WO2000063600A1

WO2000063600A1 - Collar band

Info

Publication number: WO2000063600A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/001102
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dirk MÖNIKES
Original assignee: Igus Spritzgussteile für die Industrie GmbH
Priority date: 1999-04-19
Filing date: 2000-04-08
Publication date: 2000-10-26
Also published as: DE29907444U1; AU5206000A; DE10081022D2

Abstract

The invention relates to a collar band for fixing supply lines. The collar band comprises a lower part (1) which can be fixed on a surface and a U-shaped upper part (11) with springy limbs (12). The upper part (11) is placed over the lower part and defines a channel (32) therewith. The channel (32) receives the lines to be fixed. The contiguous lateral outer surfaces (2) of the lower part and the inner surfaces of the limbs (13) pertaining to the upper part are provided with snap-in elements (3, 14) which engage with each other and which serve for fixing the upper part (11) on the lower part (1). The aim of the invention is to fix several supply lines one on top of the other and to obtain strain relief of said lines. The limbs (12) of the U-shaped upper part (11) are inclined towards the exterior and the lateral outer surfaces (2) of the lower part (1) are inclined in such a way that the limbs (12) of the upper part (11) can be directed thereto and that the outer surfaces (16) of the upper part (11) are inclined at the same angle as the outer surfaces of the lower part (1). The limbs (12) are provided with snap-in elements (17) which match the snap-in elements of the lower part (1).

Description

Small clamp

The invention relates to a clamp for fixing supply lines, in particular electrical or optical cables and pipes and hoses, and a strain relief for supply lines, preferably for use in energy chains, which contains such clamps.

A known commercially available clamp for fastening electrical cables consists of a cuboid lower part which can be screwed onto a stationary surface, for example on a wall. A U-shaped upper part with parallel but resilient legs can be placed over the lower part so that the inner surfaces of the legs touch two opposite lateral outer surfaces of the cuboid lower part. There are locking elements on the touching surfaces that can interlock. These are, for example, toothed strips which are set against each other for the outer and inner surfaces. When the upper part is slipped on, relatively flat tooth flanks meet and the teeth can be pushed over one another with little force while the resilient legs yield elastically. On the other hand, when trying to remove steep tooth flanks, possibly up to a positive fit, interlock, making removal impossible. The cable to be fixed can be clamped in the channel delimited by the lower part and legs and middle part of the upper part. In the known clamp, a screw penetrating the central region of the upper part can serve for further fixation.

A disadvantage of the known clamp is that only one line can be fixed with it. Especially in the case of energy chains that carry a plurality of lines, it is often desirable to define several lines one above the other. This is particularly intended to relieve strain within longer chains and in the transition from the chain to the supply unit or to the consumer. It is also difficult to detach the upper part from the lower part. If unexpectedly strong forces act on the line, the line may tear and / or the clamp may break.

The object of the invention is to provide a clamp with which a plurality of supply lines can be fixed one above the other and which is suitable for strain relief of the lines, in particular in energy chains. Further objects result from preferred embodiments of the invention.

The object described is achieved by a clamp according to claim 1.

The lower part of the new clamp is no longer cuboid, as in the prior art, but has - apart from additional devices - a trapezoidal profile. The inclined sides of this trapezoidal shape correspond in their inclination to the outward inclination or expansion of the inner sides of the legs of the U-shaped upper part. It is therefore possible to place the upper part on the lower part in such a way that the outer sides of the lower part and the inner sides of the upper part legs run parallel. When these corresponding surfaces are approached sufficiently, the locking elements can snap in and the clamp is closed.

The new shape, which consists in the fact that the legs of the U-shaped upper part do not run parallel as in the prior art, but are widened outwards, makes it possible to stack several upper parts one above the other. Due to the outward inclination of the legs, the outer width of the middle part in the U-shaped upper part is smaller than the opening of the legs at its ends, so that a second upper part can be put over a first one. In order to enable the second upper part to snap into place, it is further necessary that the outer surfaces of the first upper part be in are inclined at the same angle as the outer surfaces of the lower part and are suitable for this. Have locking elements.

Preferred locking elements for the corresponding outer or inner surfaces are toothed strips, the teeth of which are set against one another by a certain amount, i.e. are asymmetrical. In the case of symmetrical teeth, the force required to bend the legs apart to slide the teeth over one another would be approximately the same when they were brought together and taken apart. If, on the other hand, the tooth ridges of the lower part are moved downwards and those of the inner sides of the upper part are moved upwards, assembly is facilitated and disassembly is made more difficult, so that the desired fixation is achieved. The stronger the asymmetry of the teeth, the stronger the fixation. If the more obtuse tooth flank angle is 90 degrees or more, there is a form fit, which can only be overcome by simply pulling apart if the teeth yield or break elastically.

By suitable shaping of the locking elements, in particular the toothed strips, according to the specified criteria, it can be achieved that, in the exceptionally extreme tensile load of one or more supply lines, the clamp opens and the line is released. This avoids that the line breaks and there are short circuits in the case of electrical lines or in the case of hoses the escaped fluid escapes, which under certain circumstances can cause greater damage.

The upper outer surface of the lower part and the inner surface of the middle area in the upper part are support surfaces for the line to be fixed after the clamp is closed. This is generally round in cross-section and can be somewhat flexible. However, their contact area with flat contact surfaces is relatively small. Since the line is held in the clamp with a friction fit, it is advantageous to make the contact area as large as possible. Therefore, the abovementioned contact surfaces preferably have a concave profile. Since when stacking several tops also the outer surface of the central area of the Upper part becomes the support surface for the line, this surface also expediently receives a concave profile.

Furthermore, the concave contact surfaces preferably have friction ribs which run transversely to the direction of the supply line. As a result, the frictional engagement is further increased.

In order to achieve a further fixation and support of the line, it is advantageous to extend the concave contact surfaces on the lower and / or the upper part by means of suitable formations beyond the end faces of the clamp in the direction of the line.

End plates are preferably provided on the end faces of the lower and / or the upper part in the region of the toothed strips of the outer surfaces. These prevent longitudinal forces acting via the supply line from being able to move the upper part against the lower part, which would cause the clamp to open unintentionally.

The lower part of the clamp according to the invention can be fastened on a surface or on a component in the usual way, for example by means of a screw passing through the part. However, means are preferably provided on the underside of the lower part, which allow anchoring in structures of the surface or of the component. The nature of these funds depends on the nature of these structures.

In a preferred embodiment, the lower part is designed for anchoring in a C-profile. Such a C-profile usually runs transversely to the direction of the supply lines and can, for example, be attached to a wall or be part of a frame. It can accommodate multiple clamps for multiple parallel supply lines. It is necessary to be able to assemble or disassemble a clamp without moving it along the profile, as other clamps can get in the way. In this embodiment, the lower part of the clamping therefore clamp on a shape that includes a groove for plugging onto one edge of the C-profile and a resilient tongue that can engage behind the other edge of the C-profile. If you place the bottom part with the groove on one edge of the C-profile and press it against the profile, the resilient tongue can slide over the other edge and reach behind it. To release this anchoring, the tongue must be pushed away from the edge again. For this purpose, an opening penetrating the lower part is advantageous, through which a tool, for example a screwdriver, can be pressed against the tongue from above.

In another preferred embodiment, clamping jaws with locking cams are formed on the underside of the lower part. These can comprise a profile bar, wherein the locking cams can snap into grooves in the side surfaces. This clamps the clamp to the profile bar. The profile bar can be a component of a device, for example a crossbar of an end or middle link of an energy chain. Openings in the lower part are also advantageous here, by means of which the clamping jaws can be pressed away from the side surfaces of the profile bar by means of a tool, as a result of which the lower part is released from the anchoring.

According to the invention, the upper part of the clamp can also be provided on its upper side with means for anchoring to a profile bar positioned above the clamp. Such means are preferably clamping jaws with locking cams, which comprise a profile bar and the locking cams engage in grooves in the side surfaces of the profile.

The parts of the clamp according to the invention preferably consist of a thermoplastic. The suspension properties of individual sections can be easily achieved by appropriate dimensioning and the surface details can be shaped precisely.

The invention also includes strain relief for several supply lines, which includes the clamps according to the invention. Such strain reliefs are required, for example, in energy supply chains in the end links, that is to say when the supply lines transition to the supply units and the consumption stations, and also in the middle links. Such an energy chain leads a plurality of supply lines such as electrical or optical cables or hoses for fluids from stationary supply units to mobile consumption stations. Examples of energy chains are described in publications US-A-5, 711, 144, WO-A-97/30299 and the documents cited therein.

A strain relief according to the invention for a plurality of supply lines lying one above the other comprises a lower part and a plurality of upper parts of a clamp according to the invention. The lower part is attached to a surface or a component. A first upper part is plugged onto this and defines a first supply line. A second upper part is plugged onto the first upper part and defines a second supply line, etc. The last upper part ("summit part") can provide the means described for anchoring in a profile bar located above and be anchored to this.

A preferred embodiment of the strain relief for an end link of an energy guiding chain comprises a lower part of the clamp according to the invention, which is anchored in the lower transverse web of the end link designed as a C-profile, a plurality of upper parts which are stacked as described and optionally a summit part which is connected to Clamping jaws are anchored to the upper cross bar, which is designed as a profile bar with lateral grooves.

A further preferred embodiment of the strain relief according to the invention for a middle link of an energy chain comprises a lower part of the clamp according to the invention, which is anchored by means of clamping jaws and locking cams on the lower transverse web of the middle link provided with lateral grooves, several upper parts and possibly a summit part, which also with Clamping jaws are anchored to the upper transverse web of the central link provided with lateral grooves.

The anchoring of the summit parts on the upper crossbar of the chain link is particularly advantageous because longitudinal forces acting on the supply lines are derived both on the lower and on the upper crossbar, thereby preventing the strain relief from tipping out of the chain link.

The invention is further explained by the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. They show in perspective:

1 a lower part of a clamp according to the invention suitable for anchoring in C-profiles,

2 shows an upper part of a clamp according to the invention,

3 a lower part of a clamp according to the invention suitable for anchoring to profile bars,

4 a top part suitable for anchoring to profile bars (“summit part”),

5 is a clamp mounted on a C-profile for two supply lines,

6 shows a clamp that can be anchored to profile bars for two supply lines and in front view,

7 shows a strain relief for three lines mounted in a central link of an energy guide chain,

Fig. 8 three strain reliefs mounted in an end link of an energy chain for one, two and three lines. The lower part 1 of the clamp according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 has inclined outer surfaces 2, one of which can be seen and the second is on the back. These surfaces carry locking elements in the form of toothed strips 3; the ridges 4 of the teeth are shifted downwards relative to the symmetrical shape. The upper outer surface 5, which serves as a support surface for the line, has a concave profile and is additionally provided with friction ribs 6. End plates 7 are formed on the end faces in the area of the toothed strips 3. On the underside, a formation 8 can be seen which has a groove 9 which can be plugged onto an edge of a C-profile. For anchoring in the C-profile, a resilient tongue (not visible in this view) is used on the side of the formation 8 opposite the groove. This tongue can be pressed in the direction of the groove 9 with a tool guided through the opening 10, whereby the anchoring in the C Profile is loosened so that the lower part can be removed.

Fig. 2 shows a U-shaped upper part 11 of the clamp according to the invention. Its legs 12 are inclined outwards, the angle of inclination corresponding to that of the outer surfaces 2 on the matching lower part according to FIG. 1. The material thickness of the legs 12 is such that they can yield resiliently to an acting force. The inner surfaces 13 of the legs are provided with toothed racks 14, the ridges 15 of which are displaced upward, so that they snap into the toothed racks 3 when the upper part 11 is attached to the lower part 1 and bring about resistance against removal. The outer surfaces 16 of the legs 12 also carry toothed strips 17, which correspond in their inclination and inclination to the toothed strips 3 on the lateral outer surfaces 2 of the lower part 1. The outer surface 18 of the central region is concavely shaped as a support surface for the line and provided with friction ribs 19. It is also extended beyond the end faces by conformations 20. On the end faces 17 end plates 21 are present in the area of the toothed strips, which prevent a further attached upper part from being displaced in the longitudinal direction. The inner surface 22 of the central region, which is not visible here, is also concave. forms and provided with ribs.

Another embodiment for a lower part 23 is shown in FIG. 3. Instead of the shape 8 according to FIG. 1, there are two clamping jaws 24 here, which carry latching cams 25 on the inside. The openings 26a allow the resilient clamping jaws 24 to be bent outwards with a tool inserted from above, in order to cancel the engagement of the locking cams 25 in the groove of the supporting profile bar and to be able to remove the lower part thereof.

FIG. 4 shows an upper part 26 which, as the highest upper part (“summit part”), can be anchored in an upper profile bar. With its legs 27, which have an inclination corresponding to the upper part underneath, it can be placed on this and anchored in the grooves of an upper profile bar by means of the clamping jaws 28 provided with locking cams 29.

5 shows a C-profile 30 with a clamp 31 anchored therein for two lines. The clamp 31 is composed of the lower part 1 and two upper parts 11, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As a result, the channels 32 are formed for receiving supply lines. As a result of the outer inclination of the outer surfaces 16, a gap 33 is formed between the outer surfaces of parts which are plugged onto one another, into which a tool for bending the leg 12 out can be inserted, as a result of which the upper part 11 can be removed.

6 shows a strain relief 34 for two lines, which consists of a lower part 23, two upper parts 11 and a summit part 26 and can be anchored to two profile bars.

Fig. 7 shows a middle link 35 of an energy chain with built-in strain relief 36 for three lines 42. The middle link consists of two opposite side parts 37, 38 and an upper 39 and a lower cross bar 40. The cross bars have grooves 41 into which the locking cams of the clamping jaws 24, 28 are engaged. The entire strain relief consists of a lower part 23, three upper parts 11 and a summit part 26. The lines 42 are fixed in the channels 32 and lie on the concave contact surfaces 5, 18, 22.

Finally, FIG. 8 also shows an end link 43 of an energy supply chain with three strain reliefs 44, 45, 46 according to the invention. The end member 43 consists of side parts 47, 48 which are connected in the lower area by a C-profile 49 and above by a profile bar 50 as crossbars. The strain reliefs are each constructed from lower parts 1 anchored in the C-profile and a corresponding number of upper parts 11 and lead one, two and three lines 42.

These examples show that the clamp according to the invention can be used very flexibly for the construction of strain reliefs according to the most varied of requirements. It consists of only a few different parts that are well suited for series production.

Kleiranschelle

Reference character list

Lower part, lateral outer surface of the lower part, toothed ridge, tooth ridges, upper outer surface of the lower part, 19 friction ribs, 21 end plate, forming the underside of groove 0, 26a opening 1 upper part, 2 legs of the upper part, inner surfaces of the legs 4, 17 toothed racks 5 tooth ridges, 6 outer leg surfaces, 8 outer surface of the central region, 0 extension of 18 2 Inner surface of the middle area 3 lower part 4, 28 clamping jaws 5, 29 locking cams 6 upper part (summit part) 7 legs of the upper part 26 0, 42 C-profile 1 clamp clamp channel for cable gap, 36 strain relief middle link, 38 side parts, 50 upper cross bar , 49 lower crossbar groove line end link, 45, 46 strain relief, 48 side part

Claims

claims

1. Clamp for fixing supply lines with a lower part (1, 23) that can be fixed on a surface and a U-shaped upper part (11) with resilient legs (12), which is put over the lower part and with this one to be fixed Conduit receiving channel (32) limited, the contacting lateral outer surfaces (2) of the lower part and the inner leg surfaces (13) of the upper part having interlocking locking elements (3, 14) for fixing the upper part (11) on the lower part (1), characterized in that the legs (12) of the U-shaped upper part (11) are inclined outwards, the lateral outer surfaces (2) of the lower part (1) are inclined so that the legs (12) of the upper part (11) can be aligned with them and the outer surfaces (16) of the upper part (11) are inclined at the same angle as that of the lower part (1) and have locking elements (17) which correspond to those of the lower part (1).

2. Clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the latching elements are toothed strips, which are each opposed to each other for the outer or inner surfaces.

3. Clamp according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper outer surface (5) of the lower part (1) and possibly the outer surface (18) of the central region of the upper part and the inner surface (22) of the central region of the upper part have a concave profile Have inclusion of the supply line to be determined.

4. Clamp according to claim 3, characterized in that friction ribs (6, 19) are present on the concave surfaces are .

5. Clamp according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the concave surfaces (5, 18, 22) for supporting the supply line on the end faces of the upper and / or lower part are extended.

6. Clamp according to claim 2 to 5, characterized in that end plates (7, 21) are provided on the end faces of the upper and lower part in the region of the toothed strips on the outer surfaces.

7. Clamp according to claim 1 to 6, characterized in that the underside of the lower part has means for anchoring in structures of the surface.

8. Clamp according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for anchoring comprise a groove (9) and a resilient tongue, with which the lower part can be anchored in a surface-mounted C-profile (30, 42).

9. Clamp according to claim 8, characterized in that the lower part has an opening (10) through which a tool for releasing the resilient tongue from the C-profile (30, 42) can be carried out from above.

10. Clamp according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for anchoring clamping jaws (24) with locking cams (25) with which the lower part (23) can be anchored in lateral grooves (41) of a profile bar.

11. Clamp according to claim 10, characterized in that the lower part (23) has openings (26 a) through which a tool for releasing the clamping jaws (24) from the rectangular profile can be carried out from above.

12. Clamp according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper part (26) has means for anchoring to a profile bar.

13. Clamp according to claim 12, characterized in that the means for anchoring clamping jaws (28) with locking cams

(29), with which the upper part (26) can be anchored in lateral grooves (41) of a profile bar.

14. Clamp according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of a thermoplastic

Material exists.

15. strain relief (44) for a plurality of supply lines (42) with a lower part (1) and a plurality of upper parts (11) of the clamp according to one of the preceding claims.

16. strain relief for a middle link (35) of an energy chain with a lower part (23) and several upper parts (11) of the clamp according to claim 10 or 11 and possibly a summit part (26) which can be plugged onto the highest upper part and clamping jaws with locking cams for anchoring in the upper crossbar (39) of the central link.

17. Strain relief for an end link (43) of an energy chain with a lower part (1) and several upper parts (11) of the clamp according to claim 8 or 9 and possibly a summit part (26) which can be plugged onto the highest upper part (11) and Jaws with locking cams for anchoring in the upper crosspiece of the end link.