Patent Application
20120318935
The present disclosure relates to clips or fasteners used to retain tubing and cabling in automobile vehicles.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Fasteners used to retain components such as tubing in automobile vehicles commonly include legs with deflectable wings that permit the fastener legs to be inserted and retained in apertures created in a panel of the vehicle. One or more components broadly referred to herein as tubing can include wiring or cables, vacuum system tubes, fuel tubes, hydraulic/brake fluid tubes, windshield washer fluid tubes, wiring harnesses, and the like can be inserted into individual fastener slots or passageways and retained using a flexible member that deflects to receive the component and elastically rebounds to a non-deflected condition to retain the component.
It is common in the automobile vehicle industry to use multiple different fasteners in different locations around the engine compartment and the vehicle chassis to support multiple sizes of components at different vehicle locations. This requires strict tracking of the individual fasteners to ensure the correct fastener is installed at each location, and further requires additional costs to receive, store, inventory, and install each of the multiple size member fasteners. Common fasteners used for this function do not provide the additional capability of reducing vibration or sound transfer that the various tubes or members may create by transitioning to different areas of the vehicle, for example engine compartment vibration may be transferred to the passenger compartment.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
According to several embodiments, a multiple size member retaining fastener includes a body having a passageway created through opposed first and second body side walls and a cavity between the first and second body side walls. A clamp assembly is movable in the cavity between the first and second side walls. The clamp assembly includes a first clamp arm rotated between a member receiving position and a member retention position. A second clamp arm is rotated between a release position located outside the passageway and a clamping position located within the passageway. An arm hinge integrally connects the first clamp arm to the second clamp arm permitting the first and second clamp arms to rotate independently of each other.
According to other embodiments, a multiple size member retaining fastener includes a body having a passageway created through opposed first and second body side walls and a cavity between the first and second body side walls. A clamp assembly is rotatably connected to the first and second side walls and is movable in the cavity between the first and second side walls. The clamp assembly includes a curved first clamp arm rotatable from a member receiving position to a member retention position, both positions located within the passageway. A second clamp arm oppositely curved with respect to the first clamp arm is rotatable from a release position located outside the passageway to a clamping position located within the passageway. An arm hinge integrally connecting the first clamp arm to the second clamp arm operates to permit the first and second clamp arms to rotate independently of each other. First and second hinge pins extending from the clamp assembly are individually rotatably received in one of the first or second side walls. A common longitudinal rotational axis of the first and second hinge pins also defines a rotational axis of the arm hinge.
According to further embodiments, the body has a passageway created through opposed first and second body side walls having a spacing predetermined to receive one of multiple members each having different diameters, and a cavity between the first and second body side walls. A clamp assembly is rotatably connected to the first and second side walls and movable in the cavity between the first and second side walls. The clamp assembly includes a curved first clamp arm rotatable from a member receiving position to a member retention position, both positions located within the passageway. A second clamp arm is oppositely curved with respect to the first clamp arm and is rotatable from a release position located outside the passageway to a clamping position located within the passageway. An arm hinge integrally connecting the first clamp arm to the second clamp arm permits the first and second clamp arms to rotate independently of each other. First and second hinge pins extending from the clamp assembly are individually rotatably received in one of the first or second side walls. A common longitudinal rotational axis of the first and second hinge pins also defines a rotational axis of the arm hinge. When the first clamp arm receives one of the members in the retention position and the second clamp arm is rotated to the clamping position, both the first and second clamping arms contact the member to frictionally retain the member in the passageway.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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To provide for retention of a range of member sizes using a single connection, a rotatable clamp assembly 30 is provided in the present design which allows substantially any member size that can be retained by either of the first or second member connector assemblies 22 or 24, plus larger member sizes, to be clamped therein. Clamp assembly 30 is positioned between first and second side walls 32, 34 of main body 12 which each include a pin aperture 36, 36′. A hinge pin assembly 38 has individual hinge pins 39 (shown and described in reference to
First clamp arm 40 is arc-shaped or partially-circular and made of a rigid plastic such as polyoxymethylene in a first molding “shot” of a two-shot molding process. First clamp arm 40 includes an elastically compressible, deflectable polymeric liner 46 made for example from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) molded in a second “shot” that physically connects or bonds liner 46 to clamp arm 40 on an inner, semi-circular or curved surface 47 of clamp arm 40 which faces second clamp arm 42. Second clamp arm 42 is also semi-circular or curved and similarly includes a compressible polymeric liner 48 made for example from TPE molded in a second “shot” and integrally connected to an inner partially-circular or curved surface 49 of second clamp arm 42 that faces first clamp arm 40. The elastically deflectable material of liners 46, 48 provides for acoustic or vibration isolation between the tube or member received between first and second clamp arms 40, 42 and a vehicle panel to which body 12 is connected. The elastically deflectable material of liners 46, 48 increases a frictional retention capability of clamp assembly 30 in services where longitudinal movement of the tube or member is undesirable. Multiple, elastically flexible fingers 50 can also be included with either or both of plastic liners 46, 48 to further enhance the frictional grip. Prior to receiving a member such as a tube, first clamp arm 40 is initially received in a cavity 52 between first and second side walls 32, 34 and positioned in passageway 44 as shown in greater detail in
Each of the first and second member connector assemblies 22, 24, and passageway 44 of fastener 10 provide support for components or members such as tubing or cables, including vacuum tubes, fuel tubes, hydraulic/brake fluid tubes, windshield washer fluid tubes, wiring harnesses, cables, and the like, hereinafter collectively referred to as a member or members. Although a single passageway 44 is shown, any or all of the first and second member connector assemblies 22, 24 can be replaced by a passageway 44 having a clamp assembly 30. Therefore, retaining fasteners 10 of the present disclosure can include more than one clamp assembly 30 used to clamp one or more members.
Each of the first and second clamp arms 40, 42 of clamp assembly 30 can be independently rotated, from the open position shown, in a closing direction “A” with respect to an axis of rotation 53 of hinge pin assembly 38. Once closed about a member, clamp assembly 30 is thereafter prevented from moving away from a closed/clamped position (shown in
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A multiple size member retaining fastener 10 includes the following components and operates as follows. Body 12 has tube or member receiving passageway 44 created through the opposed first and second body side walls 32, 34. Passageway 44 has spacing “D” predetermined to receive one of multiple members 60, 60a, 70 each having different diameters, and cavity 52 between the first and second body side walls 32, 34. Clamp assembly 30 is rotatably connected to the first and second side walls 32, 34 and is movable in the cavity 52 between the first and second side walls 32, 34. The clamp assembly includes curved first clamp arm 40 which is rotatable from a member receiving position (shown in
Arm hinge 88 integrally connects the first clamp arm 40 to the second clamp arm 42 and permits the first and second clamp arms 40, 42 to rotate independently of each other. First and second hinge pins 39, 39′ extend co-axially and outwardly from the clamp assembly 30. The first and second hinge pins 39, 39′ are individually, rotatably received in hinge pin apertures 36, 36′ of one of the first or second side walls 32, 34. The common longitudinal rotational axis 53 of the first and second hinge pins 39, 39′ also defines and is co-axial with respect to the axis of rotation 90 of the arm hinge 88. When the first clamp arm 40 receives one of the members 60, 60a, 70 in the member retention position and the second clamp arm 42 is thereafter rotated to the clamping position, both the first and second clamp arms 40, 42 contact either member 60, 60a or 70 to frictionally retain the member in the passageway 44. The elastically deflectable material of the liners 46, 48 connected to the first and second clamp arms 40, 42 directly contact the member 60, 60a or 70 in the fastener clamped and locked position. It is noted members 60, 60a or 70, depicted as tubes, can be any of a tube, wire, cable, rod, wiring harness, or the like.
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Member retaining fasteners 10 and retaining fasteners 100 of the present disclosure offer several advantages. These include but are not limited to: (1) a member retaining fastener that has two integrally connected but independently rotatable clamping arms having a first arm that receives and a second arm that retains a member between the clamping arms; (2) a two-shot molded member retaining fastener is provided with each of the clamping arms to capture the member between elastically deflectable plastic liners integrally connected to the inner sides of the curved or semi-circular plastic arms, therefore the arms remain substantially rigid while the liners can deflect to change a frictional contact force applied to the member; (3) fingers provided with the plastic liners can either compress and/or bend laterally to further grip the member; (4) the fastener includes a first hinge pin assembly allowing rotation of the entire clamp assembly 30, and an arm hinge that allows independent rotation motion of the first and second arms; and 5) two clamp arms are provided that independently rotate about a common axis of rotation having the second clamp arm ratcheting into contact against teeth 58 of toothed member 57, or against upper tooth 104, middle tooth 108, or lower tooth 112 providing multiple retention positions of the second clamp arm 42, 42′ depending on a diameter (or size) of a tube or member gripped between the two clamp arms.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail. Although tubes are shown and described herein for retention by member retaining fasteners 10, other items such as cables, cable banks, rods and the like can also be retained by member retaining fasteners 10. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure.
