Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 Pipe Clip
Background of the Invention
This invention is concerned with pipe clips made oF plastic and
5 more particularly to a clip comprising a body portion having means
to enable the clip to be fixed to the support and an arcuate
flexible and resilient yipe-receiving arm extending from the body
portion and arranged together with the body portion to provide a
seat which embraces the pipe round more than 180 of its
circumference, there being a gap between the body portion and the
free end of the arm through which, upon yielding of the arm, the
pipe can be introduced to the seat.
Whereas the invention will be described with reFerence to clips
used to secure p;ping, the term "pipe clip" is to be understood as
15 embracing clips for use in holding elongated articles generally,
including electrical cables.
Pipe clips of the aforementioned type are co~lmonly used in the
automobile industry to secure brake fluid and other pipe lines, and
it is importarlt that the clips can allow the pipes to be inserted
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1 without undue pressure, which, in the case of plastic pipes, might
damage the pipes, and yet be able to resist disconnection if
accidentally pulled. It is also important that the clips can easily
be secured to their supports and -that they are economical to
rnanufacture.
An example of a pipe clip designed to allow easy insertion of a
pipe, but strongly to resist withdrawal of the pipe frorn the clip,
is described in German Published Application Offenlegungsschrift
2740376. The clip there described is one with one or two pivoced
arms displaced by the pipe on insertion of the clip and resisting
displacement to release the clip by frictional engagement of a
curved wall of the arm or arms against a similarly curvecl wall of
the clip body. The clip, thus, does not provide a positive lock
against withdrawal of the pipe if it is accidentally pulled in a
direction away from the support.
It is an ob~ject of the present invention to provide an
irnproved, one-piece, plastic clip which is economical -to
manufacture, easy to install, and which provides secure retention of
a pipe without undue force havin(J to be used to insert it.
of the ~nvention
The foregoing object is achieved in accordance with the
inventinn in that the p1astic pipe clip has a second more rigid arm
projectin~ from the body portion around the outside of the flexible
arm, the more rigid arm terminatiny at an abutment surFace close to
the Free end of the flexible arm and being so shaped as to allow the
flexible arm to open without interference from the more rigid arm
when a pipe is pushed into the clip and the flexible arm pressed
towards the support and to prevent opening of the flexible arm by
engagement of a shoulder at the free end oF the flexible arm with
the abutment surface if a pipe held by the clip is pulled in a
direction away from the support.
Preferably, in a clip in accordance with the invention, the
rnore rigid arm has an aperture to receive a flexible arm when the
flexible arm is opened to allow admission of the pipe. The flexible
arm may join the body at a locality spaced more than 1~0 round the
seat From the free end oF the arm.
A clip in accordance with the invention may have two or more
flexible arms and a corresponding number of more rigid ones, and if
it has two sets oF arms, the arms of one pair may be arranged
symn7etrically opposite the others about an axis of the body portion,
and the body portion may have a bore adapted to be secured to a stud
upstanding from the support. The body portion may be rectangular as
viewed in plan with a central pillar in which is the boreg the more
rigid arms, if there are two, upstanding from ends of the body
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1 portion and having upper portions which constitute cross pieces and
provide the abutment surfaces, the flexible arms generating from the
pillar.
Preferably also, the flexlhle arms are of less width than the
body portion of the clip, and the more rigid arms extend across the
full width of the body portion and have apertures wider than the
flexible arms so that the flexible arms, on insertion of the pipes,
can open into them.
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1 Brief _escription of the Drawing
There now follows a description, to be read with reference to
the accompanying drawings, of a pipe clip embodying the invention
and illustrative thereof by way of example.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a view of the illustrative clip, one of two
pipe-holding portions being shown partly in section with a pipe
being inserted into it;
Figure 2 is a plan view o~ the illustrative clip;
Figure 3 is an end view of the illustrative clip; and
Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the pipe-holding portion
shown at the right of Figure 1, but with a pipe-embracing arm of the
clip shown in a locked condition, and assuming an attempt is made to
pull the pipe out.
l escription of -the Preferred Embodiment
The illustrative pipe clip cornprises a body portion ~0 which is
rectangular as viewed in p1an (Figure 2) and has a central
upstanding pillar 12 and two pipe-holding portions 14 16
symmetrically disposed on either side of the piller. The portions
l4 16 are similar anc! therefore only one portion will be described
in detail. The piller 12 has a bore 18 normal to a flat
under-surface 20 of the body portion and the bore 1~ has four
longitudinal grooves 22 in its wall enabling it to be assembled on
a stud S (Figure 4) with a screw thread or annular ridge and groove
formation.
A seat 2~ for a pipe P is provided in the portion 16 by an
arcuate flexible and resilient arm 30 and an adjacent part 32 of the
pillar 12 from which the arm 30 generates. The part 32 and arm 30
provide three transverse ridges 34 for engagement lengthwise of the
pipe. Where it joins the pillar 12 the arm 30 is the full width of
the bocly portion but it initially tapers down to a smaller width.
The body portion 10 is spacecl from the arm 30 adjacent -the
pillar and extends round the outsicle of the arm 30 to provicle a more
rigid arm to br-iclc~le-piece 36 the full width of the body portion and
having an aperture 3~3 wider than the less wide part of the arm 30
and able to accommodate the arm 30 when it opens to receive a pipe.
A cross piece 40 extends across the top of the arm 36 and provides
an abutment surface 42. The flexible arm 30 terminates at a free
~nd portion 44 near the cross piece 40 ancl provides an ~-shaped or
1 stepped, shoulder 46 for engagement with the abutment surface 42 as
will be clescribed hereinafter.
The illustrative clip can easily be assembled on a stud S
(Figure 4) welded (for example) to a support T and a pipe P inserted
into the seat 24 of a pipe-holding portion 16. Insertion of the
pipe P is represented at the right hand side of Figure 1 where it
will be seen that, as the pipe is pushed towards the support T, the
arm 30 opens to receive it, the end portion 44 being accommodated in
the aperture 38 of the arm 36. The pipe thus assumes the condition
shown at the left hand side of Figure 1. Such insertion, involving
the opening of the relatively flexible arm 30 and only slight
deflection of the more rigid arm 36, does not call for undue
pressure on the pipe P, which is thus not at risk of being damaged.
However~ iF From its seated position shown at the left hand
side of Figure 1 the pipe P is pulled in a direction away from the
support T~ the L-shaped shoulder 46 engages the abutment surface 42
before the arm 30 has opened significantly and locks the pipe
against withdrawal. This condition is shown in Figure 4.
Thus, although little force is necessary to assemble a pipe P
in the illustrative clip, the pipe is positively locked agains-t
accidental withdrawal. The pipe P, however, can readily be released
if desired by first pushing the free end oF the arm 30 under the
cross piece 40 by means of a screwdriver, or other convenient tool,
so that opening of the arm is no longer preventecl by the abutment
surface 42.
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1 The illustrative clip is made o~ nylon or polyacetal resin, but
any other suitable resilient thermoplastics resin may be used.
Further, the clip can be manufactured economically, by injection
molding.
