US20110197426A1 - Sealing Appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

An appliance for sealing elastic hoses with a sleeve, which is plastically deformable and slipped onto the hose, has two jaws which are movable towards and away from each other. One jaw has two straight bars which project towards the other jaw and extend transversely of the sleeve to make two transverse indentations in the sleeve and the hose when the jaws are moving towards each other. The same jaw has a cutting edge which projects towards the other jaw and is directed transversely of the sleeve, the cutting edge making a substantially transverse cutting indication in the sleeve and the hose when the jaws are moving towards each other.

Description

• This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/422,820, filed Apr. 13, 2009, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/305,813, filed Dec. 19, 2005, which reissued as U.S. Pat. No. RE41169, issued Mar. 30, 2010, which is a reissue application of U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,575, issued on Aug. 24, 2004, which was a national stage application claiming priority to PCT/SE99/00878 filed May 25, 1999, which claims priority to SE-9801885, filed May 28, 1998, the disclosures of which are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present invention relates to an appliance for mechanical sealing of hollow hoses of elastic material with a sealing means which is made of plastically deformable material and which is applied to the hose, said appliance having two jaws, which are movable towards and away from each other and which, when moving towards each other, crimp the sealing means against the hose to seal the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• In a prior-art sealing appliance of the type mentioned by way of introduction, the sealing means in the form of a folded clip is applied to a likewise folded end of the hose. The clip is then crimped against the hose to seal the same, after which the hose is cut downstream of the clip by means of a pair of scissors or some other cutting tool.
• As the relevant hoses have a relatively small diameter, say 5-10 mm, the clips are also relatively small and often difficult to apply in the right position on the folded end of the hose. Nor is it infrequent that the clip falls off the end of the hose, before the sealing appliance has managed to grip it for crimping against the hose with the ensuing risk of sealing not taking place.
• The sealing appliance according to the invention is primarily to be used in the type of device which is intended for introduction and/or withdrawal of a medium in a container and which is disclosed and described in WO 97/16715. More specifically, it is intended for contamination-free sealing and cutting of the hoses which extend between the conveying means and the collecting vessels which are connected to the process container, so that the collecting vessels after being filled with a medium from the process container can be moved without any risk of contamination to a laboratory or the like for sampling or analysis of the medium.
• In the above use of the sealing appliance, which requires good hygienic conditions and contamination-free environment/surroundings, clips of the mentioned type are unacceptable. One reason for this is that they are difficult to handle and often do not provide the desired sealing. Another reason is that there is in most cases at least a small portion of the hose left downstream of the clip containing a small quantity of the medium which leaks out to the surrounding area with an obvious risk of contamination.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
• The main object of the present invention is to provide a sealing appliance of the type mentioned by way of introduction, satisfying all the requirements for contamination-free transport of the relevant collecting vessels, which are filled with a medium, to the laboratory or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• This as well as related objects are achieved in a simple and efficient manner in that the sealing means has the form of a sleeve which is slipped on to the hose, that at least one of the jaws has at least one bar which projects towards the other jaw and which, when the jaws are moving towards each other, makes an indentation in the sleeve and the hose to reinforce the sealing thereof as well as the fixing of the sleeve on the hose, and that at least one of the jaws has a cutting means, which projects towards the other jaw and which, when the jaws are moving towards each other, makes a cutting indication in the sleeve and the hose to allow a sealing cutting of the hose.
• In a particularly preferred embodiment there are at least two straight bars which are arranged substantially in parallel at a distance from each other and extend substantially transversely of the longitudinal direction of the sleeve to make a corresponding number of substantially transverse indentations in the sleeve and the hose, the cutting means preferably extending substantially transversely of the longitudinal direction of the sleeve and making a substantially transverse cutting indication in the sleeve and the hose.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view, seen obliquely from above, of an appliance according to a currently particularly preferred embodiment of the invention in an initial position for the sealing of a hose,
• FIG. 2 is a front view of a part of the appliance according toFIG. 1 in the initial position,
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the appliance corresponding toFIG. 1 in end position of the sealing,
• FIG. 4 is a view corresponding toFIG. 2, the appliance being in the end position, and
• FIGS. 5A and 5B are side views which show the sealed hose, partially cut open, in a position after sealing and in a position after completed cutting of the hose.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• As mentioned above, the appliance generally designated1 is primarily conceived for use in the type of device which is intended for introduction and/or withdrawal of a medium in a container and which is disclosed and described in WO 97/16715. More specifically, it is intended for sealing and cutting the hoses in a mechanical and contamination-free manner, which extend between the conveying means and the collecting vessels which are connected to the process container, so that the collecting vessels after being filled with a medium from the process container can be transported without any risk of contamination to a laboratory or the like for sampling or analysis of the medium.
• Still, the appliance1 can, of course, also be used in a number of other applications where good hygienic conditions and/or contamination-free surroundings and/or working environment are required to a varying extent.
• Thus the appliance1 is generally intended for mechanical sealing ofhollow hoses2 of elastic material, e.g. rubber or plastic, of a quality which is suitable for the purpose. The sealing is carried out with the aid of a sealing means3, which is made of a plastically deformable material, e.g. plastic or metal, having suitable plastic properties and which is applied to thehose2. In the preferred embodiment shown, the sealing means3 consists of ametal sleeve4 which has been slipped on to thehose2 in advance. The sleeve has a length of preferably two or more multiples of the diameter of thehose2, which in turn is typically in the range of 5-10 mm.
• As shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, the appliance1 itself can have the form of a pair oftongs5 which is hand-operated and which has one fixed and one movable leg6 and7 and twojaws8 and9 which are movable towards and away from each other. When moving thejaws8,9 towards each other by manually pressing the legs6,7 together and using a driving means10, which will be described below, thesleeve4 is crimped against thehose2, thereby sealing the same.
• More specifically, as best seen inFIG. 2, at least one of thejaws8 or9, in this case thejaw8, has at least onebar11 which projects towards theother jaw9 or8, in this case thejaw9. In the above-described movement of thejaws8,9 towards each other, thisbar11 makes amarked indentation12, seFIGS. 4,5A and5B, in thesleeve4 and in thehose2. In the preferred embodiment, there are twosuch bars11, which are placed substantially in parallel at a distance from each other and extend substantially transversely of the longitudinal direction of thesleeve4. Thebars11 are preferably straight and make two substantiallytransverse indentations12 in thesleeve4 and in thehose2 to reinforce the sealing thereof as well as the fixing of thesleeve4 on thehose2. If desired and if suitable, there may, of course, be more than twosuch bars11 or bars which are differently placed/formed on saidjaw8.
• Moreover, at least one of thejaws8 or9, also in this case thejaw8, has a cutting means13 projecting towards theother jaw9 or8 (seeFIGS. 2 and 4). When thejaws8,9 are moving towards each other in the described manner, this cutting means13 makes acutting indication14 in thesleeve4 and in thehose2 to allow the sleeve and the hose to be cut in a sealing manner.
• In the shown embodiment, thecutting means13 is preferably formed as a substantiallystraight cutting edge15. The cutting edge extends substantially transversely of the longitudinal direction of thesleeve4 and thus makes a substantiallytransverse cutting indication14 in thesleeve4 and in thehose2. As seen inFIGS. 2 and 4, thecutting edge15 projects to greater extent than thebars11 and suitably co-operates with an opposite, straight recess16 in the opposite jaw, in this case thejaw9. The depth, width and form of therecess16 can vary, and the recess is suitably adapted to the form of thecutting edge15 and to the qualities of the material of thehose2 and thesleeve4. In certain applications, therecess16 can, if required or desired, be omitted.
• Preferably, thecutting edge15 is situated substantially halfway between thebars11, if they are two in number, such as shown inFIGS. 2 and 4. If there arefurther bars11, thecutting edge15 is suitably placed halfway between two adjacent bars, preferably the ones situated closest to the middle. In a certain application, it is, of course, also possible to place thecutting edge15 outside or on one side of the bar or thebars11.
• Thecutting indication14 mentioned above is preferably such that thesleeve4 and thehose2 are not cut or broken directly when sealing by means of the appliance1, such as shown inFIG. 5A, but at an optional point of time after that. Then thesleeve4 and thehose2 are separated along thecutting indication14 by manual or mechanical bending back and forth, until the sleeve is divided by fatigue fracture, as shown inFIG. 5B.
• Naturally, nothing prevents thesleeve4 and thehose2 from being separated along thecutting indication14 directly in connection with the actual sealing.
• To fix thesleeve4 and thehose2 in the intended position between thejaws8 and9 in the appliance1 when sealing, at least one of thejaws8 or9, in this case thejaw9, has afixture17. The fixture fixes and supports thehose2 and thesleeve4 laterally, horizontally and vertically and can be formed in an optional manner which is not described in further detail.
• For practical and other reasons, in the disclosed and described embodiment thebars11 and thecutting edge15 are arranged on one of thejaws8 or9, in this case thejaw8, and thefixture17 on the other,opposite jaw9 or8, in this case thejaw9. Thebars11, thecutting edge15 and thefixture17 can be mounted on the associatedjaw8,9 with the aid of suitable attachment means, which are not shown. Alternatively, one/some of or all these components can be made in one piece with the associated jaw. In the shown case, thebars11 and thecutting edge15 are made in one piece with the associated jaw, whereas thefixture17 is mounted on the associated jaw, seeFIGS. 2 and 4.
• In the preferred embodiment, thejaw8 provided with thebars11 and thecutting edge15 suitably has the form of a die which is fixedly mounted in the appliance1 with the aid of attachment means (not shown), seeFIGS. 2 and 4. In a corresponding manner, thejaw9 provided with thefixture17 has the form of a punch. This punch is mounted in a slidable manner (not shown) in the appliance1 and is actuatable by the previously mentioned driving means10. The driving means10 suitably consists of a gear generally designated18, which can be an eccentric mechanism or the like and which is suitably connected to and actuatable by means of the movable leg7 of the pair oftongs5.
• The invention is not, of course, limited to the embodiment which is described above and shown in the drawings, and can be modified in many different ways within the scope of protection according to the appended claims.
• The appliance1 does not, for example, need to be a manually operable pair of tongs, but it can alternatively be a separate tool or a tool which is included in a machine and driven electrically, pneumatically, hydraulically etc according to need and desire. Thejaws8,9 with the associated components (bars11, cuttingedge15 and fixture17) can be attached to the appliance1 in a replaceable manner and match the size of thehose2 and thesleeve4 and/or be mutually exchangeable etc.

Claims (21)

1. A hand-held sealing appliance, comprising:

jaws mounted to receive a hose and operable for relative movement;

an indentation projection, supported by at least one of the jaws, that provides an indentation in the hose; and

at least one cutting indication projection, supported by at least one of the jaws, that makes a cutting indication in the hose at a location longitudinally displaced from the indentation, the cutting indication extending farther into the hose than the indentation.

2. The appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the indentation projection and the cutting indication projection are fixed relative to each other on the same jaw.

3. The appliance ofclaim 1, further comprising a second indentation projection on one of the jaws to provide a second indentation in the hose, the at least one cutting indication projection being positioned longitudinally between the indentation projections.

4. The appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the hose is separated along the cutting indication.

5. The appliance ofclaim 1, further comprising a sealing element of plastically deformable material positioned about the hose at the indentation projection and at the at least one cutting indication projection.

6. The appliance ofclaim 1, further comprising a plastically deformable sleeve about the hose at the indentation projection and at the at least one cutting indication projection.

7. The appliance ofclaim 6, wherein the plastically deformable sleeve is metal.

8. The appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the jaws are manually operable.

9. The appliance ofclaim 1, further comprising a fixture to position the hose between the jaws.

10. The appliance ofclaim 1, wherein one of the jaws is fixed in the appliance.

11. The appliance ofclaim 1, wherein the indentation projection and one of the at least one cutting indication projection are supported by the jaw.

12. A method of sealing and allowing separation of a hose, comprising:

providing a hand-held appliance having jaws, an indention projection extending from one of the jaws and a cutting indication projection extending from one of the jaws;

positioning the hose between the jaws of the hand-held appliance; and

causing relative movement between the jaws, the projection forming an indentation in the hose and the cutting indication projection forming a cutting indication in the hose at a location longitudinally displaced from the indentation, the cutting indication extending farther into the hose than the indentation.

13. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the indentation projection and the cutting indication projection are fixed relative to each other on the same jaw.

14. The method ofclaim 12, wherein a second indentation projection on one of the jaws forms a second indentation in the hose, the cutting indication being positioned longitudinally between the indentations.

15. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the hose is separated along the cutting indication.

16. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising positioning a sealing element of plastically deformable material about the hose at the indentation projection and at the cutting indication projection.

17. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising positioning a plastically deformable sleeve about the hose at the projection and at the cutting indication projection.

18. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the jaws are operated manually.

19. The method ofclaim 12, wherein one of the jaws is fixed in the appliance.

20. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the indentation and the cutting indication are made on the same side of the hose.

21. A hand-held sealing appliance, comprising:

jaws mounted to receive a hose and operable for relative movement;

indentation means for forming an indentation, supported by at least one of the jaws, that provides an indentation in the hose; and

cutting means for forming a cutting indication, supported by at least one of the jaws, that makes a cutting indication in the hose at a location longitudinally displaced from the indentation, the cutting means extending farther into the hose than the indentation.

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