Abstract:
According to the invention, a tool for assembling and disassembling an elastic collar includes first and second jaws mobile relative to each other. The first and second jaws respectively include first gripping profiles, the first gripping profiles being adapted to interact with the elastic collar and being provided opposite each other along a first predetermined and general collar-gripping orientation relative to the jaws. The first and second jaws respectively include at least second gripping profiles, the second gripping profiles being provided opposite each other and being adapted to interact with the elastic collar along a second predetermined general gripping orientation relative to the jaws, the second orientation being different from the first orientation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a tool for assembling and disassembling a resilient clamping collar on a tubular member. The collar is closed in a loop comprising two ends, suitable for being mutually engaged, and the tool is of the type comprising first and second jaws, movable relative to one another to assemble and disassemble the collar. The first jaw comprises a first gripping profile suitable for co-operating with one of the two ends of the resilient collar, and the second jaw comprises a first gripping profile suitable for co-operating with the other of the two ends of the resilient collar. The first profiles of the first and second jaws are arranged facing each other in a first predetermined and general collar-gripping orientation relative to the jaws of the tool, and are suitable for co-operating with one of the ends of the resilient collar to assemble and disassemble the collar. 
     The fitting and removal of a resilient collar with a pincer-type tool comprising a first jaw and a second jaw articulated on a pivot is known on the one hand, from document EP-A1-0 224 317. 
     The resilient collar in question is a closed loop and comprises two ends, one of which comprises a radial projection and the other a hook suitable for being locked on the radial projection so as to close the resilient collar round a tubular member of the flexible pipe type. The first and second jaws of the tool have different profiles which co-operate with one of the ends of the collar. When turned over, the tool allows the engagement of the jaws relative to the respective ends of the collar to be reversed, thus allowing the ends of the collar to be locked or unlocked in order to assemble or disassemble the tubular member. 
     However, this tool is difficult to manipulate when assembling and disassembling the collar in difficult-to-access places. 
     On the other hand, Caillau pliers reference 0260 comprising two parallel closing jaws, on each of which an interchangeable orientable end piece allows resilient collars to be manipulated in difficult-to-access places. 
     However, orientation of the interchangeable end pieces is performed independently with a nut and bolt system on each of the jaws of the pliers. This makes it complex to manipulate and precisely orient the end pieces opposite one another. 
     An object of the invention is to design a simple tool for assembling and/or disassembling a resilient clamping collar, while allowing the resilient collars to be manipulated easily in difficult-to-access places. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the invention relates to a tool for assembling and disassembling a resilient collar of the above-mentioned type, in which the first and second jaws comprise respectively at least a second gripping profile. The two corresponding profiles are arranged facing each other and are suitable for co-operating with one of the ends of the resilient collar to assemble or disassemble the collar. The second profiles of the first and second jaws are arranged in a second predetermined and general orientation relative to the jaws of the tool, the second orientation being different from the first orientation. 
     According to other features:
         each jaw comprises two gripping profiles each arranged respectively on each leg of an L shape;   each jaw comprises three gripping profiles each arranged respectively on two end portions and an intermediate portion of a U shape;   each first gripping profile of the first jaw comprises a guiding chamfer and a centering notch designed respectively to guide and/or center one of the ends of the resilient collar, and   each first profile of the second jaw comprises a hollowed tip with a taper, the assembly and disassembly operations being performed by engaging the first and second jaws in reversed positions with the ends of the collar;   each jaw comprises identical gripping profiles;   each jaw is produced from thick steel sheet, the gripping profiles being integral with each jaw;   the tool is configured as pliers comprising a joint connecting two arms in scissors-fashion, the arms having respectively a handle and a jaw;   the tool comprises a cable mechanism for remote actuation of the first and second jaws.       

     The invention also relates to a unit made up of at least a resilient clamping collar, closed in a generally circular loop, comprising two ends. One of the ends comprises a radial locking projection extending as an external protrusion, and the other end comprises a locking hook co-operating with the radial projection to resiliently and reversibly connect the two ends of the collar to one another. The unit is also made up of a tool as described below. 
     According to another feature, the end of the resilient collar having the radial projection also comprises on the side of the projection opposite the associated end of the collar, a boss extending radially outwards. The guiding and/or centering notch of each gripping profile of the second jaw co-operates with the boss in the collar disassembly phase. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described, in a non-limiting fashion, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of the tool according to the invention illustrating a first general collar-gripping orientation relative to the jaws of the tool; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the tool along the arrow II of  FIG. 1  showing the first general gripping orientation; 
         FIG. 3  is a similar view to  FIG. 2  showing a second general collar-gripping orientation relative to the jaws of the tool; 
         FIG. 4  is a similar view to  FIG. 2  showing a third general collar-gripping orientation relative to the jaws of the tool; 
         FIGS. 5 to 9  illustrate successively the phases of locking and unlocking a resilient collar using a tool according to the invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view on an enlarged scale showing the profile of the first jaw of the tool according to the invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view on an enlarged scale showing the profile of the second jaw of the tool according to the invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the tool similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing a variant in which the jaws are L-shaped; 
         FIG. 13  is a front view of the tool similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing a variant including a cable actuating mechanism. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIG. 1 , a tool  10  according to the invention is illustrated gripping a resilient clamping collar  12 , the collar being designed for clamping on a tubular member such as a flexible pipe arranged in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle. The tool  10  comprises a first arm  14  and a second arm  16  connected by a scissors-type pivot joint  18 . The first arm  14  comprises a first handle  20  and a first jaw  22  arranged on either side of the pivot joint  18 . Similarly, the second arm  16  comprises a second handle  24  and a second jaw  26  arranged on either side of the pivot joint  18 . 
     In the example illustrated, the tool  10  extends in a general plane represented by the plane in  FIG. 1 . The collar  12  is closed in a generally circular loop, and is arranged in a general plane substantially parallel to the general plane of the tool  10 . The first jaw  22  and the second jaw  26  are configured in such a way that a mutual bringing together of the handles  20  and  24  tends to bring the jaws  22  and  26  closer to one another. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the first jaw  22  is generally U-shaped. It comprises a first length (leg)  28  and a second length (leg)  30 , which are substantially parallel to each other and parallel to the general plane of the tool  10 , and are connected by an intermediate length (leg)  32  substantially perpendicular to the lengths (legs)  28  and  30 . 
     The second jaw  26  is generally U-shaped similar to the first jaw  26 . It too comprises a first length (leg)  34  and a second length (leg)  36 , substantially parallel to each other and parallel to the general plane of the tool  10 , connected by an intermediate length (leg)  38  substantially perpendicular to the lengths (legs)  34  and  36 . 
     The first and second jaws  22  and  26  are produced, preferably, from thick metal sheet. 
     The first jaw  22  comprises an inner chamfer  40  arranged along the entire length of U shape and facing the second jaw  26 . The chamfer  40  is inclined in the thickness of the metal sheet forming the first jaw  22 , in such a way that, seen in cross section ( FIG. 11 ), the inner face  42  has a lower height than the outer U-shaped face  44  of the first jaw  22 . 
     A notch  46 , centered on each of the lengths  28 ,  30  and  32  of the first jaw  22 , has a bottom face  48  surrounded by two side faces  50 . 
     The face  48  of each notch  46  is oriented in such a way that it forms an acute angle with the inner face  42  of the first jaw  22 . The chamfer  40  is oriented in such a way that it forms an acute angle with the outer face  44  of the first jaw  22  ( FIG. 5  to  FIG. 9 ). 
     The second jaw  26  has a continuous recess  52  of quadrant-shaped cross-section on the inner periphery of the U. This recess forms the inner face of a tapered tip  54  oriented towards the jaw  22 . 
     The same tool  10 , comprising U-shaped jaws, comprises three pairs of gripping profiles integral with the jaws, that is to say a pair on each length of the U. Each pair has a chamfered profile  40  provided with a notch  46  arranged in the first jaw  22 , and a hollowed profile  52  with a tapered tip  54  on the second jaw  26 . 
     Thus, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , a resilient clamping collar can be gripped by the jaws of the tool  10  in three different predetermined and general orientations. 
     In fact, the intermediate lengths  32  and  38  of the U shapes of the first  22  and second  26  jaws allow the collar  12  to be oriented substantially parallel to the general plane of the tool  10 . The lengths  30  and  36  arranged at the free end of the U shapes of the first  22  and second  26  jaws allow a second general gripping orientation of the collar  12  substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the tool  10 . The lengths  28  and  34  of the U shapes of the first  22  and second  26  jaws arranged close to the pivot joint  18  allow a third general gripping orientation of the collar  12  substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the tool  10  and oriented the opposite way with respect to the second general gripping orientation of the collar  12 . 
     According to  FIGS. 5 to 9 , the collar  12  is closed in a loop. It comprises, in a known manner, a first end  60  in the form of a trapezoidal hook which ends in an inward curving tip  61 , and a second end  62  in which an outer boss  64  and a substantially radial outer projection  66  are formed. The boss  64  is adjacent to the face of the projection  66  opposite the end  62  of the collar. 
     To assemble the collar  12  in order to fix a tubular member, such as a flexible pipe on an engine element of a motor vehicle, the collar  12 , in the unlocked and open state, is placed on the tubular member. The jaws  22  and  26  of the tool  10  are arranged close to the hook  60  and the boss  64 , in such a way that the chamfer  40  of the first jaw  22  is placed resting behind the hook  60 , and the tapered tip  54  of the second jaw comes in contact with the boss  64 . In this configuration, the radial projection  66  is positioned between the hook  60  and the boss  64  of the collar  12 . An action on the arms  20  and  24  of the tool  10  tending to bring them closer together leads to a movement of the jaws  22  and  26  towards each other, as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 5 . By continuing this movement of bringing together the jaws  22  and  26 , the hook  60  resiliently passes over the radial projection  66  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     An action on the arms  20  and  24  of the tool  10  tending to move the first tip  22  away from the second tip  26  causes the hook  60  to lock on the radial projection  66 , the curved tip  61  of the hook  60  being engaged the said radial projection. The collar  12  is in the locked and closed state as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     From this state, to open and disassemble the collar  12  of the tubular member, the tool  10  is turned over so as to reverse the engagement of the jaws  22  and  26  on the rear portion of the hook  60  and the rear portion of the boss  64 . 
     A movement tending to bring the jaws  22  and  26  closer together, as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 7 , allows the chamfered edge  40  and the face  48  of the notch  46  of the first jaw  22  to be presented facing the boss  64  of the collar  12 , and the tapered tip  54  of the second jaw  26  facing the rear portion of the hook  60 . 
     By continuing the movement tending to bring the jaws  22  and  26  closer to each other, the boss  64  is centered between the side walls  50  of the notch  46 , and the chamfer  40  comes in contact with the radial projection  66  and the curved tip  61  of the hook  60 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . An additional movement of bringing together the jaws  22  and  26  causes the curved tip  61  to be guided along the slope of the chamfer  40  towards the inner face  42 , and disengages the curved tip  61  from engagement with the radial projection  66 . 
     A movement tending to move the jaws  22  and  26  away from each other, as indicated by the arrows of  FIG. 9 , then allows the first end  60  and the second end  62  of the collar  12  to be disconnected, and thus opened. 
     The invention has been described with U-shaped jaws. However, according to a variant shown in  FIG. 12 , the tool  100  can have an L-shaped jaw comprising a gripping profile arranged on each leg (first leg and second leg) of the L allows two predetermined and general gripping orientations of a resilient collar. One of the orientations is substantially parallel to the general plane of the tool, and the other is substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the tool. 
     The invention has been described above with a pliers-type tool comprising two articulated arms each comprising a jaw and a handle. According to a variant shown in  FIG. 13 , the tool  200  can comprise a set of articulated jaws remote from a set of handles that are also articulated, the two sets being connected by a cable actuating mechanism  210 ,  220 . Due to the invention, it is possible to manipulate a resilient clamping collar in difficult-to-access places with a simple tool that has a plurality of general collar-gripping orientations.