Fluid handling – Systems – Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-23
2001-10-16
Chambers, A. Michael (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
C137S209000, C137S322000, C137S564500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302148
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coupling device used when connecting a tube to a container containing liquid or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in order to take out the liquid that is stored inside a container, a gas (air or the like) is introduced inside the container and the liquid is forced outside the container by the pressure of the gas.
If the liquid is one that cannot be allowed to come into contact with a gas, an internal bag is placed inside the container and the liquid is kept sealed inside that bag. To take out the liquid, air is introduced to the outside of the internal bag thereby shrinking the bag with the resulting pressure and forcing out the liquid.
However, in the above examples, because it is necessary for a tube for extracting the liquid and a tube for introducing the gas to both be connected to the container, and for main flow passages and sub flow passages to be coupled, the work efficiency tends to deteriorate.
Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide a coupling device that achieves an improvement in the work efficiency by allowing the simple coupling of different types of liquid flow passages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The coupling device of the present invention enables simultaneous coupling using a single coupling device in order to couple together different liquid flow passages. Therefore, different device systems need to be unified in a single system.
However, as mentioned above, the coupling device of the present invention is also used when simultaneously coupling together flow passages of liquids that cannot be allowed to come into contact with air and air flow passages. As a result, a high degree of sealability is necessary.
Moreover, when unifying the device systems, a reduction in the size thereof is preferable as this leads to an increase in work efficiency.
When coupling one type of liquid flow passage, it is normally possible to perform the coupling without regard to directionality. However, if a plurality of liquid flow passages are coupled using a single coupling device, because each flow passage needs to be aligned, the problem arises that the sockets need to be matched to specific directions and then coupled.
According to the present invention, there is provided a coupling device for communicating flow passages with each other by connecting the flow passages to each other, comprising: a plug provided with a main flow passage and a sub flow passage; a socket, which is provided with a main flow passage and a sub flow passage, and which is able to be fitted together with the plug at an arbitrary angle of torsion, and which forms an annular flow passage with the plug when fitted together with the plug, wherein, when the plug and socket are fitted together, the main flow passage on the plug side and the main flow passage on the socket side communicate with each other, and the sub flow passage on the plug side and the sub flow passage on the socket side communicate with each other via the annular flow passage.
According to the present invention, because the sub flow passages communicate with each other via an annular flow passage, even when the socket and plug are coupled together at an arbitrary angle of torsion, each sub flow passage communicates with the annular flow passage. As a result, it is possible to couple each of the flow passages without considering the direction of the plug or socket.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3228413 (1966-01-01), Stevens, Jr.
patent: 3521671 (1970-07-01), Handeland
patent: 3720230 (1973-03-01), Miller et al.
patent: 3842614 (1974-10-01), Karcher et al.
patent: 4510969 (1985-04-01), Rodth
patent: 4709725 (1987-12-01), Morrison
patent: 103116 (1998-06-01), None
Chambers A. Michael
Kolisch Hartwell Dickinson & McCormack & Heuser
Surpass Industry Co. Ltd.
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