Clamp structure e.g.for hoses

(42) Date of commencement of the patent: 15.11.1986 (45) Date of issue: 25. 6.1987

<td>(30) Priority:</td><td>(73) Patent owner:</td>

<td>20. 6.1984 US 622766 claims.</td><td>OETIKER HANS HORNS (CH).</td>

<td>(56) Documents:</td><td></td>

<td>U.S. Patent No. 4,315,348 U.S. Patent No. 4,299,012, U.S. Patent No. 4,425,781</td><td></td>

CQ (54) CLAMP (57) Disclosed is a clip (10) having an open-ended staple band having a mechanical connection for the open band ends. The mechanical connection comprises at least two outwardly projecting hooks (20, 23) on the inner band portion (11) which can engage in openings (22, 26) of the outer band portion (12). At least one of the hooks is a cold-formed support hook (20), while another hook forms a substantially circumferentially extending combined support and guide hook (23) having an inclined support and guide surface (25) initially in the associated opening (26) of the outer band portion can engage to guide the inner and outer band portions (11, 12) against each other, while absorbing simultaneously acting in the circumferential direction tightening forces until the cold-formed support hook (20) is effective and also absorbs pull forces, u.zw. by engagement of its contact surface in the associated opening (22).

AT 383 399

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INR 007S018

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The invention is a further development of the subject matter of U.S. Patent No. 4,492,004, and relates to a clip having an open ended band and means for mechanically connecting the open band ends.

There are known so-called open brackets which can be mounted radially around an object to be secured. Before tightening such open brackets, their open ends are joined together by a mechanical connection. The tightening of the clamp can be carried out in various ways, for example using so-called screw-tightening devices, so-called^HOetiker ears or a special construction, as disclosed in the aforementioned patent.

In such open brackets, there are basically two causes of leakage. On the one hand, leakage can occur due to discontinuities in the form of steps or the like. along the inner circumference of the band. These problems are effectively solved by a so-called stepless clamp as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,315,348. Another possible cause of leakage is the inadequate tightening or sealing force with which the clamp is closed. In particular, in view of the fact that relatively hard plastic materials, for example the material marketed under the name HYTRELL, are available, as are used, for example, in the automotive industry for axle stems, there is a need for ever increasing sealing or tightening forces. The mechanical connection described in US Pat. No. 4,299,012 provides an effective solution to the problem of retention of such a connection, u.zw. by the use of outwardly projecting, cold-formed hooks, which take over the function of the force absorption, after a flap-shaped, transverse guide hook has the inner and outer band portions during tightening of the clip against each other out. Although the mechanical connection according to the US-PS no. 4,299,012 has proven to be quite satisfactory, but it still brings certain disadvantages. The open staples, such as shown in Figure 7 of U.S. Patent No. 4,299,012, are normally stamped from flat strip stock and transported for economic reasons as flat blanks from place of manufacture to point of use, for example to an assembly line in an automobile plant they are preformed substantially annularly before being mounted over the article to be secured, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,425,781. Since the hooks are usually formed by the same tool of the automatic machine that makes the flat blank, the angle of the guide hook, which has a predetermined angular size in the flat blank, change in the installed state, u.zw. depending on the radius of curvature of the clamping band, namely of its diameter. This, in turn, then requires special care and remedial action to keep the guide hook in an optimal angular position with the clamp in place. In addition, the guide hook, which is not intended to absorb any substantial tightening forces, forms a substantially rectangular flap, which is punched out of the strip material and thereby leaves in the strip material an opening which substantially corresponds to the surface of the punched guide hook. This, in turn, tends to cause buckling or buckling in the area where it is weakened by the punched-out guide hook when the planar blank is bent into the approximate annular shape of the staple.

The invention is primarily based on the object of providing a mechanical connection for an open clamp which avoids the above-mentioned deficiencies and disadvantages of known connections and allows the use of even greater tightening forces for the clamp without the risk of damaging the mechanical connection ,

To this end, the invention proposes that a clip with an open-ended band and means for mechanically connecting the open band ends having at least two outwardly projecting hooks on an inner band portion, which can engage in openings in an outer band portion at least one of the hooks is formed as a cold-formed carrying hook, characterized in that that another of the hooks is formed as a combined guide and support hook with a sloping guide and support surface which initially engages with the associated opening in the outer band section, wherein the

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- 3 trailing edge of the guide and support hook upwards and - seen from the side of the bracket away from the free end of the inner band portion is inclined, so as to guide the inner and outer band portions relative to each other and simultaneously absorb circumferentially acting tightening forces until the cold-formed Carrying hook is effective and receives by engaging its contact surface in the associated opening forces, wherein the combined guide and support hooks continue to support the support function, since it receives longitudinal forces without deflection.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the combined guide and support hook is formed as an outwardly projecting flap, which is pressed out of the band material of the inner band portion and extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the band. The opening for the combined guide and support hook is a slot which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the band. The support and guide surface of the combined support and guide hook is thereby formed by its trailing edge, which faces away from the free end of the inner band section. Thus, the combined support and guide hook will initially engage the inner and outer band portions while simultaneously receiving circumferentially acting tightening forces until the time the cold-formed hook becomes effective and engages the associated opening. Then, the combined support and guide hook continues to absorb forces, thereby assisting the cold-formed support hooks or cold-formed support hooks to absorb the attraction forces.

The invention designed / flap-shaped combined support and guide hook is able to accommodate quite considerable, circumferentially acting Kräte, without the risk that it bends when tightening the clip. In addition, the buckling or bending tendency of the strip material in the area of ​​the combined support and guide hook is effectively prevented, since the combined support and guide hook according to its construction ensures rigidity and thus effectively prevents any buckling or kinking. In order to increase the buckling and buckling resistance, the combined support and guide hook is arranged so that its one side a greater width of strip material stops, as to its other side, to which the opening is located, the punching of the Combined support and guide hook has emerged. By this arrangement of the combined support and guide hook and its associated slot-shaped opening substantially centrally to the inner and outer band sections, the holding capacity of the mechanical connection is considerably increased, namely because the combined support and guide hook substantially to the holding ability of the mechanical connection, if the latter in the Intervention is contributing.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the drawings. The drawings show in Fig.l a perspective view of an open clamp according to the invention, wherein the clamp is shown in its preformed, not yet assembled state; FIG. 2 shows a partial side view of the inner band section according to FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section through the inner band section according to Fig.l; Figure 4 is a plan view of the inner band portion of the clip of Fig.l, wherein the parts are shown in flattened state. 5 shows a cross section along the line VV in Figure 2; 6 shows a cross section along the line VI-VI in Figure 2.

In the drawings, like parts are given the same reference numerals.

According to Fig.l comprises an open -10-bracket inner and outer, overlapping band sections -11 and 12-, wherein the clip of one-piece band material -13- or may consist of individual parts, which via suitable connections, for example mechanical connections, are interconnected, as is familiar to those skilled in the art. After being mounted over the object to be secured, the clip can be tightened in any known manner, for example, by contracting an ear, which may be a so-called Oetiker ear, which has two legs, one of which Reinforced bridge are connected. Also, an arrangement may be used as described in Figs. 11 and 12 of U.S. Patent No. 4,492,004, in which case no ear is required.

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The clamp is a so-called stepless clamp with a tongue -15- at the free end of the inner band portion -11-, which can engage in a recess which is formed by an extruded portion -16- and a paragraph -17- as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,315,348.

The mechanical connection according to the invention comprises at least one cold-formed suspension hook -20-. In the embodiment shown are two cold-formed support hooks -20-, which are provided with contact surfaces -21- and their construction with the description of US Patent No. 4,299,012 match. As stated in this latter patent, each cold-formed suspension hook -20- is integrally formed with the adjacent parts of the strip material, u.zw. on all sides, except for the area of ​​a substantially transverse section which causes the bearing surface -21-. The support hooks -20- can engage in rectangular openings -22-, as also described in the last-mentioned patent. According to the invention in addition to the cold-formed suspension hook -20- a combined support and guide hook -23- is provided, which is knocked out of the inner band portion -11- and pressed out and extends substantially perpendicular to the outer surface, s. Figure 6. The outer band portion -12- is provided with a relatively narrow slot -26- for receiving the combined support and guide hook -23-. To perceive the guiding function, the trailing edge -25- of the combined support and guide hook -23- which is on the side remote from the free end of the inner band portion -11- is inclined rearwardly and outwardly about the inner and outer band portions -11 and 12- against each other, when the clip is tightened around the object to be secured. The flap-shaped combined support and guide hook -23- is like the slot -26- preferably in the region of the longitudinal center axis -27- of the band arranged, s. Figure 4. This uneven widths of the strip material remain on both sides of the combined support and guide hook -23- stand, u.zw. due to the fact that the region -28- is reduced by an opening -24- opposite the region -29- on the opposite side of the combined support and guide hook -23-. The latter, for example, has the shape of a parallelogram and produces the opening -24- of the same shape. It should be understood, however, that the configuration or shape of the combined support or guide hook may differ from that shown in the drawings to suit specific requirements, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

During assembly, the combined support and guide hook -23- is pushed through the slot-shaped opening -26-, whereupon the tightening of the clamp begins. As a result of the forces acting in the circumferential direction, the inclined support and guide surface -25- leaves the inner and outer band portions -11 and 12- move against each other until the continuation of tightening the cold deformed support hook -20- take effect and take the suit forces by engaging in their associated openings -22-. Due to its special shape and construction, the combined support and guide hook -23- fulfills not only a guiding function, but also a supporting function, until the latter is supported by the cold-formed suspension hooks -20-. Even after the latter take effect, the combined support and guide hook -23- further provides support for the support function as it is capable of absorbing longitudinal forces without deflection. Furthermore, the likelihood of buckling or buckling in the areas -28 and 29- is effectively excluded, u.zw. by the resistance afforded by the considerable width of strip material in the region -29-.

In addition, the combined support and guide hook -23- provides the ability to produce a permanent mechanical connection between the open ends of the bracket, u.zw. For example, in the manner of a riveting, as described in US Patent No. 3,286,214.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described above, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be changed and adapted in many ways, as it is for the

Skilled person is apparent. The invention is therefore not limited to the illustrated and described

Details are limited but includes all of these changes and adaptations.

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