Quick-Connecting Coupler for Hoses, Pipes and Faucets

Abstract

A quick-connecting coupler for connecting hoses, connectors together or to a faucet or other water accessories that allows ease of use by anyone, including the elderly, the infirm, and those suffering from disabilities. The quick-connecting coupler has a first male-end and a second female end. The second female end is provided with of spaced-apart through-slots or opening for receiving therethrough a pair of forks or leg-sections of a yoke. Each of the pair of forks or leg-sections is provided with at least one interior-facing linear thread or rib for engaging with the male threads of the mating male end of another hose, or the like. The second female end of the coupler of the invention has a pair diametrically opposed cutouts through which portions of the linear threads or ribs are exposed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In a coupler for coupling a male end into a female end, said coupler comprising a main housing having a first end and a second female end, said female end used for receiving a mating male end therein, sealing means operatively associated with said female end for providing a seal, and in combination with a male element comprising a male end inserted in said female end, said male element having at least one thread, the improvement comprising:
 a mounting element for engaging with said at least one thread of said male end inserted in said female end;   said mounting element comprising a pair of spaced-apart fork elements, each said fork element having an elongated interior surface facing the elongated interior surface of the other said fork element;   at least one thread-engaging element formed in each said elongated interior surface for engaging with said at least one thread of said male end inserted in said female end on opposite sides thereof;   said main housing comprising a pair of channels for sliding therethrough said pair of spaced-apart fork elements, a respective said fork element being slidingly received in a respective one of said pair of channels, said pair of channels being formed in said main housing at said female end thereof;   said main housing further comprising a pair of oppositely-disposed, interior cutout portions that cooperate with the hollow interior of said pair of channels and with the hollow interior of said female end, a respective one of said pair of oppositely-disposed, interior cutout portions being associated with a respective one of said channels, said pair of oppositely-disposed, interior cutout portions exposing said at least one thread-engaging element of each of said pair of fork elements to said hollow interior of said female end.   
     
     
         2 . The coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one thread-engaging element of each said elongated interior surface comprises at least one elongated linear thread. 
     
     
         3 . The coupler according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one thread-engaging element of each said elongated interior surface comprises at least one sloping elongated linear thread. 
     
     
         4 . The coupler according to  claim 2 , wherein said each said fork element comprises a first end and a second cantilevered end; each said at least one elongated linear thread sloping downwardly in a direction from said second cantilevered end toward said first end; said elongated linear threads being capable of wedging said male end inserted in said female end as said fork elements are slid in said channels. 
     
     
         5 . The coupler according to  claim 4 , wherein said mounting element comprises a handle section connected at said first ends of said fork elements; each said fork element having an exterior-facing projection adjacent said second cantilevered end; said main housing further comprising a pair of flanges positioned on opposite sides thereof at said female end, each said flange being juxtapositioned at one said channel, and defining an interior-facing slot in which rides a said projection; each said slot being in alignment with a respective said channel, whereby each said projection slides in a respective slot and in a respective channel when said mounting element is used to couple said male end in said female end. 
     
     
         6 . The coupler according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one thread-engaging element of each said elongated interior surface comprises a plurality of elongated linear threads. 
     
     
         7 . The coupler according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one thread-engaging element of each said elongated interior surface comprises a plurality of elongated linear threads having a pitch substantially equal to that of said at least one thread of said male end inserted in said female end. 
     
     
         8 . The coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein said main housing further comprises a vent opening at said female end; and wherein said channels have a height greater than that of said fork elements in order to provide maneuverability to said fork elements in said channels for aligning said thread-engaging elements with said at least one thread of said male end inserted in said second female end located thereat. 
     
     
         9 . A quick-connecting coupler for coupling one threaded male end of a first part to another threaded portion of a second part, comprising:
 a main housing having a first end for connecting to a portion of a second part, and a second female end defining a hollow interior for connecting to a threaded male end of a first part, and a sealing element operatively associated with said second female end for providing a fluid seal;   a mounting element for engaging with a threaded male end of a first part to be inserted in said second female end;   said mounting element comprising a pair of spaced-apart fork elements, each said fork element having of an elongated interior surface facing the elongated interior surface of the other said fork element;   at least one sloping thread-engaging element formed in each said elongated interior surface for engaging with a threaded male end of a first part to be inserted in said second female end;   said second female end comprising a main wall having an inner circular wall portion interiorly of which is defined said hollow interior for receiving therein a mating male end, and a pair of diametrically-opposed channels formed in said main wall for sliding therein said pair of spaced-apart fork elements, a respective said fork element being slidingly received in a respective one of said pair of diametrically-opposed channels;   said second female end further comprising a pair of diametrically-opposed, interior cutout portions formed in said inner circular wall portion that cooperate with the hollow interior of said pair of diametrically-opposed channels and with the hollow interior of said second female end, a respective one of said pair of diametrically-opposed, interior cutout portions being associated with a respective one of said pair of diametrically-opposed channels, each of said pair of diametrically-opposed, interior cutout portions exposing a respective said at least one sloping thread-engaging element to said hollow interior of said second female end;   said pair of spaced-apart fork elements being spaced apart a distance such that the interior-most facing portions of said thread-engaging elements are spaced apart a lateral distance such that said thread-engaging elements project into the interior of said second female end when said fork elements are in said pair of diametrically-opposed channels for engaging with threads of a threaded male end inserted in said second female end.   
     
     
         10 . The quick-connecting coupler for coupling one threaded male end of a first part to another threaded portion of a second part, according to  claim 10 , wherein each said fork element comprising a first end and a second cantilevered end; each said at least one sloping elongated thread-engaging element comprising at least one linear thread sloping downwardly in a direction from said second cantilevered end toward said first end. 
     
     
         11 . The coupler according to  claim 9 , wherein said channels have a height greater than that of said fork elements in order to provide maneuverability to said fork elements in said channels for aligning said thread-engaging elements with a male end. 
     
     
         12 . A method of coupling a threaded male end of a first part to a second part using a coupler, where said coupler comprises a first end for connecting to the second part, and a second female end for connecting to the threaded male end of the first threaded male part; a sealing element operatively associated with said second female end for providing a seal; a coupler element for engaging with the threaded male end of the first part which coupler element comprises at least one fork element with interior-facing thread-engaging elements; said female end having at least one channel for sliding therein at least one fork element, and also having at least one interior cutout portion that allows fluid cooperation between the hollow interior of said at least one channel and the hollow interior of said female end, said method comprising:
 (a) inserting the threaded male end of the first part in said female end until at least some of the threads thereof are exposed to the hollow interior of said at least one channel via said at least one interior cutout portion;   (b) sliding said at least one fork element in said at least one channel;   (c) said step (b) comprising exposing and projecting the interior-facing thread-engaging means into the interior of said female end;   (d) said step (c) comprising engaging said interior-facing thread-engaging means with the threads of the threaded male end of the first part; and   (e) sealing the threaded male end of the first part in said female end against said sealing means.   
     
     
         13 . The method of coupling a threaded male end of a first part to a second part using a coupler according to  claim 12 , wherein said interior-facing thread-engaging elements are sloping threads; said step (e) comprising wedging the threaded male end of the first part against said sealing element via said sloping linear threads as said at least one forked element is slid in said at least one through-channel during said step (b), whereby relative rotation between said female end and the first part is not a necessity. 
     
     
         14 . The method of coupling a threaded male end of a first part to a second part using a coupler according to  claim 12 , wherein said step (e) comprises wedging the threaded male end of the first part against said sealing element via said linear thread means as said at least one forked element is slid in said at least one channel during said step (b). 
     
     
         15 . The method of coupling a threaded male end of a first part to a second part using a coupler according to  claim 12 , wherein said step (e) comprises rotating said female end relative to said threaded male end of the first part for forcing the threaded male end of the first part against said sealing element via the engagement of said linear thread means of said at least one forked element with the threads of the male end of the first part. 
     
     
         16 . The method of coupling a threaded male end of a first part to a second part using a coupler according to  claim 15 , wherein said step of rotating said female end relative to said threaded male end of the first part comprises gripping a handle attached to said coupling element. 
     
     
         17 . The method of coupling a threaded male end of a first part to a second part using a coupler according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 (f) removing the inserted and sealed male end of the first part from said female end;   (g) said step (f) comprising sliding said at least one forked element in the opposite direction as said step (b);   (h) said step (f) comprising venting the fluid pressure through a vent opening in said housing at said female end.