Patent ID: 8286308
Filing Date: 2012-10-16
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A clamp formed of a band and having an outer band end portion which overlaps an inner band portion in the closed condition, comprising: closing means including an aperture in the outer band end portion and a projection on the inner band end portion to engage the aperture in a closed condition of the clamp and hold the mutually overlapping band end portions upon one another; tightening means for tightening the clamp by reducing the circumferential length thereof from the closed condition to a tightened condition; and force transmitting means separate from the closing means for positively transmitting tensile force between the mutually overlapping band end portions in the tightened condition of the clamp, wherein the force transmitting means includes a first cup-shaped embossment formed in the inner band end portion and a second cup-shaped embossment formed in the outer band end portion and adapted to receive the first cup-shaped embossment in the closed condition of the clamp, wherein the first and second cup-shaped embossments each have engaging surface portions that extend substantially perpendicularly to a force transmitting direction, wherein the closing means further includes parallel slots formed in the outer band end portion and extending in the longitudinal direction of the band, and corresponding tabs bent out of the inner band end portion and adapted to extend through the corresponding slots and fold towards each other over the outer band end portion disposed between the parallel slots, and wherein, in the tightened condition of the clamp, all tensile forces are transmitted to the first and second cup-shaped embossments and wherein the parallel slots absorb none of the tensile forces.