Pipe protector and support

• US 6,796,335 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2001
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reliance Worldwide Corporation (GSA Industries Pty Limited)
• Original Assignee: Securus Incorporated (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hubbard, Mark David, Kendall, Thomas Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): HOOK, JAMES F
• Application Number:
  US09/970,394
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 138/106, 138/107, 138/112, 138/89, 220/234, 220/235, 220/236, 220/254.3, 220/254.8, 220/259.3, 220/293, 220/295, 220/304, 220/314, 248/57, 248/68.1, 248/71
• US Class Current: 138/106
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/1226 elongated supports, e.g. to support a curved pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 57/005 specially adapted for the ends of pipes

Abstract

An elongated strap has a plurality of openings sized to hold plumbing pipes extending through the openings. The openings have a periphery that undulates so the periphery extends on opposing sides of the strap to increase the periphery in contact with the pipe along the longitudinal axis of the pipe. A fluid-tight pipe cover releasably connects to further openings in the strap. The pipe cover has a first, open end sized to fit over the pipe. The open end has projections cooperating with the further openings to releasably fasten the cover to the strap. The cover has a closed, distal end that extends beyond the distal end of the pipe during use of the device. A seal is interposed between the cover and the pipe during use of the device to prevent the passage of fluid from the pipe past the seal.

Claims

1. A plumbing device for use with a pipe having a distal end with an opening through which fluid flows during use of the pipe, the device comprising:

a support having a first hole through which the pipe extends a given distance, the support cooperating with the pipe to support the pipe during use of the device, the support having additional openings around the hole through which the pipe extends;

a fluid tight cover having a first, open end sized to fit over the pipe during use of the device, the cover having projections extending beyond the open end and being located to correspond with the location of at least some of the openings in the support, the projections being configured to engage the at least some openings to fasten the cover to the support during use of the device, the cover also having a closed, distal end that extends beyond the distal end of the pipe during use of the device; and

a fluid seal interposed between the cover and the pipe during use of the device so as to prevent the passage of fluid from the pipe past the seal.

2. The plumbing device of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a strap adapted to be fastened to a support in a building, the strap having at least one aperture adjacent each end of the strap so allow passage of fasteners to fasten the strap to the support during use of the device.

3. The plumbing device of claim 1 wherein the projections form a bayonet mount.

4. The plumbing device of claim 1, wherein the projections comprise resilient members having a tapered portion on a distal end of the projections to releasably and resiliently engage the additional openings in the support during use of the plumbing device.

5. The plumbing device of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a radial seal located so that the seal is interposed between a exterior circumference of the pipe and an interior of the cover during use of the plumbing device.

6. The plumbing device of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises an axial seal located so that the seal is interposed between the distal end of the pipe and the cover during use of the plumbing device.

7. The plumbing device of claim 1, wherein the cover has a removable distal end and the seal is located so that the seal is axially compressed between the removable distal end of the cover and the distal end of the pipe during use of the plumbing device.

8. The plumbing device of claim 1, wherein the hole in the support has a periphery forming an edge sized to support the pipe during use of the device, with an undulation on the edge of the opening causing the edge to extend on opposing sides of the support.

9. The plumbing device of claim 7, wherein the fluted openings are formed by flutes having a triangular shape when viewed along an axis orthogonal to the support.

10. A device for use with a pipe having a distal end with an opening through which fluid flows during use of the pipe, the device comprising:

a strip of material having a length sufficient to extend between two building supports and apertures adjacent ends of the strip of material sized to allow the passage of fasteners to fasten the strip of material to the supports, the strip of material having therein a plurality of circular holes each of which has at least two slots concentric with the hole, wherein the slots are arcuate and further comprising a secondary opening adjacent to and concentric with each slot, the slots and secondary openings being configured so they can accommodate a bayonet mount during use of the device.

11. A device for use with a pipe having a distal end with an opening through which fluid flows during use of the pipe, the device comprising:

a strip of material having a length sufficient to extend between two building supports and apertures adjacent ends of the strip of material sized to allow the passage of fasteners to fasten the strip of material to the supports, the strip of material having therein a plurality of circular holes each of which has at least two slots concentric with the holewherein the slots are arcuate and further comprising a secondary opening adjacent to and concentric with each slot, the slots and secondary openings being configured so they can accommodate a bayonet mount during use of the device, wherein the holes have a periphery that undulates onto opposing sides of the strip of material, with at least four undulations.

12. A device for use with a pipe having a distal end with an opening through which fluid flows during use of the pipe, the device comprising:

a strip of material having a length sufficient to extend between two building supports and apertures adjacent ends of the strip of material sized to allow the passage of fasteners to fasten the strip of material to the supports, the strip of material having therein a plurality of circular holes each of which has at least two slots concentric with the holewherein the slots are arcuate and further comprising a secondary opening adjacent to and concentric with each slot, the slots and secondary openings being configured so they can accommodate a bayonet mount during use of the device;

a fluid tight cover having a first, open end sized to fit over the pipe during use of the device, the cover having projections extending beyond the open end and located to correspond with the location of the slots on opposing sides of the holes, the projections being sized to engage the slots to fasten the cover to the strip of material, the cover having a closed, distal end that extends beyond the distal end of the pipe during use of the device; and

a radial seal on the inside of the cover located to sealingly contact the pipe when a pipe extends through one of the holes during use of the device.

13. A device for use with a pipe having a distal end with an opening through which fluid flows during use of the pipe, the device comprising:

a strip of material having a length sufficient to extend between two building supports and apertures adjacent ends of the strip of material sized to allow the passage of fasteners to fasten the strip of material to the supports, the strip of material having therein a plurality of circular holes each of which has at least two slots concentric with the holewherein the slots are arcuate and further comprising a secondary opening adjacent to and concentric with each slot, the slots and secondary openings being configured so they can accommodate a bayonet mount during use of the device,

a fluid tight cover having a first, open end sized to fit over the pipe during use of the device, the open end having projections extending away from and along a length of cover and located to correspond with the location of the slots on opposing sides of the holes, the projections being sized to engage the slots to fasten the cover to the strip of material, the cover having a closed, distal end that extends beyond the distal end of the pipe during use of the device; and

an axial seal on the inside of the cover, sized and located so the seal will be sealingly interposed between the cover and a distal end of a pipe extending through one of the holes during use of the device when the projections engage the slots.

14. The plumbing device of claim 13, wherein the cover has a removable distal end and the seal is located so that the seal is axially compressed between the removable distal end of the cover and the distal end of the pipe during use of the plumbing device.

15. A device for use with a pipe having a distal end with an opening through which fluid flows during use of the pipe, the device comprising:

a strip of material having a length sufficient to extend between two building supports and apertures adjacent ends of the strip of material sized to allow the passage of fasteners to fasten the strip of material to the supports, the strip of material having therein a plurality of circular holes each of which has at least two slots concentric with the holewherein the slots are arcuate and further comprising a secondary opening adjacent to and concentric with each slot, the slots and secondary openings being configured so they can accommodate a bayonet mount during use of the device;

a fluid tight cover having a first, open end sized to fit over the pipe during use of the device, the cover having projections extending beyond the open end and located to correspond with the location of the slots on opposing sides of the holes, the projections being resilient and having an inclined distal end adjacent a notch to releasably engage the slots to removably fasten the cover to the strip of material during use of the device, the cover having a closed, distal end that extends beyond the distal end of the pipe during use of the device; and

an seal on the inside of the cover sealingly interposed between the cover and a pipe extending through one of the holes during use of the device when the projections engage the slots.

16. A plumbing device for use with a pipe support adapted to be fastened to a support in a building, the pipe support having a first hole through which a plumbing pipe extends a given distance, the pipe support cooperating with the pipe to support the pipe during use of the device, the pipe support having additional openings around the hole through which the pipe extends, comprising:

a fluid tight cover having a first, open end with projections located to correspond with the location of at least some of the openings in the pipe support, the projections engaging the at least some openings to fasten the cover to the pipe support, the cover having a closed, distal end that extends beyond the distal end of the pipe during use of the device; and

a seal sealingly interposed between the interior of the cover and the pipe during use of the device to prevent the passage of fluid from the pipe past the seal.

17. The plumbing device of claim 16, wherein the cover has a removable distal end and the seal is located so that the seal is axially compressed between the removable distal end of the cover and the distal end of the pipe during use of the plumbing device.

18. The plumbing device of claim 16, wherein the cover has resilient projections at the open end and forming a bayonet mount.

19. A method of temporarily protecting a pipe having a distal end with an opening through which fluid flows during use of the pipe, the pipe extending through a hole in a plumbing support which is fastened to a building support, the method comprising:

placing a fluid tight cover over the distal end of the pipe, the cover having a first, open end sized to fit over the pipe during use of the device, the cover having resilient projections at the open end, the cover having a closed, distal end that extends beyond the distal end of the pipe during use of the device;

engaging a seal located on the inside of the cover and interposed between the cover and the pipe to prevent the passage of fluid from the pipe past the seal; and

engaging the projections on the cover with mating openings in the plumbing support to restrain movement of the plumbing device along the length of the cover.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the cover has a removable distal end, the method further comprising locating the seal between the removable cover and the distal end of the pipe so the seal is axially compressed against the removable distal end of the cover and the distal end of the pipe during use of the device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing the projections in the form of a bayonet mount and providing openings in the pipe support to accept insertion, rotation and locking of the bayonet mount projections.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the projections comprise resilient members having a notched distal end, and further comprising inserting the notched end through openings in the pipe support to resiliently and releasably engage the surface of the pipe support opposite the cover.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing a series of undulations around the hole so that a periphery of the hole extends on opposing sides of the pipe support.