Coupler including clamp for connection to a corrugated tube
AssigneeMahle International GmbH
InventorEdward R. Rickettson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A coupler configured to be attached to an end of a corrugated tube having a hollow shaft configured to be inserted within the corrugated tube and a flange surrounding at least a portion of the hollow shaft. The flange has a width larger than the inside diameter of the corrugated tube. A first and second arm is attached to the flange by flexible hinges. Each arm defines a clamp configured to engage an outer surface of at least one of the plurality of corrugations when the arm pivots about the flexible hinge. Each clamp may include a locking feature configured to lock the clamp to the first arm to the second arm and the clamp of the second arm to the first arm.
Claims6
A coupler configured to be attached to an end of a corrugated tube having an inside diameter and a plurality of corrugations of alternating smaller outside diameter and larger outside diameter, comprising:
- a hollow shaft configured to be inserted within the corrugated tube;
- a flange surrounding at least a portion of the hollow shaft and having a width larger than the inside diameter of the corrugated tube;
- a first arm attached to the flange by a first flexible hinge and defining a first clamp configured to engage an outer surface of at least one of the plurality of corrugations when the first arm pivots about the first flexible hinge;
- and
- a second arm attached to the flange opposite the first arm by a second flexible hinge and defining a second clamp configured to engage the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of corrugations when the second arm pivots about the second flexible hinge;
- wherein the first clamp and the second clamp each have an edge configured to contact the corrugated tube defining an arc having a measurement within a range of 95°through 85°, the edges configured to engage at the outer surface of least one of the plurality of corrugations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.