WO2009117814A1

WO2009117814A1 - Tube support assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2009117814A1
Application number: PCT/CA2009/000354
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pierre-André LAROCQUE; Daniel Larocque
Original assignee: Corporation De Gestion Electrobits
Priority date: 2008-03-25
Filing date: 2009-03-25
Publication date: 2009-10-01
Also published as: CA2627340A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a tube support assembly that is integrally molded to support neon tubes or the like to a supporting surface. The tube support assembly is composed by two parts, the base and the clamp, that are assembled by press-fitting the clamp into the base. The design allows the clamp, which is holding the neon tubes, to move up and down, to rotate about itself and to move laterally, reducing the risk of breaking the tube following a shock.

Description

TUBE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0001] The present patent application claims the benefits of priority of commonly assigned Canadian Patent Application No. 2,627,340, entitled "TUBE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY" and filed at the Canadian Patent Office on March 25, 2009.

Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a support assembly for supporting neon tubes or the like from a supporting surface. More particularly to a tube support assembly that is able to absorb the shock and the vibration of the supporting surface reducing the risk of breaking the neon tubes following a shock.

Background of the Invention

[0003] It has been known to provide spring members in the tube supports between the support frame and the tube itself to provide a force-dampening effect to protect against tube breakage in shipping and handling of the signs, and to provide a degree of lengthwise adjustment of the support elements to accommodate for unevenness in tubing and/or support frame dimensions and separation distances.

[0004] Since the luminous tubing of neon display signs is variously shaped, curved, and bent to provide desired lettering or other special artistic configurations in the sign, it is desirable to provide a degree of adjustability of the tube support elements to position them on the supporting surface.

[0005] Neon signs customarily comprise frames or panels on which the configured gas filled glass tube is supported by means of supports. These supports are designed to hold the neon tubing in a fixed position and also to act as shock absorbers which function to allow the neon filled glass tubing to flex a little rather than fracture when the sign is subjected to a distorting or a vibrational force. [0006] Commonly used prior art supports are comprised of a cylindrical body, usually of metal, which has an axial bore and contains a coaxial metal helical coil spring having one end engaged with the body in the nominally bottom end of the bore. A stem enters the bore coaxially with the spring. One end of the stem connects with the spring like a spring biased plunger and the other end of the stem extends from the cylindrical body. This end of the stem may terminate in an integral c-shaped element which can engage the neon tube for supporting it effectively on the spring. Sometimes there are notches on the part of the stem which extends from the cylindrical body for facilitating using a tie wire to positively secure the neon tube to the stem.

[0007] However, a lateral movement of the c-shaped element is not possible because the stem can move only longitudinally or rotate about its longitudinal axis, the movement being constrained by the cylindrical body.

Objects of the Invention

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a tube support assembly to support neon tubes or the like from a supporting surface.

[0009] It is still a further object to provide an improved tube support assembly for neon tubes or the like which is of economical construction and composed of molded plastic parts which may be easily and quickly assembled in press-fit relation with each other.

[0010] It is another object to provide a tube support assembly for supporting neon tube or the like while permitting movement of the neon tubes in multiple directions to reduce breakage of the tube which may be caused by shock forces applied to the sign in handling, shipping or use.

[0011] Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice. Summary of the Invention

[0012] A tube support assembly for supporting neon or the like, the tube support assembly comprising a base comprising a support member having a top portion and a top portion, the bottom portion comprising a hole, a helical damping spring having an upper extremity and a lower extremity, the damping spring being connected to the bottom portion by its lower extremity and a clamp, the clamp comprising a c-shaped portion and a stem, the stem being connected to the helical damping spring through the hole of said top portion, wherein the clamp can move telescopically, wherein the clamp can rotate about the stem axis and wherein the clamp can move laterally in regard of the base and wherein the base and the damping spring are integrally molded.

[0013] Neon signs comprise glass tubes which are bent into various configurations and have electrodes sealed into their opposite ends. The color of the light which is emitted when a high electric potential is applied across the electrodes depends on the particular inert gas with which the tube is filled. Argon, krypton and neon are the most commonly used gases, but for the sake of brevity, all light emitting gas filled tubes to which the new tube support assembly is applicable will be called neon tubes herein.

[0014] The tube support assembly of the present invention is integrally molded. It is composed of two parts, the base and the clamp. The clamp comprises a portion usually c- shaped such as to fit around the outside of the tube. The two parts are assembled simply by press-fitting the clamp into the base. The clamp comprises a stem that is adapted to be received by the damping spring of the base so that the stem may move telescopically with the damping spring.

[0015] The base comprises a support member, a damping spring and a fastening portion. The damping spring is connected to the top portion and to the bottom portion of the support member. Because the damping spring is connected by its extremities, there is no need to contain the damping spring into a tube as seen in prior art. This allows to gain a degree of freedom by allowing the damping spring to move laterally. Thus, if a lateral force is applied to the clamp, this force will be transmitted to the stem which will lean into the hole of the top portion allowing a lateral movement of the c-shaped portion. In this case, the damping spring is slightly bent under the movement of the extremity of the stem. The movement of the stem is limited by its capability to lean into the hole preventing also the stem to lean too much and to transmit another constraint to the neon tube. The hole in the top portion of the support member in which the stem is received has to be slightly larger than the diameter of the stem to allow it to lean inside the hole.

[0016] The damping spring is composed by a top spring and a lower spring that are connected through a ring portion. The ring portion is adapted to receive the stem of the clamp.

[0017] The stem of the clamp may comprise a flange to prevent the damping spring to be copmressed too much and eventually damaged. The flange will enter in contact with the top portion of the support member and prevent the stem to go down further.

[0018] The tube support assembly is fixed to a supporting surface with a fastener, preferably a screw. A fastening portion extends from the support member and comprises a hole to receive a fastener.

[0019] The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0021] Figures Ia and Ib are perspective views of a first and a second embodiment of the tube support assembly of the present invention.

[0022] Figures 2a and 2b are cross-side views of a first and a second embodiment of the tube support assembly of the present invention.

[0023] Figures 3 a and 3b are a perspective view and a front view, respectively, of the clamp. [0024] Figure 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the tube support assembly of the present invention.

[0025] Figures 5a and 5b are a front view and a cross-side view, respectively, of the possible movements of the clamp.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

[0026] A novel tube support assembly will be described hereinafter. Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the embodiment(s) described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.

[0027] Referring more particularly to Figures Ia and Ib, the tube support assembly of the present invention generally comprises a base 100 and a clamp 200 telescopically received by the base 100. The base and clamp are preferably molded of suitable high strength plastic, such as polycarbonate.

[0028] The base 100 comprises a support member 115, a fastening portion 150, a helical damping spring 105 comprising a ring portion 130 and a top portion 120. The fastening portion 150 comprises a generally flat surface 145 to be disposed on a support frame (not shown) for the neon sign. The fastening portion 150 comprises a hole 155 to receive fastening means such as a screw 300.

[0029] The stem 210 may further comprise a flange 210 preventing said stem to penetrate too deeply into the hole 125 and to damage said damping spring 105. Indeed, in case of a higher impact the stem could break the damping spring if it is drawn over its capacity.

[0030] The damping spring 105 is disposed between the top portion 120 of the support member 115 and the bottom portion 180. The hole 125 is adapted to receive the stem 210. Referring now to Figure 4, it is possible to see that the damping spring is composed of a top spring 160 and a lower spring 165, these springs being connected by the ring portion 170. [0031] As seen in Figures 3a and 3b the stem has a first portion 215 and a second portion 220 which is of reduced diameter from that of the first portion 215 of the stem 210 to form a radial shoulder 240. The second portion 220 further comprises a stopper 230. The distance between the stopper 230 and the radial shoulder 240 is at least of the length of the ring portion 170.

[0032] The clamp 200 is composed by a c-shaped part 205 and a stem 210 extending from the c-shaped portion 205.

[0033] The stem 210 is retained against removal from the base by the stopper 230 which is slightly larger than the internal diameter of the ring portion 170. The second portion 220 is press-fit into the ring portion 170 and is secured therein by the stopper 230 and the radial shoulder 240.

[0034] The plastic of the c-shaped clamping member is resilient so it can spread open when it is being forced onto neon tube (not shown) after which it contracts to grip the tube.

[0035] The movements allowed by the tube support assembly are shown in Figures 5a and 5b. The clamp 200 may be pivoted, as shown by the arrow 515, within a 360 degree circle of movement to be located for receipt and support of neon tubes.

[0036] In operation, the clamp 200 can move in either direction along the longitudinal axis of the spring, as shown by the arrow 510, against the tension and compression forces of the spring. As seen, the engagement of the clamp 200 with the base 100 serves to reduce breakage of the neon tubes by dampening and absorbing the shock effect of any forces applied against the neon tubes. Indeed, when a downward force is applied on the clamp 200, the stem will be forced downwardly and the radial shoulder 240 will transfer this force to the surface 305 of the ring portion 170 and subsequently to the damping spring 105. If an upward force is applied to the clamp 200, the stem will be forced upwardly and the stopper 230 will pull up the ring portion 170, transferring again the force to the damping spring 105.

[0037] As it can be seen in the drawing, the outward surfaces of the damping spring 105 are free of movement laterally in the sense that there is no limitation other than the capacity of the damping spring 105 to flex following an applied force. This configuration is essential because it allows the stem 210 to lean in the hole 125 as shown in Figure 5b by the arrow 530. The clamp may thus move laterally as shown by the arrow 520. Again this configuration allows lateral movement of the clamp in any direction.

[0038] Polycarbonate is one of the possible materials out of which the base and the clamp are molded in an actual embodiment. The material used is characterized by lacking brittleness and maintaining flexibility at low temperatures.

[0039] While illustrative and presently preferred embodiment(s) of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.

Claims

1) A tube support assembly for supporting neon or the like, said tube support assembly comprising: a) a base comprising a support member having a top portion and a top portion, said bottom portion comprising a hole; b) a helical damping spring having an upper extremity and a lower extremity, said damping spring being connected to said bottom portion by its lower extremity; c) a clamp, said clamp comprising a c-shaped portion and a stem, said stem being connected to said helical damping spring through said hole of said top portion, wherein said clamp can move telescopically, wherein said clamp can rotate about said stem axis and wherein said clamp can move laterally in regard of the base; and wherein said base and said damping spring are integrally molded.

2) The tube support assembly of claim 1, wherein said upper extremity of said damping spring is attached to said top portion of said base.

3) The tube support assembly of claim 2, wherein said damping spring comprises a top spring portion and a lower spring portion.

4) The tube support assembly of claim 3, wherein said top spring portion is connected to said lower spring portion by a ring portion.

5) The tube support assembly of claim 4, wherein said stem comprise a first portion and a second portion and wherein said second portion is of reduced diameter compared to said first portion, and wherein said change in diameter creates a radial shoulder.

6) The tube support assembly of claim 5, wherein said lower portion of said stem is rotatably attached to said ring portion.

7) The tube support assembly of claim 5, wherein said second portion of said stem further comprises a stopper adapted to be inserted into said ring portion by press-fitting and is further adapted to prevent said stem from being removed from said ring portion. 8) The tube support assembly of claim 5, wherein said stem is connected to said ring portion, said radial shoulder transmitting a downward movement to said damping spring and said stopper transmitting an upward movement to said damping spring.

9) The tube support assembly of claim 1, wherein said stem comprises a flange preventing said stem to penetrate into said hole more than a predetermined distance.

10) The tube support assembly of claim 1, wherein said tube support assembly is made of polycarbonate.