Compact Push-Pull Female Quick Coupling Mechanical Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing quick couplings with valve locking systems are bulky and complex due to a high number of internal components, which complicates their use in applications requiring compact and reliable fluid connections, especially under high flow rates.
Innovation Solution
A compact female push-pull quick coupling with a mechanical locking device featuring a valve guide, forked cam, and compression-torsion spring, which maintains the valve in an open position and prevents backflow by using a simplified design with reduced components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hydraulic valve body locking system is used in quick couplings, then the valve can be maintained in an open position, but the device becomes bulky and structurally complex with many internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex hydraulic valve body locking system with a simple mechanical locking device. The mechanical device uses a cam mechanism with cam lobes that engage with cam followers on the valve body, providing reliable locking without requiring hydraulic pressure or complex internal components. This substitution directly resolves the contradiction by maintaining locking reliability while dramatically reducing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the hydraulic locking system components from the quick coupling design. By removing the hydraulic pressure requirements and associated components, the design achieves valve body locking through pure mechanical means, thereby reducing the number of internal components while maintaining the essential locking function.
2Reliability
If a hydraulic valve body locking system is used in quick couplings, then the valve can be maintained in an open position, but the dimensions of the coupling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the bulky hydraulic locking system with a compact mechanical cam-based locking device. The cam lobes and followers provide effective valve body locking in a much smaller volume, directly resolving the contradiction by maintaining reliability while reducing coupling dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical locking components (cam lobes, cam followers, spring) are nested within the existing coupling body structure. The cam mechanism integrates with the valve body and coupling housing, utilizing available space efficiently and minimizing the overall volume of the coupling while maintaining reliable valve locking.
3Reliability
If a hydraulic valve body locking system is used in quick couplings, then the valve can be maintained in an open position, but the structural complexity increases due to high number of inner components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex hydraulic system with a simple mechanical cam mechanism that uses fewer parts. The cam lobes, followers, and spring can be manufactured using standard machining processes and assembled with minimal complexity, directly improving ease of manufacture while maintaining locking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into fewer components. The cam lobes serve both as locking elements and as guides for the valve body movement. The spring provides both the locking force and the return force. This functional merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a more reliable, compact, and cost-effective coupling with reduced dimensions, enabling efficient fluid flow management and versatile use in smaller spaces, while maintaining structural simplicity and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a compression-torsion spring (34) for the movement of said valve guide
Implementation Method 2
compression-torsion spring (34) for the movement of said valve guide
Implementation Method 3
a forked cam (32) also having a substantially cylindrical form and in turn comprising at least one pair or rods (33), each of which presents a free end (33b) having an oblique profile that defines an inclined plane with respect to the longitudinal coupling direction
Implementation Method 4
the end ones (33b) and the inlet one (31 b), so as to make possible the relative sliding of the two inclined surfaces or slides
Data Source
Figure 1~1A
Figure 1B~2
Figure 2A~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a female quick coupling (10) of the type comprising an axial valve body (11) for closing the flow of fluid in the fitting, characterised in that it comprises a mechanical locking device (30) of the valve body, wherein thanks to the new type of mechanical locking device, the quick coupling, of the push-pull type, according to the present invention is particularly compact, simple to produce and therefore reliable and easy to assemble.