MXPA97007583A - Washer space - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a separating washer for a tube, comprising: a one-piece, expandable and contractible annular element, which defines an interior space for accommodating a tube and which comprises at least one articulated portion and a radially divided portion defining the ends of the opposite circumference which are opposite each other and which are separated from one another so as to allow the insertion of a tube into the interior space, and clamping mechanisms that press-engage and mutually cooperate , located on opposite circumferential ends of the annular element, to be tightly connected to the opposite circumferential ends of the annular element when the clamping mechanisms are clamped together so as to define an inner ring for enclosing a tube when the tube is inserted inside. of the interior space and for the integral connection to an outer support ring by means of a radial ribs, where the separating washer is made of a single material that has a hardness value of shore A greater than

Description

SPACE WASHER The present invention relates to a spacer washer for a pipe, in particular a vehicle brake hose. As is known, spacer washers are widely used in the automotive industry, for example to direct small diameter hoses - usually fuel or brake hoses - down the vehicle chassis. Conventional washers are substantially cylindrical and generally comprise an inner seat which houses the pipe and is connected by radial support portions to an outer annular support element. From this basic design, numerous geometric variations are known. To allow the insertion of the pipe into the seat, the washer normally comprises a radially open annular element with a press-fit device. Some washers, for example, comprise two collapsible semi-annular portions which snap together, or various folding elements - generally three - of which the two at the end comprise the clamping device. The clamping device typically comprises a tooth (a serrated or symmetrical arrow shaped tooth) which fits inside a seat. During insertion, the seat is elastically deformed to allow the tooth to pass and then returns again to the undeformed position to immobilize the tooth inside. For this purpose, the seat must obviously be made of flexible material, or be molded to be easily folded. On the other hand, the washer must have a certain degree of rigidity to prevent the pipe from collapsing. Some known washers are made entirely of fairly rigid polymeric material with laterally open retention tooth seat which is separated in a compass manner to allow insertion of the tooth. Although it is cheap and simple to manufacture, allowing the washer to be manufactured in a direct stamping operation, the laterally open seat design is accidentally released easily when subjected to torsion. The washers of this type, which actually provide effective protection to the pipe, are also difficult to assemble, especially in automated assembly lines, precisely because of their rigidity, which also explains the fact that this type of washer does not dampen the vibration in vehicle service. To simplify the assembly and, above all, to dampen the vibration, other known washers are made of two different co-processed materials of different rigidity: a more rigid material for a central support layer; and an elastomeric vibration damping material for the last layer and that which directly contacts the pipe. Washers of this type, however, are expensive to manufacture, involve a complex manufacturing process to co-process different materials and yet still do not solve the problem of possible lateral release of the fastening device, which is substantially of the same design as the washers made entirely of rigid material. An object of the present invention is to provide a spacer washer for pipes, designed to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages generally associated with known types and which in particular is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble and capable of damping vibration. Another object of the present invention is to provide a spacer washer designed to prevent accidental release when subjected to twisting. According to the present invention, there is provided a spacer washer for a pipe, in particular a vehicle brake hose, comprising a flexible, annular, radially divided element; and mutually cooperative press fastening means located at the substantially opposite circumferential ends of the said annular element and to integrally connect these ends in order to define an inner ring that houses the said pipe and is connected in one piece to an outer support ring by various radial projections; characterized by being made of a single material of a Shore A hardness of more than 80. More specifically, the material used is xanthoprene®. In fact, the meticulous test by the researchers of the Applicant shows the spacer washers for tubing with good functional characteristics that can be manufactured from a single elastomeric material, as long as it has a shore A hardness of more than a certain minimum value. Research has shown that the hardness value Shore A minimum is approximately 80. Washers made of material with a hardness below this value did not provide adequate support and protection to the pipeline, considering that those of the same design but made of material with a hardness of more than 80 tested be rigid enough to avoid crushing the pipe, effectively dampening the vibration at the same time. In addition to being made of the only material indicated above, the washer according to the invention also comprises several new design features that allow the use of materials of a Shore A hardness close to the previous minimum value, to ensure both the protection of the pipe, as the effective performance of vibration damping. In particular, the press fastening means comprise a retaining tooth defined axially by a pair of opposed flat faces and a seat for the press-in of the tooth; and the tooth comprises at least one internal cavity axially of substantially circumferential elongated pitch. This tooth is also in the form of an asymmetric arrow and comprises a connection portion projecting from a first of the opposite circumferential ends of the annular element; and a defined pointed portion, between the opposite faces, by two converging convex surfaces; the radial extension of the pointed portion, in a boundary section with the connecting portion, being larger than the radial extension of the connecting portion, to define, in the boundary section, a first pair of flanges. This seat comprises, internally, a second pair of flanges to fit the first pair of flanges; the seat being defined outwardly and radially by two circumferential walls and being laterally open on the sides facing the tooth faces; and the two circumferential walls being integrally connected, on the side facing one of the faces, by at least one first lateral lock and, on the side facing a second of the faces, by at least one second side lock. The locks are also circumferentially balanced on opposite sides of the seat.

The shape of the retaining tooth allows a smoother insertion of the tooth into the seat; and the cavity formed in the tooth provides easy deformation of the tooth when the washer is clamped, so that, unlike it depended entirely on the seat, as in the case of the known washers, the deformation required to insert the tooth into the tooth The seat is partially absorbed by the tooth itself, thus simplifying the closure of the washer. Finally, the fact that the seat is closed laterally on both sides - it is not an obvious solution from the point of view of manufacturing technology - avoids the accidental release of the washer caused by torsional stress when the vehicle is moving. However, to allow the washer to be manufactured in a single stamping operation without increasing the cost of production, the elements that laterally close the seat are formed on the two sides of the washer and circumferentially balanced. By way of example, a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a spacer washer in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a section along line II-II of the washer of Figure 1.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the number indicates a spacer washer for a pipe (not shown). The washer 1 comprises an annular element divided radially so that the two opposite ends 2 and 3 are substantially opposite each other and which in turn comprises three elements 4., 5, 6 defining respective annular portions and is integrally connected by portions 7 and 8 (between elements 4 and 5 and elements 5 and 6 respectively) which, being elastically deformable, define respective hinges by means of which they are opened and closed the washer 1 to insert the pipe. The geometry of the elements 4, 5, 6 is substantially known. More specifically, the element 4 is in the form of a sector of predetermined size and comprises an internal cavity 10 axially of passage defined by two walls 11 and 12 curves, the wall 12 being radially outward with respect to the wall 11 and by two projections radially 13 and 14 integrally connecting the walls 11 and 12 curves. Considering that the curved walls 11, 12 are of full thickness, that is to say, of the same axial size as the washer 1, the radial projections 13, 14 are thinner; and, to increase the structural rigidity of the washer 1, the respective surfaces of the curved walls 11, 12 are provided which give the cavity 10 along its entire length with circumferential projections 15, 16 connected and of the same thickness as the walls. radial projections 13, 14. The elements 5 and 6 are also in the form of sectors of predetermined size and comprise respective axial cavities 17 and 24 of passage. The cavity 17 is defined by the curved walls 18, 19, the wall 19 being radially outward with respect to the wall 18; the respective surfaces of the walls 18, 19 are provided which give the cavity 17 along its entire length with circumferential projections 22, 23; and the walls 18, 19 are integrally connected by the radial projections 20, 21.

Also, the cavity 24 is defined by the walls 25, 26 curves, the wall 26 being radially outward with respect to the wall 25; the respective surfaces of the walls 25, 26 are provided which give the cavity 24 along its entire length with circumferential projections 29, ; and the walls 25, 26 are integrally connected by the radial projections 27, 28. Like the walls 11 and 12, the curved walls 18, 19, 25, 26 are of full thickness, considering that the radial projections 20, 21, 27, 28 and the circumferential projections 22, 23, 29, 30 are thinner and of the same thickness as the projections 13, 14, 15, 16. In addition to the portion 7, the elements 4 and 5 are also connected by a circumferential V-shaped connection 70 integrally connecting the projections radials 14 and 20; and in the same way, the elements 5 and 6 are connected by a V-shaped circumferential connection 80 integrally connecting the radial projections 21 and 27. The element 4 comprises a further radial projection 31, of full thickness, connecting the curved walls 11. and 12, abutting the projection 13, that is, on the side opposite the projection 14 and which substantially defines the end 2 of the annular element la. At the end 2, the annular element also comprises a retaining tooth 32 defined axially by a pair of flat opposed faces (only one of which, indicated as 60, is shown in Figure 1) and in turn comprising a connecting portion 33 projecting from the end 2 of the element la and a pointed portion 34 defined, between the planar faces, by two converging convex surfaces 35 and 36. The portions 33 and 34 of the tooth 32 are of the same thickness but thinner than the washer 1 and have different radial extensions in the boundary section, to define a pair of flanges 37, 38 nestable within a suitable seat. The tooth 32 comprises a cavity 39 internally axially pitch, for example, oval or substantially in the form of an elongated loop. At the end 3 that faces the end 2, the annular element comprises a seat 40 for the pressure insertion of the retaining tooth 32. The seat 40 has substantially the same shape as the pointed portion 34 of the tooth 32, which is designed to receive; and, at the entrance 41 of the seat 40, the curved walls 25, 26 comprise respective protrusions 45, 46 defining respective flanges 47, 48 to fit the flanges 37, 38 of the tooth 32 when it is inserted into the seat 40. On the side which gives a first face 51 of the washer 1 (the same side as the face 60 of the tooth 32), the seat 40 is laterally closed by a flat wall 50, which in effect integrally connects the curved walls 25, 26 of the element 6; on the opposite face 52 of the washer l, the seat 40 is partially closed by a latch 53, which in effect connects the ends of the protuberances 45, 46; and the wall 50 and the lock 53 are circumferentially balanced, that is, they are not superimposed when they protrude in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the washer 1.

As already mentioned and explained in detail below, the seat 40 is closed laterally to prevent the accidental release of the washer 1 caused by the torsional stress; while the particular design of the side closure elements, ie the wall 50 and the lock 53, is dictated by the production requirements, that is, the need to manufacture the washer as quickly and cheaply as possible in a single stamping operation: to allow the insertion of opposing tool carts, the lock 53 is therefore circumferentially balanced with respect to the wall 50. In actual use, the washer 1 is closed in a known manner around the pipe ( not shown) by forcing the retaining tooth 32 into the seat, so that the curved walls 11, 18, 25 define a seat 55 that houses the pipe and curved walls., 19, 26 radially outermost define an outer support ring 56. Unlike known washers, when the tooth 32 is forced into the seat 40, the deformation is not limited only to the seat 40, but is partially absorbed by the tooth 32 by virtue of the cavity 39, which, during insertion, It takes substantially the form of an eight. This, in addition to the rather flexible nature of the material from which the washer 1 is made, makes the washer 1 close in a much easier manner compared to the known types. Once inserted, the tooth 32 is prevented from working laterally of the seat 40 being retained by the wall 50 on one side and the lock 53 on the other, thus protecting against the accidental release of the washer caused by the torsional stress. Clearly, changes can be made to the washer as described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS 1) A spacer washer for a pipe, in particular a vehicle brake hose, comprising a flexible, annular, radially divided element; and mutually cooperative press fastening means located at the substantially opposite circumferential ends of the said annular element and to integrally connect these ends in order to define an inner ring that houses the said pipe and is connected in one piece to an outer support ring by various radial projections; characterized by being made of a single material of a Shore A hardness of more than 80.
2. 2) A washer according to Claim 1, characterized in that the single material is xanthoprene®
3. 3) A washer according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the press fastening means comprise a retaining tooth defined axially by a pair of flat opposing faces and a seat for the pressure insertion of the tooth.
4. 4) A washer according to claim 3, characterized in that the retaining tooth comprises at least one internal cavity axially passing.
5. 5) A washer according to Claim 4, characterized in that the cavity is substantially elongated in a circumferential manner.
6. 6) A washer according to one of the preceding claims from 3 to 5, characterized in that the tooth is in the form of an asymmetrical arrow and comprises a connecting portion projecting from a first of the opposite circumferential ends of the annular element; and a defined pointed portion, between the opposite faces, by two converging convex surfaces; the radial extension of the pointed portion, in a boundary section with the connecting portion, being larger than the radial extension of the connecting portion, to define, in the boundary section, a first pair of flanges.
7. 7) A washer according to Claim 6, characterized in that the seat comprises, internally, a second pair of flanges to fit the first pair of flanges; the seat being defined outwardly and radially by two circumferential walls and being laterally open on the sides facing the tooth faces; the two circumferential walls being integrally connected, on the side facing one of the faces, by at least one first lateral lock and, on the side facing a second of the faces, by at least one second side lock.
8. 8) A washer according to Claim 7, characterized in that the locks are circumferentially balanced on the opposite sides of the seat.