# US 12,215,734 B2 · Strut and clip assembly for stiffening a hanger rod

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- Number: US 12,215,734 B2
- Document ID: US12215734B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/310,499
- Filed: 2023-05-01
- Published: 2023-08-24
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-22
- Assignees: ERICO International Corporation
- Applicants: ERICO International Corporation
- Inventors: Daniel C. Duggan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215734B2

## CPC

- F16B 7/0413: {for tubes using the innerside thereof (F16B7/025 takes precedence)}
- F16B 2/14: using wedges
- F16B 2/185: {using levers}
- F16L 3/00: Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets (anchors for holding pipes on or under the ground F16L1/06; noise absorbers in the form of specially adapted hangers or supports F16L55/035; arrangements specially adapted for supporting insulated bodies F16L59/12)
- F16L 3/2431: {the special member being inserted and subsequently rotated to a limited extent}
- F16L 3/11: and hanging from a pendant (F16L3/14 takes precedence)
- F16L 3/24: with special member for attachment to profiled girders
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A hanger-rod clip can be configured for use with a strut that at least partially surrounds a hanger rod to provide stiffness to the hanger rod. The hanger-rod clip can include a handle portion and a rod-clamping portion. The rod-clamping portion can be configured to urge the hanger rod into engagement with an internal surface of the strut as the handle portion is moved towards the strut.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of providing stiffness to a hanger rod that is received by a strut, the method comprising:
aligning the hanger rod within a channel of the strut, with the hanger rod extending along an elongate direction of the channel;
inserting a hanger-rod clip into the channel in an insertion direction that is transverse to the elongate direction, so that a rod-engaging wall of the hanger-rod clip engages the hanger rod within the channel; and
moving a handle of the hanger-rod clip to place the hanger-rod clip in a secured configuration with wings of the hanger-rod clip engaging inner surfaces of the strut on opposing sides of the channel to resiliently urge the hanger rod, via the rod-engaging wall, into an internal wall of the channel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the inner surfaces of the strut face toward the internal wall of the channel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, with the hanger-rod clip in the secured configuration, the rod-engaging wall extends transverse to the elongate direction and is obliquely angled relative to the insertion direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, with the hanger-rod clip in the secured configuration, the handle extends to the exterior of the channel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein, with the hanger-rod clip in the secured configuration, the handle extends along the elongate direction exterior to the channel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the hanger-rod clip is a unitary clip body that includes the handle, the rod-engaging wall, and the wings.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein moving the handle includes manually pivoting the handle relative to the strut.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the rod-engaging wall is a first rod-engaging wall, and the hanger-rod clip includes a second rod-engaging wall also configured to engage the hanger rod within the channel to resiliently urge the hanger rod into the internal wall of the channel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the first rod-engaging wall and the second rod-engaging wall are angled obliquely relative to the insertion direction, so that the first rod-engaging wall is configured to urge the hanger rod in a first direction against the internal wall of the channel and the second rod-engaging wall is configured to urge the hanger rod in a second direction against the internal wall of the channel, the second direction being different from the first direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an angled wall extending from the handle resiliently engages at least one of the inner surfaces of the strut to secure the hanger-rod clip in the secured configuration.

### Claim 11

A method of providing stiffness to a hanger rod that is received by a strut, the method comprising:
inserting the hanger rod within a channel of the strut, with the hanger rod extending along an elongate direction of the channel;
inserting a hanger-rod clip into the channel in an insertion direction that is transverse to the elongate direction, so that a rod-engaging wall of the hanger-rod clip engages the hanger rod within the channel; and
actuating the hanger-rod clip so that the hanger-rod clip bears against inner surfaces of the strut to sandwich the hanger rod between the rod-engaging wall of the hanger-rod clip and an internal wall of the channel.