INSULATION COMPRESSION REDUCTION ASSEMBLY FOR PIPING SYSTEMS

Abstract

An insulation compression reduction assembly for reducing compression of an insulating material surrounding a horizontally extending pipe in combination with a pipe support supporting said pipe. The compression reduction assembly includes a base pressure skate element sized and shaped to fit within the pipe support, a pipe holder structure sized and shaped to rest against an outer surface of the horizontal extending pipe, and a spacing element connecting the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure and forming an offset spacing therebetween for reducing compression of the insulating material. An insulation compression reduction kit of disassembled components of the above assembly that can be used to form the above compression reduction assembly is also provided according to the present invention.

Claims

1. An insulation compression reduction assembly for reducing compression of an insulating material surrounding a horizontally extending pipe in combination with a U-shaped pipe support supporting the pipe, the compression reduction assembly comprising: a base pressure skate element sized and shaped to fit within the U-shaped pipe support; a pipe holder structure sized and shaped to be received within the U-shaped pipe support and to rest against an outer surface of the horizontally extending pipe; a spacing element being received within the U-shaped pipe support and connecting the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure and forming an offset spacing therebetween; and wherein the U-shaped pipe support supporting the pipe and the insulating material is supported by one of a strut from below and a vertical hanger from above.

2. The compression reduction assembly of claim 1, wherein the offset spacing formed between the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure is shaped to receive opposite extremities formed along a split line of an insulation tube.

3. The compression reduction assembly of claim 2, wherein the insulation tube is a semi-split insulation tube.

4. The compression reduction assembly of claim 1, wherein the base pressure skate element comprises a slotted portion shaped and sized to receive the spacing element.

5. The compression reduction assembly of any one of claim 4, wherein the pipe holder structure comprises a slotted portion shaped and sized to receive the spacing element.

6. The compression reduction assembly of claim 4, wherein the spacing element is shaped as a flat bar element.

7-8. (canceled)

9. An insulation compression reduction kit for reducing compression of an insulating material surrounding a horizontally extending pipe in combination with a U-shaped pipe support supporting the pipe, the compression reduction kit comprising: a base pressure skate element sized and shaped to be fittable within the U-shaped pipe support; a pipe holder structure sized and shaped to be receivable within the U-shaped pipe support and to be restable against an outer surface of the horizontal extending pipe; and a spacing element being receivable within the U-shaped pipe support and connectable to the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure for forming an offset spacing therebetween; and material are supportable by one of a strut from below and a vertical hanger from above.

10. The compression reduction kit of claim 9, wherein the offset spacing formed between the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure is shaped to receive opposite extremities formed along a split line of an insulation tube.

11. The compression reduction kit of claim 10, wherein the insulation tube is a semi-split insulation tube.

12. The compression reduction kit of claim 9, wherein the base pressure skate element comprises a slotted portion shaped and sized to receive the spacing element.

13. The compression reduction kit of claim 12, wherein the pipe holder structure comprises a slotted portion shaped and sized to receive the spacing element.

14. The compression reduction kit of claim 9, wherein the spacing element is shaped as a flat bar element.

15-16. (Canceled)

17. The compression reduction kit of claim 14, wherein the spacing element comprises at least one undercut tooth at a corresponding corner of the spacing element, the undercut tooth shaped and sized to improve a connection with at least one of the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure.

18. The compression reduction kit of claims 17, wherein the spacing element is snapfittedly connected with at least one of the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure.

19-20. (canceled)

21. The compression reduction assembly of claim 6, wherein the base pressure skate element extends along a direction of the horizontally extending pipe.

22. The compression reduction assembly of claim 6, wherein the spacing element comprises at least one undercut tooth at a corresponding corner of the spacing element, the undercut tooth shaped and sized to improve a connection with at least one of the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure.

23. The compression reduction assembly of claim 22, wherein the spacing element is snapfittedly connected with at least one of the base pressure skate element and the pipe holder structure.

24. The compression reduction kit of claim 14, wherein the base pressure skate element extends along a direction of the horizontally extending pipe upon being fitted within the U-shaped pipe support.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference is now made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of an insulation compression reduction assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in combination with a pipe support as part of its immediate surrounding.

[0013] FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective and front views respectively of an insulation compression reduction assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in combination with a pipe support, pipe and insulating material as part of its immediate surrounding.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a front view of a plurality of differently sized pipe holder structures according to preferred embodiments.

[0015] FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective and front views of the plurality of differently sized pipe holder structures shown in FIG. 3.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a front view of a plurality of differently sized base pressure skate elements installed in pipe supports according to preferred embodiments.

[0017] FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective and front views of the plurality of differently sized base pressure skate elements shown in FIG. 5.

[0018] FIG. 7 includes side and front views of a plurality of differently sized spacing elements according to preferred embodiments.

[0019] FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective and front views respectively of an insulation compression reduction assembly according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in combination with a pipe support, pipe and insulating material as part of its immediate surrounding.

[0020] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the insulation compression reduction assembly shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B.

[0021] FIG. 10 is a perspective partially cut view of the insulation compression reduction assembly shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B.

[0022] FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective views illustrating a connection of the spacing element of the insulation compression reduction assembly shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B to a base pressure skate element.

[0023] FIGS. 12A and 12B are perspective views illustrating a connection of the spacing element of the insulation compression reduction assembly shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B to a pipe holder structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar elements.

[0025] The embodiments, geometrical configurations, materials mentioned and/or dimensions shown in the figures or described in the present description are preferred embodiments only, given solely for exemplification purposes.

[0026] Moreover, although the preferred embodiment of the compression reduction assembly and corresponding parts thereof consist of certain geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated herein, not all of these components and geometries are essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense, i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art, that other suitable components and cooperation thereinbetween, as well as other suitable geometrical configurations, may be used for the compression reduction assembly according to the present invention, as will be briefly explained herein and as can be easily inferred herefrom, by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0027] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention and as better illustrated in FIG. 1, 2A and 2B, there is provided an insulation compression reduction assembly 10 for reducing compression of an insulating material 12 surrounding a horizontally extending pipe 14 in combination with a pipe support 16 supporting said pipe 14. The pipe support 16 can be supported by a strut from below or extend from a vertical hanger to support said pipe support 16 from above. The compression reduction assembly 10 includes a base pressure skate element 18 sized and shaped to fit within the pipe support, a pipe holder structure 20 sized and shaped to rest against an outer surface of the horizontal extending pipe, and a spacing element 22 connecting the base pressure skate element 18 and the pipe holder structure 20 and forming an offset spacing therebetween for reducing compression of the insulating material 12. This is particularly useful when the pipe support supports a heavy pipe, as compression of the insulating material can create thermal bridges and hence losses of energy through contact of the pipe with the pipe support.

[0028] As better shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in some implementations, the offset spacing formed between the base pressure skate element 18 and the pipe holder structure 20 is shaped to receive opposite extremities formed along a split line of an insulation tube 24. In the figures, the insulation tube is illustrated as a semi-split insulation tube.

[0029] However, any type of insulation tube can be used with the present invention. In some scenarios, the insulation tube may not be provided with a pre-defined split line. In such cases, the installer can locally slice open a portion of the insulation tube to allow installation of the compression reduction assembly around this localized area of the otherwise unsplit tube. The insulation tube 24 can further comprise a vapour barrier 26 on an external surface of the tube.

[0030] In some implementations, the base pressure skate element 18 includes a slotted portion 28 shaped and sized to receive the spacing element 22.

[0031] Similarly, in some implementations, although not illustrated in the figures, the pipe holder structure 20 also includes a slotted portion shaped and sized to receive the spacing element 22.

[0032] FIGS. 3 to 7 show how a plurality of differently sized and shaped base pressure skate elements 18, pipe holder structures 20, and spacing elements 22 can be provided to adapt to differently sized pipes and pipe supports. A kit of these differently sized components can be provided for various applications

[0033] As better shown in FIG. 7, in some implementations, the spacing element 22 is shaped as a flat rectangular bar element.

[0034] FIGS. 8A to 12B show an insulation compression reduction assembly according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. As better shown in FIGS. 11A to 12B, in some implementations, the spacing element 22 can include undercut teeth 30 sat a corresponding corner of the spacing element, the undercut teeth shaped and sized to improve connections with the base pressure skate element 18 (as shown in FIGS. 11A-11B) and the pipe holder structure 20 (as shown in FIGS. 12A-12B). In some implementations, the spacing element 22 can also be snapfittedly connected through snapfit connections 32 to the base pressure skate element 18 and the pipe holder structure 20.

[0035] It will be readily understood by one skilled in the art that the above-mentioned embodiment is merely illustrative of the possible specific embodiments which may represent principles of the present invention. Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.