Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Bale and package ties – hose clamps – Metal bands
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-16
2001-06-19
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Bale and package ties, hose clamps
Metal bands
C024S0200CW
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247206
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved clamp, especially for hoses, axle boots and the like, and more particularly to an improved tightening means for such clamps.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
So-called “Oetiker” ears as tightening means have enjoyed an immense success worldwide because of the ability to “breathe”, i.e., compensate for thermal expansions, increase of pressure in the hose and aging of the hose without loss of the holding ability of the clamp. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,498, the typical “Oetiker” ear generally designated by reference numeral
2
(
FIG. 1
) of a so-called closed clamp generally designated by reference numeral
1
includes two parallel, outwardly extending leg portions
3
and
4
interconnected by a bridging portion
5
, whereby the ear, when plastically deformed, assumes a more or less omega shape (FIG.
2
). To avoid the need for special tools to achieve the desired omega shape in every case, a reinforcing groove
40
′ (
FIG. 3
) extending in the circumferential direction of the bridging portion
5
as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,436 has been used in both so-called closed clamps as well as in so-called open clamps. Its use in so-called open clamps is shown in
FIG. 4
which represents a clamp as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,012 which includes in its improved mechanical connection a guide hook
31
and two cold-deformed, deep drawn support hooks
32
adapted to engage in apertures
35
. This clamp is also provided with an arrangement achieving an inner clamping surface devoid of any step, discontinuity or gap and includes a tongue-like extension
61
adapted to engage in a central channel
63
beginning at the step-like portion
67
and terminating in the second step-like portion
65
. An improved reinforcing means in the form of a shallow pan-shaped depression
40
″ with a substantially flat bottom and extending over a wide area of the bridging portion (
FIG. 5
) eventually replaced the reinforcing groove
40
′, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,499. Clamps with so-called “Oetiker” ears incorporating the aforementioned features are presently being used annually in large numbers involving hundreds of millions.
Because clamps with “Oetiker” ears, once installed, cannot be removed without destruction of the ear, it is important that the clamping tool be properly positioned relative to the ear and clamp before tightening the clamp by plastic deformation of the ear. On the assembly line, commercially available pneumatic tools are used to contract the clamp with essentially the same force. Though relatively rarely, operators using pneumatically actuated pincer-like tools, apply the tool incorrectly on the assembly line under pressure of time, i.e., fail to engage the tips of the jaws of the tool in the area of connection between the band portions and the outwardly extending leg portions of the ear which may result in an improperly installed clamp. The part then has to be removed, requiring sidelining the particular part with the incorrectly installed clamp, removing the clamp by destruction and radially installing a new clamp.
Another problem encountered with clamps is the ever-growing demand to increase the tolerance range of the clamp, i.e., to compensate for dimensional deviations of the hose and/or of the fixed member, such as a nipple, which the clamp of a given size can cover to fasten the hose reliably to the fixed member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention seeks to overcome these shortcomings with presently available “Oetiker” ears by providing the operator with an interactive feel to indicate when the tightening tool is properly positioned relative to the ear of the clamp, before releasing the (pneumatic) tightening force. This is achieved in that the leg portions of the ear diverge from one another in the inward direction by forming a small angle with respect to the usual outward direction of the prior art leg portions so that, beginning at the bridging portion, at least the outer parts of the leg portions diverge from one another in the inward direction of the ear. In one preferred embodiment, re-entrant inner parts of the leg portions are then directed again toward one another so that the spacing at the inner ends of the leg portions in the non-contracted condition of the clamp is less than the maximum spacing of the leg portions, and preferably remains at least substantially the same as the length of the bridging portion in the longitudinal direction. The re-entrant inner parts of the leg portions are thereby preferably curvilinear in such a way that the configuration of the innermost part of the leg portions and of the adjacent respective clamping band portions conform at least approximately to the shape of the jaws of the pincer-like tools. In one embodiment, the curvilinear configuration of the re-entrant inner parts is thereby so chosen as to enhance the realization of the ultimate omega shape of the ear after plastic deformation thereof during the tightening phase. It may be desirable in that connection to provide the curvilinear parts of the leg portions with reinforcing means in the form of one or more side-by-side reinforcing grooves or embossments. The extent of these reinforcing embossments or grooves depends on the type of material and thickness of the clamping band as well as on the shape of the non-deformed plastically deformable ear and can be readily determined empirically for each clamp type. With the use of the present invention, the tool operator is able to feel when the tool is properly positioned to apply the tightening force because when sliding the jaws of the tool inwardly over the diverging leg portions, there occurs a slight resistance. When the jaws of the tool reach and pass into the re-entrant parts of the leg portions, this interactive feedback action on the jaws ceases, thereby providing interactive feedback to the operator that the tool is about to be properly positioned. As a result of the shape of the re-entrant parts, application of the tightening forces at that point will cause the tips of the jaws of the tool to move to the proper position in the area of connection with the clamping band. The maximum open position of the jaws of the pneumatic pincer-like tool are best correlated with the angle of divergence to achieve good feedback information.
The demand for an increased tolerance range of a given clamp size can also be realized in a simple manner with the present invention by the use of the feature of the diverging leg portion. This feature can thereby be used in conjunction with the interactive feedback or by itself without the interactive feedback feature in which case it provides by simple means an important improvement in the tolerance range for clamps of the type to which this invention relates without adversely affecting the normal holding and functioning of the ear.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 26211 (1967-05-01), Thurston et al.
patent: 3475793 (1969-11-01), Oetiker
patent: 3869944 (1975-03-01), Detiker
patent: 4222155 (1980-09-01), Oetiker
patent: 4430775 (1984-02-01), Arthur
patent: 4724583 (1988-02-01), Ojima
patent: 5070579 (1991-12-01), Hirabayashi
patent: 5111555 (1992-05-01), Oetiker
patent: 5940939 (1999-08-01), Geppert
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