WO2013012847A1

WO2013012847A1 - Sealing cap

Info

Publication number: WO2013012847A1
Application number: PCT/US2012/047031
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael GOSE; Timothy MARQUIS; Paul Lemay
Original assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
Priority date: 2011-07-18
Filing date: 2012-07-17
Publication date: 2013-01-24

Abstract

A coupling member and sealing cap assembly 10 includes a fluid coupling member 11 and a sealing cap 12. The coupling member 11 includes a smaller diameter sealing portion 24 that carries O-ring seals 26 and 27. A larger diameter portion 25, 29 of the coupling member 11 includes a locking groove 28. The sealing cap 12 includes a cylindrical body 30 that has a smaller diameter sealing portion 31a and a larger diameter locking portion 31b. A locking clip 40 is received in radially opposite locking openings 35 and 36 on the enlarged diameter locking portion 31b and extends into the locking groove 28 in a locked position.

Description

SEALING CAP

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/508,760 filed on July 18, 201 1 , which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to sealing caps for use with coupling members. More specifically, this invention relates to a sealing cap for minimizing exposure of a fluid coupling member to dirt and other contaminants when the coupling member is in an uncoupled condition. Further, the invention provides redundancy to prevent fluid escape from the coupling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Couplings are used in numerous applications to connect and disconnect components of a system. For example, fluid couplings are used to connect and disconnect components in a fluid system. Fluid couplings may include a first coupling member that is attached to a first fluid component in the system and a second coupling member that is attached to a second fluid component of the system. The first and second coupling members of the fluid coupling may be connected to establish a fluid connection between the first and second fluid components and may be disconnected to terminate the fluid connection.

[0003] When coupling members are connected, cooperating parts of the coupling members may engage to minimize exposure of critical parts of the coupling members to dirt and other contaminants. When the coupling members are not connected, however, various types of sealing caps may be used to minimize exposure to contaminants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention provides a sealing cap for a coupling member. The sealing cap is easily assembled on the coupling member with a single direction axial movement and prevents exposure of the coupling member to dirt and other contaminants while preventing the escape of fluids from the coupling member.

[0005] The sealing cap may include a body and a resilient locking clip. The body may be generally cylindrical with a longitudinal axis, an opened end and a closed end. At least one locking opening may extend radially through the body intermediate the opened end and the closed end. The locking clip may include a locking portion that extends into the locking opening for locking the body on the coupling member.

[0006] The generally cylindrical body may include a smaller diameter sealing portion and a larger diameter portion, and the locking opening may be located on the larger diameter portion. The larger diameter portion with the locking opening may be located at the opened end of the body.

[0007] The larger diameter portion of the body may further include another locking opening, which may also extend radially through the larger diameter body portion. The locking clip may further include another locking portion that extends into the other locking opening. The locking openings and the locking portions of the locking clip may be substantially identical in shape to permit various orientations for assembly. The locking portion of the locking clip may extend generally tangentially relative to the body, and the locking clip may include a gripping portion located outside the locking opening and externally of the body. Further, the locking clip may be generally U-shaped, with the locking portions located on the legs of the U-shape and the gripping portion located on the foot of the U-shape.

[0008] The coupling member may have a longitudinally extending axis, a generally cylindrical nose sealing portion, and a generally cylindrical locking portion having a larger diameter than that of the nose portion. One or more circumferential seals may be carried on the nose portion, and a locking groove may be located on the larger diameter locking portion. The body of the sealing cap may have a generally cylindrical interior surface that engages the outer diameter of the seal with sealing contact. The locking openings may be radially aligned with the locking groove, and the locking clip may be movable relative to the body between one position and another position . The locking portions of the locking clip may extend generally tangentially relative to the locking groove and radially into the locking groove when the locking clip is in the first position, and the locking clip may extend generally tangentially relative to the locking groove and be spaced from the locking groove when the locking clip is in the second position.

[0009] The invention further provides various ones of the features and structures and methods described in the detailed description and in the claims set out below, alone and in combination, and the claims are incorporated by reference in this summary of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of this invention are described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sealing cap and coupling member assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 2 is a top view of the sealing cap and coupling member assembly shown in Figure 1 ;

[0013] Figure 3 is a side view of the sealing cap and coupling member assembly shown in Figure 1 ;

[0014] Figure 4 is an end view of the sealing cap and coupling member assembly shown in Figure 1 ;

[0015] Figure 5 is cross sectional view taken along reference view line 5 - 5 in Figure 4;

[0016] Figure 6 is a view of the locking clip used in the sealing cap and coupling member assembly shown in Figure 1 , with the locking clip in a free configuration; and

[0017] Figure 7 is a view of the locking clip used in the sealing cap and coupling member assembly shown in Figure 1 , with the locking clip in an installed deflected configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0018] Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, Figures 1 through 5 illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of a coupling member and sealing cap assembly 10. The assembly 10 includes a coupling member 1 1 and a sealing cap 12.

[0019] The coupling member 1 1 is one of the two mating coupling members more fully disclosed in the co-pending patent application No. 13/550,936 titled "Coupling" filed on the filing date of the present patent application and assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application. That co-pending patent application is further identified as United States Patent Provisional Application Serial No. 61/508,744, and the disclosure of that co-pending patent application and that provisional application are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The coupling member 1 1 is attached to a component (not shown) of a system (not shown) and is used to connect and disconnect that component from other components (not shown) of the system. For example, the coupling member 1 1 in the preferred embodiment is a fluid coupling that may be attached on its right side as viewed in the drawings to a fluid component. When the left side of the coupling member 1 1 is connected to a mating coupling member (not shown), the coupling member 1 1 may be used to connect and disconnect its attached fluid component to and from another fluid component of a fluid system. For example, in the preferred embodiment, the right side of coupling member 1 1 is attached to a canister that generates a gas, such as ammonia, that is dispensed into a fossil fuel diesel engine exhaust system. [0020] The coupling member 1 1 includes a hollow, generally cylindrical metal body 20, preferably formed of a ferrous material such as American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) 303 stainless steel material. The body 20 has a longitudinal axis 21 . The exterior of the body 20 includes an externally threaded end portion 22, a wrench flat gripping portion 23, a nominal diameter generally cylindrical coupling sealing portion 24, and a ramp portion 25. The externally threaded end portion 22 is threadably connected to a mating threaded portion (not shown) of a fluid system component (not shown), such as for example the ammonia gas canister described above. The coupling sealing portion 24 is received within the above described mating coupling member (not shown) when the coupling member 1 1 is connected to the mating coupling member, to establish a fluid connection between the fluid component to which the coupling member 1 1 is attached and the fluid component to which the mating coupling member is attached. A spring loaded internal valve (Figure 5) closes the interior of the coupling member 1 1 when the coupling member 1 1 is disconnected from the mating coupling member. The coupling sealing portion

24 carries two annular O-rings 26 and 27, each of which is secured in an O-ring groove on the exterior surface of the mating sealing portion 24. The ramp 25 connects the sealing portion 24 to an annular locking clip groove 28. The ramp

25 and generally cylindrical portion 29 provide a larger diameter portion 25, 29 of the coupling body 20. The outside diameter of the outermost edges of the locking clip groove 28 is significantly greater than the outside diameter of the O- rings 26 and 27, as further described below.

[0021] The sealing cap 12 is coaxial with the longitudinal axis 21 of the coupling member 1 1 and is carried on the sealing portion 24 of the coupling member 1 1 when the coupling member 1 1 is disconnected from its mating coupling member. The sealing cap 12 includes a hollow generally cylindrical sealing cap body 30 and a sealing cap locking clip 40. The body 30 is preferably injection molded and is preferably of a polymeric material, such as for example a polypropylene material that has sufficient strength at elevated temperatures in the range of 100 degrees centigrade to avoid breaking or cracking at elevated positive pressure differentials between its interior and its exterior in the range of 5 bar.

[0022] The body 30 includes a cylindrical portion 31 , which has a smooth cylindrical interior surface 32 and a concentric cylindrical exterior surface 33. The cylindrical interior surface 32 is open at its right end as viewed in the drawings and is closed at its left end by a generally flat round disc shaped end wall 34. The end wall 34 is disposed in a plane that is generally perpendicular to the axis 21 , and the end wall 34 extends radially outwardly beyond the exterior surface 33. The cylindrical portion 31 includes a nominal diameter cap body sealing portion 31 a that extends from the end wall 34, an enlarged diameter open ended locking portion 31 b, and a connecting ramp portion 31 c. [0023] The body 30 further includes radially opposite locking openings 35 and 36, each of which extends completely through the larger diameter body locking portion 31 b from the exterior surface 33 to the interior surface 32. The locking openings 35 and 36 are preferably identical to one another. The locking openings 35 and 36 are each formed as a straight line cut that starts in a straight line tangent to the exterior surface 33 and that moves radially inwardly toward the axis 21 . The profile of each of the locking openings 35 and 36 as viewed in the axial direction is in the shape of an arc or semi-circle, and each of the locking openings 35 and 36 extends circumferentially about the cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces 32 and 33 through an arc of less than about 90 degrees and greater than about 30 degrees and preferably about 45 degrees. The axial width of each locking opening 35 and 36 is slightly greater than the diameter of the locking clip 40. The locking openings 35 and 36 may be formed during molding of the sealing cap 12 or may be cut in the cylindrical portion of the body 30 after molding. The longitudinal edges 37 of the locking opening 35 (one of which is seen in Figure 3) and the longitudinal edges 38 of the locking opening 36 (one of which is seen in Figure 3) cooperate with the locking clip 40 as further described below.

[0024] The free or unrestrained or uninstalled configuration of the locking clip 40 is illustrated in Figure 6, and the deflected or locking installed configuration of the locking clip 40 (that is, the configuration of the locking clip 40 when it is installed as shown in Figures 1 -5) is illustrated in Figure 7. The locking clip 40 is preferably formed as a one piece construction from a suitable resilient metal wire of geometric cross section, preferably circular, for example ASTM 302 stainless steel spring wire. The locking clip 40 in its deflected or locking installed configuration is elastically deformed from its free or unrestrained or uninstalled configuration and is never plastically deformed during use, so that the locking clip 40 remains firmly in place and locks the locking cap body 30 on the sealing portion 24 of the coupling body 20 during use.

[0025] The locking clip 40 includes first and second leg or locking portions 41 and 42 and a connecting foot or user interface gripping portion 43. The leg portions 41 and 42 each extend from the foot portion 43 and terminate at a free end, so that the locking clip 40 is of a generally U-shaped configuration. In its free configuration illustrated in Figure 6, the straight line distance between the leg portions 41 and 42 is slightly less than the inside diameter of the locking clip groove 28. Further, in its free configuration illustrated in Figure 6, the distance between the leg portions 41 and 42 is slightly less than the straight line distance between edges 37 of the locking opening 34 and the circumferentially opposing edges 38 of the locking opening 36. When the locking clip 40 is in the installed or locking configuration shown in Figure 7, the straight line distance between the leg or locking portions 41 and 42 is preferably about equal to or slightly greater than the outside diameter of the O-rings 26 and 27. [0026] To assemble the sealing cap 12 on the disconnected coupling member 1 1 , the locking clip 40 is first installed on the body 30 by holding the gripping portion 43 and pushing the open end of the U-shaped locking clip 40 over the exterior surface 33 at the location of the locking openings 35 and 36 as illustrated in Figures 1 -5. After the locking clip 40 is installed on the body 30, the body 30 is then held by the installer at the outer circumference of the end face 34 and pushed longitudinally onto the sealing portion 24 of the coupling 1 1 . The enlarged diameter locking end portion 31 b of the body 30 and the leg portions 41 and 42 of the spring clip 40 move past the outside diameter of the O-rings 26 and 27 without damaging the O-rings 26 and 27. The ramp 25 of the coupling member 1 1 engages and resiliently opens the leg portions 41 and 42 as the body 30 is pushed further onto the coupling member 1 1 . When the leg portions 41 and 42 move into radial alignment with the locking clip groove 28, the leg portions 41 and 42 move into the groove 28 with an increased positive feedback force to the installer to indicate complete installation. In this installed condition of the sealing cap 12 on the coupling member 1 1 , the O-ring seals 26 and 27 sealingly engage the interior surface 32 to prevent or minimize exposure of the coupling sealing portion 24 and valve mechanism of the coupling member 1 1 to dirt or other contaminants. The legs 41 and 42 of the spring locking clip 40 in this position resiliently deform to the configuration illustrated in Figure 7 and resiliently engage the groove 28 to prevent unintentional removal of the sealing cap 12 and to contain fluid pressure within the interior of the body 30. The legs 41 and 42 in this configuration engage the edges 37 and 38 of the openings 35 and 36. The ramps 25 and 31 c are aligned, so that unsealed air space outside of the seals 26 and 27 between the body 30 and the coupling 1 1 is minimized to minimize exposure of the seal 27 to contaminants.

[0027] The sealing cap 12 may be pushed onto the coupling member 1 1 with any circumferential orientation of the sealing cap 12 relative to the coupling member 1 1 . Also, the locking clip 40 may be assembled onto the body 30 from either side of the body 30 and without regard to the top or bottom of the locking clip 40. The installed and locked sealing cap 12 minimizes or prevents leakage from inside the sealing cap 12 to the outside (thereby providing redundant sealing for the coupling member 1 1 ) and minimizes or prevents dirt or other contamination outside the sealing cap 12 from contacting the sealing mechanism of the coupling member 1 1 .

[0028] To remove the sealing cap 12 from the coupling 1 1 , the locking portions or legs 41 and 42 of the locking clip 40 are displaced from the locked position shown in Figure 7 to a released position in which the legs 41 and 42 are moved radially out of the locking groove 28. To accomplish this, the user may push axially in either direction on the gripping portion 43 of the spring locking clip 40 to cam the legs against the edges 37 and 38. Alternatively, the user may pull or push gripping portion 43 of the locking clip 40 radially relative the body 30 so that the ends of the locking portions 41 and 42 engage the edges 37 and 38 to displace the locking portions radially outwardly out of the locking groove 28. This may further alternatively be accomplished by the user gripping the portion 43 and rotating the locking clip 40 through 90 degrees relative to the body 30. With any of these movements of the spring locking clip 40 relative to the body 30, the edges 37 and 38 or other surfaces defining or adjacent the openings 35 and 36 cause the legs 41 and 42 to move radially out of and disengage from the locking groove 28 to a disengaged or unlocked position so that the sealing cap 12 can be manually removed from the coupling member 1 1 .

[0029] Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and described in detail above. The invention is not, however, limited to these specific embodiments. Various changes and modifications can be made to this invention without departing from its teachings, and the scope of this invention is defined by the claims set out below.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1 . A sealing cap for use with a coupling member, the sealing cap comprising a body and a resilient locking clip;

the body including a longitudinal axis, an opened end and a closed end, the body having at least one locking opening extending radially through the body intermediate the opened end and the closed end;

the locking clip including a locking portion having a locked position extending into the locking opening radially through the body; and

the locking clip being movable from the locked position to an unlocked position on the body radially outward of the locked position.

2. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the body includes a generally cylindrical portion extending between the opened end and the closed end, and the locking opening is located on the generally cylindrical portion.

3. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 2, where the generally cylindrical portion includes a smaller diameter sealing portion and a larger diameter portion, and the locking opening is located on the larger diameter portion.

4. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 3, wherein the larger diameter portion is located at the opened end of the body.

5. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 3, wherein the locking opening extends about the base through an arc of less than about 90 degrees and greater than about 30 degrees.

6. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 5, wherein the locking portion of the locking clip extends in a direction in non-intersecting relationship to the longitudinal axis.

7. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the body includes a generally cylindrical portion extending between the opened end and the closed end, the generally cylindrical portion including a smaller diameter sealing portion near the closed end and a larger diameter portion near the opened end, the one locking opening is disposed on the larger diameter portion, a second locking opening extending radially through the body is disposed on the larger diameter portion; and

the locking clip includes spaced apart locking portions extending into the locking openings radially through the larger diameter portion.

8. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 7, wherein the locking openings are of substantially identical shape.

9. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 7, wherein the locking portions of the locking clip are of substantially identical shape.

10. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 7, wherein the locking portion of the locking clip has a locked position extending into the locking opening radially through the body, and the locking portion is movable from the locked position to an unlocked position on the base radially outward of the locked position.

1 1 . A sealing cap as set forth in claim 10, wherein the locking clip is movable in the circumferential direction to move the locking portion between the locked and unlocked positions.

12. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 10, wherein the locking clip is movable in the longitudinal direction to move the locking portion between the locked and unlocked positions.

13. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 10, wherein the locking clip is movable in the radial direction to move the locking portion between the locked and unlocked positions.

14. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 7, wherein the locking portions of the locking clip extend generally tangentially relative to the body, and the locking clip includes a gripping portion located outside the locking opening and externally of the body.

15. A sealing cap as set forth in claim 14, wherein the locking clip is generally U-shaped, the locking portions are located on the legs of the U-shape, and the gripping portion is located on the foot of the U-shape.

16. A sealing cap as set forth in any of preceding claims 1 -4, including a coupling member, the coupling member having a longitudinally extending axis, a nose portion and a locking portion, a locking groove in the locking portion, and the locking portion of the locking clip extending into the locking groove.

17. A sealing cap as set forth in any of preceding claims 5-15, including a coupling member, the coupling member having a longitudinally extending axis, a generally cylindrical sealing portion, and a portion having a greater diameter than that of the sealing portion, at least one circumferential seal on the sealing portion, a locking groove on the larger diameter portion, the body portion being carried on the sealing portion in coaxial relationship with the sealing portion, the body having a generally cylindrical interior surface engaging the outer diameter of the seal with sealing contact, the locking opening being radially aligned with the locking groove, the locking clip being movable relative to the body between a locked position and an unlocked position, the locking portion of the locking clip extending generally tangentially relative to the locking groove and radially into the locking groove when the locking clip is in the locked position, and the locking clip extending generally tangentially relative to the locking groove and being spaced from the locking groove when the locking clip is in the unlocked position .