Hose clamp
First Claim
1. A clamp structure comprising clamping band means having open ends, means mechanically interconnecting the open ends of the band means including several outwardly extending hook means in an inner band portion operable to engage in corresponding aperture means provided in an outer band portion, and means in the clamp structure for tightening the clamping band means about an object to be fastened, characterized in that at least one hook means is a suspension hook means adapted to extend through a corresponding aperture means, and in that at least another hook means is a cold-deformed support hook means having force-engaging abutment surface means extending out of the plane of said inner band portion while said support hook means is integral with said inner band portion over at least a substantial part of its remaining contour, said suspension hook means being operable to initially engage the outer band portion by extending into the corresponding aperture means and thereafter to guide the inner and outer band portions with respect to one another while the circumferentially directed clamping forces which occur during tightening of the clamp structure by said tightening means, are absorbed principally by said cold-deformed support hook means engaging with the abutment surface means thereof against the edge of a respective aperture means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A clamp structure with a clamping band having open ends adapted to be mechanically interconnected by outwardly extending hooks in an inner band portion operable to engage in corresponding apertures provided in an outer band portion; at least one plastically deformable ear is provided in the clamp structure for tightening the clamping band about an object to be fastened by plastic deformation of the ear; a substantially gap-free transition in the circumferential direction from the inner band portion to the ring-like configuration of the clamp structure defined by the clamping band is obtained by the use of a tongue-like extension at the free end of the inner band portion which is operable to engage into a tongue-receiving aperture or channel provided in the outer band portion. In one embodiment, the mechanical connection consists of one suspension hook of tab-like configuration and one or more support hooks realized by cold-deformation and separated from the remaining band material by only a substantially transversely extending cut.
119 Citations
56 Claims
- 1. A clamp structure comprising clamping band means having open ends, means mechanically interconnecting the open ends of the band means including several outwardly extending hook means in an inner band portion operable to engage in corresponding aperture means provided in an outer band portion, and means in the clamp structure for tightening the clamping band means about an object to be fastened, characterized in that at least one hook means is a suspension hook means adapted to extend through a corresponding aperture means, and in that at least another hook means is a cold-deformed support hook means having force-engaging abutment surface means extending out of the plane of said inner band portion while said support hook means is integral with said inner band portion over at least a substantial part of its remaining contour, said suspension hook means being operable to initially engage the outer band portion by extending into the corresponding aperture means and thereafter to guide the inner and outer band portions with respect to one another while the circumferentially directed clamping forces which occur during tightening of the clamp structure by said tightening means, are absorbed principally by said cold-deformed support hook means engaging with the abutment surface means thereof against the edge of a respective aperture means.
- 2. A clamp structure comprising clamping band means having open ends, means mechanically interconnecting the open ends of the band means including several outwardly extending hook means in an inner band portion operable to engage in corresponding aperture means provided in an outer band portion, and means in the clamp structure for tightening the clamping band means about an object to be fastened, characterized in that at least one hook means is a suspension hook means adapted to extend through a corresponding aperture means and operable to guide the inner and outer band portions relative to each other during initial contraction of the ear means, and in that at least another hook means is a cold-deformed support hook means having force-engaging abutment surface means operable to absorb the circumferentially directed forces caused by tightening of the clamp structure as a result of the contraction of the ear means, by engagement with the edge of a respective aperture means, each cold-deformed support hook means being formed by a portion of band material pressed-out of the band means, the cold-deformed support hook means being non-integral with the normal configuration of the band material substantially only along a single generally transversely extending cut defining that end of the cold-deformed hook means, which constitutes its force-engaging abutment surface means.
- 50. A clamp structure, comprising clamping band means having open ends, means mechanically interconnecting the open ends of the band means including outwardly extending hook means in an inner band portion operable to engage in corresponding aperture means provided in an outer band portion, and at least one means in the clamp structure for tightening the clamping band means about an object to be fastened, characterized by a tongue means at the free end of the inner band portion, which is operable to engage into a tongue-receiving means provided at least within the area of an outwardly extending step-like portion provided in the outer band portion to assure a substantially gap-free and stepless transition in the circumferential direction from the inner band portion to the ring-like configuration of the clamp structure defined by the band means upon tightening of the clamp structure by said tightening means.
Specification