CA2265772C

CA2265772C - Method and apparatus for attaching valve to supply conduit

Info

Publication number: CA2265772C
Application number: CA 2265772
Authority: CA
Inventors: Wesley S. Swanson; Robert J. Cooper
Original assignee: Ranco Inc of Delaware
Current assignee: Ranco Inc of Delaware
Priority date: 1997-07-16
Filing date: 1998-07-16
Publication date: 2008-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-16
Also published as: EP0961897A1; AU8407598A; EP0961897B1; US6070606A; DE69815068T2; DE69815068D1; WO1999004192A1; CA2265772A1

Abstract

A method of non-releasably quick-connecting a tubular metal conduit to the inlet of a non-metallic valve body (12). A closure having a tube-receiving bore (56) is then pre-assembled with a frictionally engaging spring washer (68) and seal rings (62, 64) therein and is then secured to the valve inlet preferably by non-metallic weldment. The tubular conduit (54) is then inserted into the bore and radially compresses the seal rings and frictionally engages the spring washer to prevent subsequent removal of the conduit.

Description

ï»¿1015W0 99/04192CA 02265772 l999-03- 10PCT/US98/14711TITLE OF INVENTIONMethod of Attaching Supply Conduit to a Solenoid Operated Valve.CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONSNot ApplicableSTATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCHOR DEVELOPIVIENTNot ApplicableMICROFICHE APPENDIXNot ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to the attachment of a supply conduit to the inlet of avalve and particularly relates to solenoid operated valves employed for controlling the ï¬owof water where the body or main structure of the valve is formed of non-metallic materialto provide electrical isolation of the solenoid from the conduit to protect the user from thehazards of electrical shock.Solenoid operated valves are commonly employed in household appliances such as,for example, clothes washing machines, dishwashers and ice makers for refrigerators.Appliance water valves of this type are therefore typically connected to a household power-1-ï»¿10152025W0 99/04192CA 02265772 l999-03- 10PCT/US98/1 47 1 1supply either 240 Volt or 117 Volts AC which is a high enough voltage to create ahazardous condition for the appliance user in the event of contact occurs with the electricalsolenoid operator and the water supply. In order to reduce the hazards of electrical shock,typical appliance water inlet valves have the body thereof molded from plastic material andthe coil typically encapsulated with plastic material for reducing the likelihood ofoccurrence of electrical shock.Appliance water inlet valves are, in many installations, connected to a ï¬exibleconduit by either a threaded hose-type connection or by compression type tubingconnection in the case of small diameter bendable or deformable metal tubing as the supplyconduit.In certain applications, as for example in refrigerator ice makers located in therefrigerator fieezer compartment, it is desired to provide for assembly of a portion of thesupply conduit internal to the refrigerator during the manufacture of the refrigerator inorder that the user may make the waterline connection to the icemaker externally of thereï¬igerator cabinet. Such an arrangement must necessarily be accomplished in a mannerwhich is simple and easy to install and which is relatively low in manufacturing costs to becompetitive in high volume mass production of such household appliances.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide for a non-releasable quick-connect of a tubular metal conduit to the inlet of a non-metallic valve body withoutï¬ttings, fasteners or tools.The present invention provides a technique for connecting a ï¬exible metal conduitto the inlet of a solenoid operated water valve of the type having a non-metallic body in amanner which permits the conduit to be inserted in the inlet and secured and sealed thereinwithout the aid of separate ï¬ttings, fasteners or tools. The water valve conduit connectionof the present invention is characterized as a non-removable quick-connect. The conduitconnection of the present invention is particularly suitable for connecting bendable or-2-ï»¿101520W0 99/04192CA 02265772 l999-03- 10PCT/US98/14711deformable metal conduit to the inlet of a solenoid operated water valve employed in areï¬igerator ice maker where it is desired to connect a supply conduit to the water valve atinstallation of the ice maker during manufacture of the refrigerator with the portion of theconduit extending externally of the refrigerator cabinet and adapted for user connectionthereto externally of the refrigerator.The quick-connect method of the present invention permits the connection of atubular ï¬exible metal conduit to the water valve inlet without the need of compressionï¬ttings, threaded connections or any tools. During installation of the icemaker in thefreezer compartment, the installer need only manually insert the end of the tubing into thevalve aperture in the valve inlet and push the tubing sumciently inward to engage a pair ofseal rings and subsequentially frictionally engage a spring member to retain the conduitsealed into the valve inlet in a non-removable manner.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a non-metallic valve with a metal conduit quick-converted to the inlet according to the present invention; andFIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONReferring to FIG. 1, a valve assembly indicated generally at 10 has a molded plasticvalve body 12 having an inlet end portion 14 and an outlet 16 with an outlet passage 18having a valve seat 20 formed therein and an inlet passage 22 communicating with avalving chamber 24.Valving chamber 24 is closed by a guide member 26 secired to body 12 and whichhas slidably received therein a ferromagnetic armature 28. The guide member 26 issurrounded by axially spaced tubular pole pieces 30, 32 which are surrounded by a coil 34-3-ï»¿10152025WO 99/04192CA 02265772 l999-03- 10PCT/US98/14711encapsulated with suitable plastic material 36 and having at least one electrical connectorterminal 38 extending therefrom.The armature 28 has a valving surface 40 thereon for contacting valve seat 20 toblock ï¬ow from inlet passage 22 to the outlet passage 18. Upon energization of the coil34 by flow of electrical current through the at least one terminal 38, the electromagneticfield created by current flow in coil 34 effects lifting of the armature 28 and valving surface40 from valve seat 20 thereby permitting ï¬ow from inlet passage 22 to the outlet passage18.The inlet end portion 14 of the body 12 includes a chamber 42 whichcommunicates with inlet passage 22 and which chamber has received therein a ï¬ow controlwasher 44 and retaining capsule 46 therefor. The chamber 42 also includes a generallycup-shaped ï¬lter screen 48.Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, chamber 42 in the inlet portion 14 of the valve body 12is closed by a cap member 50 which has an annular groove 52 formed therein which isreceived over a tapered annular rib 54 formed on the rim of the inlet portion 14 of thevalve body and secured thereto by weldment, as for example ï¬iction welding by spinningor by ultrasonic welding.The closure cap 50 has a bore 56 received therethrough which is sized andconï¬gured to have slidably received therein one end of a ï¬exible tubular metal supplyconduit 58. The interior face of closure 50 has formed therein a counterbore 60 which hasreceived therein a pair of resilient seals in the form of O-rings 62, 64 which are radiallycompressed upon insertion of the tube 5 8 in bore 56.A second counterbore of a larger diameter and denoted by reference numeral 66 isfonned in the face of closure 50 and has received therein a deflectable metal springmember 68 which may have an annular configuration and may have a plurality of radiallyinwardly extending ï¬ngers formed thereon. Spring member 68 is retained in thecounterbore 66 by a backing member or washer 70 which is secured by deformation of thematerial of closure 50 as, for example, the annular rib 72 formed about counterbore 66.Rib 72 is deformed from the position shown in dashed outline to the position shown in-4-ï»¿1015W0 99/04192CA 02265772 l999-03- 10PCT/US98/14711solid outline in FIG. 2.Upon insertion of the end of the tube 58 into the bore 56, the end of the tubeM initially contacts and compresses the seal rings 62, 64; and, upon continued furtherinsertion engages the inner periphery of the spring member 68 in frictional engagement.Conduit or tube 58 is thus secured in the bore 56 by the frictional engagement of the innerperiphery of member 68 with the periphery of the tube 58 and prevents withdrawal of thetube thereafter.The present invention thus provides a unique method for quick-connecting atubular metal conduit to the inlet of a valve and particularly an electrically operated valvehaving a non-metallic body without the aid of separate ï¬ttings, fasteners or tools in amanner which is simple and low in cost. The quickâconnect of the present invention isintended for installations where the conduit is not removable aï¬er connection to the valveinlet. The non-removable quick-connect of the present invention is particularly suitable forelectrically operated appliance water inlet valves such as those employed in a refrigeratorice maker application.Although the invention has hereinabove been described with respect to theillustrated embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modiï¬cationand variation and is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of connecting a conduit to an inlet of a valve body, the method comprising:

(a) forming an inlet chamber in the inlet;
(b) providing an annular closure member with first and second recesses therein, and with a resilient annular seal within said first recess;

(c) disposing an annular gripping member within said second recess, said gripping member retained by an annular backing member;
(d) permanently or non-releasably securing said annular closure member over said inlet and positioning and retaining said annular seal adjacent said annular gripping member; and (e) secondly inserting a tubular conduit progressively through said annular closure, said annular seal, said gripping member, and said annular backing member, and frictionally engaging said conduit with said gripping member and securing said conduit in said inlet and sealing about said conduit with said annular seal.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said step of securing said annular closure member includes welding or friction welding said closure member to said valve body.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said step of sealing about said conduit includes radially deforming said annular seals.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said inlet chamber further comprises an annular rib and said closure member further comprises an annular groove.

5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said step of disposing an annular seal includes disposing a pair of annular seals.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said steps of forming an inlet chamber and providing an annular closure member include molding plastic material.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said gripping member comprises a spring.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said gripping member comprises a spring having a plurality of inwardly-extending fingers.

9. A valve and supply conduit assembly, comprising:
(a) a valve body having an inlet with a recess therein;
(b) an annular closure member received over and secured to said inlet, said annular closure member comprising first and second recesses therein, and a resilient annular seal within said first recess;
(c) an annular gripping member within said second recess, said gripping member retained by an annular backing member; and (d) a tubular supply conduit having an end portion thereof inserted in said annular closure after said annular closure is secured to said inlet, said tubular supply conduit engaging said gripping member, said annular seal sealing about a surface of said conduit, and wherein said gripping member prevents removal of said conduit once inserted.

10. The assembly defined in claim 9, wherein said body and said closure are formed of plastic material with said closure secured by weldment.

11. The assembly defined in claim 9, wherein said end portion of said conduit has a generally cylindrical configuration.

12. The assembly defined in claim 9, wherein said seal includes a pair of elastomeric O-rings.

13. The assembly defined in claim 9, wherein said gripping member has a truncated conical configuration.

14. The assembly defined in claim 9, wherein said gripping member comprises a spring.

15. The assembly defined in claim 9, wherein said gripping member comprises a spring having a plurality of inwardly-extending fingers.

16. The assembly defined in claim 9, wherein the inlet chamber has an annular rib and the annular closure member has an annular groove, said rib and groove used for securing the closure member to the valve body.