GB2343927A

GB2343927A - Hose with tightenable clamp

Info

Publication number: GB2343927A
Application number: GB9825648A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Andrew Brunton; David Michael Gunner; David Geoffrey Styles; James Peter Whatley
Original assignee: Thermopol Ltd
Current assignee: Thermopol Ltd
Priority date: 1998-11-23
Filing date: 1998-11-23
Publication date: 2000-05-24
Also published as: GB9825648D0

Abstract

The clamp 2 is held on the hose 1 against removal by holding means 6. This combination is such that the hose may be placed over an end of a pipe and the hose clamped on to the pipe by tightening the clamp on the hose. As shown, the holding means is a clip 6 with a portion 7 surrounding a part of the clamp 2 and doubled around the hose end face and crimped thereon The clip can be integral with the clamp. Alternatively, the holding means is an annulus of self-adhesive silicone foam between the clamp and the hose.

Description

A CLAMP AND HOSE COMBINATION The present invention relates to a clamp and hose combination.

In many assembly processes, a piece of hose is clamped on to an end of a pipe via a tightenable clamp encircling the piece of hose. A problem with pre-assembling such a clamp on to such a piece of hose is that the piece of hose and the clamp have to be able to expand over the pipe, which is usually somewhat larger (e. g. 2mm to 3mm larger) in outside diameter than the inside diameter of the piece of hose.

However, in such a pre-assembled piece of hose and clamp, a clamp which is sufficiently secure on the outside of the piece of hose to withstand the rigours of handling and assembling will not allow the piece of hose to be fitted (without the inconvenience of first untightening the clamp).

According to the present invention, there is provided a combination of a piece of hose, a tightenable clamp encircling the piece of hose and holding means which holds the clamp on to the piece of hose, the combination being such that the piece of hose may be placed over an end of a pipe and the piece of hose clamped on to the pipe by tightening the clamp on to the piece of hose, the holding means allowing such tightening of the clamp.

The holding means may comprise a portion of resilient material (such as a portion of silicone foam) between the clamp and the piece of hose and adhered to the outer surface of the piece of hose. The portion of resilient material could also be adhered to the clamp and could be in the form of annulus encircling the piece of hose.

Alternatively, the holding means may comprise a holding portion fast with part of the clamp, which holding portion is fastened to the piece of hose. The holding portion could be an extension of the clamp, which portion extends towards and is fastened to an end part of the piece of hose. In this case, said holding portion may extend across a part of the circumference of the piece of hose at the end part and back into said piece of hose. The holding portion is preferably fastened to said piece of hose by having been crimped to the latter.

Alternatively, the holding means may comprise a separate holding member having a first portion which at least partly surrounds a part of the clamp and a second portion extending from the first portion and fastened to said piece of hose. Said second portion could extend from the first portion towards and be fastened at an end part of the piece of hose. In this case, the second portion may extend across a part of the circumference of the piece of hose at the end part and back into said piece of hose. The second portion is preferably fastened to said piece of hose by having been crimped to the latter.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1A and 1B are a longitudinal section through and a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; Figs. 2A and 2B are a longitudinal section through and a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; and Figs. 3A and 3B are a longitudinal section through and a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for items which are the same in the three embodiments.

Referring to Figs. 1A and 1B, reference numeral 1 designates a piece of hose and reference numeral 2 designates a clamp encircling the piece of hose 1 and tightenable via a screw head 3. Between the clamp 2 and the piece of hose 1 is holding means in the form of an annulus 4 of self-adhesive silicone foam adhered to the outer surface of the piece of hose 1. The silicone foam may, if desired, be such that it is also adhesive on both sides to adhere to the inner surface of the clamp 2.

Referring to Figs. 2A and 2B, integral with the clamp 2 is holding means in the form of an extension comprising a tag 5 having a serrated end, which tag extends from the clamp to the end of the piece of hose 1, across a part of the circumference of the piece of hose 1 and back into the piece of hose 1, being fastened to the end part of the piece of hose 1 by crimping via the serrations. The end of the tag 5 could be shaped other than with serrations.

Referring to Figs. 3A and 3B, reference numeral 6 designates a clip separate from the clamp 2 and having a first portion 7 which surrounds the clamp and a second portion 8 having a serrated end, portion 8 extending from the portion 7 to the end of the piece of hose 1, across a part of the circumference of the piece of hose 1 and back into the piece of hose 1, being fastened to the end part of the piece of hose 1 by crimping via the serrations. The end of the portion 8 could be shaped other than serrations.

In the above three embodiments, the piece of hose 1 with its clamp 2 held on it may be placed over an end of a pipe and clamped on to the latter by tightening the clamp, the holding means 4 or 5 or 6,7,8 being such as to allow such tightening.

For successful fluid sealing, the clamp 2 should be tightened up in a defined axial location relative to a bead on the pipe. The second embodiment positions the clamp 2 very accurately on the piece of hose in an axial sense. It will subsequently be correctly positioned with respect to the pipe bead if the piece of hose itself is axially located correctly on the pipe. With the third embodiment the clearance of the clamp 2 in the holding means 6,7,8 would allow an assembler to finally position the clamp 2 in a correct axial position relative to the pipe bead whose presence can be detected visually on the external surface of piece of hose 1.

Hose clamp screws are normally tightened using power tools which can be quite bulky and hence radial positioning on the piece of hose can be a useful assembly aid to allow power tools to approach the screw unencumbered. Also, due to the proximity of other structures, the clamps may need to be radially positioned to avoid mechanical interference when assembled. The second and third embodiments allow the clamp 2 to be positioned radially for both requirements relative to additional external marking on the piece of hose itself.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A combination of a piece of hose, a tightenable clamp encircling the piece of hose and holding means which holds the clamp on to the piece of hose, the combination being such that the piece of hose may be placed over an end of a pipe and the piece of hose clamped on to the pipe by tightening the clamp on to the piece of hose, the holding means allowing such tightening of the clamp.
2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the holding means comprises a portion of resilient material between the clamp and the piece of hose and adhered to the outer surface of the piece of hose.
3. A combination according to claim 2, wherein said resilient material is a silicone foam.
4. A combination according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said portion of resilient material is bonded to the clamp.
5. A combination according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein said portion of resilient material is in the form of an annulus encircling the piece of hose.
6. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the holding means comprises a holding portion fast with part of the clamp, which holding portion is fastened to the piece of hose.
7. A combination according to claim 6, wherein said holding portion is an extension of the clamp, which portion extends towards and is fastened at an end part of the piece of hose.
8. A combination according to claim 7, wherein said extension extends across a part of the circumference of the piece of hose at the end part and back into said piece of hose.
9. A combination according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein said holding portion is fastened to said piece of hose by having been crimped to the latter.
10. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the holding means comprises a separate holding member having a first portion which at least partly surrounds a part of the clamp and a second portion extending from the first portion and fastened to said piece of hose.
11. A combination according to claim 10, wherein said second portion extends from said first portion towards and is fastened at an end part of the piece of hose.
12. A combination according to claim 11, wherein said second portion extends across a part of the circumference of the piece of hose at the end part and back into said piece of hose.
13. A combination according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein said second portion is fastened to said piece of hose by having been crimped to the latter.
14. A combination of a piece of hose, a tightenable clamp and holding means, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.