Patent ID: 6877191
Filing Date: 2005-04-12
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A band clamp for securely clamping one end of a flexible hose to one of at least a rigid pipe, a cast outlet of a radiator, a charge air cooler and a turbocharger, said improved band clamp comprising: a band adapted to circumvent a substantial portion of the flexible hose, said band defining first and second ends, each of said first and second ends being formed to define an arcuate configuration having a convex side and a concave side, said convex side of said first end facing said convex side of said second end, said band defining a circumferential bead extending inwardly from a center of said band, said bead defining a first end terminating prior to said band first end and a second end terminating prior to said band second end, a gap being defined between said bead first end and said bead second end; a fastening device including a spline configured to be closely received between said band first and second ends, a first spacer disposed on said concave side of said band first end, a second spacer disposed on said concave side of said band second end, and a bolt, each of said first spacer, said band first and second ends and said spline defining a through opening for receiving said bolt, said second spacer defining a threaded opening configured to threadably engage said bolt; and an extender carried within said band to extend between said bead first and second ends to cover said gap, said extender defining a first end secured to an interior surface of said band proximate to and overlapping one of said bead first end and said bead second end, said extender defining a second end unsecured to said band in order slide along said interior surface of said band, said extender defining a bead extending inwardly entirely between said extender first end and said extender second end to cooperate with said band bead.