Clevis hanger assembly and pipe insulation coupling

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to a clevis hanger assembly for supporting a pipe along a support structure. More particularly, the invention relates to a clevis hanger assembly coupled with a pipe insulation coupling member to support a pipe, which is encased by pipe insulation tubing, along a support structure.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Conventional pipes are used to convey or transfer fluids in various industrial applications, such as sprinkler systems and heating and cooling systems. These pipes are typically encased in a cellular foam insulation tubing, which maintains the fluids within the pipes at a desired temperature. The pipe insulation tubing is commonly provided in predetermined lengths that are aligned end-to-end to cover an entire length of the pipe. It is desirable to interconnect adjacent ends of the pipe insulation tubing along the pipe to increase insulation efficiency of the pipe. The adjacent ends of the pipe insulation tubing may be interconnected by tape, adhesive, or straps. These means for interconnection are, however, susceptible to wear and tear over time. As an alternative, various pipe insulation coupling members have been introduced to provide a secure and long lasting end-to-end attachment of adjacent pipe insulation tubing along the pipe.

[0005] In a typical application, the insulated pipe, that is, the pipe encased by the pipe insulation tubing, is disposed along a support structure, such as a ceiling. The insulated pipe is commonly supported along the support structure by a plurality of spaced apart clevis hangers. Each clevis hanger typically includes an upper member mounted to the support structure, and a generally U-shaped lower member for supporting the insulated pipe. The shape of the U-shaped lower member complements that of an outer periphery of an insulated pipe, thereby allowing the U-shaped lower member to retain the insulated pipe therealong.

[0006] It remains, however, desirable to provide a clevis hanger assembly that includes a coupling provision for securely supporting a pipe insulation coupling member therealong, whereby the pipe insulation coupling member maintains adjacent ends of pipe insulation tubing in an end-to-end relationship along a pipe.

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, a clevis hanger assembly supports a pipe insulation coupling member along a support structure. The clevis hanger assembly includes an upper bracket adapted to be secured to the support structure. The upper bracket includes a base extending between spaced apart downwardly extending flanges. The clevis hanger assembly also includes a lower bracket having spaced apart upwardly extending flanges disposed alongside the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges. The lower bracket includes an arcuate segment extending between the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges. The lower bracket also defines coupling slots for receiving and retaining the pipe insulation coupling member between the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges.

[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, a pipe insulation coupling member retains adjacent ends of elongated pipe insulation tubing around a pipe. The pipe insulation coupling member includes an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end. The elongated body includes an outer tube wall extending between the first and second ends. A planar interior wall is located within the outer tube wall and positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis. The planar interior wall includes a center bore for receiving the pipe therethrough and defines opposing first and second outer channels for receiving the adjacent ends of the elongated pipe insulation tubing.

[0009] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a pipe support assembly secures a pipe and adjacent ends of pipe insulation tubing surrounding the pipe to a support structure. The pipe support assembly includes a clevis hanger assembly adapted to be secured to the support structure. The clevis hanger assembly includes an upper bracket having a base extending between spaced apart downwardly extending flanges. The clevis hanger assembly also includes a lower bracket including an arcuate segment extending between the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges, which are disposed alongside the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges. The lower bracket includes coupling slots formed therealong. The pipe support assembly also includes a pipe insulation coupling member for retaining the adjacent ends of the pipe insulation tubing around the pipe. The pipe insulation coupling member is disposed inside of the spaced apart downwardly and upwardly extending flanges and has an elongated body including a longitudinally extending arcuate outer tube wall. The outer tube wall includes outwardly protruding tabs therealong that are received within the coupling slots to retain and support the pipe insulation coupling member along the lower bracket of the clevis hanger assembly.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, a pipe support assembly, generally shown at 10, is mounted along a support structure 12. The support structure 12 is a generally planar surface, such as a ceiling. The pipe support assembly 10 includes a clevis hanger assembly, generally indicated at 14, mounted to the support structure 12 and supporting a pipe insulation coupling member 16. The pipe insulation coupling member 16 retains an elongated pipe insulation tubing 18 around an elongated tubular pipe 20, which transfers fluids therethrough. More specifically, the pipe insulation coupling member 16 retains adjacent ends 22, 24 of the pipe insulation tubing 18 against one another to ensure that an entire length of the pipe 20 remains insulated even as the pipe 20 is exposed to wear and tear. The pipe insulation tubing 18, which is commonly formed from cellular polyurethane foam, is provided in predetermined lengths and includes a longitudinal open slit 26 therealong that allows the pipe insulation tubing 18 to be wrapped around the pipe 20. The pipe 20 is commonly formed from aluminum or copper and is utilized for hydraulic pipes, pneumatic tubes, refrigeration lines, water pipes, and the like, as are typically known in the art. Both the pipe insulation tubing 18 and the pipe 20 extend along a longitudinal axis.

[0021] Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the clevis hanger assembly 14 includes an upper bracket 28 having a base 30 extending between spaced apart downwardly extending flanges 32, 34. The base 30 defines a generally horizontal center segment 36 having a pair of depending arms 38, 40 extending therefrom at an angle. The center segment 36 includes a mounting aperture 42 extending therethrough. A bolt 44, shown in FIG. 1, extends through the mounting aperture 42 to secure the clevis hanger assembly 14 to the support structure 12. The depending arms 38, 40 allow for clearance between the upper bracket 28 and the support structure 12. Each of the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges 32, 34 includes a first receiving aperture 46, shown in FIG. 2.

[0022] The clevis hanger assembly 14 also includes a lower bracket 50 having spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54 disposed alongside the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges 32, 34. Each of the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54 includes a second receiving aperture 56. The second receiving apertures 56 are axially aligned with the first receiving apertures 46 of the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges 32, 34. As shown in FIG. 3, the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54 are positioned inside of the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges 32, 34. It is, however, contemplated that in the alternative the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges 32, 34 may be positioned inside of the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54.

[0023] The lower bracket 50 also includes an arcuate segment extending between the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54 so that the lower bracket 50 has a U-shape. The arcuate segment 60 includes an inner surface 61, an outer surface 63, and outwardly flared ends 62, 64 extending between the arcuate segment 60 and the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54.

[0024] The lower bracket 50 further includes elongated coupling slots 66 for receiving the pipe insulation coupling member 16, as described in further detail below. The coupling slots 66 are located where the arcuate segment 60 meets each of the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54. In other words, the coupling slots 66 each extend along a portion of the respective spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54, along the respective outwardly flared ends 62, 64, and along a portion of the arcuate segment 60, as shown in FIG. 2. In a preferred embodiment, the coupling slots 66 form opposing openings each extending through the arcuate segment 60 from the inner surface 61 to the outer surface 63.

[0025] An elongated fastener 70 extends transverse to the longitudinal axis and through the first 46 and second 56 receiving apertures of the respective spaced apart downwardly 32, 34 and upwardly 52, 54 extending flanges to secure the upper bracket 28 to the lower bracket 50. The fastener 70 and the lower bracket 50 define an opening 71, shown in FIG. 3, for receiving the pipe insulation coupling member 16. The fastener 70 includes a head 72 and a shank 74 extending therefrom. In a preferred embodiment, the shank 74 is threaded. The head 72 is disposed adjacent one of the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges 32, 34 of the upper bracket 28. A nut 76 is threaded onto the fastener 70 at an end opposite that of the head 72 to fixedly secure upper bracket 28 along the fastener 70. The spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54 are retained along the fastener 70 between the spaced apart downwardly extending flanges 32, 34 of the upper bracket 28 such that the lower bracket 50 is able to slide along the threaded shank 74 relative to the upper bracket 28 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7, the pipe insulation coupling member 16 for coupling the adjacent ends 22, 24 of the pipe insulation tubing 18 along the pipe 20 includes a longitudinally extending elongated body, generally indicated at 78, having an arcuate outer tube wall 80 extending between first 82 and second 84 ends. The pipe insulation coupling member 16 is integrally formed from a plastic material.

[0027] A planar interior wall 86 is disposed within the outer tube wall 80 and extends transverse to the elongated body 78. The planar interior wall 86 includes a center bore 88 for receiving the pipe 20 therewithin, and defines opposing outer channels 90 (only one shown) for receiving the adjacent ends 22, 24 of the pipe insulation tubing 18.

[0028] The outer tube wall 80 includes a longitudinally extending perforation 94 therealong. In the preferred embodiment, the perforation 94 is generally V-shaped. Opposing separation tabs 96, 98 are disposed alongside the perforation 94. The separation tabs 96, 98 are pulled away from each other to separate the elongated body 78 at the perforation 94 into first 100 and second 102 wedge-shaped sections, which are shown in dashed lines in FIG. 6. When the first 100 and second 102 wedge-shaped sections are separated, the center bore 88 is able to receive the pipe 18 therewithin. The planar interior wall 86 defines a plurality of slits 104 therethrough to promote the separation of the elongated body 78 into the first 100 and second 102 wedge-shaped sections. In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of slits 104 is generally L-shaped.

[0029] The outer tube wall 80 also includes elongated outwardly protruding tabs 106 extending out therefrom. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the pipe insulation coupling member 16 is housed within the opening 71 of the clevis hanger assembly 14. The outwardly protruding tabs 106 of the pipe insulation coupling member 16 are shaped to fit within the coupling slots 66 along the lower bracket 50 of the clevis hanger assembly 14 to retain the pipe insulation coupling member 16 within the opening 71 of the clevis hanger assembly 14. A lower portion 108 of each of the outwardly protruding tabs 106 has a shape complementary to that of a lower end 110 of each of the coupling slots 66. As a result, when the outwardly protruding tabs 106 are received within the coupling slots 66, the lower portion 108 of each of the outwardly protruding tabs 106 will rest comfortably along a lower end of each of the coupling slots 66. In addition, when the outwardly protruding tabs 106 are received within the coupling slots 66, a portion of the outer tube wall 80 abuts the inner surface 61 of the arcuate segment 60 so that the pipe insulation coupling member 16 is supported by the lower bracket 50 of the clevis hanger assembly 14.

[0030] More specifically, the flared ends 62, 64 extending between the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54 and the arcuate segment 60 reduce the distance between the spaced apart upwardly extending flanges 52, 54 and thus the diameter of the arcuate segment 60 as necessary to mate with the arcuate diameter and shape of the outer tube wall 80. Therefore, the flared ends 62, 64 may be tailored to adjust the diameter of the arcuate segment 60 to match the diameter of a variety of pipe insulation coupling members 16.

[0031] The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.