Conduit Mounting System with Segmented Spacer Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing conduit spacing and mounting systems, such as the trapeze system, face inefficiencies due to frequent misalignments during installation, difficulty in handling multiple-layered conduit assemblies, and inadequate clamping force, particularly with large-diameter conduits, leading to increased labor and time in installation.
Innovation Solution
A conduit spacing and mounting system utilizing metallic spacer plates with individually attached clamping assemblies, where each assembly includes a discrete metallic bracket formed from stronger material, allowing for adjustable longitudinal positioning and angular orientation, and providing lateral play through conduit-receiving openings with an inner diameter 5-15% larger than the conduit diameter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the trapeze system with clamping straps is used to secure conduits, then the conduits can be mounted in assemblies, but frequent misalignments occur during installation requiring time-consuming realignment procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the mounting function into separate components: spacer plates provide positioning and alignment, while discrete clamping assemblies provide securement. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its function independently, with spacer plates ensuring accurate alignment and clamping assemblies providing reliable securing without interfering with alignment adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
Spacer plates serve as intermediary elements between the mounting structure and the conduits. These plates provide a stable reference framework with pre-positioned openings that guide conduit placement and ensure accurate alignment before final clamping, acting as a mediator that transfers alignment precision from the mounting structure to the conduits.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple-layered conduit assemblies are constructed using welded or bolted rail-like struts, then multi-layer configurations can be achieved, but the labor and effort required increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is segmented into independent spacer plates that can be stacked to create multiple layers. Each spacer plate is a self-contained unit with conduit-receiving openings and a discrete clamping assembly, allowing layers to be assembled by simple stacking and clamping rather than welding or bolting entire strut structures together.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from rigid welded/bolted strut structures to a more flexible stacked plate configuration. The discrete clamping assemblies allow for easy adjustment and assembly/disassembly of multiple layers, making the system dynamic and adaptable rather than fixed and labor-intensive to construct.
3Strength
If clamping straps are tightened to eliminate lateral play for secure mounting, then conduits are firmly secured, but misaligned large-diameter conduits cannot be bent into alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer plates provide preliminary alignment guidance through their pre-positioned conduit-receiving openings before the clamping assemblies are fully tightened. This preliminary positioning action allows large-diameter conduits to be aligned through the openings while the clamping force is being applied, enabling alignment adjustment that would be impossible after full clamping.
Solution Approach 2:
By separating the positioning function (spacer plate with pre-aligned openings) from the securing function (discrete clamping assemblies), the system allows alignment to be established independently before final clamping. The spacer plate maintains alignment while the clamping assembly applies force, solving the contradiction between secure mounting and alignment adjustment.
4Productivity
If uniformly-spaced clamps are used on rail-like struts, then conduit assemblies can be mounted, but any misalignment requires loosening and re-tightening of clamping straps
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer plate acts as an intermediary that maintains conduit alignment independently of the clamping assemblies. When misalignment occurs, the spacer plate's pre-positioned openings continue to guide conduit positioning while clamping assemblies are adjusted, simplifying the realignment procedure compared to systems where clamps directly control alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates alignment maintenance (function of spacer plate with fixed openings) from clamping adjustment (function of discrete clamping assemblies). This segmentation allows realignment to be performed by adjusting individual clamps while the spacer plate maintains overall alignment, reducing the complexity of realignment procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A conduit spacing and mounting system and method are provided for prefabricating multilayered assemblies of conduits and mounting them end-to-end in a building. The system includes a pair of spacer plates, each having a same pattern of conduit-receiving openings, and a plurality of clamping assemblies, each including a bracket which is discrete from and individually attached to the spacer plate adjacent to one of the conduit-receiving openings. The clamping assemblies are oriented at different angles relative at different rows of the conduit-receiving openings to provide access for a clamp-tightening tool in the spaces between different rows of conduits. The use of spacer plates largely prevents lateral misalignments between the conduits, and the use of a separate bracket formed from a harder, stronger or thicker metal than the spacer plate greatly increases the strength and reliability of the clamping force applied to the conduits.