Abstract:
A support that includes an exterior shell having a section configured to receive an item and a filler disposed within the exterior shell, wherein the filler is further configured to receive the item.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and more specifically to valve package supports that prevent metal to metal contact between the supports and associated piping. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Modular HVAC components simplify the installation of HVAC systems, but complex assemblies can be damaged during shipment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A valve package support and method of fabrication are disclosed. The support includes an exterior shell having a section configured to receive an item and a filler disposed within the exterior shell, wherein the filler is further configured to receive the item. 
         [0004]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of valve package supports as installed on a modular HVAC assembly, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a front view of valve package supports as installed on a modular HVAC assembly, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a side view of valve package supports as installed on a modular HVAC assembly, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an overhead view of valve package supports as installed on a modular HVAC assembly, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of valve package supports, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of valve package supports, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In the description that follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals. The drawing figures might not be to scale and certain components can be shown in generalized or schematic form and identified by commercial designations in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of valve package supports  108  and  110  as installed on a modular HVAC assembly  100 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Valve package supports  108  and  110  are used to support pipe assemblies  104  and  106 , respectively, which are used to control the flow of water or other liquids to a modular cooling coil assembly  102  for an HVAC system, but can be used in other suitable locations or for other suitable purposes, such as to support pipes, pipe assemblies, conduit, flexible metallic tubing, coolant lines, drain lines, polyvinyl chloride tubing, metallic or non-metallic structures or other suitable items. 
         [0014]    In one exemplary embodiment, modular HVAC assembly  100  is assembled in a factory for subsequent shipment to a field location. The shipping typically occurs by truck or in other manners that can result in rough handling, such that pipe assemblies  104  and  106  will experience vibration or other forces. Valve package supports  108  and  110  can be factory mounted, so as to be used to immobilize pipe assemblies  104  and  106  during shipment and also as installed in the field during operation, to dampen such vibration or other potentially damaging forces while avoiding the potential for metal-on-metal contact with pipe assemblies  104  and  106 , which are typically fabricated from softer metals, such as copper, that can be damaged by metal-on-metal contact with a support. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front view of valve package supports  108  and  110  as installed on a modular HVAC assembly  100 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the valve package supports  108  and  110  have a low profile and do not extend beyond the other components of pipe assemblies  104  and  106 , so as not to interfere with handling or field assembly. 
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side view of valve package supports  108  and  110  as installed on a modular HVAC assembly  100 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The low profile of valve package supports  108  and  110  can also be seen in  FIG. 3 . Valve package supports  108  and  110  can be fabricated with any suitable dimensions, such as to support pipe assembly  106  closer to or farther away from modular cooling coil assembly  102 , to support larger or smaller pipe assemblies, or in other suitable manners. 
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is an overhead view of valve package supports  108  and  110  as installed on a modular HVAC assembly  100 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The low profile of valve package supports  108  and  110  can also be seen in  FIG. 4 . Valve package supports  108  and  110  as shown include a non-rectangular outer periphery, but can be fabricated with any suitable dimensions, such as with a rectangular, square or irregular periphery, or as otherwise needed, such as to support pipe assembly  106  closer to or farther away from modular cooling coil assembly  102 , to support larger or smaller pipe assemblies, or in other suitable manners. 
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of valve package supports  108  and  110 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Each valve package support  108  and  110  includes a base  502 , an upper surface  504  and corresponding lower surface, side surfaces  506  and  518 , assembly bolts  510  and  512 , assembly tabs  514  and  516 , support material  508  and section  520 . 
         [0019]    Base  502  can be formed from metal or other suitable materials as part of a single piece of sheet metal that is used to form valve package supports  108  and  110 , or can be other suitable structures or components. Base  502  includes a number of holes (four in the exemplary embodiment as shown) for bolting base  502  to a suitable support structure, but base  502  can also or alternatively be welded, riveted, glued or otherwise suitably secured to a support structure or other suitable structure. 
         [0020]    Upper surface  504  and the corresponding lower surface can be formed from metal or other suitable materials as part of a single piece of sheet metal that is used to form valve package supports  108  and  110 , or can be other suitable structures or components. Although the corresponding lower surface is not shown, it can have the same shape as upper surface  504 , or other suitable shapes. In one exemplary embodiment, upper surface  504  and the corresponding lower surface can be formed by folding a sheet metal work piece that has been cut from sheet metal using a punch, shears, lasers, saws or in other suitable manners, and where the work piece has been cut to match a die, template, computer aided manufacturing (CAM) model or other suitable design tools. The work piece can be folded to form a polytope, polyhedron, convex polyhedron, cuboid, rhombohedron, parallelepiped, trapezohedron, quadrilateral frustum, irregular hexahedron or other suitable shapes or structures. Likewise, upper surface  504  and the corresponding lower surface can be formed by injection molding, casting or in other suitable manners. Section  520  can be cut or otherwise formed in upper surface  504  and the corresponding lower side surface, and the side opposite sides  506  and  518  can also form a portion of section  508 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, section  520  includes a semicircular portion and a slot portion, where the slot portion has a width equal to the diameter of the semicircular portion, but the slot portion can also or alternatively have other suitable dimensions, such as a narrower throat portion that is marginally larger than the diameter of the pipe or tubing that will be included within section  520 , a square or rectangular shape or other suitable shapes. 
         [0021]    Side surfaces  506  and  518  can also be formed by folding a sheet metal work item or in other suitable manners. Assembly bolts  510  and  512  can be used to hold assembly tabs  514  and  516  in position, or for other suitable purposes. Likewise, the work item can be welded, epoxied, sealed, molded, extruded or formed in other suitable manners, so that bolts  510  and  512  can be eliminated. 
         [0022]    Support material  508  is used to fill the interior of valve package supports  108  and  110 , and can be formed from non-metallic foam, elastomers, rubbers, polymers or other suitable materials. In one exemplary embodiment, support material  508  can be cut from a block of raw material using a suitable process, can be formed by injection molding or compression molding, or can be formed in other suitable manners. Support material  508  can be cut or otherwise formed to include a hole for pipe assemblies  104  and  106 , can include a slit or other suitable device that is located within section  520  to allow support material  508  to be installed around pipe assemblies  104  and  106 , or can include other suitable features. 
         [0023]    In operation, valve package supports  108  and  110  can be formed using an assembly line or other suitable processes, such as where a work item is first formed from sheet metal, and where the support material is formed from a suitable non-metallic material in parallel with the fabrication of the work item. The support material can then be placed on the work item, which can be folded around the support material to form a valve package support, and bolts or other suitable connecting devices or processes can be used to secure the assembly of valve package supports  108  and  110 . The pipe can then be inserted into section  520  through the slit or in other suitable manners. Alternatively, the support material can be injected or extruded into the valve package support after it has been fabricated, can be injected or extruded into the valve package support after it has been placed around the pipe or other structure that it is supporting, or can be assembled in other suitable manners. 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of valve package supports  108  and  110 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 6 , base  502  is formed by two tabs that can be cut from sheet metal with the other exterior components of valve package supports  198  and  110 , which can then be folded into position as shown. Bolts  510 ,  512 ,  602  and  604  can be used to secure the exterior components of valve package supports  108  and  110 , can be used to secure support material  508  into position, can be replaced with a single bolt that extends from one side of valve package supports  108  and  110  to the other side, or can otherwise be used to assemble and secure valve package supports  108  and  110 . Likewise, welding, rivets, epoxy, bonding or other suitable connecting mechanisms can also or alternatively be used. 
         [0025]    It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely examples of possible implementations. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.