Channeling Clamp Background of the Invention 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to a clamp or clamp fastener channel, and more particularly to a clamp to secure conduits such as conduit system, pipes, covers or sleeves and cables of different classes for fixing members, such as for example divisions with perforations or walls, and providing the means for positively holding and maintaining the conduits or the like practically without moving in relation to the other. More particularly still, the present invention is a clamp of this type molded completely from a plastic material and which includes a pair of opposed projections, rather than a hinge mechanism, for securing a conduit or the like thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art Motor vehicles have numerous conduits whose function is to supply, to different parts of the vehicle, pressurized fluid, or mechanical or electrical energy. For safety reasons, it is desirable that these tubes and cables are fixed almost immobile to the vehicle walls or surfaces by means of some suitable support or clamp. This bracket or clamp must not only hold the tube or cables practically immobile, but must also be positively secured to the wall or other surfaces in order to avoid inadvertent removal thereof, due to vibration or other shock forces when the vehicle is in operation. The prior art supports in the form of safety collars for receiving these tubes or cables simply by clamping them with a clip do not consistently meet the requirements. The hinge clamps have been developed and allow the tubes or cables to be clamped more positively from the clamp. Unfortunately, hinged clamps can be closed inadvertently before the tube or cables are placed in them, and in these cases, it must be removed and replaced with another of the same type. In addition, the members themselves are made of a thin material to allow flexibility, which breaks prematurely, allowing the cables or pipe to come loose from the clamp. The present invention is a pipe clamp that includes means, other than hinged mechanisms, for securing pipes and cables therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the proper form, the present invention is a channel clamp for securing a conduit, such as a pipe, to a support, such as a partition or open partition or wall. The channel clamp is completely molded of a plastic material and comprises a U-shaped channel in which the conduit is to be arranged. Two substantially parallel walls extend from the U-shaped channel. Both the opposite ends of the walls, or the upper part of the walls, are inwardly curved projections. The projections curve inward toward the center line of the U-shaped channel at opposite ends thereof. The projections may or may not cross the central line. Now, the present invention will be described in more complete detail, with reference to the following figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the channel clamp of the present invention; Figure 2 is a top view of the channel clamp shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the channel clamp shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an end view of the channel clamp shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a multiple channel clamp according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the channel clamp of the present invention; Figure 7 is a top view of the channel clamp shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a side view of the channel clamp shown in Figure 6; Figure 9 is an end view of the channel clamp shown in Figure 6; Figure 10 is a perceptual view of a multiple channel clamp according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 11 is an end view of another multiple channel clamp according to the second embodiment of the present invention including the mechanisms for mounting the same in an aperture or wall partition. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of Figure 1 is a perspective view of a channel clamp 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The channel clamp is completely molded of a plastic material 1, such as nylon 6, 6 and comprises a U-shaped channel 22 having two substantially parallel walls 24. At the opposite ends of each of the two walls 24 are the outward curved projections 26. Figure 2 is a top view of the channel clamp 20 shown in Figure 1. The curved inward projections 26 extend beyond the center line of the channel clamp 20 represented by the dotted line. in the figure. Figure 3 is a side view of the channel clamp 20 shown in Figure 1. The inwardly curved projections 26 are thicker in the height direction (vertical), as seen in Figure 3, which in FIG. width direction, as seen in Figure 2. Due to these dimensions, the curved inward projections 26 easily bend in the radial direction, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2, but do not bend easily in the direction vertical as shown in Figure 3. As a consequence of the foregoing, the inward curved projections 26 are easily folded radially where the tube is inserted into the U-shaped channel 22. At an angle on the upper surface 28 of the Projections in inward curve 26 facilitate this deflection. By contrast, the lowermost surfaces 39 of the inwardly curved projections 26 are flat, such that they do not readily bend radially outwardly against a force that removes a tube from the U-shaped channel 22. Figure 4 is a view of the end of the channel clamp 20 shown in Figure 1 illustrating the additional differences between the uppermost surface 28 and the lowermost surface 30 of the inwardly curved projections 26, which, as indicated by the dotted line, extend beyond the center line of the channel clamp 20. The interior of the channel clamp 20 may also include inward projections 32, which are also visible in Figure 2 and which can secure a tube in the channel U-shaped 22. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a multiple channel clamp 40 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The multiple channel clamp 40 includes two parallel U-shaped channels 42 having three parallel up walls 44, the center of one being common to the two U-shaped channels 42. At the opposite ends of each of the two walls upward 44 are inwardly curved projections 46. The center of the upward wall 44 has an inwardly curved projection 46 at each end, each curve in the opposite direction toward one of the two outermost upward walls 44. The extension of the clip of travel 40 which includes more than two U-shaped channels 42 is in direct analogy with the two situations shown in Figure 5. In all respects, the multiple channeling clamp 40 shown in Figure 5 is identical to the simple version shown in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the channel clamp 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The channel clamp 50 is completely molded from a plastic material, as for example nylon 6, 6 and comprises a U-shaped channel 52 having two substantially parallel up walls 54. In the upper part of each of the two walls 54 are curved inward projections 56, each of which which is bent towards the opposite end of the channel clamp 50. Figure 7 is a top view of the channel clamp 50 shown in Figure 6. The curved inward projections 56 do not reach the centerline of the channel clamp 50 shown. by the dotted line in the figure.
Figure 8 is a side view of the channel clamp 50 shown in Figure 6. The curved inward projections 56 are thicker in the height direction (vertical), as seen in Figure 8, which in the width direction, as apparent in Figure 7. Because of this difference, the curved inward projections 56 will easily bend in the radial direction, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 7, but will not easily bend in the direction vertical as shown in Figure 8. As a consequence of this, the curved inward projections 56 will easily bend when the tube or the like is inserted into the U-shaped channel 52. The angle of the upper surface 58 of the projections in curves 56 facilitates this deflection. Figure 9 is an end view of the channel clamp 50 shown in 1 to Figure 6 illustrating the difference between the uppermost surface 58 and the lowermost surface 60 of the inwardly curved projections 56, which, as indicated by the dotted line, they do not reach the center line of the channel clamp 50. The lower surface 60 has a bevel that faces towards the U-shaped channel which causes a tube to be pulled out from inside the channel in the form of U 52 to rotate inward the curved projections 56 in the direction of the center line. The inside of the channel clamp 50 can also be seen to be rounded and include the projections 62, which are visible in Figure 7 and which can secure a tube in the U-shaped channel 52. Figure 10 is a perspective view of a multiple channel clamp 70 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The multiple channel clamp 70 includes two parallel U-shaped channels 72, having three substantially parallel upward walls 74, the center of which is common to two of the U-shaped channels 72. At the top of each one of the two outermost upward walls 74 are the curved inward projections 76. The central upward wall 74 has inward curved projections 76 directed towards each of the U-shaped channels 72, each curve in the opposite direction towards a of the two outermost upwardly facing walls 74. The extension of the multiple channeling clamp 70 which includes more than two U-shaped channels 72, is a direct analogy of the situation shown in Figure 10. In all respects, the clamp multiple channelizer 70 shown in Figure 10 is identical to the simple version shown in Figure 6. Figure 11 is an end view of another channeling clamp. Manifold 80 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The multiple channel clamp 80 includes a mechanism for mounting the same in a partition or perforated wall. These mechanisms include a pressure contact 82 that can be forced down through a hole in the base 84. The detachable wings 86 are inserted into a bore in the partition or wall, and the pressure contact is forced downwardly, the wings 86 are separated by action. The notches 86 finally engage with the projections 88, one of which is visible in Figure 11, inside the wings 86, and prevents the pressure contact 82 from being removed. A first channeling clamp 90 and a second channeling clamp 92, each similar to that shown in Figure 6, is provided in the base 84 on the sides opposite the pressure contact 82. Modifications to the foregoing will be obvious to those skilled in the art, but does not give such a modified invention that goes beyond the scope of the appended claims.