AU746784B2 - Service outlet mounting system - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 ESCO INDUSTRIES PTY LTD

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Service outlet mounting system The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- 2 Field of the Invention This invention relates to a service outlet mounting system. In particular, the invention concerns a means and system for flush mounting in a stud type plasterboard wall, a variety of outlets for various services, particularly, but not exclusively, services associated with hospital wards.

Background of the Invention Plasterboard is typically mounted to an array of spaced vertically oriented wall studs by nailing, gluing or otherwise fixing the plasterboard to that array of wall studs. Typically the wall studs will be spaced 600mm apart. Until recently, studs were made of timber although wall studs made of pressed sheet steel are now also quite common. If the outlets for the various services are to be flush mounted to the plasterboard, it is first necessary to determine what services will be required and where they should be provided.

Then individual boxes of a known size to suit the requirements of the ward are mounted in position and fixed to site made horizontal noggins between the wall studs prior to the plasterboard being fixed to the studs. Typical services provided at outlets in wards include electrical power, nurse call, and medical gases such as oxygen and air. In a typical configuration, electrical outlets and nurse call facilities are provided on one side of a bed and outlets for air and oxygen are provided on the other side, although other arrangements may be used. In some wards, such as intensive care wards, more service outlets may be provided. Once the plasterboard has been fixed, it is not possible to easily increase the capacity of the pre-installed wall S 25 boxes to accommodate any extra service outlets at a later date.

Further, it is difficult to change the set-up of a ward to change the number of beds provided along one wall of the ward because the position of the service outlets which, as discussed above, are typically provided either side of a bed head, as it is difficult to add new boxes for extra groups of outlets to suit the changed ward set up, with existing systems.

Thus, to an extent, the provision of service outlets in a ward, determines the number of beds provided in the ward.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a service outlet mounting system which alleviates some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

Summary of the Invention In a first aspect, the present invention provides a service outlet mounting system including: an elongated bracket including a central portion and having a series of spaced apart upturned edge portions which extend to one side of the bracket and are disposed along both longitudinal edges of the central portion, spaced planar portions having no upturned edge portions being interposed between sections of the bracket defining said upturned edge portions, the spaced planar portions being for attaching the bracket to a series of studs; and wherein a series of spaced apertures are disposed along the bracket in the central portion between the spaced planar portions wherein, in use, a frame may be located in the aperture and engaged with the bracket.

Preferably the edges are both upturned and returned.

15 When fixed directly to the face of the studs, the bracket does not .":extend to any detrimental amount beyond the normal face of the studs.

Thus, when plasterboard is then fixed to the wall studs, the rear face of the plasterboard contacts the face of the bracket and the face of the studs.

In a typical hospital ward, the bracket could extend the full length of a wall that would require service outlets to be fitted, usually being mounted about 1.2m above floor level. The bracket is cheap, simple, and typically made from light galvanised steel. It is thus feasible and cost effective to provide a bracket along all walls that may require service outlets at the initial time of building or at any time after that, should the need arise.

25 In use, a plasterboard knife may be used to remove a section of plasterboard to allow an outlet to be fitted. The rectangular apertures can be used as a guide for the cutting blade. In particular the horizontal edges of the aperture can be used to guide the knife to make two horizontal cuts. Vertical cuts between the two horizontal cuts allow sufficient amount of plasterboard to be removed to define a cut-out portion sized to suit the outlet panel or panels being fitted. Once the hole has been cut in the plasterboard a frame may be located in the cut-out portion and retained by the bracket.

The invention also provides a frame element for use in forming a frame for an outlet panel in conjunction with the bracket of the present invention.

The frame defines a thin walled U-shaped element portion which defines an engaging portion adapted to engage with the edge of the upturned and returned edge portion of the bracket. The frame element is located in position in the aperture abutting the edge of the same and the engaging portion is rolled or pushed onto the edge of the upturned edge to fix the frame element in position. In use one frame element is fitted over one of the horizontal edges of the cut-out portion. Another engaging portion may be fitted over the opposite upturned edge. Once the two horizontal frame elements are positioned, vertically oriented frame elements which may comprise horizontal frame elements having their rear portions broken off are disposed between and fixed to the horizontal elements to define a rectangular thus-formed frame. Various components of the outlet panel may then be fixed to the frame effectively lock the frame portions in position. If an outlet is not immediately required, a clip in blank panel could be fixed into the frame.

In an alternative method, the mounting bracket of the present 15 invention is disposed on a series of studs and extends substantially the full length of a wall.

Thus in a second aspect, the invention provides method of forming a service outlet system in a wall comprising disposing the mounting bracket "according to the first aspect of the invention on a series of wall studs; sheeting the wall with plasterboard such that it has a substantially continuous horizontal gap extending across the wall, the gap coinciding with the apertures in the bracket; fitting horizontally oriented frame elements along the upper and lower edges of the elongated openings with the rear portion of the frame element 25 cut and broken out in sections where necessary to clear the wall studs; fitting vertically oriented frame elements along the edge of the horizontally oriented frame elements to define rectangular frames; mounting boxes for outlets in frames where required; and covering any areas where outlets are not required with blank cover panels.

In a yet further aspect, the present invention provides a wall defining a service outlet mounting system, the wall including at least two studs and a sheet of plasterboard or the like, the outlet mounting system including: an elongated bracket including a central portion and having a series of spaced apart frame engagement means on one side of the bracket which are disposed along both longitudinal edges of the central portion, spaced planar portions having no frame engagement means, interposed between the sections having upturned edge portions and a series of rectangular spaced apertures disposed along the bracket between the spaced planar portions, and wherein two spaced apart planar portions of the bracket are mounted to the at least two studs between the studs and the sheet of plasterboard, the sheet of plasterboard defining one or more generally rectangular apertures coincident with one or more of the rectangular apertures in the bracket; and a frame having a front portion and side walls located in the aperture framing the same and retained position at least in part by the frame engagement means.

:.i 15 Brief Description of the Drawings A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a typical electrical and medical gas service outlet panel; Figure 2 shows an arrangement of electrical and medical gas panels mounted in a frame which extends from one wall to another wall of a hospital ward, with blank infill panels disposed between the outlet panels; Figure 3A shows a bracket for use in mounting frames for electrical and medical gas service outlet panels; Figure 3B shows a side view of the bracket of the Figure 3A; Figure 3C shows an end view of the bracket of Figure 3A; Figure 4 shows a further typical electrical service panel; Figure 5 shows a detail on a corner A of the panel shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 shows a section on A-A of Figure Figure 7 shows a section on B-B of Figure Figure 8 shows a section through a power outlet panel; Figure 9 shows a section through a gas outlet panel; "•Figure 10 shows a section through an infill panel located between studs; Figure 11 shows a section through an infill panel at a stud; o.i Figure 12 shows a section through an outlet panel fitted across a vertical stud; and Figure 13 shows a perspective view of a stud plate.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to the drawings, Figures 3A to 3C show a elongated bracket 2 embodying the present invention which is designed to fit to vertical studs 25 spaced at the standard distance of 600mm apart. Such studs have traditionally been made of timber, although they are now commonly made of S"steel. The bracket 2 is made of light galvanised steel. As can be seen from Figures 3C and 3B, it defines a generally planar central portion 21 with upturned and returned generally V-shaped edge portions 22 which extend to one side/face 21A of the bracket generally perpendicular to the central portion 21. The opposite face of the bracket 21B is flat. As seen in Figure 3B, the upturned and returned edge portions 22 do not extend continuously along the entire length of the bracket. Instead the edge portions are 550mm long and there are a series of gaps 3 between the upturned edge portions.

The gaps are 50mm long. The spacing between the centres of the gaps, corresponds to the spacing between the studs onto which the bracket 2 is to be mounted. The central portion 21 of the panel defines a series of rectangular apertures 23 whose length and alignment corresponds with that of the upturned edge portions. The horizontal edges 25 of the aperture 23 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bracket. An elongate strip portion 24 is defined in the bracket between the rectangular apertures 23 and the edge portions 22. Two holes 27, 28 for use in fixing the bracket to studs are provided in the bracket between each pair of apertures 23. Glue or other fixing means may be used to fasten the brackets to the studs.

The bracket is fixed to the studs with the face 21A facing the studs and the opposite face 21B facing away from the studs. In this manner, the bracket does not extend to any detrimental amount beyond the normal outer face of the studs, aside from the actual thickness of the bracket. When plasterboard is then fixed to the wall studs, the rear face of the plasterboard will contact the face of the bracket and also the face of the studs.

For a typical hospital ward, the bracket would extend the full length of a wall that would require service outlets to be fitted and would usually be spaced about 1.2m above floor level.

Once the sheeting of the wall with plasterboard has been completed, a plasterboard knife is used to remove sections of the plasterboard where outlets are to be positioned using the horizontal edges 25 of the aperture 23 S 20 in the bracket as a horizontal guide for the plasterboard knife for forming upper and lower horizontal cuts. Vertical cuts extending between the two horizontal cuts allow the removal of a cut-out section of plasterboard of sufficient length to suit the outlet panel or panels to be installed.

Figure 4 shows a typical individual outlet panel including, inter alia, two electrical outlets 31, switches 32, indicator lights 33, and telephone outlet 34.

A frame 4 for mounting an outlet panel to the bracket is illustrated in more detail with reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7. The frame 4 comprises four sections of aluminium extrusion 41 mitred at their ends in a similar way to a picture frame as is illustrated in Figure 4. A section through the extrusion 41 forming the lower horizontal edge 4A of the frame, is shown in Figure 7. As can be seen, the aluminium extrusion has a thin walled section 42 which is generally L-shaped (or a reverse or mirror of an L in the orientation shown).

The distal end of the L defines a groove 43 which is approximately V-shaped although one of the arms of the V is kinked a dog leg shape. The thin-walled section 42 locates behind the rear face of the plasterboard 50 when the frame is fitted to the cut-out portion of the plasterboard wall and forms a generally rectangular section in conjunction with the edge portion 22 and elongate strip portion 24 of the bracket. The thicker walled section 45 of the aluminium extrusion begins at approximately the rear face of the plasterboard 50 and extends along the edge of the plasterboard and over part of the front face of the plasterboard. There is a step 44 in the thin-walled part 42 which assists in enabling the extrusion to deflect. The part of the section which forms the front of the panel at the point where the sections are connected, is further thinned by a V recess 7, which can act as a break to enable the thinner portion 42 to be snapped apart from the thicker walled portion 45 if desired. In the side 46 of the thicker section an annular recess 46 is defined which has a radially expanded end adapted to receive the head of a screw 9. The front face 47 of the extrusion defines a small step portion S"48 so that the outer edge 49 of the frame is raised relative to the inner part of the frame.

The frame is fitted to the wall in the following manner. Firstly the two "horizontal pieces 4A, 4B (Fig. 4) are cut or formed to the correct length for the outlet panel. The cut sections are then inserted into the aperture 23 so that the V portion 7 abuts edge 25 of the aperture. The section is then locked in place by engaging the groove 43 of each horizontal piece on the upturned returned edge 22. Because the L-shaped portion 42 of the extrusion is thin and flexible, the natural spring of the extrusion can be utilised to provide a firm fit of the frame to the face of the plasterboard wall whilst taking care of small variations in the thickness of the plasterboard. The vertical pieces are 25 then prepared for insertion into the wall cut-out by breaking or snapping off the thin-walled portions 42. Right angled brackets 8 are first of all fixed to each side of the vertical portions the screw holes 46 and screws 9 and are then inserted into recesses between the plasterboard and the sides of the horizontal pieces 4A, 4B and fixed to the horizontal panels by counter sunk screws 9.

Referring to Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 once a frame has been put in position, clip-in metal boxes which include protrusions 10A which snap fits into the V recess 7, which provide a mountable facility for the different types of outlets required whether electrical outlets 1A or medical gas outlets lB.

An aluminium face plate 11 having cut-outs to suit the type and number of outlets being installed, is then fitted onto the frame and by virtue of the step portion, fits flush with the outer perimeter 49 of the frame and is retained by spring clips 1 shown in Figures 10 and 11.

In an alternative arrangement, illustrated in Figure 2, the metal stud bracket extends the full length of the wall, and a continuous horizontal gap extending the full length of the wall, is left in the wall sheeting which coincides with the horizontal edges 23 of the apertures in the stud bracket.

The extruded aluminium section 41 described above, is then cut to length to extend the full length of the wall. At positions coinciding with the wall studs 100 (see Figure 11), the thin rear part of the extrusion is removed by firstly cutting down to the V recess 7 in two places corresponding with the edges of the wall stud, and then snapping out the thinner part of the extrusion between those two cuts.

ooooo S•The horizontal sections of the extrusion are then rolled into place as •with the previous method.

Where required, in areas between wall studs, clip-in boxes can be fitted which effectively lock the two extrusions into place and provide the S"mounting means for all equipment.

In any areas along the horizontal recess that do not require equipment to be fitted either initially or at any time, clip-in blank extruded aluminium cover plates 13 are fitted to complete the installation.

In this method, no vertically oriented pieces of extrusion are required, as the clip-in cover plates 13 are cut to fit the total length of the wall.

With either of the methods discussed above, it can be seen that cables or medical gas piping 14 can be dropped down between studs to the outlet from the ceiling space above the ward. Alternatively in the case of multistorey building, the cables or piping can rise up from the floor below the ward, again terminating at the rear of each outlet panel.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate an alternative method of fixing the elongated bracket to directly to a wall stud 80 by using a metal stud plate 82.

The stud plate has a rectangular mounting portion 84 which includes three holes 86 for mounting the plate to a wall stud. On each end of one side of the rectangular portion 84 there is an integral step portion 88 and end portions 90 which are offset from the plane of the mounting portion 84. A central aperture 92 or cut away portion is defined by the inner edges of the mounting portion and the end portions 90. The end portions 90 each include a generally L shaped slot 94.

In use the plate 82 may be fixed to a wall stud either before or after the sheeting of the wall with plasterboard. The L shaped slots 92 receive the upturned and returned edge portions 22 of the bracket 2. It is necessary to cut a similar sized portion out of the metal stud as the central aperture 92 which can be done before or after the bracket is fixed to the stud in order to receive a segregation box 94 service outlet and a clip in facia panel.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

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Claims (14)

1. A service outlet mounting system including: an elongated bracket including a central portion and having a series of spaced apart upturned edge portions which extend to one side of the bracket and are disposed along both longitudinal edges of the central portion, spaced planar portions having no upturned edge portions being interposed between sections of the bracket defining said upturned edge portions, the spaced planar portions being for attaching the bracket to a series of studs; and wherein a series of spaced apertures are disposed along the bracket in the central portion between the spaced planar portions wherein, in use, a frame may be located in the aperture and engaged with the bracket.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upturned edge portions assist in the engagement of the frame with the bracket.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the edges are both upturned S 15 and returned.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the apertures are generally rectangular. S.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim further including a frame element for use in forming a frame extending around one of the apertures, the frame element defining a front portion which, in use, when a sheet of plasterboard or the like defining an aperture which is co-incident with the aperture in the bracket is fixed to the bracket, locates on the opposite side of the sheet to the bracket, the frame element further including a wall section which extends away from the front portion covers the inner edge portion of 25 the aperture in the plasterboard in use.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the frame element is formed as an aluminium extrusion and cut to size.

7. A system as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the frame element defines a continuous notch in the wall section to allow a rear portion of the frame element to be detached from the front portion of the frame element.

8. A system as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the frame element includes a rear portion comprising a thin walled L-shaped portion one end of which defines an engaging portion adapted to engage with the edge of the upturned and returned edge portion of the bracket, the rear portion being integral with the front portion which comprises a relatively S thicker-walled generally L-shaped front frame element, the arrangement being such that the frame element may be located in position in the aperture abutting the edge of the same and the engaging portion may be rolled or pushed onto the edge of the upturned edge to fix the frame element in position.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the thin walled L-shaped portion includes a kink or step to facilitate deflection of the engaging portion relative to the front frame.

A system as claimed in any preceding claim further including a stud plate for mounting to the side of a wall stud and defining engagement means for engaging with the upturned edges of the bracket.

11. A method of forming a service outlet system in a wall comprising disposing the bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 10 on a series of wall studs; sheeting the wall with plasterboard such that it has a substantially 15 continuous horizontal gap to define an elongated opening extending across the wall, the gap coinciding with the apertures in the bracket; fitting horizontally oriented frame elements along the upper and lower *edges of the elongated opening with the rear portion of the frame element cut S. and broken out in sections where necessary to clear the wall studs; fitting vertically oriented frame elements along the edge of the horizontally oriented frame elements to define rectangular frames; mounting boxes for outlets in frames where required; and covering any areas where outlets are not required with blank cover panels. 25

12. A method of forming a service outlet system in a wall comprising disposing the bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 10 on a series of studs; sheeting the wall with plasterboard; removing plasterboard from an area covering one or more of the apertures to define one or more elongate openings; fitting horizontally oriented frame elements along the upper and lower edges of the elongated openings with the rear portion of the frame element cut and broken out in sections where necessary to clear the wall studs; fitting vertically oriented frame elements along the edge of the horizontally oriented frame elements to define rectangular frames; mounting boxes for outlets in frames where required; and covering any areas where outlets are not required with blank cover panels.

13. A wall defining a service outlet mounting system, the wall including at least two studs and a sheet of plasterboard or the like, the outlet mounting system including: an elongated bracket including a central portion and having a series of spaced apart frame engagement means on one side of the bracket which are disposed along both longitudinal edges of the central portion, spaced planar portions having no frame engagement means, interposed between the sections having upturned edge portions and a series of rectangular spaced apertures disposed along the bracket between the spaced planar portions, and wherein two spaced apart planar portions of the bracket are mounted to the at least two studs between the studs and the sheet of plasterboard, the sheet of plasterboard defining one or more generally rectangular apertures co- o 15 incident with one or more of the rectangular apertures in the bracket; and a frame having a front portion and side walls located in the aperture framing the same and retained position at least in part by the frame engagement means.

14. A wall as claimed in claim 13 wherein the side walls of the frame defines a notch or kink for separating a part of the rear portion of the frame from the front portion of the frame. A service outlet mounting system substantially as hereinbefore described. S16. A method of forming a service outlet system substantially as 25 hereinbefore described. Dated this fourth day of February 2002 ESCO INDUSTRIES PTY LTD Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F B RICE CO