CLIP FOR THE FASTENING OF PIPES
TECHNICAL AREA
The invention relates to a clip for the fastening of pipes according to the introduction to claim 1 .
BACKGROUND
What are known as "clips" are used for the fastening of pipes. A common type of clip is that known as a "P-clip", which is advantageously used for the fastening of pipes at installations for which the load is static.
One problem with the fastening of pipes by means of P-clips at installations at which the load may be dynamic or pulsating, such as in motor vehicles, for example at the chassis and the engine, is that there is a risk that the P-clip breaks off at the sharp edge. Large blocks with two halves that surround the pipe are used to solve this problem. Such a solution with two large halves requires, however, much space and for this reason cannot be applied at certain installations. Such a solution, further, is not suitable for preassembly, since it consists of two halves.
PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION
One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a clip for the fastening of pipes that can withstand dynamic and pulsating loads and that is compact. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other purposes, which are made clear by the description below, are achieved by means of a clip of the type described in the introduction, and that furthermore demonstrates the distinctive features specified in the characterising part of the attached independent patent claim 1 . Preferred embodiments of the clip are defined in the attached non-independent claims.
According to the invention, these purposes are achieved with a clip for the fastening of pipes comprising a surrounding element that can be opened, forming an opening to receive and essentially surround the pipe and arranged to form a fastening element at the clip with a penetrating fastening opening, whereby the fastening element in its closed condition has a thickness that essentially corresponds to the opening diameter of the surrounding element. In this way, a clip for the fastening of pipes is achieved that can withstand dynamic and pulsating loads, and that is compact.
According to one embodiment, the clip has an internal part and an essentially U-shaped external part arranged to be in place mounted with its shanks on each side of the internal part of the fastening element. Preassembly of the clip is in this way facilitated. Furthermore, it is an advantage in this case if the internal part is of a material, such as plastic, that is not sensitive to the pipe, while the external part can be of a metallic material in order to withstand the dynamic or pulsating loads.
According to one embodiment of the clip, the internal part and the external part are arranged to interact in a joining manner by means of a snap-in configuration. Assembly of the clip at a pipe is in this way facilitated. Thus, also preassembly of the clip is in this way facilitated.
According to one embodiment of the clip, the internal part comprises a joint element in order to make it possible to open the clip. Assembly of the clip at a pipe is in this way facilitated. According to one embodiment of the clip, the internal part is manufactured from a plastic material. Through the use in this way of plastic that surrounds the pipe, wear against the pipe is reduced from that experienced when a metallic material is used. According to one embodiment of the clip, the internal part comprises a joint element in the form of a film hinge in order to make it possible to open the clip. An efficient joint is in this way obtained that is simple to manufacture by, for example, injection moulding.
According to one embodiment of the clip, the external part is manufactured from a metallic material. The withstanding of the forces that can arise in the form of dynamic or pulsating loads can in this way be facilitated in a compact manner, since the metallic material is rigid and strong.
According to one embodiment of the clip, the internal part is constituted by two separate parts, preferably joined to each other. The manufacture of the internal part is in this way facilitated. The separate parts may be identically formed and can, according to one variant, be joined to each other by means of a piece of tape or similar that is applied subsequently, in order to facilitate assembly.
According to one embodiment of the clip, the fastening opening is arranged to run transverse to the longitudinal extent of the fastening element, transverse to the axial direction of the opening of the surrounding element. The clip is in this way fastened according to a P-clip in order to optimise its compactness.
According to one embodiment of the clip, the thickness of the fastening element is formed by means of two interacting elements of the surrounding element in the closed condition. A stable clip is in this way achieved that makes simple assembly possible. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The present invention will be better understood with reference to the following detailed description read together with the attached drawings, where the same reference numbers refer to the same parts throughout the several views, and where:
Figure 1 illustrates schematically a perspective view of a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates schematically a perspective of a U-shaped external part of the clip shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 illustrates schematically a perspective view of an internal part of the clip shown in Figure 1 ;
Figure 4 illustrates schematically a plan view of the internal part shown in Figure 3 in an open condition;
Figure 4a illustrates schematically a longitudinal cross-section A-A of the internal part shown in Figure 4;
Figure 4b illustrates schematically a transverse cross-section B-B of the internal part shown in Figure 4;
Figure 4c illustrates schematically a longitudinal cross-section C-C of a partial region of the internal part shown in Figure 4; Figure 5 illustrates schematically a perspective view of the internal part shown in Figure 3 in an open condition;
Figure 6a illustrates schematically a side view of the external part shown in Figure 2; and
Figure 6b illustrates schematically a plan view of the external part shown in Figure 2. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 illustrates schematically a perspective of a clip 1 according to the present invention, Figures 3, 4, 4a-c and 5 illustrate different views of an internal part I of the clip 1 , and Figures 2 and 6a-b illustrate different view of an external part II of the clip 1 .
The clip 1 is intended for the fastening of pipes.
The clip 1 has an internal part I. The internal part I comprises a surrounding element 10 that can be opened and that forms an opening to receive and essentially surround the pipe.
The surrounding element 10 that can be opened comprises first and second interacting elements 20, 30.
The internal part I comprises a joint element 12 in order to make it possible to open the clip. The internal part comprises, according to this embodiment, a joint element 1 2 in the form of a film hinge 12 in order to make it possible to open the clip.
The first and second interacting elements 20, 30 of the surrounding element 10 are mutually mounted to pivot around the said joint element 12 between an open condition for the reception of the pipe and a closed condition for fastening.
The surrounding element 10 is arranged such that in the closed condition it forms a fastening element 1 1 with a penetrating opening O1 . The surrounding element 10 consequently comprises a fastening element 1 1 .
Each one of the interacting elements 20, 30 of the surrounding element 10 has an inner surface 20a, 30a with an inner surface and an outer surface 20b, 30b. The relevant interacting element 20, 30 of the surrounding element 10 has opposing long sides 20c, 20d, 30c, 30d.
Each of the interacting elements 20, 30 of the surrounding element 1 0 has a short side 20e, 30e at the joint, where the short side 20e of the first interacting element 20 is united in a jointed manner through the joint element 12 with the short side 30e of the second interacting element 30.
Each interacting element 20, 30 of the surrounding element 10 has a short side 20f, 30f at the end that is opposite to the short side 20e, 30e at the joint.
The inner surface 20a, 30a of each interacting element 20, 30 of the surrounding element 10 has an indentation 22, 32 with a cross-section that is essentially semi-circular with a direction of axial extent that is transverse to the longitudinal extent of the surrounding element 10 and parallel to the short side at the joint of the relevant interacting element 20, 30. The semi-circular indentation 22 at the first interacting element 20 and the semi-circular indentation 32 at the second interacting element 30 form, when in the closed condition, the said opening O1 to receive the pipe and essentially surround it.
Each interacting element 20, 30 of the surrounding element 10 comprises a fastening opening part O20, O30 arranged to run transverse to the longitudinal extent of the interacting element 20, 30 and transverse to the axial direction of the indentation 22, 32. The fastening opening part O20 of the first interacting element 20 and the fastening opening part O30 of the second interacting element 30 form, when in the closed condition, a fastening opening O10 to receive a fastening element, such as a screw.
The fastening opening part O20, O30 of the relevant interacting element 20, 30 is arranged between the semi-circular indentation 22, 32 and the short side 20f, 30f at the end. The fastening opening part O20, O30 of the relevant interacting element is arranged essentially centrally between the long sides 20c, 20d, 30c, 30d. The inner surface 20a of the first interacting element 20 and the inner surface 30a of the second interacting element 30 of the surrounding element 10 are, in the closed condition, arranged such that their inner surfaces make contact with each other. Each interacting element 20, 30 of the surrounding element has a thickness that essentially corresponds to the radius of the semi-circular indentation 22, 32. In this case, the fastening element 1 1 that is formed by the surrounding element 10 has, in its closed condition, a thickness that essentially corresponds to the opening diameter of the surrounding element. The outer surface 20b, 30b of each interacting element 20, 30 has material- reducing indentations 24, 34 created during the manufacture by injection moulding. The thickness of the fastening element 1 1 is consequently formed by means of first and second interacting elements 20, 30 of the surrounding element 10 in the closed condition. Each interacting element 20, 30 has a rim element 26, 36 that runs along the relevant long side 20c, 20d, 30c, 30d, and that protrudes from the outer surface.
Each interacting element 20, 30 has opposing ramp elements 28, 38 in association with the relevant rim element26, 36, arranged to constitute a part of a snap-in configuration. Each ramp element 28, 38 is arranged essentially at the level of the fastening opening part O20, O30. Each ramp element 28, 38 has a slope relative to the surface 20b, 30b of the outer surface in the direction towards the short side 20f, 30f at the end. Each ramp element 28, 38 has a height that essentially corresponds to the height of the rim element 26, 36. Each ramp element 28, 38 has a ramp side 28a, 38a that faces the short side 20e, 30e at the joint 20e, 30e, and an opposing side 28b, 38b that faces the short side 20f, 30f at the end. The opposing side 28b, 38b at each ramp element 28, 38 is essentially perpendicular to the rim element 26, 36 and essentially perpendicular to the direction of axial extent of the interacting element 20, 30.
The outer surface 20b, 30b of each interacting element has a cross-section from the short side 20e, 30e at the joint to the rim element 26, 36 that is essentially shaped as an arc, following the semi-circular indentation 22, 32. Each short side 20e, 30e at the joint 20e, 30e forms, when the surrounding element 10 is its closed condition, a surrounding side 10e at the surrounding element 10. In this case the surrounding side 10e of the surrounding element 10 has, in the closed condition, an essentially semi-circular cross-section. The internal part I of the clip 1 is, according to one embodiment, manufactured from a plastic material.
The external part II of the clip 1 is essentially U-shaped. The external part II has an end section 40 with an essentially semi-circular cross-section. The external part has first and second shanks 42, 44 that run from the end section 40 parallel to each other and separated by a distance.
Each one of the shanks 42, 44 has an inner surface 42a,44a with an inner surface and an outer surface 42b, 44b. Each shank 42, 44 has an opposing long side 42c, 42d, 44c, 44d. Each shank 42, 44 has an end section 42e, 44e. Each shank 42, 44 comprises a fastening opening part 042, 044 arranged to run transverse to the longitudinal extent of the shank 42, 44 and transverse to the axial direction of the semi-circular end section 40. The fastening opening part 042 of the first shank 42 and the fastening opening part 044 of the second shank 44 are brought into line with each other. Each shank 42, 44 has opposing indentations 43, 45 arranged on the relevant long side 42c, 42d, 44c, 44d, which indentations constitute a part in a snap-in configuration and are arranged to interact with the ramp elements 28, 38. Each indentation 43, 45 is arranged essentially at the level of the fastening opening part 042, 044.
The fastening opening part 042, 044 of each shank 42, 44 is arranged between the semi-circular end section 40 and the end section 42e, 44e of the shank 42, 44. The fastening opening part 042, 044 of the relevant shank 42, 44 is arranged essentially centrally between the long sides 42c, 42d, 44c, 44d.
The width of each shank 42, 44 corresponds essentially to the distance between the opposing rim elements 26, 36 of the internal part I. The external part II of the clip 1 is, in its assembled condition, arranged to be in place with its shanks 42, 44 on each side of the internal part I at the fastening element 1 1 at the internal part I.
During assembly of the clip 1 , the external part I is arranged to be applied from the surrounding side 10e at the closed internal part I such that the shanks 42, 44 run one on each side of the internal part I between the rim elements 26, 36. The latter act as guiderails to guide the shanks 42, 44 during the application. When the end sections 42e, 44e of the shanks 42, 44 reach and are driven up onto the ramp elements 28, 38, the shanks are arranged such that they can flex. As a consequence, the shank 42, 44 are configured such that they have a return spring function. When the end sections 42e, 44e of the shanks 42, 44 pass the ramp elements 28, 38, each shank 42, 44 springs back such that the ramp element 28, 38 is introduced into the relevant indentation 43, 45 in order to achieve the snap-in configuration to hold together the external part II and the internal part I of the clip 1 .
When the internal part is located assembled with the internal part I, the relevant opening element O20, O30, 042, 044 of the internal part I and the external part II are arranged to be brought into line with each other in order to form the penetrating opening 02 in the fastening element 1 1 . According to one embodiment of the clip, the external part is manufactured from a metallic material.
The internal part has been described above with the first interacting element united with the second interacting element in a jointed manner through a joint element in the form of a film hinge. According to an alternative embodiment of the clip, the internal part is constituted by two separate interacting parts. It is preferable that the separate parts are mutually united. The separate parts may be identically formed and can, according to one variant, be joined to each other by means of a piece of tape or similar that is applied subsequently, in order to facilitate assembly.
The internal part according to the embodiment described above is manufactured from a plastic material. The internal part can be manufactured from any suitable material such as, for example, a wooden or a metallic material. The clip according to the embodiment described above is constituted by an internal part and an external part arranged such that they interact in a uniting manner. According to an alternative embodiment, the clip is constituted by only the internal part, which is, according to this variant, preferably manufactured from a metallic material. The description above of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been given for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the variants that have been described. Many modifications and variations will be obvious for one skilled in the arts. The embodiments have been selected and described in order to best describe the principles of the invention and its practical applications, and thus to make it possible for one skilled in the arts to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications that are appropriate for the intended use.