Clamp device

• US 9,863,564 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Takaoka Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Takaoka Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNWOODY, AARON M
• Application Number:
  US14/411,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20150204471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 285410, 285420, 285367, 285337, 24279, 24282, 24284
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/1811 with means permitting relative movement, e.g. compensation of thermal expansion or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/08 connection by tangentially arranged pin and nut
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/04 tightened by tangentially-arranged threaded pin and nut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1451 Plural separable parts

Abstract

In a clamp device, a main clamp body includes an elongated tightening groove delimited by groove-forming wall sections. First and second lobe parts are disposed in the vicinity of end portions of two such tightening grooves. The main clamp body presents a ring shape when bolt and nut are mounted in position on the lobe parts disposed facing each other. Each of the lobe parts includes sidewall sections respectively contiguous to the groove delimiting wall sections that delimit the tightening groove. Each lobe part also includes a curved outer end wall section interconnecting the sidewall sections at an outer end of each lobe part and a seat surface wall section contiguous to the sidewall sections and to the outer end wall section. The seat surface wall section provides a bolt/nut seat surface. An arcuately shaped fulcrum part is formed on the curved outer end wall section of each lobe part.

Claims

1. A clamp device in which a main clamp body comprises a pair of clamp members, each clamp member having a tightening groove delimited by a pair of groove-delimiting wall sections;

the tightening grooves each having a U- or V-shaped transverse cross-section; and

first and second lobe parts disposed integrally with the pair of clamp members in the vicinity of end portions of the tightening grooves;

the main clamp body presenting a ring shape when a bolt and a nut are mounted in position on the lobe parts disposed facing each other;

the bolt and the nut when screw-tightened relative to each other developing a force of fastening together at least two objects placed within the tightening grooves;

wherein,

each of the first and second lobe parts comprises;

a pair of sidewall sections respectively contiguous to the pair of groove-delimiting wall sections that delimit the tightening groove;

a curved outer end wall section interconnecting the pair of sidewall sections at an outer end of each lobe part; and

a seat surface wall section contiguous to the pair of sidewall sections and to the outer end wall section;

the seat surface wall section providing a seat surface for the bolt or the nut;

an arcuately shaped fulcrum part being formed on the curved outer end wall section of each lobe part so as to extend horizontally along a curving direction of the outer end wall section,

end portions reaching the side wall in the fulcrum part projecting from the side wall,

each fulcrum part in contact with the other when fastened and extending outwardly to exceed a width of each lobe part, and

ends of the clamp members opposite the lobe parts being hingedly connected by a connecting ring.

2. The clamp device according to claim 1, wherein, both end portions of each arcuately shaped fulcrum part extend to be integral to the paired sidewall sections.

3. A clamp device in which a main clamp body comprises a pair of clamp members, each clamp member having a tightening groove delimited by a pair of groove-delimiting wall sections;

the tightening grooves each having a U- or V-shaped transverse cross-section; and

first and second lobe parts disposed integrally with the pair of clamp members in the vicinity of end portions of the tightening grooves;

the main clamp body presenting a ring shape when a bolt and a nut are mounted in position on the lobe parts disposed facing each other;

the bolt and the nut when screw-tightened relative to each other developing a force of fastening together at least two objects placed within the tightening grooves;

wherein,

each of the first and second lobe parts comprises;

a pair of sidewall sections respectively contiguous to the pair of groove-delimiting wall sections that delimit the tightening groove;

a curved outer end wall section interconnecting the pair of sidewall sections at an outer end of each lobe part; and

a seat surface wall section contiguous to the pair of sidewall sections and to the outer end wall section;

the seat surface wall section providing a seat surface for the bolt or the nut;

an arcuately shaped fulcrum part formed on the curved outer end wall section of each lobe part so as to extend along a plane of a radius of curvature defined by a curving direction of the outer end wall section,

a pair of end portions of the fulcrum part projecting outwardly from the pair of sidewall sections whereby a width defined by the fulcrum part exceeds a width defined by the sidewall sections,

the clamp device being configured so that the fulcrum part of the first lobe part contacts the fulcrum part of the second lobe part when the bolt and the nut are fastened, and

ends of the clamp members opposite the lobe parts being hingedly connected by a connecting ring.

4. The clamp device according to claim 3, wherein the pair of end portions of each arcuately shaped fulcrum part are monolithically formed as one piece with the pair of sidewall sections.

5. The clamp device according to claim 3, wherein the connecting ring has an annular rectangular shape.

6. The clamp device according to claim 4, wherein the connecting ring has an annular rectangular shape.