Quick connect fitting

A quick connect fitting is a coupling used to provide a fast, make-or-break connection of fluid transfer lines. Operated by hand, quick connect fittings replace threaded or flanged connections, which require wrenches. When equipped with self-sealing valves, quick connect fittings will, upon disconnection, automatically contain any fluid in the line.

Uses

There are a large variety of quick connect fittings, also called push fittings, on the market, employed in fluid transfer of all kinds. They are used many kilometers underwater, in drilling operations, in outer space (as for docking spacecraft), and everywhere in between, for a myriad of reasons, in all sorts of pneumatic-power, plumbing, heating, electrical and fire-suppression applications. Such fittings offer the benefits of significant time savings over older devices for connecting tubes and hoses, and of low skill requirements for their usage. Users themselves can equip tubing with threadless push fittings specially made with teeth that are forced deeper into the tubing when opposing force is applied to them, preventing their separation from the tubing.[1][2][3]

Types

Fittings come in a variety of generic and proprietary types, with market dominance highly dependent on global region.[4]

North America:

  • Industrial-type interconnect/interchange, based on military specification MIL-C-4109F[5]
  • ARO-type interconnect/interchange, developed by ARO (now part of Ingersoll-Rand), mainly for fluid applications.
  • Automotive-type interconnect/interchange, based on a standard set forth by TruFlate for automotive shops, including inflation and pneumatic tools.[6]

Europe:

  • European standard, also known as the Highflow European standard
  • British standard

Japan:

  • Nitto standard

Cost

Unit cost varies from a few dollars, for mass-produced compressed air couplings, to a million dollars for large bore couplings used in the ship-to-shore transfer of liquified natural gas.

See also

References
  1. "Patent Database Search Results: "push to connect" in US Patents Text Collection". patft.uspto.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
  2. Quick connect technology inventor, David B. Crompton - USPTO.GOV
  3. Original U.S. quick connect invention
  4. admin. "Deciphering air fittings and coupler standards | Helping you work smarter not harder". Retrieved 2019-07-13.
  5. MIL-C-4109F (AMENDMENT 1), MILITARY SPECIFICATION, COUPLING HALVES, LOW PRESSURE, AIR HOSE, QUICK-DISCONNECT (29 JUN 1992)
  6. Kostelnicek, Dick. "Quick-Connect Pneumatic Couplers". Home Metal Shop Club, Volume 8 Number 8
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