Patent Publication Number: US-2022235888-A1

Title: Device for pre-positioning a profile clamp, and connection system

Description:
INTRODUCTION 
     The disclosure relates to a device for pre-positioning a profile clamp and a connection system. 
     Profile clamps are used to connect lines to one another. For this purpose, the profile clamps are placed around flanges of the line end pieces of the lines to be connected and are tensioned. To make the connection operation easier, twisting of an untensioned profile clamp on the line end piece should be avoided. Therefore, a tensioning device of the profile clamp remains in a defined position, so that the tensioning device remains in an easily accessible position. Furthermore, slipping of the profile clamps from the line end pieces can therefore be avoided. 
     For this purpose, for profile clamps having two half-clamps which are connected to each other by means of a joint, it is known from WO 2017/149104 A1 that the joint has a pin, which is connectable in a bracket connected to a line end piece. The bracket fixes the position of the profile clamp. 
     SUMMARY 
     An object of an embodiment of the disclosure can be considered to provide an improved device for pre-positioning a profile clamp, which can be produced more economically and more easily. 
     In a device for pre-positioning a profile clamp for connecting line end pieces, wherein the device has a bridge element of a profile clamp and a flange element on one of the line end pieces, wherein the bridge element is designed to connect two clamp portions of the profile clamp along a bridge direction, wherein the bridge element has a finger; the finger extends away from the bridge element at least partly transversely to the bridge direction and has a free end portion, the disclosure provides for the flange element to comprise a recess for receiving the free end portion, the recess blocking a movement of the free end portion along a circumferential direction of the flange element, wherein the finger has a spring portion, which is arranged between the bridge element and the free end portion, wherein the spring portion arranges the free end portion at a greater distance from the bridge portion in an untensioned state than in a tensioned state, in which the free end portion is arranged in the recess. 
     With the disclosure, without additional parts on the line end pieces to be connected, a connection between the profile clamp and the line end pieces is provided which avoids radial twisting of the profile clamp on the line end pieces to be connected. For this purpose, on the flange element of one of the two line end pieces to be connected, a recess is provided, which is able to receive the finger of the bridge element of the profile clamp. If the free end portion is arranged in the recess, the free end portion of the finger is held in position along the circumferential direction by the recess. The finger is designed to be rigid in the bridge direction, i.e. the finger cannot move relative to the bridge element in the bridge direction. This means that the finger and therefore the profile clamp cannot then be moved along the circumferential direction of the line end piece and therefore cannot be rotated about the line end piece. Therefore, no additional element is needed on the line end piece in order to block twisting about the line end piece. The free end portion is also resiliently mounted in relation to the bridge element by means of the spring element. Furthermore, the spring portion drives the free end portion into the recess when the free end portion is arranged in the recess. The effect of this is that the free end portion is driven into the recess as soon as the free end portion and the recess are aligned with each other, i.e. as soon as a profile clamp is arranged in the appropriate rotational position on the flange element. Furthermore, the free end portion is held in the recess as soon as it has been arranged in the recess and the profile clamp is arranged on the flange element. Therefore, the outlay during the production of the device is reduced. Furthermore, the saved element saves costs and weight. 
     The finger can extend at least partly away from the bridge element in an axial direction of the profile clamp. 
     Therefore, the finger does not project out of the bridge element directly between the clamp portions of a profile clamp. Therefore, jamming of the finger between the clamp portions when the clamp portions are moved toward each other is avoided. However, this does not rule out the finger extending between the clamp portions in its subsequent course. 
     Furthermore, the free end portion can at least partly overlap the bridge element in a radial direction of the profile clamp. 
     A further part of the free end portion can therefore extend back to the bridge element and engage around the clamp portions. Therefore, the finger can extend as far as a flange element when the bridge element and the flange portion are arranged to overlap. 
     The bridge element and the finger can be formed in one piece. 
     Therefore, the finger and the bridge element can be produced simply and economically in a few production steps. Thus, the bridge element can be punched out of a metal sheet, for example, together with the finger, the finger then being brought into its final shape by means of bending operations. 
     Furthermore, the recess can be a depression in the flange portion, the depression extending along a radial direction of the line end piece. 
     The free end portion can therefore be introduced into the recess in the radial direction of the line end piece. This simplifies the handling of the device. 
     The recess can be delimited in a circumferential direction of the line end piece by two opposite wall elements which are at a distance which is designed to match a width of the free end piece. 
     Therefore, the free end piece in the recess is held in the recess in a form-fitting manner in the circumferential direction of the line end piece by means of the two wall elements. This effectively avoids rotation of the profile clamp along the circumferential direction of the line end piece. 
     The bridge element can be a joint portion between the two clamp portions. 
     Therefore, the two clamp portions can be pivoted relative to each other by means of the bridge element in order to open the profile clamp. Furthermore, the bridge element is therefore multifunctional, since it has the finger with which, in conjunction with the recess on the flange element, rotation of the profile clamp in the circumferential direction of the line end piece is avoided. 
     The disclosure also relates to a connection system comprising a profile clamp having two clamp portions, a line end piece and a device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the device connects the profile clamp to the line end piece, wherein the profile clamp has the bridge element and the line end piece comprises the flange element. 
     Advantages and effects and also developments of embodiments of the connection system emerge from the advantages and effects and also developments of the device described above. Reference is therefore made to the preceding description in this regard. 
     Furthermore, the free end portion can be arranged in the recess when the profile clamp extends around the flange element. 
     The free end portion is therefore also arranged in the recess when the profile clamp extends around the flange element in the untensioned state. This effects pre-positioning even in the untensioned state of the profile clamp. 
     Furthermore, the bridge element can connect the two clamp portions to each other. 
     The bridge element can be arranged on the outside of the profile clamp in a radial direction of the profile clamp. 
     Therefore, the bridge element can be fixed to the clamp portions during the production of the profile clamp without great effort, in order to connect the clamp portions to each other. 
     Furthermore, the finger can extend at least partly between the two clamp portions. 
     Therefore, the finger can extend as far as a flange element when the bridge element and the flange portion are arranged to overlap. 
     In a radial direction of the profile clamp, a distance between the free end portion and the bridge element can correspond in magnitude at least to a distance which corresponds to a reduction in a diameter of the profile clamp when the profile clamp is tensioned. 
     Therefore, the finger extends with the free end portion as far as the recess when the profile clamp is arranged on the line end piece in the untensioned state. A displacement of the profile clamp in the radial direction by the distance which corresponds to a reduction in the diameter of the profile clamp therefore does not lead the free end portion out of the recess. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Further features, details and advantages of the invention emerge from the wording of the claims and from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIGS. 1 a - c    show various views of schematic illustrations of the device; and 
         FIGS. 2 a, b    show a schematic illustration of the device in the untensioned and tensioned state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The device for pre-positioning a profile clamp will be designated in its entirety below by the designation  10 . 
     The device  10  according to  FIG. 1 a    is used for pre-positioning a profile clamp  12 , which is designed to connect line end pieces  14 ,  16 . The profile clamp  12  has two clamp portions  22 ,  24 . The device  10  has a bridge element  18  of a profile clamp  12  and a flange element  20  on one of the line end pieces  14 ,  16 . 
     The flange element  20  is arranged on the line end piece  16  in  FIG. 1 a    and is connected thereto. Alternatively, however, that can likewise be arranged on the line end piece  14  and connected thereto. 
     The flange element  20  has a recess  32 , which extends along a radial direction of the line end piece  16 . In the circumferential direction of the flange element  20 , the recess  32  is delimited by the mutually opposite wall elements  36 ,  38 . The recess  32  can be a depression in the flange element  20 . 
     The bridge element  18 , which is illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 1   b,  connects the two clamp portions  22 ,  24  of the profile clamp  12 . Furthermore, the bridge element  18  is arranged on the outside of the profile clamp  12  in the radial direction of the profile clamp  12 . 
     The connection of the two clamp portions  22 ,  24  is made in a bridge direction  26 . This means that the bridge element  18  extends along the bridge direction  26  between the two clamp portions  22 ,  24 . 
     The bridge element  18  is a joint portion between the two clamp portions  22 ,  24 . The clamp portions  22 ,  24  can be moved relative to each other in an articulated manner by means of the bridge element  18 . Therefore, the profile clamp  12 , which is illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 1   c,  can be opened and closed by means of the bridge element  18 . 
     Furthermore, the bridge element  18  has a finger  28 , which extends away from the bridge element  18  at least transversely to the bridge direction  26 . Along the course of the finger  28 , the direction in which the finger  28  extends can change, i.e. the extension direction which the finger  28  has directly at the connection to the bridge element  18  can change along the finger  28 . 
     According to  FIG. 1   b,  the finger  28  initially extends away from the bridge element  18  in order then to make a change in direction. The finger  28  has a free end portion  30 , which points in a different direction than the extension direction of the finger  28  directly at the connection of the finger  28  to the bridge element  18 . 
     Between the free end portion  30  and the bridge element  18 , the finger  28  also has a spring portion  34 . The spring portion  34  can be U-shaped. A portion  33  of the finger  28  between the spring portion  34  and the free end portion  30  can function as a lever arm so that, during a displacement of the position of the free end portion  30  transverse to its extension direction, the spring portion  34  is tensioned. 
     The bridge element  18  and the finger  28  can be formed in one piece. This means that during the production of the bridge element  18 , the finger  28  is produced at the same time. For this purpose, for example, the bridge element  18  with the finger  28  can be punched out of a metal sheet. After that, the spring portion  34  of the finger  28  can be formed. This can be effected by bending the finger  28 . 
     If the bridge element  18  is arranged on the profile clamp  12  and connects the two clamp portions  22 ,  24  to each other, the finger  28  extends away from the bridge element  18 , at least partly in an axial direction of the profile clamp  12 . Furthermore, the free end portion  30  at least partly overlaps the bridge element  18  in a radial direction of the profile clamp  12  and extends at least partly between the two clamp portions  24 ,  26 . 
     The free end portion  30  can be accommodated by the recess  32 . For this purpose, the two wall elements  36 ,  38  have a distance in the circumferential direction of the flange element  20  which is designed to match a width of the free end portion  30 . The distance between the two wall elements  36 ,  38  can correspond to the width of the free end portion  30  or be so large that the free end portion  30  can be inserted into the recess  32  and establishes contact with both wall elements  36 ,  38 . 
     The free end portion  30  is therefore fixed in the circumferential direction of the flange element  20  by the two wall elements  36 ,  38  of the recess  32 . Therefore, at the same time the bridge element  18  and the profile clamp  12  are fixed in the circumferential direction of the flange element  20  and therefore pre-positioned on the line end piece  16 . 
     The above-described profile clamp  12  and the above-described line end piece  16  form with the device  10  a connection system which, in its entirety, is designated by the reference number  40  when the device  10  connects the profile clamp  12  to the line end piece  16 . The free end portion  30  can be arranged in the recess  32  when the profile clamp  12  extends around the flange element  20 . 
     In  FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b   , various states of the connection system  40  are illustrated. The two  FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b    constitute a sectional illustration through two line end pieces  14 ,  16  that are coupled to each other, between which a seal  42  is arranged. Furthermore, the profile clamp  12  is arranged around both line end pieces  14 ,  16  and in particular around the flange element  20 . 
     In  FIG. 2 a   , the profile clamp  12  is in an untensioned state. The recess  32  and the finger  28  are aligned with each other, so that the free end portion  30  and the recess  32  are aligned with each other. The finger  28  is designed such that, in the untensioned state of the profile clamp  12 , the free end portion  30  is arranged in the recess  32 . 
     The portion  33  between the free end portion  30  and the spring portion  34  is arranged at an angle to an axial direction of the profile clamp. The angle of the portion  33  can lie, for example, between 60° and 20° relative to the axial direction of the profile clamp when the spring portion  34  is untensioned. 
     In  FIG. 2 a   , the free end portion  30  is arranged in the recess  32 . A wall of the recess  32  that runs along the circumferential direction of the flange element  20  touches the free end portion  30 . A force which forces the free end portion  30  by a small amount in the direction of the bridge element  18  can act on the free end portion  30 . This causes a slight tension of the spring portion  34 . The spring portion  34  drives the free end portion  30  in the radial direction of the profile clamp  12  toward the flange element  20 . 
     As the profile clamp  12  is tensioned, the diameter of the profile clamp  12  is reduced, so that the distance between the profile clamp  12  and the flange element  20  is reduced. This state is illustrated in  FIG. 2 b   . As a result of the reduction in the diameter of the profile clamp  12 , the distance of the bridge element  18  from the flange element  20  and therefore from the recess  32  is also reduced. As a result, the free end portion  30  of the finger  28  is displaced further in the radial direction in the direction of the bridge element  18 . This effects an increase in the tension of the spring portion  34 . As compared with the state which is illustrated in  FIG. 2 a   , the finger  28  in  FIG. 2 b    is deformed. In  FIG. 2 b   , the spring portion  34  drives the free end portion  30  into the recess  32  in the direction of the flange element  20  with a greater force than in the state in  FIG. 2   a.    
     Therefore, a distance in the radial direction of the profile clamp  12  between the free end portion  30  and the bridge element  18  corresponds in magnitude at least to the distance which corresponds to a reduction in the diameter of the profile clamp  12  as the profile clamp  12  is tensioned. 
     The invention is not restricted to one of the previously described embodiments but can be modified in many ways. 
     All the features and advantages resulting from the claims, the description and the drawing, including design details, physical arrangements and method steps, can be essential to the invention, both on their own and in the various combinations. 
     All the features and advantages, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, which follow from the claims, the description and the drawing can be fundamental to the invention both on their own and in different combinations. It is to be understood that the foregoing is a description of one or more preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed herein, but rather is defined solely by the claims below. Furthermore, the statements contained in the foregoing description relate to particular embodiments and are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or on the definition of terms used in the claims, except where a term or phrase is expressly defined above. Various other embodiments and various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiment(s) will become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such other embodiments, changes, and modifications are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims. 
     As used in this specification and claims, the terms “for example,” “for instance,” “such as,” and “like,” and the verbs “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and their other verb forms, when used in conjunction with a listing of one or more components or other items, are each to be construed as open-ended, meaning that the listing is not to be considered as excluding other, additional components or items. Other terms are to be construed using their broadest reasonable meaning unless they are used in a context that requires a different interpretation. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
       10  Device 
       12  Profile clamp 
       14  Line end piece 
       16  Line end piece 
       18  Bridge element 
       20  Flange element 
       22  Clamp portion 
       24  Clamp portion 
       26  Bridge direction 
       28  Finger 
       30  Free end portion 
       32  Recess 
       33  Portion 
       34  Spring portion 
       36  Wall element 
       38  Wall element 
       40  Connection system 
       42  Seal 
       10  Device 
       12  Profile clamp 
       14  Line end piece 
       16  Line end piece 
       18  Bridge element 
       20  Flange element