Suspension assembly

{
  "publication_number": "US11396959B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Suspension assembly",
  "abstract": "A suspension assembly (10) comprises a support member (12), an elongate suspension member (14), and a securing arrangement. The support member (12) defines a central aperture (20) for receiving the suspension member (14) therethrough. The suspension member (14) defines a latching opening. The securing arrangement includes a latch member receivable through the latching opening in the suspension member (14) to secure the support member (12) to the suspension member (14).",
  "claims": [
    "1. A suspension assembly comprising: an elongate suspension member defining a latching opening; a support member defining an aperture for receiving the suspension member therethrough; and a securing arrangement including a latch member receivable through the latching opening in the suspension member to secure the support member to the suspension member; the securing arrangement further including a mounting assembly for mounting the securing arrangement on the support member; the mounting assembly comprising a holding component for holding the latch member, wherein the latch member is held inside the holding component.",
    "2. A suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support member has an elongate upper portion, and the central aperture is defined in said upper portion, and wherein the support member has an elongate side portion extending from the upper portion, the side portion extending lengthwise along the upper portion.",
    "3. A suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the latch member is movable between securing and non-securing positions, whereby in the securing position of the latch member, the suspension member is secured to the support member, and the latch member engages the suspension member.",
    "4. A suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the latch member comprises a carrying portion and an insertion portion on the carrying portion, the insertion portion being insertable through the opening in the suspension member to secure the suspension member to the support member.",
    "5. A suspension assembly according to claim 4, wherein when the latch member is in a securing position, the insertion portion is received by the opening in the suspension member, and wherein when the latch member is in a non-securing position, the suspension member is movable relative to the support member, and in said non-securing position, the latch member is disengaged from the suspension member.",
    "6. A suspension assembly according to claim 3, wherein the carrying portion defines an opening into which the insertion portion extends, whereby when the latch member is in the non-securing position, the opening is aligned with the aperture defined by the support member.",
    "7. A suspension assembly according to claim 3, wherein the latch member has a guide formation to receive a corresponding guide member to thereby guide movement of the latch member.",
    "8. A suspension assembly according to claim 6, wherein the guide formation extends into the insertion portion, and the latch member includes a projecting portion on the carrying portion, wherein the projecting portion projects from the carrying portion opposite the insertion portion, and the guide formation extending from the carrying portion into the projecting portion.",
    "9. A suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the securing arrangement comprises a resilient urging member engaging the latch member, the resilient urging member being provided to urge the latch member to a securing position.",
    "10. A suspension assembly comprising: an elongate suspension member defining a latching opening; a support member defining an aperture for receiving the suspension member therethrough; and a securing arrangement including a latch member receivable through the latching opening in the suspension member to secure the support member to the suspension member; wherein the securing arrangement includes a mounting assembly for mounting the securing arrangement on the support member, the mounting assembly comprising a holding component for holding the latch member, and wherein the holding component comprises a gripping formation for gripping the suspension member, the gripping formation defining a through passage aligned with the central aperture in the support member.",
    "11. A suspension assembly according to claim 10, wherein the gripping formation includes ribs to engage the suspension member, whereby the ribs are crushed by the suspension member when the suspension member is received through said central aperture.",
    "12. A suspension assembly according to claim 10, wherein the mounting assembly further includes an elongate fastener to fasten the securing arrangement to the support member, the fastener extending through the holding component and the support member to fasten the holding component to the support member.",
    "13. A suspension assembly according to claim 12, wherein the holding component further includes a fastening formation through which the fastener extends, thereby fastening the holding component to the support.",
    "14. A suspension assembly according to claim 12, wherein the securing arrangement further includes a cover member for covering the holding component, the cover member including a locating formation for receiving the fastener and locating the cover member over the holding component.",
    "15. A suspension assembly according to claim 1, comprising a locking arrangement to lock the latch member in a securing position, the locking arrangement including a locking member movable between locked and unlocked positions and the latch member comprises a co-operating portion to engage the locking member when the latch member is in the securing position and the locking member is in the locked position.",
    "16. A suspension assembly according to claim 13, wherein the locking member comprises a plurality of side members and a transverse portion extending between the side members, wherein two of the side members arranged opposite each other have a recessed middle portion, the locking member having a pair of opposed positioning members extending between the opposite recessed middle portions, and wherein a respective detent member extends from each of the recessed portions.",
    "17. A suspension assembly according to claim 16, wherein the holding component defines a hole whereby, when the locking member is mounted on the support member, the positioning members are received in said hole, the positioning members locate the locking member over the aperture, and the detent members hook over opposite edges of the hole.",
    "18. A suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the suspension member is deformable to a deformed condition in which a lower region of the suspension member extends transverse to an upper region of the suspension member.",
    "19. A suspension assembly comprising: an elongate suspension member defining a latching opening; a support member defining an aperture for receiving the suspension member therethrough; and a securing arrangement including a latch member receivable through the latching opening in the suspension member to secure the support member to the suspension member; the securing arrangement further including a mounting assembly for mounting the securing arrangement on the support member; the mounting assembly comprising a holding component for holding the latch member, the latch member being movable relative to the holding component; and the mounting assembly further including a fastener to fasten the securing arrangement to the support member, the fastener extending through the holding component and the support member to fasten the holding component to the support member; wherein the holding component further includes a fastening formation through which the fastener extends, thereby fastening the holding component to the support."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to suspension assemblies. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relates to suspension assemblies for suspending articles, such as pipes and cable trays, from overhead.\n\nIt is known to suspend cable conduits and trays, as well as pipes, from roofs or ceilings by mean of brackets attached to threaded rods. The rods have to be cut to length and screwed into attachments in the roof or ceiling. The threaded rods are inserted through openings in the brackets and attached to the brackets using nuts screwed onto the rods. All of these steps, particularly the cutting of the rods, can be very time consuming. Similarly, other suspension systems exist that provide the disadvantage that the installation of the pipes and trays requires them to be fed through the systems. Again, this can be time consuming.\n\nAccording to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a suspension assembly comprising a support member, an elongate suspension member, and a securing arrangement, the support member defining an aperture for receiving the suspension member therethrough, and the suspension member defining a latching aperture, wherein the securing arrangement includes a latch member receivable through the latching aperture in the suspension member to secure the support member to the suspension member.\n\nThe aperture defined in the support may be a central aperture defined centrally in the support member. Alternatively, the aperture defined in the support member may be defined closer to one end of the support member.",
  "cpc": [
    "H02G 3/263",
    "F16L 3/11",
    "F16L 3/133",
    "F16L 3/22",
    "F16L 3/223",
    "F16L 3/23",
    "H02G 3/30",
    "H02G 3/32"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16L 3/223",
    "F16L 3/23",
    "H02G 3/00",
    "F16L 3/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Gripple Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Thomas William Reynolds"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-07-19",
  "publication_date": "2022-07-26",
  "grant_date": "2022-07-26",
  "priority_date": "2018-07-24",
  "application_number": "US-201917257985-A",
  "family_id": "63364343",
  "cited_by_count": 11,
  "citations": [
    "US2632217A",
    "FR2540946A3",
    "US4709888A",
    "US4805856A",
    "US5042114A",
    "US5791607A",
    "US20120074268A1",
    "US20120124783A1",
    "WO2018100329A1",
    "GB2558759A",
    "US20190376544A1"
  ]
}