Plastic holder for anti-vibration fastening an elongated object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9758111-B2
Application number	US-201514872758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2015
Priority date	Oct 1, 2014
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A holder made of plastic for vibration-insulating attachment of an oblong object such as a pipe or the like to a vehicle includes a base part with a bolt-accommodating opening and retainer parts that have a U-shaped retaining section with a recess that has a hollow inner surface and an insertion opening at which a resilient retaining finger is provided, which is able to hold an oblong object in the recess. The retainer parts are connected to the base part by means of thin, flexible wall elements. The base part has a frame with openings and the apex regions of the retaining sections on the side opposite from the insertion opening can move into these openings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A holder securable to a vehicle with a bolt, the holder made of plastic and operable for vibration-insulated retention of an oblong object such as a pipe in the holder, the holder comprising:
a base part defining a bolt-accommodating bore and including a frame-shaped support section partially defining a first opening and a second opening;
a retainer part including a first retaining section and a second retaining section wherein:
the first retaining section includes a first wall with a U-shaped cross-section having an first apex region proximate to the base part and defining a first recess suitable for accommodating the oblong object, a first hollow inner surface, and defining an first insertion opening located opposite to the first apex region and distal to the base part; a first resilient retaining finger is located at the first insertion opening, protrudes into the first recess, and is operable to hold the oblong object in the first recess;
the second retaining section includes a second wall with a U-shaped cross-section having a second apex region proximate to the base part and defining a second recess suitable for accommodating the oblong object, a second hollow inner surface, and defining a second insertion opening located opposite to the second apex region and distal to the base part; a second resilient retaining finger is located at the second insertion opening, protrudes into the second recess, and is operable to hold the oblong object in the second recess,
the first retaining section and second retaining section are arranged adjacent to each other and securely connected to each other in a row so that the first U-shaped wall and second U-shaped wall lie in a plane; and the frame-shaped support section of the base part extends parallel with the plane with the first opening adjacent the first apex region and the second opening adjacent the second apex region;

a first thin flexible connecting element and a second thin flexible connecting element; and
wherein the retainer part is integrally formed with the base part, does not directly touch the base part, and is connected to the base part via the first and second connecting elements with the apex regions of the retainer parts suspended above the respective openings in the base part, such that the apexes are movable into the openings of the base part during deformation of the first and second thin flexible connecting elements.

2. The holder according to claim 1 , wherein the first opening in the base part is partially defined by an edge, the edge is spaced apart from the first apex region of the U-shaped first wall, and the edge restricts movements of the retainer part in the direction of the base part.

3. The holder according to claim 1 , wherein the frame-shaped support section includes a rectangular frame with two longitudinal elements that extend parallel to the U-shaped first wall of the first retaining section, and two transverse elements that connect the longitudinal elements; and the two longitudinal elements and the two transverse elements define the first opening with a rectangular edge.

4. The holder according to claim 3 , wherein a first width of the first opening between the two transverse elements is less than the corresponding outer diameter of the U-shaped first wall of the first retaining section.

5. The holder according to claim 4 , wherein a second width of the first opening between the longitudinal elements is greater than the corresponding width of the first apex region of the U-shaped first wall of the first retaining section.

6. The holder according to claim 3 , wherein one of the longitudinal elements and the transverse elements of the frame includes a reinforcing rib.

7. The holder according to claim 1 , wherein the base part includes a flat wall section and the flat wall section has a first end and a second end, the first end connected directly to the frame shaped support section and the second end connected to a second retainer part by a third thin flexible connecting element.

8. The holder according to claim 1 , wherein the base part further includes a sleeve part that defines the bolt-accommodating bore, the sleeve part is located on a side of the base part oriented toward the retainer part and is connected directly to the retainer part by the first thin flexible connecting element.

9. The holder according to claim 8 , wherein the retainer part is a first retainer part and the holder further comprises a second retainer part, and the sleeve part is located between the first retainer part and the second retainer part.

10. The holder according to claim 1 , wherein the base part includes a flat contact surface located on a side oriented away from the retainer part.

11. The holder according to one of claim 1 , wherein the base part further includes a resilient finger protruding out from the base part, and a free end of the finger lies in a first plane that is parallel to and spaced from a second plane defined by a contact surface of the base part.

12. A holder operable for vibration-insulated retention of a tube shaped workpiece, the holder securable to a vehicle with a bolt, the holder defining a long axis and a retained axis transverse to the long axis and an insertion axis perpendicular to the long axis and the retained axis; the holder comprising:
a base extending along the long axis and partly defines an opening open along the insertion axis;
a retainer including a U-shaped wall lying in a first plane defined by the long axis and the insertion axis; the U-shaped wall having a closed bottom, an open top, and closed sides connecting the bottom and the top; the retainer partly defining open sides open along the retained axis, and the open top partly defining an insertion opening located opposite to the bottom; and
a flexible connecting element; and
wherein the holder is flexible between a first relaxed condition, a second insertion condition achievable while the workpiece is being forcefully inserted into the retainer, and a third retained condition when the workpiece is at rest inside the retainer; and
the retainer is made of plastic and is integrally formed with the base, the retainer is connected to the base via the connecting element; and, when in the relaxed condition, the bottom of the retainer is suspended spaced above the base at a relaxed distance along the insertion axis; and, when in the insertion condition, the bottom of the retainer is movable to an insertion distance from the base, the insertion distance being less than the relaxed distance, and the opening is located in the base below the bottom of the retainer along the insertion axis, and the bottom of the retainer is movable into the opening of the base during the insertion condition.

13. The holder according to claim 12 , wherein the base includes a rectangular frame partly surrounding the opening, the frame including a first longitudinal element extending along the long axis and a second longitudinal element parallel to and spaced from the first longitudinal element; the frame further including a first transverse element extending along the insertion axis and a second transverse element parallel to and spaced from the first transverse element; and the first and second transverse elements connect to the first and second longitudinal elements; to partly define the opening with a rectangular edge.

14. The holder according to claim 12 , wherein the retainer further includes a resilient retaining finger connected near the open top of the U-shaped wall and extending into the insertion opening, and the retaining finger is operable to hold the workpiece in the retainer when the

Assignees

• Newfrey Llc

Inventors

• Stau Bastian
• Schliessner Lothar

Classifications

• F16L3/13

  and engaging it by snap action {(F16L3/1203 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H02G3/32

  using mounting clamps · CPC title

• B60R16/0215 Primary

  Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor · CPC title

• F16L55/035

  in the form of specially adapted hangers or supports · CPC title

• F16L3/227

  each pipe being supported by a separate element fastened to the base · CPC title