US 12,188,598 B2
Connection units for quick connection/disconnection fluidic lines
Stefano Ferroni, Turin (IT); and Antonia Simone, Turin (IT)
Assigned to Thales Alenia Space Italia S.p.A. Con Unico Socio, Rome (IT)
Appl. No. 18/013,845
Filed by Thales Alenia Space Italia S.p.A. Con Unico Socio, Rome (IT)
PCT Filed Jul. 2, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/055970
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 29, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/003648, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 20184051 (EP), filed on Jul. 3, 2020; and application No. 102020000022447 (IT), filed on Sep. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0288003 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. F16L 37/36 (2006.01); F16L 37/096 (2006.01); F16L 37/107 (2006.01); F16L 37/113 (2006.01); F16L 37/32 (2006.01); F16L 37/35 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 37/36 (2013.01) [F16L 37/096 (2013.01); F16L 37/107 (2013.01); F16L 37/113 (2013.01); F16L 37/32 (2013.01); F16L 37/35 (2013.01); F16L 2201/10 (2013.01); F16L 2201/20 (2013.01); F16L 2201/60 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A connection unit including a first and a second connector (2, 3) configured to be connected to respective circuit branches of a fluidic line and a coupling element (4) for coupling said connectors (2, 3) together and establish a fluidic connection between said circuit branches, said connectors (2, 3) being provided with first, normally closed sealing elements (30) to define a sealing termination of said circuit branches when the connectors (2, 3) are disconnected from each other;
both said connectors are female connectors (2, 3);
the coupling element (4) includes a double-male connector (50) separable from the female connectors (2, 3) and provided with a pair of shanks (68) that can be coupled to the respective female connectors (2, 3) and a control element (70) movable between a first position where the coupling element (4) can be coupled to the connectors (2, 3) in a mechanical pre-coupling condition without fluidic connection between the female connectors (2, 3) and a second position where the shanks (68) of the double-male connector (50) engage the respective female connectors (2, 3) and establish the fluidic connection therebetween.