Abstract:
A clamp apparatus includes seat and a stopper. The stopper is force toward the seat by an elastic member, so that the stop and the seat are able to clutch and stop a tube or a multi-way valve. The seat is provided with a detachable holder which clips or presses on the tube or the multi-way valve. Thus, by interchanging the holder with another holder, the clip can fit with sizes of tubes and multi-way valves. Application of the clamp apparatus is expended with minimal accessories.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]      1 . Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a clamp for stopping a tube or a multi-way valve. 
         [0003]      2 . Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Tubes and multi-way valves are frequently utilized in connecting machines for transporting liquid or gas. For servicing the machines, these tubes and multi-way valves shall be temporarily sealed, or gas or liquid would spray out. Therefore, clamp for stopping tubes is a common tool, such as disclosed in TWD142958. 
         [0005]    However, diameters of the tubes and the multi-way valves are different from one another. A considerable amount of clamps have to be prepared for fitting with sizes of the tubes. Thus, the cost for servicing is increased. 
         [0006]    Tube clamp is then provided for fitting with sizes of tubes. However, the clamp has to be fixed and mounted to the tube with specialized tools. Manipulation of the clamp is difficult and complicated. 
         [0007]    The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above mentioned disadvantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The main object of the present invention is to provide an operation-friendly clamp for stopping sizes of tubes. 
         [0009]    To achieve the above and other objects, a clamp apparatus of the present invention includes a main body, a stopper, and a holder. 
         [0010]    One end of the main body is formed as a sheath, and another end of the main body is formed as a seat. The sheath and the seat define an operation space. The sheath has a vertical hole. The hole communicates with the operation space. The seat is formed with an opening The opening extends laterally and approaches a lateral side of the seat. The seat is formed with a positioning groove which extends along an appearance of the opening and locates at a side wall of the opening The positioning groove has a top wall and a bottom wall. 
         [0011]    The stopper is movably inserted through the hole. A plug is disposed on one end of the stopper. 
         [0012]    The holder is detachably and slidably disposed between the top wall and the bottom wall of the positioning groove. 
         [0013]    Therefore, by only interchanging the holder with another holder, the clip can fit and stop sizes of tubes and multi-way valves. Operation-friendly clamp apparatus for stopping sizes of tubes is provided. 
         [0014]    The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a stereogram showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a breakdown drawing showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  is a stereogram showing a holder which is formed with a smaller opening; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  is a breakdown drawing showing a holder which has a plug disposed thereon; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a profile showing a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a profile showing an operation condition of a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein one end of a tube is obstructed; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a profile showing a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein two openings of a multi-way valve are obstructed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3  for a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0023]    The clamp apparatus for stopping a tube of the present embodiment includes a main body  10 , a cover  20 , a supporter  30 , a stopper, a first elastic member  50 , two restriction structures, and several holders  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″. 
         [0024]    One end of the main body  10  is formed as a sheath  11 . The other end of the main body  10  is formed as a seat  12 . An operation space  13  is defined between the sheath  11  and the seat  12 . More specifically, the main body  10  is provided with a tubular appearance. The tubular main body  10  is formed with a rip shown as the operation space  13 , so that the sheath  11  and the seat  12  are divided and formed at two end of the main body  10 . A connection wall  14  connects the sheath  11  to the seat  12 , so that the sheath  11  and the seat  12  are still provided in single piece. The sheath  11  has a tubular appearance and a vertical hole  111 . The vertical hole  111  communicates with the operation space  13 . The seat  12  is formed with an opening  121 . The opening  121  extends laterally and approaches a lateral side of the seat  12 . More specifically, the opening  121  extends and approaches the lateral side which is located away from the connection wall  14 . In the present embodiment, the opening  121  and the seat  12  are provided in U-shaped. The seat  12  is formed with a positioning groove  122  which extends along an appearance of the opening  121  and locates at a side wall of the opening  121 . The positioning groove  122  has a top wall and a bottom wall. 
         [0025]    The cover  20  is disposed on one end of the sheath  11  where is located away from the seat  12 . The cover  20  defines a receiving space  21 . The receiving space communicates with the hole  111 . 
         [0026]    The supporter  30  is disposed in the hole  111  and mates with the sheath  11  by threads. The supporter  30  is partially received in the receiving space  21 . The supporter  30  is formed with two apertures  31  which extend radially. 
         [0027]    The stopper includes a handle  41 , a rod  42 , and a plug  43 . The handle  41  is disposed on one end of the rod  42 . The rod  42  is movably inserted through the supporter  30  and the hole  111 . An abutting portion  421  is disposed on the rod  42 . 
         [0028]    The rod  42  is further formed with an annular groove  422 . The plug  43  is disposed on the other end of the rod  42  which locates away from the handle  41 . Corresponding to the tube or the multi-way valve the clamp fitting with, the plug  43  may be provided with a circular protrusion  431 , as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . The circular protrusion  431  defines a leakage prevention groove  432 . Preferably, a protrusion  433  is disposed on a bottom portion of the leakage prevention groove  432 . In another embodiment, the plug  43  may be provided with only one protrusion  434  directly, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0029]    The first elastic member  50  sleeves on the rod  42  of the stopper. One end of the first elastic member  50  abuts against the supporter  30 . The other end of the first elastic member  50  abuts against the abutting portion  421  of the stopper. Thus, the first elastic member  50  is located in the hole  111 . The elastic member provides an elastic force pressing on the abutting portion  421 , so that the stopper is generally forced toward the seat  12 . 
         [0030]    The restriction structures are disposed in the apertures  31  respectively. The restriction structures are used for restricting motion of the stopper moving away from the seat  12 . Therefore, moving distance of the stopper away from the seat  12  is limited. In the present embodiment, each restriction structure includes a second elastic member  61  and a bead  62 . One end of the second elastic member  61  abuts against the cover  20 , and the other end abuts against the bead  62 . The second elastic member  61  provides an elastic force, pressing on the bead  62 . Thus, the bead  62  is generally forced toward the rod  42  of the stopper. 
         [0031]    The holders  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″ are detachably and slidably disposed between the top wall and the bottom wall of the positioning groove  122 . It is noted that only one of the holders is disposed in the positioning groove  122 . The others are prepared for interchanging. More specifically, each of the holders  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″ has an appearance corresponding to the appearance of the positioning groove  122 . In the present embodiment, the positioning groove  122  is formed U-shaped. The holders  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″ are provided with U-shaped appearance, also. A thickness of any one of the holders is equal to a distance between the top wall and the bottom wall of the positioning groove  122 . Thus, the holders  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″ can be put and positioned in the positioning groove  122  easily via the opening of the positioning groove  122 . Regarding to the holder  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″, the holders  70 ,  70 ′ are formed with openings  71 ,  71 ′ for clipping. The openings  71 ,  71 ′ have widths different from each other. The width of the opening  71  is larger than the width of the opening  71 ′, as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 2A . The width of the opening  121  is larger than the widths of the openings  71 ,  71 ′. Thus, the holder  70  is slightly exposed from the positioning groove  122 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The holders  70 ,  70 ′ are then provided for clipping and holding sizes of tubes. Each of the holders  70 ,  70 ′ has a U-shaped appearance or other suitable appearances. The holder  70 ″ has a plug  72  disposed thereon, as shown in  FIG. 2B  and  FIG. 5 . The plug  72  can be interchanged with another plug which has a random or predetermined size. The holders  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″ are able to be slidably disposed in the positioning groove  122 , and are interchangeable with one another. 
         [0032]    For fitting and stopping a tube  81 , the holder  70  which has an opening  71  is chosen and assembled in the clamp apparatus. The opening  71  of the chosen holder  70  has a size corresponding to the size of the tube  81 . Please refer to  FIG. 3 , the handle  41  is firstly pulled upwardly. The rod  42  is then drawn up until the beads are received in the annular groove. The first elastic member  50  is then compressed by the abutting portion  421 , storing elastic force. By the force provided from the second elastic members, the beads press on the rod  42  and the annular groove, so that the stopper is temporarily stock, unable to move toward the seat. The tube  81  is then received and held in the opening of the holder  70 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Pressing down the stopper and forcing the beads  62  leave the annular groove  422 . The rod  42  is then driven toward the seat by the elastic force of the first elastic member  50 . The plug  43  which is disposed on the end of the rod  42  presses on the tube  81 . Thus, the tube  81  is sealed and stopped by the protrusion  433 . In addition, the circular protrusion  431  holds the periphery of the tube  81 . As such, the tube is stopped by the clamp apparatus, and leakage is prohibited. 
         [0033]    For fitting and stopping a multi-way valve  82 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , the holder  70 ″ which has a plug  72  is chosen and assembled in the clamp apparatus. The plug  72  is sized corresponding to the multi-way valve  82 . Additional, the plug  43  which has a single protrusion  434  is chosen. By the similar manipulation mentioned above, the protrusion  434  and the plug  43  can press against and seal two orifices of the multi-way valve  82  with the elastic force provided by the first elastic member. As such, the multi-way valve is stopped by the clamp apparatus, and leakage is prohibited, also. 
         [0034]    Accordingly, the holder of the clamp apparatus is changeable since the seat is formed with an opening and a positioning groove. To fit sizes of tubes or multi-way valves, user can interchange the holder with another holder which has a different size. Sizes and types of holders and plugs are prepared with one clamp apparatus for different work conditions. Application of the clamp apparatus is expanded, and the cost of servicing is minimized. 
         [0035]    In addition, for interchanging the holder, the holder is slidably received in the positioning groove. Detachment and replacement of the holders is easily. Manipulation condition of the clamp apparatus is improved. 
         [0036]    Beside, the stopper is generally force toward the seat. Thus, the stopper can seal the tube or the multi-way valve automatically. It is not necessary to grab the clamp apparatus continuously. Unexpected release of the clamp apparatus and accidental leakage is prohibited.