Abstract:
An apparatus ( 100 ) includes a clamp ( 114 ) having a head ( 116 ) and a worm gear ( 118 ) at least partially disposed in the head ( 116 ). The worm gear ( 118 ) is rotatable and has external threads. A strap ( 122 ) has a first end ( 128 ) attached to the clamp ( 114 ) and a second end ( 132 ) engaged by the worm gear ( 118 ). A retainer ( 146 ) is operably coupled to the head ( 116 ) and configured to attach the retainer ( 146 ) to a hose ( 12 ).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a clamp, including but not limited to an encircling, worm gear type clamp. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Worm gear clamps are widely used because they offer certain advantages over spring-type clamps or other types of clamps that are applicable to only a relatively narrow range of diameters. For example, worm gear clamps are more convenient to use because they do not require special tools for installation and removal. Further, worm gear clamps can be applicable to a larger range of diameters. Also, worm gear clamps allow adjustment of the clamping forces. 
         [0003]    Typically, a free end of a strap member is introduced into a worm gear drive head, and into engagement with a worm member. Turning a worm member tightening screw reduces the diameter of the clamp. The worm member is typically turned by means of a screwdriver or wrench at a head of the worm member tightening screw. 
         [0004]    However, the prior art worm gear clamps also involve some disadvantages. One disadvantage of the prior art worm gear clamps is that they are difficult to assemble onto a hose or other member. When the clamp is tightened, the tightening screw relocates from the original position to a second position. Thus, the user has to chase the tightening screw around the circumference of the hose during assembly onto the hose. 
         [0005]    Further, in automotive applications, and particularly in engine assembly applications, an engine compartment has limited space in which the worm gear drive head can be located. In the limited space of the engine compartment, the manufacturing line user must anticipate where the worm gear drive head will relocate to after tightening the clamp. Requiring the manufacturing line user to anticipate the ending location, or to continually correct the ending location, of worm gear drive head is time consuming. Further, the precise location of the worm gear drive head must be known in an automated manufacturing line so that the automated machine knows the exact space that is occupied by the clamp. 
         [0006]    Thus, there is a need for a worm gear clamp assembly that can be assembled onto a hose with ease. There is also a need for a worm gear clamp assembly that provides a precise known location of the clamp after installation. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An apparatus includes a clamp having a head and a worm gear at least partially disposed in the head. The worm gear is rotatable and has external threads. A strap has a first end attached to the clamp and a second end engaged by the worm gear. A retainer is operably coupled to the head and configured to attach the retainer to a hose. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art worm gear clamp and a prior art clamp retainer on a hose. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the prior art worm gear clamp and the clamp retainer of  FIG. 1 , with the worm gear clamp tightened. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a worm gear clamp assembly connected to an end of a hose, in accordance with the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the worm gear clamp assembly of  FIG. 3 , with the worm gear clamp tightened, in accordance with the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a prior art worm gear clamp is depicted generally at  10 , and is disposed on a hose  12 . The worm gear clamp  10  includes a clamp  14  having a worm gear drive head  16  and a worm gear  18 . The worm gear  18  is housed inside a worm gear housing  20 . The clamp  14  receives a flexible strap member  22  that encircles the member to be clamped, such as the hose  12 . 
         [0013]    The worm gear  18  includes a set of external threads (not shown), and at the rearward end of the worm gear there is a head portion  24 . The head portion  24  includes a slot  26  such that the worm gear  18  may be rotated with a screwdriver. A first end  28  of the strap member  22  is attached to the clamp  14  and extends from the worm gear drive head  16  at a first side  30 . The strap member  22  extends around the circumference of the hose  12 . A second end  32  of the strap member  22  is configured to be introduced into the worm gear drive head  16  at a second side  34 . 
         [0014]    The worm gear drive head  16  includes an outer wall  36 , which defines a bottom surface  38  and the first and second sides  30 ,  34 . The first and second sides  30 ,  34  also define an opening  40  that receives the strap member  22  and permits the strap member to move axially, or, tangentially, relative to the worm gear drive head  16 . The outer wall  36 , the bottom surface  38 , and the first and second sides  30 ,  34  define a chamber (not shown) that receives the external threads (not shown) of the worm gear  18 . Further, the chamber receives the strap member  22  after being introduced into the opening  40 . 
         [0015]    When the strap member  22  is in the chamber, it is engaged by the external threads of the worm gear  18 . The external threads of the worm gear  18  are capable of pulling or pushing the strap member  22  through the worm gear drive head  16  when the worm gear  18  is rotated. The strap member  22  may advantageously include receiving formations or indentations (not shown) that align with and receive the threads of the worm gear  18 . 
         [0016]    Typically, a clamp retainer  46  is used with the clamp device  14  to maintain the clamp device on the circumference of the hose  12 . The clamp retainer  46  includes a clamping portion  48  for attaching the clamp retainer  46  onto the hose  12 , and a retaining portion  50  for attaching the clamp  14  to the clamp retainer. In the conventional clamp retainer  46 , the clamping portion  48  has two opposing legs or teeth  52 , between which a wall portion  54  of the hose  12  is introduced. A connecting surface  56  is generally perpendicular to the two opposing legs  52  to connect two opposing surfaces on the clamping portion  48  and the retaining portion  50 . 
         [0017]    The retaining portion  50  generally extends along an outside surface  58  of the wall portion  54  of the hose  12 . The retaining portion  50  has a retaining structure  60  for fixing the strap member  22  on the hose  12 . The retaining structure  60 , in this example, is a flanged portion that permits the strap member to extend between the retaining portion  50  and the hose  12  such that the strap member is clamped to the hose. 
         [0018]    The installation and use of the clamp  14  is depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , where it can be seen that the clamp retainer  46  is fixed to the hose  12  and the strap member  22  is introduced into the retaining structure  60  of the clamp retainer either before or after the clamping portion  48  is attached to the hose. The second end  32  of the strap member  22  is introduced into the second side  34  of the worm gear drive head  16 . 
         [0019]    One disadvantage of the prior art configuration is that the location of the clamp  14  moves around the circumference of the hose  12  as the worm gear  18  is tightened. This is because the strap member  22  is secured to the hose  12  at the clamp retainer  46 . Thus, when the worm gear  18  is tightened, the worm gear drive head  16  relocates from the original position (for example, generally above the hose  12 ) to a second position (for example, generally 90-degrees) as the clamping force is increased. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the present worm gear clamp assembly is depicted generally at  100 , and like components are designated with like numbers. The present worm gear clamp assembly  100  is generally similar to the conventional worm gear clamp  10 . Advantageously, a clamp retainer  146  is attachable to or integral with a clamp  114  in the present worm gear clamp assembly  100 . While a preferred embodiment of the clamp  114 , clamp retainer  146 , and a strap member  122  are presented, it should be appreciated that the present worm gear clamp assembly should not be limited to the particular configurations shown. 
         [0021]    The worm gear clamp assembly  100  includes the clamp  114  having a worm gear drive head  116  and a worm gear  118 . Preferably, at least a portion of the worm gear  118  is housed inside a worm gear housing  120 . The clamp  114  receives a flexible strap member  122  that encircles a hose  12 . 
         [0022]    The worm gear  118  includes a set of external threads (not shown), and a head portion  124 . The head portion  124  may advantageously include a feature that is arranged to interface with a tool. In this embodiment, for example, the head portion  124  includes a slot  126  that enables rotation of the worm gear  118  with a screwdriver. Other configurations that permit turning of the worm gear by means of one&#39;s hands or any tool are may also be used. 
         [0023]    A first end  128  of the strap member  122  is attached to the clamp  114  at the worm gear drive head  116  and extends from the worm gear drive head at a first side  130 . The strap member  122  extends around the circumference of the hose  12 . A second end  132  of the strap member  122  passes through the worm gear drive head  116  at a second side  134 . It is contemplated that the worm gear drive head  116  and the strap member  122  may be assembled in one-piece or in multiple pieces. 
         [0024]    The worm gear drive head  116  includes an outer wall  136  that defines a bottom surface  138 , and the first and second sides  130 ,  134 . The bottom surface  138  is advantageously curved in a concave fashion to conform with the curved or circular outer contour of the hose  12 . 
         [0025]    The first and second sides  130 ,  134  define an opening  140  that receives the strap member  122  and permits the strap member to move axially, or tangentially, relative to the worm gear drive head  116 . The outer wall  136 , the bottom surface  138 , and the first and second sides  130 ,  134  define a chamber (not shown) that receives the external threads (not shown) of the worm gear  118 . Further, the chamber receives the strap member  122  after the strap member  122  has been inserted through the opening  140 . In this embodiment, the second end  132  of the strap member  122  is introduced into the chamber between the bottom surface  138  and the worm gear  118 . Alternatively, the first end  128  of the strap member  122  may be attached to the bottom surface  138 , and the second end  132  of the strap member may be inserted through the worm gear drive head  116  between the first end of the strap member and the worm gear. 
         [0026]    When the strap member  122  is disposed in the chamber, it is advantageously engaged by the external threads of the worm gear  118 . The strap member  122  may includes a receiving formation, or a set of dents (not shown) that are arranged to align with and receive the threads of the worm gear  118 . When the worm gear  118  is rotated, the external threads thereof that engage the receiving formation may act thereon to push or pull the strap member through the worm gear drive head  116  to, respectively, loosed or tighten the clamp  114 . 
         [0027]    In the worm gear clamp assembly  100 , the clamp retainer  146  is fixed to the clamp  114 . The clamp retainer  146  includes a clamping portion  148  that has two opposing legs  152  configured to receive a wall  54  of the hose  12 . A connecting surface  156  may advantageously be generally perpendicular to the two opposing legs  152 , to connect the two opposing surfaces, but other configurations may be used. 
         [0028]    A retaining portion  150  of the clamp retainer  146  connects the clamp retainer to the clamp  114 , advantageously, at the worm gear drive head  116 . In the embodiment shown, the retaining portion  150  is integrally molded to the outer wall  136  of the worm gear drive head  116 . Alternatively, the clamp retainer  146  may be connected to the clamp  114 . Further, the clamp retainer  146  may be attachable to the clamp  114  such as, for example, with a mechanical interlocking structure. Generally, any configuration of the retainer clamp  146  that both clamps onto the hose  12  and connects to the clamp  114  to fix the location of the clamp device relative to the hose is contemplated. 
         [0029]    The worm gear clamp assembly  100  is shown in a loosened position in  FIG. 3 . The clamp retainer  146  is attached to the hose  12  and the second end  132  of the strap member  122  is introduced into the opening  140  on the second side  134  of the worm gear drive head  116 . The strap member  122  can be introduced into the opening  140  either before or after the clamping portion  148  is attached to the hose  12 . 
         [0030]    As seen in  FIG. 4 , when the worm gear  118  is tightened, the worm gear drive head  116  does not relocate. That is, when the worm gear  118  is tightened or loosens to allow the strap member  122  to pass through the worm gear drive head  116 , the clamp  114  does not move (or moves minimally) from its original position relative to the hose  12 . Instead, the strap member  122  moves tangentially relative to the stationary worm gear drive head  116 , while the worm gear drive head  116  remains substantially stationary relative to the hose  12 . 
         [0031]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.