Abstract:
A pipe clamp for supporting pipes consists of an open sheet-metal strip surrounding the pipe and of a rubber sleeve which is inserted between the pipe and the sheet-metal strip. The two ends of the sheet-metal strip are connected to one another in the assembled state by means of a clamping screw. The pipe clamp consists only of the sheet-metal strip and of the clamping screw, the two strip ends being bent somewhat radially outwards, forming two screw lugs, and the clamping screw being supported, in the pre-assembled state, on a screw lug such that it cannot be lost and is ready for assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a pipe clip for fastening a pipe to a wall, ceiling or another support. Such a pipe clip comprises a clip body with an opening for attaching the pipe clip around the pipe, which opening is delimited by a first end of the clip body and a second end of the clip body. A first outwardly extending flange is formed integrally with the first end and a second outwardly extending flange is formed integrally with the second end. A tightening element comprising a head and a shank connects the first and second end of the clip body. The head of the tightening element engages with the first end of the clip body and the shank of the tightening element engages with the second end. 
     For example, DE 40 15 404 discloses a pipe clip wherein the pipe clip has at one end a flange which is provided with a bore provided with a screw thread The screw thread is screwed into this bore and is fixed in relation to the flange. The pipe clip has at the other end a flange with a recess which is open on the side remote from the clip body. The recess in the flange has a width which is greater than the diameter of the head of the tightening screw. An arresting mechanism is attached to the side of the flange that is facing away from the other flange. The arresting mechanism is a separate component which is pivotably fastened to the clip body. The arresting mechanism has a recess which is open on the side facing away from the clip body and which has a width smaller than the diameter of the tightening screw During closing of the clip, the head presses against the arresting mechanism and ensures the pivoting of the arresting mechanism for the play required to bring the head of the tightening screw along the edge of the arresting mechanism in order subsequently to engage with the head behind the edges of the recess of the arresting mechanism, the shank of the tightening screw being received in the recess. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to provide a simplified pipe clip. 
     According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a pipe clip comprising a clip body with an opening for attaching the pipe clip around a pipe, which opening is delimited by a first end of the clip body and a second end of the clip body A first outwardly extending flange is formed integrally with the first end and a second outwardly extending flange is formed integrally with the second end The pipe clip furthermore comprises a tightening element comprising a head and a shank, the head of which tightening element engages with the first end of the clip body and the shank of which tightening element engages with the second end The first flange is curved with a relatively large radius of curvature in such a way that the free end of the flange extends substantially in the radial direction and the other end of the first flange merges seamlessly in the tangential direction of the clip body. A recess is formed in the first flange for the shank of the tightening element and there is formed in the clip body a recess which adjoins the recess in the first flange and through which the head of the tightening element fits. The clip body is configured resiliently, at least in proximity to the first end. All this is in such a way that when in use, during closing of the pipe clip, the head of the tightening element is pressed against the side of the first flange that faces the second flange, the clip body is shaped and deformable in such a way that the head of the tightening element is able to slide along the flange in the direction of the recess in the clip body. When the head projects into the recess in the clip body, the clip body recoils, as a result of which the shank of the tightening element is received in the recess in the flange and the head of the tightening element engages behind the edges of the recess in the first flange. 
     The pipe clip according to the invention does not require any separate components because of the deformability of the clip body and the forming of a guide face by the side of the first flange that faces the second flange, which guide face guides the head of the tightening element toward the recess intended for this purpose in the clip body when the pipe clip is pressed tight. The pipe clip can thus be manufactured simply and inexpensively. A further advantage is that the free end of the first flange is closed, in contrast to the flange from, for example, DE 40 15 404, as a result of which the flange is stronger. 
     Preferred embodiments of the pipe clip according to the invention are defined in the dependent claims. 
     The invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a pipe clip according to the invention when opened; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the pipe clip from  FIG. 1  during closing thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the pipe clip from  FIG. 1  when closed; and 
         FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6 A- 6 C, and  7  are front views of another preferred embodiment of a pipe clip according to the invention during different stages of assembly. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 1-3  show a pipe clip  1  with a metal clip body comprising two clip halves  2  and  3  respectively. The first clip half  2  is provided at both ends with a flange  4  and  5  respectively. The second clip half  3  is provided at both ends with a flange  6  and  7  respectively When fitted, the flange  4  of the first clip half  2  opposes the flange  6  of the second clip half  3 , and the flange  5  of the first clip half  2  opposes the flange  7  of the second clip half  3   
     The second clip half  3  is provided on its outside with a nut  15  with which the pipe clip  1  can be suspended from a threaded end or the like. The nut  15  is fastened to the clip half  3 , for example, by welding. 
     The flanges  6  and  7  in the second clip half  3  are configured identically and provided with a screw hole. The flange  5  of the first clip half  2  is provided with a slotted hole  9 . 
     When fitted, a tightening screw  10  is inserted through the elongate hole  9  in the first clip half  2  and inserted into the screw hole in the flange  7  of the second clip half  3 . The flange  5  of the first clip half  2  is bent away from the flange  7  of the second clip half  3 ; this allows, in conjunction with the elongate hole  9 , the clip halves  2  and  3  to be hinged open, an opening  11  being enlarged on the diametrically opposite side in such a way that the pipe clip  1  can be attached around a pipe. 
     Per se, it is also possible to use another hinge construction in order to connect the clip halves, for example with an integrally formed T-shaped end part on one clip half and a slotted hole on the other clip half such as is known, for example, from EP 597 193. The clip body could also be of one-piece configuration, the clip body being sufficiently flexible to allow the opening  11  to be made sufficiently large to attach the pipe clip around a pipe. 
     The flange  4  of the first clip half  2  is curved with a relatively large radius of curvature. The free end of the flange  4  extends substantially in the radial direction. The other end of the flange  4  merges seamlessly in the tangential direction of the first clip half  2  of the clip body. 
     The flange  4  is provided with an elongate recess  12 . Attached to the end of the elongate recess  12  that is remote from the free flange end is an adjoining recess  13  extending in the curved body portion of the first clip half  2 . The recess  13  is wider than the elongate recess  12  in the flange  4   
     When fitted, the flange  4  of the first clip half  2  is tightened against the flange  6 , which is provided with a screw hole, of the second clip half  3  by means of a tightening screw  14 . The recess  13  in the clip body enables the head  14   a  of the tightening screw  14  to be fed therethrough. The elongate recess  12  is narrower than the head  14   a  of the tightening screw  14  but sufficiently wide to receive the shank  14   b  of the tightening screw  14 . 
     The first clip half  2  of the clip body is configured resiliently. 
     During use, the clip halves  2  and  3  are connected to each other in a hinging manner by means of the tightening screw  10  or in another manner. The tightening screw  14  is screwed into the screw hole in the flange  6  of the second clip half  3 . During fitting, the pipe clip is hinged open in the manner described hereinbefore and the pipe clip is attached around a pipe. Subsequently, during closing of the pipe clip  1 , the head  14   a  of the tightening screw  14  is pressed against the side  4   a  of the flange  4  that faces the flange  6 . The first clip half  2  of the clip body is deformed by the compressive force in such a way that the head  14   a  of the tightening screw  14  slides along the side  4   a  of the flange  4  in the direction of the recess  13  in the clip body. When the head  14   a  of the tightening screw  14  projects into the recess  13  in the clip body, the first clip half  2  recoils, as a result of which the shank  14   b  of the tightening screw  14  is received in the elongate recess  12  in the flange  4  and the head  14   b  of the tightening screw  14  engages behind the edges of the elongate recess  12  in the flange  4 . The clip  1  is then closed around the pipe. The tightening screws  10  and  14  can then be tightened in order to tighten the clip halves  2  and  3  around the pipe. 
       FIG. 4  shows a different pipe clip  41  with a metal clip body comprising two clip halves  42  and  43  respectively. The first clip half  42  is provided at both ends with a flange  44  and  45  respectively. The second clip half  43  is provided at both ends with a flange  46  and  47  respectively. When fitted, the flange  44  of the first clip half  42  opposes the flange  46  of the second clip half  43 , and the flange  45  of the first clip half  42  opposes the flange  47  of the second clip half  43 . 
     The second clip half  43  has in each of the flanges  46  and  47  a screw hole into which a tightening screw  50  and  51  respectively is screwed. The first clip half  43  has in the flanges  44  and  45  respectively a recess  48  and  49  respectively for the shank of the respective tightening screws  50  and  51 . Formed in the clip body, in the first clip half  42 , is a recess  401  and  402  respectively which adjoins the recess  48  and  49  respectively in the flanges  44  and  45  respectively and through which the head  50   a  and  51   a  respectively of the tightening screw  50  and  51  respectively fits. 
     In  FIG. 4 , the first clip half  42  is represented in a non-connected state. The arrows  52  illustrate the direction of movement when the first clip half  42  is placed on the second clip half  43  and around a pipe (not shown). As is shown in  FIG. 5 , the screw head  51   a  is inserted through the broader recess  402  after which the clip half  42  is shifted such that the shank  51   b  is received in the elongate opening  49 . The flange  44  of the clip half  42  is placed against the head  50   a  of the tightening screw  50 . The exertion of further pressure causes the clip half  42  to become deformed, the flange  44  being moved outward, as is illustrated in  FIGS. 6   a - 6   c . In the figures, the flange  44  is shown in various positions during the outward movement. In the position moved furthest outward ( FIG. 6   c ), the head  50   a  can be inserted through the opening  401 , after which the clip half  42  can recoil, wherein the shank  50   b  of the tightening screw  50  can be received in the elongate opening  48 . The clip halves  42  and  43  are then connected to each other by means of this quick-acting closure. Subsequently, the tightening screws  50  and  51  can then be tightened in order to tighten the clip halves  42  and  43  around the pipe. 
     The pipe clip  41  shown in  FIG. 4  has the advantage that the clip halves  42 ,  43  can be packaged loose and, for example, nested one within the other, so less free space is necessary in the packaging. However, the fitter does not have to screw the pipe clip halves  42 ,  43  together prior to use. This is particularly advantageous in the case of pipe clips for pipes having relatively large diameters. 
     In one embodiment (not shown) comparable to that in  FIG. 4 , the pipe clip comprises two identical clip halves. Each clip half then has on one side a flange comparable to the flange  46 ,  47  and on the other side a flange comparable to the flange  44 ,  45 . In this way, merely one type of clip half has to be manufactured, and this is beneficial in the light of production costs. After manufacture, one of the clip halves can be provided with a nut, a screw hole or the like in order to be able to suspend the pipe clip from a threaded end or the like. 
     Two specific preferred embodiments have been shown hereinbefore. However, it will be understood that the features mentioned in the description and shown in the figures of these specific preferred embodiments must not be interpreted as being restrictive. Alternative embodiments with features which have been altered or adapted in relation to the embodiments shown specifically in the present document are conceivable and come under the scope of the invention defined in the claims.