Abstract:
A bracket for attaching a hose comprising a strip adapted to surround a hose, an end portion connected to the strip and a locking portion to close the strip about the hose, in which the locking portion is configured to cooperate with a threaded fastening device to fasten the bracket to a support is provided. The bracket further comprises at least one anti-rotation device adapted to cooperate with one of the threaded fastening device and the support.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a bracket for attaching a hose of a fluidic system of a motor vehicle to a support, for example a flange plate or a portion of a chassis of the motor vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A bracket for attaching a hose fastens a hose to an on-board fluidic system of a motor vehicle, such as for example an air-conditioning system, to avoid damages caused by dynamic stresses when the vehicle is moving and/or in contact with the abrasive and/or overheated surfaces which damage the wall of the hose and cause fluid to leak. 
         [0003]    An essential requirement for a bracket for attaching a hose is a low production cost. In addition, it is preferable that the configuration of the bracket for attaching a hose facilitates the assembly by an operator during the assembly of the vehicle and at the same time ensures a firm and reliable fastening. 
         [0004]    These requirements can be met if:
       the above said bracket is locked on the hose and cannot accidentally detach;   the bracket has an appropriate interference with the hose so that it can be moved manually although not being free to move only by effect of its inertia;   the bracket can oppose its rotation with respect to the fastening screw or rivet during the assembly and during operation.       
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The object of the present invention is to obtain a bracket for attaching a hose that can meet at least partially the above mentioned requirements. 
         [0009]    The object of the present invention is achieved by a bracket according to the attached claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate non-limitative embodiments thereof, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bracket for fastening a hose according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view that shows a portion adapted to come into contact with a flange plate of a chassis of a motor vehicle; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the bracket of  FIG. 1  in an open configuration; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a section of  FIG. 3  along plane P shown by arrows IV-IV in  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    In  FIG. 1 ,  1  indicates a bracket for attaching a hose wound about a hose  2  of a fluidic system and fastened to a flange plate  3  projecting from a crossbar of the chassis of a vehicle or a heavy-goods vehicle. 
         [0016]    Bracket  1  for attaching a hose is fastened to flange plate  3  by means of a threaded connection, for instance a nut  4  that engages a screw  5  fastened to flange plate  3 . 
         [0017]    Bracket  1  comprises a main body  6  preferably made in a single body from a metal strip, and an insert  7  made of a polymer material and fastened to main body  6 . Insert  7  is preferably made of an elastomeric material and in use circumferentially surrounds at least partially a portion of hose  2 . 
         [0018]    Main body  6  comprises a strip  9  that supports insert  7  and surrounds hose  2 , an end portion  10  transversal with respect to strip  9  when the latter is flat and undeformed and a locking portion  11  arranged opposite to the end portion  10  with respect to strip  9 . 
         [0019]    End portion  10  defines a through-hole  12  and a tooth  13  projecting in a radial direction with respect to an axis of through-hole  12  and substantially symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal symmetry plane P of main body  6 . 
         [0020]    On the opposite longitudinal part, locking portion  11  comprises a wall  14  defining a step  14   a  with strip  9  and a fin  15  foldable on wall  14 . Wall  14  and fin  15  are connected by means of a plastic hinge having an axis A and substantially defined by two edges of metal which are deformed plastically when fin  15  is rotated to be overlapped to wall  14 . The two edges of metal are spaced to define a through-window W 1  adapted to cooperate with tooth  13  to position end portion  10  sideways and longitudinally with respect to wall  14 . 
         [0021]    Wall  14  defines a through-hole  16  having an axis perpendicular and skew with respect to axis A and an annular series of teeth  17  concentrical to through-hole  16 . Accordingly, fin  15  defines a through-hole  18  substantially concentrical to through-hole  16  when fin  15  is overlapped to wall  14 , and an annular series of teeth  19  concentrical to through-hole  18 . 
         [0022]    Preferably, the annular series of teeth  17 ,  19  are made by plastic deformation of the metal plate, for example by pressing, and have a circumferential inclination direction, i.e. each tooth is twisted along an axis arranged radially with respect to the axis of through-hole  16 ,  18 . Assuming that the screwing direction of nut  4  is clockwise, the teeth of series  17  are twisted to oppose loosening, i.e. are inclined so that the upper face of each tooth is inclined towards the following tooth in a anti-clockwise direction when the user looks at the surface of fin  15  that comes into contact with nut  4 . The teeth of series  19  are inclined to oppose the rotation of bracket  1  while nut  4  is screwed during the fastening of hose  2  to flange plate  3 . For this purpose, the teeth of series  19  are inclined clockwise, in an opposite direction i.e. with respect to what is specified above for teeth  17 , when a user looks at a surface of wall  14  adapted to come into contact directly with flange plate  3 . 
         [0023]    Furthermore, fin  15  defines a tooth  20  radially projecting with respect to the axis of through-hole  18  and adapted to engage a window W 2  defined along a joint  21  that joins strip  9  to end portion  10 . Preferably, windows W 1  and W 2  are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal symmetry plane P and the axes of through-holes  16 ,  18  are contained in this plane. Furthermore, joint  21  is parallel to axis A and both are perpendicular to the longitudinal symmetry plane P. 
         [0024]    The assembly process of bracket  1  is as follows. 
         [0025]    Hose  2  is surrounded by insert  8  and tooth  20  is housed in window W 1  so that through-holes  12 ,  16  are substantially coaxial. Furthermore, step  14   a  is such that the thickness of end portion  10  is recovered and the middle plane thereof is substantially aligned to the middle plane of a flat portion of strip  9  adjacent to step  15 . 
         [0026]    Subsequently, fin  15  is folded towards hose  2  and through-hole  18  also results concentrical to through-holes  12 ,  16  to allow the assembly on a stem  22  of screw  5 . In particular, tooth  20  engages window W 2  and end portion  10  is interposed between wall  14  and fin  15 . The bracket prepared thereby is fixed on hose  2  and can no longer detach for example when hose  2  is made by a sub-contractor and is sent to the plant where the assembly of the vehicle is carried out. 
         [0027]    Finally, nut  4  is fastened by a clockwise rotation: teeth  19  bite on the flange plate  3  and teeth  17  do not oppose the tightening of nut  4  but bite to oppose loosening thereof, for example due to vibrations when the vehicle is moving. 
         [0028]    On the basis of the above, the advantages that can be obtained by the bracket  1  for attaching a hose disclosed and shown herein are apparent. 
         [0029]    The assembly is simplified because bracket  1  comprises an integral anti-loosening device, i.e. teeth  19 . Furthermore, even during the fastening of bracket  1  to flange plate  3 , teeth  29  avoid rotation so that hose  2  is not twisted. 
         [0030]    Tooth  13  and window W 1  temporarily fasten end portion  10  to wall  14  while the operator folds fin  15 . Tooth  20  cooperates with window W 2  to conveniently keep the bracket closed before inserting through-holes  12 ,  16 ,  18  on stem  22  and clamping nut  4 . 
         [0031]    It is finally apparent that bracket  1  for attaching a hose disclosed and shown herein may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of protection as specified in the appended claims. 
         [0032]    For example, according to an embodiment, insert  8  is coupled to strip  9  by shape coupling, i.e. for example insert  8  has a working surface  23  adapted to oppose the hose and a pair of fins  24  arranged on the opposite side of working surface  23  with respect to strip  9  and facing the longitudinal symmetry plane P to define a seat. Strip  9  is housed in seat and kept in a radial direction by means of fins  24  which partially overlap strip  9 . 
         [0033]    Alternatively, insert  8  may be fixed with an adhesive to strip  9 . 
         [0034]    Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, hose  2  has an annular projection  25  that interferes with insert  7  so as to axially lock hose  2  with respect to bracket  1 . In order to improve the locking of hose  2  along the direction of the axis of the hose, insert  5  defines a plurality of annular ribs and cavities  26 , the latter defining respective seats for projection  25 . Thereby, hose  2  is fastened by shape coupling to insert  7 . Alternatively, hose  2  may be fixed to insert  7  by a simple friction action, i.e. hose  2  has a smooth surface. 
         [0035]    Bracket  1  may comprise either only teeth  17  or only teeth  19 , which singularly define an anti-rotation device respectively for nut  4  and for the bracket.