The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 24, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 13, 2000
Tetsuya Kuwabara, Tokyo, JP;
Naoyuki Kotake, Tokyo, JP;
Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A pipe coupling comprises a socket and a plug having front end portions engagable with each other. This socket comprises a plurality of lock balls movable to lock positions where the lock balls partially project into an axial bore of the socket body, and a sleeve for holding the lock balls at the lock position. The socket body has a plurality of engage holes elongated in the axial direction. The sleeve is rotatable on the socket body and has a press portion for pressing the lock balls toward the lock positions, a press release recessed portion circumferentially is adjacent to the press portion for retracting the lock balls from the lock positions, and a large diameter portion. The pipe coupling further comprises sleeve-rotation-restricting convex and recessed portions which restrict the rotation of the sleeve relative to the socket body, to an angle range between a press position where the press portions oppose the lock balls and a release position where the press release recessed portions opposed to the lock balls, a collar movable in the large diameter portion, and a spring for urging the sleeve toward the press position and the collar toward the front end.