Multiple Port Fluid Coupler

This invention relates to a coupler for connecting multiple fluid lines. Specifically a coupler or connector for multiple fluid lines for a dental apparatus is disclosed. The coupler is an in-line quick connect coupler for joining air and water lines.

Several hand devices in the dental field require air or water or a combination of air and water for operation. These hand devices may be drill motors or irrigation devices. Usually these hand devices have flexible conduits or tubing lines built into the hand devices to connect the hand devices directly to the air and/or water source. This creates several hand devices, each with long conduits for connection to the air and/or water source. A need exists for a releasible in-line quick connect coupling so that different hand devices may be easily and quickly connected and disconnected from a common air and water transmission conduit.

An in-line quick connect multiple port fluid coupler has two identical coupling units. Each coupling unit has a body portion and an integral tongue portion. The cross section of the tongue portion is one half of the cross section of the body portion. The tongue portion has a face which is along the longitudinal axis of the coupling unit. Multiple fluid passages extend from an outside surface of each body to the face of each coupling unit. Guide pins are located on each face to mate with recesses in the other face to align one coupling unit to the other coupling unit. Seals are provided on the face of the coupling units to seal the passages on one face to the passages on the other face to form a leak proof interface. The coupling units are mated in a face-to-face relationship to produce a continuous fluid passage from the body portion of one coupling unit to the body portion of the other coupling unit. A sleeve fits over the assembled coupling units to lock the units in a face-to-face relationship.

It is an object of the invention to provide an in-line quick connect coupler for connecting fluid lines.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an in-line quick connect coupling unit for connecting both air and water lines.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a coupler for fluid lines wherein two identical coupling units connect in a face-to-face relationship to interconnect fluid passages formed in each coupler unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler wherein cooperating coupling units mate in a direction normal to the direction of the fluid transmission lines.

Other object and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof and from the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the components of the coupler of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of the assembled coupler.

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section of the assembled coupler along the lines of 3--3 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 1, two identical coupling units 10 and 12 are shown. Coupling unit 10 has a cylindrical body portion 14 with a flat end surface 16. A semi-cylindrical tongue portion 18 is molded integral with body portion 14. The tongue portion 18 has a flat end surface 20, which is approximately one-half the cross sectional area of body surface 16, and a flat mating face 24 which extends along the axis of the coupler unit 10, between the tongue surface 20 and a body surface 22 perpendicular to the face 24.

The other identical coupling unit 12 also has a cylindrical body portion 30 and a semi-cylindrical tongue portion 32. Body portion 30 has a flat end surface 34 while tongue portion 32 has a flat end surface 36, and a second parallel surface 38. A flat mating face 40 which extends along the axis of the coupling unit 12 interconnects surface 38 and surface 36.

Multiple fluid passages extend from the end surface 16, 34 of the respective coupling units to the respective face 24, 40 thereof. Referring to FIG. 1 passages 42, 44 and 46 can be seen exiting end surface 16 of connector unit 10. Passages 60, 62 and 64 can be seen exiting the flat face 40 of connector unit 12. Referring now to FIG. 3, it can be seen how these passages interconnect. Passage 42 is interconnected by a passage 48 extending inwardly from the flat face 24 of unit 10. Passage 42 may be termed the first end of a fluid passage while passage 48 may be termed the second end of the common fluid passage. Passage 60 similarly is connected to a passage 66 of unit 12 which exits end surface 34. Similarly passage 44 interconnects to passage 50 which exits flat mating face 24 of unit 10 and interconnects with passage 62 in the face 40 of unit 12. Passage 62 is interconnected to passage 68 which exits end surface 34 of unit 12. Passage 46 interconnects with the passage 52 which exits the flat mating face 24 of unit 10. Passage 52 interconnects with passage 64 in the flat mating face 40 of unit 12. Passage 64 interconnects with passage 70 which exits end surface 34 of unit 12.

Sealing O-rings 72, 74 and 76 fit in counterbores at the interface of the mating faces 24, 40. These rings provide a fluid tight seal to seal passage 52 to passage 64, passage 50 to passage 62 and passage 48 to passage 60.

In a preferred embodiment coupling unit 10 and coupling unit 12 are manufactured from a rigid thermoplastic material. In an alternate embodiment, coupling unit 10 and coupling unit 12 may be manufactured from a semi rigid or flexible thermoplastic material and the sealing means may be molded integral with the coupling unit rather than separate elements as shown in the preferred embodiment.

Guide pins 80 and 82 are used to locate the two coupling units in a face-to-face relationship. Referring to FIG. 2, the pin 80 is fixed within a recess 84 in the unit 10 adjacent its end face 20. The pin 82 is fixed within a recess 88 in coupling unit 12 adjacent its end face 36. The pin 80 mates into a recess 86 in coupling unit 12 and the pin 82 mates into recess 90 in coupling unit 10. These locator pins may be molded in place in an alternate embodiment rather than separate elements as shown in the preferred embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, barbed interconnectors 91, 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96 are used to interconnect the passages in the coupling units to external fluid lines. Particularly, barbed coupling unit 91 fits into fluid passage 42, barbed unit 92 fits into fluid passage 44 and barbed unit 93 fits into fluid passage 46. Barbed units 94, 95 and 96 fit into passages 66, 68 and 70, respectively. Barbed units 91, 92 and 93 interconnect into a multiple fluid supply line 100 while barbed units 94, 95 and 96 interconnect into a multiple fluid supply line 102, one line carrying fluids from sources thereof, the other line carrying fluids to dental handpieces or the like. In an alternate embodiment these barbed units can be molded integral with the body of each of the coupling units.

Once the coupling units are mated in a face-to-face relationship a locking sleeve 106 is slid about the periphery of the coupled coupling units to lock the units together so they cannot be inadvertently disconnected.

It should be noted that the coupling units each have a longitudinal axis 110. The units are symmetrical left to right about this longitudinal axis. Each unit also has a vertical axis 111. The intersection of the vertical axis and the longitudinal axis forms a plane 112. The mating face of each unit is perpendicular to the plane 112. The vertical axis 111 is, of course, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 110. Each coupling unit is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis 110.

It should be noted that although a circular cross section coupler has been shown, any geometric shape may be used.

Having illustrated and described the principals of the invention in a preferred embodiment it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention ca be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principals. We claim all modifications coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.