Wire support

• US 7,282,646 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Professional Partners Limited Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Professional Partners Limited Incorporated
• Inventors: Neujahr, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US11/063,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20060185887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 174/53, 174/57, 174/58, 174/135, 174/54, 174/55, 211/60.1, 220/3.2, 220/3.3, 248/68.1, 248/70, 361/826, 439/535
• US Class Current: 174/135
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/30 Installations of cables or lines on walls, floors or ceilings

Abstract

Apparatus and systems for holding and locating one or more wires within a structure are disclosed. A wire support in accordance with the present invention may include a foldable or bendable body including one or more apertures configured to receive an elongated member therethrough. The wire support may include mounting tabs for attaching the wire support to a structural member such as a wall stud or ceiling joist. The mounting tabs may includes several arcuate-shaped flaps adapted to bend or flex about the ends of the body. In use, the wire support can be configured to attach to a structure in a generally flat configuration, or may be folded or bent to a desired shape such as a polyhedron or an L.

Claims

1. A wire support, comprising:

a body having a first end and a second end, said body further having one or more panels;

one or more apertures through said body configured to receive an elongated member therethrough;

a first mounting tab extending from said first end of said body; and

a second mounting tab extending from said second end of said body;

wherein said body further comprises one or more perf-cuts;

wherein each of said one or more perf-cuts are aligned with said one or more apertures.

2. The wire support of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more apertures comprises a plurality of slits.

3. The wire support of claim 2, wherein said plurality of slits are formed in a starburst pattern.

4. The wire support of claim 2, wherein said plurality of slits are adapted to frictionally engage the elongated member.

5. The wire support of claim 1, wherein said elongated member is a wire.

6. The wire support of claim 1, wherein said body comprises corrugated Kraft paper.

7. The wire support of claim 1, wherein said body comprises cardboard.

8. The wire support of claim 1, wherein said body comprises high-density paper.

9. The wire support of claim 1, wherein said one or more panels comprises a plurality of panels.

10. The wire support of claim 9, wherein said plurality of panels can be bent such that said body assumes an L shape.

11. The wire support of claim 9, wherein said plurality of panels can be folded such that said body forms a polyhedron.

12. The wire support of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more perf-cuts comprises a plurality of perforations.

13. The wire support of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second mounting tabs comprises an arcuate-shaped flap.

14. The wire support of claim 13, wherein said arcuate-shaped flaps are adapted to bend relative to said body.

15. The wire support of claim 1, wherein said body includes a set of locking tabs configured to interlock with a set of slots.

16. A wire support, comprising:

a body having a first end and a second end, said body further having one or more panels;

one or more apertures through said body configured to receive an elongated member therethrough;

a first mounting tab extending from said first end of said body; and

a second mounting tab extending from said second end of said body;

wherein said body includes a set of locking tabs configured to interlock with a set of slots.

17. A wire support, comprising:

a body having a first end and a second end, said body including a first panel, a second panel, a third panel, and one or more apertures configured to receive an elongated member therethrough;

a first perf-cut disposed between the first and second panels, said first perf-cut comprising one or more perforations configured to permit bending of the first panel relative to the second panel;

a second perf-cut disposed between the second and third panels, said second perf-cut comprising one or more perforations configured to permit bending of the second panel relative to the third panel;

a plurality of mounting tabs extending from at least one of said first end and said second end of said body; and

one or more apertures, said one or more apertures aligned with the first perf-cut.

18. A wire support, comprising:

a body having a first panel, a second panel, a third panel, and one or more apertures configured to receive an elongated member therethrough;

a first perf-cut disposed between the first and second panels, said first perf-cut comprising one or more perforations configured to permit bending of the first panel relative to the second panel;

a second perf-cut disposed between the second and third panels, said second perf-cut comprising one or more perforations configured to permit bending of the second panel relative to the third panel; and

one or more sets of mounting tabs, each set comprising several arcuate-shaped flaps bendable relative to said body.

19. A wire support, comprising:

a body having a first end, a second end, and two sides;

one or more apertures through said body configured to receive an elongated member therethrough;

a first set of mounting tabs extending from the first end of said body; and

a second set of mounting tabs extending from the second end of said body;

wherein each of said one or more apertures comprises a plurality of slits.

20. The wire support of claim 19, wherein said plurality of slits are formed in a starburst pattern.

21. A wire support, comprising:

a body having a first end, a second end, and two sides;

one or more apertures through said body configured to receive an elongated member therethrough;

a first set of mounting tabs extending from the first end of said body, said first set of mounting tabs comprising several arcuate-shaped flaps; and

a second set of mounting tabs extending from the second end of said body, said second set of mounting tabs comprising several arcuate-shaped flaps.

22. A wire support system, comprising:

an elongated member;

a wire support comprising a body having a first end and a second end, said wire support including one or more apertures configured to receive the elongated member therethrough; and

one or more sets of mounting tabs extending from at least one of said first end and said second end, said one or more sets of mounting tabs configured to secure the wire support to a structure;

wherein said wire support includes a set of locking tabs configured to interlock with a set of slots.

23. The wire support system of claim 22, wherein said elongated member is a wire.

24. The wire support system of claim 22, wherein said elongated member is a wire coil.

25. The wire support system of claim 22, wherein said body includes one or more perf-cuts.

26. The wire support system of claim 25, wherein each of said one or more perf-cuts comprises one or more perforations.

27. The wire support system of claim 22, wherein each of said one or more sets of mounting tabs comprises several arcuate-shaped flaps.

28. The wire support system of claim 27, wherein said arcuate-shaped flaps are adapted to bend relative to said body.

29. The wire support system of claim 22, further comprising fastener means for fastening said one or more sets of mounting tabs to said structure.

30. The wire support system of claim 29, wherein said fastener means are staples.

31. The wire support system of claim 22, wherein each of said one or more apertures comprises a plurality of slits.

32. The wire support system of claim 31, wherein said plurality of slits are formed in a starburst pattern.

33. The wire support system of claim 31, wherein said plurality of slits are adapted to frictionally engage the elongated member.

34. The wire support system of claim 22, wherein said wire support is configured to attach to said structure in a generally flat configuration.

35. The wire support system of claim 22, wherein said wire support is configured to attach to said structure in a bent configuration.

36. The wire support system of claim 22, wherein said wire support is configured to attach to said structure in a folded configuration.

37. The wire support system of claim 25, wherein each of said one or more perf-cuts are aligned with said one or more apertures.

38. A wire support system, comprising:

an elongated member;

a wire support comprising a body having a first end, a second end, two sides, and one or more apertures configured to receive the elongated member therethrough;

a first set of mounting tabs extending from the first end of said body, said first set of mounting tabs comprising several arcuate-shaped flaps; and

a second set of mounting tabs extending from the second end of said body, said second set of mounting tabs comprising several arcuate-shaped flaps.

39. A wire support, comprising:

a body having a first end and a second end, said body including a first panel and a second panel separated from the first panel by a perf-cut extending along said body, said body further including a set of slots and a set of locking tabs configured to interlock with said set of slots;

one or more apertures through said body configured to receive an elongated member therethrough, wherein said perf-cut traverses each of said one or more apertures; and

one or more sets of mounting tabs extending from said body.

40. The wire support of claim 39, wherein the one or more sets of mounting tabs include a first set of mounting tabs extending from said first end of said body and a second set of mounting tabs extending from said second end of said body.

41. The wire support of claim 40, wherein the one or more sets of mounting tabs comprise arcuate-shaped flaps.

42. A wire support system, comprising:

an elongated member;

a wire support comprising a body having a first end and a second end, said wire support including one or more apertures configured to receive the elongated member therethrough; and

one or more sets of mounting tabs extending from at least one of said first end and said second end, said one or more sets of mounting tabs configured to secure the wire support to a structure;

wherein each of said one or more perf-cuts are aligned with said one or more apertures.