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US-20260126134-A1 - PIPE HANGER SLEEVE

US20260126134A1US 20260126134 A1US20260126134 A1US 20260126134A1US-20260126134-A1

Abstract

A hanger sleeve positioned within a pipe hanger clamp for supporting an enclosed piping segment. The hanger sleeve has an interior wall surface with a plurality of inwardly projecting lobes which create a plurality of valleys with flow channels around the periphery of the piping segment to be supported. The valleys collect fluids and condensation created around the pipe hanger clamp and the piping segment to be supported which drain from the flow channels away from the hanger sleeve and its associated pipe clamp and piping segment.

Inventors

  • Martin Schutte

Assignees

  • Delta Machine & Ironworks, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251103

Claims (8)

  1. 1 . A pipe hanger clamp sleeve, comprising: a. an arched-shaped sleeve having an interior wall; and b. a plurality of inwardly projecting lobes around said interior wall, said projecting lobes creating a plurality of valleys having flow channels around said interior wall of said sleeve.
  2. 2 . The pipe hanger clamp sleeve recited in claim 1 wherein said an arched-shaped sleeve is positioned with an arch-shaped clamp of a corresponding pipe hanger.
  3. 3 . The pipe hanger clamp sleeve recited in claim 2 wherein a piping segment is positioned within said arch-shaped sleeve against said projecting lobes around said interior wall.
  4. 4 . The pipe hanger clamp sleeve recited in claim 3 further comprising weep holes through said interior wall.
  5. 5 . The pipe hanger clamp sleeve recited in claim 3 wherein said arch-shaped sleeve is comprised of polymer composites.
  6. 6 . The pipe hanger clamp sleeve recited in claim 3 wherein said arch-shaped sleeve is comprised of metal.
  7. 7 . In a pipe hanger having an arch-shaped clamp, pipe hanger clamp sleeve comprising: a. an arched-shaped sleeve having an interior wall; and b. a plurality of inwardly projecting lobes around said interior wall surface, said projecting lobes creating a plurality of valleys having flow channels around said interior wall of said sleeve; c. at least one weep hole through said interior wall of said arch-shaped sleeve; d. wherein said an arched-shaped sleeve is positioned with said arch-shaped clamp of said pipe hanger; and e. wherein a piping segment is positioned within said arch-shaped sleeve against said projecting lobes around said interior wall surface of said arch-shaped sleeve.
  8. 8 . In the pipe hanger having an arch-shaped clamp as recited in claim 7 , said arched-shaped sleeve further comprising at least two rows of said projecting lobes creating a plurality of valleys having flow channels around said interior wall of said sleeve.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present invention derives priority from U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 63/715,611, filed Nov. 3, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to pipe hangers and pipe clamps for supporting metal pipes from a support structure and, more particularly, to a sleeve having projecting lobes with associated channels or galleries for the removal of water or collected condensate to prevent corrosion. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Piping systems with associated piping are utilized to convey fluids in a variety of industrial, chemical, commercial, oil and gas, marine, and public works facilities. Such fluids may be liquids, gases, and sludge including process chemicals, water, steam and combinations thereof and such fluids may be conveyed at a variety of temperatures, pressures, and velocities. Pipe hangers are often integral components of piping systems and are utilized to suspend spans of piping from overhead support structures such as support beams. Pipe hangers are often provided with clamps that fit tightly around a piping segment of a piping system. Such piping systems and associated piping segments and pipe hangers are often installed and used in harsh environments where the components are subjected to water, salts, chemicals, and condensation. The collection of such water, salts, chemicals, and condensation around the pipe hangers and associated piping due to such environments enhances the likelihood of corrosion of the system piping and its associated pipe hangers and supports. Such corrosion often results in the degradation of the piping system, its associated piping, its hangers which may ultimately result in a failure of the piping system and the creation of hazardous situations. Millions of dollars are spent each year to inspect, repair, and replace damaged piping and pipe hangers of such piping systems. Due to the risk of such failure, the piping system, and its associated piping, pipe hangers, and pipe support structures must be inspected regularly to assess the integrity of the piping system in order to predict and prevent the occurrence of piping system failure. Prior art pipe hangers which are known to the present inventor do not sufficiently minimize the collection of water, salts, chemicals, and condensation around the pipe hangers and associated piping and do not serve in reducing the incidence of corrosion and piping system failure. From the above, it is apparent that there are improvements to pipe hangers of such piping systems that will assist in more effectively prevent the collection of water, salts, chemicals, and condensation around the pipe hangers and associated piping created by exposure of the piping systems to harsh environments. It is also apparent that there is a need for a device to augment pipe hanger clamps that may be readily utilized in a piping system to reduce the collection of water, salts, chemicals, and condensation around the pipe hangers and associated piping in order to minimize the risk of corrosion and the time and expense associated with maintenance of the piping system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a pipe hanger sleeve to be utilized with a corresponding clamp of a pipe hanger for preventing corrosion around the associated piping segment being suspended or supported by the pipe hanger. The interior surface of the inventive hanger sleeve is provided with a plurality of projecting lobes, such as corrugations or ridges, which create a series of valleys around the interior of the hanger sleeve. The valleys so created serve as fluid galleries or flow channels for the evacuation of fluids away from around the pipe hanger clamp, and draining the fluids and condensation away from the hanger sleeve and associated piping segment. The hanger sleeve of the present invention is preferably made of a hard but flexible composite polymer material, but any suitable material may be utilized, including polymer composites and metals. The hanger sleeve may be made as a belt-like one piece sleeve having an opening at one segment around its circumference so that the sleeve may be placed around a segment of piping. However, a device with two or more openings around its circumference is also within the scope of the present invention. When so placed, the hanger sleeve will be fixed in place around the piping segment by the corresponding pipe hanger clamp. Weep holes provided along the sleeve allow collected fluids and condensation which have collected in the flow channels to be evacuated, which also aids in the evacuation of the collected fluids from around the supported piping segment. It is thought that a flexible one-piece hanger sleeve will be suitable for many pipe hanger applications. However, the hanger sleeve may be comprised of two or more arch-shaped independent sleeves or sleeve segments having the aforementioned lobes and associated fluid galleries or