Apparatus relating to tube couplings

US Patènt # 6863314

Invèntors:	Guest; John Derek (Maidenhead, GB)
Assignee:	John Guest International Limited (Middlesex, GB)
Appl. No.:	850866
Filed:	May 8, 2001

ABSTRACT

A coupling for a tube having a coupling body with a throughway open at one end to receive an end portion of a tube, a sealing ring or rings mounted in the coupling body at a location spaced from said open end thereof to engage and seal with the outer periphery of the tube, and a tube latching device for locking a tube in the coupling body. The latching device comprises a first latch within the coupling body to engage automatically with a feature on the tube when the tube end portion has been inserted sufficiently into the throughway to engage with the seals to retain the tube end portion in the coupling body and a second manually operable latch disposed externally of the coupling body engageable with a feature on the tube when the end portion of the tube has been inserted into the coupling body sufficient for the first latch to engage to provide a secondary retention for the tube in the coupling body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVÈNTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invèntion relates to couplings for receiving tubes or stuffer pins or the like such as disclosed in EP-A-00300504.8 and EP-A-756125.

2. Background Prior Art

Our European patènt publication no. 0829671, published on Mar. 18, 1998, and corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,713, describes and illustrates a number of connectors for latching engagement with tubes or stuffer pins in which a tube must be pressed into the connector body sufficiently to engage a seal located in the body for the latching arrangement provided to operate and retain the tube in the body. Typically, a raised bead is provided on the tube with which the latch in the coupling body engages.

A number of users of such devices have requested that secondary latches be fitted to the connectors in certain applications such as in tube connectors used in motor vehicle engine compartments. For example, one user has a requirement that a secondary latch is engaged in a separate manual operation from the primary assembly operation of inserting a tube in the coupling body and that the secondary latch only operates properly if the tube has been inserted so the primary latch within the coupling body is successfully engaged.

It is an object of this invèntion to meet these additional requirements.