WO2018017006A1

WO2018017006A1 - A fixation arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2018017006A1
Application number: PCT/SE2017/050640
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Börjes; Anel PASIC
Original assignee: Scania CV AB
Current assignee: Scania CV AB
Priority date: 2016-07-21
Filing date: 2017-06-15
Publication date: 2018-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2019-01-21
Also published as: SE1651076A1; KR20190026897A; SE540081C2; EP3487722B1; CN109476231B; BR112018076753A2; CN109476231A; KR102185176B1; EP3487722A4; EP3487722A1

Abstract

An arrangement for fixation of one or more objects comprises a strap (5) having opposite ends (6, 7) connected to a supporting body (8) to which the objects are to be fixed by tightening the strap therearound. A strap tightening assembly comprises a couple of two pins (12, 13) spaced apart and extending transversely to the longitudinal extension of the strap and in parallel with the strap and a member (14) creating an interconnection of the pins and configured to be acted upon for tightening the strap around said objects by reducing the distance separating the pins. The assem- bly has a hinge in said interconnection allowing the pins to tilt with respect to each other.

Description

A fixation arrangement

TECHN ICAL FI ELD OF TH E I NVENTION The present invention relates to an arrangement for fixation of one or more objects comprisi ng

• a strap configured to have opposite ends thereof connected to a supporting body to wh ich said objects are to be fixed by tightening the strap therearou nd, and

· a strap tightening assembly comprisi ng a couple of two pins spaced apart and extendi ng transversely to the long itudinal extension of the strap and in parallel with the strap and a member creating an interconnection of the pi ns and configured to be acted upon for tightening the strap around said objects by reduci ng the distance separati ng the pins.

Such arrangements may for example be used to fixate objects to a chassis fixed part of a motor veh icle, especially a heavy motor vehicle, such as a truck, a lorry or a bus, which is the reason for below discussing the invention and the problem to be solved thereby for such a use for il lumi nati ng the invention but accordingly not restrict it to that application . Thus, opposite ends of the strap may be connected to any supporting body and fix any object thereto by tighteni ng of the strap therearound.

Furthermore, the strap may have more than one part form ing the strap by bei ng con nected i n series between said opposite ends of the strap. BACKG ROUN D ART

An arrangement of the type defined above is known throug h for example CN 1 03909822. A known such arrangement is used to fixate fuel storage tanks, for example containi ng diesel or gas fuel , to L-shaped brackets secured to the chassis of motor veh icles in the form of trucks. In such a known arrangement the strap has two parts intercon nected by a said assembly for tighten ing the strap by actuating a said member in the form of a bolt interconnecting the two pins of the two strap parts. The bolt extends through through-holes in the two pins, in which one of the pins has a through-hole with a diameter exceeding the diameter of the bolt and the other has a through-hole provided with an i nternal thread with which the th read of the bolt engages. The bolt may not be tightened so that the pins come to bear against each other so as to be able to ensure a required tig hteni ng and jamm ing force of the strap i n spite of tolerances existing . It is of course crucial to prevent that the package of fuel storage tanks may not come loose from the brackets, since that would constitute a danger to the en- vironment as a consequence of the inflammable content and the high pressure thereof in the case of gas fuel .

However, wou ld the speed of the truck in the driving direction change rapidly, for example owi ng to a collision , the package of fuel storage tanks wil l owi ng to inertia be thrown away and the bracket and the strap will then be twisted for keepi ng said package fixed to the bracket. Th is wou ld then result in a bendi ng force applied to the bolt since the bolt has not been tightened to make the pins bearing agai nst each other, and the bolt is not made to with- stand the bending thereof then resu lting , so that there is an imminent risk of a breaki ng of the bolt so that the fuel storage tank package wi ll come loose from the truck. SU MMARY OF TH E I NVENTION

The object of the present i nvention is to provide an arrangement of the type defi ned i n the introduction being improved in at least some aspect with respect to such arrangements al ready known .

This object is according to the invention obtained by providing such an arrangement with the featu res listed in the characterizing part of appended patent claim 1 . The hinge i n the i nterconnection of the pins al lowi ng the pins to ti lt with respect to each other in a plane in parallel with large flat surfaces of the strap and the provision of the strap with a stiffness enabl ing a bending thereof in the plane of said tilting to a degree corresponding to said tilting enables a said tilting of the pins with respect to each other without applying bending forces on said member, such as a bolt, creating said interconnection , so that this member will not be bent and broken even if high forces are applied on the strap and by that on said assembly, such as in the case of fixation of objects to a chassis fixed part of a motor vehicle th roug h heavy accelerations or retardations of the vehicle.

According to an embodiment of the invention the strap comprises at least two parts intercon nected by a said assembly by each having one pi n of a said couple at an end of the strap part adjacent to the end of the other strap part and a said member i nterconnecting these pins. Such a location of the assembly may be advantageous for providing desired access to act upon said member for tig htening the strap around an object. Accordi ng to another embodiment of the invention the arrangement comprises a said assembly at at least one of the ends of the strap connected to said supporting body with said strap end provided with one pin of a said couple and the other pin of the couple connected to the supporting body and a said member interconnecting these two pins. Such a location of a said assembly may in some applications of an arrangement according to the invention be preferred, and it is also possible to combine such a location with a location of another assembly between two strap parts and/or having a said assembly at each end of the strap for enabling tighteni ng of the strap by acti ng on a said member at more than one location .

According to another embodiment of the invention said member of said assembly comprises a bolt. A bolt, wh ich is here to be i nterpreted as an elongated element with an external th read and ac- cordi ngly comprising among others a conventional screw, is a suitable choice for a member used to tightening the strap by reducing the distance separating the pins when acted upon .

According to another embodiment of the i nvention the two pins of a said couple are provided both with a through-hole with a diameter exceeding the diameter of the bolt, the bolt extends through the through-holes of both pi ns and has a head thereof received in a seat formed around the through-hole in a first of said pins by means of a fi rst n ut with a through-hole of a diameter exceeding the diameter of the bolt and has a second nut received i n a seat formed around the through-hole in a second of the pi ns and provided with an internal thread engagi ng with an external thread of the bolt, and the first and second nuts have profi les adapted to the profiles of the seats of the respective pin so as to make said nuts turning in said seats by tilti ng of said pins without applying bending forces upon said bolt. This constitutes a simple and reliable way of providing said assembly with a hinge in the i nterconnection of the pins. According to another embodiment of the i nvention constituti ng a further development of the embodiment last mentioned said through-holes are slotted, said seats are cylindrical and formed by the slotted through-holes, and the first and second nuts have profiles adapted to the profiles of the seats of the respective pin so as to make said n uts turni ng in said seats by tilting of said pins without applying bending forces upon said bolt. Such a desig n of the bolt with nuts with cyl indrical seats will then also provide a steady holder-on for tig hten ing the bolt. According to another embodiment of the invention the two pins have a convex shape by an enlarged cross-section arou nd said through-holes forming said seats, and the first and second nuts have profiles adapted to the profiles of said seats on the respective pin so as to make said nuts turning in said seats by tilti ng of said pins without applyi ng bending forces upon said bolt. This constitutes another possible simple and reliable way of realising a hinge in the interconnection of the pi ns of said assembly.

According to another embodiment of the invention the arrangement is configured to have said strap connected to a supporting member in the form of a vehicle chassis fixed part, and the arrangement may then have a strap con nected to a supporti ng body in the form of an L-shaped bracket secu red to the chassis of a vehicle. Such an arrangement is suitable to be used to fixate an object to a ve- hide, such as a fuel tank to a motor vehicle, especially a heavy motor vehicle, such as a truck or a bus.

Accordi ng to another embodiment of the invention the arrangement is config ured to fixate elongated gas storage tanks to the chassis of a veh icle.

The invention also relates to a use of an arrangement accordi ng to the i nvention to fixate one or more objects to a vehicle chassis fixed part, and especially a fuel tank to a motor vehicle. The in- vention also relates to a motor veh icle, especially a heavy motor vehicle, such as a truck or a bus, which is provided with at least one arrangement for fixation of at least one object to a chassis fixed part of the vehicle. The advantages of such a use and motor veh icle appear clearly from the above discussion of an arrange- ment accordi ng to the invention and embodiments thereof.

Other advantageous features as well as advantages of the present invention appear from the description following below. BRI EF D ESCRI PTION OF TH E DRAWINGS

With reference to the appended drawi ngs, below follows a specific description of embodi ments of the i nvention cited as examples. In the drawi ngs : is a schematic view illustrati ng how an arrangement according to the present invention may be used for fixation of gas fuel tanks to a chassis fixed part of a heavy motor vehicle i n the form of a truck, is a perspective view of an arrangement of the type to wh ich the present invention is directed, is a perspective view of a pin of an assembly of an arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention ,

Figs 4 and 5 are views i llustrati ng a said assembly of an arrange- ment according to the first embodiment of the invention ,

Figs 6 and 7 are views il lustrating an assembly of an arrangement according to a second embodi ment of the i n- vention , and

Figs 8- 1 0 are views il lustrating an assembly of an arrangement according to a third embodiment of the invention .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig 1 ill ustrates very schematically a possible use of an arrangement 1 according to the present i nvention for fixation of objects in the form of gas fuel tanks 2 to the chassis 3 of a motor vehicle 4 in the form of a truck. It is pointed out that a number of components of the vehicle have been omitted, since they have nothing to do with the present i nvention directed to said arrangement for fixation of objects.

The general structure of an arrangement of the type to which the arrangement of the present invention belongs is illustrated in fig 2. This arrangement comprises a strap 5 configu red to have opposite ends 6, 7 thereof connected to a supporting body in the form of an L-shaped bracket 8 to be secured to the chassis of a vehicle. The strap has two parts 9, 1 0 interconnected by an assembly 1 1 comprising a couple of two pi ns 1 2, 1 3, secured to an end of the respective strap part by being received in a strap end loop, spaced apart and extendi ng transversely to the longitudinal extension of the strap and in parallel with the strap and a member 1 4, here a bolt, creating an intercon nection of the pins and configured to be acted upon for tig hten ing the strap arou nd an object embraced by the strap and the bracket by reducing the distance separati ng the pins 1 2, 1 3.

The design of an assembly of an arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention will now be described while making reference to figs 3-5. The two pi ns 1 2, 1 3 are both provided with a slotted through-hole 1 5 with a diameter exceding the diameter of a bolt 1 6 form ing a said member and extending through the through-holes of both pi ns. The bolt 1 6 has a head 1 7 received in a cylindrical seat 1 8 formed by the slotted through-hole i n a first 1 2 of the pins by means of a first n ut 1 9 with a through-hole of a diameter exceding the diameter of the bolt and has a second nut 20 received i n a cylindrical seat formed by the slotted through-hole in a second 1 3 of the pins and provided with an internal thread engaging with an external thread of the bolt. The first and the second n uts 1 9, 20 have cylindrical profiles corresponding to the profiles of the cylindrical seats in the respective pi n so as to make these nuts tu rning in said seats by ti lting of the pins without applying bending forces upon the bolt as shown in fig 5. Thus, when applied between the two strap parts 9, 1 0 of a strap shown i n fig 2 such a strap may be tightened by tu rning the bolt 1 6 so as to reduce the distance between the two pins 1 2, 1 3. Bending forces applied to the strap by abrupt speed changes of the vehicle will result in a bending of the strap in a plane in parallel with large flat surfaces of the strap and by that tilting of the pins as shown in fig 5 without application of any bending forces upon the bolt 1 6, so that the intercon nection of the two pins is provided with a hinge.

Figs 6 and 7 i llustrate an assembly 1 1 ' of an arrangement according to a second embodiment of the invention different from the one shown in fig 5 by the fact that the two pins 1 2', 1 3' have a portion 21 with an en larged cross-section around the through-hole forming a seat 22. It is shown how the first 1 9' and second 20' nuts have profiles corresponding to the profi les of the seats on the respective pin so as to make the n uts turning in/on said seats by tilting of the pins 1 2', 1 3' without applyi ng bending forces upon the bolt 1 6'. Fig 7 shows how the pins have been ti lted with respect to each other without for that sake applying any bendi ng force upon the bolt 1 6'.

Figs 8- 1 0 illustrate an assembly 1 1 " being a part of an arrangement according to a third embodiment of the i nvention differing from the one shown in figs 3-5 by having a bolt 1 6" without any head and having a thread at each end engagi ng the internal thread of a nut so as to reduce the distance between the two pins 12", 13" by turning the bolt. Furthermore, the bolt 16" is divided into two parts 16a, 16b interconnected by a hinge 23 enabling these parts to pivot with respect to each other when the pins 12", 13" tilt with respect to each other as shown in fig 10.

The invention is of course in no way restricted to the embodiments described above, since many possibilities for modifications thereof are likely to be obvious to one skilled in the art without having to deviate from the scope of invention defined in the appended claims.

The arrangement may as already mentioned have a plurality of said assemblies, and the pins of the assemblies have not to have a circular cross-section but any elongated element with any cross- section is conceivable, although a circular or elliptical cross-section may be preferred for facilitating turning of the pin in a strap loop receiving the pin.

Claims

An arrangement for fixation of one or more objects (2) comprising

• a strap (5) configured to have opposite ends (6, 7) thereof connected to a supporting body (3, 8) to which said objects are to be fixed by tightening the strap therearound, and

• a strap tightening assembly (11, 11', 11") comprising a couple of two pins (12, 13, 12', 13', 12", 13") spaced apart and extending transversely to the longitudinal extension of the strap (5) and in parallel with large flat surfaces of the strap and a member (16, 16', 16") creating an interconnection of the pins and configured to be acted upon for tightening the strap around said objects by reducing the distance separating the pins,

characterized in that said assembly (11, 11', 11") comprises a hinge in said interconnection configured to allow said pins (12, 13, 12', 13', 12", 13") to tilt with respect to each other in a plane in parallel with large flat surfaces of the strap (5), and that the strap has a stiffness enabling a bending thereof in the plane of said tilting to a degree corresponding to said tilting.

An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that said strap (5) comprises at least two parts (9, 10) interconnected by a said assembly (11, 11', 11") by each having one pin of a said couple at an end of the strap part adjacent to the end of the other strap part and a said member (16, 16', 16") interconnecting these pins. An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a said assembly (11, 11', 11 ") at at least one of the ends of the strap connected to said supporting body (3, 8) with said strap end (6, 7) provided with one pin of a said couple and the other pin of the couple connected to the supporting body and a said member (16, 16', 16") interconnecting these two pins.

An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said member of said assembly (11, 11', 11") comprises a bolt (16, 16', 16").

An arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the two pins (12, 13, 12', 13') of a said couple are provided both with a through-hole (15) with a diameter exceeding the diameter of the bolt (16, 16'), that the bolt extends through the through-holes of both pins and has a head (17, 17') thereof received in a seat formed around the through-hole (15) in a first (12, 12') of said pins by means of a first nut (19, 19') with a through-hole of a diameter exceeding the diameter of the bolt and has a second nut (20, 20') received in a seat formed around the through-hole in a second (13, 13') of the pins and provided with an internal thread engaging with an external thread of the bolt, and that the first (19, 19') and second nuts (20, 20') have profiles adapted to the profiles of the seats of the respective pin so as to make said nuts turning in said seats by tilting of said pins without applying bending forces upon said bolt. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that said through-holes (15) are slotted, that said seats (18) are cylindrical and formed by the slotted through-holes, and that the first (19) and second (20) nuts have profiles adapted to the profiles of the seats of the respective pin (12, 13) so as to make said nuts turning in said seats by tilting of said pins without applying bending forces upon said bolt (16).

An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the two pins (12', 13') have a convex shape by an enlarged cross-section around said through-holes forming said seats (22), and that the first (19') and second (20') nuts have profiles adapted to the profiles of said seats on the respective pin so as to make said nuts turning in said seats by tilting of said pins without applying bending forces upon said bolt (16').

An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is configured to have said strap (5) connected to a supporting body (3) in the form of a vehicle chassis fixed part.

An arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that it is configured to have said strap (5) connected to a supporting body in the form of an L-shaped bracket (8) secured to the chassis (3) of a vehicle (4).

An arrangement according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it is configured to fixate a fuel tank (2) to a motor vehicle (4), especially a heavy motor vehicle, such as a truck or a bus. 1 1 An arrangement according to claim 1 0, characterized in that it is config ured to fixate elongated gas storage tanks (2) to the chassis (3) of a vehicle (4) . 1 2. Use of an arrangement according to any of the preceeding claims to fixate one or more objects (2) to a vehicle chassis (3) fixed part.

13. A motor veh icle, especially a heavy motor vehicle, such as a truck or a bus, characterized in that it is provided with at least one arrangement ( 1 ) according to any of claims 1 - 1 1 for fixation of at least one object to a chassis fixed part of the vehicle.