AU2008202849B2

AU2008202849B2 - Resilient mounting

Info

Publication number: AU2008202849B2
Application number: AU2008202849A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael William Sterling
Original assignee: Westaflex Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Westaflex Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-11-13
Filing date: 2008-06-27
Publication date: 2014-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 2028-06-27
Also published as: AU2008202849A1; NZ569449A

Abstract

P\op\gcp\2007906229cap spe doc-27106/2008 A resilient mounting for an object including: a base; 5 an engagement member which, in use, engages the object to be mounted; first and second support elements which extend from the base to the engagement member, the first and second support elements being resiliently deformable; a band which can, in use, extend about the object, the band having a free end; and coupling means for coupling to the free end of the band to the mounting whereby 10 the object is, in use, clamped between the engagement member and the band. 2 48 6 8 48 60 /24 70 60

Description

H:\dxl\lnterwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\DXL\5996520_ .doc-Il/03/2014 RESILIENT MOUNTING This invention relates to a resilient mounting. 5 More particularly, the invention relates to a resilient mounting for a cylindrical housing of a fan such as an inline fan for ducting systems. It will be appreciated, however, that the resilient mounting can be used for other purposes. According to the present invention there is provided a resilient mounting for a 10 cylindrical housing of a fan including: a base; an engagement member having a part cylindrical surface which is complementary to the shape of said cylindrical housing which, in use, engages the housing to be mounted; first and second support elements which extend from the base to the engagement 15 member, the first and second support elements being resiliently deformable; a band which can, in use, extend about the cylindrical housing, the band having at least one free end; and coupling means for coupling said at least one free end of the band to the mounting whereby the fan housing is, in use, clamped between the engagement member and the band 20 and wherein the base, engagement member, first and second support elements are integrally moulded from plastics material and wherein each support element is in the form of a beam which is moulded in a meandering or sinusoidal path between the base and the engagement member. 25 Preferably, the band is separately moulded from the other components of the mounting. Preferably further, the band includes a central band portion and at least one tie which can be coupled between the central band portion and said coupling means. 30 The invention also provides a duct for installation including: a duct fan having a housing with first and second ends; H:\dxl\lntrovn\NRPortbl\DCC\DXL\5996520_I.doc-I1/03/2014 -2 first and second of said resilient mountings as defined above; ducting having first and second ends; and wherein the first resilient mounting has its band extending about the first end of the duct and is operable to clamp the first end of the duct to the first end of the housing and 5 wherein the second resilient mounting has its band extending about the second end of the duct and is operable to clamp the second end of the duct to the second end of the housing. The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 10 Figure 1 is a side view of a resilient mounting of the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the mounting; Figure 3 is a plan view of the mounting; Figure 4 is a plan view of a central band member; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line 5-5; 15 Figure 6 is a schematic view of a tie; Figure 7 schematically shows a fan housing mounted in the resilient mounting of the invention; Figure 8 is a fragmentary view showing the interconnection of the central band portion and a tie; 20 Figure 9 is a schematic view showing the interconnection of the tie with part of the resilient mounting; Figure 10 is a schematic view showing mounting of a fan housing in ducting utilising a pair of resilient mountings of the invention; and Figure 11 schematically shows the completed mounting. 25 Figure 1 shows a mounting 2 which includes a bracket portion 4 and a band portion 6. In the illustrated arrangement, the band portion 6 is formed separately from the bracket portion 4 and includes a central band portion 8 and two ties 10 and 12, as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 7. In this arrangement the band portion 6 is made up from three 30 components, the central band 8 and two ties 10 and 12. It is possible, however, that two or more of these parts could be integrally formed. Further, it is possible that one end of the H:\dxl\lntrovn\NRPortbl\DCC\DXL\5996520_I.doc-I1/03/2014 -3 band could be integrally formed with the bracket portion 4, in which case the entire mounting 2 would be an integral moulding. The bracket portion 4 will now be described in more detail with reference to 5 Figures 1 to 3. The bracket portion 4 includes a base 14 which is generally rectangular. Extending upwardly from the base are first and second resilient beams 16 and 18 which have a meandering or somewhat sinusoidal profile when viewed in side view, as shown in Figure 1. The upper ends of the beams 16 and 18 are interconnected by means of an upper leg 20. The bracket portion 4 includes an arcuate engagement member 22. In the 10 illustrated arrangement, the engagement member 22 has a part cylindrical upper surface 24 which is generally complementary in shape to the article to be supported by the mounting. The surface 24 includes a plurality of axial ribs 26. The base 14 includes lateral screw holes 28 and 30 and end screw holes 32 and 34 which are formed in projecting bosses 36 and 38 respectively. 15 The central band portion 8 of the band portion 6 is preferably injection moulded from plastics material. It is generally rectangular in shape as shown in Figure 4 and is moulded with saddles 40 and 42 near opposed ends thereof. The saddles 40 and 42 cooperate with the ties 10 and 12. The central band portion 8 is formed with dimples 43 on 20 its underside, as shown in Figure 5. Figure 6 shows the tie 10 in more detail. It will be seen that it includes a strap 44 formed with serrations 46 on its upper face. One end of the strap 44 is formed with a projecting boss 48 and the underside of the strap 44 is formed with an interlocking wedge 25 49. In use, the user can insert the free end 50 of the strap 44 beneath the saddle 40 and pull the strap through the saddle until the boss 48 engages the saddle, as shown in Figure 8. In this condition, the wedge 49 is held captive within an interlocking recess 52 formed beneath the saddle so as to prevent inadvertent removal of the tie 10 from its interconnection with the central portion 8. The tie 12 is the same as the tie 10 and can be 30 interlocked with the saddle 42 in a similar way. The assembled band portion 6 therefore has the free ends 50 of the ties 10 and 12 at either end thereof. These can be interlocked Papr\gcp\207906229cap spe doc-27/06/2003 -.4 with formations provided on the bracket portion 4, as will be described below. As best seen in Figures 1 and 3, the bracket portion 4 is formed with interlocking projections 54 and 56 located on the lateral sides of the engagement member 22. The 5 projections 54 and 56 are essentially a mirror image of one another and therefore only one of these needs to be described in detail. Figure 9 shows the projection 54 in cross-section. It will be seen that it includes an opening 58 through which the free end 50 of the tie 10 can be inserted. The projection 54 includes a resilient finger 60 which can interlock with the serrations 46 of the tie 10. The user can pull the free end 50 of the tic through the 10 opening 58 until the band portion 6 has about the required length to encircle the object to be mounted. A similar process can be carried out with the projection 56 and the other tie 12 which is pulled so that the band part tightens on the object so as to complete the mounting. 15 In the illustrated arrangement, the finger 60 is mounted at the inner edge of a laterally extending tab 62 which is carried by means of integral hinges 64 and 66, as best seen in Figure 3. This enables the user to push upwardly on the tab 62 so as to resiliently rotate the finger 60 out of engagement with the serrations for adjustment and/or removal of the tie 10 from the opening 58. The projection 54 includes a guide projection 65 having a 20 guide surface 67 which engages the underside of the tie 10 and helps guide it into its interlocked position with the resilient finger 60. The projection 56 has a similar structure. Figure 7 schematically illustrates the use of the mounting 2 for mounting a cylindrical object 70. It will be seen that the outer surface of the object 70 is essentially 25 clamped between the engagement member 22, the ties 10 and 12 and the central band portion 8. Each of these components has a degree of resilience so that they can generally conform to the shape of the object 70. Figures 10 and 11 show how the mounting 2 can be used to mount an inline fan 72 30 in a ducting system. More particularly, it will be seen that two of the mountings 2 are first fixed to a mounting surface 74 by screwing the bases 14 thereof to the surface 74. The Ppergep\2007906229c. sp.doc-27/06/200 -5 user can then assemble the band portion 6 from the central band portion 8 and the ties 10 and 12. The free ends 50 of the ties 10 can then be interlocked with respective projections 54 so that the band portions 6 extend upwardly, as shown schematically in Figure 10. Once in this position, first and second ends 76 and 78 of ducts 80 and 82 can be aligned 5 with the cylindrical housing of the fan 72. The ends 76 and 78 can then be placed over the adjacent parts of the housing of the fan 72 and then the free ends 50 of the ties 12 interlocked with the projections 56 and tightened so as to complete the mounting. In this way the ends 76 and 78 of the ducting are held clamped between the housing of the fan 72 and the pair of mountings 2, as shown in Figure 11. The ribs 26 and dimples 43 assist in 10 gripping the ends 76 and 78 of the duct in the assembly. This forms a secure mounting for the fan 72 which, because of the shape and inherent resilience of the plastic material, tends to absorb vibration and the like. Further, the direct clamping of the ends of the duct to the housing by the band portion 6 eliminates the need for duct tape or the like for connecting the duct to the fan housing. 15 The mounting of the invention can be moulded in various sizes according to requirements. It is envisaged that a relatively small mounting would be useable with ducts having a diameter in the range 100mm to 200mm. The relatively small moulding has the radius of curvature of its cylindrical upper surface 24, say 60mm. A larger mounting 20 having its cylindrical upper surface 24 with a radius of say 150mm can be provided and it would be suitable for larger ducts having diameters say in the range 250mm to 350mm. The wall thicknesses of the bracket portion can again be chosen in accordance with requirements, particularly the weight of the objects to be supported. It is envisaged, 25 however, that the beams 16 and 18 would have a width of about 50mm and a wall thickness of say 4mm. The base 14 can be rectangular and have a wall thickness somewhat thicker than the wall thickness of the beams 16 and 18. Typically, the wall thickness of the base 14 would be say 5mm. The engagement member 22 is preferably more flexible and has a wall thickness say of 3mm. The overall length of the ties 10 and 30 12 can be say 280mm and have a width of about 20mm. For the smaller mounting, the central band portion 8 can have a length of say 155mm and a width of 50mm. For the P:\opa'gcp\207906229cap spe.doc-27/06/2008 -6 larger mounting the central band portion 8 can have a length of about 375mm but of the same width. Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing 5 from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A resilient mounting for a cylindrical housing of a fan including: a base; 5 an engagement member having a part cylindrical surface which is complementary to the shape of said cylindrical housing which, in use, engages the housing to be mounted; first and second support elements which extend from the base to the engagement member, the first and second support elements being resiliently deformable; a band which can, in use, extend about the cylindrical housing, the band having at 10 least one free end; and coupling means for coupling said at least one free end of the band to the mounting whereby the fan housing is, in use, clamped between the engagement member and the band and wherein the base, engagement member, first and second support elements are integrally moulded from plastics material and wherein each support element is in the form 15 of a beam which is moulded in a meandering or sinusoidal path between the base and the engagement member.

2. A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein the band is separately moulded from the other components of the mounting. 20

3. A mounting as claimed in claim 2 wherein the band includes a central band portion and at least one tie which can be coupled between the central band portion and said coupling means. 25

4. A mounting as claimed in claim 3 wherein the coupling means is located on the engagement member.

5. A mounting as claimed in claim 4 wherein there is a second of said coupling means and the coupling means are located at respective sides of the engagement member and 30 wherein the band includes a second tie which can be coupled between the central band portion and the second coupling means. H:\dxl\lnterwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\DXL\5996520_ .doc-Il/03/2014 -8

6. A mounting as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base has a first thickness, the first and second support elements have a second thickness and the engagement member has a third wall thickness. 5

7. A mounting as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first thickness is about 5mm, the second thickness about 4mm and the third thickness about 3mm.

8. A mounting as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cylindrical surface includes projecting ribs. 10

9. A mounting as claimed in claim 3 wherein the central band portion includes projections.

10. A mounting as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the mounting is moulded 15 from polypropylene.

11. A mounting as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base includes openings for fasteners. 20

12. A duct fan installation including: a duct fan having a housing with first and second ends; first and second of said resilient mountings as claimed in any preceding claim; ducting having first and second ends; and wherein the first resilient mounting has its band extending about the first end of the 25 duct and is operable to clamp the first end of the duct to the first end of the housing and wherein the second resilient mounting has its band extending about the second end of the duct and is operable to clamp the second end of the duct to the second end of the housing.

13. A duct fan installation as claimed in claim 12 wherein the bases of the resilient 30 mountings are fixed to a common support surface. H:\dxl\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\DXL\5996520_ .doc-Il/03/2014 -9

14. A resilient mounting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A duct fan installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the 5 accompanying drawings.