CN116146799A

CN116146799A - Annular clamp

Info

Publication number: CN116146799A
Application number: CN202111385466.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 郝德刚; 童志雄
Original assignee: Norma Connection Technology Changzhou Co ltd
Current assignee: Norma Connection Technology Changzhou Co ltd
Priority date: 2021-11-22
Filing date: 2021-11-22
Publication date: 2023-05-23

Abstract

An annular clamp comprising: a split ring having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are adapted to receive a threaded bolt with external threads, the bolt for pulling the first end and the second end toward each other to tighten the annular clamp by reducing an inner diameter of the split ring, wherein the first end includes a first ring that receives a first trunnion rod, the second end includes a second ring that receives a second trunnion rod, the first trunnion rod includes a first through hole with internal threads to mate with the external threads of the bolt, the second trunnion rod includes an abutment surface for the bolt, the first trunnion rod includes a generally circular edge region that includes at least two deformations that protrude toward a central axis of the first through hole such that the deformations engage the external threads of the bolt to increase friction between the bolt and the first trunnion rod.

Description

Annular clamp

Technical Field

The present application relates to a variety of ring clamps.

Background

Various ring clamps are known in the art. Various ring clamps may be used to tightly connect two pipes together. Such clamps are often used in the automotive industry. The clip is heat resistant and therefore useful in high temperature environments such as exhaust pipe systems.

GB2489549a describes a ring clamp comprising a split ring, a first ring member, a first protrusion and a first lug shaft. The split ring has first and second ends connected together and adapted to receive a threaded bolt for drawing the ends toward one another to tighten the ring clamp. The first ring member is located at a first end of the split ring. The first protrusion is located at an edge of the first ring and protrudes into a space within the first ring. The first trunnion rod is adapted to be received within the first ring. The first trunnion rod has a slot for receiving the threaded bolt. The first end of the first stud includes a first notch adapted to mate with the first protrusion such that axial and rotational movement of the first stud is limited to a certain extent when the first stud is received within the first ring.

Ring clamps are required to meet a number of important requirements. First, it is important that the ring clamp is easy to use. The split ring of the ring clamp needs to be able to open a sufficiently wide opening for proper placement of the pipes to be connected. Second, such ring clamps must be safe even under harsh conditions. They must not loosen or fracture under extreme temperature differences and/or vibration conditions.

Known ring clamps have a number of limitations. Prior art ring clamps typically use a nut that engages a threaded bolt. However, such nuts limit the maximum aperture difference between the opening and the tightening position of the ring clamp. Corresponding nuts may also be lost during assembly, thereby increasing the cargo costs of such ring clamp assemblies. Other clamps use self-locking threads that may loosen under the influence of temperature and/or vibration.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the limitations of the prior art solutions and to provide an annular clamp with a large maximum aperture for ease of assembly, which has a small number of parts and is capable of firmly fixing the annular clamp in severe conditions.

Hereinafter, a ring clamp is described, the ring clamp comprising: a split ring having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are adapted to receive a bolt with an external thread, the bolt for pulling the first end and the second end toward each other to tighten the annular clamp by reducing an inner diameter of the split ring, wherein the first end comprises a first ring, wherein the first ring receives a first trunnion, wherein the second end comprises a second ring, wherein the second ring receives a second trunnion, wherein the first trunnion includes a first through hole with an internal thread to mate with the external thread of the bolt such that the bolt can be tightened by the first trunnion, wherein the second trunnion includes an abutment surface for the bolt, wherein the first trunnion includes a substantially circular edge region at which the through hole transitions to an outer surface of the first trunnion, wherein the edge region includes a first through hole protruding toward the first trunnion such that the bolt deforms to increase friction between the two external threads of the bolt.

Engagement of the threaded bolt with the first stud shaft is provided by mating of the external threads of the bolt with the internal threads of the first stud shaft so that the bolt may be tightened through the first stud shaft. Engagement of the threaded bolt with the second lug bar occurs through the abutment surface abutting against a flange of a bolt head, the flange being wider than the threaded portion of the bolt. The abutment allows the bolt to freely rotate relative to the second trunnion rod.

The threaded bolt engages both trunnion bars, thereby facilitating threading of the bolt in a tightening direction to reduce the distance between the two trunnion bars. Tightening the threaded bolt reduces an aperture of the split ring because the trunnion rods are held in a static position relative to the respective ends of the split ring by the respective ring members. The split ring may then compress the two pipes to be connected.

The ends may be formed as part of the split ring material, for example, by bending the split ring material separately to form a ring that can receive a corresponding ear shaft.

The ring and/or the trunnion rod may include structure that holds the respective trunnion rod in place so that it is not lost, such as: protrusions and/or recesses.

The deformation engages the threads of the bolt such that the deformation generates sufficient friction so that the bolt will not loosen under normal loads during use. The deformation may be cut into the bolt material to form a form fit. The deformation may also or alternatively be deformed by the bolt, providing a spring force that increases the friction between the bolt and the trunnion rod. The deformation may allow tightening and loosening using a tool having a torque higher than a torque load caused by vibration under normal use.

Furthermore, the opening of the ring clamp may be wider than that of a conventional ring clamp requiring tightening with a screw cap, as the deformation enables the use of additional screw caps to be more fluid.

According to a first further embodiment, the first stud shaft is made of metal, wherein the deformation is produced by mechanical impact.

In this way, the deformation can be easily achieved by a simple tool use. Plastic deformation of the metal typically results in sharp edges, which increase the friction between the bolt and the trunnion rod.

According to a further embodiment, the at least two deformations are positioned evenly distributed around a circumference of the circular edge region.

This ensures a firm locking of the bolt, regardless of the position of the bolt relative to the stud shaft.

According to a further embodiment, the internal thread of the first stud shaft and the external thread of the bolt are non-self-locking.

In this way, the bolts can be easily screwed in until the bolts engage with the deformations, so that the ring clamp is more easily assembled and the installation process is started.

According to a further embodiment, the at least two deformations establish a self-locking screw connection between the bolt and the first trunnion rod.

In this way, unscrewing the bolt requires a high rotational momentum, which is higher than the maximum rotational momentum during use.

According to a further embodiment, between three and six of the deformations are located in the circular edge region.

In this way, the friction between the trunnion rod and the threaded bolt can be determined as desired. In a particular embodiment, four variants are provided that are positioned in 90 ° increments (encrusters).

According to a further embodiment, the first end and/or the second end is bolted or welded to the split ring.

This makes the bending process of the split ring section (split ring section) easier and the end structure more complex.

According to a further embodiment, the second trunnion rod includes a through bore having an inner diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the external thread of the bolt.

In this way, there is no threaded engagement between the second stud and the bolt, which is free to rotate.

According to a further embodiment, the second trunnion rod includes a slot that is wider than the external thread of the bolt.

This allows the bolts to be rotated into position, thereby making assembly of the ring clamp easier.

According to a further embodiment, the first trunnion rod and/or the second trunnion rod is substantially cylindrical.

This allows the first trunnion rod and/or the second trunnion rod to rotate relative to the first ring or the second ring, respectively, which avoids radial loading on the threaded rod and allows for tolerance adjustment.

According to a still further embodiment, the split ring comprises: a conduit coupling is located on an inner surface of the split ring.

The pipe connection may include a support for each pipe or pipe end. The structure may provide a plurality of flanges that prevent axial displacement of the pipe. The plurality of flanges may also be angled so that the pipe connection between the two pipes is axially compressed when the ring clamp is tightened.

Drawings

Further features and details will be presented in the following description, wherein at least one exemplary embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the figures. The features described and/or illustrated as such or in any combination possible and expedient form the subject matter, and are ultimately independent of the claims. In particular, they may be the subject of one or more individual applications. The figures schematically show:

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional representation of a ring clamp according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional representation of a ring clamp according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a first embodiment of an ear stem; and

fig. 4 is a second embodiment of an ear stem.

Detailed Description

To improve readability and clarity, similar features in different embodiments are numbered with the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1 shows a three-dimensional representation of a ring clamp 2 according to a first embodiment.

The ring clamp 2 includes: a split ring 4 having a first end 6 and a second end 8. The first end 6 comprises a first loop member 10 and the second end 8 comprises a second loop member 12. A first ear stem 14 is secured in the first ring member 10 and a second ear stem 16 is secured in the second ring member 12. The first and

second ring members

10, 12 and the trunnion bars 14, 16 have matching shapes to achieve proper force transfer between the various components of the ring clamp 2.

The split ring 4 is formed from a continuous strip of flexible sheet material, such as stainless steel or spring steel. The split ring forms a ring member having a variable inner diameter D. The first ring member 10 and the second ring member 12 are formed by winding the first end 6 and the second end 8 of the strip of material around themselves so that the split ring end 4.1 lies flat on the split ring 4. The first end 6 and the second end 8 are located outside the split ring 4 and are fixed to the strip of material by means of a plurality of welding points 17.

In other embodiments, the plurality of ring members may be made of a single material and then attached to the split ring by welding, rivets or other forms of attachment.

The bolt 18 having external threads 20 engages a first through bore 22 of the first stud member 14. The bolts 18 have (not shown) tool engagement features, such as hexagonal grooves, for receiving respective tools to loosen and tighten the bolts 18. Other engagement structures such as slots or Torx structures (Torx structures) are also possible. The through hole 22 includes an internal thread that mates with the external thread 20 (see fig. 3, 4). The bolt 18 includes a bolt head 24 with a flange 26, the flange 26 abutting an abutment surface 28 of the second stud stem 16.

To accommodate the first stud shaft 14, the first ring member 10 includes a first elongated slot 30, the slot 30 providing sufficient space to guide through the externally threaded portion 20 of the bolt 18. To accommodate the second stud shaft 16, the second ring member 12 includes a second elongated slot 32, the slot 32 providing sufficient space to guide through the bolt 18. Thus, the

elongated slots

30, 32 allow the bolt 18 to engage the two

trunnion bars

14, 16 when the two

trunnion bars

14, 16 are disposed within the

rings

10, 12. When the bolts 18 are screwed through the respective first through holes 22 of the first stud shaft 14, the distance of a gap 34 between the first ring member 10 and the second ring member 12 is reduced. The

elongated slots

30, 32 may be stamped from the sheet metal material of the split ring 4 prior to bending the sheet metal into shape to form the split ring 4 with its

ring members

10, 12.

The first ear stem 14 includes two deformations 40, only one of which 40 is visible in fig. 1. The second deformation 40 is hidden by the bolt 18. These deformations 40 engage with the external thread 20 of the bolt 18. The deformation 40 cuts into the external thread 20 of the bolt 18, thereby increasing the friction between the bolt 18 and the first stud shaft 14 so that the bolt 18 does not loosen during normal use. The rotational momentum required to loosen the bolt 18 is higher than that required for normal use, requiring the use of tools for assembly and disassembly. The deformation 40 allows the bolt 18 to be assembled without the need for an additional nut that would otherwise have to be screwed onto the external thread 20 and onto the first stud shaft 14.

Another advantage of using the deformation 40 instead of an additional nut is that if the tension between such a nut and the respective trunnion rod is high under load on the nut, it may break. The nut then becomes loose and may rattle over time from the thread, while even in the event of such an overload, the friction generated between the external thread 20 and the deformation 40 does not change significantly, and the ring clamp 2 will continue to operate without risk of failure. In addition, assembly may also be easier due to the elimination of an additional nut.

Another advantage is that the gap 34 between the first ring 10 and the second ring 12 can be increased to facilitate positioning and assembly. Furthermore, the clamping pressure of the ring clamp 2 can be increased by a larger maximum range of movement.

A three-piece pipe connection 36 is connected to an inner surface 38 of the split ring 4. The pipe connection 36 comprises

flanges

42, 44, which flanges 42, 44 secure the connection of the respective pipes in place, which pipes are to be connected by using the ring clamp 2. The pipe connection 36 is composed of three separate parts which are positioned at a distance from each other in such a way that the ring clamp 2 can be screwed without deforming the pipe connection 36 and respectively having defects.

The first axle rod 14 includes a chamfered end surface 46, the chamfered end surface 46 being substantially flush with the first ring member 10 such that the first axle rod 14 does not extend beyond the first ring member 10. The second ear stem 16 includes a chamfered end surface 48, the chamfered end surface 48 being substantially flush with the second ring member 12 such that the second ear stem 16 does not extend beyond the second ring member 12.

The bolts 18 cross substantially in a direction tangential to said split ring 4. Tightening the bolts 18 may reduce the gap 34 so that the pipe connection structures 36 may abut one another. In doing so, the first and

second studs

14, 16 need to be able to rotate slightly relative to the respective first and

second rings

10, 12, which is possible because of the continuously matching circular geometry between the

studs

14, 16 and the

rings

10, 12 in their connection areas.

The second ear stem 16 is shown in a configuration having a non-threaded through hole 50. The unthreaded through hole 50 is large enough to guide the external thread 20 of the bolt 18 through the unthreaded through hole 50, i.e., the bore diameter is slightly larger than an outer diameter of the external thread 20.

Fig. 2 shows a three-dimensional representation of a ring clamp 2' according to a second embodiment.

A second stud 16 'is used in place of the stud of fig. 1 with a unthreaded through hole, the second stud 16' including a slot 52, the slot 52 being wide enough for the bolt 18 to be freely guided through the slot 52. This allows a rotational movement of the bolts 18 relative to the split ring 4, which has some advantages during assembly of the ring clamp 2'.

The remaining parts of the ring clamp 2' are arranged like the ring clamp 2 according to fig. 1 and reference is made to their respective description.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of an enlarged area of the ring clamp 2 of fig. 1.

The axle rod 14 includes a symmetrical outer surface 54, and the through hole 22 is formed in the symmetrical outer surface 54. The first through bore 22 includes an internal thread 56.

An edge region 58 is formed at the transition between the outer surface 54 and the through hole 22. The edge region 58 is formed as a chamfer portion.

The deformations 40 are formed in the edge region 58. The deformation 40 may be created by using an impact tool that plastically deforms the metal of the first ear stem 14. The deformation 40 creates a plurality of protrusions 60, the plurality of protrusions 60 extending further into the first through hole 22 than the internal threads 56, extending toward a central axis x of the through hole 22, thereby ensuring that the deformation 40 engages the threaded portion 20 of the bolt 18.

The deformations 40 are equally spaced around a circumference of the first through hole 22.

Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of a first ear stem 14'.

Instead of two deformations 40, four deformations 40 are formed in the edge region 58 between the first through hole 22 and the outer surface 54. This forms four protrusions 60 directed towards a central axis x of the through hole 22, which protrusions 60 create a greater friction between the threaded portions 20 of the bolts 18 than in the embodiment shown in fig. 4.

The deformations 40 are equally spaced around the circumference of the first through hole 22.

While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing abstract and detailed description, and in the claims, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope defined in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Any of the features disclosed in the claims, in the description and in the drawings, including structural details, relative positions or method steps, may be relevant for the invention, alone or in meaningful combination with any other feature.

Reference numeral table

2. 2-ring type clamp

4. Split ring

4.1 Open ring end

6. First end

8. Second end

10. First ring member

12. Second ring member

14. 14' first trunnion rod

16. 16' second trunnion rod

17. Welding point

18. Bolt

20. External screw thread

22. First through hole

24. Bolt head

26. Flange

28. Abutment surface

30. A first elongated slot

32. A second elongated slot

34. Gap of

36. Pipeline connecting structure

38. Inner surface

40. Deformation of

42. Flange

44. Flange

46. Chamfer end face

48. Chamfer end face

50. Threadless through hole

52. Slot groove

54. Outer surface

56. Internal thread

58. Edge region

60. Protrusions

D inner diameter

The x central axis.

Claims

1. An annular clamp (2, 2'), characterized in that: the ring clamp includes: a split ring (4) having a first end (6) and a second end (8), wherein the first end (6) and the second end (8) are adapted to receive a bolt (18) with an external thread (20), the bolt (18) being adapted to pull the first end (6) and the second end (8) towards each other to tighten the ring clamp (2) by reducing an inner diameter (D) of the split ring (4), wherein the first end (6) comprises a first ring member (10), wherein the first ring member (10) accommodates a first ear shaft (14, 14 '), wherein the second end (8) comprises a second ring member (12), wherein the second ring member (12) accommodates a second ear shaft (16, 16'), wherein the first ear shaft (14, 14 ') comprises a first through hole (22) with an internal thread (56) to cooperate with the external thread (D) of the bolt (18), such that the first ear shaft (18) can be screwed against an edge (14') of the first ear shaft (14, 14 ') by a circular bolt (14, 16'), wherein the first ear shaft (14 ') comprises a circular edge (58') of the first ear shaft (14), the through hole (22) transforms into an outer surface (54) of the first stud (14, 14 '), wherein the edge region (58) comprises at least two deformations (40) protruding towards a central axis (x) of the first through hole (22) such that the deformations (40) engage the external thread (20) of the stud (18) to increase the friction between the stud (18) and the first stud (14, 14').

2. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1, characterized in that: the first ear stem (14, 14') is made of metal, wherein the deformation (40) is produced by mechanical impact.

3. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the at least two deformations (40) are positioned to be evenly distributed around a circumference of the circular edge region (58).

4. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1, characterized in that: the internal thread (56) of the first stud (14, 14') and the external thread (20) of the bolt (18) are non-self-locking.

5. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1, characterized in that: the at least two deformations (40) establish a self-locking screw connection between the bolt (18) and the first stud shaft (14, 14').

6. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1, characterized in that: between three and six of the deformations (40) are located in the rounded edge region (58).

7. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1, characterized in that: the first end (6) and/or the second end (8) are bolted or welded to the split ring (4).

8. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1, characterized in that: the second ear stem (16, 16') includes a through bore (50) or a slot (52), an inner diameter of the through bore (50) being larger than an outer diameter of the external thread (20) of the bolt (18), the slot (52) being wider than the external thread (20) of the bolt (18).

9. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1, characterized in that: the first (14, 14 ') and/or the second (16, 16') ear stems are substantially cylindrical.

10. The ring clamp (2, 2') according to claim 1, characterized in that: the split ring (4) comprises: a pipe connection is located on an inner surface (38) of the split ring (4).