PLASTIC CLAMP
A plastic clamp comprises a strip (12), which has a toothed section (14) on at least one side, and a lock (36) having a through-opening (34) for receiving the strip and a locking tongue (38) accommodated in the through-opening and locking the strip (12) by means of the toothed section (14) in the direction of withdrawal when the strip is inserted into the through-opening. Two heads (32) having a parallel through-opening (34) each which is aligned with that of the other head and which is parallel to the strip (12) are molded onto the strip one after the other, the lock (36) being designed as a separate'component and locking the strip when laid between the two heads (32).
The invention relates to a plastic clamp with a strip equipped with a toothed section on at least one side and a lock having a through-opening for receiving the strip and with a locking tongue accommodated in the through-opening which locks the strip inserted into the through-opening by means of the toothed section in the direction of withdrawal.
Cable ties are favored fixing elements for temporarily or permanently joining practically all kinds of objects. They are plastic bands or strips, which are provided with ribs or saw teeth running transversely to its longitudinal extension. A small cuboid-shaped head is formed on one end of such a plastic strip, with a rectangular through-opening corresponding to the profile of the band or strip. A locking lip or tongue, spring pre-loaded relatively to a longitudinal side of the rectangular through-opening, which allows itself to be pushed aside when inserting the band or strip and which catches one of the ribs or saw teeth grooves when pulling the strip so that the strip cannot be pulled back without using an appropriate tool, is set in the through-opening. The head equipped in such a manner will be called a lock in the following. Cable ties are therefore generally destined for single use only; once closed, a cable tie is opened by ripping the strip by means of a knife or a tong.
The field of application of cable ties far outruns the function suggested by its designation, fastening and tying electrical cables. They can be used for instance and among other things in the plumbing trade (for fastening the insulation of a pipe), in tool building, packaging, . . . through to a restraining instrument for refractory delinquents.
In the known cable ties, the rectangular through-opening in the cuboid-shaped head runs perpendicularly to the surface of the strip, so that the free end of the strip can be inserted easily into the opening. The disadvantage of this is however that the cable tie cannot closely follow the outline of a round body (circular, elliptical, oval . . . ) enclosed by it. A “spandrel”, in the area of which the cable tie does not fit tight with the round body, always remains in the area of the lock. If it is used for instance as a clamp for fastening a hose on a tube socket, leaks can appear in this place, especially since the hose material can be easily squeezed into folds.
The object underlying the invention is to propose a cable tie fitting tight with an object enclosed by it on its entire course, so that a secure and leak-free connection can be ensured in the described and similar cases. In other words, a cable tie should be further developed so that it is adapted for use as a clamp, for instance as a hose clamp.
The object underlying the invention is solved by a plastic clamp with two heads formed in a row on the strip with a through-opening each, aligned with that of the other head and parallel to the strip, the lock being configured as a separate component and, being disposed between both heads, locking the strip. In order to make it easier to pull the clamp tight, a pulling strap is formed onto at least one (free) side of the lock.
Another solution to the object underlying the invention consists of a plastic clamp in which the strip is equipped with at least one transverse slot into which the strip can be inserted, thus closing the plastic clamp, the area of the band preceding the transverse slot in the direction of insertion being equipped with an opposing toothed section which catches the toothed section of the strip. In order to increase the pressing between both toothed sections, two other transverse slots through which the strip can be inserted, are disposed before the transverse slot.
In another solution, the clamp consists of a double lock with individual locks fitted side by side on a carrier strip with flattened end straps, which lock in opposing directions, as well as an endless strip, equipped with transverse ribs, which can be inserted into each of the individual locks from one side.
In all embodiments of the plastic clamp of the invention, a continuous tight-fitting of the strip on the enclosed body is ensured.
The invention is described in the following with the help of the exemplary embodiments represented in the drawings:
As when closing a known cable tie, it is often also difficult with the clamp according to the invention to apply the required opposing force onto the lock 18 on the free end of the strip 12 during pulling. A pulling strap 19 is therefore formed onto the head 18 in a preferred embodiment, as shown in
A lock 36 is set between both heads 32 for closing the plastic clamp. The free end of the strip 12 is first pushed into the through-opening of the first head 32, then into the through-opening of the lock 36 and finally into the through-opening of the second head 32.
In order to make it easier to pull the clamp tight, a pulling strap 19 is formed on the free side of a lock 32, namely the one into which the strip 12 is first inserted.
If one pulls another separate lock 36 onto the end of the plastic clamp thus closed, as shown in
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
Claims
1-5. (canceled)
6. A plastic clamp comprising:
- a strip having a first end and a second end and being equipped with a toothed section on at least one side and having two heads formed in a row onto the strip, each head having a through-opening aligned with the through opening of the other head and parallel to the strip; and
- a lock having a through-opening for receiving the first end of the strip, and a locking tongue accommodated in the through-opening, said locking tongue locking the strip inserted into the through-openings against withdrawal by means of the toothed section,
- wherein the lock is disposed between the two heads and is configured as a separate component, wherein the second end of the strip ends with a flattened strap and wherein a pulling strap is formed onto an end of the lock into which the first end of the strip is inserted.
7. The plastic clamp according to claim 6, wherein the toothed section is only disposed on an outer side of the strip.
8. The plastic clamp according to claim 6, further comprising an additional separate lock that is slid onto the strip on a side opposite the pulling strap.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 2, 2009
Publication Date: Jul 14, 2011
Inventor: Engelbert Gmeilbauer (Seefeld)
Application Number: 12/737,330
International Classification: B65D 63/10 (20060101);