Tube Management Assembly

Abstract

The tube management assembly employs a track, one or more mounting clips that are slidably mounted in the track and clamps that are snap-fitted into the mounting clips. In one embodiment, the mounting clip has a pair of resilient walls with inwardly directed lips for engaging in arcuate grooves in the sides of the clamp. In another embodiment, the mounting clip has a base slidably mounted in the track and a mounting block extending from the base and including a recess for receiving a tube transversely of the track.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . The combination of
 a mounting clip having a mounting block thereon, a pair of walls extending in parallel on opposite sides of said mounting block and pair of lips, each said lip extending from a respective wall of said pair of walls towards the other of said pair of walls; and   a clamp releasably mounted in said mounting clip, said clamp having a pair of arcuate jaws, at least one of said jaws being seated on said mounting block and having an arcuate groove on each side thereof receiving a respective lip of said mounting clip.   
     
     
         2 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said mounting block has an arcuate seating surface receiving said clamp thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said jaws has a pair of flanges in an outer periphery receiving said mounting block therebetween. 
     
     
         4 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said mounting clip has a pair of tabs, each said tab extending outwardly of a respective wall of said pair of walls for manual engagement thereof to resiliently flex said respective wall away from the other of said pair of walls. 
     
     
         5 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said mounting clip is made of plastic and said clamp is made of plastic. 
     
     
         6 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each said lip of said mounting clip has a gap at a central point thereof and said at least one jaw of said clamp has a wall in each said groove thereof disposed in said gap of each said lip. 
     
     
         7 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said jaws are disposed in hinged relation to each other for opening and closing relative to each other. 
     
     
         8 . The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said jaws has a semi-circular base, a pair of parallel walls extending internally from said base and inside of edges of said base to form a recess to receive said lip of said mounting clip, a tab projecting from one end of said base and a sleeve-like member at an opposite end of said base to receive said tab of the other jaw. 
     
     
         9 . The combination of
 a plastic mounting clip having a mounting block thereon, a pair of resiliently flexible walls extending in parallel on opposite sides of said mounting block, each said wall having a lip extending inwardly towards the other of said pair of walls and a tab extending outwardly away from said lip for manual engagement thereof to resiliently flex said respective wall away from the ether of said pair of walls; and   a clamp releasably mounted in said mounting clip, said clamp having a pair of arcuate jaws, at least one of said jaws being seated on said mounting block between said walls and having an arcuate groove on each side thereof receiving a respective lip of said mounting clip.   
     
     
         10 . The combination as set forth in  claim 9  wherein each said lip of said mounting clip has a gap at a central point thereof and said at least one jaw of said clamp has a wall in each said groove thereof disposed in said gap of each said lip. 
     
     
         11 . The combination as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said clamp has a locking nut assembly securing said jaws together and disposed in a vertical plane with said clamp in said mounting clip. 
     
     
         12 . A tube management assembly comprising
 a track having a flat base, a pair of parallel walls extending from said base and a pair of flanges, each said flange extending from one of said walls toward the other of said walls to define a trackway;   at least one mounting clip having a flat base slidably mounted in said trackway of said track, a mounting block on said base, a pair of resiliently flexible walls extending in parallel on opposite sides of said mounting block from said base and pair of lips, each said lip extending from a respective wall of said pair of walls towards the other of said pair of walls; and   a clamp releasably mounted in said mounting clip, said clamp having a pair of arcuate jaws, at least one of said jaws being seated on said mounting block and having an arcuate groove on each side thereof receiving a respective lip of said mounting clip.   
     
     
         13 . A tube management assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said mounting block has an arcuate seating surface receiving said clamp thereon and at least one of said jaws has a pair of flanges in an outer periphery receiving said mounting block therebetween. 
     
     
         14 . A tube management assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said mounting clip has a pair of tabs, each said tab extending outwardly of a respective wall of said pair of walls for manual engagement thereof to resiliently flex said respective wall away from the other of said pair of walls. 
     
     
         15 . A tube management assembly as set forth in  claim 14  wherein said mounting clip is made of plastic and said clamp is made of plastic. 
     
     
         16 . A tube management assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein each said lip of said mounting clip has a gap at a central point thereof and said at least one jaw of said clamp has a wall in each said groove thereof disposed in said gap of each said lip. 
     
     
         17 . A tube management assembly as set forth in  claim 12  further comprising at least one mounting clip having a flat base slidably mounted in said trackway of said track and a mounting block extending from said base and including a recess for receiving a tube therein transversely of said track.