Mercury Plastics, Inc.

Masco Corporation

Delta Faucet Company

William Shane Hochstetler

Scott Raymond Gardner

Earl Christian, Jr

William Blue

Richard F Seman

DeWayne A Davis

Matthew Lee Kemp

Earl Christian

Dewayne Davis

A quick-connect fitting includes a polymeric first connector in fluid communication with a first component, and a polymeric second connector in fluid communication with a second component. The first connector is either a male fitting or a female fitting, and the other of the male fitting and female fitting is the second connector. The female fitting includes a longitudinal cylindrical cavity having therein a retaining ring retaining an o-ring, and the male fitting includes a cylindrical body and a tubular sealing element extending longitudinally therefrom positionable within the polymeric female fitting and o-ring in sealing engagement. The quick connect fitting includes a clip pivotably connected to the second connector moving between a first position connecting the female fitting to the male fitting when the male fitting is positioned within the female fitting and a second position in which the male fitting is removable from the female fitting.

Quick-connect tube coupling

A process for providing an overmolded waterway comprising inserting a shaft portion of a sacrificial core into an end of a tube, the shaft portion having a first opening therein, the sacrificial core having a second portion comprising a second opening and a contact surface about the second opening, the second opening in fluid communication with the first opening and the inside of the tube, in a mold cavity inserting a core pin transverse to the tube end, the sacrificial core contact surface engaging a mating surface of the core pin closing the second opening, injection overmolding over a portion of the tube end and core pin forming an overmolded waterway having an outlet portion in fluid communication with the second opening and the inside of the tube, and removing the core pin from the second opening through the outlet portion and removing the overmolded waterway from the mold cavity.

Method of making an overmolded waterway connection

A flow regulated quick-connect fitting has a polymeric first connector and a polymeric second connector, the first connector being either a male fitting or a female fitting, and the other of the male fitting or the female fitting being the second connector. The female fitting has a longitudinal cylindrical cavity therein, and the male fitting has a generally cylindrical body having an end opening. The cylindrical body of the male fitting is positionable within the cylindrical cavity of the female fitting forming the connection. A clip is pivotably connected to the second connector moving between a first position connecting the female fitting to the male fitting when the male fitting is positioned within the female fitting and a second position in which the male fitting is removable from the female fitting. A replaceable flow regulator in the male fitting end opening regulates flow through the quick-connect fitting.

The present invention pertains to an overmolding process and apparatus for overmolding nonlinear profiles from rigid or semi-rigid polymeric material. Rigid polymeric materials are melted and overmolded onto an extruded profile, which is received by a mold having a mold cavity and core pin. The mold cavity and core pin have a radial angle of curvature (R). In the overmolding process, rigid polymeric material is injected around the core pin and cavity, and the overmolded article is removed from the mold. The core pin is removed from the overmolded article to form a non-linear overmolded article according to the present process and arrangement of parts.

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Hampton Falls, NH, United States of America

William Shane Hochstetler