Patent Document

This application discloses and claims subject matter disclosed in my then-pending Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/266,884, filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 7, 2001, and entitled “Guide Arrangement For Tightening tool Emplacement in Hose Clamps Provided with Plastically Deformable Ears,” now abandoned, and I hereby claim the right of priority of such provisional application. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a guide arrangement for minimizing the likelihood of an improper application of a pincer-like tightening tool for the plastic deformation of hose clamps provided with so-called “Oetiker” ears. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Hose clamps with plastically deformable ears, so-called “Oetiker” ears, which have been sold by the hundreds of millions, have enjoyed an immense commercial success. They are widely used, for example, on the assembly line of the automotive industry to tighten hoses onto nipples by the plastic deformation of the ear. Though infrequently, an improper positioning of the pincer-like tightening tools which on the assembly line are usually pneumatically operated, may cause an incorrect deformation of the ear. This, in turn, requires that the piece with the incorrectly deformed ear has to be taken out of the assembly line, the incorrectly installed clamp then has to be removed, and a new clamp has to be installed and tightened before the work piece can be re-entered on the assembly line. Because of time requirements and extra work, this is an annoyance which is to be avoided as far as possible. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The principal object of the present invention is to minimize the incorrect application of the tightening tool in hose clamps provided with plastically deformable ears. According to this invention, this is achieved by providing complementary guide profiles in the clamp and in the tightening tool so that the installer at the assembly line can interactively determine the correct application of the tightening tool when he or she senses mutual engagement of the guide profiles. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention involving so-called closed or endless clamps, guide surfaces are provided in the clamping ring by deep-drawn ridge-like embossments or projections forming male guide profiles extending outwardly within the areas of the connection of the clamping ring with the leg portions of the plastically deformable ear. The end surfaces of the jaws of the tightening tool are then provided with complementary notch-like cutouts forming female profiles so that the installer can feel the proper position of the tightening tool relative to the clamp when the notch-like cutouts are in engagement with the ridge-like embossments or projections. 
     In a preferred embodiment of this invention, which applies to so-called open clamps, usually made from galvanized steel or stainless steel band material, advantage is taken of the existence of overlapping band portions that exist from the point of the mechanical connection to the free end of the inner band portion when the mechanical connection, usually in the form of one or more hooks extending outwardly from the inner band portion into openings in the outer band portion, is engaged but before the plastically deformable ear in the outer band portion is plastically deformed to tighten the clamp. A typical clamp of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,012 to Hans Oetiker. Once the mechanical connection is engaged, the inner band portion  11   b  will extend with its full width underneath the gap of the non-deformed ear. In a clamp of this type, the guide profiles are provided according to this invention in parts of the two mutually overlapping band portions as will be described more fully hereinafter. Again, correct application of the tightening tool can be interactively sensed by the installer when the mutually complementary guide profiles formed by deep-drawn outwardly extending embossments or projections in the inner band portion which, extending through narrow slots in the outer band portion, engage with the notch-like cut-outs in the jaw members of the tightening tool. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic elevational view of a prior art hose clamp of the so-called closed or endless type, provided with two plastically deformable ears adapted to be plastically deformed by a pincer-like tightening tool to tighten, for example, a hose onto a nipple; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG.  1  and showing an endless two-ear clamp provided with deep-drawn male embossments or projections forming male guide profiles in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale and showing the mutually complementary guide profiles in the clamp and in the tightening tool used in the embodiment of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a so-called open clamp with a guide arrangement in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial plan view on the outer band portion of FIG. 4, with the parts thereof in the plane of the drawing for the sake of better understanding; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI—VI of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial plan view on the inner band portion of FIG. 4, again with the parts thereof in the plane of the drawing for the sake of better understanding; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII—VIII of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a somewhat schematic elevational view of a tightening tool with modified jaw members for use in connection with the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 6, of a modified embodiment of this invention with rectilinear openings  12 ′; and 
     FIG. 11 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view, similar to FIGS. 6 and 10 of a still further modified embodiment of this invention with male guide profiles in both the inner and outer clamping band portions. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various views to designate like parts, and more particularly to FIG. 1-3, the so-called closed or endless clamp generally designated by reference numeral  10  which is made from tubular stock realized by any known manufacturing method, includes two plastically deformed so-called “Oetiker” ears generally designated by reference numeral  13  which are disposed mutually opposite in the ring  11 . Each plastically deformable ear  13  includes two outwardly extending leg portions  14  and  15  interconnected by a bridging portion  16 , preferably provided with a reinforcement  17  of any known construction, for tightening the hose  3  onto a nipple  4  by plastic deformation of the ears with the assistance of a pincer-like tightening tool generally designated by reference numeral  20  and provided with jaw-like members adapted to engage in the area of the connection between the ring  11  and the outwardly extending leg portions  14  and  15 , as known in the art. 
     To minimize improper application of the tightening tool  20 , the clamp  10  according to the present invention (FIG. 2) is provided with ridge-like, deep-drawn projections or embossments  30  of more or less conical shape forming male guide profiles and schematically shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which can be realized by deep-drawing. The jaw-like members  21 , in turn, are provided with complementary notch-like cutouts  22  forming female guide profiles whereby the depth h 1  (FIG. 3) of the cutouts  22  is greater than the projecting height h 2  of the projecting male guide profiles  30  in order to avoid a wedging action that might occur when compressive forces are applied to the tip of the projection or embossment  30  during application of the jaw members  21  in the course of tightening of the ear. 
     Though the arrangement of the guide profiles of FIGS. 2 and 3 are quite feasible, they may entail certain disadvantages as a result of the strengthening of the clamp material by the pressed-out male guide projections  30  in the areas of the connections between the clamping ring and the leg portions  14  and  15 , possibly also affecting the force requirements to plastically deform the ear and the elastic breathing capabilities of the clamp. These disadvantages are avoided in the preferred embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 8. FIG. 4 thereby illustrates a typical open clamp made from band material as illustrated in FIG. 19 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,012 to Hans Oetiker and as more fully described therein. The clamp of FIG. 4 again includes a clamping band  11  as well as a so-called “Oetiker” ear generally designated by reference numeral  13  that consists of outwardly extending leg portions  14  and  15  interconnected by a bridging portion  16  provided with a reinforcing groove or depression  17 . The mechanical connection may include in this type of clamp a so-called guide hook  31  and two cold-deformed deep-drawn support hooks  32  adapted to engage in openings  35 . To assure an inner clamping surface devoid of steps or gaps, the inner clamping band portion  11   b  has a tongue-like extension  61  adapted to extend through an opening in the step-like portion  67  formed in the outer clamping band portion  11   a . When the mechanical connection  31 ,  32  is engaged in apertures  35  and before the ear  13  is plastically deformed, the inner band portion  11   b  extends with its full band width underneath the ear to bridge the gap. According to the present invention, the inner band portion  11   b  is provided with a male guide profile  19  in the form of a deep-drawn ridge-like projection or embossment adapted to extend through slot-like openings  12  in outer band portion  11   a  on both sides of the leg portions  14  and  15 . The inner ends of the leg portions  14  and  15  are also provided with small cutouts complementary to the male guide profile  19 , whereby the male guide profile  19  preferably extends in the inner band portion continuously from the left beginning thereof in FIG. 4 to the right end. As the inner band portion  11   b  is fixed relative to the outer band portion  11   a  by the mechanical connection  31 ,  32 ,  35 , the male guide profile  19  and the slot-like opening  12  only need to extend a short distance to the left of the leg portion  14  of the ear. On the other hand, the slot-like opening  12  to the right of leg portion  15  has to be of sufficient length to permit the male guide profile  19  to slide therethrough until the deformation of the ear reaches its maximum, i.e., the inner ends of the leg portions  14  and come into contact with one another. 
     The jaw-like members of the tightening tool (not shown in FIGS. 4-8) are again provided with female guide profiles formed by notch-like cutouts of complementary shape as disclosed in connection with FIG. 3, bearing in mind what was said as regards the dimensions in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the application of the present invention to a clamp which utilizes a tightening tool with modified jaw-like members  121  having a substantially flat bottom portion as schematically shown in FIG.  9 . The substantially flat bottom portions of the jaw-like members  121  are then provided with notch-like cutouts  130  at the underside thereof which are shaped to engage with the male guide profiles as disclosed in connection with the other embodiments illustrated herein. With a tightening tool of FIG. 9, the male guide profiles may be somewhat extended in length, which in case of the embodiment of FIGS. 4 through 8 will also require a lengthening of the slot-like openings. The jaw-like members  12  of FIG. 9 may be modified to suit the requirements of any particular application whereby, for example, the length of the more or less flat bottom portion may be adapted to particular clamp sizes, for instance, by the use of interchangeable jaw members adapted to be selectively installed in pneumatic or hydraulic tightening tools. 
     While I have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited to the details shown and described herein but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications a known to those skilled in the art. For example, the particular shape and dimensions of the male and female guide parts may be modified to adapt to particular conditions of the band material and/or tightening tools. The slot-like openings  12  may also be straight in cross section (FIG. 10) instead of converging in the upward direction (FIG. 6) in which case the male guide profiles may have a rectilinear portion terminating in a suitably tapering profile with the notch-like cutouts of complementary shape. Furthermore, the overlapping outer band portion  11   a  alone may also be provided with male profiles  30 ′ (FIG. 11) in lieu of openings  12  and in lieu of the guide profile  19  in the inner clamping band portion. However, in that case, there will be no lateral guidance between the inner and outer band portions  11   b  and  11   a  which would preclude the inner band portion  11   b  from sliding laterally relative to the outer band portion  11   a , especially in the area of overlap. To remedy this shortcoming, the inner band portion  11   b  may then also be provided with a male profile  19 ′ of a shape complementary to the internal contours of the male profile  30 ′ so that mutual lateral guidance can then be achieved by engagement of the male guide profile  19 ′ of the inner clamping band portion  11   b  from below into the pressed-out male guide profile of the outer clamping band portion  11   a.    
     An additional advantage of the male guide profiles in accordance with this invention resides in the automation possibility with the use of these guide profiles in the clamps to adjust a robot arm carrying the tightening tool by an optical imaging device of conventional construction optically determining coincidence with or deviation of the male guide profile from a predetermined position with a matrix whereby the male profile can also be made more visible by any conventional means such as appropriate lighting and/or painting. The adjustment of the position of the robot arm can be realized by electromechanical, electropneumatic or electrohydraulic means of any conventional type so as to eliminate any non-coincidence of the line formed by the male guide profile with a predetermined line in the matrix, as is conventional with such types of automatic positioning devices. 
     Thus, the present invention is capable of numerous modifications as known to those skilled in the art, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 4