Clamp

Details Clamp Clamp

1999-11-08

2002-01-29

Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3626)

Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,

Bushing

C016S002200, C174S135000, C174S019000, C174S0210JR

Reexamination Certificate

active

06341405

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a clamp that is installed on a wire harness that is wired on a vehicle body and inserted fixedly into an installing hole of a body panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a clamp that clicks when it is installed on the body panel to allow an operator to confirm that the clamp has been installed thereon.
2. Description of Related Art
The wire harness is installed on a vehicle body by mounting the clamp at required portions and flexibly (contractedly) inserting a locking blade of the clamp into an installing hole formed on the body panel so that the wire harness can be wired along predetermined paths. Thereafter, the locking blade is restored to its original state to lock the clamp to the inner peripheral edge of the installing hole.
A band clamp and a substrate type clamp are known. In the band clamp, a band is wound around a wire harness and fastened thereto, and a locking blade is projected from a band body. In the substrate type clamp, a locking blade is projected from a substrate fixed to a wire harness by winding a tape around the wire harness. In addition, as shown in
FIG. 6
, there is a case where a clamp
2
made of polypropylene is installed at a front end of a harness-inserted grommet
1
, thereby installing the grommet
1
on a body panel by the use of the clamp
2
.
As shown in
FIGS. 7A and 7B
, in any type of clamp that is installed on the grommet
1
, whether it be clamp
2
, the band clamp, or the substrate type clamp, a projection portion
2
b
projects from a substrate
2
a
and a pair of confronting locking blade portions
2
c,
2
c
are turned down from the upper end of the projection portion
2
b.
A stepped notch is formed on each of locking blade portions
2
c,
2
c
at its front (lower) end to form a horizontal stepped portion
2
d
and a locking portion
2
e
projecting from the inner lower end of the horizontal stepped portion
2
d.
The clamp
2
is locked to the body panel P as follows: As shown in
FIG. 8
, the confronting locking blade portions
2
c,
2
c
are flexibly inserted into an installing hole
3
of a body panel P. When the locking blade portions
2
c,
2
c
exceed the installing hole
3
, the locking blade portions
2
c,
2
c
are restored to the original state and the locking portions
2
e,
2
e
fits on the inner peripheral surface of the installing hole
3
, and the horizontal stepped portions
2
d,
2
d
are locked to the inner peripheral edge of the installing hole
3
. In this manner, the clamp
2
is fixed to the body panel P.
Polypropylene is used to flex the clamp
2
. When the clamp
2
is inserted into the installing hole
3
, the locking blade portions
2
c
are flexed readily. Thus the clamp
2
can be smoothly inserted into the installing hole
3
. When the clamp
2
has been fixed to the installing hole
3
, the length L
2
between the outer surface of one locking portion
2
e
and that of the other locking portion
2
e
is almost equal to the inner diameter L
1
of the installing hole
3
. The height of the frame portion
2
b
is about 10 mm (11 mm in the example shown in FIG.
8
).
In fixedly inserting the clamp
2
into the installing hole
3
of the body panel P, it is impossible to visually check whether the locking blade portion
2
c
of the clamp
2
has been inserted into the installing hole
3
, whether the locking portion
2
e
has fitted on the inner peripheral surface of the installing hole
3
; and whether the horizontal stepped portion
2
d
has been locked to the inner peripheral edge of the installing hole
3
. In the case of the band clamp and the substrate type clamp, the wire harness prevents an operator from checking whether the locking blade portion has been correctly locked to the installing hole. This is because the band clamp and the substrate type clamp are also installed on the wire harness.
As described above, the clamp
2
is made of polypropylene which is flexible and is 80-80 in Rockwell hardness, and the length L
2
between the confronting locking portions
2
e
is almost equal to the inner diameter L
1
of the installing hole
3
. Therefore, an operator does not feel that the locking blade portion
2
c
has not flexibly returned to its original state when the clamp is inserted into the installing hole
3
, and no sound is generated when the locking portion
2
e
fits on the installing hole
3
. That is, it is impossible to check whether the clamp
2
has been installed on the body panel P.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clamp which can be installed on a body panel and allow the operator to reliably know that the clamp is secured when the clamp cannot be checked visually. This is accomplished through the generation of a sound and the ability for the operator to feel through the hands that a locking blade portion thereof has flexibly returned to its original state when the clamp is inserted into an installing hole of the body panel.
To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a clamp that is locked to a body panel by inserting a flexible locking blade portion thereof into an installing hole and utilizing a return of the locking blade portion to an original state thereof when the locking blade portion exceeds the installing hole. The clamp comprises a resinous material having Rockwell hardness at 100 or more and 150 or less and molded by one-piece molding. When the clamp fits on the body panel, a fit-on sound and consciousness of a return of the locking blade portion to the original state are generated.
The clamp is made of resin having a Rockwell hardness at 100-150, higher than conventional polypropylene having a flexibility of about 80. Thus, when the locking blade portion exceeds the installing hole of the body panel and returns to its original state in an operation of installing the clamp into the installing hole, a loud sound is generated by the fitting of a locking portion of the clamp projecting from the locking blade portion on the installing hole. Thus, the operator hears a fit-on sound, thus confirming the completion of the installation of the clamp on the body panel through the ears. Further, the operator feels that the hard and long locking blade portion has returned flexibly to the original state. Accordingly, the operator can confirm through the hands that the clamp has been fitted into the installing hole of the body panel.
In the clamp, an increase of an insertion force that is generated by increasing a hardness of the clamp is offset by increasing a height of a projection portion from a substrate portion and decreasing an angle of the locking blade portion formed by turning down a front end of the projection portion to decrease a projection amount of the locking blade portion in a lateral direction thereof; and a fit-on sound is generated when the locking blade portion exceeds the installing hole and returns to the original state.
As described above, because the clamp is made of a resinous material having a high hardness, the clamp applies a great force to the installing hole of the body panel. The projection amount of the locking blade portion in a lateral direction thereof is small. Thus, in inserting the clamp into the installing hole, no friction occurs between the inner peripheral surface of the installing hole and the surface of the projecting locking blade portion. Thus, the surface of the projecting locking blade portion is not abraded. Thus, the increase of the insertion force that is generated by making the hardness of the clamp higher than the conventional clamp is offset by making the projection amount of the locking blade portion in a lateral direction thereof small. Thus, the degree of the insertion force that is applied to the installing hole of the clamp is almost equal to that of the insertion force that is applied thereto by the conventional clamp.
The clamp is made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalat

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Clamp does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Clamp, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Clamp will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2837493