Patent Description:
The use of piping has long been an effective and efficient means to transport fluid from one location to the next. Piping fittings, including valves, help direct the flow, and control characteristics of the fluid, such as pressure and flow rate. Valves, in particular, are crucial to piping design as they not only help regulate the transported fluid, but also can act as a protective measure to ensure the piping, equipment, and/or downstream receiver does not receive fluid at a condition, such as pressure, that is beyond its design capability.

There are many types of material that a piping system can be constructed from, such as wood, steel, and copper. Plastic piping, including PVC piping, are generally used for water and water based fluids, and provide several advantages over other materials, such as being lightweight, flexible, and resistant to corrosion.

However, plastic piping is generally more susceptible to temperature variation, particularly heat, due to its higher rate of thermal expansion compared to other types of material. Transporting fluids that can vary in temperatures, or piping that is exposed to varying ambient temperatures, can affect the plastic properties. As the plastic is exposed to warmer temperatures, it will have the tendency to expand, while being exposed to cooler temperatures will cause the plastic to contract. Expansion, if not properly accounted for in the piping design, can cause stress on pipe joints that may lead to leaks over time. Contraction can also result in the development of tensile loads in the piping system. Moreover, other factors can place stress on piping systems, such as mechanical vibrations, building settling, operational variations, and others. Generally, such expansion and contraction for piping are accounted for by configuring supports and/or expansion loops to minimize the impact of stress on any joints.

Valves, however, require additional support than piping given their additional weight and actuation issues. Currently, valves and the associated components are typically rigidly supported, creating a point of potential stress due to thermal expansion. The valves must rely on appropriate piping configuration to account for thermal expansion and other variations. This may however not minimize the stress and other loads exerted on the valve connections, thereby making this crucial fitting susceptible to failure or leaks over time.

Therefore, it should be appreciated that there remains a need to provide a dedicated means of reducing stress and other loads to valves and its components due to thermal expansion and other variations. <CIT> and <CIT> show examples of slide mounts.

Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention provides a valve support apparatus, according to claim <NUM>, designed to minimize the stress and other loads exerted on a valve due to the thermal expansion of the connected piping and other variations. The apparatus includes a valve mount that detachably secures a valve. The valve mount slidably couples to a support mount, such that the valve mount can move along the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount. The slide mount may further contain another mounting assembly that can couple with a base, wherein the slide mount optionally can move along the longitudinal axis (Lb) of the base, which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount. Thus, the valve can be moved in orthogonal directions to lessen the stress and load due to piping thermal expansion and other variations.

More specifically, in an exemplary embodiment, the valve mount defines a passageway that conformably receives a rail of the slide mount, thereby securing the valve mount to the slide mount vertically and laterally, while enabling the valve mount to move along the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount.

In another detailed aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the valve mount houses a valve on the upper surface of the valve mount, using fasteners to secure to the bottom of a valve such that the valve flow axis (Lf) is aligned with the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount.

In yet another detailed aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the base is a U-shaped strut (uni-strut). The slide mount includes a mounting assembly including a counter sunk screw and steel plate, can secure the slide mount vertically and laterally to the base. The steel plate, in contact with the base, will however allow the slide mount to move along the longitudinal axis (Lb) of the base.

For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain advantages of the invention have been described herein. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment disclosed.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which:.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly <FIG>, there is shown a valve support apparatus <NUM> having a valve mount <NUM>, a slide mount <NUM>, and a base <NUM>. The valve mount <NUM> detachably secures a valve <NUM>, and slidably couples to the slide mount, such that the valve mount <NUM> can move along a longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount <NUM>. The slide mount <NUM> couples to the base <NUM>, in a manner that, at the assembler's discretion, the slide mount can move along the longitudinal axis (Lb) of the base, which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount. Thus, the valve <NUM> can be moved in orthogonal directions to lessen the stress and load due to piping thermal expansion and other variations.

In the exemplary embodiment, the valve mount <NUM> is configured with a valve attachment assembly <NUM> located on the upper surface. In the exemplary embodiment, screws are used to secure the valve to the valve mount. In other embodiment, various other attachment means can be used. Moreover, the valve <NUM> is coupled to the valve mount <NUM> such that a flow axis (Lf) of the valve is aligned with the longitudinal axis (Lm). The valve mount <NUM> also contains a first mounting assembly <NUM>, defined on a bottom side thereof to couple the valve mount to the slide mount.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the slide mount <NUM> incudes a second mounting assembly <NUM> on an upper side thereof, which is elongated about the slide mount longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM>. The second mounting assembly <NUM> is configured to be coupled with the valve mount mounting assembly <NUM> by being inserted through the hollow passageway within the valve mount <NUM>, entering through the first opening and exiting through the second opening. The valve mount <NUM> is thereby secured about the slide mount <NUM> from vertical or lateral movement, but can be moved along the longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM> between the opposing ends of the upper layer. Thus, as the piping connected to a given valve expands due to temperature variation, the valve mount <NUM> can move accordingly to accommodate piping elongation, minimizing stress and other loads exerted on the valve. In selected embodiments, the slide mount <NUM> can further includes calibration markings, e.g., (inch or metric), to denote displacement of the valve mount <NUM> along the slide mount <NUM> relative to a prescribed location thereon.

In the exemplary embodiment, the first mounting assembly <NUM> of the valve mount <NUM> include flanges <NUM> that project downwardly, to couple about the second mounting assembly <NUM> of the slide mount <NUM>. More particularly, the second mounting assembly is configured as a rail that has a tapered cross-section, in which the cross section is wider at the distal portion, relative to a proximate portion of the rail. The flanges of the first mounting assembly <NUM> project on opposing sides of the rail <NUM>. The flanges cooperate with the tapered rail <NUM> to inhibit vertical displacement of the valve mount relative to the slide mount, while enabling freedom of movement confined along longitudinal axis (Lm). The flanges define a passageway on the bottom sides of the valve mount body with a first opening and second opening on opposing ends.

The upper side of the slide mount <NUM> includes a top surface <NUM> of the rail <NUM> and outer surfaces <NUM> disposed on opposing sides of the rail <NUM>. The valve mount <NUM> is sized such that the flanges <NUM> are in proximity to the outer surfaces such that the outer surface tend to be weight bearing as opposed to the top surface <NUM>, which can facilitate longer life span of the assembly smooth travel along the slide mount.

In the exemplary embodiment, the valve mount <NUM> is formed of polypropylene, and the slide mount <NUM> is formed of a glass-filled polypropylene. In other embodiment, the valve mount and the slide can be formed of different materials so long as the valve mount to slide can along the slide mount.

The slide mount <NUM> can further include mechanical stops (not shown) disposed at opposing ends thereof. The stops are configured to retain the valve mount along the confines of slide mount. More particularly, in the exemplary embodiment, the second mounting assembly defines a rail for securing the first mounting assembly <NUM> of the valve mount <NUM>.

The plate <NUM> further includes grooves <NUM> that secure to U-shaped strut ends <NUM> of the base (unistrut) <NUM>, which allows for the slide mount <NUM> and steel plate <NUM> to move along the longitudinal axis (Lb) <NUM> of the base, as depicted in <FIG>, which is perpendicular to the movement <NUM> of the valve mount. The base <NUM> can further includes stops <NUM> disposed at opposing ends thereof, to retain the slide mount along the confines of the base. In an alternate embodiment, the base may be a flat surface (not shown) wherein the slide mount is affixed to the flat surface without the capability of moving in any direction. In this alternate embodiment, only the valve mount is movable about the longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM> of the slide mount.

With reference to <FIG>, there is shown a third mounting assembly <NUM> on the slide mount <NUM>, configured to attach with the base <NUM>. In the exemplary embodiment, the longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM> of a third mounting assembly <NUM> on the slide mount <NUM> is configured to affix orthogonally relative to the longitudinal axis (Lb) <NUM> of a base <NUM>. The third mounting assembly <NUM> further includes a counter sunk screw <NUM> and steel plate <NUM> that couples the slide mount <NUM> with a U-shaped strut base (uni-strut) <NUM>, thereby securing the slide mount <NUM> from vertical or lateral movement about the U-shaped strut base <NUM>, as depicted in <FIG>. The third mounting assembly can be adjustably set so that either the slide mount <NUM> is fixed in place to the strut <NUM> or that slide mount can slide along the longitudinal axis (Lb) of the base, depending on how securely tightened the screw <NUM> is set. In other embodiments, the third mounting assembly can utilize other attachment methods for securing the slide mount to the base.

Referring again to <FIG>, the valve <NUM> can be attached through a variety of fastening mechanisms, including, but not limited to the use of pan head screws. As aforementioned, the valve <NUM>, attached to the valve mount <NUM>, can be moved about the longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM> of the slide mount <NUM>, and/or the valve can be moved about the longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM> of the base <NUM>, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM> of the slide mount. Thus, if pipe elongation occurs on both sides of the valve, potentially restricting the ability to move about the longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM> of the slide mount, movement about the longitudinal axis (Lb) <NUM> base may help alleviate stress build-up by allowing the pipes to move accordingly. The valve mount <NUM> further defines one or more hole(s) <NUM> along the sidewall thereof, which serves to drain any fluid that might collect in the valve mount.

Referring now to <FIG>, in an alternate embodiment, the slide mount <NUM> mounting assembly is configured with inverted grooves <NUM>, wherein the mounting assembly of the valve mount <NUM> is configured to be flush together with the slide mount <NUM>. The flushed contact between the inverted grooves <NUM> on the slide mount <NUM> and the valve mount <NUM> provide for vertical and lateral stability, while allowing the valve mount <NUM> to move along the longitudinal axis (Lm) <NUM> of the slide mount <NUM>.

It should be appreciated from the foregoing that the present invention provides a valve support apparatus that can minimize the stress and other loads exerted on a valve in piping systems due to thermal expansion by allowing the valve the freedom to move. The apparatus includes a valve mount that detachably houses a valve, wherein the valve mount can couple with a slide mount such that, the valve mount is secured vertically and laterally, but can move along the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount. The slide mount can include a mounting assembly to couple with a base, wherein the slide mount is secured vertically and laterally, but can move along the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the base, which is oriented orthogonally with the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount. Thus, the valve can move in response to pipe expansion to alleviate stress build-up.

Claim 1:
Support apparatus (<NUM>) for mounting valves in piping systems and a valve assembly, comprising: a valve assembly comprising a valve;
a valve mount (<NUM>) having a valve attachment assembly (<NUM>) for affixing the valve assembly thereto, the valve mount (<NUM>) defining a first mounting assembly (<NUM>) spaced from the valve attachment assembly (<NUM>); and
a slide mount (<NUM>) that defines a longitudinal axis (Lm), the slide mount (<NUM>) having a second mounting assembly (<NUM>), the second mounting assembly (<NUM>) couples to the first mounting assembly (<NUM>) of the valve mount (<NUM>) to secure the valve mount (<NUM>) to the slide mount (<NUM>) in such a manner that the valve mount (<NUM>) has freedom of movement confined along the longitudinal axis (Lm), the slide mount (<NUM>) further having a third mounting assembly (<NUM>) spaced from the second mounting assembly (<NUM>) of the slide mount (<NUM>), the third mounting assembly (<NUM>) configured to couple to a base (<NUM>) that defines a longitudinal axis (Lb) oriented orthogonally to the longitudinal axis (Lm), in which the slide mount (<NUM>) can be moved along the longitudinal axis (Lb) between opposing ends of the base (<NUM>), wherein the valve attachment assembly (<NUM>) of the valve mount (<NUM>) is configured to secure the valve assembly so that a flow axis (Lf) of a valve (<NUM>) is aligned with the longitudinal axis (Lm) of the slide mount (<NUM>).