Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Bale and package ties – hose clamps – Metal bands
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-29
2001-02-13
Sakran, Victor N. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Bale and package ties, hose clamps
Metal bands
C024S0200EE, C024S0200CW, C024S0230EE
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185793
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a boot band used for fixing a boot made of synthetic resins, rubber, or the like, to a target member to be tightened.
A boot is used as a component for a vehicle or the like. The boot is made of synthetic resins, rubber, or the like. In the present specification, the category of a boot includes cylindrical members like a hose, a tube, and the like. Conventionally, a boot band formed of a metal belt-like member has been used to fix such a boot to a target member to be tightened.
This kind of boot band, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,720 for example, comprises a nail provided at an inner overlapping portion of a belt-like band body, a receive hole which is formed at an outer overlapping portion of the band body and can be engaged with the nail, and an ear portion to be plastically deformed (or caulked) when tightening the band body. In this boot band, the band body is wound on a target member to be tightened, and the nail is hooked in the receive hole. Thereafter, the ear portion is caulked by a tool to shorten the circumference length of the band body, so the band body is fixed to the target member to be tightened.
In case of the conventional boot band described above, since a tightening force is applied to the band body by caulking the ear portion, the ear portion after caulking behaves to recover its original shape. A problem hence occurs in that the tightening force is difficult to maintain if the rigidity of the ear portion is low. When this kind of boot band is set on a target member to be tightened, handling is easier as the winding diameter of the band is large to some extent. It is desired that the winding diameter greatly differ between before and after caulking. As a countermeasure, it may be considered that the tightening stroke of the band body is enlarged by enlarging the ear portion. However, if the ear portion is thus enlarged, not only the amount of projection to the outside becomes large, but also the ear portion after caulking easily returns in the direction in which the band is loosened, so the tightening force is more difficult to maintain.
Also, in a conventional boot band, the nail (or engage portion) and the ear portion (or caulking portion) are provided separately. Therefore, the service of temporal fixing by hooking the nail in the receive hole and the service of caulking the ear portion cannot be sequentially be carried out with use of one same tool, so the tool must be replaced and attached. Thus, there is room for improvement in assembly workability.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention hence has an object of providing a boot band which realizes excellent assembly service workability and restricts loosening of the tightening force.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a boot band made of a belt-like metal band body having first and second open ends, which is set on a target member to be tightened in a state where the band body is rounded like a ring such that the first end positioned outside, comprising: a first caulking portion having a first leg portion which is provided at a position close to the first end of the band body and stands outward from the band body, a bridge portion which extends from the first leg portion toward the first end in a lengthwise direction of the band body, and a second leg portion which is bent from the bridge portion so as to face the first leg portion; an engage nail provided at a top end of the second leg portion of the first caulking portion; a second caulking portion to be inserted inside the first caulking portion when a winding diameter of the band body is decreased, the second caulking portion having a first projection wall which is provided at a position close to the second end of the band body and projects outward from the band body, and a second projection wall which is bent to be adjacent to the first projection wall; and a receive hole which is formed in the first projection wall of the second caulking portion and is engaged with the engage nail in a state where the second caulking portion is inserted inside the first caulking portion.
According to the boot band constructed in this manner, the band body of an open type is wound on a target member to be tightened, and the winding diameter of the band body is decreased, i.e., the circumferential length of the band body is decreased. Then, the second caulking portion enters inside the first caulking portion, and the engage nail is engaged in the receive hole, thereby making a temporal fixing state. This is a temporal fixing service. From this temporal fixing state, the first and second caulking portions are integrally deformed plastically with use of a tool, thereby to further decreased the winding diameter of the band body. In this manner, the band body is fixed to the target member to be tightened, with a tightening force. This caulking service and the temporal fixing service can be sequentially carried out with use of one same tool.
Also, according to the present invention, since the band body is of an open type, the tightening stroke of the band body can be large when setting the band body on a target member to be tightened, so assembly services are easy. In addition, since the engage nail and receive hole are provided in the first and second caulking portions, the temporal fixing service for engaging the engage nail in the receive hole and the service for caulking the caulking portions can be carried out sequentially with use of one same tool. Therefore, it is not necessary to replace the tool halfway during services, and thus, assembly services can be carried out efficiently. Also, since the second caulking portion is inserted inside the first caulking portion, the outward projection amount from the band can be small.
The band body preferably comprises a convex portion and a temporal fixing stopper portion. In this structure, in a state where the winding diameter of the band body is decreased to some extent, the convex portion and the temporal fixing stopper portion contact each other thereby temporally fixing the band body with an appropriate winding diameter. According to this invention, since the band body is temporally fixed with an appropriate winding diameter, the assembly feasibility is excellent with respect to the target member to be tightened. In this case, the winding diameter of the band body is maintained in a state where the distance from the first caulking portion to the second caulking portion is maintained to be constant. Therefore, an advantage is attained for automating the caulking process equipment.
A guide groove is preferably formed in the band body according to the present invention. In this structure, since the convex portion moves along the guide groove when decreasing the winding diameter of the band body, the engage nail is guided substantially straight toward the second caulking portion and the receive hole. According to this invention, the convex portion can be moved in the lengthwise direction of the band body along the guide groove, so the engage nail can be securely guided to the receive hole.
Also, the band body according to the present invention preferably comprises a tightness retain stopper portion. In this structure, when the first and second caulking portions are plastically deformed to tighten the band body to a predetermined circumferential length, the convex portion and the tightness retain stopper portion contact with each other. As a result of this, the tightening force can be maintained by the stopper portion, convex portion, and caulking portions. In this invention, the tightening force is not received by only one caulking portion (or ear portion) as in a conventional boot band, but is received by both the first and second caulking portions. Therefore, the plate thickness and width of the caulking portions can be smaller than those of the conventional boot band. Also, returning of the first caulking portion is restricted by the second caulking portion which causes a less returning amount, so the returning a
Hemmi Yoshihiro
Kitamura Yoshiharu
Ogino Takashi
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
NHK Spring Co. Ltd.
Sakran Victor N.
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