Patent ID: 7422181

Claim:
A joining assembly for fixing a tube at a plate-shaped holder, the joining assembly comprising: a tube having a central axis and an outer surface, a plate-shaped holder provided with a hole, first and second sleeve members made of plastic material and comprising snap-lock means for snappingly joining said first and second sleeve members so as to form a closed sleeve clampingly engaging said outer surface of the tube, and a bracket made of plastic material and adapted to engage said closed sleeve so as to fix said closed sleeve in said hole of said plate-shaped holder, wherein said first sleeve member comprises a first shell body extending circumferentially for more than 180°, said second sleeve member comprises a second shell body extending circumferentially for less than 180°, said snap-lock means comprise a pair of spring arms integrally connected to said second shell body and extending therefrom circumferentially in opposite directions partially about said first shell body, and said first shell body has an outer surface provided with a pair of recesses, and said spring arms have free ends provided with radial projections matingly shaped with respect to said recesses for snappingly engaging into said recesses for snappingly joining said first and second sleeve members, said snap-lock means consisting exclusively of said pair of spring arms and said pair of recesses, wherein said first shell body has a lateral opening said lateral opening being of a width slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the tube so as to allow for the tube to be laterally inserted into said first shell body through said lateral opening while the tube is slightly deformed.