JP7522625B2 - How to fix the clamp and saddle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for fixing a clamp and a saddle used when fusion joining a polyethylene pipe and a saddle joint.

Generally, when connecting a branch pipe to a polyethylene pipe (hereinafter referred to as the pipe or main pipe) through which tap water or gas is circulated, this is done, for example, via a saddle fitting or a saddle-type branch valve which has a saddle body fused to the main pipe and a branch pipe section that serves as the connection section for the branch pipe.
For example, a saddle joint is usually configured as an EF (electrofusion) joint, and is configured to melt the interface between the saddle joint and the main pipe by passing electricity through an electric heating wire arranged inside the saddle body, causing it to heat up, thereby joining the two.

Conventionally, to join a saddle joint to a main pipe, the saddle joint is first brought into contact with the main pipe and fixed in place with a special clamp for fixing the saddle joint. In this state, electricity is passed through an electric heating wire to join the saddle joint and the main pipe. After waiting for the molten part to solidify, the clamp is removed from the saddle joint and the main pipe to complete the work. Examples of such clamps have been proposed, such as those shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

In the clamp of Patent Document 1, a first pressure rod and a second pressure rod are connected by a chain. The first pressure rod and the second pressure rod hold down the first saddle flange and the second saddle flange of the saddle, and rotate the threaded rod connected to the support rod. By rotating the threaded rod, the first pressure rod is moved to bring the saddle joint into tight contact with the main pipe.

In addition, in the clamp of Patent Document 2, the first and second locking parts (i.e., lever-shaped locking parts) are connected by steel or the like. The first locking part is hooked onto the first saddle flange, and the second locking part is placed on the second saddle flange. By rotating the second locking part using the cam principle, tension is applied to the steel material, causing the saddle joint to adhere to the main pipe.

JP 2010-60039 A JP 2017-133662 A

However, in the clamp of Patent Document 1, the first and second pressure bars are connected by a chain. However, the chain is kept away from the main pipe when the second pressure bar is hooked onto the second saddle flange, and the first pressure bar is hooked onto the first saddle flange on the opposite side. This means that the second pressure bar hooked onto the second saddle flange tends to come off easily, making installation difficult.

The clamp in Patent Document 2 is connected to a lever-shaped second locking part, and tension is applied by rotating the second locking part based on the cam principle. Here, the amount of displacement caused by the rotation of the second locking part is fixed. For this reason, there was an issue that the clamping force varied because it was difficult to apply a constant tension to the steel material due to variations in the dimensions of the saddle joint, main pipe, and clamp.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a clamp that is difficult to remove when the saddle joint is placed over the pipe and the clamp is attached, and that can also absorb variations in the saddle joint, pipe dimensions, and clamp dimensions.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
The clamp of the present invention comprises a body member having two spaced apart band portions and a first clamp piece connecting first ends of the two band portions, and a rotating member having a shaft portion that is positioned in a hole formed in a second end of each of the two band portions, the second ends of the two band portions being free.

According to this invention, the main body member has two band portions arranged at a distance from each other and a first clamp piece that connects the first ends of the two band portions. The rotating member also has a shaft portion that is placed in the holes of the two band portions. With this shape, when the saddle joint is placed over the pipe and the clamp is attached to the saddle joint, the first clamp piece can be hooked onto the saddle joint.

The clamp can be fixed to the saddle joint by rotating the rotating member. That is, tension is generated in the band portion by rotating the rotating member, and the tube is clamped by the elastic force. That is, since the band portion elastically deforms, even if there is some dimensional variation in the saddle joint and the tube, or some creep expansion of the tube due to long-term use, the band portion can clamp the tube as long as the degree of variation can be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the band portion and the rotating member and the axial expansion of the two band portions.
Therefore, when the saddle joint is placed over the pipe and the clamp is attached, the clamp is less likely to come off, and in addition, a clamp can be provided that can absorb dimensional variations in the saddle joint and pipe.

In addition, the second ends of the band portion are released. In other words, the second ends of the band portion are not connected to each other. Therefore, when the shaft portion is placed in the hole, the shaft portion can be placed by widening the distance between the holes. Here, when the second ends are not released to each other, that is, when the second ends are connected to each other by another member integrally molded with the band portion, even if an attempt is made to deform the band portion so as to widen the distance between the holes, the deformation of the band portion is restricted by the member.
In other words, because the second ends are released, the work can be carried out more easily compared to a case in which the distance between the holes cannot be widened (such as when the second ends of the two band portions are fixed together by a flange).

In addition, by making the structure simpler compared to conventional technology that uses chains and screws to secure the components, the number of parts can be reduced and assembly of the components can be made easier.

The rotating member may also be provided with a stopper.

According to this invention, the rotating member is provided with a rotation stopper, which prevents the rotating member from rotating more than necessary when fixing the saddle and the tube, and allows the rotating member to be set at an appropriate angle.
Furthermore, by providing a rotation stopper on the rotating member itself, there is no need to provide a separate part for the rotation stopper. Therefore, compared to a case where a separate rotation stopper structure is provided, the number of parts is reduced, making it possible to provide a simpler structure and an inexpensive clamp.

The anti-rotation device may protrude from the rotating member, and an anti-misassembly mechanism may be provided between the rotating member and the anti-rotation device.

Here, when attaching the clamp to the saddle joint using the rotating member, the end of the saddle may accidentally get caught between the rotating member and the anti-rotation member, causing the bottom surface of the anti-rotation member to come into contact with the top surface of the saddle end, resulting in poor installation.
Therefore, according to the present invention, the anti-rotation device is provided with an anti-misassembly part on the rotation stopper, which makes it possible to prevent the end of the saddle from getting caught between the rotating member and the rotation stopper, thereby preventing the occurrence of misassembly.

The clamp may also be made of a thermoplastic resin.

According to this invention, the clamp is made of thermoplastic resin, so it can deform flexibly to a certain degree in response to external forces. In other words, compared to a clamp made of a material that does not deform (metal, etc.), the clamp can absorb dimensional variations in the mating part when it is tightened and fixed.

Furthermore, the clamp can be molded as a single unit using thermoplastic resin. In this case, the number of components of the clamp can be reduced, making it less expensive. By making the clamp cheaper, contractors can own multiple clamps.
Therefore, multiple saddles can be fused to a cylindrical pipe in succession, which can speed up the installation process. Also, by making the clamps inexpensive, the clamps can be attached to the saddles after they are fused to the pipe. This eliminates the need to remove the clamps from the saddles, which can speed up the installation process.

The band portion may also have a protrusion.

According to this invention, the band portion has a protrusion. By bringing the protrusion into contact with the tube, the surface area of contact between the band portion and the tube is smaller compared to when the protrusion is not present. This makes it possible to increase the frictional force between the band portion and the tube when fixed with the same tightening force. In other words, compared to when the protrusion is not present, it is possible to prevent the band portion and the tube from slipping when the clamp is fixed, making it difficult for the clamp to come off.

The clamp piece may also be knurled.

According to this invention, the clamp piece is knurled. This increases the frictional force on the clamp piece surface. Therefore, compared to when the clamp is not knurled, it is possible to prevent the clamp piece and the saddle from slipping when the clamp is fixed, making it difficult for the clamp to come off.

The hole may also have a notch that passes through the band portion from the hole in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hole.

According to this invention, a notch is provided that penetrates the band portion from the hole in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hole. This shape allows the notch in the hole to expand when the clamp is fixed. This makes it possible to absorb a greater amount of deformation caused by dimensional variations in the saddle and pipe dimensions, as well as deformation caused by creep expansion due to long-term use of the pipe.

A portion of the band may also have a wavy shape.

According to this invention, the corrugated shape of the band portion deforms when the clamp is fixed, etc. This allows for greater deformation absorption, such as when deformation occurs due to creep expansion caused by long-term use of the pipe, in addition to dimensional variations in the saddle and pipe dimensions.

The method of fixing the saddle includes a first step of hooking the first clamp piece onto the saddle, a second step of placing the shaft part in the hole after the first step and sandwiching the tube between the saddle and the clamp, and a third step of rotating the rotating member after the second step to press the rotating member against the saddle and tighten the tube with the band, and when placing the shaft part in the hole in the second step, the holes are spaced apart to allow the shaft part to be placed in the hole.

According to this invention, the saddle is fixed by hooking the first clamp piece onto the saddle, placing the shaft part in the hole, sandwiching the tube between the saddle and the clamp, and pressing the rotating member against the saddle. In other words, the clamp can be fixed by rotating the rotating member, making the fixing process easier.

In addition, when placing the shaft portion in the hole of the main body member, the distance between the holes can be increased. This makes it easier and quicker to assemble the members compared to when the distance between the holes cannot be increased (such as when the second ends of the two band portions are fixed together by a flange).

Furthermore, the main body member and the rotating member are separate until just before the clamp is fixed. Because of this, if an abnormality is found in either the main body member or the rotating member, it is possible to deal with the problem by replacing only one of them. Therefore, compared to when the main body member and the rotating member are integrated in advance, there is no need to replace the entire clamp, making it easier to deal with an abnormality found in a member and also more cost-effective.

The present invention provides a clamp that is less likely to come off when the saddle joint is placed over the pipe and the clamp is attached, and that can absorb variations in the saddle joint, pipe dimensions, and clamp dimensions.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the saddle joint of the first embodiment according to the present invention attached to a main pipe. FIG. 2 is a side view of the saddle joint of FIG. 1 as viewed from the direction of arrow II. FIG. 3 is a side view of the saddle joint of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction of arrow III. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the saddle of FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a side view of the saddle of FIG. 3 with a portion cut away. FIG. 2 is a front view of the clamp of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a side view of the clamp of FIG. 6 as viewed in the direction of arrow VII. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the clamp of FIG. 6 as viewed in the direction of arrow IIX. 5A to 5C are side views illustrating a process of inserting the rotating member of the first embodiment into a clamp. FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a state after the rotating member of the first embodiment is inserted into the clamp. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the clamp of FIG. 8 taken along line XX. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rotating member and a pair of shaft portions according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a rotating member and a pair of shaft portions of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a rotating member and a pair of shaft portions according to the first embodiment. 10 is a front view illustrating a process of temporarily fixing a clamp to the saddle of the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a front view illustrating a process of fixing a clamp to a saddle by operating the operating piece of the first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating a state after a clamp is fixed to the saddle in the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a clamp having a hole with a notch. FIG. 19 is a front view showing a state in which the notch of the clamp of FIG. 18 is widened. FIG. 13 is a front view of a clamp having a band portion with a wave-shaped configuration. A side view of a saddle-type branch valve of a second embodiment of the present invention attached to a main pipe. FIG. 22 is a side view of the saddle and faucet of FIG. 21 connected together. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the saddle and faucet of FIG. 22 taken along line XVI-XVI. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state in which the clamp is incorrectly assembled to the saddle. 13 is a side view showing a modified example in which a triangular rib is provided on the rotating member to prevent incorrect assembly. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a modified example in which a triangular rib is provided on the rotating member to prevent incorrect assembly. FIG. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state in which incorrect assembly is prevented by the triangular rib.

Hereinafter, a clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the saddle joint 1 is a joint that connects a branch pipe 12 to a main pipe 10 through which, for example, tap water or gas flows. The saddle joint 1 is usually configured as an EF joint (electrofusion joint). The saddle joint 1 is configured such that a saddle 2 is brought into close contact with the main pipe 10, and an electric heating wire 4 (see Figure 5) provided inside the saddle 2 is heated to fuse the saddle 2 and the main pipe 10 together. By fusing the saddle 2 and the main pipe 10 together, the branch pipe 12 is connected to the branch pipe portion 18 of the saddle 2, and the branch pipe 12 is connected to the main pipe 10.

The saddle joint 1 includes a saddle 2 fused to a first side of a main pipe 10, and a clamp (saddle clamp, saddle jig) 3 disposed on a second side of the main pipe 10. The main pipe 10 is clamped between the saddle 2 and the clamp 3. In this state, the main pipe 10 is in intimate contact with the saddle 2.
Hereinafter, the axial direction of the main pipe 10 may be referred to as the "axial direction", the radial direction of the main pipe 10 as the "radial direction", and the circumferential direction of the main pipe 10 as the "circumferential direction". In addition, one side in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the main pipe 10 will be referred to as the "first side", and the other side will be referred to as the "second side" opposite to the first side.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the saddle 2 has a saddle body 15, a first saddle flange 16, a second saddle flange 17, and a branch pipe portion 18.
The saddle body 15 is curved with a radius R along the main pipe 10 and fused to the outer peripheral surface 10a of the first side of the main pipe 10. A circular hole (not shown) is formed in the center of the saddle body 15 to allow communication between the main pipe 10 and the branch pipe 12. A branch pipe section 18 is formed in the saddle body 15 along the outer peripheral edge of the circular hole. The branch pipe section 18 protrudes from the outer peripheral edge of the circular hole toward the radial outside (first side) of the main pipe 10.
The saddle body 15 is provided with terminals 5, 5 on both sides of the branch pipe portion 18 in the axial direction. The terminals 5, 5 are connected to a heating wire 4 embedded in the saddle body 15.

The saddle body 15 is formed in an arc shape with a radius R and substantially the same curvature as the main pipe 10 so that it can be fused to the main pipe 10. The saddle body 15 is formed so that substantially the entire inner surface can be in close contact with the outer peripheral surface 10a of the first side of the main pipe 10. A first saddle flange 16 and a second saddle flange 17 are formed on each side edge of the saddle body 15 along the axial direction of the main pipe 10. The first saddle flange 16 and the second saddle flange 17 protrude radially outward from both side ends of the arc shape of the saddle body 15.
The saddle body 15, the first saddle flange 16, and the second saddle flange 17 are formed to have an axial length (i.e., axial length) L1. That is, the saddle 2 is formed to have an axial length (i.e., axial length) L1.

1 to 3, the saddle 2 is disposed on an outer peripheral surface 10a of a first side of a cylindrical main pipe 10. In this state, the saddle 2 is fixed to the main pipe 10 by a clamp 3.
The clamp 3 includes a main body member 3a and a rotating member 28. The main body member 3a includes a first clamp piece (clamp piece) 22, a pair of elastic bands (band portions) 24, a pair of positioning projections 25, and a hole 35 (see also FIG. 6).

As shown in FIG. 6, the main body member 3a includes a pair of elastic bands 24 spaced apart from each other, a first clamp piece 22 connecting first ends of the elastic bands 24 together, and the elastic bands 24.
The main body member 3a is integrally formed by injection molding using a thermoplastic resin material, such as rigid polyvinyl chloride, rigid polyvinyl chloride containing an impact resistant material, ABS resin, POM (polyacetal) resin, nylon, and glass-containing PP (polypropylene) resin.
By forming the clamp 3 (excluding the rotating member 28) as a one-piece molded member made of thermoplastic resin, the number of components of the clamp 3 can be reduced, making the clamp 3 inexpensive.
Further, the second ends of the elastic bands 24 are released from each other. In other words, the second ends of the elastic bands 24 are not connected to each other by another member integrally molded with the elastic bands 24. This portion is connected by the rotating member 28 (i.e., a member separate from the elastic bands 24 (main body member 3a)).

As shown in FIG. 2, the first clamp piece 22 is formed with a rectangular cross section (see FIG. 1) and extends in the axial direction. The first clamp piece 22 is hooked to the first saddle flange 16 so as to face it from the first side. The first clamp piece 22 is formed so that the axial length (i.e., axial length) L2 is greater than the axial length L1 of the first saddle flange 16. Therefore, the first clamp piece 22 protrudes on both sides from both ends of the first saddle flange 16 in the axial direction. In addition, the surface 22a of the first clamp piece 22 that contacts the first saddle flange 16 is knurled to prevent misalignment.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a connection part 33 is integrally formed at the second end of the elastic band 24. The connection part 33 has a hole 35. The hole 35 penetrates the connection part 33 in the axial direction at approximately the center.

1, 6 and 7, a pair of elastic bands 24 are connected to both ends of the first clamp piece 22. One of the pair of elastic bands 24 is integrally connected to one axial end of the first clamp piece 22, and the other of the pair of elastic bands 24 is integrally connected to the other axial end of the first clamp piece 22.
The elastic band 24 is disposed on a second side of the main tube 10, opposite the first side (i.e., the saddle 2).

The elastic band 24 is made of a thermoplastic resin material and is elastically deformable. The elastic band 24 has a curved band portion 24a, a first inclined band portion 24b, and a second inclined band portion 24c. The curved band portion 24a is curved along the outer circumferential surface 10b of the main pipe 10 on the second side.
The first inclined band portion 24b extends obliquely from one end of the curved band portion 24a to the first clamp piece 22. The first inclined band portion 24b is connected to both axial ends of the first clamp piece 22 at a surface 22a that contacts the first saddle flange 16.
The second inclined band portion 24c extends obliquely from the other end of the curved band portion 24a to the connection portion 33.
The elastic band 24, particularly the curved band portion 24a, is preferably a one-piece molded product that does not include any connecting portions such as chains.

In this manner, the first clamp piece 22 and the elastic band 24 are integrally formed from a thermoplastic resin material. A rotating member 28 is provided on the opposite side of the first clamp piece 22.
Therefore, by hooking a rotating member 28 (described later) onto the second saddle flange 17 from the first side, the clamp 3 can be temporarily fixed to the saddle 2 with the elastic band 24 in contact with the outer circumferential surface 10b of the main pipe 10. This makes it possible to prevent the clamp 3 from coming off when the clamp 3 is attached to the saddle 2.
Furthermore, for example, with the first clamp piece 22 hooked onto the first saddle flange 16 , the clamp 3 can be easily temporarily fixed to the saddle 2 by hooking the rotating member 28 onto the second saddle flange 17 .

The elastic band 24 is formed to fit onto the outer peripheral surface 10b of the second side of the main pipe 10 placed on the saddle body 15 when the clamp 3 is temporarily fixed to the saddle 2. In other words, the elastic band 24 is formed so that the curved band portion 24a comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 10b and elastically engages with it. This allows the main pipe 10 to be sandwiched between the saddle body 15 and the elastic band 24.

As shown in Figures 8 and 11, a first protrusion (protrusion) 41 and a second protrusion (protrusion) 42 are integrally formed on the elastic band 24. The first protrusion 41 is formed in a curved shape along the inner peripheral surface in the circumferential direction at the axial center of the inner peripheral surface of the elastic band 24. The first protrusion 41 is formed, for example, in a triangular cross section such that the cross-sectional width (axial size) gradually decreases from the elastic band 24 to the outer peripheral surface 10b of the main pipe 10.

The second protrusion 42 is formed linearly in the axial direction along the inner peripheral surface at the circumferential center of the inner peripheral surface of the elastic band 24. The second protrusion 42 is formed, for example, like the first protrusion 41, in a triangular cross section such that the cross-sectional width (circumferential size) gradually decreases from the elastic band 24 toward the outer peripheral surface 10b of the main pipe 10.
The first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 intersect with each other at the center.

In the first embodiment, an example is described in which both the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 are formed on the elastic band 24, but this is not limited to this. For example, only one of the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 may be formed on the elastic band 24.
In addition, in the first embodiment, an example is described in which one first protrusion 41 and one second protrusion 42 are formed on the elastic band 24, but this is not limited to this. For example, the elastic band 24 may be provided with multiple first protrusions 41 and multiple second protrusions 42.

20, a wave shape 37 may be provided in a part of the elastic band 24. The wave shape 37 is provided, for example, in the second inclined band portion 24c of the elastic band 24. The wave shape 37 is provided at a position on the connection portion 33 side of the curved band portion 24a of the elastic band 24. The wave shape 37 is shaped to move away from the main pipe 10 radially outward and then return to follow the main pipe 10. In other words, the wave shape 37 is wavy so as to form a convex shape radially outward. As described above, the wave shape 37 is provided in the second inclined band portion 24c. That is, the wave shape 37 has a size that fits within the range of the second inclined band portion 24c. By making it in this shape, the length of the elastic band 24 can be made to have a margin compared to when it does not have the wave shape 37. That is, it is possible to provide a larger elastic deformation margin. This allows for a greater amount of deformation absorption, in addition to dimensional variations in the saddle 2 and main pipe 10, etc., when the pipe is deformed due to creep expansion or other factors caused by long-term use.

2, for example, a pair of positioning protrusions 25 are formed integrally with the first clamp piece 22 at an axial distance from one another. The pair of positioning protrusions 25 are formed on both sides of the first saddle flange 16 on a surface 22a of the first clamp piece 22 that contacts the first saddle flange 16. The positioning protrusions 25 protrude in the circumferential direction from the surface 22a that contacts the first saddle flange 16.
By forming a pair of positioning protrusions 25 on the first saddle flange 16, the center of the clamp 3 can be easily aligned with or positioned close to the center of the saddle 2 in the axial direction of the main pipe 10.

Here, among the saddles 2, there are some that have the same inner diameter R (see FIG. 3) of the saddle 2 (specifically, the saddle body 15) but have different axial lengths L1.
It is economically undesirable to prepare many different dies in order to injection mold clamps 3 with different positions of the positioning protrusion 25 corresponding to the many different saddles 2 with different axial lengths L1. Therefore, for example, when the positioning protrusion 25 of the clamp 3 does not correspond to the axial length L1 of the saddle 2, the positioning protrusion 25 is removed from the clamp 3 before use.
Therefore, the clamp 3 molded with one type of mold can be applied to various types of saddles 2 having different axial lengths L1. This eliminates the need to injection mold various types of clamps 3 to fit various types of saddles 2 having different axial lengths L1, and allows one type of mold to be used for the clamps 3 that are applicable to various types of saddles 2.

As a specific method for using one type of mold for the clamp 3 that can be applied to various types of saddles 2, the following method can be considered.
That is, the mold is provided with a nest for the positioning protrusion 25. When the positioning protrusion 25 is required for the clamp 3, the positioning protrusion 25 can be integrally molded with the clamp 3 by arranging the nest for the positioning protrusion 25 in the mold. On the other hand, when the positioning protrusion 25 is to be removed from the clamp 3, the nest for the positioning protrusion 25 can be removed from the mold so that the positioning protrusion 25 is not molded in the clamp 3.

As another method, the positioning protrusions 25 may be integrally formed by a mold on all types of clamps 3. Then, at the construction site, the positioning protrusions 25 are removed from the clamps 3 that do not require the positioning protrusions 25.
Alternatively, the positioning protrusion 25 may be insert molded into the clamp when molding the clamp 3 with a metal mold. On the other hand, in the case of the clamp 3 that does not require the positioning protrusion 25, the positioning protrusion 25 is not insert molded when molding the clamp 3 with a metal mold, so that the positioning protrusion 25 is not formed in the clamp.

In the first embodiment, an example in which a pair of positioning protrusions 25 are formed on the first clamp piece 22 has been described, but this is not limited to the above. As another example, for example, a pair of positioning protrusions 25 may be provided on the elastic band 24. When a pair of positioning protrusions 25 are provided on the elastic band 24, the positioning protrusions 25 protrude in the axial direction of the main pipe 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, a hole 35 is provided in the connection portion 33 in the elastic band 24. The hole 35 is formed, for example, in a circular shape. The hole 35 also penetrates the connection portion 33 in the axial direction. The diameter of the hole 35 is set to a degree that the shaft portion 29 is rotatably held within the hole 35 when the clamp 3 is fixed to the saddle 2 by the rotating member 28 (described later). For example, it is preferable that the outer diameter of the shaft portion 29 is 12 mm, while the inner diameter of the hole 35 is 12.2 mm.

18, the hole 35 may have a notch 36. The notch 36 penetrates, for example, from the hole 35 provided in the connection portion 33 of the elastic band 24 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hole. The notch 36 is provided on the connection portion 33 on the side of the saddle 2.
With this shape, the notch in the hole 35 elastically deforms and expands when the clamp 3 is fixed, etc. This makes it possible to absorb a larger amount of deformation caused by creep expansion of the main pipe 10 due to long-term use, in addition to dimensional variations in the saddle 2 and the main pipe 10.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the rotating member 28 includes a pair of shaft portions 29 , a retaining portion 30 , a stopper portion (rotation stopper) 31 , and an operating piece 38 .
As shown in Figures 12, 13, and 14, the holding portion 30 extends with the axial direction as the longitudinal direction. As shown in Figure 14, in a position where the stopper portion 31 is positioned above the operating piece 38, the holding portion 30 has, for example, a parallelogram shape with the center line of the shaft portion 29 as the base when viewed from the axial direction. A surface 30a corresponding to the upper side of the holding portion 30 is a portion that abuts against the second saddle flange 17 when the clamp 3 is fixed to the saddle 2 by using the rotating member 28. Hereinafter, the surface 30a of the holding portion 30 may be referred to as the "abutment portion 30a". In addition, a corner 30b of the surface 30a opposite to the side where the stopper portion 31 is provided is a portion that first comes into contact when the rotating member 28 is hooked onto the saddle 2.

The dimensions of the parallelogram shape of the holding portion 30 are appropriately determined depending on the construction conditions, etc. For example, it is preferable that the dimension in the thickness direction of the holding portion 30 as viewed from the axial direction is about 10 mm, and the dimension in the height direction is about 13 mm.
In the first embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the pressing portion 30 is described as a parallelogram as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. As another example, the parallelogram may be replaced with another shape.

The shaft portion 29 protrudes from both axial ends of the retaining portion 30 in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the retaining portion 30, centered at the center of the base of the parallelogram shape of the retaining portion 30. The shaft portion 29 is, for example, circular when viewed from the axial direction. As described above, the diameter of the shaft portion 29 is set to such an extent that it is rotatably held within the hole 35. For example, it is preferable that the inner diameter of the hole 35 is 12.2 mm, while the outer diameter of the shaft portion 29 is 12 mm.

12, the operation piece 38 protrudes from the axial center of the holding portion 30 in the opposite direction to the surface 30a. The axial cross-sectional shape of the operation piece 38 is preferably a rectangle whose short side is the base of the parallelogram of the holding portion 30 (the center line of the shaft portion 29). In other words, it is preferable that the operation piece 38 protrudes perpendicularly from the base of the parallelogram of the holding portion 30 with the same thickness as the holding portion 30.
The axial width of the operation piece 38 is set to a width that allows the operator to operate the operation piece 38 by hand. For example, a width of about 30 mm is preferable.
In the first embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the operation piece 38 is described as a rectangle as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. As another example, the cross-sectional shape may be other than the rectangle.

The stopper portion 31 is provided in the center in the axial direction of the retaining portion 30. When the rotating member 28 is rotated to fix the clamp 3 to the saddle 2, the stopper portion 31 comes into contact with the saddle body 15 to prevent the rotating member 28 from rotating too far.
The stopper portion 31 protrudes, for example, in the thickness direction of the operating piece 38 from the base portion of the operating piece 38 on the side that comes into contact with the saddle body 15 when the clamp 3 is fixed to the saddle 2 .
The position and size of the stopper portion 31 are appropriately determined depending on the construction conditions, etc. For example, it is preferable that the axial width of the stopper portion 31 is 30 mm, which is equal to the axial width of the operation piece 38, and that the stopper portion 31 protrudes from the base of the operation piece 38 parallel to the base of the parallelogram shape of the retaining portion 30 (the center line of the shaft portion 29) by about 12 mm.
In the first embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the stopper portion 31 is described as a rectangle as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. As another example, the rectangular shape may be changed to another shape. In addition, the protruding portion of the stopper portion 31 may be appropriately changed according to the construction conditions, etc.
In addition, when the clamp 3 is attached to the saddle joint 1 using the rotating member 28 (described later),
As shown in Fig. 17, it is normal for the abutment portion 30a of the retainer portion 30 to come into contact with the upper surface of the second saddle flange 17. However, as shown in Fig. 24, it may happen that the lower surface of the stopper portion 31 comes into contact with the second saddle flange 17 (misassembly). In this case, the tension P1 as shown in Fig. 17 is not applied, resulting in an installation failure.
25 and 26, the stopper portion 31 may have an erroneous assembly prevention portion 32. The erroneous assembly prevention portion 32 is in the form of a rib provided between the holding portion 30 and the stopper portion 31. The erroneous assembly prevention portion 32 is a convex rib (protrusion) that connects the upper surface of the holding portion 30 (the portion that faces the main pipe 10 when assembled) and the lower surface of the stopper portion 31 (the portion that faces the second side when assembled).
27, when the lower surface of the stopper portion 31 is about to come into contact with the upper surface of the second saddle flange 17, the erroneous assembly prevention portion 32 comes into contact with the second saddle flange 17. This makes it possible to prevent erroneous assembly in which the lower surface of the stopper portion 31 comes into contact with the upper surface of the second saddle flange 17.
In this embodiment, the misassembly prevention portion 32 is a triangular rib with one vertex being the intersection of the end of the stopper portion 31 and the end of the retaining portion 30 and the other vertex being the other end of each vertex in the front view shown in Fig. 26. The misassembly prevention portion 32 may have any shape or structure that prevents the second saddle flange 17 from getting caught or getting stuck between the stopper portion 31 and the retaining portion 30, and may be something that entirely fills the gap between the stopper portion 31 and the retaining portion 30, or may be a plate or pin that extends from the stopper portion 31 toward the retaining portion 30.
The shaft portion 29, the retaining portion 30, the stopper portion 31, and the operation piece 38 of the rotating member 28 are integrally molded, for example, from a thermoplastic resin material. Examples of the thermoplastic resin material include hard polyvinyl chloride, hard polyvinyl chloride containing an impact resistant material, ABS resin, POM (polyacetal) resin, nylon, and glass-containing PP (polypropylene) resin. This reduces the number of parts in the rotating member 28, making it inexpensive.
The rotating member 28 may be made of the same material as the first clamp piece 22 and the elastic band 24, or may be made of a different material.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the pair of shaft portions 29 are fitted into the pair of holes 35, for example, in the following procedure.
That is, first, one shaft portion 29 is inserted into one hole 35. Next, the elastic band 24 having the other hole 35 is deformed to match the axial length of the rotating member 28. Then, the other shaft portion 29 is inserted into the other hole 35.

In this state, the pair of shaft portions 29 are rotatably supported in the pair of holes 35 (see also FIG. 3). Therefore, the rotating member 28 is rotatably supported in the pair of holes 35 via the pair of shaft portions 29. In this state, the corners 30b of the retaining portion 30 can be hooked onto the second saddle flange 17 (see FIG. 1) from the first side.

For example, when the corner 30b is hooked on the second saddle flange 17, the rotating member 28 is rotated in the direction of arrow A (to one side) with the corner 30b as a fulcrum. Therefore, when the position of the shaft portion 29 is displaced by the rotation of the rotating member 28 in the direction of arrow A, the hole 35 is displaced together with the shaft portion 29.

Next, a method of attaching and fixing the saddle joint 1 to the main pipe 10 will be described with reference to Figs.
15 , in the first step, the saddle 2 is placed on the outer circumferential surface 10a of the first side of the main pipe 10. The first clamp piece 22 of the clamp 3 is hooked (engaged) from the first side onto the first saddle flange 16 of the saddle 2 placed on the main pipe 10.

15 , in the second step, the rotating member 28 and the main body member 3a are assembled by inserting the shaft portion 29 into the hole 35. At this time, the orientation of the rotating member 28 is adjusted so that the operating piece 38 is radially outward relative to the main pipe 10.
Thereafter, the elastic band 24 is elastically deformed in a direction that moves the rotating member 28 away from the second saddle flange 17. The elastically deformed elastic band 24 is restored to its original shape, thereby moving the rotating member 28 in the direction of the arrow C. The rotating member 28 climbs over the second saddle flange 17, and the corner 30b of the retaining portion 30 is hooked (locked) onto the second saddle flange 17 from the first side.
At this time, it is confirmed that the corner 30b is securely engaged with the second saddle flange 17. If the third step is performed with the corner 30b detached from the second saddle flange 17, an incorrect assembly state will occur as shown in FIG.

In this state, the elastic band 24 is arranged to fit onto the outer peripheral surface 10b of the second side of the main pipe 10, and elastically engages with the outer peripheral surface 10b. In addition, the first clamp piece 22 is hooked onto the first saddle flange 16, and the corner 30b of the holding portion 30 is hooked onto the second saddle flange 17. Thus, the clamp 3 is temporarily fixed to the saddle 2 in a stable manner.

16 and 17, in the third step, the operating piece 38 is operated in the direction of the arrow A with the corner 30b as the fulcrum. In response to the rotation of the rotating member 28 by the operation of the operating piece 38, the contact point between the corner 30b of the rotating member 28 and the second saddle flange 17 moves. In addition, in response to the rotation of the rotating member 28, the distance L3 between the second saddle flange 17 and the shaft portion 29 gradually increases.
When the operating piece 38 is further moved in the direction of the arrow A from there, the contact portion 30 a comes into complete contact with the second saddle flange 17 .

At this time, the shaft portion 29 pushes the hole 35 up toward the first side, applying tension P1 to the elastic band 24. This allows the elastic band 24 to be suitably stretched and tightened around the main pipe 10. Therefore, with the saddle body 15 tightly attached to the main pipe 10, the saddle fitting 1 can be attached and fixed to the main pipe 10.

The rotating member 28 is provided with a stopper portion 31. In addition, when the rotating member 28 applies tension P1 to the elastic band 24 (when the second saddle flange 17 and the abutment portion 30a are in complete contact), the stopper portion 31 is arranged to contact the saddle body 15. Therefore, when the rotating member 28 applies tension P1, it is possible to prevent the rotating member 28 from rotating in the direction A more than necessary.

Also, when the rotating member 28 is rotated in the A direction until the stopper portion 31 comes into contact with the saddle body 15, initially, the tension P1 acts to rotate the rotating member 28 in the B direction opposite to the A direction. When the rotating member 28 is further rotated, the tension P1 becomes maximum just before the second saddle flange 17 and the abutment portion 30a come into complete contact with each other. At this time, the directions in which the tension P1 tries to rotate the rotating member 28 are balanced between the A direction and the B direction. When the rotating member 28 is further rotated from there, the tension P1 comes into action in a direction that tries to rotate the rotating member 28 further in the A direction. At the same time, the second saddle flange 17 comes into complete contact with the abutment portion 30a, and the stopper portion 31 comes into contact with the saddle body 15.
Therefore, after the stopper portion 31 of the rotating member 28 comes into contact with the saddle body 15, the tension P1 from the elastic band 24 does not act in the direction to release the fixation (rotational force in the direction B).

In this way, after the operating piece 38 is moved to fix the clamp 3 to the saddle 2, the rotating member 28 is held in the operating position, and the elastic band 24 can be kept in a state in which tension P1 is applied. Furthermore, tension P1 acts in a direction that fixes the clamp 3 to the saddle 2. This prevents the rotating member 28 from rotating in the B direction due to an external force, etc., and makes it difficult for the clamp 3 to come off the saddle 2.

Furthermore, before tension P1 is applied to the elastic band 24 by the rotating member 28, the elastic band 24 is positioned to fit onto the main pipe 10. That is, the elastic band 24 can be brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface 10b of the main pipe 10 and elastically fitted. This allows the clamp 3 to be stably and temporarily fixed to the first saddle flange 16 and the second saddle flange 17. This allows tension P1 to be applied to the elastic band 24 by the rotating member 28, and makes it difficult for the clamp 3 to come off the saddle 2 during construction to adjust the tension P1.

As shown in Figures 8 and 11, a first protrusion 41 and a second protrusion 42 protrude from the elastic band 24. The first protrusion 41 is arranged in the circumferential direction of the main pipe 10 (extends in the circumferential direction). Therefore, when the main pipe 10 is held by the clamp 3 on the saddle 2, the first protrusion 41 can be pressed against the outer circumferential surface 10b of the main pipe 10. This makes it possible to prevent the saddle 2 and the main pipe 10 from shifting in the axial direction due to external forces acting on the main pipe 10, etc.

The second protrusion 42 is also arranged in the axial direction of the main pipe 10 (extends in the axial direction). Therefore, when the main pipe 10 is held by the clamp 3 on the saddle 2, the second protrusion 42 can be pressed against the outer circumferential surface 10b of the main pipe 10. This makes it possible to prevent the saddle 2 and the main pipe 10 from shifting in the circumferential direction due to external forces acting on the main pipe 10, etc.

2, the pair of positioning protrusions 25 of the clamp 3 protrude in the circumferential direction from a surface 22a of the first clamp piece 22 that contacts the first saddle flange 16. The pair of positioning protrusions 25 are disposed on both sides of the first saddle flange 16 in the axial direction of the main pipe 10. Therefore, the pair of positioning protrusions 25 can easily align the axial center of the clamp 3 with the center of the saddle 2 or position the clamp 3 close to the center of the saddle 2.
As a result, even if the rotating member 28 that applies the tension P1 to the elastic band 24 is provided at one location on the clamp 3, the clamp 3 can be attached to the saddle 2 in a well-balanced manner. This improves the ease of attachment (i.e., workability) of the main pipe 10 using the clamp 3.

As described above, according to the clamp 3 of the first embodiment, the main body member 3a includes two elastic bands 24 spaced apart from each other, and a first clamp piece 22 that connects the first ends of the two elastic bands 24 together. The rotating member 28 also includes a shaft portion 29 that is placed in the holes 35 of the two elastic bands 24. With this shape, when the saddle fitting 1 is placed over the main pipe 10 and the clamp 3 is attached to the saddle fitting 1, the first clamp piece 22 can be hooked onto the saddle fitting 1.

Then, by rotating the rotating member 28, the clamp 3 can be fixed to the saddle joint 1. That is, by rotating the rotating member 28, tension is generated in the elastic band 24, and the main pipe 10 is fastened by the elastic force. That is, since the elastic band 24 elastically deforms, even if there is some dimensional variation or size difference between the saddle joint 1 and the main pipe 10, the main pipe 10 can be fastened by the elastic band 24, so long as the degree of variation is to a degree that can be absorbed by elastic deformation.
Therefore, when the saddle joint 1 is placed over the main pipe 10 and the clamp 3 is attached, the clamp 3 is less likely to come off, and in addition, a clamp 3 can be provided that can absorb dimensional variations in the saddle joint 1 and the main pipe 10.

Furthermore, the second ends of the elastic bands 24 are released. In other words, the second ends of the elastic bands 24 are not connected to each other. Therefore, when the shaft portion 29 is placed in the hole 35, the shaft portion 29 can be placed by widening the distance between the holes 35. Here, when the second ends are not released to each other, that is, when the second ends are connected to each other by some member, even if an attempt is made to deform the elastic bands 24 so as to widen the distance between the holes 35, the deformation of the elastic bands 24 is restricted by the member.
In other words, because the second ends are released, the work can be carried out more easily compared to a case in which the distance between the holes 35 cannot be widened (such as when the second ends of the two elastic bands 24 are fixed together by a flange).
Furthermore, by making the structure simpler compared to the conventional technology in which chains are used for fastening with screws, the number of parts can be reduced and assembly of the members can be made easier.

In addition, the rotating member 28 is provided with a stopper portion 31. This makes it possible to prevent the rotating member 28 from rotating more than necessary when fixing the saddle 2 and the main pipe 10. This makes it possible to set the rotating member 28 at an appropriate angle.
Furthermore, since the rotating member 28 itself has the stopper portion 31, there is no need to provide a separate part for the stopper portion 31. Therefore, compared to a case where a separate rotation prevention structure is provided, the number of parts is reduced, making it possible to provide a simpler structure and an inexpensive clamp 3.

The stopper portion 31 is also provided with an incorrect assembly prevention portion 32. When the clamp 3 is attached to the saddle joint 1 using the rotating member 28, the lower surface of the stopper portion 31 and the upper surface of the second saddle flange 17 may come into contact with each other, resulting in an incorrect attachment.
That is, by providing the erroneous assembly prevention portion 32 on the stopper portion 31, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of erroneous assembly.

In addition, because the clamp 3 is made of a thermoplastic resin, it can flexibly deform to a certain degree in response to external forces. In other words, compared to when the clamp 3 is made of, for example, a material that does not deform (metal, etc.), it can absorb dimensional variations in the mating part when the clamp 3 is tightened and fixed.

Furthermore, the clamp 3 can be integrally molded from thermoplastic resin. In this case, the number of components of the clamp 3 can be reduced, making it less expensive. By making the clamp 3 less expensive, a construction company can own multiple clamps 3.
Therefore, a plurality of saddles 2 can be continuously fused to the cylindrical main pipe 10, and the construction speed can be increased. In addition, by making the clamps 3 inexpensive, the clamps 3 can be attached to the saddles 2 after the saddles 2 are fused to the main pipe 10. This eliminates the need to remove the clamps 3 from the saddles 2, and the construction speed can be increased.

The elastic band 24 also has protrusions 41, 42. By bringing the protrusions 41, 42 into contact with the main pipe 10, the surface area of contact between the elastic band 24 and the main pipe 10 is smaller than when the protrusions 41, 42 are not present. This makes it possible to increase the frictional force between the elastic band 24 and the main pipe 10 when fixed with the same tightening force. In other words, compared to when the protrusions 41, 42 are not present, it is possible to prevent the elastic band 24 and the main pipe 10 from slipping when the clamp 3 is fixed, making it difficult for the clamp 3 to come off.

The first clamp piece 22 is also knurled. This increases the frictional force on the surface of the first clamp piece 22. This prevents the first clamp piece 22 and the saddle 2 from slipping when the clamp 3 is fixed, making it harder for the clamp 3 to come off, compared to when the first clamp piece 22 is not knurled.

In addition, a notch 36 is provided that penetrates the elastic band 24 from the hole 35 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hole 35. By using such a shape, the notch 36 provided in the hole 35 expands when the clamp 3 is fixed. This makes it possible to absorb a larger amount of deformation caused by dimensional variations in the saddle 2 and main pipe 10 dimensions, as well as deformation caused by creep expansion due to long-term use of the main pipe 10.

The wavy shape 37 of the elastic band 24 also deforms when the clamp 3 is fixed. This allows for a greater amount of deformation absorption, such as when the main pipe 10 is deformed due to creep expansion caused by long-term use, in addition to dimensional variations in the saddle 2 and main pipe 10 dimensions.

The saddle is fixed by hooking the first clamp piece 22 onto the saddle 2, placing the shaft portion 29 into the hole 35, sandwiching the main pipe 10 between the saddle 2 and the clamp 3, and pressing the rotating member 28 against the saddle 2. In other words, the clamp 3 can be fixed by rotating the rotating member 28, making the fixing process easier.

In addition, when the shaft portion 29 is placed in the hole 35 of the main body member 3a, it can be placed by widening the distance between the holes 35. This makes it easier and quicker to assemble the members than when the distance between the holes 35 cannot be widened (such as when the second ends of the two elastic bands 24 are fixed together by a flange).

Furthermore, the main body member 3a and the rotating member 28 are separate until just before the clamp 3 is fixed. As a result, if an abnormality is found in either the main body member 3a or the rotating member 28, it is possible to deal with the problem by replacing only one of them. Therefore, compared to when the main body member 3a and the rotating member 28 are integrated in advance, it is not necessary to replace the entire clamp, making it easier to deal with an abnormality found in a member and more cost-effective.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 21 to 23. Note that in the second embodiment, parts that are the same as or similar to the components in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted, with only the differences being described.

Second Embodiment
21 to 23, the saddle-equipped branch tap 50 includes a saddle 51, a branch tap 52, and a clamp (saddle clamp, saddle jig) 53. The branch tap 52 is connected to a joint 56 of the saddle 51. The branch tap 52 has roughly the same configuration as a commonly used branch tap, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The saddle 51, like the saddle 2 of the first embodiment, is usually configured as an EF saddle (electrofusion saddle). The saddle 51 and clamp 53 clamp the main pipe 10, like the saddle fitting 1 of the first embodiment. In this state, the outer circumferential surface 10a (see FIG. 1) of the main pipe 10 is in close contact with the saddle 51. With the saddle 51 in close contact with the outer circumferential surface 10a of the main pipe 10, a heating wire (not shown) provided inside the saddle 2 is heated. This causes the saddle 51 and the outer circumferential surface 10a of the main pipe 10 to be fused together.

The saddle 51 has a saddle body 61, a first saddle flange 62, and a second saddle flange 63. The saddle body 61 is formed, for example, in a manner generally similar to the saddle body 15 of the first embodiment. The saddle 51 is formed, for example, with an inner diameter R that is the same as that of the saddle 2 of the first embodiment, and an axial length L1 that is greater than that of the saddle 2 of the first embodiment. In other words, the first saddle flange 62 and the second saddle flange 63 are formed with an axial length L1 that is greater than that of the first saddle flange 16 and the second saddle flange 17 of the first embodiment.

Clamp 53 is obtained by removing the pair of positioning projections 25 (see FIG. 2) from clamp 3 of the first embodiment, and other configurations are similar to clamp 3 of the first embodiment. Therefore, for example, a nest for positioning projections 25 can be removed from a mold for molding clamp 3 of the first embodiment, and clamp 53 can be formed by using the mold.
As another method, for example, the clamp 3 is molded using the mold for molding the clamp 3 of the first embodiment. The clamp 53 can be formed by removing the positioning protrusion 25 from the molded clamp 3.
Furthermore, as another method, for example, when molding the clamp 53 using the mold for molding the clamp 3 of the first embodiment, the positioning protrusion 25 is not insert molded, thereby making it possible to mold the clamp 53 .
This allows the mold for the clamp 53 to be used as the mold for forming the clamp 3 of the first embodiment.

As described above, the saddle 2 provided in the saddle joint 1 of the first embodiment and the saddle 51 provided in the saddle-equipped water distributor 50 of the second embodiment have the same inner diameter R of the saddle 2 but different axial lengths L1. Specific examples of the inner diameter R, axial lengths L1, etc., depending on the type of saddle 2, 51 are shown in Table 1.

In Table 1, the diameter of the main pipe 10 is indicated as "main pipe diameter", the type of the saddle fitting 1 or saddle-equipped branch valve 50 is indicated as "EF fitting type", the diameter of the branch pipe 12 is indicated as "saddle branch diameter", the axial length L1 of the saddles 2 and 51 is indicated as "axial length L1", and the inner diameter R of the saddles 2 and 51 is indicated as "saddle inner diameter R". In the "EF fitting type" column, the saddle fitting 1 of the first embodiment is indicated as "EF saddle", and the saddle-equipped branch valve 50 of the second embodiment is indicated as "EF saddle-equipped branch valve". In the "saddle branch diameter" column, the numbers are arranged in parallel with a comma between them, which indicates that there are multiple types of diameter sizes for the branch pipe 12. All numbers in the table are in mm.

As shown in Table 1, there are many types of saddles 2, 51 that have the same inner diameter R but different axial lengths L1. For this reason, when molding positioning protrusions 25 (see FIG. 2) on the clamp to correspond to the many types of saddles 2, 51, it is necessary to prepare many types of molds for injection molding the clamp, which is not economically preferable.
Therefore, when the positioning projection 25 of the clamp 3 does not correspond to the axial length L1 of the saddle 51, the positioning projection 25 is not provided as in the clamp 53 of the second embodiment. This allows the clamp 53 to correspond to the saddle 51.
Therefore, the mold for the clamp 53 of the second embodiment can be used as the mold for forming the clamp 3 of the first embodiment. The clamps 3, 53 formed by the same mold can be applied to various types of saddles 2, 51 having different axial lengths L1.

As described above, according to the clamp 53 of the second embodiment, like the saddle joint 1 of the first embodiment, the clamp 53 can be made inexpensively by being made of resin and by reducing the number of components. Furthermore, when the saddle 51 is placed over the main pipe 10 and the clamp 53 is attached, the clamp 53 is less likely to come off. In addition, it is possible to absorb variations in the dimensions of the saddle 51, the main pipe 10, and the clamp 53.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, a resin elastic band 24 is exemplified as the connecting member, but this is not limited to this. Other examples include elastically deformable metal bands, and for example, elastic bands made of spring steel, chains, wires, etc. may be used as connecting members. The shape of the band is not limited to a flat cross section, and may be a circular cross section, and is not particularly limited.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the stopper portion 31 of the rotating member 28 is illustrated as having the same width as the operating piece 38, but this can be changed as appropriate within the range of the longitudinal length of the retaining portion 30. For example, the length of the stopper portion 31 may be equal to that of the retaining portion 30.

In addition, in the above embodiment, only the first clamp piece 22 connects the pair of elastic bands 24 in the main body member 3a, but there may be multiple locations where the elastic bands 24 are connected together, as long as there is enough deformation space to allow the rotation member 28 to insert the elastic bands 24. For example, the curved band portion 24a may have a connection portion.

In addition, the components in the above embodiment may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the above-mentioned modifications may be combined as appropriate.

2, 51 Saddle 3, 53 Clamp 3a Body member 22 First clamp piece 24 Elastic band 25 Protrusion 28 Rotating member 29 Shaft portion 35 Hole 37 Wave shape 41 First protrusion 42 Second protrusion

Claims (8)

a body member including two spaced apart band portions and a first clamp piece connecting first ends of the two band portions;
a rotating member having a shaft portion disposed in a hole formed in the second end of each of the two band portions;
a clamp in which the second ends of the two band portions are open,
The clamp is made of a thermoplastic resin.
Clamp. The rotating member is provided with a rotation stopper.
The clamp of claim 1 . The detent protrudes from the rotating member,
An incorrect assembly prevention portion is provided between the rotating member and the rotation stopper.
The clamp of claim 2. The band portion has a protrusion.
A clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The first clamp piece is knurled.
A clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The hole is provided with a notch penetrating the band portion from the hole in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hole.
A clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . A part of the band portion has a wavy shape.
A clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . A method for fixing a saddle to a pipe by a clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , comprising the steps of:
a first step of hooking the first clamp piece onto the saddle;
a second step of placing the shaft portion in the hole and clamping the tube between the saddle and the clamp after the first step;
and a third step of rotating the rotating member after the second step to press the rotating member against the saddle and clamp the tube with the band portion,
In the second step, when the shaft portion is disposed in the hole, the shaft portion is disposed in the hole by widening the interval between the holes.
How to fasten the saddle.

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