Supports – Pipe or cable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-23
2001-06-05
King, Anita M. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Pipe or cable
C248S068100, C248S073000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241198
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a holding element for holding articles of elongate shape such as pipes or wire harnesses on a member such as an automobile body.
Support structures for mounting elongate articles such as automobile fuel pipes or brake pipes or wire harnesses on a vehicle body should preferably have vibration-absorbing ability in order to prevent vehicle body vibration being transmitted to the pipe etc. Conventionally, with the object of such vibration-prevention, the method generally adopted was to effect mounting on a holding element with an anti-vibration rubber element wound around the pipe etc. Since this method is laborious, it is desirable to give the holding element itself anti-vibration characteristics. With this in view, Laid-Open Japanese Patent Publication No. H.9-250517 teaches conferring resilience on a holding element for a pipe etc. by making it of a construction in which hard resin and soft resin are joined. However, with this construction, there are the problems that the construction of the metal mould becomes complicated and, depending on the method of moulding, the number of manufacturing steps is increased and, furthermore, since two types of material are employed, manufacturing costs are increased.
In contrast, U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,303 discloses a construction constituting a holding clip suitable for pipes and the like for holding fuel pipes, in which a hollow part that confers a cushioning action on a pipe holding part is provided, this pipe holding part being joined to a holding base through a resilient joining element. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,683 discloses a similar clip for a pipe in which a pipe holding part is joined to a support body through a hollow part. All these clips are designed with the aim of preventing to the utmost extent transmission of vibration from the vehicle body etc. to the pipe when an elongate article such as a pipe is supported. The holding clip for pipes for example disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,303, due to constructional limitations, is restricted as to the number of holding parts such as pipes that can be provided; the limit in the embodiment of this publication is the provision of one pipe holding part, making a total of two, on each side of the supporting base. In the case of the holding clip for pipes and the like disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,683, a construction is shown in which four pipe holding parts are arranged in a row; however, there can be a marked difference in regard to vibration screening ability between the pipe holding parts in the middle of the row and pipe holding parts at the ends of the row.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problem to be solved by the present invention is the provision of a holding element for pipes and the like of a construction wherein the vibration screening ability between the holding base and holding part for pipes and the like is good and, in addition, when a plurality of holding parts are arranged in a row and there is no marked difference in the vibration screening abilities of these holding parts.
In order to solve the above problem, a holding element for pipes and the like according to the invention comprises a base and pipe holding parts supported on this base. The pipe holding parts comprise a bent wall forming a concave part for receiving elongate articles such as pipes, convex parts directed inwardly formed with a separation in the circumferential direction on the inside wall face of this bent wall, and a resilient holding element extending diagonally in the direction of said concave part from the tip of the bent wall or the vicinity thereof The pipe holding part is joined to the base through a hollow pipe-shaped cushion, and the tip of the bent wall of the pipe holding part is joined to a wall integral with the adjacent base or to a bent wall of an adjacent pipe holding part through a flexible thin joining element.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base of the holding element for pipes and the like is provided with an elongate bottom part and upright parts erected from both ends of this bottom part. A plurality of pipe holding parts are supported on this base, being arranged with a separation along the length direction of the base. Respective pipe holding parts are provided with a bent wall forming a concave part for receiving an elongate article such as a pipe, inwardly directed convex parts formed with a separation in the circumferential direction on the inside wall face of this bent wall, and a resilient holding element extending diagonally in the direction of the concave part from the tip of the bent wall or the vicinity thereof Respective pipe holding parts are joined to and supported by said base through a hollow pipe-shaped cushion. The tip of the bent wall nearest this upright part of the pipe holding part adjacent the upright part of the base is joined to this upright part through a resilient thin element, the tip of the bent wall on the other side being joined to the tip of the bent wall of the adjacent pipe holding part through a flexible resilient thin part.
Preferably, in putting the invention into practice, the cushion is made of elliptical cross-section and a convex part providing a stop to restrict the stroke of flexure of the pipe holding part is formed on the inside wall face of the cushion. Also, preferably, the cushion is joined to the respective pipe holding part and base by supporting pillars of small diameter.
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patent: 5002243 (1991-03-01), Kraus et al.
patent: 5209441 (1993-05-01), Satoh
patent: 5460342 (1995-10-01), Dore et al.
patent: 5464179 (1995-11-01), Ruckwardt
patent: 5588683 (1996-12-01), Schliessner
patent: 5607126 (1997-03-01), Cordola et al.
patent: 5947426 (1999-09-01), Kraus
patent: 5954300 (1999-09-01), Sturies et al.
patent: 6152406 (2000-11-01), Denndou
Emhart Inc.
King Anita M.
Morrison N.
Murphy Edward D.
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