Pre-positioner for a profiled clamp and connecting arrangement having such a pre-positioner

Abstract

A pre-positioner for a profiled clamp being formed in two parts with a first element and a second element, wherein the first element can be fastened to a line end and the second element can be fastened to the profiled clamp. The disclosure further relates to a connecting arrangement having such a pre-positioner. To allow a simple mounting of the pre-positioner, the first element is designed to be stirrup-shaped with a foot portion which can be secured to the line end and with a holding portion which is offset radially outwards with respect to the foot portion. The holding portion has a cutout, wherein the second element has a pin which extends in the radial direction and which can be inserted into the cutout.

Claims

1. A pre-positioner for a profiled clamp which pre-positioner is realized in two parts with a first element and a second element, wherein the first element is fastenable on a line end and the second element is fastenable on the profiled clamp, wherein the first element is realized in a stirrup-shaped manner with a foot portion which is fixable on the line end and a holding portion which is offset radially outward, is opposite the foot portion and comprises a recess, wherein the second element comprises a pin which extends in a radial direction and is insertable into the recess.

2. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recess is realized as a groove which extends in a circumferential direction and is open in particular at one end.

3. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pin is realized as a guide pin which is insertable into the groove in the circumferential direction.

4. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 3, wherein, on its radial inner end, the guide pin comprises a widening which is wider than the groove, wherein the widening is insertable between the holding portion and the line end.

5. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second element is radially movable in relation to the first element with the guide pin which is situated in the groove.

6. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recess is realized as an opening with a closed circumferential edge.

7. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second element is pivotable in relation to the first element when the pin is partially inserted into the opening, as a result of which the pin is insertable further into the opening.

8. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a latching constriction.

9. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pin is fixable on the profiled clamp by means of a bridge which extends in an axial direction.

10. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first element comprises the foot portion, wherein an end of the holding portion remote from the foot portion is free.

11. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first element comprises two foot portions, between which the holding portion is arranged.

12. The pre-positioner as claimed in claim 11, wherein the foot portions and the holding portion lie side by side in a circumferential direction.

13. A connecting arrangement with the line end and the profiled clamp which is held on the line end by means of the pre-positioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first element of the pre-positioner is fastened on the line end and the second element of the pre-positioner is fixed on the profiled clamp.

14. The connecting arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein a bridge of the pre-positioner is fastened on a radial outside surface of a clamp strip of the profiled clamp.

15. The connecting arrangement as claimed in claim 14, wherein the pre-positioner comprises a connecting element, which connects two halves of the clamp strip of the profiled clamp together, from which the bridge proceeds.

16. The connecting arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein a radial distance between the line end and the holding portion corresponds, as regards an amount, at least to a reduction in a diameter which occurs when the profile clamp is tightened.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a spatial representation of a profiled clamp with a first embodiment of a pre-positioner and

(2) FIG. 2 shows a first, stirrup-shaped element of the pre-positioner,

(3) FIG. 3 shows a second element of the pre-positioner,

(4) FIG. 4 shows a profiled clamp with a second embodiment of a pre-positioner, and

(5) FIG. 5 shows the profiled clamp according to FIG. 4 prior to assembly on a flange.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a profiled clamp 1 with a clamp strip 2 which includes at least two halves 2a, 2b. The two halves 2a, 2b of the clamp strip 2 are connected together by means of a pre-positioner 3 which comprises a first element 4 and a second element 5.

(7) The first element 4 is fastened to a line end 6, whilst the second element 5 is fixed on the profiled clamp 1. The first element 4 comprises two foot portions 7, 8, between which is realized a holding portion 9 which is offset radially outward in relation to the foot portions 7, 8. This creates a space into which a pin 10 of the second element 5, which pin is realized as a guide pin, is able to enter, between the holding portion 9 and the line end 6.

(8) A recess in the form of a groove 11, which extends in the circumferential direction and is realized open at a circumferential-side end and closed at the opposite end, is realized in the holding portion 9 of the first element 4 for guiding the guide pin 10. As a result, the guide pin can move into the groove 11 as a result of a mounting movement directed in the circumferential direction between the first element 4 and the second element 5. Said assembly movement is symbolized by an arrow 12.

(9) Along with the guide pin 10, the second element 5 includes a bridge 13 and a connecting element 14. The connecting element 14 extends, in this case, in the circumferential direction of the profiled clamp and connects the two halves 2a, 2b of the clamp strip 2 in an articulated manner to one another. The connecting element is fastened on the outside surfaces of the clamp strip 2 for this purpose, for example by means of spot-welding or a crimp connection.

(10) The bridge 13 extends in the axial direction perpendicularly to the connecting element and protrudes at the center of a longitudinal side of the connecting element 14. As a result, the guide pin 10, which is situated at the end of the bridge 13 remote from the connecting element 14, can be arranged at an axial spacing from the profiled clamp.

(11) FIG. 2 shows the first element 4 of the pre-positioner. It can be seen that, at its open end, the groove 11 comprises a latching constriction 15 which widens toward the closed end. The width of the groove 11 there is such that the guide pin 11 has enough axial room to avoid frictional losses and additional stresses when the profiled clamp is tightened.

(12) FIG. 3 shows the second element 5 of the pre-positioner. The connecting element 14 is formed in one piece with the bridge 13 and the guide pin 10 from a corresponding sheet metal part or plastic material part. At its free end, the guide pin 10 comprises two oppositely directed feet 16, 17 which prevent the guide pin 10 being pulled out of the groove 11 in the radial direction and, in the event of an impact against the line end, provide for relatively flat contact. This minimizes any risk of damage to the line end.

(13) FIG. 4 shows a profiled clamp 1 with a design of the pre-positioner 3 in which identical or corresponding elements are provided with the identical reference symbols as in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3.

(14) In this case, the recess 18 in the holding portion 9 of the first element 4 is realized as an opening with a closed circumferential edge into which the pin 10 of the second element 5 is inserted in such a manner that a bent end 16 of the pin 10 extends in the axial direction and thus also brings about positional securement in the radial direction. The first element 4 is additionally fixed on the line end 6 only by means of a foot portion 7, whilst an end of the holding portion 9 remote from the foot portion 7 is free. This enables a certain flexibility of the first element 4.

(15) FIG. 5 shows how the profiled clamp 1 is mounted with the pre-positioner 3 as a result of pivoting in relation to the line end 6. In the case of the starting state shown in FIG. 5, the foot 16 of the pin 10 is already inserted into the opening 18. As a result of the subsequent pivoting, not only is the profiled clamp 1 positioned on the flange but the pin 10 is also moved further into the opening 18 until the foot 16 finally lies on a side of the holding portion 9 remote from the bridge 13 in the axial direction. Consequently, positional securement (with play) is obtained in all directions in space, said securement having at least so much play in the radial direction, however, that tightening the profiled clamp 1 with the diameter reduction connected thereto is not obstructed.

(16) The pre-positioner according to an embodiment enables very simple pre-positioning of a profiled clamp onto ring flanges, the two elements of the pre-positioner being able to be moved into engagement with one another either once the profiled clamp has been arranged on the flanges as a result of a simple rotational movement of the profiled clamp or as a result of a pivoting movement of the profiled clamp. A movement in the axial direction, which would be made difficult or obstructed by the ring flanges, is not necessary for this. As a result of the holding portion which is at a spacing radially from the line end, in contrast, a radially relative movement over a sufficient distance is easily possible such that a tightening of the profiled clamp is not obstructed.

(17) The invention is not limited to one of the above-described embodiments but is convertible in diverse ways.

(18) All features and advantages, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, emanating from the claims, the description and the drawing can be essential to the invention on their own per se and in the most varied combinations. It is to be understood that the foregoing is a description of one or more preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed herein, but rather is defined solely by the claims below. Furthermore, the statements contained in the foregoing description relate to particular embodiments and are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or on the definition of terms used in the claims, except where a term or phrase is expressly defined above. Various other embodiments and various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiment(s) will become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such other embodiments, changes, and modifications are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

(19) As used in this specification and claims, the terms “for example,” “for instance,” “such as,” and “like,” and the verbs “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and their other verb forms, when used in conjunction with a listing of one or more components or other items, are each to be construed as open-ended, meaning that the listing is not to be considered as excluding other, additional components or items. Other terms are to be construed using their broadest reasonable meaning unless they are used in a context that requires a different interpretation.