Hose clamp

• US 5,809,619 A
• Filed: 03/05/1997
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stant (Vapor Acquisition Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Stant (Vapor Acquisition Corp.)
• Inventors: Schaub, Erwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US08/811,705
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 24/274 R, 24/275, 24/274 P, 24/279, 24/285, 411/515
• US Class Current: 24/274.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/08 in which a worm coacts with a part of the hose-encircling member that is toothed like a worm-wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1427 Worm and tooth
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1433 Integral thread
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1441 Tangential screw

Abstract

An improved hose clamp is described with an improved clamp insertion feature that enhances the insertion of the clamp band into the screw housing. The improved hose clamp comprises a screw housing having a ramp extending out from the housing wall, a rotatable screw mounted within the screw housing and having a tip or end piece. The hose clamp also has a clamp band with spaced apart slots along the length of the band. As the clamp band is inserted into the housing, the screw tip slides up on the ramp, thereby lifting the screw relative to the screw housing and significantly improving the ease of inserting the clamp band into the screw housing.

Claims

1. An improved hose clamp comprising:

a screw housing comprising a base, a front bearing face, and a rear bearing face, the front bearing face defining a front opening and having a ramp extending out from the front bearing face and adjacent to the front opening defined by the front bearing face, the rear bearing face defining a rear opening, the ramp of the front bearing face extending out from the front bearing face at an angle approximately 10 to 25 degrees from the front bearing face, the ramp forming a bend line on the front bearing face at an angle approximately 45 degrees from the front opening;

a clamp band having a first and second end, the first end defining a plurality of spaced apart slots, the second end attached to the base of the screw housing;

a rotatable screw within the screw housing, the rotatable screw having a thread engaging the spaced apart slots of the clamp band and a screw head at one end and a tip at the other end, the tip placed outwardly from the screw housing and adjacent to the ramp;

wherein when the first end of the clamp band is inserted into the front opening defined by the front bearing face of the screw housing, the tip of the rotatable screw slides up on the ramp of the front bearing face and lifts the rotatable screw relative to the screw housing and permits rapid insertion of the first end of the clamp band into the screw housing.

2. An improved hose clamp comprising a screw housing having a base, a front bearing face, and a rear bearing face, the front bearing face defining a front opening and the rear bearing face defining a rear opening, an adjustable clamp band having a first and second end, the first end having a plurality of spaced apart slots, the second end attached to the screw housing, a rotatable screw within the screw housing, the rotatable screw having a thread engaging the spaced apart slots of the band and a screw head at a first end and a tip at a second opposite end, the rotatable screw having bearing portions adjacent the thread and the screw head, the bearing portions journaling the rotatable screw in the front and the rear bearing faces, the improvement comprising:

a ramp extending out at an angle approximately 10 to 25 degrees from the front bearing face, the ramp being located adjacent to the front opening, the ramp forming a bend line on the front bearing face at an angle approximately 45 degrees from the front opening,

whereby as the first end of the clamp band is inserted in the screw housing, the tip of the rotatable screw slides up on the ramp of the front bearing face and lifts the rotatable screw relative to the screw housing and permits rapid insertion of the first end of the clamp band into the screw housing.

3. An improved hose clamp comprising a screw housing having a base, a front bearing face, and a rear bearing face, the front bearing face defining a front opening and the rear bearing face defining a rear opening, an adjustable clamp band having a first and second end, the first end having a plurality of spaced apart slots, the second end attached to the base of the screw housing, a rotatable screw within the screw housing, the rotatable screw having a thread engaging the spaced apart slots of the clamp band and a screw head at a first end and a tip at a second opposite end, the rotatable screw having a radial shoulder portion adjacent to the screw head abutting against the rear bearing face when the screw operatively engages the spaced apart slots, the rotatable screw also having bearing portions adjacent the thread, the bearing portions journaling the rotatable screw in the openings of the front and the rear bearing faces, the improvement comprising:

a ramp extending out from the front bearing face at an angle approximately 10 to 25 degrees from the front bearing face, the ramp located adjacent to the front opening and forming a bend line on the front bearing face at an angle approximately 45 degrees from the opening,

wherein when the first end of the clamp band is inserted into the front opening defined by the front bearing face of the screw housing, the tip of the rotatable screw slides up on the ramp of the front bearing face and lifts the rotatable screw relative to the screw housing and permits rapid insertion of the first end of the clamp band into the screw housing.

4. The hose clamp as in claim 3, wherein the ramp and the tip of the rotatable screw combine to lift the rotatable screw relative to the screw housing when the first end of the clamp band is inserted into the screw housing, thereby reducing tilting of the rotatable screw and thus preventing the rotatable screw from hindering insertion of the first end of the band into the screw housing as desired.