Hose clamp

Abstract

A hose clamp is made by bending a flat spring material in a developed state into an annular shape. The hose clamp has an axis Y which is a longitudinal central axis in the developed state and an axis X which is a transverse central axis. The hose clamp includes a first section located at one of two sides about the axis Y and having a contour symmetric about the axis X. The hose clamp includes a second section located at the other side about the axis Y and having a contour symmetric about the axis X, the second section having a distal end, and an opening formed in the second section so as to extend lengthwise and so as to be symmetric about the axis X, the first section being inserted through the opening during the bending, the opening having a width changing so that a dimension obtained by subtracting F 3 from F 2 is approximately equal to F 1 where F 2 is a width of the second section at a location away from the axis Y by a predetermined distance, F 3 is a width of the opening at said location, and F 1 is a width of the first section at a location away from the axis Y by the predetermined distance.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hose clamp made by bending a generally flat spring material in a developed state into an annular shape, the hose clamp being elastically deformable between a natural state in which the hose clamp is capable of clamping a hose or the like and an expanded state in which the hose clamp has a larger diameter than the hose or the like, the hose clamp having an axis Y which is a longitudinal central axis in the developed state and an axis X which is a transverse central axis, the hose clamp comprising: 
 a first section located at one of two sides about the axis Y and having a contour symmetric about the axis X, the first section having a distal end and including a tapered portion gradually tapered toward the distal end thereof;    a first grip provided in the distal end of the first section, the first grip being raised during the bending so as to protrude outward in the annular state of the spring material;    a second section located at the other side about the axis Y and having a contour symmetric about the axis X, the second section having a distal end;    a second grip provided in the distal end of the second section, the second grip being raised during the bending so as to protrude outward in the annular state of the spring material; and    an opening formed in the second section so as to extend lengthwise and so as to be symmetric about the axis X, the first section being inserted through the opening during the bending, the opening having a width changing so that a dimension obtained by subtracting F 3  from F 2  is approximately equal to F 1  where F 2  is a width of the second section at a location away from the axis Y by a predetermined distance F, F 3  is a width of the opening at said location, and F 1  is a width of the first section at a location away from the axis Y by the predetermined distance F.    
     
     
         2 . A hose clamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second grips are raised during the bending so that amounts of protrusion of the respective grips are equal to each other, wherein T=Ho/R≧0.5 where T is a ratio concerning lengths of protrusion of the first and second grips, Ho is a distance from a center of the hose clamp to the first or second grip in the developed state and R is an inner diameter of the hose clamp, and wherein the opening has an edge near the axis Y and S=L/Lo≧0.5 where S is a ratio concerning a location of the edge of the opening near the axis Y, L is a length from the axis Y to the edge of the opening near the axis Y in the developed state, and Lo is a quarter of an outer circumference of the hose clamp in the annular state when the hose clamp has been deformed into the expanded state.  
     
     
         3 . A hose clamp according to  claim 2 , wherein 0.7≦S≦0.9 and 0.55≦T≦0.75.  
     
     
         4 . A hose clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the opening includes a uniform width portion formed so as to have a uniform width lengthwise at the distal end side of the second section and further formed so that the first grip is inserted therethrough, an inclined portion which is continuous to the uniform width portion and is formed so that a width thereof is linearly decreased toward the axis Y, and a generally arcuate terminal portion located near the axis Y and contiguous to the inclined portion.  
     
     
         5 . A hose clamp according to  claim 4 , further comprising a base portion formed in a lengthwise central portion of the hose clamp in the developed state so as to have a uniform width and so as to extend over the first and second sections, and a stepped portion formed in a junction between the base portion and the tapered portion of the first section, the stepped portion having a contour changing at substantially the same curvature as the terminal portion of the opening.  
     
     
         6 . A hose clamp according to  claim 5 , wherein an angle made between a tangential line passing a junction between the base portion and the stepped portion and extending to the stepped portion and an outer edge of the base portion is obtuse.  
     
     
         7 . A hose clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the opening includes a uniform width portion formed so as to have a uniform width lengthwise at the distal end side of the second section and further formed so that the first grip is inserted therethrough, an inclined portion which is continuous to the uniform width portion and is formed so that a width thereof is linearly decreased toward the axis Y, and a generally linear gradually changing portion located near the axis Y and contiguous to the inclined portion, the gradually changing portion having a larger inclination than the inclined portion.  
     
     
         8 . A hose clamp according to  claim 7 , further comprising a base portion formed in a lengthwise central portion of the hose clamp in the developed state so as to have a uniform width and so as to extend over the first and second sections, and a stepped portion formed in a junction between the base portion and the tapered portion of the first section, the stepped portion having a contour linearly changing according to an inclination of the gradually changing portion, the stepped portion including an outer edge making an obtuse angle between an outer edge of the base portion and said outer edge.