Valve package supports and method of manufacture

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.

TECHNICAL FIELD

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

Modular HVAC components simplify the installation of HVAC systems, but complex assemblies can be damaged during shipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1is an isometric view of valve package supports108and110as installed on a modular HVAC assembly100, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Valve package supports108and110are used to support pipe assemblies104and106, respectively, which are used to control the flow of water or other liquids to a modular cooling coil assembly102for 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.

In one exemplary embodiment, modular HVAC assembly100is 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 assemblies104and106will experience vibration or other forces. Valve package supports108and110can be factory mounted, so as to be used to immobilize pipe assemblies104and106during 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 assemblies104and106, which are typically fabricated from softer metals, such as copper, that can be damaged by metal-on-metal contact with a support.

FIG. 2is a front view of valve package supports108and110as installed on a modular HVAC assembly100, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen inFIG. 2, the valve package supports108and110have a low profile and do not extend beyond the other components of pipe assemblies104and106, so as not to interfere with handling or field assembly.

FIG. 3is a side view of valve package supports108and110as installed on a modular HVAC assembly100, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The low profile of valve package supports108and110can also be seen inFIG. 3. Valve package supports108and110can be fabricated with any suitable dimensions, such as to support pipe assembly106closer to or farther away from modular cooling coil assembly102, to support larger or smaller pipe assemblies, or in other suitable manners.

FIG. 4is an overhead view of valve package supports108and110as installed on a modular HVAC assembly100, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The low profile of valve package supports108and110can also be seen inFIG. 4. Valve package supports108and110as 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 assembly106closer to or farther away from modular cooling coil assembly102, to support larger or smaller pipe assemblies, or in other suitable manners.

FIG. 5is an isometric view of valve package supports108and110, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Each valve package support108and110includes a base502, an upper surface504and corresponding lower surface, side surfaces506and518, assembly bolts510and512, assembly tabs514and516, support material508and section520.

Base502can be formed from metal or other suitable materials as part of a single piece of sheet metal that is used to form valve package supports108and110, or can be other suitable structures or components. Base502includes a number of holes (four in the exemplary embodiment as shown) for bolting base502to a suitable support structure, but base502can also or alternatively be welded, riveted, glued or otherwise suitably secured to a support structure or other suitable structure.

Upper surface504and 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 supports108and110, or can be other suitable structures or components. Although the corresponding lower surface is not shown, it can have the same shape as upper surface504, or other suitable shapes. In one exemplary embodiment, upper surface504and 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 surface504and the corresponding lower surface can be formed by injection molding, casting or in other suitable manners. Section520can be cut or otherwise formed in upper surface504and the corresponding lower side surface, and the side opposite sides506and518can also form a portion of section508. In the exemplary embodiment shown, section520includes 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 section520, a square or rectangular shape or other suitable shapes.

Side surfaces506and518can also be formed by folding a sheet metal work item or in other suitable manners. Assembly bolts510and512can be used to hold assembly tabs514and516in 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 bolts510and512can be eliminated.

Support material508is used to fill the interior of valve package supports108and110, and can be formed from non-metallic foam, elastomers, rubbers, polymers or other suitable materials. In one exemplary embodiment, support material508can 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 material508can be cut or otherwise formed to include a hole for pipe assemblies104and106, can include a slit or other suitable device that is located within section520to allow support material508to be installed around pipe assemblies104and106, or can include other suitable features.

In operation, valve package supports108and110can 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 supports108and110. The pipe can then be inserted into section520through 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.

FIG. 6is a rear view of valve package supports108and110, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 6, base502is formed by two tabs that can be cut from sheet metal with the other exterior components of valve package supports198and110, which can then be folded into position as shown. Bolts510,512,602and604can be used to secure the exterior components of valve package supports108and110, can be used to secure support material508into position, can be replaced with a single bolt that extends from one side of valve package supports108and110to the other side, or can otherwise be used to assemble and secure valve package supports108and110. Likewise, welding, rivets, epoxy, bonding or other suitable connecting mechanisms can also or alternatively be used.