Gripping arrangement and gripping assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9670986-B2
Application number	US-201214127856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2012
Priority date	Jul 8, 2011
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A gripping arrangement ( 110 ) is disclosed for gripping an elongate article ( 111 ). The gripping arrangement comprises a body ( 112 ) defining a pathway ( 128 ) along which the article can extend and a gripping member ( 116 ) in the body for gripping the article. The gripping member is moveable from a non-gripping position to a gripping position. The gripping arrangement further includes urging means ( 122 ) to urge the gripping member towards the gripping position, and locking means ( 130 ) moveable from a non-locking position to a locking position. The locking means is configured to lock the article to the gripping member, when the locking means is in the locking position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gripping arrangement for gripping an elongate article, the gripping arrangement comprising a body having opposed tapering walls, a gripping member in the body for gripping the article between the tapering walls, the gripping member being moveable from a non-gripping position to a gripping position, urging means to urge the gripping member towards the gripping position; and a cam member moveable from a non-locking position to a locking position; wherein the cam member has a cam surface to engage the elongate article and to apply a force against the elongate article to grip the elongate article between the cam surface and the gripping member, thereby locking the article to the gripping member when the cam member is in the locking position; wherein the body defines a pathway along which the article can extend, the pathway extending between the gripping member and the cam member, wherein the cam surface extends into the pathway when the cam member is in the locking position, and wherein the cam member comprises a substantially flat surface extending coplanar with one of the walls when the cam member is in the non-locking position.

2. A gripping arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the cam member comprises a substantially flat surface for alignment with the pathway when the cam member is in the non-locking position.

3. A gripping arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the substantially flat surface constitutes a second wall portion for engaging the article.

4. A gripping arrangement according to claim 1 , comprising two gripping members and two urging means, wherein the cam member comprises two cam surfaces, each cam surface being configured to engage the elongate article gripped by the respective gripping member.

5. A gripping arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein both gripping members and both urging means are mounted in the body, and wherein the body defines two pathways for at least one elongate article, and the cam member comprises two substantially flat surfaces, each flat surface being arranged for alignment with a respective one of the pathways when the cam member is in the non-locking position.

6. A gripping arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the two substantially flat surfaces are substantially opposite each other on the cam member.

7. A gripping arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein both gripping members and both urging means are mounted in the body, the body defining two pathways for at least one elongate article, and each cam surface is arranged to extend into a respective one of the pathways when the cam member is in the locking position.

8. A gripping arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the gripping members and the urging means are disposed substantially opposite each other in the body, and wherein the cam surfaces are disposed substantially opposite each other on the cam member.

9. A gripping arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein each cam surface is configured to extend into a respective one of the pathways when the cam member is in the locking position, thereby allowing each cam surface to engage the elongate article in the respective pathway.

10. A gripping arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the body defines a central aperture for receiving the cam member.

11. A gripping arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the cam member includes a head on the cam member, the cam member being received in the aperture.

12. A gripping arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein first holding formations are provided on the cam member, and second holding formations are provided on the body, the first holding formations cooperating with the second holding formations when the cam member is in the non-locking position, thereby to hold the cam member in the non-locking position.

13. A gripping arrangement according to claim 12 , wherein two first holding formations are provided opposite each other on the cam member, and two second holding formations are provided in an opposed relationship on the body, the aperture being defined between the two opposed second holding formations.

14. A gripping arrangement according to claim 12 , wherein first locking formations are provided on the cam member, and second locking formations are provided on the body, the first locking formations cooperating with the second locking formations when the cam member is in the locking position, thereby to lock the cam member in the locking position.

15. A gripping arrangement according to claim 14 , wherein two first locking formations are provided opposite each other on the cam member, and two second locking formations are provided in an opposed relationship on the body, the aperture being defined between the two opposed second holding formations.

16. A gripping arrangement according to claim 14 , wherein the first holding formations may be provided on the cam member, and the first locking formations are provided on the head.

17. A gripping arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the, or each, gripping member is linearly moveable from the non-gripping position to the gripping position.

Assignees

• Bacon Matthew Steven
• Gripple Ltd

Inventors

• Bacon Matthew Steven

Classifications

• Y10T24/3951

  Dual cam · CPC title

• F16G11/106 Primary

  using a toothed surface · CPC title

• Y10T24/3944

  Cam engaging or disengaging · CPC title

• F16G11/108

  using a ball or a cylinder · CPC title

• F16G11/04 Primary

  with wedging action, e.g. friction clamps (F16G11/02, {F16G11/10} take precedence; {eyes for grommet-thimble type fastenings F16G11/146}) · CPC title