Low-spill coupling assembly
The present disclosure relates to a low-spill coupling assembly including a female coupling device and a male coupling device.
1 . A coupling system for liquid cooling of electronics, comprising:
a female coupling device having a quick disconnect lock and being configured to releasably receive a male coupling device in a pre-coupled position in which fluid flow is occluded between the female coupling device and the male coupling device, a partially-coupled position, and a fully-coupled position in which fluid flow is provided between the female coupling device and the male coupling device, wherein the female coupling device includes:
a female main body defining: a front opening at a front-most face of the female main body, a sidewall opening positioned rearwardly of front opening and being sized to receive a movable lock member, a first interior shoulder that is positioned rearwardly of the sidewall opening and that tapers inwardly to a first interior bore having a first bore diameter, the first interior bore extending rearwardly from the first interior shoulder for a first bore axial length to a second interior shoulder that transitions to a second interior bore, the second interior bore having a second bore diameter larger than the first bore diameter and having a second bore axial length greater than the first bore axial length, and one or more seal grooves disposed along the first interior bore, wherein both the sidewall opening and a front-most end of the first interior shoulder are positioned axially closer to the front opening of the female main body than to a front-most end of the second larger interior bore of the female main body;
a stem having a stem head positioned in the first interior bore and configured to remain stationary relative to the front-most face of the female main body, wherein the stem head defines a stem front face that is oriented toward the front opening and that has a stem front diameter greater than half the first bore diameter;
a valve sleeve movable within the second interior bore relative to the stem head, wherein the valve sleeve is biased by a first coil spring toward a closed position in which the valve sleeve abuts with the second interior shoulder of the female main body and is configured to occlude the first interior bore of the female main body, wherein the valve sleeve is movable to a rear position in which the valve sleeve is entirely rearward of the first interior bore; and
the quick disconnect lock comprising the movable lock member slidable within the sidewall opening of the female main body, an exterior user-adjustable actuator engaged with the movable lock member for actuation of the movable lock member, and a second coil spring positioned entirely forward of the first coil spring at a location between the exterior user-adjustable actuator and the female main body so as to bias the quick disconnect lock toward a locked condition.
2 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the female coupling device further comprises an exterior hex structure positioned closer to a rear opening of the female coupling device than to the front opening.
3 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the second coil spring of the quick disconnect lock is compressed against a surface of the exterior user-adjustable actuator to urge the movable lock member into the sidewall opening of the female main body.
4 . The coupling system of claim 3 , wherein the exterior user-adjustable actuator of the quick disconnect lock defines a laterally outermost surface of the female coupling device.
5 . The coupling system of claim 4 , wherein the exterior user-adjustable actuator of the quick disconnect lock comprises a push tab defining the laterally outermost surface of the female coupling device, the movable lock member of the quick disconnect lock comprises a slidable plate extending transversely from the push tab such that the slidable plate defines a front-most surface of the quick disconnect lock closest to the front opening of the female main body, and the second coil spring of the quick disconnect lock is positioned entirely forward of the stem and the valve sleeve.
6 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the female coupling device further comprises a rear termination member extending rearwardly of the second larger interior bore of the female main body opposite from the front opening of the female main body.
7 . The coupling system of claim 6 , wherein the rear termination member comprises rear connection ridges configured to connect with a fluid line.
8 . The coupling system of claim 1 , further comprising the male coupling device.
9 . The coupling system of claim 8 , wherein the male coupling device further comprises: a male main body having a male front end configured to slide within the first interior bore of the female main body and engage the valve sleeve of the female coupling device; a valve member that defines a valve front face and that has a valve seal mounted thereto, wherein the valve member is spring biased toward the male front end such that the valve seal is releasably engageable with the male main body, and the valve front face is radially inward of the male front end.
10 . The coupling system of claim 9 , wherein the male coupling device further comprises: a circumferential groove defined along an exterior of the male main body and configured to releasably lock with the movable lock member of the quick disconnect lock of the female coupling device when in the fully-coupled position.
11 . The coupling system of claim 10 , wherein the male coupling device further comprises a rear terminal positioned opposite from the male front end and being configured to connect with a fluid line.
12 . The coupling system of claim 11 , wherein the rear terminal of the male coupling device includes an exterior hex structure and an exterior thread extending between a rearmost end of the male coupling device and the exterior hex structure.
13 . The coupling system of claim 11 , wherein the rear terminal of the male coupling device defines a maximum lateral width of the entire male coupling device which is configured to remain external to the female main body when in the fully-coupled position.
14 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more seal grooves disposed along the first interior bore of the female main body comprises a rear groove positioned rearwardly of the first interior shoulder, the female coupling device further comprising a rear bore seal seated in the rear groove such that the rear bore seal is configured to releasable engage with an exterior of the valve sleeve.
15 . The coupling system of claim 14 , wherein said one or more seal grooves disposed along the first interior bore of the female main body comprises a forward groove positioned forwardly of the rear groove, the female coupling device further comprising a forward bore seal seated in the forward groove at a location radially inward from a portion of the quick disconnect lock that defines a laterally outermost surface of the entire female coupling device.
16 . The coupling system of claim 15 , wherein the first interior bore extends forward of the forward bore seal toward the front opening for a forward axial length, extends between the forward bore seal and the rear bore seal for an intermediate axial length, and extends rearward of the rear bore seal for a rearward axial length, wherein the forward axial length of the first interior bore of the female main body is greater than an axial length of the forward groove that retains the forward bore seal.
17 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the stem includes a rear end that is opposite from the stem head and that defines a stem rear diameter greater than the second bore diameter of the second interior bore of the female main body.
18 . The coupling system of claim 17 , wherein the female coupling device further comprises a rear terminal that extends rearwardly of the second interior bore of the female main body and that defines a rear terminal bore diameter smaller than said second bore diameter of the second interior bore of the female main body.
19 . The coupling system of claim 18 , wherein the rear terminal bore diameter of the rear terminal extends rearwardly to a tapered bore opening that is larger than the rear terminal bore diameter.
20 . The coupling system of claim 18 , wherein the rear terminal is connected to a rear portion of the female main body with a seal mounted radially inward of an interior circumferential surface of the rear terminal and radially outward of the female main body, and the rear terminal includes an exterior hex structure, an exterior thread extending between a rearmost end of the rear terminal and the exterior hex structure, and an exterior rear seal positioned between the exterior thread and the exterior hex structure.
21 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein an exterior of the female main body includes: a first outer diameter positioned rearwardly of the sidewall opening, a central waist portion positioned rearwardly of the first outer diameter having a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter, and a third outer diameter positioned rearwardly of the central waist portion and being larger than the second outer diameter.
22 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the second coil spring of the quick disconnect lock is positioned within a blind exterior hole of the female main body at said location between the exterior user-adjustable actuator and the female main body, and the second coil spring of the quick disconnect lock is oriented along an axis that extends perpendicular to the first interior bore of the female main body.
23 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein said sidewall opening is a first sidewall opening, and the female main body comprises a second sidewall opening, wherein the movable lock member of the quick disconnect lock being slidable within both the first and second sidewall openings of the female main body.
24 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the second coil spring is positioned entirely forward of the first coil spring at said location radially inward of the exterior user-adjustable actuator and radially outward of the first interior bore so as to bias the quick disconnect lock toward the locked condition.
25 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the movable lock member of the quick disconnect lock is entirely forward of the first interior shoulder when the quick disconnect lock is in the locked condition.
26 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the exterior user-adjustable actuator of the quick disconnect lock is located radially outward of both the first interior bore and the female main body.
27 . The coupling system of claim 1 , wherein said sidewall opening in the female main body has an axial length less than the first bore axial length.