Support for tubing and method of using same

• US 20100258684A1
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IPEX Technologies, Inc. (Ipex)
• Original Assignee: IPEX Technologies, Inc. (Ipex)
• Inventors: Marquis-Martin, Guillaume Hugo
• Application Number:
  US12/385,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20100258684A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/67.700
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/1041 and being adapted to accommodate pipes of various diameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/34 using separate protective tubing

Abstract

A stand formed of two identical halves for holding tubing of different diameter is disclosed. The support has a securing mechanism to secure the two halves at different relative distances from one another. Each of the halves of the stand have a corresponding clamping surface. When the two clamping surfaces of the two halves are secured together with the clamping surfaces facing each other, the clamping surfaces form a clamp to hold the tubing. The two halves can be secured at different relative distances from one another to accommodate tubes of different diameters between the clamping surfaces. The clamping surfaces have an arcuate portion which hold the centre of the tubing a predetermined distance from the base of the stand regardless of the diameter of the tubing. The stand can be attached to a cement form during building construction to hold the tubing a predetermined distance above the cement form.

Claims

1. A support for holding tubing, said support comprising:

a first body having a first clamping surface for contacting the tubing;

a second body having a second clamping surface for contacting the tubing and co-operating with the first clamping surface to form a clamp around the tubing;

a securing mechanism for securing the first body to the second body with the first clamping surface facing the second clamping surface to form the clamp for holding the tubing between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface;

wherein, when the tubing is placed between the first clamping surface facing the second clamping surface and in contact therewith, the securing mechanism secures the first body to the second body to form the clamp for holding the tubing.

2. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein the securing mechanism secures the first body to the second body at different relative distances;

and

wherein, when the tubing is placed between the first clamping surface facing the second clamping surface, the securing mechanism secures the first body to the second body at a relative distance permitting the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface to hold the tubing there between.

3. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein the securing mechanism secures the first body to the second body with the first clamping surface facing the second clamping surface at two or more predetermined relative distances, said two or more predetermined relative distances corresponding to two or more different standard diameters of tubing to be held between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface;

and

wherein, when the tubing is placed between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface, the securing mechanism secures the first body to the second body at a predetermined relative distance corresponding to a diameter of the tubing held between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface.

4. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein the clamp has a clamp longitudinal axis extending between the first and second clamping surfaces and the tubing has a tube longitudinal axis extending along a centre of the tubing;

and

wherein the tube longitudinal axis is substantially aligned with the clamp longitudinal axis when the tubing is held by the clamp.

5. The support as defined in claim 4 wherein the first clamping surface has a first remote portion located furthest from the second clamping surface measured along a lateral axis perpendicular to the clamp axis and extending between the first body and the second body;

and

wherein, when the securing mechanism secures the second body to the first body, the tubing contacts the remote portion.

6. The support as defined in claim 5 wherein the second clamping surface biases the tubing to the first remote portion along the first clamping surface when the first body is secured to the second body.

7. The support as defined in claim 5 wherein the first clamping surface has a first arcuate surface defining a first radius of curvature equal to or greater than a maximum diameter of tubing which can be held in the clamp;

wherein the first remote portion corresponds to a portion of the first arcuate surface located furthest from the second clamping surface along the lateral axis.

8. The support as defined in claim 5 wherein the first body comprises a first base having a first contact surface for contacting a surface when the first body is secured to the second body;

and

wherein, when the first body is secured to the second body, the second clamping surface biases the tubing to the first remote portion such that the tube axis is substantially the same predetermined distance from the first contact surfaces for different diameters of tubing.

15. The support as defined in claim 4 further comprising at least:

a first lateral support extending from the first body towards and engaging the second body; and

wherein the securing mechanism comprises a first plurality of indentations on the first lateral support which engage a hooking mechanism extending laterally from the second body towards the first body to secure the first body with respect to the second body at predetermined relative distances defined by the first plurality of indentations, said predetermined relative distances corresponding to a diameter of tubing which can be held between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface.

16. The support as defined in claim 15 further comprising:

a second lateral support extending from the second body towards the first body;

wherein the second lateral extension has a rail which engages a channel on the first lateral extension permitting relative lateral movement of the first body with respect to the second body until the hooking mechanism, extending laterally from the second body towards the first body, secures the first body with respect to the second body by engaging one of the plurality of indentations on the first lateral extension at a predetermined relative distance corresponding to the diameter of the tube held between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface.

17. The support as defined in claim 16 wherein the securing mechanism comprises a second plurality of indentations on the second lateral support which engages a hooking mechanism extending laterally from the first body towards the second body to secure the first body with respect to the second body at predetermined relative distances defined by the second plurality of indentations, said predetermined relative distances corresponding to the predetermined relative distances of the first plurality of indentations on the first lateral support.

18. The support as defined in claim 17 wherein the first body is substantially identical to the second body.

19. The support as defined in claim 4 wherein the first clamping surface comprises at least two arms extending upwards from a first mid-section of the first body, said first mid-section extending in a direction parallel to the clamping axis for a clamping distance;

and

wherein the second clamping surface comprises at least two arms extending upwards from a second mid-section of the second body extending in a direction parallel to the clamping axis for the clamping distance.

20. The support as defined in claim 19 wherein first body comprises a first base extending from the first mid-section and terminating at the first contact surface for contacting a surface of a cement form, and, the second body comprises a second base extending from the second mid-section and terminating at a second contact surface for contacting the surface of the cement form;

and

wherein the tube is Electrical Non-Metallic Tubing (ENT); and

wherein the first mid-section and the second mid-section support the ENT a predetermined distance from the surface of the cement form along the clamping axis for the clamping distance.

21. The support as defined in claim 20 wherein the first body is substantially identical to the second body, and, the clamping distance is at least one inch.

22. The support as defined in claim 21 further comprising at least one attachment mechanism for attaching the support to the cement form.

9. The support as defined in 8 wherein the second body comprises a second base having a second contact surface for contacting the surface when the first body is secured to the second body;

and

wherein the second clamping surface has a second accurate surface defining a second radius of curvature substantially equal to the first radius of curvature and the second clamping surface has a second remote portion corresponding to a portion of the second accurate surface located furthest from the first clamping surface measured along the lateral axis; and

wherein, when the first body is secured to the second body, the first clamping surface biases the tubing to the second remote portion such that the tube axis is substantially the same predetermined distance from the second contact surface for different diameters of tubing.

10. The support as defined in claim 9 wherein the first body is substantially identical to the second body.

11. The support as defined in claims 9 wherein the first body comprises a first attachment mechanism for attaching the first body to the surface.

12. The support as defined in claim 11 wherein the second body comprises a second attachment mechanism for attaching the second base to the surface;

and

wherein the first attachment mechanism attaches the first body to the surface and the second attachment mechanism attaches the second body to the surface while the securing mechanism secures the first body to the second body to form the clamp holding the tubing.

13. The support as defined in claim 11 wherein the surface is a surface of a cement form, and the tube is Electrical Non-Metallic Tubing (ENT);

and

wherein, when the first body is secured to the second body, and the first and second attachment mechanisms have attached the first body and the second body to the cement form, respectively, the tube axis of the ENT will be held at the same predetermined distance from the cement form for different diameters of ENT.

14. The support as defined in claim 13 wherein the first base comprises at least two tapering legs extending from a mid-section of the first body and terminating at the first contact surface;

and

wherein the second base comprises at least two tapering legs extending from a mid-section of the second body and terminating at the second contact surface; and

wherein the total surface area of the first contact surface and the second contact surface contacting the cement form is less than ¼

of a square inch.

23. A method for support tubing with respect to a cement form, said method comprising:

providing a first body having a first clamping surface;

providing a second body having a second clamping surface;

placing the tube between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface;

moving the first body towards the second body until the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface form a clamp to hold the tubing; and

securing the first body to the second body while the clamp is holding the tube.

24. A method as defined in claim 23 further comprising:

attaching the first body to the cement form while the first body is secured to the second body and the clamp is holding the tube.

25. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the first clamping surface has a first remote portion located furthest from the second clamping surface measured along a lateral axis parallel to the cement form;

wherein, when the first body is secured to the second body, the second clamping surface biases the tubing against the first clamping surface to cause the tubing to move to the first remote position on the first clamping surface furthest from the second clamping surface regardless of the diameter of the tubing such that a tube longitudinal axis extending along a centre of the tubing will be a substantially predetermined distance from the cement form regardless of the diameter of the tubing.

26. A method as defined in claim 23 wherein the securing mechanism secures the first body to the second body with the first clamping surface facing the second clamping surface at two or more predetermined relative distances, said two or more relative predetermined distances corresponding to two or more different standard diameters of tubing to be held between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

securing the first body to the second body with the securing mechanism at the predetermined relative distance corresponding to the diameter of the tube placed between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface.

27. A support for holding tubing a predetermined distance from a surface of a cement form prior to cement being poured, said support comprising:

a first body having a first base with a first contact surface for contacting the cement form and a first clamping surface for contacting the tubing;

a second body having a second base with a second contact surface for contacting the cement form and a second clamping surface for contacting the tubing and co-operating with the first clamping surface to form a clamp around the tubing;

a security mechanism for securing the first body to the second body with the first clamping surface facing the second clamping surface to form the clamp for holding the tubing there between, said securing mechanism securing the first body to the second body at different relative distances;

wherein the tubing is placed between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface and the securing mechanism secures the first body to the second body at a relative distance such that the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface are in contact and holding the tubing; and

wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface contact the surface of the cement form to hold the tubing the predetermined distance with respect to the surface of the cement form.

28. The support as defined in claim 27 wherein the clamp has a clamp longitudinal axis extending between the first and second clamping surfaces and the tubing has a tube longitudinal axis extending along a centre of the tubing;

and

wherein the tube longitudinal axis is substantially aligned with the clamp longitudinal axis when the tubing is held by the clamp.

29. The support as defined in claim 28 wherein the securing mechanism is integrally formed with the first body and the second body.

30. The support as defined in claim 29 wherein the first body comprises a first lateral support extending from the first body to the second body and engaging the second body;

wherein the securing mechanism comprises a first plurality of indentations on the first lateral extension which engage a hooking mechanism extending laterally from the second body towards the first body to secure the first body with respect to the second body at predetermined relative distances defined by the first plurality of indentations, said predetermined relative distances corresponding to a diameter of tubing which can be held between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface.

31. The support as defined in claim 30 further comprising:

a second lateral support extending from the second body towards the first body and engaging the first body;

wherein the second lateral extension has a rail which engages a channel on the first lateral extension permitting relative lateral movement of the first body with respect to the second body until the hooking mechanism, extending laterally from the second body towards the first body, secures the first body with respect to the second body by engaging one of the plurality of indentations on the first lateral extension at a predetermined relative distance corresponding to the diameter of the tubing held between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface; and

wherein the securing mechanism comprises a second plurality of indentations on the second lateral extension which engages a hooking mechanism extending laterally from the first body towards the second body to secure the first body with respect to the second body at predetermined relative distances defined by the second plurality of indentations, said predetermined relative distances corresponding to the predetermined relative distances of the first plurality of indentations on the first lateral extension.

32. The support as defined in claim 31 wherein the first body is substantially identical to the second body.

33. The support as defined in claim 27 wherein the first clamping surface has a first arcuate surface having a remote portion furthest from the second clamping surface measured along a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the clamp axis and extending between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface;

and

wherein when the tubing is placed between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface, the relative distance between the first body and the second body is decreased causing the tube to be biased toward the first clamping surface and move towards the remote position regardless of the diameter of the tubing.

34. The support as defined in claim 33 wherein the lateral axis intersects the clamp axis and is parallel to the surface of the cement form when the first and second contact surfaces are in contact with the cement form;

and

wherein the lateral axis intersects the remote portion; and

wherein the tubing moves along the first arcuate surface towards the remote portion regardless of the diameter of the tubing such that the tubing axis is substantially intersected by the lateral axis; and

wherein the distance of the lateral axis to the cement form when the first and second contact surfaces are in contact with the cement form correspond to the predetermined distance.

35. The support as defined in claim 34 further comprising an attachment mechanism to attach the support to the cement form when the first body is secured to the second body and the clamp is holding the tubing.

36. The support as defined in claim 28 wherein the first body comprises a first mid-section intermediate the first clamping surface and the base, said first mid-section extending parallel to the clamp axis for a clamp distance and supporting the tubing for the clamp distance above the cement form, said clamp distance being greater than one inch.

37. A body securable to an identical other body to form a support holding tubing, said body comprising:

a clamping surface for facing a clamping surface of the other identical body and co-operating therewith to form a clamp extending along a clamp axis for holding the tubing;

a lateral support extending along a lateral axis perpendicular to the clamp axis, said lateral support co-operating with a lateral support on the other identical body to support the tubing;

a part of a securing mechanism for securing the body to the other identical body with the clamping surface facing the clamping surface of the other identical body and the tubing placed there between, said part of the securing mechanism co-operating with an identical part of the securing mechanism on the other identical body to secure the body to the other identical at a relative distance corresponding to a diameter of the tubing.

38. The body as defined in claim 37 wherein the part of the securing mechanism comprises:

a plurality of indentations on the lateral extension which engage a hooking mechanism on the other identical body, at least one of said plurality of indentations corresponding to a diameter of tubing to be held by the clamp; and

a hooking mechanism for engaging a plurality of indentations on the other identical body.