RU2828688C2 - Quick-release connector made of plastic - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: sanitary equipment.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a quick-release connector, which is made of plastic, providing engagement with snapping of tubular male part (50) and female part (40, 40A) of fluid connection system. Connector has retainer (10) adapted for installation inside inlet part (41, 41A) of female part (40, 40A) and comprising first flexible elements (11) and second flexible elements (12) engaging with snapping, respectively, with male part (50) and female part (40, 40A). Each pair of adjacent in circumferential direction first flexible elements (11) and second flexible elements (12) is transversely connected by transverse link (13), which main longitudinal axis (L) passes directly from the first flexible element (11) to the second flexible element (12).

EFFECT: invention provides simplification of its structural installation and labor intensity of manufacturing, reduction of its axial length and increasing its resistance to destruction even during long-term operation and multiple operations with its flexible parts.

13 cl, 28 dwg

Description

Quick-release connectors (also called snap-on connectors) are widely used to simplify the connection of a male part, such as a pipe socket, branch pipe or nipple, and a female part, in particular a part with an opening in the blocking part of the system for the passage of a fluid, or the end of a pipe.

The documents EP 1104530B1 and EP 1682810B1 disclose conventional quick-release connectors made of plastic. The connectors have first tongue portions projecting radially inward for snap-engagement with a male portion, and second tongue portions projecting radially outward for snap-engagement with a female portion. These conventional quick-release connectors have a relatively complex structure and are prone to damage. In fact, the first and second tongue portions are connected to the annular main portion only by small partitions that act as hinges for bending the tongue portions. These small partitions may fail after a certain number of bends or due to material fatigue. In addition, the first and second tongue portions are arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the connector, so that the connector has a sufficiently large axial extension.

The objective of the invention is to reduce the weight and cost of the connector, simplify its structural installation and the labor intensity of its manufacture, reduce its axial length and increase its resistance to destruction even during long-term use and repeated operations with its flexible parts.

The stated task is solved by means of a quick-release connector defined in claim 1 of the invention formula. The dependent claims of the invention formula relate to preferred embodiments thereof, and also concern a connection system comprising a quick-release connector, male and female parts subject to connection to each other.

According to the invention, the quick-release connector comprises a retaining means configured to be installed inside the input portion of the female portion and comprising first and second flexible elements that are spaced apart in the circumferential direction for snap-engagement with the female portion and the male portion, respectively. Unlike conventional quick-release connectors made of plastic, each pair of circumferentially adjacent first flexible elements and second flexible elements is connected by a jumper, the main longitudinal axis of which passes directly from the first flexible element to the second flexible element. The specified technical solution simplifies the design and manufacture of the quick-release connector and allows to minimize its axial length. In addition, the transverse jumpers connecting adjacent first and second flexible elements improve radial elasticity, reducing the risk of destruction even during long-term operation.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first flexible elements are located at the first axial end of the retaining means, and the second flexible elements are located at the second axial end of the retaining means, which is opposite to the first axial end. The retaining means as a whole has the shape of a conical ring, which has a diameter decreasing from the second axial end to the first axial end, and has radial elasticity provided by the first gaps at the first axial end between two first flexible elements adjacent in the circumferential direction, as well as the second gaps at the second axial end between two second flexible elements adjacent in the circumferential direction.

It should be noted that the retaining means may have n-fold symmetry, where n is an integer, and in the most preferred embodiment of the invention n=6.

The jumpers connect the first and second flexible elements to form a zigzag configuration in the circumferential direction of the retaining means. Thus, the overall shape of the retaining means is determined by several (preferably six) V-shaped segments that are connected to each other to form a crown.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the main longitudinal axis of each jumper is inclined to the axial direction of the quick-release connector, wherein said inclination is determined by two angles: the first angle α determines the inclination of the jumper radially inward from the second flexible element to the first flexible element, and the second angle β determines the inclination of the jumper in the circumferential direction of the retaining means from the second flexible element to the first flexible element adjacent in the circumferential direction. Preferably, the first angle α is from 5° to 30°, in particular from 10° to 20°, and the second angle β is from 10° to 60°, in particular from 20° to 50°, due to which the retaining means has excellent strength and flexibility.

The design of the crown retaining ring with a relatively small axial taper results in the fact that only a small insertion force is required to push the male part. The internal angle of the flexible elements is very small, but the entire axial length of the retaining ring can be used for the insertion process of the male part, during which the retaining ring as a whole has the ability to expand in the radial direction. Together, this ensures the necessary insertion force, which is small, but guarantees a high resistance force to pulling out the male part.

The front surface of the retaining means at the first axial end, which extends near the sealing means, can be increased by means of bridges having a tapering shape, so that the width of the bridges decreases along the main longitudinal axis from the first flexible elements to the second flexible elements. In this way, the contact area between the first axial end of the retaining means and the sealing means or the annular gasket, located, if required, between the retaining means and the sealing means, is increased.

Preferably, the retaining means is made of a polymer-based plastic. Particularly preferred is a retaining means molded as a single piece from a suitable plastic by injection molding or a similar method. In this way, a connector is obtained that is competitive in terms of cost and durability.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the quick-release connector further comprises a release means having an annular portion with a corresponding outer diameter for bending the first flexible elements in the radial direction for disengaging from the male portion, when the release means is pushed toward the lower (first) axial end of the retaining means. The pushing action is applied to the gripping portion, which is connected to the annular portion and is spaced from the annular portion in the axial direction so that it projects from the input portion of the female portion. On the outer circumferential surface of the annular portion there may be radial projections that snap-engage with corresponding recess-like spaces made between two adjacent first flexible elements.

The sealing means, preferably in the form of a circular sealing ring, an X-shaped sealing ring or a lip seal, is positioned inside the input portion of the female portion in the axial direction upstream of the retaining means. The position of the seal does not overlap in the axial direction with the retaining means, so that the sealing means can come into contact with both the male portion and the female portion when the quick-release connector is in the locked state. Thus, for the connection between the male and female portions, one single sealing location is sufficient, so that there is only one single potential leakage location.

The invention and its embodiments will be disclosed in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1A shows a retaining means according to one embodiment of the invention, a side view;

in Fig. 1B - a retaining means, a sectional view along line A-A in Fig. 1A;

in Fig. 1C - the retaining means in Fig. 1A, top view;

in Fig. 1D - the retaining means in Fig. 1A, perspective view;

Fig. 2A is a perspective view of a quick-release connector, a female and a male part of a fluid connection system according to the first embodiment of the invention in a disconnected state;

Fig. 2B shows the components of the fluid connection system of Fig. 2A, sectional view;

in Fig. 2C - area B in Fig. 2B, view on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3A is a perspective view of a fluid connection system according to a second embodiment of the invention in a disconnected state, with parts spatially exploded;

Fig. 3B shows the components of the fluid connection system of Fig. 3A, sectional view;

in Fig. 3C - area B in Fig. 3B, view on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4A is a perspective view of the male part of the fluid connection system according to the invention;

in Fig. 4B - the covered part in Fig. 4A, side view;

in Fig. 4C is a sectional view along line A-A in Fig. 4B;

in Fig. 4D – region C in Fig. 4C, view on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5A is a perspective view of a disconnecting means of a fluid connection system according to the third and fourth embodiments of the invention;

in Fig. 5B - the separating means in Fig. 5A, side view;

in Fig. 5C - area D in Fig. 5B, view on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6A is a perspective view of a fluid connection system according to a third embodiment of the invention in a disconnected state, with the parts spatially exploded;

Fig. 6B shows the components of the fluid connection system of Fig. 6A in a connected state, a sectional view;

in Fig. 6C - area B in Fig. 6B, view on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 7A is a perspective view of a fluid connection system according to a fourth embodiment of the invention in a disconnected state, with the parts spatially exploded;

Fig. 7B shows the components of the fluid connection system of Fig. 7A in a connected state, a sectional view;

Fig. 7C is an enlarged view of region B in Fig. 7B;

Fig. 8A is a side view of the enclosing part according to the fifth embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8B is a sectional view along line A-A in Fig. 8A;

Fig. 9A is a perspective exploded view of the fluid connection system according to the fifth embodiment of the invention in a disconnected state;

Fig. 9B shows the components of the fluid connection system of Fig. 9A in a connected state, a sectional view;

Fig. 9C is a view of region B in Fig. 9B, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 1A-D shows the retaining means 10 in different views. The retaining means 10 shown is made of plastic, more precisely, of polymer-based plastic, and, more specifically, is manufactured as a single unit by injection molding or a similar method. The retaining means 10 as a whole is a conical ring having radial flexibility, which is provided by several triangular gaps 14, 15 alternating at the first and second axial ends of the retaining means.

Due to the fact that the diameter of the annular retaining means increases from the first (lower) axial end to the second (upper) axial end, the edge portion of the retaining ring 10 in the region of the upper part projects radially outward, and the edge portion of the retaining ring 10 in the region of the lower part projects radially inward. Due to the upper gaps 15 and the lower gaps 14 in combination with the general characteristics of the plastic, the edge portions between the lower gaps 14 form the first (lower) flexible elements 11, and the edge portions between the upper gaps 15 form the second (upper) flexible elements 12. In other words, the first flexible elements 11 and the second flexible elements 12 are capable of elastically deforming in the radial direction, that is, within certain limits, they can elastically deform in the radial direction orthogonal to the axial extension X of the tubular retaining means 10.

Each pair of adjacent first flexible elements 11 and second flexible elements 12 are mutually connected by a transverse bridge 13. Each transverse bridge 13 is inclined relative to the axial direction X, more precisely, the main longitudinal axis L of each transverse bridge 13, transversely connecting a pair of adjacent first flexible elements 11 with a pair of second flexible elements 12, has an inclination. The inclination is determined by two angles α and β. The first angle α determines the value of the conicity of the retaining ring 10, that is, the degree of reduction of the outer diameter from the second axial end to the first axial end. The second angle β determines the value of the circumferential inclination of the transverse bridge 13, that is, the value by which the main longitudinal axis L of the bridge 13 deviates from the direct projection of the axial direction X to the (conical) outer circumferential surface of the retaining ring 10.

According to the presented embodiment of the invention, the inner surface of the bridges 13 is not flat, but has a shoulder 16. The said shoulder 16 performs the function of supporting the lower axial end of the male part 50 in the disconnected state and for the annular part 61 of the disconnecting means 60 in the connected state, as will be described below with reference to Fig. 5-7 and Fig. 9. The shoulder 16 is not a mandatory element, and the funnel-shaped inner surface of the bridges 13 can also be flat (as well as the outer surface), providing the same characteristics of the retaining ring 10 in terms of radial elasticity and strength.

According to the presented embodiment of the invention, the number of the first flexible elements 11 and the number of the second flexible elements 12 is six. Therefore, the tubular holding means 10 has a six-fold rotation symmetry and can be formed by connecting six V-shaped ring segments. However, technical solutions are allowed that have more or less than six first flexible elements 11 and more or less than six second flexible elements 12, and even a deviation from the usual n-fold rotation symmetry. As an example, there can be only two first flexible elements 11 and two second flexible elements 12, connected by four jumpers 13.

In the exploded perspective view of Fig. 2A, the retaining means 10 is shown in its pre-assembled state in the axial direction near the sealing means 30 between the tubular male part 50 and the female part 40. The assembled state is shown in Fig. 2B and 2C. In each of Fig. 2B, 3B, 6B, 7B and 9B a sectional view is shown along the central axis of two lower gaps 14, similar to recesses and formed between two adjacent first flexible elements 11.

In the fluid coupling system shown in Fig. 2A-C, the female part 40 is formed as an opening in the block. Unlike conventional fluid coupling systems provided with an internal thread in the opening for screwing in a threaded part of the connector, the inlet part 41 of the female part 40 is adapted to fully receive and engage with the connector without such a threaded part. The direction of insertion of the branch pipe 50 is downward in the drawings and is hereinafter referred to as the forward direction. The opposite direction is considered as the backward direction.

The enclosing part 40 has an inlet part 41, the diameter of which allows receiving the enclosing part 50 with the sealing means 30. The inlet part 41 has a stepped part 43 with an increased diameter, which performs the function of an axial support for the sealing means 30. Inside the inlet part 41 and at a distance from its upper axial end, the enclosing part 40 has a recess 42, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the remaining part of the inlet part 41. The axial length of the recess 42 is approximately equal to the axial length of the retaining ring 10.

The diameter of the input part 41 at the upper axial end is smaller than the outer diameter of the second flexible elements 12 in the unstressed state. When pushing the retaining means 10 downwards, into the input part 41, the second flexible elements 12 will be elastically deformed radially inward so that their outer diameter becomes small enough to enter the input part 41. The second flexible elements 12, upon reaching the axial position of the recess 42 formed at a distance in the axial direction from the outer surface of the input part 41, straighten out to their original state and snap into engagement with the groove-shaped recess 42 of the enclosing part 40.

Fig. 2C clearly shows the state of the second flexible elements 12, which have snapped into engagement with the recess 42, when the retaining means 10 is pushed forward into the entry portion 41. Since the second flexible elements 12 abut against the upper edge of the recess 42, the retaining means 10 cannot be removed from the entry portion 41 until the second flexible elements 12 are bent radially inward.

Similarly, the male part 50 has a recess 51 with a smaller outer diameter, located at a distance from the front axial end of the male part 50. The shape of the male part 50 is shown in more detail in Fig. 4A-D. When the male part 50 is pushed through the retaining ring 10 in a forward direction, the first flexible elements 11 are snap-engaged with the recess 51, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2C. Consequently, the first flexible elements 11 abut against the upper edge of the recess 51, and the male part 50 cannot be removed from the retaining means 10 until the first flexible elements 11 are bent radially outward.

In this way, the connection state shown in Fig. 2B and Fig. 2C is created, in which the sealing means 30 and the retaining means 10 are in a locked state, wherein the retaining means 10 is engaged with the female part 40 by means of a snap-action interaction between the second flexible elements 12 and the recess 42. As shown in Fig. 2B, the retaining means 10 is completely received in the inlet part 41 of the female part 40 and does not protrude from the female part 40 in the axial direction. This is an advantage regarding the processing and delivery of the female part 40 with the retaining means 10 in this pre-locked state. In addition, the retaining means 10 blocks the sealing means 30 from falling out of the inlet part 41, due to its locked axial positioning. The sealing means 30 rests on the stepped portion 43 of the enclosing portion 40. The step 43 has a diameter larger than the axially adjoining portion in the downward direction of the enclosing portion 40, so that the sealing means 30 also cannot move further into the enclosing portion 40.

The O-ring 30 as a sealing means may be arranged on the annular step 43 (see Fig. 2B) formed in the front region of the inlet portion 41. As shown in Fig. 2A, the O-ring 30 and other parts of the connector are axially distant from the inlet portion 41, and the pipe 50, which is the male portion, is axially distant from it even further. In order to obtain a completely connected state of the fluid connection system shown in Fig. 2B, the sealing means 30 is first arranged in the inlet portion 41 on the stepped portion 43 of the female portion 40, and then the annular retaining means 10 is axially arranged behind and next to the sealing means 30.

The connector, when inserted into the input portion 41, occupies a pre-locked engagement state. This is due to the fact that the second flexible element 12 of the retaining means 10 will be subject to some compression when entering the input portion 41 and will then snap into place in the recess 42 of the enclosing portion 40. Thus, the second flexible elements 12 prevent the retaining means 10 and the sealing means 30 from falling out of the input portion 41 during transportation, etc.

Eventually, the male part 50 is pushed through the retaining means 10 and the sealing means 30 until the first flexible elements 11, projecting radially inward, engage in a snap-fitting manner with the recess 51 of the male part 50. A ratchet formed at the rear end of the recess 51 abuts against the first flexible elements 11, so that the male part 50 remains locked inside the connector 10 and can no longer move backwards.

The sealing means 30 expands when the male part 50 is pushed through the retaining means 10 and the sealing means 30 into the fully locked position shown in Fig. 2B. In this way, the fluid connection system reaches a state in which the male part 50 is fully sealed against the female part 40. This is due to the fact that the frontmost part of the male part 50 has an outer diameter that is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the sealing means 30, so that the sealing means 30 must expand in the radial direction when the male part 50 is pushed by its frontmost part.

Fig. 3A-C shows a second embodiment of the invention, which differs from the first embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2A-C only in that there is an annular gasket 20 located in the axial direction between the retaining ring 10 and the sealing means 30. The use of the annular gasket 20 is the only difference from the first embodiment of the invention described above, in connection with which, in the following, only the said gasket is considered, and the remaining components are simply shown in the drawings without reference numbers and are not described.

The annular washer or spacer 20 rests on the front edge of the recess 42 of the female part 40 and performs the function of a uniform stop in the circumferential direction for the sealing means 30 in the axial direction X. This is particularly important when the sealing means is expanded in the radial direction by inserting the female part 50. In addition, the annular washer 20 prevents the sealing means 30 from being deformed in the axial direction. In particular, the sealing means 30 cannot enter under pressure into the recess-like spaces 14 formed between the first flexible elements 11 at the lower axial end of the retaining ring 10.

As shown in the drawings, the annular gasket 20 has radial projections 21. The projections 21 help position the annular gasket 20 inside the inlet portion 41, preventing the washer 20 from being too deeply immersed in the female portion 40. As shown in the drawings, four projections 21 can be arranged around the circumference with 4-fold symmetry. Of course, the arrangement or number of projections can be different, and the annular gasket 20 may not have the said projections 21.

After the male part 50 has been inserted, the retaining means 10 can also be manipulated by means of a secondary fixing operation (for example, by means of a fixing tool not shown) in a forward direction to close the gaps 14 so as to provide a flat retaining surface towards the upper surface of the sealing means 30. In this way, the fluid connection system is in a completely locked and sealed state, due to the tight and uniform compression of the sealing means 30 from both axial ends even without installing any annular gasket 20.

In Fig. 5A-C a release means 60 is shown, which can be used as a tool for unlocking the male part 50, which is in snap-engagement with the first flexible elements 11 of the retaining means 10. The release means 60 has an annular part 61, the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the first axial end of the retaining ring 10, formed by the first flexible elements 11, but smaller than the diameter of the second axial end of the retaining ring 10, formed by the second flexible elements 12. As shown in Fig. 6A-C, the annular part 61 can be used for bending the first flexible elements 11 radially outward in order to disconnect the recess 51 of the male part 50 and the retaining ring 10.

In addition, the releasing means 60 has a gripping part 62, which is intended to remain outside the inlet part 41 and is used by the operator to manipulate the releasing means 60 to disengage the male part 50 by means of a pushing action in the forward direction, if necessary. The annular part 61 comprises six openings 64 distributed along the circumference in accordance with the positions of the second flexible elements 12 in the connected state, as shown in Fig. 6B. On the annular part 61, below two diametrically opposite openings 64, there are radial projections 63, for engaging with recess-like spaces 14 between two adjacent first flexible elements 11 of the retaining ring 10. The number of openings 64 and projections 63 depends on technical requirements and is in no way limited by the presented embodiment of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 6B and 6C, the release means 60 is positioned in the axial direction so that the annular portion 61 is engaged in the retaining ring 10. In particular, the wedge-shaped projections 63 are received in the lower gaps 14, and the second flexible elements 12 are received in the holes 64. In this way, the release means 60 is reliably and specifically positioned inside the retaining ring 10 in the radial direction. The shoulders 16 on the inner surface of the jumpers 13 position the release means 60 in the axial direction. The release means 60 rests and rests on said shoulders 16 in a relaxed and completely connected state, as shown in Fig. 6B.

Now the operator can push the releasing means 60 in the axial direction forward with the help of the gripping part 62. The pushing action of the operator will be resisted by resistance, since the axial front end of the releasing means 60 is in the initial position, resting against the shoulders 16 of the jumpers 13. Having overcome this resistance, the annular part 61 will expand the first flexible elements 11 radially outward in order to release their engagement with the recess 51 of the male part 50. As soon as the operator removes his hands, the releasing means 60 will return to the initial position, since the holding means 10 has elastic compliance in the radial direction.

Fig. 7A-C shows a fourth embodiment of the invention, which differs from the third embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6A-6C only in that there is an annular gasket 20 located in the axial direction between the retaining ring 10 and the sealing means 30. Similar to the second embodiment of the invention, the annular gasket or spacer 20 rests on the front edge of the recess 42 of the enclosing part 40 and performs the function of a uniform stopper in the circumferential direction for the sealing means 30 in the axial direction X.

In Fig. 8A and 8B another type of female part 40A is shown, which is present in the fifth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment of the invention, the female part 40A is the end of a pipe or tube, in contrast to the first to fourth embodiments of the invention, in which the female part is an opening in the block of the connection system. However, the principles described earlier are also applicable to the fifth embodiment of the invention. The female part 40A has an inlet part 41A, in which a recess 42A is formed and a stepped part 43A is present, as explained above with reference to Fig. 2A-B.

Fig. 9A-C illustrate the use of the enclosing portion 40A in the fifth embodiment. The individual parts and their functions are similar to the third embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6A-C, but instead of the block enclosing portion 40, a tubular enclosing portion 40A is used. Of course, the description of the functionality of the parts illustrated in Fig. 6A-C also applies to the parts shown in Fig. 9A-C.

It is obvious that in the fifth embodiment of the invention, as in the fourth embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 7A-C, an annular gasket 20 may be additionally used, and/or in the fifth embodiment of the invention the release means may be absent, similarly to the first and second embodiments of the invention shown in Fig. 2A-C and Fig. 3A-C.

To summarize the above, according to the invention, a quick-release connector made of plastic is proposed, providing for snap-engagement of a tubular male part 50 and a female part 40 of a fluid connection system. The said connector comprises a retaining means 10, located inside the input part 41 of the female part 40, having first flexible elements 11 and second flexible elements 12 for snap-engagement with the male part 50 and with the female part 40, respectively. Each pair of the first flexible elements 11 and the second flexible elements 12 adjacent in the circumferential direction is transversely connected by a transverse bridge 13, the main longitudinal axis L of which passes directly from the first flexible element 11 to the second flexible element 12.

List of reference designations

10 – retaining means

11 – first flexible element (radially internal)

12 – second flexible element (radially outer)

13 – jumper (connecting elements 11 and elements 12)

14 – first interval

15 – second interval

16 – shoulder

20 – O-ring/spacer

21 – radial projection

30 – sealing agent

40, 40A – enclosing part

41, 41A – input part

42, 42A – recess

43, 43A – stepped part

50 – tubular male part

51 - recess

60 - separating agent

61 – ring part

62 – gripping part

63 – ledge

64 – hole

X – axial direction

L – main longitudinal axis

α – angle of inclination of the longitudinal axis L of the jumper 13 radially inward relative to the axial direction X

β – the angle of inclination of the longitudinal axis L of the jumper 13 in the circumferential direction relative to the axial direction X.

Claims (13)

1. A quick-release connector for connecting in the axial direction (X) a tubular male part (50) to a female part (40, 40A), comprising a sealing means (30) adapted to be mounted inside an inlet part (41, 41A) of the female part (40, 40A) to form a seal between the male part (50) and the female part (40; 40A), and a retaining means (10) adapted to be mounted inside the inlet part (41; 41A) and having at least two first flexible elements (11) projecting radially inward for snap-engagement with the male part (50), and at least two second flexible elements (12) projecting radially outward for snap-engagement with the female part (40, 40A), wherein each pair of circumferentially adjacent first flexible elements (11) and second flexible elements (12) is connected by a jumper (13), the main longitudinal axis (L) of which passes directly from the first flexible element (11) to the second flexible element (12), and a release means (60), which includes an annular part (61), the outer diameter of which is greater than the inner diameter of the retaining means (10) at the first axial end containing the first flexible elements (11), but less than the inner diameter of the retaining means (10) at the second axial end containing the second flexible elements (12), a gripping part (62), which is connected to the annular part (61) and is spaced from the annular part (61) in the axial direction so that it projects from the input part (41, 41A) of the female part (40, 40A), wherein the gripping part (62) allows the operator, when releasing, to push the annular part (61) toward the first axial end of the retaining means (10) so that the first flexible elements (11) are bent in the radial direction and are detached from the enclosed part (50), characterized in that on the outer circumferential surface of the annular part (61) there is at least one radial protrusion (63) for snapping into a first gap (14) similar to a recess between two adjacent first flexible elements (11). 2. A quick-release connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the first flexible elements (11) are located at the first axial end of the retaining means (10), and the second flexible elements (12) are located at the second axial end of the retaining means (10), which is opposite the first axial end. 3. A quick-release connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the retaining means (10) as a whole has the shape of a conical ring, which has a diameter decreasing from the second axial end to the first axial end, and has radial elasticity provided by first gaps (14) made at the first axial end between two first flexible elements (11) adjacent in the circumferential direction, as well as second gaps (15) made at the second axial end between two second flexible elements (12) adjacent in the circumferential direction. 4. A quick-release connector according to any one of paragraphs 1-3, characterized in that the jumpers (13) connect the first flexible elements (11) and the second flexible elements (12, 22) to form a zigzag shape along the circumferential direction of the retaining means (10). 5. A quick-release connector according to any one of paragraphs 1-4, characterized in that the main longitudinal axis (L) of each jumper (13) is inclined to the axial direction (X) of the quick-release connector, wherein said inclination is determined by two angles, the value of which is greater than 0°, wherein the first angle (α) determines the inclination of the jumper (13) radially inward from the second flexible element (12) to the first flexible element (11), and the second angle (β) determines the inclination of the jumper (13) in the circumferential direction of the retaining means (10) from the second flexible element (12) to the first flexible element (11) adjacent in the circumferential direction. 6. A quick-release connector according to claim 5, characterized in that the first angle (α) is from 5° to 30°, preferably from 10° to 20°, and the second angle (β) is from 10° to 60°, preferably from 20° to 50°. 7. A quick-release connector according to any one of paragraphs 1-6, characterized in that the first flexible elements (11) and the second flexible elements (12) alternate on parts spaced apart in the circumferential direction, along the retaining means (10). 8. A quick-release connector according to any one of paragraphs 1-7, characterized in that the jumpers (13) have a tapering shape such that the width of the jumpers (13) decreases along the main longitudinal axis (L) from the first flexible elements (11) to the second flexible elements (12). 9. A quick-release connector according to any one of paragraphs 1-8, characterized in that the retaining means (10) is made of plastic and/or molded as a single piece, preferably by injection molding. 10. A fluid connection system comprising a quick-release connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, a tubular male part (50), preferably a nozzle, and a female part (40; 40A), preferably in the form of an opening in the connector block. 11. The system according to claim 10, in which the retaining means (10) is adapted to retain the sealing means (30) in a sealing position in an axial direction adjacent to the retaining means (10), but not overlapping it, so that the sealing means (30) is adapted to come into contact with both the male part (50) and the female part (40; 40A) in the locked state of the quick-release connector. 12. The system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the tubular male part (50) has a recess (51) with a decreasing outer diameter, and the first flexible elements (11) of the retaining means (10) are designed to engage with a snap with the recess (51) when the male part (50) is pushed in the axial direction (X) through the quick-release connector. 13. The system according to any one of claims 10–12, wherein the enclosing portion (40; 40A) has a recess (42; 42A) formed on the periphery of the input portion (41; 41A), and the second flexible elements (12) of the retaining means (10) are designed to engage with a snap with the recess (42; 42A) of the enclosing portion (40; 40A) when the retaining means (10) is pushed in the axial direction (X) into the enclosing portion (40; 40A).

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