Modular rooftop pipe support

• US 8,356,778 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Original Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Inventors: Birli, Mary E., Anderson, Scott E., Lynch, Edward J., Laughlin, Raymond S., Osborn, Eric C., Olle, Raymond M.
• Primary Examiner(s): STERLING, AMY JO
• Application Number:
  US12/641,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20100155545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 248/49, 248/68.1, 248/65
• US Class Current: 248/73
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/127 and extending away from the attachment surface
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/13 and engaging it by snap action F16L3/1203 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/20 allowing movement in transverse direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/2235 each pipe being supported by a common element fastened to the base
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/237 for two pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/243 the special member being inserted in the profiled girder

Abstract

An extruded or molded elastomeric (e.g., rubber) or polymeric multi-piece (e.g., two-piece) modular pipe support system utilizes a wide base with protrusions and/or recesses, and a separate top with recesses and/or protrusions that engage the protrusions and/or recesses of the top. The tops are configured to securely capture a pipe/conduit without any additional parts, straps, etc. The top may have one or more pipe-receiving recesses for receiving the pipes (conduits).

Claims

1. A rooftop pipe support comprising:

a base; and

a top portion having a pipe-receiving recess;

wherein one of the top portion or the base has protrusions that engage protrusion-engaging recesses in the other of the top portion or the base, holding the base and the top portion together;

wherein the top portion may be engaged to the base at multiple different heights above a bottom wall of the base;

wherein the pipe-receiving recess is bounded at a bottom portion of the pipe-receiving recess that is closest to the bottom wall, by a rounded surface of the top portion;

wherein, when the top portion is engaged with the base, a closest distance between the rounded surface and the bottom wall of the base, is between, in a direction parallel to the bottom wall, a pair of other locations on the rounded surface that are at a greater distance than the closest distance from the bottom wall;

wherein at least part of the top portion is received into a vertical channel in the base;

wherein the protrusions include teeth of the at least part of the top portion;

wherein the protrusion-engaging recesses are tooth-receiving recesses on opposing inner surfaces of the channel; and

wherein the teeth are angled downward, toward a bottom wall of the base.

2. The pipe support of claim 1, wherein the base and the top portion are both monolithic continuous pieces of a single material.

3. A rooftop pipe support comprising:

a base; and

a top portion having a pipe-receiving recess;

wherein one of the top portion or the base has protrusions that engage protrusion-engaging recesses in the other of the top portion or the base, holding the base and the top portion together;

wherein the top portion may be engaged to the base at multiple different heights above a bottom wall of the base; and

wherein protrusion-engaging recesses have open ends, and the top portion and the base are engaged by sliding the protrusions into the recesses through the open ends, in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the base.

4. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein the top portion and the base are both made of an elastomeric or polymeric material.

5. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein the top portion and the base are both made of the same material.

6. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein the top portion and the base are both made of a polymeric material.

7. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein the base has a substantially trapezoidal shape.

8. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein the support is a modular pipe support, with the top portion being one of a set of multiple top portions, each of which is configured to engage the base.

9. The pipe support of claim 3,

wherein the top portion has arms that extend away from a remainder of the top portion in a direction away from the bottom wall of the base;

and

wherein the arms define in part the pipe-receiving recess.

10. The pipe support of claim 9, further comprising a collapsible web in the pipe-receiving recess.

11. The pipe support of claim 9, further comprising a clip coupling the arms together.

12. The pipe support of claim 11, wherein the clip engages lips at distal ends of the arms.

13. The pipe support of claim 9, wherein top portion has one or more grooves along a bottom of the rounded surface.

14. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein the top portion includes a collapsible web that changes shape to accommodate different sizes of objects placed in contact with the web.

15. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein the base and the top portion are both monolithic continuous pieces of a single material.

16. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein at least part of the top portion is received into a vertical channel in the base.

17. The pipe support of claim 16,

wherein the protrusions include teeth of the at least part of the top portion;

wherein the protrusion-engaging recesses are tooth-receiving recesses on opposing inner surfaces of the channel.

18. The pipe support of claim 17, wherein the teeth are angled downward, toward a bottom wall of the base.

19. The pipe support of claim 3, wherein the top portion includes a toothed post that is inserted into and engaged with a tooth-lined channel of the base.