FR2835902A1 - Automobile flexible brake tubing fixing device comprises sleeve formed by two half shells connected by articulation and coupling reliefs, half shells having radial tabs connected to insertion ramps and support surfaces - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a sleeve able to be inserted in a support orifice in order to fix the flexible tubing on the support. The sleeve is formed from two half shells (11,12) connected together by an articulation (13) and by respective coupling reliefs. The half shells comprise radial tabs (116,126) connected to insertion ramps (123) and to support surfaces (124). The tabs clamp the tubing when the sleeve is inserted in the support orifice. An Independent claim is included for a fixing method.

Description

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 The present invention relates, in general, to the field of fastening systems, in particular fastening systems that can be used on motor vehicles.

 More specifically, the invention relates, according to a first of its aspects, a device for fixing a substantially cylindrical hose extending along a longitudinal axis of symmetry, for example a brake hose, this device comprising a hollow sleeve enclosing the flexible and now fixed in translation along the axis by engagement and axial retention of this sleeve in an orifice made in a support.

 In known devices of this type, the sleeve, which is metallic, is threaded onto the hose, then is crimped on both the support and the hose.

 The operation of threading the sleeve on the hose, although necessary in this design, makes it inconvenient to use known devices of this type.

 In this context, the object of the present invention is to propose a fixing device offering greater ease of assembly, and a fixing method using this device.

 To this end, the device of the invention, moreover in accordance with the generic definition given in the preamble above, is essentially characterized in that the sleeve is formed of first and second half shells connected one to the other. 'other, in a first axial plane, by a joint located on a first side of the axis and by respective hooking reliefs located on a second side of the axis, in that the first and second half shells have respective first and second insertion ramps extending longitudinally from an insertion edge of the sleeve and inclined relative to the axis, first and second bearing surfaces substantially parallel to the axis

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 and respectively secured to the first and second insertion ramps, from which they are separated by respective first and second latching recesses, and to the first and second radial lugs respectively secured to the first and second bearing surfaces and pointing towards the axis through respective first and second openings of these first and second half-shells, the bearing surfaces being resiliently brought towards one another by the edge of the orifice in which the sleeve is inserted, and bringing one on the other, the radial tabs, which in turn enclose the hose.

 In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each half-shell comprises at least one lug abutting with a first face of the support when the sleeve is engaged in the orifice of this support, a second face of the support then being in contact with the latching recesses, each half-shell can even comprise two lugs arranged symmetrically on either side of a second axial plane, perpendicular to the first axial plane.

 Each lug can be elastically flexible and adopt at rest a configuration in which it moves away from the first axial plane while approaching the insertion edge of the sleeve.

 Advantageously, each insertion ramp is delimited by two substantially axial grooves hollowed out in the sleeve, at least partially overhangs one of the openings, and takes, during the insertion of the sleeve into the orifice, a transient position in which it disappears in the thickness of the sleeve.

 In practice, it may be useful to provide that the orifice is at least partially circular and has a keying flat, that the second half-shell itself has a flat which locally gives a reduced thickness to the sleeve, and that the second ramp insert, when inserting the

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 sleeve in the orifice, a transient position in which it disappears in the reduced thickness of the sleeve.

 The sleeve comprises for example a first axial section having a first diameter and extending from the insertion edge, and a second axial section, extending the first axial section and having a second diameter less than the first diameter, the first section carrying the insertion ramps, the second axial section carrying each lug, and each of the first and second axial sections comprising male and female attachment reliefs.

 To facilitate the insertion of the sleeve into the orifice of the support, the insertion edge of this sleeve is advantageously chamfered.

 The sleeve can be made of a thermoplastic material, for example polyamide.

 In this case, the sleeve is preferably made in one piece, the articulation being formed by a bridge of deformable material connecting the two half shells.

 The invention also relates to a method of fixing, by means of a device as described above, and in an orifice made in a flat support and provided with a radial opening, with a hose extending along a longitudinal axis, this method comprising the operations of engaging the flexible in the orifice through its radial opening, of approaching the support the sleeve previously placed in a configuration for which the half shells are connected to each other only by the articulation, to close the sleeve on the hose by relative pivoting of the half shells around the articulation until the sleeve is closed by cooperation of the hooking reliefs, and to engage the sleeve, by its insertion edge, in the support hole by moving this

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 sleeve along the axis of the hose until the support is inscribed, in thickness, between each lug and the latching recesses.

 Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given below, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hose fixed to a support by means of a sleeve as used in the device of the invention, seen from the side of its insertion edge; - Figure 2 is a perspective view of the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1, in which the sleeve is observed on the side opposite to its insertion edge; - Figure 3 is a perspective view of a fixed hose inserted into a sleeve as used in the device of the invention and shown without support for the sake of clarity; - Figure 4 is a front view of a sleeve as used in the device of the invention, engaged in a support and shown without hose for the sake of clarity; - Figure 5 is a front view of a support in which the sleeve can be inserted; - Figure 6 is a perspective view of a sleeve as used in the device of the invention, shown in an open configuration which reveals its structure in two half shells, and observed on the side opposite to its insertion edge ; - Figure 7 is a front view of the sleeve illustrated in Figure 6, observed from the side of its insertion edge; - Figure 8 is a perspective view of the sleeve illustrated in Figure 6, observed from the outside of the half shells and according to a lateral incidence;

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 - Figure 9 is a top view of a sleeve as used in the device of the invention, shown after insertion into the support and in a closed configuration, obtained by locking the two half shells one on the other; and - Figure 10 is a perspective view of the sleeve as illustrated in Figures 6 to 9, shown in its open configuration and observed from the inside of the half shells.

 As previously announced, the invention relates to a device making it possible to fix a flexible F having a shape at least approximately cylindrical and elongated along a longitudinal axis of symmetry X on a support 2.

 The support 2 is pierced with an orifice 20 at least partially circular, in which the flexible F is inserted and kept fixed in translation along the axis X.

 To do this, the device of the invention comprises a hollow sleeve 1 which firmly encloses the flexible hose F and which is itself held captive in the orifice 20 of the support 2.

 According to a fundamental aspect of the invention, the sleeve 1 is formed of two half-shells 11 and 12, each of which generally has a semi-cylindrical conformation.

 These half shells 11 and 12 are connected to each other, in the axial plane of connection PI which they form in the closed configuration of the sleeve 1, by a joint 13 located on a first side of the axis X of the flexible F, and by respective attachment reliefs such as 111, 112, 121, and 122, located on a second side of the X axis.

 Each of these half shells 11 and 12 has an insertion ramp, such as 113 and 123, which, when the sleeve 1 is in the closed configuration and encloses the flexible F, extends longitudinally from an edge

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 inserting the sleeve 1 into the orifice 20, and which is inclined relative to the axis X of the hose F.

 Each of the half shells 11 and 12 also comprises a bearing surface, such as 114 and 124, which is integral with the corresponding insertion ramp, namely 113 and 123 respectively, and which, in the operational configuration of the sleeve, is substantially parallel to the X axis.

 A latching recess, such as 115 and 125, is provided between each of the insertion ramps 113 and 123 and the corresponding bearing surface, 114 and 124.

 Each of the half shells 11 and 12 also includes a lumen, such as 117 and 127, as well as a radial tab, such as 116 and 126, which is integral with the corresponding bearing surface, 114 and 124, and which points towards the X axis through the light 117 or 127 of this half shell.

 Finally, each of the half-shells 11 and 12 comprises for example two lugs, such as 118 and 119 for the half-shell 11, and such as 128 and 129 for the half-shell 12.

 The sleeve 1 is preferably made of a thermoplastic material, for example polyamide.

 This sleeve 1 can then be molded in one piece, the two half-shells 11 and 12 being connected to each other by a bridge of deformable material which constitutes the joint 13.

 The sleeve thus formed can adopt an open configuration, as illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7,8, and 10, in which the half-shells 11 and 12 are linked to each other only by the articulation 13, and a closed configuration, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 9, in which the half-shells 11 and 12 are applied one against the other and held together by the joint 13 and by cooperation of the male attachment reliefs 111 and 112 of

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 the half shell 11 with the female attachment reliefs 121 and 122 of the half shell 12.

 The fixing of the flexible F in the support 2 by means of the device of the invention is carried out as follows.

 First of all, the flexible F is engaged in the orifice 20 of the support 2 through the radial opening 23 of this orifice.

 The sleeve 1, previously placed in its open configuration, is approached from the support 2 and closed on the flexible F by relative pivoting of the half-shells 11 and 12 around the articulation 13 until cooperation of the hooking reliefs 111, 121, and 112 , 122.

 Once placed in its closed configuration around the flexible F, the sleeve 1, the insertion edge 10 of which is preferably chamfered, is engaged by this insertion edge in the orifice 20 of the support 2 by a following translational movement the axis X of the hose F, this movement being continued until the support 2 comes to register, in thickness, between each of the pins 118, 119, 128, and 129, and the latching recesses 115 and 125 of the sleeve 1.

 During this insertion, the inner edge 200 of the orifice 20 firstly forces the insertion ramps 113 and 123 of the two half shells, then their bearing surfaces 114 and 124, to approach one of the 'other, against the elastic force that keeps them apart at rest.

 The approximation of the bearing surfaces 114 and 124 itself results in a reciprocal approximation of the radial lugs 116 and 126 of the half shells 11 and 12, these lugs thus in turn enclosing the flexible hose F, of which they prevent the following translation the X axis.

 As shown in particular in Figure 4, the two pins 118,119 and 128,129 carried by each of the half shells 11 and 12 are for example arranged so

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 symmetrical with respect to the axial plane P2 which is perpendicular to the axial plane PI of connection of these half shells.

 When the sleeve 1 is engaged in the orifice 20 of the support 2, the pins 118, 119, 128, and 129 therefore come into abutment with one face 21 of the support 2, the other face 22 of this support 2 then being in contact with snap hooks 115 and 125.

débattement axial du manchon 1 dans l'orifice 20, chacun des ergots 118, 119, 128, et 129 est de préférence élastiquement flexible et adopte au repos une configuration dans laquelle il s'éloigne du plan axial PI de raccordement des demi coquilles en se rapprochant du bord d'insertion 10 du manchon 1, comme le montre la figure 9 en traits pointillés. To be able to give the support 2 a certain tolerance of thickness while avoiding a free

axial displacement of the sleeve 1 in the orifice 20, each of the lugs 118, 119, 128, and 129 is preferably elastically flexible and adopts at rest a configuration in which it moves away from the axial plane PI for connecting the half shells in approaching the insertion edge 10 of the sleeve 1, as shown in Figure 9 in dotted lines.

 Each of the insertion ramps 113 and 123 (FIG. 7) is for example delimited by two substantially axial grooves hollowed out in the sleeve 1, such as the grooves 141 and 151 for the half-shell 11, and 142, 152 for the half-shell 12 .

 Furthermore, each of these insertion ramps 113 and 123 at least partially overhangs the corresponding lumen 117 or 127 of the half-shell 11 or 12 to which it belongs, and takes, during the insertion of the sleeve 1 into the orifice 20, a transient position in which it disappears in the thickness E of the sleeve 1 (see FIG. 9).

 The orifice 20 of the support 2 is circular (FIG. 5), with the exception of its radial opening 23 and a coding flat 201.

 The half-shell 12 itself has, opposite its insertion ramp 123, a flat 120 which locally gives a reduced thickness EO to the sleeve 1 (FIG. 7).

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 When the sleeve 1 is inserted into the orifice 20, the insertion ramp 123 thus takes on a transient position in which it disappears in the reduced thickness EO of the sleeve 1.

 As best shown in Figure 9, the sleeve 1 may include two axial sections, L1 and L2, substantially cylindrical and of diameters D1 and D2 different.

 The first axial section L1, of larger diameter D1, extends from the insertion edge 10 of the sleeve 1 and carries the insertion ramps 113 and 123, as well as the male and female attachment reliefs 111 and 121.

 Finally, the second axial section L2, of smaller diameter D2, extends the first axial section L1 and carries the pins 118, 119, 128, and 129, as well as the male and female attachment reliefs 112 and 122.

Claims (12)

1. Device for fixing a substantially cylindrical hose (F) extending along a longitudinal axis of symmetry (X), this device comprising a hollow sleeve (1) enclosing the hose (F) and keeping it fixed in translation along l axis (X) by engagement and axial retention of this sleeve in an orifice (20) formed in a support (2), characterized in that the sleeve (1) is formed of first and second half shells (11, 12) connected to each other, in a first axial plane (PI), by a joint (13) located on a first side of the axis (X) and by respective hooking reliefs (111,112; 121,122) located on a second side of the axis (X), in that the first and second half-shells (11,12) have respective first and second insertion ramps (113,123) extending longitudinally from an edge insertion (10) of the sleeve (1) and inclined relative to the axis (X), of the first and second bearing surfaces (114,124) sensiblem ent parallel to the axis (X) and respectively integral with the first and second insertion ramps (113,123), from which they are separated by first and second respective latching recesses (115,125), and first and second radial lugs ( 116,126) respectively integral with the first and second bearing surfaces (114,124) and pointing towards the axis (X) through respective first and second slots (117,127) of these first and second half-shells (11, 12), the surfaces support (114,124) being resiliently brought towards each other by the edge (200) of the orifice (20) in which the sleeve (1) is inserted, and bringing the tabs together radial (116,126), which in turn enclose the hose (F). <Desc / Clms Page number 11>  2. Fastening device according to claim 1, characterized in that each half-shell (11,12) comprises at least one lug (118, 119; 128,129) abutting with a first face (21) of the support (2) when the sleeve (1) is engaged in the orifice (20) of this support (2), a second face (22) of the support (2) then being in contact with the latching recesses (115,125).  3. Fastening device according to claim 2, characterized in that each half-shell (11,12) comprises two lugs (118, 119; 128,129) arranged symmetrically on either side of a second axial plane (P2), perpendicular to the first axial plane (PI).  4. Fastening device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each lug (118,119; 128,129) is elastically flexible and adopts at rest a configuration in which it moves away from the first axial plane (PI) by approaching the edge insert (10) of the sleeve (1).  5. Fastening device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each insertion ramp (113,123) is delimited by two grooves (141, 151; 142,152) substantially axial hollowed out in the sleeve (1), overhangs the at least partially one of the openings (117,127), and takes, during the insertion of the sleeve (1) in the orifice (20), a transient position in which it disappears in the thickness (E) of the sleeve (1).  6. Fastening device according to claim 5, characterized in that the orifice (20) is at least partially circular and has a keying flat (201), in that the second half-shell (12) itself has a flat (120) which locally gives a reduced thickness (EO) to the sleeve (1), and in that the second insertion ramp (123) takes, during the insertion of the sleeve (1) in the orifice (20 ), a <Desc / Clms Page number 12>  transient position in which it disappears in the reduced thickness (EO) of the sleeve (1).  7. Fastening device according to any one of the preceding claims combined with claim 2, characterized in that the sleeve (1) has a first axial section (Ll) having a first diameter (Dl) and extending from the edge insertion (10), and a second axial section (L2), extending the first axial section (Ll) and having a second diameter (D2) smaller than the first diameter (Dl), the first section (Ll) carrying the ramps d insertion (113,123), the second axial section (L2) carrying each lug (118,119; 128,129), and each of the first and second axial sections (L1, L2) comprising male and female attachment reliefs (111, 112; 121 , 122).  8. Fastening device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insertion edge (10) is chamfered.  9. Fastening device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve (1) is made of a thermoplastic material.  10. Fastening device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve (1) is made of polyamide.  11. Fastening device according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the sleeve (1) is made in one piece, the articulation (13) being formed by a bridge of deformable material connecting the two half shells (11, 12).  12. A method of fixing, by means of a device according to any one of the preceding claims combined with claim 2, and in an orifice (20) formed in a flat support (2) and provided with a radial opening ( 23), a hose (F) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), this method comprising the operations of engaging the <Desc / Clms Page number 13>  flexible (F) in the orifice (20) through its radial opening (23), to approach the support (2) the sleeve (1) previously placed in a configuration for which the half shells (11,12) are not linked to each other than by the articulation (13), to close the sleeve (1) on the flexible (F) by relative pivoting of the half-shells (11,12) around the articulation (13) until closing the sleeve (1) by cooperation of the hooking reliefs (111,112; 121,122), and engaging the sleeve (1), by its insertion edge (10), in the orifice (20) of the support (2 ) by moving this sleeve (1) along the axis (X) of the hose (F) until the support (2) fits, in thickness, between each lug (118,119; 128,129) and the recesses of snap-on (115,125).