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US 6,779,232 B2Granted
Protector sleeve for wires and pipes in wood frame construction
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorAlexis Cerul
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorAlexis Cerul
Estimating the term…
The “Protector Sleeve For Wires And Pipes In Wood Frame Construction” is a cylindrical grommet/bushing, that looks like a short length of pipe, that fits snugly in any hole drilled through a stud or joist in wood frame construction and which has anchors on both sides to keep it in place. When the “Protector Sleeve” is in place it shields the hole that was drilled and thereby protects the wire or pipe that the hole was drilled for from being punctured by any screw or nail that might be driven through the wall and into the stud. The “Protector Sleeve” also serves to provide a smooth surface for wires to pass through as they are being pulled through several studs at a time towards their end point. The “Protector Sleeve” also reinforces the stud where it was weakened by the hole that was drilled.
I claim a cylindrical grommet comprised of a body having a first end and a second end, an initial anchor at said first end, and a final anchor at said second end, integrally formed as a unit, made of steel or a similarly hard material, that is inserted into a hole drilled through wood studs or joists, said body being substantially cylindrical and made of steel or a similarly hard material that is at least approximately one sixteenth inch thick, said body of being at least as long as the depth of the drilled hole and which fits snugly and flush to the walls of the drilled hole and which serves to protect the wire or pipe installed through the hole from being punctured by nails or screws that might later be nailed or screwed into the wall where the stud or joist is, respectively, said cylindrical grommet being anchored in place initially at said first end by said first anchor comprising steel or a similarly hard material which flares or splays outward at a substantially right angle from the body, and said cylindrical grommet then finally being anchored on said second end by said second anchor comprising a strip of metal that is projected out from the second end of the cylindrical grommet and which, after initial anchoring, is bent downward at a substantially right angle and against the wood studs or joists so that the final anchor is substantially perpendicular to the body.
I claim a cylindrical bushing comprised of a body having a first end and a second end, an initial anchor at said first end, and a final anchor at said second end, integrally formed as a unit, made of steel or a similarly hard material, that is at least approximately one sixteenth inch thick, said body being substantially cylindrical, that is inserted into a hole drilled through wood studs or joists, which fits snugly and flush to the walls of the drilled hole and which is at least as long as the depth of the drilled hole, said cylindrical bushing providing a smooth surface during the pull of wires through the hole thereby facilitating the pull of the wire and protecting the wire sheathing from rips/punctures and other compromises that might be caused by wood splinters or burrs existing on the wood walls of the drilled hole, said cylindrical bushing being anchored in place initially at said first end by said first anchor comprising steel or a similarly hard material which flares or splays outward at a substantially right angle from the body, and said cylindrical bushing then finally being anchored on said second end by said second anchor comprising a strip of metal that is projected out from the second end of said cylindrical bushing and which, after initial anchoring, is bent downward at a substantially right angle and against the wood studs or joists so that the final anchor is substantially perpendicular to the body.
I claim a structural reinforcing cylindrical grommet/bushing comprised of a body having a first end and a second end, an initial anchor at said first end, and a final anchor at said second end, integrally formed as a unit, made of steel or a similarly hard material, that is at least approximately one sixteenth inch thick, said body being substantially cylindrical, that is inserted into a hole drilled through wood studs or joists, which is at least as long as the drilled hole and which fits snugly and flush to the walls of the drilled hole, and serves to reinforce the wood studs or joists by distributing the load(s) around the drilled hole where the hole would otherwise weaken the studs or joists, said cylindrical grommet/bushing being anchored in place initially at said first end by said first anchor comprising steel or a similarly hard material which flares or splays outward at a substantially right angle from the body, and said cylindrical grommet/bushing then finally being anchored on said second end by said second anchor comprising a strip of metal that is projected out from the second end of said cylindrical grommet/bushing and which, after initial anchoring, is bent downward at a substantially right angle and against the wood studs or joists so that said final anchor is substantially perpendicular to the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge: with framework or posts of wood
Devices for use where pipes, cables or protective tubing pass through walls
Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge: details of wiring
General building constructions
Term ended 28 Jun 2022 (estimated)
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The field of invention or the technical field can be broadly described as wood frame construction, or remodeling, of houses or other buildings. When a structure is built with a wood frame the supports are called “studs,” they are usually sixteen inches apart and are usually two by fours, three by fours, or two by sixes. Holes are drilled in the studs so that wires and pipes can reach their final destination. For example, an electrical wire starts at the fuse box and in order to get to the light switch in your bedroom it has to pass through some walls and that means that it has to pass through holes drilled in studs. Similarly, water pipes often have to pass through a stud or two to get to their final destination.
FIG. 1: FIG. 1 shows a typical version of the “Protector Sleeve” viewed from an acute angle.
FIG. 2: FIG. 2 shows another view of a typical version of the “Protector Sleeve” viewed from another angle.
FIG. 3: FIG. 3 shows a typical version of the “Protector Sleeve” viewed from the side.
Function/Purpose:
As mentioned above, holes are drilled through studs so that wires and pipes can get to their final destination. The protector sleeve is a metal grommet/bushing that should be placed in the drilled hole before the wire or pipe is run through it. A grommet is defined in the dictionary as: an eyelet of firm material to strengthen or protect an opening or to insulate or protect something passed through it. The “Protector Sleeve” does all these things. It protects the wire or pipe once it is installed in the hole drilled in the stud by acting as a permanent shield against screws or nails that are driven into the stud. It insulates the wire or pipe, from the jagged wood, during the installation process thereby preventing snags or rips and by providing a smooth surface facilitates the installation. And it provides support and reinforcement for the wood stud that has been weakened by the hole drilled through it.
The main function of the “Protector Sleeve” is to protect wires and pipes at the point where they pass through the wood stud. When pictures are being hung or shelves, cabinets or other furniture is being attached to a wall, nails or screws are used. When anything is being hung on, or attached to, a wall the installer usually tries to do so where there is a stud. The installer wants to sink the screw or nail into a stud because this gives support and strength whereas a nail or screw that only penetrates the drywall or plaster, and does not sink into anything behind, will not be able to bear much weight. If a nail or screw happens to go through a wall and into a stud at a point where there is a wire or pipe running through the stud it could puncture that wire or pipe if it goes deep enough. If a wire is penetrated there could be a short circuit which could be dangerous and/or could make that wire useless. If a pipe is punctured (plastic or copper pipes are easily punctured by steel nails and screws) then of course its contents will leak inside the wall. The “Protector Sleeve” protects the pipes and wires from being punctured by providing a steel barrier all around the pipe or wire.