Patent Publication Number: US-2009236848-A1

Title: Bidirectional pipe grip sleeve

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/064,682, filed Mar. 19, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a feed-through for supporting conduits and pipes passing through walls, floors, joists, and other structural members. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bidirectional pipe grip sleeve for supporting and securing a conduit as it passes through a wall or floor opening. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional building construction techniques often require that conduits (electrical, plumbing, etc.) pass through barriers, such as walls or floors. It is desirable that the conduits be firmly secured in the barriers to militate against future damage due to conduit movement as the building ages. Such damage usually requires expensive and time-consuming repairs. Further, electrical and plumbing conduits are subject to vibration, which may cause the conduit wall or the opening in the wall or floor to deteriorate over an extended period of time, or to produce rattling noises. It is also desirable to provide electrical and/or thermal insulation between the conduit and the opening through the building&#39;s structural member. The construction industry would certainly welcome a simplistic locking structure that can be employed to effectively secure conduits that are directed through barriers. Thus, a bidirectional pipe grip sleeve solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The bidirectional pipe grip sleeve is a tubular sleeve for surrounding and supporting a conduit therein. The sleeve is adapted to be inserted through a pre-drilled opening in a barrier, such as a wall or floor. The sleeve has a tubular body with an outwardly extending annular flange at one end of the body, the sleeve defining a bore. The flange defines elongated, arc-shaped slots between the tubular body and the periphery of the flange for optionally receiving at least one fastener to fix the sleeve to the barrier during installation. A plurality of legs, having outwardly extending latches, extend from the end the tubular body opposite the flange for locking the sleeve to the barrier. A plurality of ribs are disposed in the bore and on the legs for frictionally gripping the conduit. Both ends of the sleeve are chamfered to allow for easy insertion of the conduit from the flange end and to permit adjustment of the conduit from either end of the sleeve. 
     The sleeve may be made as a unitary component from a flame-retardant, thermoplastic material and produced through an injection molding process. 
     Accordingly, the invention presents a bidirectional conduit grip sleeve that is of one-piece design and that permits a conduit to be adequately secured through barriers of a thickness up to one inch. Application of the sleeve saves time and the need for additional labor in the installation of new plumbing for both commercial and residential construction, thus reducing costs. The invention provides for improved elements thereof in an arrangement for the purposes described that are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bidirectional pipe grip sleeve according to the present invention as seen from the flange. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective of a bidirectional pipe grip sleeve according to the present invention as seen from the end opposite the flange. 
         FIG. 3  is an environmental side view in section of a bidirectional pipe grip sleeve according to the present invention, showing installation of the sleeve through a floor or other barrier. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Attention is directed to  FIGS. 1-3 , wherein the bidirectional pipe grip sleeve is generally indicated at  10 . Sleeve  10  comprises a hollow, tubular body  12  terminating at one end in an annular flange  14 . The flange  14  is a flat disk with planar top and bottom surfaces  14   a,    14   b.  Flange  14  defines a plurality of elongated, arc-shaped slots  16  therethrough, which are evenly spaced around the periphery of the flange  14  and concentric with the bore of the tubular body. The slots  16  extend between the tubular body  12  and the periphery of the flange  14 . The tubular body  12  defines a bore dimensioned and configured for passing a pipe or conduit therethrough. A plurality of projecting ribs  15  are evenly spaced around the inner surface of tubular body  12 , extending into the bore. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , each end of body  12  is chamfered at  12   a  for reasons explained below. A plurality of legs  18  is evenly spaced around and extend from the second end of tubular body  12 , opposite the flange  14 . Each leg  18  is fabricated from flexible, spring-biased or resilient, memory-retaining material. Each leg  18  terminates in a locking latch or lug  20 . Each lug  20  projects outwardly from the outer surface of each leg  18  and is provided with a sloping guide surface  20   a  configured as a truncated cone. Each leg  18  is provided, on its inner surface, with a rib  18   a  that projects into the bore. 
     In use, sleeve  20  is inserted through a pre-formed opening through a barrier B, such as a wall or floor. The flexibility of legs  18  and the sloping surfaces  20   a  on locking lugs  20  allow the sleeve to be easily inserted through the opening. After insertion, legs  18  will bias outwardly, allowing lugs  20  to lock onto the surface of barrier B. A fastener (nail, screw, etc.) is optionally inserted through at least one of the openings  16  in flange  14  to retain the sleeve  10  in the barrier B. Chamfered ends  12   a  permit a conduit C ( FIG. 1 ) to be inserted from the flange end and adjusted from either end of the sleeve  10 . Ribs  15  and  18   a  frictionally secure conduit C in sleeve  10 . 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.