GB2150970A - Resilient clip - Google Patents

Abstract

A generally cylindrical resilient clip 40 for use with a hose or pipe, the clip being provided with at least two outwardly projecting circumferentially spaced tabs provided with formations and which are grippable to enable expansion of the clip in combination with a pair of pliers comprising jaws 66, 68 provided with formations 70, 72 configured to co-operate with the formations on the tabs of the clip to facilitate gripping and expansion of the clip by the pliers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hose clip The present invention relates to clips for hoses and pipes and particularly, but not exclusively, to resiliently expansible annular band clips formed from sheet-metal blanks which can be expanded and passed over the free end of a hose or pipe and then released so as to clamp the hose or pipe in compression over another member such as a tube or nozzle.

Known hose clips comprise a generally circular band formed from a strip of sheet metal such as carbon steel. The strip of metal is formed at one end with two spaced parallel prongs which follow the cylindrical contour of the clip and at the other end with a single, centrally disposed, prong also following the cylindrical contour. The single prong is disposed intermediate the pair of prongs when the hose clip is in an unstressed condition.

The free end of each of the prongs is provided with a flat angled tab inclined outwardly of the cylindrical shape of the clip. The two tabs on the pair of prongs are aligned and are generally co-planar and are spaced from the tab on the single prong which is similarly angled but faces in the opposite direction. By gripping the tabs with a pair of conventional pliers, the single tab and the pair of tabs can be drawn towards each other thereby enlargening the diameter of the body of the hose clip to enable the hose clip to be passed over the end of a hose. On releasing the pliers, the hose clip returns to its original size thereby compressing the hose.

A problem frequently encountered with this known type of hose clip is that the flat tabs slip outwardly relative to the jaws of the pliers during the gripping operation causing the hose clip to fly off the pliers. This leads to loss of time in the assembly operation, risk of injury to the operative and in many instances leakage at the hose connection, for instance, if the operative simply fails to reapply the clip to the hose.

An effort has been made to overcome this problem by providing pliers having cylindrical jaws. A hose clip is placed inside the cylindrical jaws with the ends of the flat tabs abutting the underside of two opposed ledges provided, one each, on the meeting faces of the jaws so that, as the jaws are closed thereby bringing the tabs together and expanding the hose clip, the tabs are prevented by the ledges from slipping outwardly relative to the jaws.

The arrangement described above overcomes the problem of slippage but is still unsatisfactory. The problem is that the cylindrical jaws of the pliers need to be openable widely enough to encompass the full diameter of a hose clip, for example, for removing a hose clip from a hose or pipe. This places a practical limitation on the size of a hose clip which can effectively be used with a particular pair of pliers.

The maximum diameter of hose clip normally used is 54mm and requires a pair of pliers having cylindrical jaws which have to be openable so wide that the arms of the pliers are difficult to manipulate with one hand by an operative. The maximum size which has been found to be practical for a hose clip for use with this type of pliers is 30mm in diameter.

Another problem with this known arrangement is that when a hose or pipe is almost flush with another surface, for example, the surface of a component in a vehicle engine, there is not enough room to close the cylindrical jaws of the pliers around the pipe for a fitting or removing a clip.

In order to meet these problems there is provided, in combination, a generally cylindrical resilient clip for use with a hose or pipe, the clip bieng provided with at least two outwardly projecting circumferentially spaced tabs which are grippable to enable expansion of the clip, and a pair of pliers comprising jaws provided with formations configured to cooperate with formations on the tabs of the clip to facilitate gripping and expansion of the clip by the pliers.

The jaws of the pliers may have inwardly directed facing projections which mate with tabs which are bent to provide angled portions, the angled portions on circumferentially spaced tabs facing away from one another.

Specifically, the jaws of the pliers may have generally L-shaped facing surfaces configured to cooperate with stepped tabs, the free ends of which locate in the corners of the L-shapes.

A hose or pipe clip is thus provided which is expandible using a pair of pliers which securely grip the clip so as to reduce the risk of the hose clip flying off the pliers during use, but which does not need to be contained within the jaws of the pliers when being fitted or removed from a hose or pipe. The pliers can therefore be used with a wide range of sizes of hose clip and, furthermore, can be used to fit or remove hoseclips to hoses or pipes lying adjacent another surface as along there is enough room for the pliers to grip the tabs.

figure 1 is a front view of a hose clip according to the present invention; figure 2 is a plan view of the hose clip of figure 1; figure 3 is a side view along direction A of the hose clip of figure 1; figure 4 is a side view along direction B of the hose clip of figure 1; figure 5 is a front view of a pair of pliers being used to expand the hose clip.

Referring now to figures 1-4 a hose clip according to the present invention is indicated generally at 40 and comprises a generally cylindrical resilient band of sheet carbon steel having bevelled side edges 42, 44.

At one free end, the clip 40 comprises a single prong 46 disposed centrally of the width of the band. The bevelled edges 42 and 44 of the hose clip 40 converge towards the base of the prong 46 as shown in figure 4, and continue along the prong 46 so that the prong 46 has a generally V-shaped contour in crosssection. The prong 46 terminates in a stepped tab 48 which projects outwardly from the generally cylindrical contour of the clip 40.

At its other free end, the clip 40 is formed with two similar spaced parallel prongs 50, 52. There is a generally rectangular gap 54 between the pair of prongs 50 and 52, the single prong 46 lying in the gap 54. The prongs 50 and 52 are each provided with a stepped tab 56, 58. The bevelled edges 42 and 44 of the clip 40 extend onto the prongs 52 and 50 respectively so that each of these prongs has an outside bevelled edge.

When the clip 40 is in an unstressed condition, the tab 48 lies adjacent the base of the prongs 50 and 52 and the tabs 56, 58 lie adjacent the base of the prong 48.

The tabs 48, 56 and 58 are all a similar shape and only one will be described in detail.

The tab 48 is formed by bending the end of the prong 46 and comprises a first portion 49 angled generally radially outwardly of the clip 40 contiguous with a second portion 51 inclined at an obtuse angle relative to the first portion 49 and extending in a direction away from the pair of tabs 56 and 58. The pair of tabs 56, 58 are generally parallel and are oppositely faced relative to the tab 48.

Referring now to figure 5, a pair of pliers, indicated generally at 60, has pivotable crossed-arms 62, 64 connected by a pin 65.

The arms 62, 64 terminate in jaws 66, 68 respectively. Each of the jaws 66, 68 has an inwardly directed projection 70, 72 so that the facing surfaces of the jaws 66 and 68 are generally L-shaped.

In order to expand the clip 40 to enable the clip 40 to be placed over a hose or pipe, the projections 70 and 72 of the jaws 66, 68 of the pliers 60 are located over the tabs 48, 56, 58. The pliers 60 are disposed so that the free end of the tab 48 locates in the corner of the L-shaped inner face of the jaw 66 and the free ends of the pair of tabs 56, 58 locate in the corner in the L-shaped inner face of the jaw 68.

By bringing together the arms 62, 64 of the pliers 60, the jaws 66, 68 move the single tab 48 and the pair of tabs 56, 58 respectively towards each other thereby enlargening the clip 40. Figure 5 shows the clip 40 partially enlargened. As the jaws 66 and 68 are brought together, the free ends of the tabs 48, 56, 58 abut progressively more firmly against the inner faces of the jaws 66 and 68 due to the spring force generated in the resilient clip 40. The inward projections 70 and 72 prevent the tabs 48, 56, 58 sliding upwardly out of the jaws 66, 68.

The clip 40 is then placed over the end of a hose or pipe and released by the pliers so that the clip 40 contracts to its original size thereby applying spring force to secure the hose or pipe on another member such as a nozzle. To remove the clip 40, the tabs 48, 56, 58 are gripped by the jaws 66, 68 of the pliers to expand the clip as described above to enable the clip to be slid along the hose and removed.

The pliers 60 can thus be used to expand and fit a wide range of sizes of hose clip securely and safely. Furthermore, the pliers 60 can be used for fitting and removing hose clips to hoses even when the hose is positioned alongside and very close to another component.

It will be understood that the tabs on a clip according to the present invention may be bent in various different ways. For example, the tabs may be arcuate, in which case, the pliers for use with a clip having arcuate tabs would have appropriately configured jaws, for example, jaws having a bulbous rib.

It will be understood that a clip according to the present invention may be made of any material which has suitable properties to provide the necessary resilience in the clip.

Claims (12)

1. A generally cylindrical resilient clip for use with a hose or pipe, the clip being provided with at least two outwardly projecting circumferentially spaced tabs provided with formations and which are grippable to enable expansion of the clip in combination with a pair of pliers comprising jaws provided with formations configured to co-operate with the formations on the tabs of the clip to faciliate gripping and expansion of the clip by the pliers.

2. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the tabs are configured so that the free ends of circumferentially spaced tabs extend away from one another.

3. A combination according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the tabs of the clip are bent to provide angled portions and the angled portions on circumferentially spaced tabs face away from one another.

4. A combination according to claim 3 wherein the jaws of the pliers comprise inwardly directed facing projections configured to mate with the angled portions on the tabs.

5. A combination according to claim 4 wherein the jaws of the pliers comprise generally L-shaped facing surfaces and the tabs are configured so that their free ends locate in the corners of the L-shapes.

6. A combination according to any preceding claim wherein each tab is bent at an angle of between 90 and 180 .

7. A combination according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the tabs on the clip are arcuate.

8. A combination according to claim 7 wherein the jaws of the pliers comprise a bulbous rib configured to mate with the arcuate tabs.

9. A combination according to any preceding claim wherein the clip comprises a generally cylindrical resilient band of material one end of which terminates in a single prong providing providing one tab disposed centrally of the the width of the band and the other end of which terminates in two similar spaced parallel prongs each providing one tab so that the single prong lies in between the two parallel prongs.

10. A clip for use in a combination according to any preceding claim.

11. Pliers for use in a combination according to any preceding claim.

12. A combination substantially as herein described and with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.