Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02456682 2004-02-02
Wire Holder
Field of the invention
The present invention generally relates to wire holders. More specifically,
the
present invention is concerned with a wire holder which encapsulates and
holds a wire into place.
Background of the invention
For decades, the world's increasing energy needs have stimulated research
and development regarding alternative energy production systems which
generally use various energy sources or involve different ways of producing
usable energy. Increasing and more severe environmental norms have also
influenced innovations, with the arrival of more efficient and cleaner energy
systems.
Amongst those innovations, the radiant floor heating industry was introduced
in homes to produce an alternative to the conventional heat sources. Up to
now, different types of floor heating systems have been developed, such as
electrical and hydronic heating systems. Those systems usually involve a
piping system or wires positioned underneath a floor surface so as to radiate
heat through the floor surface.
To optimize the efficiency of an electrical radiant heating system, the wires
have to be properly positioned with respect to the floor surface so that the
radiating heating energy may be dispersed generally uniformly to the whole
floor surface.
Generally, most electrical radiant heating systems require the positioning of
the wires on or adjacent to a first sub-flooring surface. A second floor
surface
usually located above the wires is adapted to absorb the heating energy
radiating from the wires. The second floor surface (tiles, wood or other known
flooring material) is then usually affixed to the sub-flooring surface and/or
to
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an adjacent wall structure with the help of glue, cement, or other known
mounting elements.
To properly position the wires with respect to the floor surface, some systems
use thin mats already containing at least one wire mapped in an optimal
pattern. However, at the installation of the second floor surface and during
the
attachment process, the wires may be damaged or moved with respect to the
floors. Also, these mats are generally expensive since they are usually
custom-made according to specific and sometimes irregular floor dimensions.
Systems including brackets and channeled structures have also been used to
locate the wires with respect to the sub-flooring surface or to the floor
surface.
The brackets are usually attached at selected punctual key locations on the
sub-flooring surface to hold the wires. The channeled structures generally
consist of in-between floor structures defining or including a passage for the
wires. The installation of these systems is usually tedious and time
consuming.
In "Electric Radiant floor heating system" by Drake (bearing US patent number
4,878,332), there is disclosed a cable-retaining molding which secures cables
in slots with respect to the sub-floor. The slots are located at regularly
spaced
intervals in the molding. However, this system does not hold and/or secure
adequately the cables once inserted in the molding and comprises slots which
are generally not on the same level as the body portion of the molding.
There is therefore a need for an inexpensive and easy to use holder which
locates, holds and secures wires once installed.
Summary of the invention
More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided
a
holder for a wire comprising a longitudinally extending body having a bottom
side and a top side, the holder also comprising at least two holding members
made of mechanically compliant material, each comprising an upper portion
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and a lower portion, the lower portion being mounted to the top side, the
upper portion of at least one of the two holding members defining a
mechanically compliant projection toward the other of the two holding
member, the holder further comprising at least one cavity being defined in
between the two holding members, including the projection, and by the top
side, whereby in operation, the wire can be inserted in the cavity by
deforming
the mechanically compliant projection and is retained in the cavity by the
mechanically compliant projection.
There is also provided a holder for positioning a wire with respect to a sub-
surface and to surface, the holder comprising a longitudinally extending body
having a bottom side and a top side, the bottom side being so configured and
sized as to be attached to the sub-surface, the holder also comprising a
plurality of holding members, each holding member comprising a hollow body
portion, an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being mounted
on the top side, the upper portion of each of the holding member defining at
least one deformable projection toward other consecutive holding members;
the holder further comprising a plurality of cavities, each cavity being
defined
in between the consecutive holding members, including the deformable
projection, and by the top side.
There is furthermore provided a method for using a holder for positioning a
wire with respect to a surface, the holder comprising a body and a plurality
of
holding members mounted thereon, each holding member defining at least
one deformable projection toward an adjacent holding members, adjacent
holding members being spaced apart to define a cavity, the method
comprising the steps of: selecting two adjacent holding members, pressing the
wire on one of the adjacent holding member, locally bending the projection
until a passage is generated between the adjacent holding members, inserting
the wire in the cavity through the passage and releasing the wire.
There is furthermore provided a holder for a wire comprising a longitudinally
extending body having a bottom side and a top side, the holder also
comprising at least one holding member comprising an upper portion and a
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lower portion, the lower portion being mounted to the top side, the upper
portion of the holding member defining an outward projection, the holder
further comprising at least one cavity being defined in between the holding
member, including the projection, and by the top side, whereby in operation,
the wire can be inserted in the cavity and is retained in the cavity by the
projection.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become
more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of
preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the figures
In the appended drawings:
Figure 1 is a top view showing a holder according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
Figure 2 is a top view showing the holder of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side elevation view showing the holder of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an end view of the holder of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is an isometric view showing a portion of the holder of Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a side elevation view showing the first step of the insertion of a
wire in the holder of Figure 1;
Figure 7 is side elevation view showing a wire fully inserted in the holder of
Figure 1;
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Figure 8 is a side elevation view showing a second embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 9 is a cross-section view taken along line 9-9 in Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a side elevation view showing a third embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 11 is a cross-section view taken along line 11-11 in Figure 10;
Figure 12 is a side elevation view showing a fourth embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 13 is a cross-section view taken along line 13-13 in Figure 12;
Figure 14 is a side elevation view showing a fifth embodiment of the present
invention with various types of holding members;
Figure 15 is a side elevation view showing a sixth embodiment of the holder of
the present invention with various distances between holding members;
Figure 16 is a top view showing a seventh embodiment of the holder
according to the present invention;
Figure 17 is a top view showing an eighth embodiment of the holder according
to the present invention; and
Figure 18 is a side elevation view taken along line 18-18 in Figure 17.
Detailed description
Generally stated, the present invention relates to a holder which may be used
to locate or hold an article such as a wire on a surface.
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As illustrated in Figure 1, the holder 20 comprises a body 22 and a plurality
of
holding members 24. The holder 20 may be positioned on or mounted to a
surface 26 and may serve to locate andlor hold in place a wire 28 with respect
to the surface 26.
As shown in more details in figures 2 to 4, the body 22 of the holder 20 is
generally thin, flat and longitudinally extending. The body 22 has a generally
smooth bottom side 30 adapted to the type of surface on which it is destined
to be installed. The holder 20 is usually installed on or mounted to the
surface
26 such that its bottom side 30 is glued, nailed or tacked to the surface 26.
The body 22 also has a top side 32 which supports the plurality of holding
members 24. The holding members 24 are generally consecutively aligned
one next to the other along the length of the body 22. Each holding member
24 is spaced apart from the others such that a cavity 34 is defined
therebetween. The size and shape of the holding members 24 and therefore,
of the cavities 34, may differ depending on the intended use of the holder 20.
A sequence of holding members 24 is shown in more details in Figure 5. Each
holding member 24 has a body portion 36 which may be hollow and which is
generally longitudinally extending along the body 22. The holding member 24
has a lower portion 38 and an upper portion 40. The lower portion 38 is
generally fixedly mounted or integrally formed with the top surface 32 of the
body 22.
The upper portion 40 is generally longitudinally larger than the lower portion
38 such that the cavity 34 between consecutive holding members 24 may
serve to encapsulate and hold a wire positioned therein. More specifically,
the
upper portion defines two mechanically compliant projections 52 and 54 each
projecting towards an adjacent holding member.
As seen in Figures 6 and 7, a wire 42 may be introduced in a cavity 34
between a first holding member 44 and an adjacent second holding member
46. When the distance between consecutive upper portions 48, 50 is smaller
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than the wire 42 diameter, the wire 42 may be forced in the cavity 34 by being
pressed on at least one of the projections 52, 54.
For instance, when submitted to a pressure load by a user pressing a wire 42
on the second holding member 46, the projection 52 may locally bend until the
distance between the projection 52 of the second holding member 50 and the
projection 54 of the first holding member 44 generates a passage which is
equal or larger than the diameter of the wire 42.
At that time, the wire 42 may be automatically directed toward the cavity 34
or
may be oriented therein by the user. Once in the cavity 34, the projection 52
of the second holding member 46 generally goes back to its natural position
such that the wire 42 is encapsulated or maintained in the cavity 34.
The projections 52, 54 are generally the closest areas between consecutive
holding members 44, 46. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 7, the
projections 52, 54 of the holding members 44, 46 are tapering from their
respective bottom portion to their respective upper portion. However, one
skilled in the art will understand that only one projection included in one of
two
consecutive holding members may serve the purpose of encapsulating a wire
in a cavity 34.
It is also shown in the Figures how a spring portion 56 may help control the
form and maximize the resiliency of the holding members 24 and more
particularly, of the mechanically compliant projections 52 and 54. In the
embodiment shown in the Figures 3 and 5, the spring portion 56 is generally
located at the top of the upper portion 40 of the holding members 24,
including
the projections, since it is where the pressure load is applied by the user.
The spring portion 56 may be a local thickening of material at the upper
portion 40 of the holding member 24 which has the effect of maximizing the
elastic deformation occurrences of the holding members 24 under a pressure
load as described hereinabove. Therefore, the elastically deformed holding
member 24 has more chance of getting back to its natural shape and position.
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The shape of a holding member 24 generally consists of its specific lateral
cross-section and its longitudinal profile. Many combinations of cross-
sections
and profiles are possible, such that it may implicate the need or not to have
a
spring portion 56 and may also influence the required force to insert a wire
28
in the cavity and the way that wire 28 is held in the cavity 34. In Figures 1
to
7, the profile of the holding members 24 is generally trapezoidal and its
cross
section is generally triangular or semi-arced.
Also, as seen in Figures 3 and 5, each cavity 34 is generally defined in
between consecutive holding members 24 and by the top side 32 of the body
22 to minimize the height of the holder 20 which is the distance between the
bottom side 30 of the body 22 and the upper portion 40 of the holding
members. Since the holder 20 may be installed in between surfaces such as a
sub-flooring structure and a floor structure, a smaller height of the holder
20 is
interesting.
The embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 7 also allows for a wire 42 to be
positioned at almost the same level as the surface on which holder 20 is
installed, which offers the advantage of minimizing the occurrences of kinks
in
the wire 42 when it is outside of the cavity 34, since the body of the holder
is
generally thin.
Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the hollow portion 70 of each
holding member 24 may be used to secure and protect a wire positioned in
the cavities 34. For instance, when the holder 20 is installed in between
surfaces such as a sub-flooring structure and a floor structure, the floor
structure is often made of tiles needing cement to adhere to the sub-flooring
structure. Cement is usually applied in a generally liquid or malleable state
which dries and hardens to cement adjacent structures. If a holder 20 is
positioned in between tiles and a sub-flooring structure, cement may enter the
hollow portion 70 of each holding member 24, such that the cement becomes
more uniformly distributed. As the cement dries, the holding members 24 and
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the holder 20 are generally rigidified such that a wire positioned in a cavity
34
is generally more protected.
Also, when holder 20 is made out of a flexible material such as plastic, the
holder 20 may be rolled upon itself for storage or packaging and may also be
bent or twisted to suit the various types of surfaces onto which the holder 20
may be attached or installed. This phenomenon is also made possible due to
the fact that the succession of holding members 24 and cavities 34 allows the
body 22 of the holder 20 to bend more easily where there is a cavity 34.
A holder 20A according to a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in Figures 8 and 9. For concision purposes, only the differences befinreen the
holder 20A and the holder 20 illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 will be described
hereinbelow. The holder 20A includes hollow holding members 24A mounted
on the body 22A. Each holding members 24A has a generally rectangular
lateral profile and cross section and comprises generally flat, thin and
elongated mechanically compliant projections 52A, 54A and a spring portion
56A.
A holder 20B according to a third embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in
Figures 10 and 11. Again, only the differences between the holder 20B and
the holder 20 illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 will be described hereinbelow. The
holder 20B includes holding members 24B mounted on the body 22B. Each
holding members 24B has a generally rectangular lateral profile and cross
section and comprises generally flat, thin and elongated mechanically
compliant projections 52B, 54B and a spring portion 56B. In this embodiment,
however, the holding members 24B are not hollow.
A holder 20C according to a fourth embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in Figures 12 and 13. Again, only the differences between the holder 20C and
the holder 20 illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 will be described hereinbelow. The
holder 20C includes hollow holding members 24C mounted on the body 22C.
Each holding members 24C has a generally rectangular lateral profile and a
generally circular cross section. In the shown embodiment however, each
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holding members 24C comprises only one generally flat, thin and elongated
mechanically compliant projection 52C and a spring portion 56C.
A holder 20D according to a fifth embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in
Figure 14. Again, only the differences between the holder 20D and the holder
20 illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 will be described hereinbelow. In this
embodiment, various types of cross-sections and profiles of holding members
may be alternatively used on the same holder 20D, at a regular interval or
not,
along the longitudinal length of the body 22D. Figure 14 shows a holder 20D
with three different types of holding members 58, 60, 62 (the ones shown in
Figures 3-4, 8-9, and 10-11, respectively) located on the body 22 at regular
intervals.
A holder 20E according to a sixth embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in
Figure 15. Again, only the differences between the holder 20E and the holder
illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 wiH be described hereinbelow. In this
embodiment, the distances 64, 66, 68 separating consecutive holding
members 24E mounted on the body 22E may also vary to accommodate
various wire localization requirements.
A holder 20F according to a seventh embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in Figure 16. Again, only the differences between the holder 20F and the
holder 20 illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 wilt be described hereinbelow. In this
embodiment, the holder 20F includes more than one holder 70, 72 which may
be used on the same sub-surface 74 to help control the position of one or
more wires 76, 78 along any desired pattern with respect to the sub-surface
74. The number and the distance between the holders 70, 72 depend on the
level of control required to localize the wires 76, 78 and the complexity of
the
pattern (the positioning of the wires 76, 78 with respect to the surface 74).
A holder 20G according to an eight embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in Figures 17 and 18. Again, only the differences between the holder 20G and
the holder 20 illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 will be described hereinbelow. In
this
embodiment, the holder 20G includes more than one holder 80, 82, 84, 86
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and 88 which may be used on the same sub-surface 90 to help control the
position of wires 92, 94, 96 and 98 along any desired pattern with respect to
the sub-surface 90. In the shown embodiment, some holders 86, 88 contain at
least one holding member 100 defining one cavity 102. By properly positioning
and orienting the holders 86, 88, the wire 98 may be oriented along any
angles or path with respect to the sub-surface 90 and may also be maintained
under tension when the wire 98 lies in the bottom of the cavity 102 or near
the
junction between the holding member 100 and the top side 104.
As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the holders described herein
and
shown in the appended Figures may be fabricated by extrusion or by other
known methods from a plurality of mechanically compliant materials such as
plastic, elastomeric materials or some thin metallic materials. Although the
holding members are shown in the figures as being integral with the body of
the holder, the holding members may be distinctive parts which could be
added at predetermined locations on the holder, according to the need of the
holder user.
Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of
preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the
spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.
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