Pipe joints or couplings – Having plural independent paths – For concentric tubes or pipes
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-20
2001-03-06
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Pipe joints or couplings
Having plural independent paths
For concentric tubes or pipes
C285S123150, C285S025000, C285S291100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196596
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to coaxial pipe, tube, and/or hose connection assemblies, and more particularly to a coaxial pipe, tube, and/or hose connection assembly which is particularly adapted for use in connection with power tools which employ such a system or assembly in order to simultaneously supply power-driving or coolant air and lubricant to the power tool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Coaxial pipe, tube, and/or hose connection assemblies, particularly those which are used to supply a combination of power-driving or coolant air and lubricating oil to power tools, are known in the art. Exemplary of one type of such known prior art is the fitting or assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,475, which issued to Glaser et al. on Sep. 26, 1978. In accordance with such typical or conventional prior art assemblies or fittings, a quick disconnect coaxial coupling socket
17
is disclosed in
FIG. 1
, for example, as comprising a male pipe threaded fitting
18
within which there is disposed a central or axial tube
24
, for mating with a barbed insert
13
of an injection lubricator so as to conduct a suitable lubricant therethrough, and a surrounding annular air passage
19
. A three-legged spacer or locator
26
radially supports the axially disposed lubricant tube
24
with respect to the housing
18
and the air passage
19
. Other similar embodiments are disclosed in
FIGS. 2 and 3
.
While the aforenoted patent to Glaser et al. discloses a typical coaxial pipe or tubular assembly or connector for conducting a combination of fluids therethrough, such as, for example, air and a lubricating oil, such an assembly is not directed to an assembly of the type which can readily accommodate coaxially disposed hoses and connections between hose sections. It is frequently required in connection with the use of such hose assemblies upon, for example, cutting tools or the like, to shorten or lengthen or otherwise change or replace the hose sections or assemblies. In addition, in order to minimize operational downtime as much as possible, the exchange or replacement process must be able to be accomplished relatively quickly and easily. These criteria cannot be readily satisfied or met with the assembly of Glaser et al.
While the patent to Glaser et al. characterizes the structural assembly thereof as being of the quick disconnect/connect type, it is seen that the entire coupling socket
17
, comprising male pipe threaded fitting
18
, must be rotated relative to the fitting
10
in order to mount the coupling socket
17
upon the fitting
10
as a result of the threaded engagement of the male pipe threaded fitting
18
of the coupling socket
17
and the female pipe thread
11
of the fitting
10
. This is difficult or awkward to accomplish whereby the assembly may not necessarily be considered a quick connect/disconnect type assembly. In addition, it is noted that due to the axially recessed disposition of the barbed insert
13
within the fitting
10
, it is sometimes difficult to properly coaxially align the barbed insert
13
with the grommet
21
in order to provide fluidic communication between tubes
16
and
24
of the fitting
10
and socket
17
because the forward end of the coupling socket
17
is already partially disposed internally of the fitting
10
before the barbed insert
13
can engage the grommet
21
.
Another quick disconnect coupling for coaxial fluid lines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,827 which issued to Boelkins on Jun. 28, 1974. The quick connection/disconnection process of such coupling, however, is relatively complex. More particularly, the coupling assembly comprises a plurality of locking balls
22
and a slidable sleeve
26
mounted upon a valve body member
18
of a socket portion
10
. In addition, a sleeve valve
32
is also slidably mounted upon the body member
18
. In order to therefore disconnect the plug portion
12
from the socket portion
10
, the sleeve valve
32
must first be moved to the left as shown in
FIG. 2
whereupon the locking mechanism sleeve
26
can then also be moved to the left so as to release the locking balls
22
and thereby allow the plug portion
12
to be withdrawn from the socket portion
10
.
It is also desirable from a manufacturing and assembly point of view that the mating hose sections of the coaxial hose assembly be substantially identical or at least complementary with respect to each other to the greatest possible extent. In addition, from an operational point of view, whereby the various fluids are able to flow through the hose assemblies with maximized flow efficiency and minimized flow resistance, substantially straight-through axial flow paths are desired. Still further, the hose assemblies must be provided with a requisite amount of structural integrity so as to ensure proper and desired mechanical interconnection between the various components of the assembly as well as to ensure the integrity of the fluidic communication between the hose sections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,414 which issued to Inaba on Mar. 22, 1988 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,160,703 which issued to Fleming on Nov. 16, 1915 are exemplary of additional coaxial pipe joint assemblies wherein substantially axial flow of both the inner and outer fluids through the assemblies are provided. It is noted, however, that aside from the external joint nut or joint body
1
and
26
, respectively, there is no provision of a mechanical joint or interengaging interface between the pipe components because the joint interfaces of both patented assemblies are of the butt-joint type which also require packing
25
and
29
, respectively.
A need therefore exists in the art for a quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly which in fact readily enables quick and easy connection and disconnection of the hose assemblies, which is comprised of substantially identical or complementary component parts, which provides substantially axial flow-through of the dual fluids, and which provides good mechanical interconnections so as to ensure both structural and fluidic integrity of the assembly.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly for conducting dual fluids therethrough.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly for conducting dual fluids therethrough and wherein such hose assembly overcomes the various drawbacks characteristic of the prior art assemblies.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly for conducting dual fluids therethrough and wherein such hose assembly comprises substantially identical or complementary component parts.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly for conducting dual fluids therethrough in a substantially axial manner and wherein the component parts of such hose assembly provide good mechanical interconnections so as to ensure both the structural and fluidic integrity of the assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other objects are achieved in accordance with the teachings of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved quick connect/disconnect coaxial hose assembly which comprises a pair of outer tubular members fabricated, for example, from polyurethane, and a pair of inner tubular members fabricated, for example, from nylon, and wherein the assembly further comprises connector members for quickly and easily connecting free end portions of the inner and outer tubular members in a coaxial manner so as to provide for the dual coaxial transmission of lubricant and air fluids through the inner and outer tubular members.
More particularly, the connector members of the hose assembly comprise a tubular male connector upon an external portion of which a free end of a first one of the outer polyurethane tubes is secured by a fir
Dorman Kenneth H.
Kwok Kui-Chiu
Browne Lynne H.
Dunwoody Aaron
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Schwartz & Weinrieb
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