Brake line captured band clamp
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsRonald A. Drake, Nickolas J Ristich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A band clamp for capturing a tubular member, e.g., brake line of a motor vehicle, is presented, wherein the band clamp is adapted to be mounted around an annular object, e.g., an axle assembly of the motor vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the clamp comprises an open-ended substantially annular band having first and second opposed primary interlockable members disposed at the open ends thereof. The clamp further includes first and second cooperating, opposed secondary interlockable members disposed within the annular band between the open ends. The first and second secondary interlockable members provide complementary engaging surfaces extending a predetermined distance from the annular band for securing the tubular member to the clamp.
Claims11
A clamp for securely capturing a tubular member, comprising:
- an open-ended substantially annular band having first and second opposed primary interlockable members disposed at the open ends thereof,
- said first primary interlockable member including a first support element, a first arcuate jaw and a first resilient biasing member extending from said first support element, said first arcuate jaw having a plurality of teeth adapted for interconnecting engagement of said first and second secondary interlockable members,
- said second primary interlockable member including a second support element, a second arcuate jaw and a second resilient biasing member extending from the second support element, said second arcuate jaw having a plurality of teeth adapted for interconnecting engagement of said first and second secondary interlockable members, and
- first and second cooperating, opposed secondary members disposed within said annular band between said open ends for securing said tubular member to said clamp, said first secondary member including a first structural arm having a first end and including two intermediate arms extending from said first structural arm forming an arcuate surface at their ends;
- said second secondary member including a second structural arm having a second end;
- said first and second ends forming an arcuate channel adapted to cooperate with said arcuate surface to capture said tubular member;
- wherein said second structural arm forms a butt joint with one of said two intermediate arms upon closing said clamp by interconnectingly engaging said first and second primary interlockable members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.