Patent Application
20160010764
There are many products and assemblies used by construction, building, plumbing and electrical contractors and workers for bracing and supporting pipes, ducts, sprinkler systems, fans, air-conditioners, electrical cables, communication lines and other loads from ceilings, beams, studs, walls and floors. These products include clamps, braces, cables, hooks, straps, hangers, plates, and brackets, among other items. Many, however, are inefficient, require too many parts, or are too costly.
Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention; and, wherein:
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.
As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result.
An initial overview of technology embodiments is provided below and then specific technology embodiments are described in further detail later. This initial summary is intended to aid readers in understanding the technology more quickly but is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the technology nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Although many devices are commonly used in the industry for connection purposes in an installation, such devices can be difficult to install and can be expensive. Additionally, and undesirably, these devices may not be suited for reliably supporting or restraining against loads, such as in supporting a pipe, branch line, or other load suspended from a support structure, against undesirable sway, such as may be caused by seismic disturbances.
Accordingly, a pipe restraint device is disclosed that is simple to install and inexpensive. In one aspect, the pipe restraint device can facilitate adequate support of a pipe or branch line suspended from a support structure or upper restraint structure during a seismic event. The pipe restraint device can include a pipe coupling portion to couple with a pipe to be restrained, and a support member coupling portion to couple with a support member extending from a building structure to support the pipe. The support member coupling portion can have a support member interface and a securing mechanism. The securing mechanism can be configured to exert a force on the support member to cause the support member to bear against the support member interface sufficient to secure the support member to the support member coupling portion.
One example of a pipe restraint device 100 is illustrated in
The pipe restraint device 100 can comprise a pipe coupling portion 110 to couple with the pipe 101. In one aspect, the pipe coupling portion 110 comprises a pipe clamp. The pipe coupling portion 110 can comprise a pipe interface 111 and a strap 112 configured to wrap around a portion of the pipe 101. The pipe interface 111 can comprise a saddle 115 having a V-shaped configuration to stably interface with the pipe 101. The strap 112 can be coupleable about the pipe interface 111 via a protrusion 113 formed about the strap 112, such as a hook, extending through an opening 114 formed in the pipe interface 111. In one aspect, the pipe coupling portion 110 can be configured to accommodate a plurality of pipe diameters.
The pipe restraint device 100 can also comprise a support member coupling portion 120 to couple with the support member 102 extending from a building or other structure (not shown) to support the pipe. The support member 102 can comprise a rod, a threaded rod, a pipe, a shaft, a beam, a strut, a bar, a conduit, a dowel, or other support members as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. In one aspect, the support member 102 can extend through the opening 114. In one aspect, the support member coupling portion 120 comprises a set screw, such as threaded fastener 123. The support member coupling portion 120 can have a support member interface 121 (shown in
In one aspect, exerting a force on the support member 102 can cause the strap 112 to tighten about the pipe 101. For example, the pipe restraint device 100 can include a pivot member 130 rotatable relative to the pipe interface 111, such as by way of a hinge or pivot connection 131. The pivot member 130 can be rotated upward to facilitate coupling of the pivot member 130 to a portion of the strap 112 and can be configured to adjustably support the securing mechanism 122. The pivot member 130, and the securing mechanism 122, can further comprise a hole formed therein to adjustably receive the threaded fastener 123. The pivot member 130 can be coupleable to the strap 112 via an extension member 132, which can have a hook 133 to interface with an opening of the strap 112, thereby securing the strap 112 to the pivot member 130. In one aspect, the pivot member 130 can have an opening 134 to receive the support member 102 and provide clearance for the support member 102 as the pivot member 130 rotates. In operation, subsequent forces exerted by the securing mechanism 122 on the support member 102 (e.g., by tightening the threaded fastener 123 against the support member 102) can cause the pivot support 130 to rotate in direction 103 (e.g., downward) and the strap 112 to tighten about the pipe 101. This will also cause the support member 102 to bear against the support member interface 121, thus securing the pipe restraint device 100 to the support member 102 and restraining the pipe 101. The pipe restraint device 100 can be adjusted to different positions about the support member 102.
The pipe restraint device 200 can include a support member coupling portion 220 to couple with a support member, such as the support member shown in
The support member coupling portion 220 can further comprise a securing mechanism 222 configured to facilitate exertion of a force or load upon the support member 202. The securing mechanism 222 can comprise a threaded opening 224 formed in the bottom plate 228. The securing mechanism 222 can further comprise a block 240 having a threaded opening 248, wherein the block 240 can be supported within the pipe interface 211 and about the bottom plate 228. In one aspect, the block 240 can be removable, and configured to be removably received within the pipe interface 211. The opening 224 and the threaded opening 248 can be aligned and these configured to receive a threaded fastener (not shown, but similar to the threaded fastener discussed above). The threaded fastener can be inserted through the opening 224 and the threaded opening 248, and caused to exert a force upon the support member 202. In doing so, the support member 202 will be forced to bear against the support member interfaces 221a-b, thus coupling the pipe restraint device 200 to the support member, and restraining the pipe 201. In this case, a portion of the support member coupling portion 220 and the securing mechanism 222 can be associated with the pipe interface 211, such as coupled thereto or formed therewith.
In this case, the pipe coupling portion 310 can include a first extension 315a and a second extension 315b spaced from one another by a distance 316 that is greater than or substantially equal to a diameter 304 of the pipe 301. Each of the first and second extensions 315a, 315b can have a recess 317a, 317b on one side sized to receive about one-half of a cross-section of the pipe 301. The recesses of each extension can have a common center line 318. The extensions 315a, 315b can be configured such that the recesses 317a, 317b form a substantially full pipe opening 319, which can correspond to the pipe 301 cross-section, when viewed aligned with the common center line (e.g., circular), as shown in
With the pipe 301 secured in place within the pipe coupling portion 310, the support member 302 can be received within the support member coupling portion 320. As the threaded fastener 323 is tightened, it can be caused to exert a force against the support member 302. Further tightening can cause the support member to subsequently bear against the support member interface 321a-b, thus securing the pipe restraint device 300 to the support member, and restraining the pipe 301.
It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but are extended to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary. In addition, various embodiments and example of the present invention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for the various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as de facto equivalents of one another, but are to be considered as separate and autonomous representations of the present invention.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
While the foregoing examples are illustrative of the principles of the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the claims set forth below.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/023,769, filed Jul. 11, 2014, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62023769 | Jul 2014 | US |
