GB2200426A

GB2200426A - Insert for a mounting device for mounting at least one elongate member

Info

Publication number: GB2200426A
Application number: GB08707214A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans-Hermann Sick; Gerhard Kettenring
Original assignee: TRW United Carr GmbH and Co
Current assignee: TRW United Carr GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1986-04-01
Filing date: 1987-03-26
Publication date: 1988-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 2007-03-26
Also published as: DE3610829C2; GB8707214D0; FR2596489B1; NL8700602A; SE463378B; SE8701340L; GB2200426B; DE3610829A1; FR2596489A1; SE8701340D0

Abstract

The invention relates to an elastic support component serving as an insert in a retention element for fastening at least one pipe, comprising at least one seating zone able to receive the pipe. According to the invention, the seating zone consists of several deformation elements, of hollow configuration, whose hollow zones extend substantially parallel to the axis of the pipe. These deformation elements may be formed by tubes 5, 5' respectively. <IMAGE>

Description

INSERT FOR A MOUNTING DEVICE FOR MOUNTING AT LEAST ONE ELONGATE MEMBER This invention relates to an insert for a mounting device for mounting at least one elongate member, for example a pipeline.

It is known to surround a pipeline with a rubber body at a location where it is mounted by a mounting device so that undersirable pipe line vibrations are dampened by volume deformation in the rubber of the body.

It is an object of the present invention to enable an improved damping to be achieved when mounting a pipeline, or other elongate member, and also to save costs and materials.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided an insert for a mounting device for mounting at least one elongate member, said insert having a respective supporting region extending therethrough for the or each elongate member, the or each supporting region being provided with a plurality of deformable supporting elements for supportingly engaging an elongate member extending through the region, which elements are formed with hollow cavities extending substantially parallel to the through direction of the supporting region. It will be appreciated that damping is achieved with the above defined insert by shape deformation of the supporting elements rather than by volume deformation and that also since the elongate member is not completely surrounded with solid material, the insert can be produced less expensively.

The deformable supporting elements may comprise tubes, which, in use, would be subjected to deformation and therefore tensile stress when an elongate member engaging them vibrates.

The tubes may be spaced apart and interconnected by webs. Thus all conceivable configurations of inserts for mounting at least one elongate member can be designed. For example in designing an insert, the elements may be disposed in an available space in such a way that they support the elongate members to be mounted and then interconnected by appropriate webs.

Thus, for example it will be appreciated that inserts can be readily designed for mounting a number of elongate members of different diameter.

In one particular embodiment of the invention, the or each supporting region is provided with four spaced apart tubes. Two of these tubes may be located opposite one another and the four tubes may be disposed at the corners of a square. Thus, the relevant elongate member, for example a servo or brake pipeline in a motor vehicle, is engaged at four locations via li#ne contact such that vibration energy in the pipeline is reduced by shape deformation of the tubes and therefore transmission of vibrations is avoided and a silencing effect is achieved.

The insert may have three supporting regions provided by four spaced apart webs extending transversely from, and formed integrally with, a main web, the two outer transverse webs having two tubes on their insides and each of the two inner transverse webs having a tube on eacH of its sides. Each of the two inner transverse webs may alternatively have two tubes on each of its sides. In this case, the four tubes of the central supporting region may be disposed at the corners of a square which is smaller than the square at the corners of which the tubes of the adjacent supporting regions are disposed. Thus, it is possible in this arrangement to mount three pipelines, with the two outer pipelines having a larger diameter than the pipeline supported by the central supporting region of the insert.

The insert is preferably formed in one piece of a resilient material and may be injection moulded from a thermo plastic elastomer. It will be appreciated that utilising an injection moulding process rather than a vulcanising process as used in the prior mounting arrangement discussed above represents a cost saving.

In order that the invention may be well understood, an embodiment thereof, which is given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a resilient insert for a mounting device for mounting at least one pipeline; Figure 2 shows a side view of the same insert; and Figure 3 shows a mounting device including the insert in use.

In general, the insert 1 shown in the drawing has respective supporting regions 2, 3 and 4 extending therethrough for three pipelines. Each supporting region is provided with a plurality of deformable supporting elements 5 or 5' for supportingly engaging the pipeline extending through the region. These elements are formed with hollow cavities which extend substantially parallel to the through direction of the supporting region. In other words, the cavities run approximately parallel to the axis of the pipeline which is supported in the supporting region. The supporting elements comprise tubes which are interconnected by webs 6 or 6'. As a result of this design, the tubes 5 and 5' deform in shape when the pipelines mounted in their supporting regions vibrate.

Although the insert can be designed to support any number of pipelines, as mentioned above, the exemplary embodiment is provided with supporting regions for mounting three pipelines. Further, in the embodiment the supporting regions are disposed in a line, with a central supporting region 2 disposed between outer supporting regions 3 and 4 respectively in a symmetric arrangement. The three supporting regions 2, 3 and 4 can be used for mounting and guiding, for example, servo and brake pipelines in a motor vehicle with the two outer supporting regions being provided for accommodating pipelines of larger diameter than the central supporting region.

As can be seen from Figure 2 the insert, in its central supporting region 2 and also in its outer supporting regions 3 and 4 is provided with tubes 5 which extend parallel to the axis of a pipeline mounted in the supporting region. Further each supporting region is provided with four tubes spaced apart from each other.

In each supporting region, two tubes are located opposite one another. The four tubes 5 of each supporting region 3 and 4 are disposed at the corners of a square. Thus these regions are able to have a substantially U-shape with the tubes being arranged at the tops of the uprights of the U and at the region where the uprights join the base thereof. The two outer tubes of each region 3 and 4 are interconnected by a respective flat web 6'. Four tubes 5' spaced apart from one another are likewise provided in the central supporting region 2. As can be seen, these tubes 5' likewise are disposed at the corners of a square to enable the region to have a substantially Ushape. In this case however the square is smaller than the squares referred to above.

Moreover, as can be seen, the insert has its three supporting regions provided by a main lower web 6 from which four spaced apart webs 6', 6 " extend transversely. The transverse webs 6', 6 " are integrally formed with the lower web 6 and extend at right angles therefrom in the embodiment. The two inner transverse webs 6 " support tubes 5 on their outsides and tubes 5' on their insides so that each inner web 6' has integrally formed therewith four tubes, In addition, the upper tubes 5' in the central supporting region 2 are provided with upwardly extending ribs which define a V-shaped entrance 7 therebetween. A recess 8 is formed outwardly of each of these ribs between the upper tube 5' and the adjacent upper tube 5.The configuration of the entrance 7 makes it easier to install the pipeline to be inserted into the central supporting region. Moreover, the central supporting region is formed with a recess beneath the lower tubes 5' between these tubes and the web 6. This results in an improvement in the deformability of the shape of the lower tubes 5'.

The entire insert is made of a thermo-plastic elastomer and can be inexpensively manufactured as an integral component by injection moulding.

As shown in Figure 3, the insert 1 is inserted into a holding element 10 therefor. This holding element 10 is formed of plastics and has a lower part 11 which is formed in a U-shape and an upper part 12 which is hingedly connected to the top of one upright of the lower part 11 by means of a reduced thickness portion and is connectable to the top of the other upright of the lower part 11 via a catch arrangement 13 so that the holding element extends completely around the insert 1. On the base of the U-shaped lower part 11, the holding element 10 has a fixing part 14. As can be seen, three pipes 15, 16 and 17 are mounted in the three supporting regions 2, 3 and 4 of the insert with the centre pipe having a smaller diameter than the outer pipes.

From the above description, it will be appreciated that it is also possible to mount one or more pipes or pipelines using an insert in which the or each respective supporting region is arranged in such a way around the pipe to be mounted that the deformable supporting elements act upon the latter via line contacts-. Accordingly, the holding element into which the insert is inserted can also be of a different design than that illustrated. Generally, the embodiment is of a modular construction comprising a number of hollow deformable supporting elements in the form of tubes which are interconnected by webs, the insert being inserted into a holding element which is closed by appropriate locking means.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An insert for a mounting device for mounting at least one elongate member, said insert having a respective supporting region extending therethrough for the or each elongate member, the or each supporting region being provided with a plurality of deformable supporting elements for supportingly engaging an elongate member extending through the region, which elements are formed with hollow cavities extending substantially parallel to the through direction of the supporting region.

2. An insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elements comprise tubes.

3. An insert as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tubes are spaced apart and interconnected by webs.

An An insert as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the or each supporting region is provided with four tubes.

5. An insert as claimed in claim Li, wherein two of said tubes are located opposite one another.

6. An insert as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the four tubes are disposed at the corners of a square.

7. An insert as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 having three supporting regions provided by four spaced apart webs extending transversely from, and formed integrally with, a main web, the two outer transverse webs having two tubes on their insides and each of the two inner transverse webs having a tube on each of its sides.

8. An insert as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the two inner transverse webs has two tubes on each of its sides.

9. An insert as claimed in claim 8, when appended to claim 6, wherein the four tubes of the central supporting region are disposed at the corners of a square which is smaller than the square at the corners of which the tubes of the adjacent supporting regions are disposed.

10. An insert as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, formed of a resilient material.

11. An insert as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, -wherein the insert is injection moulded from a thermoplastic elastomer.

12. A mounting device for mounting at least one elongate member comprising an insert as claimed in any one of the preceding claims disposed within a holding element therefor.

13. An insert for a mountign device for mounting at least one elongate member, said insert being substantially as- hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.

14. A mounting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawing.