US 11,920,710 B2
Retainer for clamp assembly
Edwin T. Koehler, Smyrna, TN (US); and Joshua B. Smith, Manchester, TN (US)
Assigned to Ideal Clamp Products, Inc., Smyrna, TN (US)
Appl. No. 17/265,038
Filed by Ideal Clamp Products, Inc., Smyrna, TN (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 7, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/045434
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 1, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/033497, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 13, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/715,672, filed on Aug. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0310584 A1, Oct. 7, 2021
Int. Cl. F16L 23/08 (2006.01); F16L 3/10 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 3/1075 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A clamp assembly comprising:
a shell including a pair of segments sized to be positioned over a joint connection, the pair of segments being moveable between an open position and a contracted position, wherein a first segment of the pair of segments includes an ear and a tab extending from the ear,
a tensioning mechanism operable to tighten the pair of segments, the tensioning mechanism including a threaded shaft extending through a segment opening defined in the ear of the first segment, and
a retainer coupled with the first segment, the retainer including a first cantilevered flange configured to engage the threaded shaft to retain the threaded shaft in the segment opening when the shell is in the open position, wherein the retainer includes a first opening sized to receive the ear of the first segment and a second opening sized to receive the tab of the first segment.