Fluid handling – Systems – Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-28
2001-02-06
Lee, Kevin (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
C137S614040, C137S315010, C137S315270, C285S311000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182695
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to breakaway couplings, and in particular, a breakaway coupling which requires a considerable amount of force (i.e. 200 lbs.) to couple and uncouple.
Breakaway couplings are commonly placed in gas delivery hoses at gas stations. Examples of such couplings are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,365,973 and 4,827,977, which are owned by the same assignee as the instant invention, and which are incorporated herein by reference. As is known, such couplings are provided to stop the flow of gasoline through the hose should a customer inadvertently forget to remove the fuel delivery nozzle from his car before leaving a gas station. When breakaway couplings are used, should a customer forget to remove the nozzle, the coupling will separate, and the valves therein will close to prevent a gasoline spill. However, depending upon the force of the separation, the fuel dispensing equipment can be damaged. It is thus important that the fuel dispenser and its associated components be inspected by trained personnel prior to putting the pump back into service.
Current breakaway couplings, however, require very little force to put the coupling back together. For example, in the coupling of the above noted patents, the coupling can be connected with as little as 10 lbs. of force. When the breakaway coupling is disconnected, the customer may attempt to reconnect the coupling. To prevent a customer from reassembling breakaway couplings, shear pin safety breakaway couplings have been developed. However, typical shear pin safety breakaways have a higher separation force than a reconnectable safety breakaway. Thus, dispensing equipment is subjected to undue forces during a driveaway. Shear pin safety breaks are also susceptible to pin degradation. Such degradation is due to nozzle imparted line shock, and can result in nuisance separation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A coupler is provided for a breakaway coupling for a fuel line, such as in a gas station fuel line. The breakaway coupling requires in excess of 150 lbs. of force to assemble and disassemble its two fittings, and the coupler is provided to enable someone to assemble (or disassemble) the coupling without the need to exert so much force.
The breakaway coupling includes a first fitting which is received in a second fitting. The first fitting includes a hollow sleeve defining a fuel flow path, a check valve movable in the sleeve between a closed position and an opened position to close and open the fuel flow path, openings around a distal end of the first fitting sleeve, and detent balls received in the openings and movable radially in the openings.
The second fitting includes an outer hollow sleeve sized to receive the first fitting sleeve and an inner hollow sleeve which is slidably received in the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has a groove or a series of detents on an inner surface positioned to receive the detent balls when the first and second fittings are assembled together. The inner sleeve defines a fuel flow path through the second fitting and includes a check valve movable in the sleeve between a closed position and an opened position to close and open the fuel flow path. The inner sleeve has a reduced diameter section defining an annular space between the inner and outer sleeves. A latch ring is positionally fixed to the reduced diameter section outer surface. A stop on an inner surface of the outer sleeve limits axial movement of the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve.
A spring (made from a plurality of spring washers) is positioned between the outer sleeve stop and the latch ring and biases the inner sleeve to normally bear against the outer sleeve stop. The latch ring being positioned to be substantially aligned with the groove when the inner sleeve is in its normal position. Hence, the latch ring will urge the detent balls radially outwardly to engage the groove or detents to hold the two fittings together. To assemble or disassemble the coupling, the force of the spring member must be overcome. The spring member has a spring force greater than the force which can be easily generated by an average person. For example, the spring force is at least 150 lbs.
The coupler includes an open ended housing having a side wall and an end wall. A plate is received in the housing and is axial movable in the housing. A cam on an outer surface of the housing end wall is operatively connected to the plate by a rod extending through the housing end wall. The cam has a camming surface and is pivotable between a first position in which the camming surface is out of engagement with the housing end wall and a second position in which it engages the housing end wall. The coupler plate is securable to the second fitting inner sleeve. Preferably, the peripheral surface of the plate is threaded, and the inner surface of the second fitting inner sleeve is threaded, so that the plate can be threadably attached to the inner sleeve.
The coupler housing end wall is sized to abut an end surface of the second fitting outer sleeve when the plate is mounted to the second fitting inner sleeve and when the cam is in the first position. As the cam is moved from its first position to its second position, the coupler plate is pulled toward the housing end wall, thereby pulling the second fitting inner sleeve axially in the outer sleeve against the force of the spring to move the latch ring out of alignment with the groove sufficiently to enable the detent ball to move radially in its associated opening and to disengage the groove (or to insert the first fitting into the housing to a position where the detent balls are aligned with the groove with minimal force on behalf of the assembler). The coupler includes a lever handle which is used to move the coupler cam between its first and second positions. Thus, the coupler relies on the leverage of the handle to overcome the spring force. Thus, even though the spring force is much greater than can easily be generated by an average person, by relying on the leverage of the handle, the spring force can be easily overcome and the latch ring can be moved out of alignment with the detents or detent groove to permit assembly or disassembly of the coupling.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3664375 (1972-05-01), Marette
patent: 3881514 (1975-05-01), Berg
patent: 4827977 (1989-05-01), Fink, Jr.
patent: 5365973 (1994-11-01), Fink, Jr. et al.
patent: 5507530 (1996-04-01), Mahaney
patent: 5896889 (1999-04-01), Menard
patent: 5988697 (1999-11-01), Arosio
patent: 6102062 (2000-08-01), Pearl, II et al.
Coates, III Gordon R.
Suher Frank R.
Denk Paul M
Husky Corporation
Lee Kevin
LandOfFree
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