Title of Invention : Quick release hose clamp

Technical Field

[0001 ] This invention relates to the quick release hose clamp field. The invention, using a new mechanism, makes it easier to use than existing clamps and reduces the number of components.

Background Art

[0002] The toothed or grooved strap clamp with worm screw is one of the most used.

Allert, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,909,852, that the invention relates to a hose clamp with a U-shaped lower housing and with an upper housing which is pivotally supported in the lower housing for engaging or disengaging a worm drive with the other end region of the tightening strap, wherein the worm drive is supported in the upper housing such as to permit rotation, but no substantial axial movement, and wherein the upper housing comprises mounting tabs formed as one piece which engage or are capable of engaging, respectively, from the inside of the lower housing with recesses in side walls forming the legs of the U-shaped lower housing.

[0003] W. Mossholder and G. J. Shultz, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1 ,393,811 , that the invention relates generally to hose clamps and the object is the provision of an arrangement which will be simple, strong and durable and will avoid the necessity of screw drivers and other implements of this nature in the connection and disconnection of the clamp. A further object is the provision of a simple construction which may be readily and quickly applied and which is readily adjustable within comparatively wide limits.

[0004] Louie Baldo, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,522,494, that the invention relates to an improved hose clamp of the type adapted to connect a length of flexible hose to a metallic tube and is particularly directed to the type of Split band clamp which is tightened by means of teeth on One end of the band and a worm gear carried On the opposite end of the band engaging With the said teeth. An object of this invention is to provide a hose clamp of the type described which is self-locking but which permits rotation of the Worm gear in the direction which tightens the clamp but restricts rotation in the direction that loosens the clamp. Another object of this invention is to provide a hose clamp of the type described that may be manually locked to prevent loosening of the clamp.

[0005] It is worth noting that there is also a worm screw to close or open the clamp in these designs, while in the new design a worm screw has been replaced by locking lever.

Summary of Invention

[0006] This clamp, with the new locking lever mechanism does not require any tools to close and tighten. This locking lever makes the clamp easier and quicker to open and close. The low number of clamp components makes the construction process less costly. It also has the ability to open and close frequently. Also, there is no need for screws, so wearing the strap teeth with lever teeth doesn’t occur. The clamp has four main parts consists of locking lever, strap, U-shaped mounting and a pivot pin that connects to each other by fitting engagement without welding. The locking lever plays the main role in the locking of the clamp. By rotating the locking lever around the pin, the teeth part of the lever is engaged in the strap and the force applied by the lever tightens the clamp.

Technical Problem

[0007] The invention is a new clamp that is provided with a locking lever to close and open. In most existing clamps, a worm screw is used to open and close the clamp. The worm screw is located at the top of the clamp inside the mounting bracket. Rotating this screw makes the helical thread to engage in the transverse slots or strap teeth. Closing or opening the clamp requires the use of a tool to rotate the worm screw.

[0008] In the presented design, using a locking lever, the need of any tool to open and close the clamp has eliminated, so the clamp can be easily opened and closed. Another advantage of using the locking lever in the clamp is that it allows the use of clamp for fittings of different sizes (diameters). This is done in the usual clamp by rotating a large number of worm screws, while in the existing clamp having a locking lever mechanism its size is quickly adjusted. [0009] The description of the new clamp is understandable more clearly by reading the description of drawing section.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0010] [Fig.1 ] - assemble and explosion views of the clamp is shown.

[0011 ] [Fig.2] - the side view of the clamp is shown.

[0012] [Fig.3] - the side view of the locking lever is shown.

[0013] [Fig.4] - the U-shaped mounting perspective view is shown.

[0014] [Fig.5] - the side view of the clamp is shown in open mode (a) and close mode (b).

[0015] [Fig.6] - geometrical parameters in the side view of the clamp is shown.

Description of Embodiments

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1 , the clamp 1 consists of only four parts of the locking lever 3, U-shaped mounting 5, strap 7, and pivot pin 9, which connect to each other without welding and through the fitting engagement, preventing it from being detached.

[0017] Fig. 2 shows assembly view of the clamp 1 in closed mode that four components is installed in their locations.

[0018] Fig. 3 shows the Locking lever 3, which consists of two parts of the handle 11 and the head 12. The head 12 consists of two parts: toothed 13 and toothless 14. The teeth heights of the toothed part 13 are not the same, and the different distribution of the teeth 15 height in the toothed part 13 is the main factor in the self-locking mechanism. The highest tooth 16 is located in the middle part of the teeth 15. This tooth 16 has the task of self-locking and prevents opening of the clamp. The teeth pitch of the head is equal to the teeth pitch of strap 24, so that these teeth are properly tied together and preventing overlapping and damaging the teeth. Fig. 3 shows that the length of the handle (L) 11 is larger than the radius of the lever head (C).The long arm increase the force applied to the strap 7. The ratio of L/C is about 5-10. By applying force to the handle 11 , and due to the constant torque around the pin 9, the force applied to the teeth 15 is increased and leads to more effective tightening of the clamp. In the head 12 there is pin hole 26. By locating the locking lever 3 in the U-shaped mounting 5, the pivot pin 9 passes through the pin hole 26 and joints the locking lever 3 to the U-shaped mounting 5. The pin 9, in addition to allow the Locking lever 3 to joints to the U-shaped mounting 5, causes the locking lever 3 has rotational movement in among of the U-shaped mounting side walls 17 (see in particular FIG. 2 and 3).

[0019] The U-shaped mounting 5 has a bottom 27 with side walls 17, 18 extending there from at right angles, thereby forming a U-shaped mounting 5 (see in particular FIG. 4). The mounting 5 is thus formed as a single unit.

[0020] U-shaped mounting side walls 17, 18 are parallel to each other and symmetric to the longitudinal plane. The transverse channel 19 of the U-shaped mounting 5 is a rectangular passage that tightening strap 7 is placed in it. The tongue 22 is located in the middle of the longitudinal plane and at the end of the U-shaped mounting 5. This tongue 22 is installed in the strap hole 23 and causes the U- shaped mounting 5 to be fixed to strap 7.

[0021 ] The width of the transverse channel 19 is equal to W. The size of W is approximately equal to the width of the strap 7.

[0022] The locking lever 3 is located between the side walls 17 so that the mounting holes 20 is aligned with the pin hole 26 and the pivot pin 9 is passed from this hole. The pivot pin joints the U-shaped mounting 5 to the Locking lever 3. Between the two side walls 17 and 18, there are stepped edges 25 that create elasticity in U-shaped mounting 5 and facilitate the locking of the clamp.

[0023] Strap 7 consists of two parts: toothed 24 and toothless 21. At the end of the toothless part an edge 21 is created to fit more appropriately into the bottom of the U-shaped mounting 27 by the tongue 22. Unlike the toothless end 21 which is fixed in the U-shaped mounting 5, the toothed part of the strap 24 is able to move in the transverse channel 19 to open and close the clamp.

[0024] The distance between the mounting holes 20 from the U-shaped mounting bottom 27 is such that when turning the locking lever 3, the strap teeth 24 and the toothed part of head 13 engage each other.

[0025] In Fig. 5, clamp 1 is shown in open and closed modes. [0026] In the head 12 of locking lever 3, there is a toothless part 14. When the clamp is open and the handle 11 is placed in the top position, there is a gap (h) between the locking lever 3 and the strap teeth 24, which allows to adjust the tightening strap 7 quickly (see in particular FIG.6).

Industrial Applicability

[0027] The usage of this clamp is in connecting of flexible tubes to pipes in home and industrial applications.