CLAMP ASSEMBLY WITH A HEAT PROTECTION DEVICE

Abstract

A clamp assembly has a clamp with a clamp band and a clamping device for clamping the clamping band and has a heat protection device with a housing and at least one insulating layer. The housing has a respective wall at each axial end face, the wall being divided into sections and protruding radially inwards, and the at least one insulating layer can be positioned between the walls of the housing. The clamp can be surrounded at least in some regions by the housing and/or the at least one insulating layer of the heat protection device, and the heat protection device is designed to be connectable to the clamp.

Claims

1. A clamp assembly having a clamp comprising a clamping band and comprising a clamping device for clamping the clamping band, and comprising a heat protection device having a housing and having at least one insulation layer, wherein the housing has at the axial end faces thereof a wall which is subdivided into portions and which protrudes radially inward, wherein the at least one insulation layer can be positioned between the walls of the housing, wherein the clamp can be at least in regions engaged round by the housing and/or the at least one insulation layer of the heat protection device, wherein the heat protection device is configured to be able to be connected to the clamp.

2. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat protection device can be connected to the clamp in a materially engaging or positive-locking manner.

3. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one portion of the housing is configured to be able to be bent in order to produce a positive-locking connection to the clamp.

4. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat protection device has a housing clamp which can be connected to the housing in order to connect the heat protection device to the clamp.

5. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the housing clamp is connected to the housing by at least one welding location, locking connection, punching location and/or at least one clinching location.

6. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has at the a radially outer side thereof at least one guiding portion for receiving and guiding a clamping band of the housing clamp.

7. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat protection device has at least one spacer element, wherein the spacer element is configured as a flap, a bead and/or as a material insert.

8. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one spacer element can be fitted to the clamp and/or to the housing and/or to at least one insulation layer.

9. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein, as a result of the at least one spacer element, at least one air gap can be formed in a radial direction (R) between the clamp and at least one insulation layer, between the at least one insulation layer and an inner side of the housing, between two insulation layers and/or in an axial direction (A) between the clamp and the walls of the housing, between the at least one insulation layer and the walls of the housing and/or between the two insulation layers.

10. The clamp assembly aa claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat protection device has at least one protuberance for receiving the clamping device of the clamp.

11. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat protection device has at least one overlapping portion which is arranged on the housing at the end, wherein the overlapping portion is configured, in the assembled state of the clamp assembly, to cover and/or to touch a second end portion of the housing.

12. A clamp heat protection device for surrounding a clamp at least in regions, having a housing which extends at the circumference and which has two walls which are formed so as to protrude in a radial direction (R) relative to an axis (A), and having at least one insulation layer which can be inserted into the housing, wherein the at least one insulation layer can be inserted directly or via at least one spacer element into the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0037] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will be appreciated from the wording of the claims and from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a housing of a heat protection device according to an embodiment,

[0039] FIG. 2 is a side view of a clamp assembly according to an embodiment,

[0040] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a heat protection device according to an embodiment,

[0041] FIG. 4 is a side view of the heat protection device from FIG. 3,

[0042] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a heat protection device according to another embodiment,

[0043] FIG. 6 is a side view of the heat protection device from FIG. 5,

[0044] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a heat protection device according to another embodiment,

[0045] FIG. 8 is a side view of the heat protection device from FIG. 7,

[0046] FIG. 9 is a cross section A-A from FIG. 8 to illustrate a guiding portion,

[0047] FIGS. 10-18 are cross sections B-B from FIG. 2 to illustrate the possible embodiments of a heat protection device,

[0048] FIG. 19 is a side view of a clamp assembly having an overlapping portion according to an embodiment, and

[0049] FIG. 20 is a side view of a clamp assembly having an overlapping portion according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a housing 1 of a heat protection device 2 according to an embodiment. The housing 1 has a circumferential wall 4 which extends in a circumferential direction U. At both sides of the circumferential wall 4, a wall or side wall 6 of the housing 1 is configured as an extension of the circumferential wall 4 in an axial direction A. The walls 6 are bent over with respect to the circumferential wall 4 in a radial direction R and form according to the embodiment a right angle with respect to the circumferential wall 4.

[0051] The walls 6 of the housing 1 are subdivided into portions 8, 10 which may be spaced apart from each other by means of recesses 12. The recesses 12 or the portions 8, 10 are formed in this instance in such a manner that the housing 1 can be positioned at the circumference around a clamp 14. In particular, the portions 8, 10 may have a tapered form as the spacing from the circumferential wall 4 increases, whereby the housing 1 can conform to a substantially round clamp 14 at the circumference.

[0052] One or more portions 10 of the wall 6 may be configured to be longer in order to produce a connection to the clamp 14 by means of the extended portions 10 being bent over at the end.

[0053] The housing 1 has a closure portion 16 which is formed by means of a positive-locking cooperation of end portions 17, 18. The closure portion 16 may be able to be adapted to a form of the clamp 14. In particular, a length of the housing 1 can be adjusted by means of the closure portion 16.

[0054] FIG. 2 is a side view of a clamp assembly 20 according to an embodiment. The clamp assembly 20 has a clamp 14 having a clamping band 22 and having a clamping device 24 for clamping the clamping band 22. The clamping device 24 is illustrated schematically in this instance and is configured as a snap-fit closure which is arranged at the end on the clamping band 22.

[0055] According to the embodiment, the housing 1 has locking grooves 26 which are introduced into the walls 6. The clamping band 22 has locking projections 28 which correspond to the respective locking groove 26 and which can be inserted in the locking grooves 26. The clamp 14 can thereby be locked in a fixed manner on the housing 1.

[0056] The folded over extended portions 10 of the walls 6 are illustrated by the side view. In this instance, the extended portions 10 have in the bent state the same length as the remaining portions 8 of the wall 6.

[0057] For the sake of clarity, a receiving space having at least one insulation layer in FIG. 2 is not illustrated. A detailed explanation relating to this is set out in FIGS. 10 to 18 which show a section B-B of FIG. 2.

[0058] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a heat protection device 2 according to an embodiment. A corresponding side view is illustrated in FIG. 4. The heat protection device 2 has a housing 1 and an insulation layer 30 which is arranged in the housing 1.

[0059] According to the illustrated embodiment, the heat protection device 2 has a housing clamp 32 which can be connected to the housing 1 for connecting the heat protection device 2 to the clamp 14.

[0060] The housing clamp 32 is configured by way of example as a hose clamp. The housing clamp 32 has a clamping band 34 and a clamping device 36 having a clamping screw 38 which cooperates with a thread which is stamped in the clamping band 34. As a result of the activation of the clamping device 36, a diameter D of the heat protection device 2 can be adjusted to clamps 14 of different sizes.

[0061] The housing clamp 32 is connected via three connection locations 40 which are stamped as welding locations to the circumferential wall 4 of the housing 1. The connection locations 40 may also be formed as clinching locations, adhesive locations, punching locations and the like.

[0062] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a heat protection device 2 according to another embodiment. The corresponding side view of the heat protection device 2 is illustrated in FIG. 6. The connection locations 40 and the insulation layer 30 are in this instance not illustrated for the sake of clarity. In contrast to the embodiments already shown, the heat protection device 2 has in this instance a protuberance 42 for receiving the clamping device 24 of the clamp 14.

[0063] The protuberance 42 is rotated through 180° with respect to the clamping device 36 of the housing clamp 32 so that the clamping device 24 of the clamp 14 which is insulated by the heat protection device 2 is not impaired.

[0064] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show a heat protection device 1 according to another embodiment from different perspectives. In contrast to the embodiments already shown, the housing clamp 32 is arranged on the housing 1 by means of guiding portions 44. FIG. 9 shows in this regard a cross section A-A which illustrates the stamping of the guiding portions 44.

[0065] The housing 1 at the radially outer side or circumferential side 4 thereof three guiding portions 44 for receiving and guiding the clamping band 34 of the housing clamp 32. The housing clamp 32 can thereby be connected in a positive-locking manner to the housing 1. In particular, the clamping band 34 of the housing clamp 32 can be guided by the guiding portions. The guiding portions 44 may be configured as punched portions or flaps which protrude radially from the circumferential wall 4 of the housing 1 in regions and which form a guiding tunnel-like member 46 for receiving the clamping band 34.

[0066] FIGS. 10 to 18 are schematic cross sections B-B from FIG. 2 in order to illustrate the possible embodiments of a heat protection device 2. In particular, a receiving space 48 of the heat protection device 2 is illustrated. The receiving space 48 is formed by the side walls 6 of the housing 1 and the circumferential wall 4. The receiving space 48 has a U-shaped profile in this instance.

[0067] In a first embodiment which is shown in FIG. 10, the receiving space 48 is filled with an insulation layer 30. The receiving space 48 is closed by the clamping band 22 of the clamp 14.

[0068] FIG. 11 illustrates an example in which an additional insulating layer of air 52 is introduced. To this end, the heat protection device 2 has at least two spacer elements 50. According to the embodiment, the spacer elements 50 are arranged between the clamp 14 and the insulation layer 30. The spacer elements 50 are introduced laterally onto the walls 6 of the housing 1 at the receiving space side.

[0069] In FIG. 12, an insulating layer of air 52 is produced between the circumferential wall 4 and the insulation layer 30 by means of correspondingly arranged spacer elements 50. In FIG. 13, two insulating layers of air 52 are produced in a radial direction R between the clamp 14 and the insulation layer 30 and between the insulation layer 30 and the housing 1 by means of spacer elements 50.

[0070] FIGS. 14 and 15 show heat protection devices 2 which have two different insulation layers 30, 31. The first insulation layer 30 may in this instance have a different material from the second insulation layer 31. The insulation layers 30, 31 may be connected to each other or separated from each other by means of a layer of air 52.

[0071] FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of the heat protection device 2 which corresponds to FIG. 10, wherein in this instance two insulation layers 30, 31 which are directly connected to each other and the clamp 14 are inserted. For example, the insulation layers 30, 31 may be adhesively bonded to the housing 1 and the clamp 14.

[0072] In FIGS. 17 and 18, the insulation layers 30, 31 not only have a planar extent in an axial direction A, but instead also engage around the clamp 14 in a radial direction R in regions. The insulation layers 30, 31 thereby also form in a similar manner to the receiving space 48 a U-shape. A heat transfer in an axial direction A from the clamp 14 and to the clamp 14 can thereby be prevented or at least attenuated.

[0073] FIG. 18 shows an example in which an air gap may also be formed in an axial direction A between the insulation layers 30, 31 or between an insulation layer 31 and the walls 6 of the housing 1.

[0074] The invention is not limited to one of the above-described embodiments but can instead be modified in many ways.

[0075] All of the features and advantages derived from the claims, the description and the drawings, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, may be significant to the invention both individually and in extremely different combinations.

[0076] FIG. 19 is a side view of a clamp assembly 20 having an overlapping portion 54 according to an embodiment. The overlapping portion 54 is arranged at a first circumferential end 17 of the housing 1 of the heat protection device 2 and extends in a radial direction R into a receiving portion 58 of the clamp assembly 20. In the receiving portion 58, for example, a component, a pipe, a hose and the like, can be received or secured.

[0077] The overlapping portion 54 is shaped in a rounded manner according to the clamp assembly 20 and preferably follows the shape of the receiving portion 58. Consequently, a continuous support face of the heat protection device 2 can be provided in the receiving portion 58.

[0078] In particular, the clamp assembly 20 is illustrated in an assembled state, in which the overlapping portion 54 contacts the second end portion 18 of the housing 1 at one side and consequently prevents interruptions in the heat protection device 2. The second end portion 18 of the housing 1 forms in this instance in the circumferential direction U a second end of the housing 1 of the heat protection device 2.

[0079] FIG. 20 is a side view of a clamp assembly 20 having an overlapping portion 54 according to another embodiment. In contrast to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19, the overlapping portion 54 is formed in this instance in such a manner that in an axial direction A it overlaps the second end portion 18 of the housing 1 at least axially at one side.

[0080] In the embodiment illustrated, the overlapping portion 54 extends the first end 55 of the housing 1 in a circumferential direction U.

[0081] The overlapping portion 54 may overlap the second end portion 18 of the housing 1 axially at both sides or at least partially engage around the second end portion 18 of the housing 1. It is thereby also possible, for example, to prevent the heat protection device 2 from sliding in the connection region between the first end portion 17 and the second end portion 18.

[0082] All the features and advantages, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, which follow from the claims, the description and the drawing can be fundamental to the invention both on their own and in different 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.

[0083] 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.

[0084] List of Reference Numerals

[0085] 1 Housing

[0086] 2 Heat protection device

[0087] 4 Circumferential wall

[0088] 6 Wall/side wall

[0089] 8 Portion

[0090] 10 Extended portion

[0091] 12 Recess

[0092] 14 Clamp

[0093] 16 Closure portion

[0094] 17 First end portion of the housing

[0095] 18 Second end portion of the housing

[0096] 20 Clamp assembly

[0097] 22 Clamping band

[0098] 24 Clamping device

[0099] 26 Locking groove of the housing

[0100] 28 Locking projection of the clamp

[0101] 30 Insulation layer/first insulation layer

[0102] 31 Second insulation layer

[0103] 32 Housing clamp

[0104] 34 Clamping band of the housing clamp

[0105] 36 Clamping device of the housing clamp

[0106] 38 Clamping screw of the housing clamp

[0107] 40 Welding location/connection location

[0108] 42 Protuberance

[0109] 44 Guiding portion

[0110] 46 Guiding tunnel-like member

[0111] 48 Receiving space

[0112] 50 Spacer element

[0113] 52 Layer of air

[0114] 54 Overlapping portion

[0115] 58 Receiving portion

[0116] A Axial direction

[0117] D Diameter of the heat protection device

[0118] R Radial direction

[0119] U Circumferential direction