Abstract:
Tubing clamps having a minimum contact area between the tubes and the clamps supporting surfaces are provided for minimizing the collection and retaining of liquids at the supporting surfaces. A predetermined minimum spacing is maintained between the tubes supported by the tubing clamps while maintaining sufficient ventilation between the tubes and the clamps to permit drying of any liquids which contact the tubes and the clamps at the support points. This prevents electrolysis and corrosion caused by liquid retention and contact of dissimilar metals. Further, the tubing clamps are readily adapted to secure tubes of different outer diameters in a single row or multiple rows, such as in a stacked configuration. The clamps are provided with upper and lower supports, each having matching grooves that have chamfered edges forming the upper and lower tubing contact surfaces. The supports are secured together with fasteners to clamp the tubing therebetween.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to the clamping and supporting of tubing used to transport fluids, chemicals, oils and gases in industries, such as oil and gas drilling; and production and refining, where tubing is commonly used. Other industries using tubing include shipping, military installations and equipment, food production installations, manufacturing sites, etc. In addition, the invention is applicable in corrosive environments, such as marine environments, where minimum contact between tubing and the clamps that support the tubing is preferable in order to reduce the accumulation of moisture contacting the tubing at the support area, which contact creates a risk of pitting and corrosion of the tubing. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     Clamping systems of the prior art include solutions for solving or reducing the problems associated with electrolysis and corrosion of tubing. However, the greater the contact area between the clamping supports and the tubing, the more the contact area is likely to collect and hold moisture. Vibration isolating and insulating materials are conventionally provided between the contact surfaces of the clamp supports and the tubing. However, such additional insulating materials hold moisture. Further, spacers, such as metallic spacers, are used with conventional clamping systems to space apart a series of tubes in a row. However, all such features constitute additional parts in the manufacture and assembly of the clamps. Accordingly, such designs are disadvantageous with respect to the economical and efficient implementation of such clamps in clamping systems for tubing of various types of materials and sizes typically found in industrial installations existing in potentially corrosive environments. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a clamp or an arrangement of clamps in a clamping system that provides minimum contact between the tubing support surfaces and the tubing to allow for ventilation that minimizes electrolysis and corrosion of the tubing while offering a compact clamping system permitting uniform configurations of a variety of tubes with equal or different diameters. 
     The clamping supports enable a number of tubes to be secured and supported within the same clamping system using one or more grooves of equal or unequal size (when supporting multiple tubes of the same OD) formed in the clamp support bodies in order to enable the tubes to seat properly with tubing engaging surfaces that are of a minimum contact area. 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a corrosion reducing minimum contact clamp comprised of cylindrically shaped bodies made from a metallic, composite or plastic material for forming upper and lower clamping support bodies for securing an individual row of tubes or a rectangular array of tubes, including one or more spaced-apart tubing accommodating grooves of a shape having spaced groove inner and outer edges that form conical frustums. The grooves can be of equal or unequal size within the same clamp support bodies in order to enable tubes of different sizes or multiple tubes of the same size to be accommodated and properly seated side by side within the same tubing clamp. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates a side view of a cylindrical clamp support body according to an embodiment of the invention having one groove with spaced inner and outer edges that define chamfered contact areas with the tubing to be supported. 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates an end view of the cylindrical clamp support body according to  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1C  illustrates a side view of a cylindrical clamp support body according to an embodiment of the invention having multiple grooves of the same dimensions with spaced inner and outer edges that form chamfered contact areas supporting tubing of substantially the same outer diameters. 
         FIG. 1D  illustrates an end view of the cylindrical clamp support body according to  FIG. 1C . 
         FIG. 1E  illustrates a side view of a cylindrical clamp support body according to an embodiment of the invention having multiple grooves of different dimensions with spaced inner and outer edges that form chamfered contact areas supporting tubing of respectively different outer diameters. 
         FIG. 1F  illustrates an end view of the cylindrical clamp support body according to  FIG. 1E . 
         FIG. 1G  illustrates a side view of a clamp comprised of upper and lower clamp support bodies according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1A  having a tube clamped between them and supported by the groove with chamfered surfaces. 
         FIG. 1H  illustrates a side view of a clamp comprised of upper and lower clamp support bodies according to the embodiment of  FIG. 10  having tubes clamped between them and supported by the grooves with chamfered surfaces. 
         FIG. 1I  illustrates a side view of a clamp comprised of upper and lower clamp support bodies according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1E  having tubes of respectively different diameters clamped between them and supported by the grooves with chamfered surfaces. 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are detailed views of the cylindrical clamp support body according to the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1E  showing the base, chamfer angles and depth of grooves of the clamp body. 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a side view of a cylindrical clamp support body according to another embodiment of the invention having one groove with chamfered surfaces that form contact areas with the tubing to be supported. 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates an end view of the cylindrical clamp support body according to  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates a side view of a cylindrical clamp support body according to another embodiment of the invention having multiple grooves of different dimensions with chamfered surfaces that form contact areas supporting tubing of respectively different outer diameters. 
         FIG. 3D  illustrates an end view of the cylindrical clamp support body according to  FIG. 3C . 
         FIG. 3E  illustrates a side view of a clamp comprised of upper and lower clamp support bodies according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3C  and a middle clamp support body of  FIG. 1E  respectively supporting rows of tubes with mixed outer diameters clamped between the clamp support bodies and supported by the respective grooves with chamfered surfaces, secured by fasteners as part of a clamping assembly or system. 
         FIG. 3F  illustrates a side view of a clamp comprised of upper and lower clamp support bodies according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A  supporting a tube clamped between the clamp support bodies and supported by the respective grooves with chamfered surfaces and secured by fasteners. 
         FIG. 3G  illustrates a side view of a clamp according to another embodiment of the invention comprised of an upper clamp support body without any grooves and a lower clamp support body of the embodiment of  FIG. 3A  having grooves supporting a tube clamped between the upper and lower clamp support bodies, and secured by fasteners. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1A  shows a clamp support body of right circular cylindrical shape  1  having a single circular groove  2  with features of a wedge and having groove outer edges  3  and groove inner edges  7  which are spaced apart from each other at a radial outer portion of the groove. Each pair of spaced outer and inner groove edges  3 ;  7  cooperate to form one of two mirrored right conical frustums  4  each such conical frustum  4  having a frustum width “f”. The right conical frustums  4  each formed by the groove edges  3 ;  7  on one of the two sides of the groove  2  each form a wedge and are the contact surfaces for tubing, when clamped. The wedge shape prevents the tubing from shifting to either side. The conical frustums  4 , each formed by one pair of the groove edges  3 ;  7  are each a truncated conical surface that comes in contact with the tubing which is typically of circular shape, resulting in a minimal contact area of the clamp and tubing. A groove depth  5  of groove  2  provides a space between a base surface  22  of the groove  2  and the tubing. This space is required to allow ventilation for drying any liquids that might be present or accumulate as a result of the installation environment. In one embodiment of the present invention, a distance  8  from a longitudinal axis of symmetry “a” of the clamp support body, to the base  22  of the groove  2 , which groove  2  itself has the depth  5 , as shown in  FIG. 1B , is not less than 0.125 inch. Overall the length  9  of the clamp support body is not less than 1.25 inches, for example. The outer edge  3  of the right conical frustum  4  is shown having a circumference which is equal to that of the surface of greatest circumference  14  of the clamp and is the outer edge  3  of the groove  2 . In the following description, a tube is used as an exemplary application. However, the present invention may be used with any cylindrical type body, such as a pipe and the like. 
       FIGS. 1C and 1D  show a clamp of right circular cylindrical shape  1 ′ that is consistent with the features of the clamp  1  shown in  FIG. 1A , except for having multiple spaced-apart grooves  2  for clamping and supporting more than one tube of equal diameter. 
       FIGS. 1E and 1F  show a clamp of right circular cylindrical shape  111  having multiple circular grooves  2  of identical size and dimension in each of a first series of grooves  6  and a second series of grooves  60 , which form a multiple series  70  of spaced-apart grooves  2 . All the grooves  70  have inner and outer edges  3 ;  7  defining wedges formed as right conical frustums  4  in an alternating arrangement. In one embodiment of the present invention, the distance  8  from the longitudinal axis of symmetry “a” of the clamp support body to the greatest depth of the second series of grooves  60 , each of which has a depth  5 ′, is shown in the side view and is not less than 0.125 inch. The configuration of grooves shown in  FIGS. 1E and 1F  allows for the clamping of multiple sized tubes in the same row and side by side. The first series of grooves  6  have circular bases  22 . The second series of grooves  60  have bases  220  which are arcuate in the direction of the longitudinal axis “a”, as in  FIGS. 1E, 2A and 2B , for example. 
       FIG. 1G  illustrates two clamp support bodies  1  with cylindrical shape having molded shape surfaces  1  held together by assembly hardware, generally at  12 , such as bolts  50  and nuts  52 , and clamping a single tube  13  as part of a clamp assembly. 
       FIG. 1H  illustrates two clamp support bodies of right circular cylindrical shape  1   1  held together by assembly hardware, generally at  12 , and consisting of bolts  50  and nuts  52 , and clamping multiple tubes  13  of equal diameter. 
       FIG. 1I  illustrates three clamp support bodies of right circular cylindrical shape  111  held together by assembly hardware, generally at  12 , such as bolts  50  and nuts  52 , and clamping multiple series of tubing  13  of unequal diameter in a same row and in a rectangular array as part of a clamp assembly or clamp system. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1E  in which the greatest width  23  of each groove, measured from its outer edges  3  connecting to the surface  14  with the greatest circumference of the clamp, is not less than 0.177 inch. Proportionate spacing  25  between grooves  2  forms a tightly spaced arrangement that allows for the tubing  13  to be arranged as compact as possible while providing adequate spacing for ventilation between each tube. 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates a clamp support body  111  of right circular cylindrical shape showing the grooves  2  having circular groove bases  22  which are even and parallel with the axis of symmetry “a” and which are circular in a cross section. The circular groove bases  22  of the grooves  2  provide more space between tubing and clamp surface as well as a stronger base design when required. In  FIG. 2B , the grooves  2  have spaced outer and inner edges  3 ;  7  which define right conical frustums  4  each having a cone angle which may range from 45 degrees to 85 degrees, for example, to accommodate multiple diameters of tubing. The groove bases  220 , which are shown at the right of  FIGS. 1E, 2A and 2B , for example are arcuate in the direction of the longitudinal axis “a”. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate a clamp support body of right circular cylindrical shape  40  bisymmetrically segmented by a single plane  17  oriented in line with the cylinder&#39;s longitudinal axis of symmetry “a” creating a quadrilateral base support surface  24  with one symmetrical groove  2  having spaced outer and inner edges  3 ;  7  forming two right conical frustum sections  4 . 
       FIGS. 3C and 3D  illustrate a clamp support body of right circular cylindrical shape  42  segmented by a single plane  17  oriented parallel but offset from the cylinder&#39;s longitudinal axis of symmetry “a” to form a series of base support surfaces  26 . The plane  17  in  FIG. 3C  segments the clamp into unequal halves unlike the segmentation of the clamp in  FIG. 3A  and leaves the circular base surface  22  of the circular groove  2  with the circumference  20  as circular. The clamp is more rigid as a result. 
     In each of the clamp support bodies shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D , the cylindrical segment shape of the clamp enables a more compact clamping system. The circumferential length of the grooves&#39; outer edges  3  and the clamps&#39; greatest circumference  14  are equal. The outer edge  3  of the right conical frustum section  4  has a circumference which is equal to the clamp surface area  14  having the greatest circumference of the clamp  6 . 
       FIG. 3E  illustrates a stack of clamp support bodies of right circular cylindrical shape with the top and bottom support bodies being segmented by a single plane which is oriented parallel to the cylinder&#39;s axis of symmetry, as shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C , and the middle clamp support body being un-segmented as, for example, shown in  FIGS. 2A-2B . The three clamp support bodies arrange the tubing  13  in a rectangular array with assembly hardware, generally at  12 , bringing them together. The number of tubes  13  clamped in a rectangular array of tubing can be increased by adding one or more clamps on the top or bottom or by increasing the length of the clamp bodies and the number of grooves  1  in those clamp bodies. 
     Optionally, also shown in  FIG. 3E  are top and bottom backing plates  21  engaged by the fasteners, generally at  12 , and providing for added support. Optionally, a middle clamp support body may comprise two of the segmented clamp support bodies each, such as the segmented clamp support body  40  shown in  FIG. 3C , disposed back to back and having a single backing plate  22  therebetween. 
       FIG. 3F  illustrates two clamp support bodies of right circular cylindrical shape  1  and each segmented by a single plane oriented parallel to the cylinder&#39;s longitudinal axis of symmetry “a”, as depicted in  FIG. 3A , and clamping a single tube  13 , using the assembly hardware, generally at  12 . 
       FIG. 3G  illustrates a side view of a clamp according to another embodiment of the invention in which an upper clamp support body  30  without any grooves and a lower clamp support body  40  segmented by a single plane and having a groove  12 , as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 3A , support a tube  13  clamped therebetween. The upper clamp support body  30 , without grooves, is a cylindrical rod. The upper backing plate  21  and the lower clamp support body  40  are secured by fasteners, generally at  12 . In this way, a three point support system is provided for supporting the tubing, i.e. using a clamp support body  40  having grooves providing two support points and an upper cylindrical support body  30  providing a third support point. 
     The tubing clamp assemblies of  FIGS. 1G, 1H, 1I and 3E  can also be modified to include an upper or lower cylindrical clamp support body  30  without grooves in place of a clamp support body having grooves, in order to provide the three point contact support shown in  FIG. 3G , with or without the additional support plate(s)  21  as shown in  FIG. 3E . Further, for applications in which there are different sized tubing  13  being accommodated in the three point support configuration, the depth of the grooves  2  may be adjusted on the grooved clamp support body to ensure that the top surface of each of the different OD tubes  13  engages the upper clamp body in a straight line, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of symmetry “a”. Alternatively, the upper clamp support body may have a step profile where the stepped part accommodates the tubes  13  having a different OD when tubes  13  of different diameters are accommodated together in a row of a three point clamp configuration. 
     According to embodiments of the invention, the clamp support bodies are manufactured from metal or plastic cylindrical rods, for example of stainless steel, aluminum or synthetic resin, such as DELRIN™. Teflon or Teflon coatings are also suitable in the manufacture. Using a synthetic resin for the clamp support body prevents dissimilar material problems from arising. However, using a material for the clamp support body which matches that of the tubing also prevents dissimilar material problems from arising. In some embodiments, the clamp support bodies and the backing plates  21  are manufactured and the holes  80  for accommodating the fasteners, generally at  12 , are drilled in the bodies during assembly of the clamp support bodies. The holes  80  may also be pre-drilled at the time of manufacture of the clamp support bodies.