WO2000012923A2

WO2000012923A2 - Device, such as a hose clamp, for example, for strapping up an object

Info

Publication number: WO2000012923A2
Application number: PCT/NL1999/000490
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jaap Jeroen Sondaar; Ebo Jacques De Muinck
Original assignee: Jaap Jeroen Sondaar; Ebo Jacques De Muinck
Priority date: 1998-08-26
Filing date: 1999-07-30
Publication date: 2000-03-09
Also published as: AU5200199A; NL1009945C2; WO2000012923A3

Abstract

Device, such as a hose clamp, for example, for strapping up an object, said device comprising a smooth band (1) particularly made of metal having its one end (2) connected to a clamping member (6) through which the other part (7) of the band extends. A locking screw (11) for transporting and locking the part of the band (1) extending through the clamping member (6) can be threaded into the clamping member. The locking screw (11) is provided with a conical tip (12). The end (2) of the band is secured to the clamping member (6) in that it is slid into a slot (3) which is located in the clamping member and is closed on threading the locking screw (11) into the clamping member. The slot (3) can be open so that the end (2) of the band (1) can be bent.

Description

Device, such as a hose clamp, for example, for strapping up an object

The invention relates to a device, such as a hose clamp, for example, for strapping up an object, said device comprising a band, particularly made of metal, having its one end connected to a clamping member through which the other part of the band extends and which clamping member can contain a locking screw for transporting and locking the part of the band extending through the clamping member. Such a device, in the form of a hose clamp, is known from WO 95/08073. This has the difficulty, that the clamping member is fixedly connected to the one end of the band and that at least a portion of the band is provided with slots and/or perforations for receiving the threads of the locking screw therein, as a result of which the band is considerably weakened. A certain type of hose clamp is therefore only suitable for hoses having a diameter being between certain limits. With performing all kinds of work, one thus must always have a number of hose clamps of different diameter available.

Although the above exemplifies hose clamps, it will be obvious that such devices can also be used for many other purposes. Thus, e.g. street name plates or other plates are secured to lamp posts by means of such devices. It is also possible to fasten insulation material on pipes by means of the devices . All these purposes will be obvious to the expert and will need no further explanation. In these cases, the devices will have to have a relatively large diameter so that the hose clamps according to said WO 95/08073 will mostly not be applied for such purposes.

The object of the invention is to remove the difficulties of the known device described above and to that end, the invention provides for, that a smooth band is employed in which its one end, after feeding the band through the clamping member and after strapping up the object concerned, can be releasably connected to the clamping member, into which the locking screw can be threaded after having fed said band through the clamping member and having it manually tightened, said locking screw being provided with a slightly conical tip.

Due to this, one can employ a band which is pulled from a coil . The band is guided by the clamping member and thrown around the object. Subsequently, the free end of the band is secured to the clamping member and after manually tightening the band around the object, the locking screw is threaded into the clamping member so that the band is firmly clamped around the object. The band can then be cut off. Thus, one only needs to use a length of band which is sufficient for the purpose concerned. The locking screw thread provides for that the band is moved sufficiently in relation to the clamping member to obtain the desired effect.

Due to the fact that one can use a band which is pulled from a coil, hardly any material will be lost and the dimensions of the object play no part whatsoever. Only the desi- red clamping force to be provided by the device will have to be taken into account . When various operations should be performed, one can think of keeping bands of various cross- section with corresponding clamping members and locking screws in stock. Further, it should be stated, that a band particularly consisting of metal is discussed above. However, it will be obvious, that one can also employ a band of another material such as certain plastics being able to meet high requirements. For securing the end of the band to the clamping member, the end of the band can be slid into a slot present in the clamping member, said slot being closed on threading the locking screw into the clamping member. Thus, the end of the band is connected to the clamping member by clamping force. According to a further development of the invention, it can also be provided for, that the slot of the clamping member is completely open so that the end of the band can be pushed outwards and out of the slot and then be bent so that its end will abut the lower wall of the clamping member, said lower wall being directed towards the object concerned. Then it will be impossible to pull the end of the band out of the clamping member.

It can be provided for, that the front edges of those parts of the clamping member, that will be engaged by both parts of the band will be situated at some distance from the front edge of the remaining portion of the clamping member, to wit after that as seen from the side where the locking screw is to be mounted in the clamping member.

Owing to the fact that the parts of the band of the clamping member bend away, a more or less conical receiving opening for the locking screw will be formed. As a result of this, threading the locking screw into the clamping member is facilitated.

It has turned out, that, with a small diameter of the locking screw in particular, the pitch of the screw thread of the locking screw should be larger than that with a standard screw having metrical threading. This will then concern the end of the locking screw in particular, since it will contac the band the first. When the pitch of the thread is too small, too many successive parts of the thread will contact the band simultaneously and rotating the locking screw will be hampered. Thus, the screw thread pitch and the depth of the its threads will be adjusted to the band employed.

Depending on the material the band is made of, it can be desirable that in particular the screw thread of the locking screw has a hardness which is greater than that of the band. The screw thread can then be properly pressed into the material of the band and provide a positive displacement of the band without either the screw thread or the band getting pressed to pieces. Further, EP 0 827 915 can be referred to, from which a device is known for strapping an object in which a smooth band is employed. The one part of the band is provided with a portion bent in bowl-shape situated within a tapered portion of the clamping member. A loose locking member is situated in the bent portion and the other part of the band is at the other side thereof. The locking member is to hold both parts of the band in relation to each other by frictio- nal force. However, therefore only limited forces can be exerted on the band. On tightening it, the locking member must be held while a pulling force is exerted on the free end of the band. This causes difficulties with mounting such a device.

Almost the same difficulties will occur with the device according to FR 2 044 175. There, the ends of the band remain in a flat state and they are clamped in relation to each other by a member provided with teeth. One end of the band must be grasped with a pliers or like tool in order to be moved in relation to the device. Owing to this, the force by which the band is tightened around an object will be limited.

The invention is further explained by way of embodiments, shown in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view and partial cross-section of a device according to the present invention and schematically the course of the band received therein and the coil from which it was pulled;

Fig. 2 shows an end view in the direction of arrow P and a partial cross-section of the device according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a side view according to Fig. l, yet of a modified embodiment of the device;

Fig. 4 shows an end view corresponding to Fig. 3, yet of the modified embodiment according to Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 shows an end view of the clamping member applied with the embodiment according to the Figs. 3 and 4. Figs. 1 and 2 show a device in which a band 1 in particular of metal is used, with its one end 2 being received in a slot 3 being formed between the parts 4 and 5 of a clamping member 6. The part 4 is substantially the lower wall of the clamping member 6 and will be directed towards the object to be strapped-up during use of the device. In practice, the part 5 is often indicated as "intermediate foot". Namely, it serves for preventing both parts in the clamping member from directly contacting each other. This would result in friction between both parts which would make sliding of the one part of the band more difficult to realize.

The further part 7 of the band l extends through the clamping member 6 being formed by a bent portion 8 extending between the opposite edges of the parts 4 and 5. Due to this, the clamping member 6 can be made from a sheet part in a simple and inexpensive way. As appears from Fig. 1, the front edge 9 of the part 8 is at some distance from the front edge 10 of the parts 4 and 5. After the end 2 of the band 1, which has been pulled from the roller 14, has been clampingly mounted in the slot 3, the end 7 of the band 1 is tightened so that the object concerned - not illustrated - is strapped up. Now, the locking screw 11 being provided with the tapered portion 12 is threaded into the clamping member. This is facilitated in that the edges 10 are receded in relation to the edge 9 as a result of which a slightly conical entrance is formed.

The force exerted on the part 7 of the band 1, which part is located within the clamping member 6, by means of the locking screw 11 will cause the band to be tightly clamped around the object to be strapped up. At the same time, said force will close the slot 3, so that the end 2 of the band will be received continously tighter in the clamping member 6. With the embodiment according to the Figures 3 - 5, corresponding parts have been indicated with the same reference numerals as in Figures l and 2.

With this embodiment, the parts 4 and 5 of the clamping member have been formed such, that the slot 3 situated inbetween opens to both sides . This is shown particularly clear in Fig. 5. Due to this, the end 2 of a band 1 can be slid through the slot 3 and be bent as indicated by the reference numeral 13 in Fig. 3. Owing to this, it will be almost impossible to pull the band out of the clamping member.

Further, the possibility that a number of axially extending cuts are mounted in the tapered portion 12 of the locking screw 11 has been indicated. This further facilita- tes pressing the thread into the band.

In the Figures 1, 3 and 4 it is indicated that one employs a locking screw having its head provided with a cavity in which various types of driving mechanismes, including a hexagonal spanner, can be accomodated. Such a spanner can be connected to a motor-driven tool so that threading the locking screw into the clamping member can take place quickly and easily. Obviously, the head can also have other shapes. One could think of applying slots being formed such, that the screw can only be rotated in one direction so that releasing the device is hampered.

In order to prevent the locking screw from rotating back afterwards, as a result of which the clamping force of the device would decrease, the locking screw can be blocked by a pin so that rotation thereof is rendered impossible. To that end, the locking screw can be provided with some radial bores _

It will be obvious, that only some possible embodiments of a device according to the invention have been illustrated in the drawing and described above and that many changes can be made without being beyond the inventive idea, as it is indicated in the enclosed claims .

Claims

C A I M S

1. Device, such as a hose clamp, for example, for strapping up an object, said device comprising a band (1) , particularly made of metal, having its one end (2) connected to a clamping member (6) through which the other part (7) of the band extends and which clamping member can contain a locking screw (7) for transporting and locking the part of the band extending through the clamping member, characterized in that a smooth band (1) is employed in which its one end (2) , after feeding the band through the clamping member (6) and after strapping up the object concerned, can be releasably connected to the clamping member (6) , into which clamping member (6) the locking screw (11) can be threaded after having fed said band through the clamping member (6) and having it manually tightened, said locking screw (11) being provided with a slightly conical tip (12) .

2. Device according to claim l, characterized in that for securing the end (2) of the band to the clamping member (6) , the end of the band can be slid into a slot (3) present in the clamping member, said slot being closed on threading the locking screw (11) into the clamping member (6) .

3. Device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the slot (3) of the clamping member (6) is completely open so that the end (2) of the band (1) can be pushed outwards from the slot (3) and then be bent so that its end (13) will abut the lower wall (4) of the clamping member (6) , said lower wall being directed towards the object concerned.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front edges (10) of those parts (4, 5) of the clamping member (6) , that will be engaged by both parts (2, 7) of the band (1), are located at some distance from the front edge (9) of the remaining portion

(8) of the clamping member (6) , to wit after that as seen from the side where the locking screw (11) is to be mounted in the clamping member (6) .

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in particular the screw thread of the locking screw (11) has a hardness which is greater than that of said band.