Tool for fixing a textile sleeve about an elongate member to be protected and method of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10300655-B2
Application number	US-201615282366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Oct 1, 2015
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A tool for fixing a protective textile sleeve about an elongate member contained therein and method of use thereof is provided. The tool includes a clamp assembly having opposed clamp members attached to one another for pivotal movement relative to one another between an open state and a closed state. The clamp members have clamping surfaces, wherein at least one of the clamping surfaces has at least one outlet. A fluid source is arranged in fluid communication with the at least one outlet, and a heat source is configured to heat fluid from the fluid source to create steam. The steam is dispensed outwardly from the at least one outlet to cause an adhesive on the sleeve to become activated to bond with an adjacent abutting surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of fixing a protective textile sleeve about an elongate member, comprising:
providing the protective textile sleeve having an inner surface configured to bound an inner cavity;
disposing the elongate member within the inner cavity;
clamping at least a portion of the protective textile sleeve about the elongate member with a clamping tool having opposed clamp members pivotally connected to one another at a pivot axis;
dispensing steam from at least one of said clamp members; and
activating an adhesive with the steam and bonding the inner surface to at least another portion of the textile sleeve and/or to the elongate member.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including bringing concave clamping surfaces of the clamp members into engagement with an outer surface of the sleeve while activating the adhesive with steam.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including dispensing steam from a plurality of outlets formed in the clamp members.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including operably fixing the clamping tool in place for automation on an assembly line.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including spring biasing the clamp members away from one another to facilitate disposing the elongate member between the clamp members.

6. The method of claim 1 , further including spring biasing the clamp members toward one another to facilitate clamping the elongate member.

7. A method of fixing a protective textile sleeve about an elongate member, comprising:
providing the protective textile sleeve having an inner surface configured to bound an inner cavity;
disposing the elongate member within the inner cavity;
clamping at least a portion of the protective textile sleeve about the elongate member with opposed clamp members;
dispensing steam from at least one of said clamp members;
activating an adhesive with the steam and bonding the inner surface to at least another portion of the textile sleeve and/or to the elongate member; and further including providing a source of fluid at least partially contained in a handle attached to the clamp members.

8. The method of claim 7 , further including providing the source of fluid contained entirely within the handle.

9. The method of claim 7 , further including providing the source of fluid contained at least in part externally from the handle.

Assignees

• Fed Mogul Powertrain Llc
• Tenneco Inc

Inventors

• Yamaguchi Hiroki
• Fukuyama Shozo

Classifications

• Y10T156/101

  Prior to or during assembly with additional lamina · CPC title

• B29C63/18 Primary

  using tubular layers or sheathings (B29C63/26 {and B29C63/38} take precedence; {placing tubular labels around rigid containers B65C3/065}) · CPC title

• Y10T156/103

  Encasing or enveloping the configured lamina · CPC title

• B29C33/048

  using steam · CPC title

• B32B2310/049

  using steam or damp · CPC title