Cramp

Abstract

To make a correspondence to an automation of an attachment operation.SOLUTION: A cramp comprises: a first cramp member 10 and a second cramp member 20 that nips a liner-shaped member We between them and fix it to a fixing member on a wiring path; and a holding structure that engages a first engagement part 14 of the first cramp member and a second engagement part 23 of the second cramp member, and holds a nipping state of the liner-shaped member by the first and second cramp members. The first cramp member includes: a base part 11 on which the liner-shaped member is mounted; a holding part 12 projected from the base part, and held by the fixing member; and a pair of cantilever standing parts 13 that are stood from the base part with a space from each other, and surround the liner-shaped member placed in the space. The second cramp member includes: a cylinder part 21 in each standing part formed in a cylinder shape allowing the standing part to insert therein; and a nipping part 22 that is couped to them between the pair of cylinder parts, and nips the liner-shaped member between itself and the base part while flexibility itself. The first engagement part is provided at each standing part, and the second engagement part is provided in each cylinder part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a clamp. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, clamps that are used to fasten linear members such as electric wires to fixed members on a wiring path are known. For example, in these clamps, in order to prevent the linear member from shifting about its axis, a holding part is wrapped around the linear member with tape, or a band part is wrapped around the linear member and tightened. This type of clamp is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 below. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-234869 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Recently, there has been a demand for automation of the attachment of clamps to linear members in order to reduce manufacturing costs, etc. However, the attachment of conventional clamps is complicated, and there is room for improvement in automating the attachment process.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS An object of the present invention is to provide a clamp suitable for automating the installation work. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention comprises a first clamp member and a second clamp member which clamp a linear member between themselves and fasten it to a fixed member on a wiring path, and a holding structure which engages a first engagement portion of the first clamp member with a second engagement portion of the second clamp member to maintain the linear member clamped by the first clamp member and the second clamp member, wherein the first clamp member has a base on which the linear member is placed, a holding portion which protrudes from the base and is held by the fixed member, and a pair of cantilevered upright portions which stand up from the base with a space between them and surround the linear member in the space, and the second clamp member has a tubular portion for each of the upright portions which is formed in a tubular shape through which the upright portions pass, and a clamping portion which is connected to the pair of tubular portions and flexes to clamp the linear member between the base, and wherein the first engagement portion is provided on each of the upright portions, and the second engagement portion is provided within the tube of each of the tubular portions. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The clamp according to the present invention has a structure in which a linear member is clamped between the first clamp member and the second clamp member while a pair of upright portions are inserted into the pair of cylindrical portions, that is, the linear member is clamped between the first clamp member and the second clamp member while a force in one direction is applied to one of the first clamp member and the second clamp member. Therefore, this clamp simplifies the work of attaching the linear member to the clamp compared to the conventional work of wrapping a tape or band around the linear member, and there is little difference in the number of man-hours between the automated attachment work and the manual attachment work by an operator. Therefore, the clamp according to the present invention is easily adapted to the automation of the attachment work to the linear member. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a clamp according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 1 (excluding the linear members). [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the clamp of the embodiment assembled to the first linear member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the clamp of the embodiment assembled to the second linear member. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the clamp of the embodiment assembled to the third linear member. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a clamp according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0010] [Embodiment] One embodiment of a clamp according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] Reference numeral 1 in Fig. 1 to Fig. 8 indicates a clamp of this embodiment. This clamp 1 includes a first clamp member 10 and a second clamp member 20 that sandwich the linear member We between them and fasten it to a fixed member (not shown) on the wiring path (Figs. 1 to 8). The first clamp member 10 and the second clamp member 20 are molded from an insulating material such as synthetic resin.

[0012] Here, the linear member We refers to, for example, an electric wire, a communication line, a harness part including these, etc. This linear member We may also include a tubular member, etc.

[0013] The first clamping member 10 has a base 11 on which the linear member We is placed (FIGS. 1 to 8). The base 11 is formed in a three-dimensional shape, such as a circle or an oval. The base 11 is formed with a wall surface (hereinafter referred to as the "placing surface") 11a on which the linear member We is placed (FIGS. 1 to 8). The placing surface 11a is formed as a smooth wall surface to reduce aggressiveness against the placed linear member We and to prevent a decrease in the durability of the linear member We.

[0014] The first clamp member 10 further has a holding portion 12 that protrudes from the base 11 and is held by a fixed member (FIGS. 1 to 8). The holding portion 12 protrudes from the rear side of the mounting surface 11a of the base 11. The holding portion 12 shown here is formed in an anchor shape that is inserted into a through hole in a flat portion of the fixed member from one flat side and hooked onto the other flat side of the flat portion. The first clamp member 10 is held by the fixed member by sandwiching the periphery of the through hole in the flat portion between the base 11 and the holding portion 12 and engaging with the flat portion.

[0015] Furthermore, the first clamping member 10 has a pair of cantilevered erected portions 13, 13 that are erected from the base 11 with a space between them and that surround the linear member We in the space (FIGS. 1 to 8). The pair of erected portions 13, 13 are erected vertically from the peripheral edge of the mounting surface 11a of the base 11. In the first clamping member 10, a space that surrounds the linear member We is formed by the mounting surface 11a and wall surfaces (hereinafter referred to as "opposing wall surfaces") 13a, 13a of the pair of erected portions 13, 13 that face each other (FIGS. 1 to 8). The opposing wall surfaces 13a may come into contact with the linear member We in the space, so they are formed as smooth wall surfaces to reduce aggressiveness against the linear member We and suppress a decrease in durability of the linear member We, similar to the mounting surface 11a.

[0016] The erected portion 13, which will be described in detail later, is used to hold the first clamp member 10 and the second clamp member 20 together. Therefore, the erected portion 13 is formed in a shape capable of suppressing bending deformation at least within the range of the load applied during operation of the holding structure described later. The erected portion 13 shown here is formed in the shape of a rectangular flat plate with the opposing wall surface 13a as one plane (FIGS. 1 to 8). Therefore, the erected portion 13 is formed with a plate thickness capable of suppressing the bending deformation.

[0017] Here, this clamp 1 is adapted to accommodate a plurality of types of linear members We with different wire diameters (FIGS. 1 to 8). For this reason, the pair of standing portions 13, 13 are formed with a distance (the distance between the pair of opposing wall surfaces 13a, 13a) equal to or greater than the wire diameter of the linear member We with the largest wire diameter among the plurality of types of linear members We to be attached. Here, the plurality of types of linear members We are exemplified by a first linear member We1 with the largest wire diameter, a second linear member We2 with the smallest wire diameter, and a third linear member We3 with a wire diameter between them (FIGS. 3 to 8).

[0018] The second clamping member 20 has a tubular portion 21 for each upright portion 13 formed in a cylindrical shape for inserting the upright portion 13 therethrough, and a clamping portion 22 connected between the pair of tubular portions 21, 21 and flexing to clamp the linear member We between the base portion 11 (FIGS. 1 to 8).

[0019] The tubular portion 21 has both ends in the axial direction open, one of the openings being used as an insertion opening 21a through which the erected portion 13 is inserted from the free end, and the other opening being used as an outlet 21b through which the erected portion 13 passes through the inside of the tube from the free end (FIGS. 1 to 8). The tubular portion 21 has an annular first end 21c in which the insertion opening 21a is formed, and an annular second end 21d in which the outlet 21b is formed (FIGS. 1 to 8). The tubular portion 21 shown here is formed in a square tube shape.

[0020] The clamping portion 22 connects a first end portion 21c of one tubular portion 21 to a first end portion 21c of the other tubular portion 21. The clamping portion 22 shown here is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape that is capable of bending and deforming in the plate thickness direction.

[0021] The clamping portion 22 comes into contact with the linear member We placed on the mounting surface 11a of the first clamp member 10 by inserting the standing portions 13 into the cylindrical portion 21 through the combination of the respective paired standing portions 13 and the cylindrical portion 21. The clamping portion 22 is deflected and deformed as the insertion operation of the standing portions 13 into the cylindrical portion 21 proceeds, and the linear member We is clamped between the clamping portion 22 and the mounting surface 11a by the repulsive force associated with this deflection.

[0022] This clamp 1 has a holding structure that engages the first engagement portion 14 of the first clamp member 10 with the second engagement portion 23 of the second clamp member 20 to maintain a clamped state of the linear member We between the first clamp member 10 and the second clamp member 20 (FIGS. 1 to 8). The first engagement portion 14 is provided on each of the upright portions 13. The second engagement portion 23 is provided inside each of the tubular portions 21.

[0023] Specifically, the first engagement portion 14 is provided on the back side of the wall surface (opposing wall surface 13a) of the standing portion 13 facing the space in which the linear member We is placed (Figs. 1 to 8). This first engagement portion 14 is provided on the wall surface opposite the opposing wall surface 13a of the standing portion 13. The standing portion 13 has first engagement portions 14 provided for multiple types of linear members We having different wire diameters (Figs. 1 to 8). Then, the second engagement portion 23 is engaged with the first engagement portion 14 corresponding to the linear member We to be clamped (Figs. 1 to 8).

[0024] The first engagement portion 14 shown here is formed in a protruding shape that hooks the second engagement portion 23 so that the standing portion 13 inserted into the tube portion 21 from the insertion opening 21a does not return to the insertion opening 21a side. The standing portion 13 shown here has the first engagement portions 14 arranged in the standing direction from the base portion 11, and the first engagement portions 14 are arranged so as to form sawtooth. The second engagement portion 23 shown here has a cantilevered flexible portion 23a that has flexibility, and a claw portion 23b that protrudes from the flexible portion 23a and hooks onto the first engagement portion 14 (FIGS. 1 to 8). The flexible portion 23a is formed in a rectangular half-body shape with the insertion opening 21a side as a fixed end and the withdrawal opening 21b as a free end, and can be flexibly deformed with the fixed end side as a rotation fulcrum. The claw portion 23b protrudes from the wall surface of the flexible portion 23a on the clamping portion 22 side.

[0025] Here, in the erected portion 13, a combination of two first engagement portions 14 adjacent to each other in the erected direction is provided for each of the multiple types of linear members We. Some of the combinations are used in duplicate between different linear members We. In the second engagement portion 23, two claw portions 23b are protruded from the flexible portion 23a in accordance with the combination of the two first engagement portions 14.

[0026] In this clamp 1, first, the linear member We is placed on the mounting surface 11a of the base 11 of the first clamp member 10, and then the second clamp member 20 is assembled to the first clamp member 10. In this clamp 1, while the second clamp member 20 is brought closer to the first clamp member 10, the erected portions 13 of the first clamp member 10 are inserted into the cylindrical portions 21 of the second clamp member 20.

[0027] In the holding structure, as the standing portion 13 is inserted, the flexible portion 23a of the second engagement portion 23 is pushed by the standing portion 13 and bends, and as the insertion progresses, the bending deformation of the flexible portion 23a is released and the two claw portions 23b of the second engagement portion 23 hook onto the first two first engagement portions 14 on the free end side of the standing portion 13. In this clamp 1, at the engagement position between the first engagement portion 14 and the second engagement portion 23, a repulsive force associated with the bending deformation of the clamping portion 22 acts on the first linear member We1, which has the maximum wire diameter, and the first linear member We1 is clamped between the clamping portion 22 and the mounting surface 11a of the base 11 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0028] In the holding structure, when the linear member We to be attached is the third linear member We3, the insertion of the standing portion 13 proceeds further, and, for example, the flexible portion 23a is repeatedly bent and deformed, and the claw portions 23b overcome the first engagement portions 14, so that the two claw portions 23b of the second engagement portion 23 are caught by the two predetermined first engagement portions 14 of the standing portion 13. In this clamp 1, at the engagement position between the first engagement portion 14 and the second engagement portion 23, a repulsive force caused by the bending deformation of the clamping portion 22 acts on the third linear member We3, and the third linear member We3 is clamped between the clamping portion 22 and the mounting surface 11a of the base 11 (FIGS. 7 and 8).

[0029] In the holding structure, when the linear member We to be attached is the second linear member We2, the insertion of the standing portion 13 proceeds further, and, for example, the flexible portion 23a is repeatedly bent and deformed, and the claw portions 23b are repeatedly moved over the first engagement portions 14. In this holding structure, while the flexible deformation of the flexible portion 23a is being eliminated, the two claw portions 23b of the second engagement portion 23 are hooked onto the last two first engagement portions 14 on the fixed end side of the standing portion 13. In this clamp 1, at the engagement position between the first engagement portion 14 and the second engagement portion 23, a repulsive force caused by the bending deformation of the clamping portion 22 acts on the second linear member We2 having the smallest wire diameter, and the second linear member We2 is clamped between the clamping portion 22 and the mounting surface 11a of the base 11 (FIGS. 5 and 6).

[0030] In this manner, in the clamp 1, the second clamp member 20 is assembled while being pushed into the first clamp member 10 on which the linear member We is placed. Therefore, with regard to the clamp 1, even when automating the assembly to the linear member We, the second clamp member 20 is pushed into the clamp 1 by a jig 500 of a clamp assembly machine (not shown) (FIG. 2). For example, the clamp assembly machine pushes in the pair of tubular portions 21, 21 of the second clamp member 20 while applying a pressing force to the pair of tubular portions 21, 21 by the jig 500. Here, in order to prepare for the operation of pushing the pair of tubular portions 21, 21 by the jig 500, the annular second end portion 21d of the tubular portion 21 is formed into an annular planar shape (FIGS. 1 to 8).

[0031] As described above, the clamp 1 of this embodiment has a structure in which the linear member We is clamped between the first clamp member 10 and the second clamp member 20 while the pair of upright portions 13, 13 are inserted into the pair of tubular portions 21, 21, that is, the linear member We is clamped between the first clamp member 10 and the second clamp member 20 while a force in one direction is applied to either one of the first clamp member 10 and the second clamp member 20. Therefore, the clamp 1 simplifies the attachment work to the linear member We compared to the conventional wrapping work of a tape or band part around the linear member We, and there is little difference in the number of man-hours between the automated attachment work and the manual attachment work by an operator. Therefore, the clamp 1 of this embodiment is easily adapted to the automation of the attachment work to the linear member We. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1 Clamp 10 First clamp member 11 Base 12 Holding part 13 Vertical section 13a Opposite wall 14 First engagement portion 20 Second clamp member 21 Cylinder part 21a Insertion port 21b Drawer 21c 1st end 21d 2nd end 22 Clamping part 23 Second engagement portion We Linear components We1 First linear member We2 Second linear member We3 Third linear member

Claims

1. a first clamp member and a second clamp member that clamp the linear member between themselves and fasten it to a fixed member on the wiring path; a holding structure that engages a first engagement portion of the first clamp member with a second engagement portion of the second clamp member to hold the linear member in a clamped state between the first clamp member and the second clamp member; Equipped with the first clamp member has a base on which the linear member is placed, a holding portion that protrudes from the base and is held by the fixing member, and a pair of cantilevered upright portions that stand up from the base with a space between them and that place and surround the linear member in the space; The second clamp member has a cylindrical portion for each of the upright portions formed in a cylindrical shape into which the upright portions are inserted, and a clamping portion that is connected between the pair of the cylindrical portions and bends itself to clamp the linear member between the base portion, The first engagement portion is provided on each of the upright portions, The clamp is characterized in that the second engagement portion is provided inside each of the cylindrical portions.

2. the erected portion has the first engagement portion provided for each of a plurality of types of the linear members having different wire diameters, The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the second engagement portion is adapted to engage with the first engagement portion in accordance with the linear member to be clamped.

3. The clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the first engagement portion is provided on a rear side of a wall surface of the erected portion that faces the space on which the linear member is placed.

4. The cylindrical portion has an annular first end portion having an insertion opening through which the erected portion is inserted from a free end, and an annular second end portion having an extraction opening through which the erected portion in the cylindrical portion is inserted from the free end, 4. The clamp according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the second end portion is formed into an annular planar shape.

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