Patent Application
20070090231
This is the first application filed for the present invention.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates generally to hangers for supporting runs of cylindrical objects and, in particular, to multi-purpose hangers for supporting pipe, tubing, conduit, cable and the like.
Pipe hangers for hanging pipes, tubing or water lines are well known in the art. Pipe hangers, also known as “pipe support structures”, are connectors that fix or restrain piping/tubing to a support surface, such as to floor joists or wall studs, to route the piping/tubing for plumbing, or to provide a closed-loop circuit for a hydronic heating system, or other such application.
However, as is known in the art, the prior-art pipe hangers are generally awkward and time-consuming to install. Furthermore, these prior-art pipe hangers are typically designed to restrain pipe in only one orientation, i.e. generally either in a horizontal or a vertical orientation. Therefore, different hangers must be used for different applications and different orientations in the same run.
Furthermore, prior-art pipe hangers are generally designed for only supporting pipe and are not generally suitable for supporting electrical cable, while cable hangers are generally not suited for supporting pipe, Therefore, different types of hangers are typically required when installing a run of pipe, tubing, conduit or cable.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to provide an improved, “multi-purpose” hanger for supporting pipe, tubing, conduit or cable in order to overcome at least one of the deficiencies of the prior art.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved, multi-purpose hanger for supporting or restraining pipe, tubing, conduit or cable.
The invention therefore provides a multi-purpose hanger comprising a helical support structure that is placed around an outer surface of the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable, such as, but not limited to, pipe, tubing, conduit and cable. The helical support structure is truncated at first and second “free” ends. The first and second ends are spaced apart and form a gap that is about equal to (or slightly smaller than) an outer diameter of the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable. The gap between the ends of the helical support structure facilitate placing the helical support structure over the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable while providing superior retention of the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable after the hanger is secured to a rigid structure such as a floor joist or wall stud. Accordingly, the multi-purpose hanger in accordance with the present invention simplifies the task of installing pipe, tubing, conduit or cable. Furthermore, the multi-purpose hanger can be secured to a support structure (e.g. floor joist or wall stud) in one of a plurality of orientations. Therefore, an entire run of pipe, tubing, conduit or cable can be hung or restrained using a number of the multi-purpose hangers by securing the hangers at suitable intervals in any required orientation.
The invention therefore provides a multi-purpose hanger for supporting a run of pipe, tubing, conduit or cable in any orientation. The hanger includes an anchor block for securing the hanger to a support surface; and a substantially helical support structure for supporting the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable, the helical support structure having first and second ends that define a gap that is about equal to an outer diameter of the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable.
The invention further provides a method of restraining a pipe, tubing, conduit or cable relative to a support surface. The method includes steps of placing a multi-purpose hanger over the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable, the hanger having a helical support structure with opposite ends spaced apart from each other that form a gap that is about equal to an outer diameter of the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable, to permit the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable to be slid through the gap, after which the hanger is rotated about 45° to restrain the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable within the helical support structure; and securing the hanger to the support surface to restrain the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable.
The invention further provides a multi-purpose hanger for supporting a pipe, tubing, conduit or cable. The hanger includes an anchor block securable to a rigid surface; and a helical support structure affixed to the anchor block, the helical support structure spiraling through 360° between first and second ends, the first and second ends being spaced apart to form a gap at least sufficient to permit the helical support structure to be slid over the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable by passing same between the first and second ends, and thereafter rotating the hanger to restrain the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable within the helical support structure when the hanger is secured to the rigid surface.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
It should be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.
The invention provides a multi-purpose hanger for hanging, supporting or otherwise restraining a pipe, tubing, conduit cable or the like. The hanger includes a helical support structure connected to an anchor block. The helical support structure is quickly and easily placed over the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable without disassembly of any parts, yet securely supports the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable after it is secured to a support surface using a fastener. In one embodiment the anchor block is provided with a plurality of passages for receiving fasteners to permit the multi-purpose hanger to be mounted to the rigid surface in a plurality of orientations.
The anchor block 20 includes at least one passage 22 through which the fastener 12 is inserted in order to secure the hanger to the support surface. The anchor block 20 also includes a pair of substantially flat end faces 24, 26. The flat end faces 24, 26 enable the hanger 10 to be secured flush against a flat support surface when the fastener 12 is inserted through an axial passage 22a through the anchor block 20, such as, for example, a side face of a floor joist.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the hanger 10 further includes a substantially helical support structure 30 which is connected to the anchor block 20. The helical support structure 30 is shaped to support a pipe, tubing, conduit or cable. The hanger 10 can be manufactured as one integral component using plastic injection molding techniques, for example. The hanger 10 can also be manufactured by molding the helical support structure 30 and support 20 separately and then rigidly affixing the helical support structure 30 to the support 20 using a suitable adhesive or fastener. Alternatively, the hanger 10 can be cast from a white metal or steel, or constructed from separate metal parts that are spot-welded, welded, brazed or mechanically fastened together using methods well known in the art.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the helical support structure 30 has a first end 32 and a second end 34. The helical support structure 30 spirals between the first end 32 and the second end 34 to define a gap G between the first and second ends 32, 34. In one embodiment, the gap G is about equal to an outer diameter of the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable to be supported. In another embodiment, the gap G is larger than the outer diameter of the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable to be supported. In yet another embodiment the gap G is slightly smaller than the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable.
Referring back to
In one embodiment shown in
In this embodiment, the passages 22 have two or more different orientations. For example, some of the passages 22a may be angled downwardly with respect to one face of the anchor block 20, while other passages may be angled upwardly 22b or laterally 22c, 22d. This provides more flexibility when securing the anchor block 20 and also permits two fasteners to be driven at different angles to increase holding power when required.
The multi-purpose hanger 10 can be used to restrain a pipe, tubing, conduit or cable relative to a support surface in any one of a plurality of orientations. For example, the hanger 10 can be used to support pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40 horizontally against the face of a floor joist, or vertically along the face of a wall stud. Alternatively, the multi-purpose hanger 10 can be used to support the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40 in oblique orientations, i.e. at any one of various angles between the vertical and the horizontal. Furthermore, the hanger 10 can be secured to a support surface with the gap G facing toward or away from the support surface 50.
In operation, the multi-purpose hanger 10 is connected to the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40 by aligning the gap G of the helical support structure 30 with the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40, sliding the hanger 10 over the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40 and rotating the hanger 10 (and hence the helical support structure 30) relative to the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40 to align the helical support structure with the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40. Once the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40 is slid/pressed through the gap G, the hanger 10 is rotated about 45° to align the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40 with the helical support structure 30. The hanger 10 is then secured to the support surface 50 (e.g. floor joist, wall stud, sub floor, etc) so as to support the pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40.
In one embodiment, the hanger 10 is secured to the structure 50 by inserting a fastener 12, such as a nail or screw, through the passage 22 in the anchor block 20 and driving the fastener 12 into the support surface 50.
The multi-purpose hanger 10 can be used to secure or restrain a run of pipe or tubing for a domestic or commercial plumbing application or a hydronic heating system. Alternatively, the multi-purpose hanger 10 can be used to support an electrical conduit, cable or a bundle of cables or wires. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the number of multi-purpose hangers 10 needed to hang a run of pipe, tubing, conduit or cable 40, as well as an appropriate inter-hanger spacing (i.e. an interval between adjacent hangers) depends on the type and strength of the support surface 40 to which the hanger 10 is to be attached, the type of fastener used (e.g. screw, ring-shank nail, spiral nail or common nail, bolt, rivet or staple) and the load that each hanger is to bear.
The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary only. The scope of the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the appended claims.
