Support structures for electrical and plumbing systems

• US 9,169,948 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Jay Buttars
• Original Assignee: David Jay Buttars
• Inventors: Buttars, David Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Safavi, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/250,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20140332637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 248/56, 248/57, 522/201, 522/32, 523/17, D83/73, 428/596, 428/598, 428/603, 428/542.8, 174/668, 174/669
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/021 Devices for positioning or connecting of water supply lines connection to the tap body E03C1/0403
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/028 Alignment aids for plumbing installations
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/08 of metal, e.g. sheet metal E04C2/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/521 serving for locating conduits; for ventilating, heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/08 substantially surrounding the pipe, cable or protective tubing
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/1218 the pipe being only supported and not fixed
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/22 specially adapted for supporting a number of parallel pipes at intervals
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/26 specially adapted for supporting the pipes all along their length, e.g. pipe channels or ducts channels for electric cables formed by wire H02G3/0443
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/125 with supporting bar extending between two separate studs of a wall frame
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/36 Installations of cables or lines in walls, floors or ceilings

Abstract

A support apparatus configured to support free lengths of parallel components in residential implementations comprising a rectangular section and connection flaps. The rectangular section defines support holes and includes a rectangular section width that matches a width of two standard adjacent studs in a residential implementation. The support holes are configured to support and to separate free lengths of multiple, substantially parallel components. A first connection flap extends from a first end of the rectangular section. A second connection flap extends from a second end of the rectangular section. The rectangular section includes a first length between the first connection flap and the second connection flap configured to match a first standard distance between the two adjacent studs. The support apparatus includes a second length inclusive of the first connection flap and the second connection flap configured to match a second standard distance between two adjacent studs.

Claims

1. A support apparatus configured to support free lengths of parallel components in residential implementations, the apparatus comprising:

a rectangular section that defines a plurality of support holes, wherein the rectangular section includes a rectangular section width configured to match a width of two standard adjacent studs in a residential implementation, and wherein the plurality of support holes are configured to support and to separate free lengths of multiple, substantially parallel components;

a first connection flap that extends from a first end of the rectangular section;

a second connection flap that extends from a second end of the rectangular section;

a second section that extends at a substantially right angle from a first side of the rectangular section;

a third connection flap that extends from a first end of the second section;

a fourth connection flap that extends from a second end of the second section;

a third section that extends at a substantially right angle from a second side of the rectangular section;

a fifth connection flap that extends from a first end of the third section; and

a sixth connection flap that extends from a second end of the third section,

wherein;

the rectangular section includes a first length between the first connection flap and the second connection flap that is configured to match a first standard distance between the two adjacent studs in a residential implementation,

the support apparatus includes a second length inclusive of the first connection flap and the second connection flap that is configured to match a second standard distance between two adjacent studs in a residential implementation,

the apparatus includes a third length including the third section inclusive of the fifth and sixth connection flaps which is greater than the second length,

the support apparatus is configurable in a first installation configuration and a second installation configuration,

in the first installation configuration, the first connection flap and the second connection flap are substantially parallel to the rectangular section and contact a top surface of cantilevered sections of a top plate that connects the two adjacent studs, the third connection flap and the fourth connection flap contact a front surface of the cantilevers sections, and the fifth connection flap and the sixth connection flap contact a rear surface of the cantilevers sections, and

in the second installation configuration, the first connection flap and the second connection flap are bent to substantially right angles with respect to the rectangular section and contact interiors surface of the two adjacent studs, the third connection flap and the fourth connection flap contact a front surface of the two adjacent studs, and the fifth connection flap and the sixth connection flap contact a rear surface of the two adjacent studs.

2. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first length includes about fourteen and one-half inches and the second length includes about twenty and one-half inches.

3. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third length includes about twenty-two inches.

4. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support holes include at least two diameters.

5. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support apparatus is constructed of one or more of:

aluminum, a steel alloy, a zinc-coated steel, a zinc-treated steel, a carbon composite, and a rigid plastic.

6. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substantially parallel components include electrical cables exiting the electrical panel that supply electricity to a circuit.

7. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support holes include a supply cable hole and twelve circuit cable holes.

8. The support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising ferrules that are fit in the plurality of support holes.

9. A top plate replacement configured to support electrical cables exiting an electrical panel in residential implementations, the top plate replacement comprising:

a horizontal section that defines a plurality of circuit cable holes and a supply cable hole, wherein the horizontal section includes a width configured to match a width of two standard adjacent studs in a residential implementation;

a first connection flap that extends from a first end of the horizontal section;

a second connection flap that extends from a second end of the horizontal section;

a second section that extends at a substantially right angle from a first side of the horizontal section;

a third connection flap that extends from a first end of the second section;

a fourth connection flap that extends from a second end of the second section;

a third section that extends at a substantially right angle from a second side of the horizontal section;

a fifth connection flap that extends from a first end of the third section; and

a sixth connection flap that extends from a second end of the third section,

wherein;

the horizontal section includes a first length between the first connection flap and the second connection flap that is configured to match a first standard distance between the two adjacent studs in a residential implementation,

the top plate replacement includes a second length inclusive of the first connection flap and the second connection flap that is configured to match a second standard distance between two adjacent studs in a residential implementation,

the top plate replacement includes a third length including the third section inclusive of the fifth and sixth connection flaps which is greater than the second length

the top plate replacement is configurable in a first installation configuration and a second installation configuration,

the first installation configuration includes the first connection flap and the second connection flap substantially parallel to the horizontal section to contact a top surface of cantilevered sections of the top plate connecting the two adjacent studs, the third connection flap and the fourth connection flap contact a front surface of the cantilevers sections, and the fifth connection flap and the sixth connection flap contact a rear surface of the cantilevers sections, and

the second installation configuration includes the first connection flap and the second connection flap bent to substantially right angles with respect to the horizontal section to contact an interior surface of a top plate connecting the two adjacent studs, the third connection flap and the fourth connection flap contact a front surface of the two adjacent studs, and the fifth connection flap and the sixth connection flap contact a rear surface of the two adjacent studs.

10. The top plate replacement of claim 9, wherein the first length includes about fourteen and one-half inches, the second length includes about twenty and one-half inches, and the third length includes about twenty-two inches.

11. The top plate replacement of claim 9, wherein the cable circuit holes include at least two diameters.

12. The top plate replacement of claim 9, wherein the top plate replacement is constructed of one or more of:

aluminum, a steel alloy, a zinc-coated steel, a zinc-treated steel, a carbon composite, and a rigid plastic.

13. The top plate replacement of claim 9, wherein the plurality of circuit cable holes include a supply cable hole and twelve circuit cable holes.

14. The top plate replacement of claim 9, further comprising ferrules that are fit in the plurality of support holes.