Patent Publication Number: US-2010107823-A1

Title: Hose Clamp Pliers

Description:
This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/208,321, which claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of Sep. 10, 2008. Claim  1  of this application is revised from the previous claim 1 of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/208,321, respectively, and claims  2 - 5  of this application are new. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pair of pliers, and more particularly to a pair of hose clamp pliers. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Conventionally, slim pipes, such as water hoses are often connected in such a way that the big-diameter pipe is forced onto the small-diameter pipe, and then a hose clamp is used to increase tight connection between the two pipes. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , which shows a pair of hose clamp pliers  10  disclosed in US 2008/041831, the hose clamp pliers  10  are used to clamp a kind of clamp  11  which is made of an iron plate bent into a ring-shape, and the clamp  11  has two protruding ends  111  to be clamped by two clamping plates  12  of the pliers  10 . However, the pliers  10  only use the clamping plates  12  to claim the ends  111  of the clamp  11  but don&#39;t have any other positioning or restricting structures to maintain the clamping force. Therefore, the clamp  11  is likely to slip off the pliers  10  when being clamped. 
     Another conventional hose clamp pliers  20  disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,431 is shown in  FIG. 2 , the clamping plates  21  of the hose clamp pliers  20  are formed correspondingly to the circular shape of the clamp  22 . Therefore, besides clamping the two ends  221  such hose clamp pliers  20  can also hold the outer periphery of the clamp  22  tight to stabilize the clamping operation. However, the hose clamp pliers  20  can only use the ends of its clamping plates  21  to clamp the clamp  22 , which restricts the clamping direction of the pliers  20 . For example, when the work surrounding is too narrow for the pliers  20  to use the ends of the clamping plates  21  to clamp the clamp  22 , the pliers  20  will be useless. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a pair of hose clamp pliers, which utilizes two clamping plates fixed on two clamping ends of the pliers to clamp the hose clamp, along the periphery of the two clamping plates are formed a plurality of protrusions which define gaps for holding the protruding portions of the hose clamp, thus maintaining a stable clamping effect. Furthermore, the hose clamp pliers can clamp the hose clamp in different directions, so that it can be adapted to different work requirements or environments, for example, in a narrow space. 
     In order to achieve the above objective, a pair of hose clamp pliers comprises: a pivoting body, a clamping head, a control body, an adjustment rod, a spring, and two clamping plates. 
     The pivoting body has one end provided with a screw and another end fixed to the clamping head and is pivoted to the clamping head, the pivoting body and the clamping head each have a clamping end, the clamping head is pivoted to one end of the control body, and the control body is pivoted to one end of the adjustment rod, another end of the adjustment rod abuts against the screw of the pivoting body, two ends of the spring are connected to the pivoting body and the clamping head, respectively. 
     The two clamping plates are respectively fixedly connected to the clamping ends of the clamping head and the clamping end of the pivoting body and the clamping head, each of the clamping plates includes an inner surface, an outer surface, two opposite lateral surfaces, a free end surface and a connecting end surface opposite the free end surface, the two lateral surfaces are located at both sides of the inner and outer surfaces of each of the clamping plates, the two clamping ends of the hose clamp pliers are fixed to the outer surfaces of the two clamping plates, and the two inner surfaces of the two clamping plates are opposite each other, each of the connecting end surfaces is located between the two lateral surfaces and connected to the clamping head and the pivoting body, respectively, each of the free end surfaces is located between the two lateral surfaces of each of the clamping plates, on an inner surface of each of the clamping plates are formed a plurality of protrusions which are arranged spaced along the two opposite lateral surfaces, the free end surface and the connecting end surface of each of the clamping plates. 
     A hose clamp to be clamped by the hose clamp pliers of the present invention includes an inner ring portion and an outer ring portion, the inner ring portion is formed by bending an elongated plate into a ring shape, one end of the inner ring portion is bifurcated to form two first protruding portions and a gap therebetween, and each of the first protruding portions is bent to form a first ear, another end of the inner ring portion is provided with a second protruding portion which is bent to form a second ear, the second protruding portion is received in the gap between the two first protruding portions, the outer ring portion is formed by bending an elongated plate into a ring shape, the outer ring portion is mounted outside the inner ring portion, when the hose clamp is clamped by the clamping plates of the hose clamp pliers, the two first ears are received in the gaps between any two neighboring protrusions of one clamping plate, while the second ear is received in a corresponding gap on another clamping plate. 
     With the protrusions formed along the periphery of the two clamping plates and the gaps defined by the protrusions, the hose clamp pliers can clamp the hose clamp in different directions, so that it can be adapted to different work requirements or environments, for example, in a narrow space. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional hose clamp; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another conventional hose clamp pliers; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pair of hose clamp pliers in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an operational view showing that a hose clamp is being clamped on the hose by the hose clamp pliers in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating the clamping plates of the hose clamp pliers in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an amplified view showing that the hose clamp is being clamped by the hose clamp pliers in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is another amplified view showing that the hose clamp is being clamped by the hose clamp pliers in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view showing that the hose clamp is clamped by the hose clamp pliers in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  shows that the hose clamp is being clamped in lateral direction by the hose clamp pliers in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a top view showing that the hose clamp is being clamped on the hose by the hose clamp pliers in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-10 , a pair of hose clamp pliers  30  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a pivoting body  31 , a clamping head  32 , a control body  33 , an adjustment rod  34 , a spring  35  and two clamping plates  40 . The pivoting body  31  has one end provided with a screw  311  and the other end fixed to the clamping head  32 . The pivoting body  31  is pivoted to the clamping head  32 . The pivoting body  31  and the clamping head  32  are each formed with a clamping end  313 ,  321 , and the two clamping ends  312  and  321  are opposite to each other. The clamping head  32  is pivoted to one end of the control body  33 , and the control body  33  is pivoted to one end of the adjustment rod  34 . The other end of the adjustment rod  34  abuts against the screw  311  of the pivoting body  31 . Two ends of the spring  35  are connected to the pivoting body  31  and the clamping head  32 , respectively, so as to control the control body  33  to pivot relative to the adjustment rod  34 . Meanwhile, the control body  33  drives the clamping head  32  to pivot relative to the pivoting body  31 , and then the pivoting motion of the clamping head  32  causes expansion and compression of the spring  35 . 
     The two clamping plates  40  are respectively fixedly connected to the clamping ends  313 ,  321  of the clamping head  32  and the clamping end  312  of the hose clamp pliers  30  and located opposite each other. When the clamping head  32  pivots relative to the pivoting body  31 , the relative position of the two clamping ends  312 ,  321  can be controlled to make the two clamping plates  40  approach each other to perform a clamping action. Each of the clamping plates  40  includes an inner surface  41 , an outer surface  42 , two opposite lateral surfaces  43 , a free end surface  44  and a connecting end surface  45  opposite the free end surface  44 . The two lateral surfaces  43  are located at both sides of the inner and outer surfaces  41 ,  42 . The clamping ends  313 ,  321  of the hose clamp pliers  30  are fixed to the outer surfaces  42  of the two clamping plates  40 , and the two inner surfaces  41  of the two clamping plates  40  are opposite each other. Each of the connecting end surfaces  45  is located between the two lateral surfaces  43  and connected to the clamping head  32  and the pivoting body  31 , respectively. Each of the free end surfaces  44  is located between the two lateral surfaces  43 . On the inner surface  41  of the each of the clamping plates  40  are formed a plurality of protrusions  46  which are arranged spaced along the two opposite lateral surfaces  43 , the free end surface  44  and the connecting end surface  45 , and each two neighboring protrusions  46  defines a gap  47 . The protrusions  46  of one clamping plate  40  are located corresponding to the protrusions  46  on the other clamping plate  40 , and the gaps  47  of one clamping plate  40  are located corresponding to the gaps  47  on the other clamping plate  40 . The lines for connecting each two opposite protrusions  46  along the two opposite lateral surfaces  43  are defined as lateral connecting lines L 1 , and the lines for connecting each two opposite protrusions  46  along the free end surface  44  and the connecting end surface  45  are defined as end-surface connecting lines L 2 . The inner surface  41  of the respective clamping plates  40  is further formed with a plurality of protrusions  48  which are located at the points where the lateral connecting lines L 1  cross the end-surface connecting lines L 2 . 
     The pair of hose clamp pliers  30  in accordance with the present invention is used to clamp a hose clamp  50  which comprises an inner ring portion  51  and an outer ring portion  52 . The inner ring portion  51  is formed by bending an elongated plate into a ring shape. One end of the inner ring portion  51  is bifurcated to form two first protruding portions  511  and a gap  512  therebetween, and each of the first protruding portions  511  is bent to form a first ear  513 . The other end of the inner ring portion  51  is provided with a second protruding portion  514  which is bent to form a second ear  515 . The second protruding portion  514  is received in the gap  512  between the two first protruding portions  511 . The outer ring portion  52  is also formed by bending an elongated plate into a ring shape. The outer ring portion  52  is mounted outside the inner ring portion  51 . When the hose clamp  50  is clamped by the clamping plates  40  of the hose clamp pliers  30 , the two first ears  513  are received in the gaps  47  between any two neighboring protrusions  46  of one clamping plate  40 , while the second ear  515  is received in a corresponding gap  47  on the other clamping plate  40 . 
     When clamping the hose clamp  50 , the hose clamp pliers  30  can fix the clamping head  32  and the pivoting body  31  to make the two clamping ends  313 ,  321  keep clamping the hose clamp  50 , so that the user can use the hose clamp pliers  30  to keep clamping the hose clamp  50  hold by the two clamping plates  40  without exerting a continuous force. During the clamping operation, the two first ears  513  are received in the gaps  47  between any two neighboring protrusions  46  of one clamping plate  40 , hence, the protrusions  46  can position the two first protruding portions  511 , producing a stable clamping effect. 
     When in use, the user can press the control body  33  toward the pivoting body  31  to make the two clamping plates  40  approach each other to carry out clamping operation, so as to reduce the distance between the first and second protruding portions  511 ,  514  while increasing the inner diameter of the inner ring portion  51 , so that the hose clamp  50  can be mounted on the hose, and then the user can release the hose clamp pliers  30 , the outer ring portion  52  of the hose clamp  50  will be clamped tightly against the inner ring portion  51 , which leads to an increase of the distance between the first and second protruding portions  511 ,  514  and the reduction of the inner diameter of the inner ring portion  51 , so that the hose clamp  50  will be clamped tightly against the hose. Furthermore, adjusting the depth at which the screw  311  is screwed in the pivoting body  31  can drive the adjustment rod  34  to move, and then the adjustment rod  34  will move the control body  33  and the clamping head  32 , so that the relative position of the clamping end  321  of the clamping head  32  and the clamping end  313  of the pivoting body  31  can be adjusted, thus controlling the distance between the clamping plates  40  fixed on the two clamping ends  313 ,  321  for adjusting the size of the clamped hose clamp  50 . 
     Referring finally to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , except the connecting end surfaces  45 , the hose clamp pliers  30  can use the two opposite lateral surfaces  43 , the free end surface  44  of the two clamping plates  40  to clamp the hose clamp  50 , that is to say that the hose clamp pliers  30  can clamp in different directions, so that it can be adapted to different work requirements or environments, for example, in a narrow space. 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.