Non-latching, dry-break fluid coupling

Claim 2

A releasable coupling for connecting a fluid supply unit to a fluid receiving unit to minimize spillage of fluid during couping and uncoupling, comprising: a housing connected with one of the units; a passage in said housing communicating with the one unit and having an open end; a valve seat in said passage having upstream and downstream sides facing toward and away from the open end thereof, respectively; a plunger resiliently biased against the downstream side of said valve seat to close the same; a hollow probe connected with the other of the units extending in an axial direction, said probe including, a nose at one end of said probe; a sleeve valve including, a tubular, substantially rigid sleeve body surrounding said probe mounted thereon for sliding motion relatively towards and away from said nose; an unsupported annular collar fixedly connected to said sleeve body extending concentrically therefrom towards said nose, said collar having, an internally facing, inner peripheral surface which seats in sealing relation against said nose in a closed condition; an outwardly facing outer peripheral surface; means connected to said sleeve body for resiliently biasing said inner surface of said collar into sealing contact with said nose to prevent flow outwardly from said probe; said probe being insertable into said passage through the open end thereof to move said nose against said plunger thereby depressing the same from said valve seat to enable flow therethrough, insertion of said probe seating said outer surface of said collar against the upstream side of said valve seat, further inward movement of said probe causing separation between said nose and said collar to enable fluid to flow through said probe and said valve seat into the receiver, said collar being resiliently deformable to a sufficient extent to enable it to deform into peripherally continuous sealing engagement with said valve seat even when said probe is inserted into said passage in axially misaligned relation thereto.

Claim 3

A releasable coupling as defined in claim 1, wherein portions of said passage between the open end thereof and said valve seat constitute an upwardly facing well, said well being of sufficient width to permit entry of said sleeve into said well without binding engagement therebetween even when said sleeve and said well are in appreciable misalignment.

Claim 4

A releasable coupling as defined in claim 1 wherein said nose and said plunger, when in contact, have a composite external profile approximating a streamline shape whereby the flow of liquid past said shape remains substantially laminar, further including: curved mating surfaces on said plunger and said nose enabling turning motion therebetween when said probe is inserted in axially misaligned relation into said passage while maintaining an approximately streamline composite external profile, said mating surfaces on said nose and said plunger having a tendency to turn about their point of contact when urged against each other in a condition of axial misalignment; and resilient means supporting said plunger for limited angular and transverse motion in said passage while urging said plunger towards said valve seat, said resilient means at least partially accommodating the turning tendency of said noSe and said plunger whereby, when said probe is inserted in misaligned relation into said housing, said nose and said plunger turn relative to each other while maintaining their approximately streamline composite external profile.

Claim 5

A releasable coupling as defined in claim 1, wherein said collar at the lower end thereof includes a peripherally extending bead, said bead including: a downwardly facing, generally semicircular portion; and a lip extending radially inwardly of said bead spaced above said semicircular portion; said lip and adjacent, radially inner regions of said semicircular portion of said bead seating against matingly configured regions of said nose, radially outer regions of said semicircular portion of said bead seating against matingly configured regions on the upstream side of said valve seat.

Claim 6

An assembly for filling a vehicle fuel tank with fuel to minimize spillage of fuel during coupling and uncoupling, the assembly comprising: a housing connected with the fuel tank having, a passage communicating with the interior of the fuel tank and having one upwardly facing open end; a valve seat within said passage, said valve seat having an opening therethrough to enable fuel flow along said passage; a plunger movably positioned within said passage; first biasing means for urging said plunger upwardly into seating relation against a lower side of said valve seat to prevent fuel flow through said opening; a vertical dump can adapted to contain a supply of the fuel; a spout at one vertical end of said dump can, said spout facing downwardly towards the vehicle fuel tank when said dump can is inverted to deliver fuel to the vehicle tank; a hollow probe connected to said spout extending downwardly, said probe having, an outlet opening, a nose at one end of said probe; a sleeve valve including, a tubular, substantially rigid sleeve body surrounding said probe mounted thereon for sliding motion relatively towards and away from said nose; an unsupported annular collar fixedly connected to said sleeve body extending concentrically therefrom towards said nose, said collar having, an internally facing, inner peripheral surface which seats in sealing relation against said nose in a closed condition; an outwardly facing outer peripheral surface; and means connected to said sleeve body for resiliently biasing said inner surface of said collar into sealing contact with said nose to prevent flow outwardly from said probe, said probe being insertable downwardly into said passage through the open end to bring said nose of said probe into contact with said plunger to unseat said plunger from said valve seat and to bring said outer surface of said collar into seating contact with an upper side of said valve seat facing towards the open of said passage, further downward movement of said probe into said passage causing separation between said probe and said collar thereby enabling fuel to flow from said dump can through said outlet opening in said probe and said opening in said valve seat into the fuel tank, said collar being resiliently deformable to a sufficient extent to enable it to deform into peripherally continuous sealing engagement with said valve seat even when said probe is inserted into said passage in axially misaligned relation thereto.

Claim 7

An assembly for filling a vehicle fuel tank with fuel to minimize spillage of fuel during coupling and uncoupling, the assembly comprising: a housing connected with the fuel tank having, a passage communicating with the interior of the fuel tank and having one upwardly facing open end; a valve seat within said passage, said valve seat having an opening therethrough to enable fuel flow along said passage; a plunger movably positioned within said passage; first biasing means for urging said plunger upwardly into seating relation against a lower side of said valve seat to prevent fuel flow through said opening; a vertical dump can adapted to contain a supply of the fuel; a spout at one vertical end of said dump can, said spout facing downwardly towards the vehicle fuel tank when said dump can is inverted to deliver fuel to the vehicle tank; a hollow probe connected to said spout extending downwardly, said probe having, an outlet opening, a nose at one end of said probe; a sleeve valve including, a tubular, substantially rigid sleeve body surrounding said probe mounted thereon for sliding motion relatively towards and away from said nose; an unsupported annular collar fixedly connected to said sleeve body extending concentrically therefrom towards said nose, said collar having, an internally facing, inner peripheral surface which seats in sealing relation against said nose in a closed condition; an outwardly facing outer peripheral surface; and means connected to said sleeve body for resiliently biasing said inner surface of said collar into sealing contact with said nose to prevent flow outwardly from said probe, said probe being insertable downwardly into said passage through the open end to bring said nose of said probe into contact with said plunger to unseat said plunger from said valve seat and to bring said outer surface of said collar into seating contact with an upper side of said valve seat facing towards the open of said passage, further downward movement of said probe into said passage causing separation between said probe and said collar thereby enabling fuel to flow from said dump can through said outlet opening in said probe and said opening in said valve seat into the fuel tank, said collar being resiliently deformable to a sufficient extent to enable it to deform into peripherally continuous sealing engagement with said valve seat even when said probe is inserted into said passage in axially misaligned relation thereto.

Claim 8

An assembly for filling a vehicle fuel tank with fuel to minimize spillage of the fuel, the assembly comprising: a housing connected with the fuel tank having, a passage communicating with the interior of the fuel tank and having one upwardly facing open end; a valve seat within said passage, said valve seat having an opening therethrough to enable fuel flow along said passage; a plunger movably positioned within said passage; first biasing means for urging said plunger upwardly into seating relation against a lower side of said valve seat to prevent fuel flow through said opening; an overhead rig connected to an external supply of the fuel, said rig including, a hose communicating with the fuel supply movable to a position of alignment with said housing; a hollow probe communicating with said hose extending in an axial direction, said probe having, an outlet opening; a nose at one of said probe; a sleeve valve including, a tubular, substantially rigid sleeve body surrounding said probe mounted thereon for sliding motion relatively towards and away from said nose; an supported annular collar fixedly connected to said sleeve body extending concentrically therefrom towards said nose, said collar having, an internally facing, inner peripheral surface which seats in sealing relation against said nose in a closed condition; an outwardly facing outer peripheral surface; and means connected to said sleeve body for resiliently biasing said inner surface of said collar into sealing contact with said nose to prevent flow outwardly from said probe, said probe being insertable downwardly into said passage through the open end to bring said nose of said probe into contact with said plunger to unseat said plunger from said valve seat and to bring said outer surface of said collar into seating contact with an upper side of said valve seat facing towards the open end of said passage, further downward movement of said probe into said passage, further downward movement of said probe into said passage causing separation between said probe and said collar thereby enabling fuel flow from said hose through said outlet opening in said probe and said opening in said valve seat into the fuel tank said collar being resiliently deformable to a sufficient extent to enable it to deform into peripherally continuous sealing engagement with said valve seat even when said probe is inserted into said passage in axially misaligned relation thereto.

Claim 9

An assembly for filling a vehicle fuel tank with fuel to minimize spillage of the fuel, the assembly comprising: a housing connected with the fuel tank having, a passage communicating with the interior of the fuel tank and having one upwardly facing open end; a valve seat within said passage, said valve seat having an opening therethrough to enable fuel flow along said passage; a plunger movably positioned within said passage; first biasing means for urging said plunger upwardly into seating relation against a lower side of said valve seat to prevent fuel flow through said opening; an overhead rig connected to an external supply of the fuel, said rig including, a hose communicating with the fuel supply movable to a position of alignment with said housing; a hollow probe communicating with said hose extending in an axial direction, said probe having, an outlet opening; a nose at one of said probe; a sleeve valve including, a tubular, substantially rigid sleeve body surrounding said probe mounted thereon for sliding motion relatively towards and away from said nose; an supported annular collar fixedly connected to said sleeve body extending concentrically therefrom towards said nose, said collar having, an internally facing, inner peripheral surface which seats in sealing relation against said nose in a closed condition; an outwardly facing outer peripheral surface; and means connected to said sleeve body for resiliently biasing said inner surface of said collar into sealing contact with said nose to prevent flow outwardly from said probe, said probe being insertable downwardly into said passage through the open end to bring said nose of said probe into contact with said plunger to unseat said plunger from said valve seat and to bring said outer surface of said collar into seating contact with an upper side of said valve seat facing towards the open end of said passage, further downward movement of said probe into said passage, further downward movement of said probe into said passage causing separation between said probe and said collar thereby enabling fuel flow from said hose through said outlet opening in said probe and said opening in said valve seat into the fuel tank said collar being resiliently deformable to a sufficient extent to enable it to deform into peripherally continuous sealing engagement with said valve seat even when said probe is inserted into said passage in axially misaligned relation thereto.