Bridging member for hose clamps

Claim 2

A bridging member for a hose clamp which includes a circumferential band having a radially outwardly projecting fold, for bridging the gap formed between outwardly projecting legs of the fold, characterized in that the bridging member includes a main surface portion of generally curved configuration and a width approximately equal to the width of the band of the hose clamp with which it is to be used, continuous side wall portions extending approximately at right angle from the main surface portion in a radially outward direction with respect to the center of the radius of curvature of the main surface portion, and means in the side walls formed by small inwardly projecting lug portions near a respective outer end of the side wall portions to enable snap-in assembly over the band of the hose clamp.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that said lug portions are arranged near the circumferential ends of the side walls along the radially outer parts thereof.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 2 characterized in that the bridging member is made from a material having a thickness of the order of about 0.2 millimeters.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 3 characterized in that said material is steel.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the bridging member is made from a material having a thickness of the order of about 0.2 millimeters.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 5 characterized in that said material is steel.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 5 characterized in that said main surface portion is provided with a substantially circumferentially extending stiffening groove means.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 7 wherein said substantially circumferentially extending groove means is pressed inwardly from said main surface portion.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that said main surface portion is provided with a substantially circumferentially extending reinforcing groove means.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 9 characterized in that said circumferentially extending groove means is pressed out inwardly from said main surface portion.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the bridging member is made from a material selected from the group consisting of non-ferrous metals, plastic materials, brass, aluminum, copper and steel.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the material of the bridging member is considerably smaller than the thickness of the circumferential band of the clamp.

Claim 14

A hose clamp assembly especially for relatively thin-walled hoses, comprising a circumferentially extending band portion provided with outwardly extending fold means, said fold means including outwardly extending leg portions passing over into the band circumferential portion and interconnected at the outer end by a web portion, said band portion having a predetermined width in the axial direction of the clamp, and said leg portions defining a gap in the circumferential direction of the band portion, and bridging means for said gap formed of thinwalled material and having a main surface portion of a width substantially equal to said predetermined width and a configuration generally conforming to the configuration of the band portion, said main surface portion abutting against the inner surface of the band portion within the area thereof on both sides of the gap to thereby bridge said gap, said main surface portion being adjoined by approximately parallel side wall portions disposed approximately at right angle to the main surface portion and provided with inwardly projecting lug means to snap-in behind the radially outer surface of the band portion so as to hold the bridging means firmly assembled to the band portion, and the thickness of the thin-walled material of said bridging means being substantially smaller than the thickness of the material used for the circumferentially extending band, said side wall portions extending continuously substantially over the same arcuate length as said main surface portion and wherein said lug means are provided near the respective outer ends.

Claim 15

A hose clamp assembly especially for relatively thin-walled hoses, comprising a circumferentially extending band portion provided with outwardly extending fold means, said fold means including outwardly extending leg portions passing over into the band circumferential portion and interconnected at the outer end by a web portion, said band portion having a predetermined width in the axial direction of the clamp, and said leg portions defining a gap in the circumferential direction of the band portion, and bridging means for said gap formed of thinwalled material and having a main surface portion of a width substantially equal to said predetermined width and a configuration generally conforming to the configuration of the band portion, said main surface portion abutting against the inner surface of the band portion within the area thereof on both sides of the gap to thereby bridge said gap, said main surface portion being adjoined by approximately parallel side wall portions disposed approximately at right angle to the main surface portion and provided with inwardly projecting lug means to snap-in behind the radially outer surface of the band portion so as to hold the bridging means firmly assembled to the band portion, and the thickness of the thin-walled material of said bridging means being substantially smaller than the thickness of the material used for the circumferentially extending band, said side wall portions extending continuously substantially over the same arcuate length as said main surface portion and wherein said lug means are provided near the respective outer ends.

Claim 16

The combination according to claim 13, characterized in that the base portion is provided with a circumferentially arranged reinforcing groove in the central area thereof.

Claim 17

The combination according to claim 14 wherein said circumferentially arranged reinforced groove is pressed out inwardly from said base portion.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 13 characterized in that said bridging means is made from band steel having a thickness of the order of 0.2 millimeters.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 13 characterized in that the bridging means is made from a less costly material than the material used for the band portion of the hose clamp.

Claim 20

The combination according to claim 17, characterized in that the material of said bridging means is considerably thinner than the material of the clamp band portion so that the bridging means can be bent manually to conform to the curvature of hose clamps of different sizes.

Claim 21

The combination according to claim 18 characterized in that said bridging means is made from band steel having a thickness of the order of 0.2 millimeters.

Claim 22

The combination according to claim 18 characterized in that the main surface portion is provided with a circumferentially arranged stiffening groove in the central area thereof.

Claim 23

The combination according to claim 13 characterized in that said bridging means is made from a material selected from the group consisting of non-ferrous metals, plastic materials, brass, aluminum, copper and steel.