Cable Clamp

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to clamps of cables used for electric wiring.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

Various sorts of cable clamps have been worked out conventionally to fix cables to a base during electric wiring. However, conventional cable clamps have disadvantages in that cables are liable to damage, an attaching hole must be formed on a base in order to attach a cable clamp to the base, and use is significantly restricted depending on thickness and shape of the cables.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cable clamp wherein cables are fixed stably without damage, and the cable clamp can be used in any base and for cables having any thickness or shape.

Such an object can be attained by a cable clamp of the present invention comprising a clamp body provided with an adhesive layer and a peeling layer to cover the adhesive layer at a lower surface and with a cushion member applied to an upper surface, and a pressure element projecting from a side surface of the clamp body and having a cushion member applied to a lower surface, wherein the clamp body and the pressure element are formed integrally by thin metal sheets.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken, illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are sectional views illustrating a use state of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a use state of the third embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view illustrating a use state of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view illustrating a use state of the fifth embodiment; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a cable clamp as a first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a rectangular planar clamp body 1 has an adhesive layer 2 at its lower surface, a peeling layer 4 of paper or plastics disposed at a lower side of the adhesive layer 2 so as to cover the layer 2, and a cushion member 8 such as felt, cloth, non-woven cloth, polyvinyl chloride form, polyurethane form or polyethylene form applied to the upper surface of the clamp body 1. The adhesive layer 2 may be formed by coating an adhesive agent or applying a double-layer adhesive tape. A pressure element 10 projects upwards from the side surface of the clamp body 1 and is bent laterally, and a cushion member 12 of similar material to that of previously mentioned cushion member 8 is applied to the lower surface of the pressure element 10. The clamp body 1 and the pressure element 10 are made of thin plastically deformable metal such as mild steel, aluminum or brass, and both are formed integrally. Notches 14 are formed on the clamp body 1 near root portions at both sides of the pressure element 10 projecting from the clamp body 1 so as to facilitate the bending of the pressure element 10.

When a cable clamp as constituted in the first embodiment is used, the peeling layer 4 is removed and the clamp body 1 is pressed on a required portion of a base 16 so that the cable clamp is attached to the base 16 by means of the adhesive layer 2. If cables are inserted between the clamp body 1 and the pressure element 10 and then the pressure element 10 is pressed towards the clamp body 1, the pressure element 10 is deformed and held in the deformed state since it is made of thin metal, thereby the cables 18 are fixed as shown in FIG. 2. Since the cables 18 are directly contacted with only the cushion members 8, 12 in this constitution, damage of the cables does not occur. Since the pressure element 10 is deformed into any configuration, cables 18 may be fixed whether they are single or plural. Furthermore, a flat-cable 19 in flat configuration may be fixed as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 shows a cable clamp as a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a pressure element 20 is provided with several constrictions 22. This constitution is favorable in that the pressure element 20 is bent readily at the constrictions 22 when it is to be pressed towards a clamp body 24 and deformed.

FIG. 5 shows a cable clamp as a third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a pressure element 30 is longer than that of the first embodiment and top end 31 of the pressure element 30 is provided with a cushion member 32, an adhesive layer 34 and a peeling layer 36. In order to fix cables 38, the peeling layer 36 at the top end is removed and the cables 38 are grasped by the pressure element 30 and then the top end 31 is pressed to a base 39. The top end 31 is adhered with the base 39 by means of the adhesive layer 34 thereby the cables 38 are fixed securely as shown in FIG. 6. In the clamp of this embodiment, there is no gap as shown in FIG. 2 between the top end 31 of the pressure plate 30 and the base 39 after the cables are fixed, therefore the cables 38 are not liable to be pulled out of the clamp.

FIG. 7 shows a cable clamp as a fourth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a clamp body 40 is formed in a long configuration as an elongated quadralateral and two pressure elements 42 project upwards from short side surfaces at both ends of the clamp body 40. Constrictions 41 similar to those of the second embodiment are formed on root portions of the pressure elements 42. This embodiment is suitable for fixing cables particularly a flat-cable 44. As shown in FIG. 8, the flat-cable 44 is put onto a cushion member 45 of the clamp body 40 and the pressure elements 42 are bent towards the center thereby the flat-cable can be fixed readily.

FIG. 9 shows a cable clamp as a fifth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a clamp body 50 is formed in a long configuration as an elongated quadralateral, and a plurality of pressure elements 52 project upwards from one long side surface in the longitudinal direction of the clamp body 50 and are bent in the lateral direction. A plurality of cable clamps in the first embodiment may be attached simultaneously to a base 54, therefore working can be effected rapidly in comparison to the case that a number of cable clamps must be attached to the base 50. Two cable clamps in this embodiment may be used in combination to fix a flat-cable 56 as shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 shows a cable clamp as a sixth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a clamp body 60 is formed in a long configuration similarly to the fifth embodiment but differs from the fifth embodiment in that large constrictions 62 are formed in several portions on the clamp body 60. Other constitutions are similar to those in the fifth embodiment. Since the constrictions 62 are formed on the clamp body 60 in this embodiment, when the cable clamp is used the clamp body 60 may be bent or cut using scissors at required portions of the constrictions 62 thereby a cable clamp having a required number of pressure elements 64 is obtained freely.

As above described, the present invention is in a cable clamp comprising a clamp body of flat plate shape provided with an adhesive layer and a peeling layer to cover the adhesive layer at the lower surface and with a cushion member applied to upper surface, and a pressure element projecting from the side surface of the clamp body and having a cushion member applied to the lower surface, wherein the clamp body and the pressure element are formed integrally by thin metal sheets.

Accordingly, a cable clamp of the present invention can fix cables readily and rapidly without damaging any cable cover. Moreover, it can fix any cable irrespective of thickness or shape.