Clamp
AssigneeR.G Ray Corporation
InventorsRufei Ma, Dan Liedtke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention pertains to a clamp that includes a collar. The collar has first and second ends from which first and second lugs extend. Each of the first and second lugs has a thick portion and a thin portion, and the lugs are connected by a fastener. The clamp is positioned around tubes, and the fastener is tightened to tighten the clamp around the connection. The fastener may be tightened from an open position OP, when the lugs are not touching, to a closed position CP, when the thick portions of the lugs are touching. The fastener may be tightened further to a third position, so that the thin portions of the lugs move closer to one another. The clamp may also include a hinge area in which a gasket seal may be attached to the clamp or one of the tubes.
Claims21
A clamp for use with tubes, comprising:
- a collar having first and second ends;
- a first lug coupled to the first end, the first lug including a first thick portion and a first thin portion, wherein the first thick portion is thicker than the first thin portion;
- a second lug coupled to the second end, the second lug including a second thick portion and a second thin portion, wherein the second thick portion is thicker than the second thin portion;
- and,
- a fastener connecting the first lug to the second lug, wherein the first and second lugs are spaced from one another when the fastener is in an open position, the first and second thick portions touch one another when the fastener is in a closed position, and the first and second thin portions are closer to one another when the fastener is in a third position than the first and second thin portions are when the fastener is in the open or closed positions.
A clamp to connect tubes, the clamp comprising:
- a collar having first and second ends, the collar being defined by a ‘V’ shaped cross-section;
- a first lug coupled to the first end, the first lug including a first outer face, a first thin portion and a first thick portion, the first thin portion extending straight up from a lower first thin portion point to an upper first thin portion point, and the first thick portion tapering inward, away from the first outer face, while extending upward from a lower first thick portion point to an upper thick portion point, wherein the first thick portion is thicker than the first thin portion;
- a second lug coupled to the second end, the second lug including a second outer face, a second thin portion and a second thick portion, the second thin portion extending straight up from a lower second thin portion point to an upper second thin portion point, and the second thick portion tapering inward, away from the second outer face, while extending upward from a lower second thick portion point to an upper second thick portion point, wherein the second thick portion is thicker than the second thin portion;
- and,
- a fastener connecting the first lug to the second lug, wherein the first and second lugs are spaced from one another when the fastener is in an open position, the first and second thick portions touch one another when the fastener is in a closed position, and the first and second thin portions are closer to one another when the fastener is in a third position than the first and second thin portions are when the fastener is in the open or closed positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.