U.S. patent application number 15/212609 was filed with the patent office on 2017-01-26 for heated connector assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is Norma U.S. Holding LLC. Invention is credited to Brian IGNACZAK, Glenn MOORE, Nicholas WARD.
Application Number | 20170023163 15/212609 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56464146 |
Filed Date | 2017-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170023163 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WARD; Nicholas ; et
al. |
January 26, 2017 |
Heated Connector Assembly
Abstract
A connector assembly has a connector body to receive a spigot.
The connector body includes a mechanism to retain the spigot in the
connector body. A fluid transfer conduit is coupled with the
connector body. A heating element extends through the fluid
transfer conduit and into the connector body and spigot, when the
spigot is retained by the connector body. The heating element heats
the spigot and the connector body from the inside.
Inventors: |
WARD; Nicholas; (Ft.
Gratiot, MI) ; IGNACZAK; Brian; (Rochester, MI)
; MOORE; Glenn; (Kimball, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Norma U.S. Holding LLC |
Auburn Hills |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
56464146 |
Appl. No.: |
15/212609 |
Filed: |
July 18, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62194434 |
Jul 20, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16L 43/00 20130101;
F16L 53/38 20180101 |
International
Class: |
F16L 53/00 20060101
F16L053/00; F16L 37/084 20060101 F16L037/084; F16L 43/00 20060101
F16L043/00 |
Claims
1. A connector assembly comprising: a connector body to receive a
spigot, the connector body includes a mechanism to retain the
spigot in the connector body; a fluid transfer conduit coupled with
the connector body; and a heating element extending through the
fluid transfer conduit and into the connector body and spigot, when
the spigot is retained by the connector body so that the heating
element heats from inside the connector assembly.
2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein a power wire
electrically couples with the heating element to energize the
heating element.
3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the heating element
extends beyond a free connection end of the connector body.
4. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer
conduit has a second end coupled with a second connector body.
5. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein a housing surrounds
at least a portion of the connector body.
6. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein the heating element
extends through and beyond a free connector end of the second
connector body.
7. A connector assembly comprising: a connector body to receive a
spigot, the connector body includes a mechanism to retain the
spigot in the connector body; and a heating element extending
through a fluid transfer conduit and into and through the connector
body so that the heating element heats from inside the connector
assembly.
8. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein a power wire
electrically couples with the heating element to energize the
heating element.
9. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the heating element
extends beyond a free connection end of the connector body.
10. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein a housing surrounds
at least a portion of the connector body.
11. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the heating element
includes two heating portions.
12. The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein the two heating
portions both exits the connector body and is electrically coupled
with the power wire.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/194,434, filed on Jul. 20, 2015. The entire
disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a quick connector assembly
and, more particularly, to a quick connector assembly with a heated
connector body.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In the automobile industry, various types of quick
connectors are utilized to connect ends of conduits with various
elements. In some instances, heated conduit lines are desirable. In
these cases, the fluid in the conduits freezes at ambient
temperatures. In environments such as water lines for windshield
wiper washing systems and urea solutions lines that are used in a
NO reduction additives for diesel engines with SCRS catalytic
converters, these types of heated conduits are desirable. Thus, it
is desirable to provide a quick connector that is heatable to warm
the distribution element or spigot. The present disclosure provides
the art with a quick connector assembly that enables heating of the
quick connector body and spigot.
[0004] The present disclosure enables the quick connector body and
spigot to be heated from the inside of the connector assembly. The
present disclosure provides for the power connection to be made
with the connector assembly.
SUMMARY
[0005] According to a first object of the disclosure, a connector
assembly comprises a connector body to receive a spigot. The
connector body includes a mechanism to retain the spigot in the
connector body. A fluid transfer conduit is coupled with the
connector body. A heating element extends through the fluid
transfer conduit and into the connector body. Thus, the heating
element heats the connector body as well as the spigot from inside
the connector assembly. A power wire may extend through the
connector body and electrically couple with the heating element to
energize the heating element. The heating element extends beyond a
free connection end of the connector body. The fluid transfer
conduit has a second end coupled with a second connector body. The
heating element extends through and beyond a free connector end of
the second connector body. Also, a housing may surround at least a
portion of the connector body.
[0006] Accordingly to a second aspect of the disclosure, a
connector assembly comprises a connector body to receive a spigot.
The connector body includes a mechanism to retain the spigot in the
connector body. A heating element extends through the connector
body and will pass into the spigot when the spigot is retained by
the connector body. The heating element heats the connector body
and spigot from inside the connector assembly. A power wire extends
through the connector body and electrically couples with the
heating element to energize the heating element. The heating
element extends beyond a free connection end of the connector body.
A housing surrounds at least a portion of the connector body.
[0007] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the
description provided herein. The description and specific examples
in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and
are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
DRAWINGS
[0008] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes
only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations,
and are not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector assembly in
accordance with the disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1 with a portion of the housing
removed.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly
of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 4 with a portion of the housing
removed.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly
of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0016] Turning to the figures, a connector assembly is illustrated
and designated with the reference numeral 10. The connector
assembly includes a connector body 12 and a spigot 14 received in
the connector body 12. A housing 16 covers a portion of the
connector body 12. An end 18 of the connector body 12 is connected,
via clamp 19, with a fluid transfer conduit 20. A heat wire 30 is
passed through the fluid transfer conduit 20 and the connector
assembly 10.
[0017] The connector body 12 includes a mechanism 22 to retain the
spigot 14 in the connector body. Seals 24 are present to seal the
spigot inside the connector body 12. The spigot 14 may be connected
to a conduit line, nozzle or the like. The connector body 12 has an
L-shape. The heating wire 30 extends through the connector body 12
and into the spigot 14. The end 28 of the heating wire extends
beyond the free connector end 26 of the connector body 12. Thus,
the heating wire 30 heats the connector body 12 and the spigot 14
from inside of the connector assembly 10.
[0018] A portion 32 of the heating wire 30 exits the connector body
12 via projections 31. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, two
portions 32 exit the connector body 12. The portions 32 could be
adjacent one another. Each portion 32 has wires 34, 36 that are
secured with the connector body 12. The wires 34, 36 may be secured
in channels 35, 37. The channels 35, 37 receive connector 38 that
enables the wires 34, 36 to be connected with one another or with
wires 40, 42 that are connected with an electrical power source
(not shown). Additionally, the wires and connections 38 may provide
additional resistance heating.
[0019] The housing 16 is of asymmetric clam shell design. The
housing 16 includes two halves 46, 48. The half 46 covers a portion
of the connector body 12. The half 48 covers the remaining portion
of the connector body 12. The housing 46, 48 come together to form
a head portion 49. The head portion 49 provides space for one of
the connector projectors 31 and wire end portions 32. The housing
48 also includes a bump 50 that provides space for the other
connector projection 31 and end portion 32 of the heating wire 30.
Thus, the housing 16 covers the connector body 12, wires 34, 36 and
electrical connectors 38. The fluid transfer conduit 20 generally
will include a pair of connector assemblies 10, one on each end of
the conduit 20. Thus, only one has been illustrated.
[0020] Turning to FIGS. 4-6, an additional embodiment is shown. The
embodiment in FIGS. 4-6 differs from that in FIGS. 1-3 in that the
connector body 112 is straight or axial and not L-shaped as in FIG.
1. Accordingly, the same reference numerals that have been utilized
in the first embodiment will be utilized in the second embodiment.
The housing 70, surrounding the connector body 112, has a clam
shell design with two halves 72, 74. Both halves 72, 74 include a
bump 76, 78 that provides space for the housing projections 31 and
the end portion 32 of the heated wire 30.
[0021] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been
provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual
elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not
limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are
interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if
not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in
many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure
from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be
included within the scope of the disclosure.
* * * * *