a locking groove having a cylindrical bottom. The locking groove is defined by a collar of the male body. The collar protrudes radially from the cylindrical bottom and is defined by an axial surface. In a coupled state of the female fluid coupling element and the complementary male fluid coupling element, the male body is received in the female body with the teeth of the latch engaged in the locking groove. The rear axial locking surface of the latch is cooperable with the axial surface of the collar to prevent the male body from moving out of the female body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] The present utility model will be described in detail below in conjunction with Figures 1 to 10 However, the present embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the present utility model in any way. In the drawings:

[0015] Figure 1 A male fluid coupling element according to the present utility model is shown in an uncoupled state.

[0016] Figure 2 A female fluid coupling element according to the present utility model is shown in an uncoupled state.

[0017] Figure 3 A sectional view according to sectional plane III-III of Figure 2 is shown.

[0018] Figure 4 A sectional view according to sectional plane IV-IV of Figure 2 is shown.

[0019] Figure 5 An exploded view of a female fluid coupling element according to the present utility model is shown.

[0020] Figure 6 An isometric view of a female fluid coupling element according to the present utility model in an uncoupled state is shown.

[0021] Figure 7 A latch of a female fluid coupling element according to the present utility model is shown.

[0022] Figure 8 A sectional view according to sectional plane VIII-VIII of Figure 3 is shown.

[0023] Figure 9 A male fluid coupling element and a female fluid coupling element according to the present utility model in an intermediate state are shown.

[0024] Figure 10The male fluid coupling element and the female fluid coupling element in the coupled state according to the utility model are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present application relates to a fluid coupling 1 formed by a female coupling element 4 and a complementary male coupling element 2 that can be fluidly connected to each other. The coupling 1 is suitable for example to transport a refrigerant fluid for cooling applications. The male coupling element 2 and the female coupling element 4 comprise rotating parts.

[0026] For each coupling element, the "front longitudinal" or the descriptor "front" indicates that it is turned in the direction of the other coupling element, while the "rear longitudinal" or the descriptor "rear" indicates that it is turned in the opposite direction. The front longitudinal direction F and the rear longitudinal direction R of the female fluid coupling element 4 are shown. Figure 2 The "proximal" portion is closer to the rear end of the female fluid coupling element than the "distal" portion.

[0027] The male coupling element 2 comprises a male body 21. The male body 21 is metallic, for example stainless steel, and is tubular. The male body 21 has a rear portion configured to be connected to a pipe (not shown). The male body 21 is centered on a longitudinal central axis X21.

[0028] With respect to the male coupling element 2, the words "radial", "longitudinal", "axial" are related to the longitudinal central axis X21. The longitudinal is parallel to the longitudinal central axis X21. The axial surface is perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis X21. The radial surface extends around the longitudinal central axis X21. The outer surface is turned opposite to the longitudinal central axis X21.

[0029] The outer radial surface of the male body 21 defines a locking groove 22 having a cylindrical bottom 221. The locking groove 22 is defined forwardly by a collar 23 of the male body 21, the collar 23 radially protruding from the cylindrical bottom 221. In particular, the collar 23 is defined by a first inclined surface 231, a cylindrical outer surface 232, a second inclined surface 233 and an axial surface 234. The axial surface 234 and the second inclined surface 233 are turned towards the rear end of the male body 21. The first inclined surface 231 is turned towards the front end of the male body 21. The second inclined surface 233 is longitudinally located between the axial surface 234 and the cylindrical outer surface 232.

[0030] The male valve 26 is mounted in the inner conduit 20. The male valve 26 is movable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position of the male valve 26, the male valve 26 closes the inner conduit 21. In the open position, the inner conduit 21 is opened.

[0031] The male coupling element 2 comprises a spring 24 interposed between the inner ring 25 and the male valve 26 and pushing the male valve 26 towards its closed position.

[0032] The female fluid coupling element 4 comprises a female body 41 which is centred on a longitudinal central axis X41. The female body 41 defines an internal conduit 42. The internal conduit 42 is centred on the longitudinal central axis X41.

[0033] With respect to the complementary female coupling element 4, the words "radial", "longitudinal", "axial" relate to the longitudinal central axis X41. The radial direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis X41. The radial surface extends around the longitudinal central axis X41. The axial surface is perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis X41. The longitudinal direction is parallel to the longitudinal central axis X41. The outer surface is the radial surface opposite to the longitudinal central axis X41. The external recess opens opposite to the longitudinal central axis X41. The internal recess opens towards the longitudinal central axis X41.

[0034] The female body comprises a distal body 411 and a proximal body 412 assembled together along the longitudinal central axis X41. The proximal body 412 defines a rear part of the internal conduit 42 which is configured to be connected to a pipe or conduit of a support (not shown). The distal body 411 defines an opening 421 of the internal conduit 42 through which the complementary fluid coupling element 2 can be introduced into the female body 41 for coupling the female coupling element 4 with the complementary fluid coupling member 2.

[0035] The female fluid coupling element 4 further comprises an elastically deformable obstacle 413 which is partially housed in the external recess 4111 of the distal body 411 and in the internal recess 4121 of the proximal body 412 when the distal body 411 and the proximal body 412 are in the assembled configuration. The obstacle 413 is configured to cooperate with the distal axial wall 4122 of the internal recess 4121 and with the proximal axial wall 4112 of the external recess 4111 to prevent the longitudinal separation of the distal and proximal bodies 411, 412. The assembly of the distal body 411 and the proximal body 412 ensures the compactness and the possibility of relative rotation of the distal and proximal bodies 411, 412 around the longitudinal central axis X41.

[0036] The obstacle 413 is an open ring. Preferably, the open ring is a metal ring. By open ring it is meant that the obstacle 413 comprises a slot which runs through the entire radial thickness and the entire length of the obstacle 413, so that the open ring is discontinuous around the central longitudinal axis X41 when the female body 41 is in the assembled configuration.

[0037] The longitudinal dimension L413 of the obstacle 413 is strictly greater than the radial thickness t413 of the obstacle 413.

[0038] The obstacle 413 is configured to be entirely contained in the outer recess 4111 for assembling the distal body 411 with the proximal body 412 together.

[0039] The transversal housing 44 is disposed in the concave body 41. In particular, the transversal housing 44 is disposed in the distal body 411. The transversal housing 44 is open on the outer side of the distal body 411 in the transversal direction T and 411 is delimited in the transversal direction T by a bottom face 441 of the distal body. In particular, the transversal housing 44 is partly open on an outer surface 4113 of the distal body 4111 and partly open on a plane 4415 of the distal body 411. The plane 4415 forms a cutout of the outer surface 4113. Preferably, the plane 4415 is parallel to the longitudinal central axis X41.

[0040] The transversal direction T is radial with respect to the longitudinal central axis X41.

[0041] The latch 45 is movable in the transversal housing 44 in the transversal direction T between Figure 10 a locked position, as shown in figure 1, and Figure 9 an unlocked position, as shown in figure 2. Preferably, the latch 45 is metallic. The latch 45 has a central opening 451. The central opening 451 is delimited by a tooth 452. The tooth 452 has a rear axial locking surface 453 configured to longitudinally cooperate with the complementary male fluid coupling element 2 when the latch 45 is in the locked position. The latch 45 has an external actuation surface 454 accessible from the outside of the concave body 41. The latch 45 further has a transversal recess 456 disposed at the level of an outer surface of the latch 45. This transversal recess 456 passes through the latch 45 parallel to the longitudinal central axis X41 when the latch 45 is mounted in the transversal housing 44. The central opening 451 comprises a receiving recess 457 delimited forward by the rear axial locking surface 453 and longitudinally extending to a rear surface 458 of the latch 45. In other words, the rear axial locking surface 453 is longitudinally mobile with respect to the rear surface 458. The maximum longitudinal dimension L44 of the transversal housing 44 is greater than the maximum longitudinal dimension L45 of the latch 45. The external actuation surface 454 of the latch 45 is part of a cylindrical surface.

[0042] The female fluid coupling element 4 further comprises a pin 415 engaged in a complementary longitudinal recess 416 of the distal body 411 so that the pin 415 is fixed with the female body 41 along the transversal direction T. The complementary longitudinal recess 416 intersects the transversal housing 44 and opens towards the front face of the distal body 410. After the installation of the latch 45 in the transversal housing 44 and into the unlocked position, the pin 415 is engaged in the transversal groove 456 of the latch 45 so that the movement of the latch 45 in the transversal direction T towards the locked position is limited by the surface delimiting the transversal groove 456 against the pin 415 when there is no complementary male fluid coupling element 2 in the receiving volume 43. The pin 415 is preferably fully inserted in the complementary longitudinal recess 416. The pin 415 does not limit the movement of the latch 45 towards the unlocked position. In the locked position, when the latch 45 is against the pin 415, the external actuation surface 454 is partially flush with the outer surface 4113 of the distal body 411 and partially protrudes from the plane 4115. In other words, when the latch 45 is against the pin 415, the external actuation surface 454 is at least partially flush with the cylindrical portion of the outer surface 4113 of the distal body 411. Thus, the diameter D454 of the external actuation surface 454 is equal to the diameter D411 of the cylindrical portion of the outer surface 4113.

[0043] The female fluid coupling element 4 further comprises a spring 46 pushing the latch 45 towards its locked position in the transversal direction. The spring 46 is at least partially installed around the centering lug 455 of the latch 45. The spring 46 is in contact with the distal body 411 and the latch 45. The spring 46 is housed in a cylindrical recess 4116 of the transversal housing 44, the cylindrical recess 4116 being delimited by a bottom face 441. The cylindrical recess 4116 is located opposite the opening of the transversal housing 44 on the outer surface 4113 of the distal body 411 with respect to the longitudinal center axis X41. In other words, the spring 46 is entirely located on one side of a longitudinal median plane P4 extending through the center longitudinal axis X41, while the external actuation surface 454 of the latch 45 is entirely located on the other side of this longitudinal median plane P4. In particular, the longitudinal median plane P4 is perpendicular to the transversal direction T. In particular, the spring 46 is in contact with the bottom face 441 of the transversal housing 44. The maximum longitudinal dimension L46 of the spring 46 is less than the maximum longitudinal dimension L44 of the transversal housing 44.

[0044] The center axis of the pin 415 and the center axis of the complementary longitudinal recess 416 extend in the longitudinal median plane P4.

[0045] The female fluid coupling element 4 further comprises a female valve 47 movable within the inner conduit 42 between a closed position and an open position. A spring 54 of the female fluid coupling element 4 pushes the female valve 47 towards its closed position. The female valve 47 is annularly located radially between the central stem 48 and the female body 41, wherein in the closed position the female valve 47 tightly cooperates with the head 481 of the central stem 48 and with the female body 41 by the first and second sealing gaskets 49, 50, respectively. In the open position the female valve 47 is longitudinally displaced relative to the first and second sealing gaskets 49, 50 and no longer cooperates with the first and second sealing gaskets 49, 50.

[0046] The female fluid coupling element 4 further comprises a spacer ring 51 placed within the female body 41. The spacer ring 51 is able to abut forwardly against a rear surface 414 of the female body 41. The spacer ring 51 defines a proximal axial wall 521 of a sealing groove 52 housing the first sealing gasket 49. A distal body 411 defines a bottom cylindrical wall 522 and a distal axial wall 523 of the sealing groove 52.

[0047] The female fluid coupling element 4 comprises a third sealing gasket radially placed between the distal body 411 and the proximal body 412, whereas in the assembled configuration of the bodies 412, 411 the obstacle 413 is arranged forwardly relative to the third sealing gasket.

[0048] The central stem 48 has a rear portion 482 longitudinally placed between the spacer ring 51 and the proximal body 412 when the distal body 411 and the proximal body 412 are assembled. In the assembled configuration of the proximal and distal bodies 412, 411, the rear portion 482 is longitudinally movable relative to the proximal body 412 and relative to the distal body 411 when the spacer ring 51 abuts forwardly against the rear surface 414 of the female body 41 and when the obstacle 413 cooperates with the distal axial wall 4122 of the inner groove 4121 and with the proximal axial wall 4112 of the outer groove 4111. In other words, there is a longitudinal gap between the rear portion 482 of the central stem 48 and the spacer ring 51 and / or to the proximal body 412, which is less than 0.5 mm.

[0049] In the assembled configuration, the spacer ring 51 extends at least at the same longitudinal level as the obstacle 413.

[0050] The female fluid coupling element 4 further comprises a plastic ring 53 surrounding the female body 41. In the assembled configuration of the proximal and distal bodies 412, 411, the front end 4123 of the proximal body 411 is received in an annular rear recess 4133 in the distal body 411. The plastic ring 53 is longitudinally placed between the rear surface of the distal body 411 and the front surface of the proximal body 412.

[0051] Before assembling the distal and proximal bodies 411, 412, the first sealing gasket 49, the spacer ring 51, the spring 54 and the central rod 48 are introduced into the proximal body 412.

[0052] During the assembly of the proximal and distal bodies 411, 412, the distal body 411, equipped with the obstacle 413 and the third sealing gasket, which are fully constrained and contained in the external recess 4111, is introduced into the proximal body 412. When the distal body 411 is longitudinally abutted against the proximal body 412, the entire length of the obstacle 413 faces radially the internal recess 4121 of the proximal body 412, so that the obstacle 413 can be freely elastically deformed. Since the maximum radial dimension d413 of the obstacle 413 in the free state is strictly smaller than the diameter of the bottom surface of the internal recess 4121, the obstacle 413 elastically deforms until it abuts radially outward against the bottom surface of the internal recess 4121. Thus, in the assembled configuration of the proximal and distal bodies 411, 412, the obstacle 413 has a maximum radial dimension d413’ which corresponds to the diameter of the bottom surface of the internal recess 4121 and is smaller than the maximum radial dimension d413 of the obstacle 413 in the free state.

[0053] To couple the male fluid coupling element 2 with the female fluid coupling element 4, the male body 21 of the male fluid coupling element 2 is introduced into the female body 41 through the opening 421, with the longitudinal central axis X21 aligned with the longitudinal central longitudinal axis X41. Then, the male body 21 is introduced into the central opening 451 of the latch 45.

[0054] During the introduction of the male body 21 into the female body 41, the male valve 26 comes into contact with the central rod 48, while the female valve 47 comes into contact with the male body 21. The introduction movement causes the male valve 26 and the female valve 47 to move into the open position.

[0055] During the introduction of the male body 21 into the female body 41, the male body 21 cooperates with the first sealing gasket 49 before the male valve 26 and the female valve 47 start moving into their open position.

[0056] Then, as the male body 21 is further introduced into the female body 41, the first inclined surface 231 of the collar 23 comes into contact with the tooth 452 and the introduction movement causes the first inclined surface 231 to push the tooth 452, i.e. the latch 45, against the action of the spring 46 into its unlocked position. In the unlocked position of the latch 45, the latch 45 allows further introduction movement of the male body 21 into the female body 41. This intermediate state is shown in Figure 9 .

[0057] When the locking groove 22 is in the longitudinal horizontal position of the tooth 452, the spring 46 pushes the latch 45 back to its locked position, the tooth 452 engages in the locking groove 22, and the rear axial locking surface 453 faces the axial surface 234 of the convex body 21 longitudinally.

[0058] like Figure 10 As shown, coupling has been achieved. The rear axial locking surface 453 and the axial surface 234 cooperate to resist movement of the convex body 21 from the receiving volume 43. Fluid can flow through the internal conduit 42 and the internal conduit 21.

[0059] To disengage the concave fluid coupling element 4 and the complementary convex fluid coupling element 2, the operator must act on the external actuating surface 454 to press the latch 45 against the spring 46. If the operator cannot reach the external actuating surface 454 of the latch 45, the operator can rotate the distal body 411 about the longitudinal central axis X41 relative to the proximal body 412 to place the external actuating surface 454 in an accessible position, without twisting the conduit if it is connected to the rear of the proximal body 412, and without twisting the support if the rear of the proximal body 412 is connected to the conduit of the support. When the latch 45 is pressed against the spring 46 into its unlocked position, the teeth 452 no longer face any axial rear surface of the convex body 21 and do not prevent the convex body 21 from being removed from the concave body 41. In particular, the rear axial locking surface 453 no longer faces longitudinally the axial surface 234 of the convex body 21. The operator removes the convex body 21 from the receiving volume 43. During this relative longitudinal movement of the convex body 21 and the concave body 41, the concave valve 47 and the convex valve 26 are pushed back to their closed positions by their respective springs 54 and 24.

[0060] In another embodiment, not shown in the figures, the convex body 21 mates with the first main sealing gasket and the first sealing gasket to maintain a tight seal between the convex body 21 and the concave body 41 during and in the connected state. The first sealing gasket is similar to the first sealing gasket 49 in the aforementioned embodiment because it is received in the internal sealing groove of the concave fluid connection element 4 and because it mates with the concave valve 47 in the closed position. The first main sealing gasket is received in the concave body and moves forward relative to the first sealing gasket. The first main sealing gasket does not mate with the concave valve in the closed position.

[0061] In another embodiment not shown in the figure, there is no plane like plane 4115 forming a cutout on the outer surface 4113. In the locked position, the outer actuating surface 454 is completely flush with the outer surface 4113 of the distal body 411.

[0062] In another embodiment, not shown in the figures, the plane 4115 forming the cutout of the outer surface 4113 extends only rearward with respect to the transverse housing 44.

[0063] Thanks to the assembly of the distal and proximal bodies 411, 412 by the elastically deformable barrier 413, the female fluid coupling element 4 is compact both in the longitudinal direction and in the radial direction. The layout of the latch 45, of the transverse housing 44, of the spring 46, of the pin 415 also ensures longitudinal compactness.

Claims

1. A female fluid coupling element (4) characterized in that, comprises: a concave body (41) centered on a longitudinal central axis (X41), the concave body (41) comprising a distal body (411) and a proximal body (412) assembled together along the longitudinal central axis (X41), the concave body (41) defining an internal conduit (42), the distal body (411) defining an opening (421) of the internal conduit (42) through which a complementary male fluid coupling element (2) can be introduced into the concave body (41), the proximal body (412) defining a rear portion of the internal conduit (42), a latch (45) movable in a transverse direction (T) radial to the longitudinal central axis (X41) between a locked position and an unlocked position in a transverse housing (44) of the distal body (411) opening to the outside of the distal body (411), the latch (45) having a central opening (451) along the longitudinal central axis (X41) configured to receive a complementary male fluid coupling element when the complementary male fluid coupling element (2) is introduced into the concave body (41), the central opening (451) being defined by a tooth (452) having a rear axial locking surface (453) configured to longitudinally cooperate with the complementary male fluid coupling element (2) when the latch (45) is in the locked position to prevent the complementary male fluid coupling element (2) from being removed from the concave body (41) in a coupled state of the concave body coupling element (4) and the complementary fluid coupling element (2), the latch (45) having an external actuation surface (454) accessible from the outside of the concave body (41), the latch (45) being in the unlocked position allowing the complementary male fluid coupling element (2) to be removed from the concave body (41), a spring (46) pushing the latch (45) towards its locked position in the transverse direction (T), wherein the concave fluid coupling element (4) further comprises an elastically deformable barrier (413) partially housed in an external recess (4111) of the distal body (411) and in an internal recess (4121) of the proximal body (412) when the concave body (41) is in the assembled configuration, the barrier (413) being configured to cooperate with a distal axial wall (4122) of the internal recess (4121) and with a proximal axial wall (4112) of the external recess (4111) to prevent longitudinal separation of the distal body (411) and the proximal body (412), wherein said female fluid coupling element (4) further comprises a female valve (47) movable within said inner conduit (42) between a closed position and an open position of said inner conduit (42), said female valve (47) being radially interposed between said central stem (48) and said female body (41), said female valve (47) in said closed position being in tight fit with said central stem (48) and with said female body (41), wherein said spring (46) is entirely located on one side of a longitudinal median plane (P4) extending through said longitudinal central axis (X41) and perpendicular to said transversal direction (T), while an outer actuation surface (454) of said latch (45) is entirely located on the other side of said longitudinal median plane (P4), and said spring (46) is in contact with a bottom face (441) of a distal body (411) defining a transversal housing (44) in the transversal direction (T), and wherein a maximum dimension (L46) of said spring (46) along said longitudinal central axis (X41) is smaller than a maximum longitudinal dimension (L44) of said transversal housing (44).

2. The female fluid coupling element (4) according to claim 1, characterized in that said obstacle (413) is an open ring having a longitudinal dimension (L413) strictly greater than a radial thickness (t413) of said open ring.

3. Female fluid coupling element (4) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said female fluid coupling element (4) further comprises a sealing gasket (49) ensuring the tight fit of the female valve (47) with the female body (41) in the closed position, and a spacer ring (51) defining a proximal axial wall (4112) of a sealing groove (52) housing said sealing gasket (49), while a distal body (411) defines a bottom cylindrical wall (522) and a distal axial wall (4122) of said sealing groove (52), wherein a rear portion (482) of said central stem (48) is longitudinally interposed between said spacer ring (51) and said proximal body (412), and said spacer ring (51) is forward abuttable against a rear face (414) of said female body (41).

4. The female fluid coupling element (4) according to claim 3, characterized in that In the assembled configuration of said proximal body (412) and said distal body (411), when said spacer ring (51) is forward abutted against said rear face (414) of said female body (41), and when said obstacle (413) is in fit with said distal axial wall (4122) of said inner groove (4121) and with said proximal axial wall (4112) of said outer groove (4111), said rear portion (482) of said central stem (48) is longitudinally movable with respect to said proximal body (412) and with respect to said distal body (411).

5. The female fluid coupling element (4) according to claim 3, characterized in that said spacer ring (51) extends at least on the same longitudinal level as said obstacle (413).

6. Female fluid coupling element (4) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The female fluid coupling element (4) further comprises a pin (415) engaged in a complementary longitudinal recess (416) of the distal body (411) such that the pin (415) is fixed with the female body (41) along the transversal direction (T), the complementary longitudinal recess (416) intersects the transversal housing (44), and wherein the pin (415) is engaged in a transversal groove (456) of the latch (45) such that the movement of the latch (45) in the transversal direction (T) towards the locking position is limited by a surface of the limiting transversal groove (456) against the pin (415) when the female body (41) does not receive the complementary male fluid coupling element (2).

7. The female fluid coupling element (4) according to claim 6, characterized in that The outer actuation surface (454) of the latch (45) is part of a cylindrical surface, and wherein the outer actuation surface (454) is at least partially flush with the cylindrical portion of the outer surface (4113) of the distal body (411) when the latch (45) is against the pin (415).

8. The female fluid coupling element (4) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The latch (45) defines a receiving recess (457) defined forward by the rear axial locking surface (453) of the tooth (452), and the receiving recess (457) extends longitudinally to the rear surface (458) of the latch (45), and wherein the maximum longitudinal dimension (L44) of the transversal housing (44) is greater than the maximum transversal dimension (L45) of the latch (45).

9. Female fluid coupling element (4) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The female fluid coupling element (4) further comprises a plastic ring (53), and wherein in the assembled configuration of the proximal body (412) and the distal body (411), the front end (4123) of the proximal body (412) is received in the annular rear recess (4133) of the distal body (411), the plastic ring (53) surrounds the female body (41) and is longitudinally interposed between the rear surface of the distal body (411) and the front surface of the proximal body (412).

10. A fluid coupling (1) characterized by, A female fluid coupling element (4) as claimed in claim 1 or 2 and a complementary male fluid coupling element (2) having a male body (21) having one locking groove (22) having a cylindrical base (221), the locking groove (22) being defined by a collar (23) of the male body (21), the collar (23) radially protruding from the cylindrical base (221) and being defined by an axial surface (234), and wherein in the coupled state of the female fluid coupling element (4) and the complementary male fluid coupling element (2), the male body (21) is received in the female body (41) and the tooth (452) of the latch (45) is engaged in the locking groove (22), the rear axial locking surface (453) of the latch (45) being able to cooperate with the axial surface (234) of the collar (23) to prevent the male body (21) from moving out of the female body (41).

Images