Patents by Inventor Ralf Spors

Ralf Spors has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5864926
    Abstract: A spring band clamp is comprised of an annular spring band having a first end portion and a second end portion. Each end portion has a spreading jaw that projects beyond a periphery of the spring band. The first end portion has a tongue spaced from the spreading jaw of the first end portion extending radially outwardly from a U-shaped incision in the first end portion and has a free end surface extending perpendicularly with respect to a direction of extension of the tongue. An abutment is formed by a radially inner edge of the free end surface of the tongue. The second end portion has a slot extending in a circumferential direction. The first end portion projects through the peripheral slot in the second end portion. The spring band exerts a closing spring force, which is directed in the circumferential direction. The closing spring force is greater in an open position of the spring band clamp than in an operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Rasmussen GMBH
    Inventors: Jurgen Gyongyosi, Bernd Beicht, Werner Ruppert, Ralf Spors
  • Patent number: 5715579
    Abstract: A spring band clamp is comprised of an annular spring band having a first end portion and a second end portion. Each end portion has a clamping jaw that projects beyond a periphery of the spring band. The first end portion has a tongue extending radially outwardly from a U-shaped incision in the first end portion. An abutment is formed by a radial inner edge of a free end surface of the tongue. The second end portion has a slot extending in a circumferential direction. The first end portion projects through the peripheral slot in the second end portion. The clamping jaws extend substantially tangentially relative to the circumferential direction of the spring band. The spring band exerts a closing spring force, which is directed in the circumferential direction. The closing spring force is greater in an open position of the spring band clamp than in an operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Beicht, Jurgen Gyongyosi, Werner Ruppert, Ralf Spors
  • Patent number: 5586791
    Abstract: A push-fit connector for joining a fluid line to a pipe. The pipe has a retaining rib, and the push-fit connector has an angled pipe section. One end section of the angled pipe section can be connected to the fluid line and the other end section can be fitted to the pipe in only one relative rotational position by using a pair of retaining arms which can engage with the retaining rib when the pipe and pipe section are fitted together. To join the pipe section and the pipe together in a torsion-resistant manner at different relative rotational positions, the pipe section is fitted in a locking manner to a coupling ring. The coupling ring has retaining arms to connect one coupling ring, together with the pipe section, to the pipe. The coupling ring and the pipe section are protected from relative rotation with respect to each other by teeth which can be mutually engaged at different rotational positions of the pipe section and coupling ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Hary Kirchner, Ralf Hohmann, Ralf Spors
  • Patent number: 5366259
    Abstract: A fluid coupling wherein a tubular coupling member has a first terminal sealingly engageable with an end of a first conduit and a second terminal sealing engageable with an end of a second conduit. The end of the second conduit has a radially outwardly extending retaining flange and the coupling member has a set of radially movable resilient arms which engage the flange when the second terminal is in proper engagement with the end of the second conduit. The arms can be prevented from becoming accidentally disengaged from the flange by one end portion of a sleeve which is reciprocable along and surrounds the coupling member. The sleeve can be releasably locked in a release position in which the arms are free to become disengaged from the flange and/or in a locking position in which the sleeve prevents disengagement of the arms from the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hohmann, Ralf Spors
  • Patent number: 5353478
    Abstract: A clamp, especially a hose-clamp, wherein a band with overlapping end portions has a radial outer end portion having a first closure element and a slot. The slot extends in a circumferential direction along the clamp. The radial inner end portion has a projection and a second closure element, which when closing the clamp comes into a locking mechanism engagement with the first closure-element. The projection can be inserted into the slot and can be locked in this position. In order to avoid the danger of locking the projection at its insertion into the slot, and to assure that the end portions retain their required relative position when applying tension to the clamp, the projection is a circumferentially extending bar and the slot has a pair of flaps on opposite edges of the slot and protruding into the slot. The bar has notches which are provided for the radial passing of the flaps and the bar is shorter than the slot of the clamp in a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Spors
  • Patent number: 5338071
    Abstract: One end portion of a pipe, which has a circumferentially extending external bead at the one end portion, is insertable into the internal sockets of an array of arms which are axially movably received in one end portion of a sleeve. The arms have external surfaces which cooperate with an internal surface of the sleeve to permit limited axial movements of the arms between first and second positions. When in the first positions, the arms can be flexed radially outwardly to thus permit insertion of the bead into or its extraction from the sockets. The internal surface of the sleeve and/or the external surfaces of the arms can but need not be conical, either entirely or in part. The sleeve can be inserted into a bore or hole of a nipple on a radiator or carburetor in a motor vehicle. One or more O-rings or other suitable sealing elements are installed between the sleeve and the external surface of the one end portion of the properly installed pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hohmann, Bernd Kleinhens, Olaf Kohlhaus, Stephan Mann, Ralf Spors
  • Patent number: 5323811
    Abstract: A fluid coupling wherein a tubular socket has a first terminal connectable with a first pipe and a section for reception of a section of a tubular plug further having a second terminal connectable with a second pipe. The axial passage of the socket contains a first normally closed valve, and the axial passage of the plug contains a second normally closed valve. The two valves open each other in automatic response to insertion of the plug section into the socket section, and each valve closes in automatic response to extraction of the plug section from the socket section. The seat of each of the two valves is a press fit in the respective passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hohmann, Ralf Spors
  • Patent number: 5318332
    Abstract: A device for separably coupling one end portion of a rigid or elastically deformable hose to a nipple has a first tubular element which is non-rotatably and sealingly secured to the one end portion of the hose, and a second tubular element which is rotatable on the first element and carries first detent members separably engageable with one or more second detent members on the nipple. Engagement of the first detent members with and/or their disengagement from the second detent member or members on the nipple merely necessitates rotation of the second tubular element relative to the nipple and relative to the first tubular element, i.e., the hose need not be twisted and/or otherwise deformed in order to couple it to, or to disengage it from, the nipple. A sealing ring is provided to automatically engage the first tubular element and the nipple when the first detent members are properly connected to the second detent member or members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hohmann, Gerhard Winterstein, Ralf Spors
  • Patent number: 5309607
    Abstract: A hose clip which comprises a flexible strap adapted to be placed around a selected portion of a hose and to be tightened around such selected portion by turning a bolt or screw. An elongated concavo-convex strip-shaped resilient insert is adjacent a portion of the internal surface and extends in the circumferential direction of the strap opposite the mechanism which serves to increase or reduce the effective length of the strap. The convex external surface of the insert is biased in a direction away from the adjacent portion of the internal surface of the strap by one or more springs which are disposed between the insert and the strap and are of one piece with the insert. At least one end of the insert is slidable along the strap. The spring or springs ensure that the strap does not become loose as a result of aging of the material of the adjacent portion of the hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hohmann, Bernd Kleinhens, Manfred Kruger, Stephan Mann, Erich Ruf, Ralf Spors, Reiner Schreiter, Willi Stichel, Gerhard Wachter, Gerhard Winterstein, Siegmund Zeidler
  • Patent number: 5299474
    Abstract: A screw can be driven home in response to the application of a preselected torque by placing over the head of the screw a tubular first section of a plastic adapter wherein the first section is connected with a polygonal second section by a frangible joint. The joint breaks in response to the application of preselected torque to the second section, and the separated second section then exposes a destructible diaphragm which is provided in the first section and overlies the head of the screw. The head can be engaged by the working end of a tool in response to at least partial destruction of the diaphragm. The first section can be of one piece with the head or it can be affixed thereto by an adhesive or is in mere frictional engagement with the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hohmann, Ralf Spors, Gerhard Winterstein, Heinz Sauer
  • Patent number: 5226680
    Abstract: A hose coupling wherein a sleeve is made of one piece with axially parallel elastic arms engageable with an external rib of a pipe which is inserted into one end portion of the sleeve. The other end portion of the sleeve is sealingly connected with and surrounds an end of a hose, and the sleeve is surrounded by a turnable or axially movable locking ring having prongs which are caused to bear against the adjacent arms so that the arms are urged against the rib. The sleeve has one or more elastic tongues which can snap behind the adjacent portion or portions of the locking ring to hold the ring in the operative position and to indicate that the ring is maintained in the operative position. The arms have internal grooves for reception of adjacent portions of the rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Bahner, Ralf Hohmann, Ralf Spors, Gerhard Winterstein
  • Patent number: 5209527
    Abstract: A hose coupling wherein a tubular connector has a first portion with an internal annular wall and an internal annular protuberance, and a cylindrical second portion. The protuberance is located between the wall and the second portion, and the first portion has axially extending elastic arms with pallets which can engage an external rib of a pipe when the terminal portion of such pipe is introduced into the first portion. A thin-walled metallic sleeve has a larger-diameter first section with a free end which is receivable in an annular socket of the wall after having passed within and beyond the protuberance upon entering through the open end of the second portion of the connector. At such time, the first section deforms and/or is deformed by the protuberance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hohmann, Ralf Spors, Gerhard Winterstein
  • Patent number: 5201552
    Abstract: A device for simultaneously coupling two pipes with two hoses has a discrete tubular connector for each hose, and each connector has flexible arms with pallets which can engage external retainers on the pipes. The connectors are more or less permanently secured to the respective hoses and are separably connected to each other by a flexible holder having C-shaped collars receivable in external grooves of the connectors and one or more flexible webs which connect the collars to each other. The flexible holder compensates for eventual departure of the distance between the pipes from an optimum distance and/or for absence of exact parallelism of the pipes with one another. When a connector is separated from the holder, it can be used as a constituent of a simple hose coupling, namely to connect the end portion of a hose to a nipple, to a pipe or another tubular component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hohmann, Ralf Spors, Gerhard Winterstein
  • Patent number: 5074601
    Abstract: A quick-release connector wherein a tubular male component has a rear portion insertable into the end portion of a first conduit and a front portion insertable into the resilient front part of a tubular female component. The male component has an annular protuberance between the front and rear portions and the protuberance has a conical front flank and a radial rear flank. The rear part of the female component is insertable into the end portion of a second conduit and the front part has two arms with internal male detents within a ring which connects the front ends of the arms to each other. In order to insert the front portion of the male component, the conical flank of the protuberance is caused to move the detents apart until the detents snap behind the radial flank of the protuberance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Spors, Gerhard Wachter, Ralf Hohmann, Frank Bahner
  • Patent number: 5064227
    Abstract: A quick-release connector for pairs of hoses or other conduits has a tubular male component the front portion of which is insertable into the front part of a tubular female component and carries one or more sealing elements which engage the internal surface of the front part. The front portion of the male component is surrounded by a ring-shaped radially deformable retaining member with a smooth conical external surface which diverges from the axis of the male component in a direction toward the rear portion. The front part of the female component has a chamber behind one or more detents with radial flanks for engagement with the maximum-diameter end of the retaining member when the latter is fully received in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Rasmussen GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Spors, Gerhard Wachter, Ralf Hohmann, Heinz Sauer