Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Bale and package ties – hose clamps – Metal bands
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-13
2001-06-12
Brittain, James R. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Bale and package ties, hose clamps
Metal bands
C024S0200CW
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243924
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hose clamps, and more particularly to the reinforcement in the bridging portion of a so-called “Oetiker” ear.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hose clamps with so-called “Oetiker” ears consisting of two generally outwardly extending leg portions interconnected by a bridging portion have enjoyed immense commercial success since almost five decades ago. These clamps originally included two ears and were made from tubular stock (U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,304). With the use of improved manufacturing techniques assuring better dimensional controls of the hose materials, clamps with only one ear became a practical reality. Additionally, clamps also were made from clamping band material of galvanized steel and stainless steel (U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,495). However, problems arose, especially when using thinner clamping band materials in the ability to properly realize the desired omega shape of the ear upon plastic deformation thereof with conventional pincer tools. More specifically, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,436, in lieu of deforming into a more or less omega shape upon plastic deformation, the ears generally designated by reference numeral
20
in
FIG. 1
of this application had a tendency to buckle as illustrated in this figure. Special tools with a hold-down member
50
(
FIG. 2
) were developed to counteract this tendency. Apart from the cost factor, the need for special tools detracted from the universal appeal of such hose clamps. As also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,436, the tendency to buckle was eliminated by the use of one or more reinforcing grooves
25
in the bridging portion of the “Oetiker” ear. These reinforcing grooves could be either in the form of pressed-out, deep-drawn embossments
25
(
FIGS. 4-6
) or in the form of pressed-out, deep-drawn indentations
25
′ (FIGS.
7
and
8
). These reinforcements
25
and
25
′ were normally in the form of a narrow groove resembling the shape of a canoe with a pronounced curved bottom. As new hose materials became available which were made from thinner and much harder plastic materials and as the demands made of hose clamps also changed therewith, a new reinforcing arrangement of the bridging portion came into being as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,295. The improved reinforcement generally designated by reference numeral
125
in the bridging portion
122
of the ear generally designated by reference numeral
120
(
FIGS. 9-12
) had a relatively shallow pan-shaped depression including a generally flat bottom part
126
as well as longitudinal and transverse connecting portions
127
and
128
connecting the bottom part
126
with the remaining non-depressed bridging portion
122
. The area of the bottom part was specified in this patent to be at least 35% of the original area of the non-reinforced bridging portion, and preferably between about 40% to about 60% thereof. This prior art reinforcing arrangement for the bridging portion has also proved commercially highly successful. However, because of material needs in the formation of the depression
125
, the sides of this prior art bridging portion become curved concavely as also disclosed in this patent. Additionally, an important feature of the so-called “Oetiker” ears resides in the automatic compensation in case of thermal or pressure variations in the hose. This feature is due to the elastic behavior caused by stresses set up in the ear during plastic deformation which resist and compensate for changes in the shape of the plastically deformed ear. The plastically deformed “Oetiker” ear thereby compensates also for aging of the hose material in that it seeks to maintain the original clamping pressure as the external diameter of the hose decreases due to aging. It is therefore desirable to limit the anti-buckling reinforcing areas as much as possible to areas other than areas where compensating stresses are set up during plastic deformation of the normal flat band material including the areas of the connections between the bridging portion and the leg portions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention is predicated on the recognition that the anti-buckling requirement of an “Oetiker” ear conflicts with the desire to utilize as much of the original flat band material as possible in the plastic deformation of the ear to optimize the so-called “breathing” ability of the ear, i.e., to compensate for increases or decreases of the outside dimensions of the hose. Furthermore, the invention also seeks to minimize the concave curvature in the sides of the bridging portion which causes a reduction of the area of the bridging portion where maximum resistance to buckling is desired, i.e., in the longitudinal center area of the bridging portion.
These drawbacks are avoided according to this invention in that the reinforcing arrangement in the bridging portion of the “Oetiker” ear defines the outline of a shape resembling a four-sided diamond. This configuration which is widest in the center area of the reinforcement thereby offers maximum resistance to buckling in the area where most needed. On the other hand, it provides additional material for the plastic deformation in other needed areas such as, for example along the sides of the bridging portion and in the areas where the leg portions are connected with the bridging portion. It makes available material to minimize the tendency of concavely curved constrictions in the sides of the bridging portion.
According to another feature of this invention, the resistance to buckling may be increased in the area where most needed, by an additional narrow groove-shaped reinforcing recess extending longitudinally substantially in the center area of the depression in the bridging portion and of a length equal to but preferably smaller than the maximum longitudinal extent of the bottom of the approximately diamond-shaped reinforcing recess. If the width of the clamping band permits, this groove-shaped reinforcing recess may be adjoined on each side in the transverse direction of the clamping band by one or more narrow groove-shaped reinforcing recesses which decrease in overall length away from the center longitudinal plane of the bridging portion to thereby conform to the outline of the diamond-shaped configuration.
According to still another feature of this invention, the approximately diamond-shaped recess may be omitted altogether with certain materials and with a sufficient width of the clamping band and may be replaced by substantially longitudinally extending narrow groove-shaped reinforcing recesses of ever-decreasing length away from the center longitudinal plane of the bridging portion which again conform to the outline of an approximately diamond-shaped configuration.
The term “recess” in this application is used to describe both inwardly and outwardly deep-drawn, pressed-out shapes, i.e., both deep-drawn, pressed-out indentations and embossments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5282295 (1994-02-01), Oetiker
patent: 5339496 (1994-08-01), Oetiker
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