Quick Connector Double-Lock Retainer for Accidental Release Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coupling assemblies for fluid connections may fail due to accidental release of the male member from the quick connector, leading to fluid loss, especially under high fluid pressures or material deterioration.
Innovation Solution
The coupling assembly incorporates a retainer and verifier design where the verifier is kept in the locking position when the male member is in the latching position, preventing accidental release by creating a double lock function that increases the force threshold required for release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single latching mechanism is used to retain the male member, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to accidental release under high fluid pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling assembly is divided into functionally independent components: a retainer with retaining elements for mechanical latching, and a verifier with covering sections for safety verification. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while together they provide enhanced reliability through a double-lock mechanism that prevents accidental release under high fluid pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The verifier is designed to cover the retaining elements of the retainer before the male member is fully inserted. This preliminary positioning of the verifier creates a safety barrier that must be deliberately removed (by actuating the retainer) before release can occur, preventing accidental release during the insertion process or due to external forces.
2Reliability
If the verifier covers the actuating segments in the locking position, then accidental release is prevented, but the ease of operation decreases due to additional steps required for release
Solution Approach 1:
The verifier acts as an intermediary safety mechanism between the user and the retainer's actuating segments. It covers the retaining elements in the locked position, requiring the user to deliberately actuate the retainer to remove this coverage. This intermediary step ensures that release is always a conscious action, preventing accidental release while maintaining operational simplicity through clear tactile and visual feedback.
3Ease of operation
If the retainer is made actuatable under high force, then the ease of operation improves for deliberate release, but the reliability decreases due to risk of accidental release
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to be actuated under controlled force conditions. The retaining elements can move radially when sufficient force is applied to the actuating segments, enabling deliberate release. However, the verifier's covering sections prevent this dynamic movement unless the actuating segments are deliberately pushed, creating a dual-state system that resists accidental activation while allowing controlled release.
Data Source
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AI summary
A coupling assembly comprises a female quick connector and a male member, wherein the male member has a latching element, a sealing section and a tip, wherein the sealing section is disposed between the latching element and the tip. The quick connector comprises a retainer having at least one retaining element. The male member is in a latching position if the latching element is latched onto the at least one retaining element. The quick connector comprises a verifier which is axially movable along a verification path, wherein the verification path comprises at least one locking position and at least one releasing position. The verifier in the locking position limits a movement of a section of the retainer in radial direction, so that the retainer is not actuatable in the locking position but actuatable in the releasing position of the verifier.