Clamp Device for Attaching up to Three Harnesses to a Panel

Abstract

Disclosed are clamp devices for attaching harnesses to a panel. In aspects, a disclosed clamp device includes a body portion having a fixing portion on a fixing side of the clamp device, arranged to be fixed to a panel, the body portion further has three support sides having a top side opposite to the fixing side, a first lateral side and a second lateral side; and a set of three apertured heads having a first apertured head on the first lateral side, a second apertured head on the second lateral side, and a third apertured head on the top side, each of the apertured heads including a cap and two pillars, the cap and two pillars arranged to create a space between the body portion, the cap, and the pillars to receive a respective cable tie arranged to attach one respective harness to the panel.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A clamp device comprising: a body portion having a fixing portion on a fixing side of the clamp device, arranged to be fixed to a panel, the body portion further has three support sides having a top side opposite to the fixing side, a first lateral side and a second lateral side; and a set of three apertured heads having a first apertured head on the first lateral side, a second apertured head on the second lateral side, and a third apertured head on the top side, each of the apertured heads comprising a cap and two pillars, the cap and two pillars arranged to create a space between the body portion, the cap, and the pillars to receive a respective cable tie arranged to attach one respective harness to the panel.

22. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the two pillars are arranged to allow the respective cable tie to rotate by 90 degrees.

23. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the two pillars are arranged to allow the respective cable tie to rotate by 90 to 120 degrees.

24. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the two pillars are arranged to allow the respective cable tie to rotate by 45 to 90 degrees.

25. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the fixing portion is arranged to receive a metal edge clip assembled therewith.

26. The clamp device of claim 25, further comprising: the metal edge clip.

27. The clamp device of claim 25, wherein the metal edge clip is overmolded onto the fixing portion.

28. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the fixing portion is arranged to receive a metal edge clip overmolded thereto.

29. The clamp device of claim 28, further comprising the metal edge clip.

30. The clamp device of claim 28, wherein the metal edge clip is overmolded onto the fixing portion.

31. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the fixing portion further comprises at least one of: an anchor; a threaded portion; a fir tree; or a head.

32. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein at least one of the caps further comprises: a projection projecting toward the fixing portion.

33. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the body portion and set of three apertured heads are integrally formed.

34. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein at least one pillar of the first apertured head is aligned with at least one pillar of the second apertured head.

35. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the pillars are provided at corners of their respective caps.

36. The clamp device of claim 35, wherein the pillars are arranged at opposite corners of the cap.

37. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein at least one pillar of the first apertured head and at least one pillar of the second apertured head are not aligned.

38. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the pillars are cylindrical.

39. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the pillars are in a columnar shape.

40. The clamp device of claim 21, wherein the cap of at least one of the apertured heads has a cap surface, the two respective pillars have a cross section surface, and the cross section surface is less than 5% of the surface of the cap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] Other features, purposes and advantages of the disclosure will become more explicit by means of reading the detailed statement of the non-restrictive embodiments made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a clamp device according to one embodiment, with cables ties attached to harnesses.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows the clamp device, in rear view.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows the clamp device, in front view,

[0059] FIG. 4 shows the clamp device, in a section view A-A,

[0060] FIG. 5 shows the clamp device, in a side view,

[0061] FIG. 6 shows the clamp device, in a top view,

[0062] FIG. 7 shows the clamp device, in the front view, with the cable ties,

[0063] FIG. 8 shows the clamp device, in the top view, with the cable ties,

[0064] FIG. 9 shows the clamp device, in another embodiment, with a fir tree.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] The present disclosure relates to a clamp device also called a clamping device or clamp piece.

[0066] FIG. 1 shows the clamp device 1 according to one embodiment, with cables ties 50 attached to harnesses 100.

[0067] The clamp device 1 has a body portion 10 with a fixing portion 30. The fixing portion 30 is arranged to receive a metal edge clip 40.

[0068] The body portion 10 supports three apertured heads 11, 12, 13, which are a first apertured head 11, a second aperture head 13 and a third apertured head 12.

[0069] The third apertured head 12 is located on a top side, opposite to the fixing side where there is the fixing portion 30, as this will be explained with more details in reference to FIG. 2.

[0070] The first apertured head 11 is located on the other side compared to the second apertured head 13, and are on lateral sides.

[0071] The apertured heads 11, 12, 13 are arranged to each receive thereunder a portion of a cable tie 50, as this will be explained with more details here after.

[0072] The cable ties 50 may be attached to harnesses 100 so as to fix them on the clamp device 1. The clamp device 1 is intended to be fixed on a panel 200 (illustrated in FIG. 3) by the fixing portion 30, via the metal edge clip 40. In this manner, the harnesses 100 can be fixed securely. In particular, the clamp device 1 can be fixed on the panel 200 so that lateral harnesses 100 can be fixed on the sides of the panel 200 or on the top of the panel 200.

[0073] The apertured heads 11, 12, 13 allow to easily fix and orientate the harnesses 100 because the cable ties 50 may rotate around the X and Z axes of the apertured heads 11, 12, 13, as shown by the arrows.

[0074] That is, the harnesses 100 can be easily oriented along the desired longitudinal axis L1 and L2. The residual stress is thereby limited. The manufacturing and mounting are facilitated. The harnesses 100 may be arranged in a crowdy environment with multiple orientations thanks to the clamp device 1.

[0075] Two harnesses 100 are represented in FIG. 1. The harness 100 on the left side of FIG. 1 is omitted, along with axis Y, for sake of clarity of the drawing, but may be attached to the apertured head 11, thereby allowing the fixation of three harnesses 100.

[0076] FIG. 2 shows the clamp device 1, in rear view.

[0077] The body portion 10 has support sides comprising a top side 22, a first lateral side 21 and a second lateral side 23. That is, the a first apertured head 11 is on the first lateral side 21, the second apertured head 13 is on the second lateral side 23 and the third apertured head 12 is on the top side 22.

[0078] The first apertured head 11 has a (first) cap 11c and only two (first) pillars 11a so as to create or define a (first) space between the cap 11c, the two pillars 11a and the first lateral side 21 of the body portion 10. The cap 11c is linked to each of the two pillars 11a (the same applies for other caps 11c, 12c, 13c).

[0079] The first lateral side 21 and the second lateral side 23 may comprises a stepped surface 1011, 1013 to further limit the space and offer a better guiding for the introduction of the cable tie 50 in the space, as illustrated with reference to FIG. 6.

[0080] This applies also for the top side 22 which may comprises such stepped surface.

[0081] Similarly, the second apertured head 13 has a (second) cap 13c and only two (second) pillars 13a so as to create or define a (second) space between the cap 13c, the two pillars 13a and the second lateral side 23.

[0082] Similarly, the third apertured head 12 has a (third) cap 12c and only two (third) pillars 12a so as to create or define a (third) space between the cap 12c, the two pillars 12a and the top side 22.

[0083] The defined space allows for the introduction of the respective cable tie 50, and the cable tie 50 can be fixed to the respective harness 100 to attach it on the clamp device 1.

[0084] As each apertured head has only two pillars 11a, 12a, 13a, the cable tie 50 can rotate easily and the orientation of the harnesses can be improved greatly.

[0085] The apertured heads 11, 12, 13 may be provided with projections 31 or bosses, which allow to further facilitate the rotating adjustment of the cable ties 50.

[0086] The fixing portion 30 may receive therein the metal edge clip 40.

[0087] The fixing portion 30 may have a hook portion 30a to retain the metal edge clip 40.

[0088] FIG. 3 shows the clamp device 1, in front view.

[0089] The reference numbers are kept as far as possible between the figures.

[0090] The panel 200 is introduced in the clamp device 1. To be more specific, the panel 200 is inserted inside the metal edge clip 40 and retained by lateral projections of the metal edge clip 40.

[0091] The position of the pillars 11a, 12a, 13a allows for the desired rotating adjustment, e.g. 90 degrees+/−5 degrees, or intermediate angles.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows the clamp device and the edge clip assembly, in a section view A-A, as placed in FIG. 3.

[0093] The reference numbers are kept as far as possible between the figures.

[0094] FIG. 5 shows the clamp device 1, in a side view.

[0095] The pillars 11a are represented with dotted lines because they are hidden by the cap 11c.

[0096] The pillars 11a are placed at opposite corners of the cap 11c, which also apply for the other apertured heads 12, 13. This allows for improved rotatable adjustment of the cable tie 50, in particular to have a desired angle of rotation and the desired orientation of the harnesses 100.

[0097] Further, the pillars 11a, 12a, 13a may have a cross-sectional surface which is less than 5% of the surface of the cap, preferably less than 3%, more preferably less than 2%. This allows also for a better rotating adjustment.

[0098] Preferably, the caps 11c, 12c, 13c are fixed to the pillars 11a, 12a, 13a. Alternatively, the caps 11c, 12c, 13c can be movably connected to the pillars 11a, 12a, 13a.

[0099] FIG. 6 shows the clamp device 1, in a top view.

[0100] The stepped surfaces 1011, 1013 are represented in FIG. 6.

[0101] The pillars 12a are represented with dotted lines because they are hidden by the cap 12c.

[0102] The shape of the caps 11c, 12c, 13c may be as illustrated in the figures. That is, the cap 12c has an edge to edge axis E, and a perpendicular axis F for which there are no pillars. The cap 12c is longer in the edge to edge axis E than in the perpendicular axis F. This allows to have a better contact surface of the apertured head 12 with the corresponding harness 100. Further, a (slight) bending may occur on the smallest portion of the cap 12c along axis F, to allow for a better contact with the harness 100.

[0103] The pillars 11a, 12a, 13a have on their (internal) sides contact surfaces arranged to abut the cables ties 50 and thereby limit their extreme displacements. The contact surfaces, shown in dotted lines with respect to FIGS. 5 and 6, may be perpendicular to each other. Preferably, the contact surfaces are arranged with an angle of 45 degrees (preferably 45 degrees+/−5 degrees, more preferably 45 degrees+/−2 degrees) with respect to the edge to edge axis E. That is, preferably, when the cable tie 50 abuts the contact surface, the contact surface and a longitudinal direction of the cable tie 50 are locally parallel.

[0104] In addition, the caps 11c, 12c, 13c may each have curved edges 11ce, 12ce, 13ce on the perpendicular axis F so as to further facilitate the rotation of the cable ties 50 (also shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 5).

[0105] Preferably, the curved edges 11ce, 12ce, 13ce are centrally disposed on the perpendicular axis F and the caps 11c, 12c, 13c have guiding portions 11g, 12g, 13g arranged between the curved edges 11ce, 12ce, 13ce and the pillars 11a, 12a, 13a so as to guide the cable ties 50 onto the pillars 11a, 12a, 13a. The guiding portions 11g, 12g, 13g also allow for an improved resting of the cables ties 50 when in abutment against the pillars 11a, 12a, 13a.

[0106] Preferably, the curved edges 11ce, 12ce, 13ce are arc shaped with a center of the arc at an intersection between the edge to edge axis E and the perpendicular axis F. The angle of the arc is preferably set to 80 degrees+/−5 degrees, or to 70 degrees+/−5 degrees or to 60 degrees +/−5 degrees, so as to facilitate the rotation of the cable ties 50.

[0107] It is also possible that only one desired cap 11c, 12c, 13c has the curved edges 11ce, 12ce, 13ce or on only one side of the perpendicular axis F.

[0108] FIG. 7 shows the clamp device 1, in the front view, with the cable ties 50.

[0109] The reference numbers are kept as far as possible between the figures.

[0110] The clamp device 1 is represented with the cable ties 50.

[0111] The cable tie 50 has an end portion 52 which may be attached to an attachment portion 51, so as to maintain the respective harness 100.

[0112] FIG. 8 shows the clamp device 1, in the top view, with the cable ties 50.

[0113] The reference numbers are kept as far as possible between the figures.

[0114] FIG. 9 shows the clamp device 1, in another embodiment, with a fir tree.

[0115] The clamp device 1 may include an anchor portion to as to be directly fixed on the panel 200. In the representation of FIG. 9, the clamp device 1 has a fir tree 41 to be fixed to a dedicated hole in the panel 200.

[0116] Generally speaking, the harness 100 may contain or overwrap one or more cables. The harness 100 may contain one or more cables, but it is also possible to attach the clamp device 1 onto one or more cables directly (that is to say, without the need of the harness 100, which applies for all the figures and embodiments).

[0117] The different embodiments can be combined whenever possible.

[0118] It will be understood that various modifications and/or improvements obvious to the person skilled in the art may be made to the various embodiments of the disclosure described in the present description without departing from the scope of the disclosure defined by the appended claims.

[0119] Unless context dictates otherwise, use herein of the word “or” may be considered use of an “inclusive or,” or a term that permits inclusion or application of one or more items that are linked by the word “or” (e.g., a phrase “A or B” may be interpreted as permitting just “A,” as permitting just “B,” or as permitting both “A” and “B”). Also, as used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. For instance, “at least one of a, b, or c” can cover a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c, as well as any combination with multiples of the same element (e.g., a-a, a-a-a, a-a-b, a-a-c, a-b-b, a-c-c, b-b, b-b-b, b-b-c, c-c, and c-c-c, or any other ordering of a, b, and c). Further, items represented in the accompanying figures and terms discussed herein may be indicative of one or more items or terms, and thus reference may be made interchangeably to single or plural forms of the items and terms in this written description.