Staple hook pipe hanger

• US 5,845,882 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Bruno
• Original Assignee: James Bruno
• Inventors: Bruno, James, Hodges, B. Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US08/721,464
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 248/59, 248/58, 248/62, 248/74.2, 248/289.11, 411/457, 411/451, 411/920, 411/921, 33/483, 33/759, 33/760, 33/920
• US Class Current: 248/59
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/02 Suspension devices for tubes or the like, e.g. for ventilating ducts supporting pipes, cables or protective tubing in general F16L3/00 - F16L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/133 and hanging from a pendant F16L3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/92 Staple

Abstract

A pipe hanger for suspending a pipe from a support structure at a variety of angles includes a stem and a flexible hook attached to the stem. The stem has at least one groove suitable for accepting a staple for hanging the pipe hanger from the support structure. The grooves may be polygonal, allowing the pipe hanger to be suspended at a variety of angles. The hook has a curved portion to accept a pipe in a snap-fit position. The stem may be shortened to a suitable length by severing the stem at any one of the grooves.

Claims

1. A pipe hanger for suspending a pipe from a support structure, the pipe hanger comprising:

a rigid, elongate stem suitable for mounting to a support structure, the rigid, elongate stem defining an axis and comprising a mounting means defined by at least one channel circumferentially disposed about the rigid, elongate stem and suitable for accepting a fastening means; and

at least one curved portion connected to the rigid, elongate stem for receiving the pipe wherein the curved portion comprises a free end, the free end and the rigid, elongate stem defining a distance between the rigid, elongate stem and the free end.

2. The pipe hanger of claim 1 wherein the channel has a cross section that is substantially polygonal.

3. The pipe hanger of claim 2 wherein the cross-section of the channel is an even number sided polygon.

4. The pipe hanger of claim 3 wherein the rigid elongate stem has a cross section that is substantially polygonal.

5. The pipe hanger of claim 4 wherein the cross-section of the stem is an even number sided polygon.

6. A pipe hanger arrangement for mounting at least one pipe on an incline relative to a support structure the pipe hanger arrangement and at an angle to a support structure comprising a plurality of pipe hangers according to claim 2, wherein;

the curved portion of each pipe hanger receives and secures a pipe in a snap fit connection;

the hangers are mounted to a plurality of supports at different heights on the support relative to the adjacent pipe hangers and at an angle to the plane of the support structure; and

an axis defined by the curved portions of each pipe hanger is at an angle relative to the support structure so as to mount the pipe at an incline and at an angle to the support structure.

7. The pipe hanger according to claim 2 wherein the curved portion forms an arc of about 270 degrees.

8. The pipe hanger according to claim 2 wherein the pipe hanger is integrally molded in one piece from a resilient plastic material.

9. The pipe hanger of claim 1 further comprising fastening means wherein the fastening means is frictionally retained in the channel.

10. The pipe hanger of claim 9 wherein the fastening means is at least one staple.

11. The pipe hanger of claim 10 wherein the rigid elongate stem has graduated markings and graduated numerals affixed to it to assist in placing the curved portion of the pipe hanger at a desired distance from the support structure.

12. The pipe hanger of claim 10 wherein the curved portion has a radius of curvature where the radius of curvature defines an arc from a junction where the curved portion attaches to the rigid, elongate stem to the free end of the curved portion of at least 180 degrees, so that the distance between the rigid, elongate stem and the free end is slightly less than a diameter of a pipe such that the pipe can be securely seated and snap-fit into the curved portion by forcing the pipe downward toward the curved portion from a position between the end of the curved portion and the rigid, elongate stem.

13. The pipe hanger according to claim 1 further comprising at least one outwardly extending rib extending along side of the curved portion.

14. The pipe hanger according to claim 1 further comprising a junction where the curved portion attaches to the rigid, elongate stem, a locking lobe located at the junction such that the locking lobe extends the arc of the curved portion, wherein the locking lobe is shaped to force the free end of the curved portion to flex outwardly when a pipe is forced downward into the curved portion so that the pipe snaps below the locking lobe and is securely fastened in the curved portion in a snap-fit connection.

15. The pipe hanger according to claim 11 wherein the at least one curved portion forms an arc of about 270 degrees.

16. The pipe hanger according to claim 14 wherein the curved portion comprises two curved members, each having a radius of curvature extending beyond 180 degrees, and each connected to the elongate stem by a cross piece that is integrally mounted to the rigid, elongate stem.

17. The pipe hanger according to claim 1 wherein:

the channels include interior sides of channels so that a cross-section of the interior sides of channels, taken perpendicular to the axis of the rigid, elongate stem, forms a symmetrical shape such that, when a staple having staple legs is used as the fastening means, the staple legs will fit around parallel interior sides of channels snugly;

the rigid, elongate stem includes beveled edges that are parallel to the sides of any channels other than those parallel to the sides of the rigid, elongate stem so that a staple may snugly fit the elongate stem at a plurality of angles and the beveled edges provide for a flat mating surface to the support structure, allowing attachment of the pipe hanger to be mounted to a support structure at a variety of angles;

a junction is located where the rigid, elongate stem and the curved portion meet, a locking lobe is located at the junction reducing the distance between the rigid, elongate stem and the free end of the curved portion; and

the curved portion has a diameter and a radius of curvature that defines an arc from the junction of the curved portion and the rigid, elongate stem to the free end of the curved portion, such that the distance between the rigid, elongate stem and the free end is reduced by the locking lobe, and is less than the diameter of the curved portion with the curved portion being designed so that a pipe having a diameter approximately the same as the diameter of the curved portion can be securely seated and snap-fit into the curved portion by forcing the pipe downward toward the curved portion from a position between the free end of the curved portion and the stem.

18. The pipe hanger according to claim 1 wherein the curved portion comprises two curved members, each having a radius of curvature extending beyond 180 degrees, and each connected to the elongate stem by a cross piece that is integrally mounted to the rigid, elongate stem.