Supports – Pipe or cable – Suspended
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-23
2003-08-12
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Pipe or cable
Suspended
C264S173120, C248S074200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06604715
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to articles useful for attaching metal or plastic pipe to support structures and, more particularly, to extruded articles that support pipe and also provide acoustic and vibrational isolation and dampening to reduce the transmission of sound and vibration to the support structure. The invention also relates to a method for making the extruded acoustic pipe support of the invention.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of strapping or pipe hangers to suspend plastic or metal pipe from support structures such as beams, joists or other framing members is well known. Conventional metal or plastic strapping is typically sold in rolls and can be cut into shorter strips of desired length at the use site. Perforations spaced longitudinally along the strapping are provided for the insertion of fasteners such as nails or screws. More recently, plastic pipe hangers have been introduced comprising a tubular plastic member having one end that is attachable to a support structure and another end with a molded plastic head to which both ends of a plastic strap are secured to form a loop around a pipe.
To reduce the transmission of sound and vibration that sometimes occurs in fluid flow lines from piping to the building support structures, many other pipe clamps have been disclosed that comprise various combinations of metal, plastic and foamed polymeric materials. Such prior art pipe clamps sometimes referred to as “acoustic pipe clamps,” are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,606,218; 3,684,223; 3,802,655; 3,848,839; 4,442,994; 4,934,635; 5,002,243; 5,458,303; and 5,588,683. These conventional acoustic pipe clamps are oftentimes made of more than one part, and when made of plastic, are generally made by injection molding. The use of shaped wire hangers to suspend articles from a vertical wall member is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,302.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The pipe support articles of the invention are preferably made in the form of either acoustic pipe clamps or straps having an extruded, substantially unfoamed polymeric skin with a coextruded, foamed polymeric cushioning layer adhered to it. Depending upon the particular configuration, the pipe supports of the invention are preferably extruded in a continuous web that can be cut transversely or slit longitudinally to produce multiple articles from a single continuous extrudate if desired.
Extruded acoustic pipe clamps having relatively complex profiles can be extruded in a laid-open position and then folded around a pipe at predetermined hinge points and secured in that position to produce the finished clamps of the invention. The extruded profile preferably comprises a foamed polymeric cushioning layer adapted to contact the outside surface of a pipe section or segment and a substantially unfoamed plastic skin disposed on that side of the foamed cushioning layer that is opposite the pipe. If desired, cooperatively aligned protrusions and receptacles can be extruded as part of the unfoamed plastic skin. These protrusions and receptacles, when folded into proximity with each other as the clamp is placed around a pipe during installation, can be pressed into frictional engagement with each other to assist in maintaining the pipe support in the desired configuration relative to the supported pipe while attaching the pipe support to a structural support member. The acoustic pipe clamps made in accordance with the present invention can be attached to a structural support member using nails, screws, or any other similarly effective means. The subject acoustic pipe clamps can be attached to a structural support member by inserting fasteners through the clamp in a direction that is either parallel or transverse to a pipe segment supported by the clamp. If desired, the acoustic pipe clamps can be perforated in desired locations by drilling, punching or the like prior to inserting the fasteners through the clamps.
Alternatively, pipe support members in the form of straps having a smooth, unfoamed plastic side and an adhered, foamed polymeric side can be made, for example by continuously coextruding a web or webs having a total width equal to several strap widths that is slit or split longitudinally, for example, to produce narrower straps that can be rolled for packaging and subsequently cut to a desired length at the use site. If desired, the coextruded straps can be perforated longitudinally after exiting the extruder but prior to rolling and packaging. Extruded acoustic pipe supports of this type can be installed directly to beams, joists or other structural framing members using nails, screws or other similarly satisfactory fasteners inserted through cooperatively aligned perforations on oppositely disposed ends of a strap segment.
According to one particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, an acoustic pipe support system is disclosed herein that comprises an extruded acoustic pipe support strap in combination with a formed wire hanger having one end that is insertable through perforations near opposed ends of the strap to form a loop capable of supporting a pipe segment, and a second end that is insertable through the intermediate web portion of a composite support member such as a laminated joist having an I-beam cross-section to suspend the looped strap and the pipe segment supported by the strap.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2317825 (1943-04-01), Teas, Sr.
patent: 3035297 (1962-05-01), Overman et al.
patent: 3203653 (1965-08-01), Hall
patent: 3219302 (1965-11-01), Smith
patent: 3243151 (1966-03-01), Varney et al.
patent: 3244388 (1966-04-01), Coffman
patent: 3312442 (1967-04-01), Moeller
patent: 3483285 (1969-12-01), Foley
patent: 3511007 (1970-05-01), Babcock
patent: 3606218 (1971-09-01), Enlund et al.
patent: 3684223 (1972-08-01), Logsdon
patent: 3802655 (1974-04-01), Schuplin
patent: 3848839 (1974-11-01), Tillman
patent: 4150184 (1979-04-01), Tesch
patent: 4183485 (1980-01-01), Gladieux
patent: 4227668 (1980-10-01), Ernst
patent: 4318518 (1982-03-01), Davis
patent: 4323088 (1982-04-01), McClellan
patent: 4340557 (1982-07-01), Gross
patent: 4442994 (1984-04-01), Logsdon
patent: 4509713 (1985-04-01), Hogg
patent: 4530478 (1985-07-01), McClellan
patent: 4619430 (1986-10-01), Hogg
patent: 4713271 (1987-12-01), Searl et al.
patent: 4772507 (1988-09-01), Leo et al.
patent: 4796841 (1989-01-01), Baker et al.
patent: 4808450 (1989-02-01), Guy
patent: 4934635 (1990-06-01), Sherman
patent: 5002243 (1991-03-01), Kraus et al.
patent: 5028030 (1991-07-01), Lewis
patent: 5149037 (1992-09-01), Smith
patent: 5226892 (1993-07-01), Boswell
patent: 5277387 (1994-01-01), Lewis et al.
patent: 5300355 (1994-04-01), Mifune et al.
patent: 5324461 (1994-06-01), Grohman
patent: 5385320 (1995-01-01), Ismert et al.
patent: 5458303 (1995-10-01), Ruckwardt
patent: 5544849 (1996-08-01), Peterson et al.
patent: 5588683 (1996-12-01), Schliessner
patent: 5647563 (1997-07-01), Gantner et al.
patent: 5702994 (1997-12-01), Klosel
patent: 5890683 (1999-04-01), DePietro
patent: 6012691 (2000-01-01), van Leeuwen et al.
patent: 6089513 (2000-07-01), Cau et al.
patent: 6098932 (2000-08-01), Olesen
patent: 6126119 (2000-10-01), Giangrasso
patent: 6129054 (2000-10-01), Campbell
patent: 6135397 (2000-10-01), Santa Cruz et al.
patent: 6253794 (2001-07-01), Riesselmann et al.
Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP
LSP Products Group, Inc.
Ramirez Ramon O.
Ross Monty L.
Szumny Jon
LandOfFree
Extruded acoustic pipe support does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Extruded acoustic pipe support, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Extruded acoustic pipe support will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3110434