ELEMENT

The present invention relates to a retention device for immo bilizing a pipe in a building element, for example in a floor, a wall or a ceiling element, for heating and / or cooling purposes. The retention device comprises the features according to the pre amble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a method for using the retention device in accordance with claim 12.

It is known in the art to apply heating pipes in a floor for enjoying comfortable warmth during cold season, like in the win ter. Also, it is known to use cooling pipes for cooling down a floor and the area above the floor in hot areas and during warm season, like in the summer.

When a floor conditioning system is to be applied in an ex isting floor, slots may be milled out in the floor for placing and securing the pipes in the slots, after which the slots are filled with concrete and levelled obtaining a flat and even surface.

Alternatively, when a finishing floor has not been applied, steel gratings may be placed on a subsurface after which the pipe is manually connected to the gratings at regular intervals. A fin ishing floor is then applied covering the gratings and the pipe.

Such known solution provides disadvantages in that the method is labor-intensive. This applies both for the milling method and for the grating method. Also, in both alternative methods much time is required for connecting the pipes in the slots and to the gratings.

Another disadvantage of these known methods is that heavy equipment is required for milling the slots and that the gratings are very heavy, requiring several workers to handle these.

The invention aims at providing an improved retention device for holding a pipe of a conditioning system of the kind mentioned in the preamble.

The invention further aims at providing a retention device that allows a user to simply and quickly coupling a pipe thereto. The invention furthermore aims at providing a retention de vice that can be used in floor, wall and ceiling building elements for heating or cooling purposes.

According to another embodiment, the invention aims at providing a method for using the retention device.

So as to obtain at least one of the above mentioned aims, the invention provides a retention device with the features described in claim 1. This retention device has the advantage that placing thereof on a subsurface and connecting the pipe thereto is very simple and only requires a single person.

It has also shown that the retention device according to the present invention can be manufactured as a lightweight product since the two sets of beams yield a relatively large open space in between them. Due to its low weight a single person can handle and place the retention device on a subsurface as required. Such syn ergistic effect is a surprising and advantageous effect.

The invention therefore relates to a retention device for im mobilizing a pipe in a building element, preferably for use in a floor heating and / or cooling system, wherein the retention de vice is characterized in that the retention device has a grid shape comprising at least two sets of beams, beams of a first set extending parallelly in a first direction and beams of the second set extending parallelly in another direction, wherein at least some beams are provided with recesses for receiving and retaining at least part of a pipe.

So as to obtain a device that can be easily used for placing a pipe substantially at any desired position, it is preferred that all beams are provided with recesses for receiving and retaining at least part of a pipe. It is even more preferred that recesses are provided for example at every other pipe diameter of each pipe.

A retention device according to the invention preferably com prises a first contact surface at a first main side of the device and recesses at an opposite, second side of the device, such that the device can be placed stably on the subsurface (for example a floor) whereas the pipes can be placed afterwards in the recesses, when a single or a multitude of devices are placed on the subsur- face.

A firm and stable coupling of the pipe to the retention de vice according to the invention is obtained when at least one of said recesses has an entrance opening to the recess that is small er than the remainder part of said recess. The pipe effectively has a diameter that is somewhat larger than the entrance opening. The pipe thus has to be pushed through the entrance opening to wards the recess after which the pipe is retained within the re cess by the material part at the entrance opening.

It is especially preferred for the retention device to have a grid shape that provides a ratio of surface area of open space : surface area of beams of at least 0.5, preferably at least 0.6, more preferably at least 0.7 and still more preferably at least 0.8. A ratio of 0.6 means that 60% of the total surface area con sists of open space and 40% consists of beams, i.e. material of which the retention device is made of. The greater this ratio, the lower the weight of the device. A further advantage is comprised by the fact that a curable material, for example concrete, that is poured over the device and the pipe on the subsurface more easily flows around the device, covering it more smoothly and ensuring a better embedding of the device and the pipe in said curable mate rial.

A cost-friendly embodiment is obtained when the device is manufactured of recycled material. Preferably, the device is manu factured of recycled plastic.

A suitable retention device with a plentitude of beams is ob tained when the mutual distance between parallel beams is between 5 cm and 25 cm, preferably at least 5 cm and preferably maximally 20 cm. This applies to both the first and the second set of beams. Such embodiment provides many coupling positions for the pipe to the retention device.

A retention device that can be placed in any four orienta tions is obtained when the two sets of beams are placed perpendic ularly with respect to each other. This provides advantage to a user, who can place the retention devices on the subsurface with out the obligation to accurately position same.

The beams may be embodied as an inverted T, i.e. as a T-beam which provides advantage in respect of low weight, high rigidity and optimal stability. The invention therefore preferably relates to a retention device, wherein at least one of said beams is em bodied as a board-shaped part at the first main side of the device and a material part erect from said board-shaped part, said erect material part comprising said recesses for receiving and retaining at least part of the pipe.

When a subsurface is not completely flat but comprises cavi ties and bulbs it may be preferred to provide spacers between the retention device and the subsurface to level the retention device of the multitude of retention devices in a single plane. Such is advantageous when pouring the finishing floor to have the finish ing floor at an even height above the pipes. This adds in a uni form heat output from the floor in the case of heating pipes. The invention therefore preferably relates to a retention device, com prising at the contact surface at the first main side of the de vice a spacer for carrying the retention device on the subsurface.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the inven tion relates to a method for using a retention device according to the invention, the method comprising the steps of: - placing the retention device on a subsurface, and - inserting a pipe in the recesses. The subsurface may be any of a building element, for ex ample a rough unfinished floor for obtaining floor heating and / or floor cooling. An alternative comprises as a building element a prefab ceiling element for obtaining ceiling heating and / or cooling, or a prefab wall element for obtaining wall heating and / or cooling.

It is clear that the end parts of the pipe remain outside the building element for connecting same to a central heating or cool ing system.

As a matter of fact, where it is mentioned anywhere in this description that "a pipe" is coupled or connected to the retention device, it is also envisaged within the scope of protection that multiple pipes can be coupled or connected to the retention de vice, depending on the size of the building element, for example the floor.

In the method according to the invention, it is preferred that it furthermore comprises the step of pouring a curable mate rial, for example concrete, so as to cover the pipe and the device holding the pipe. After the curable material has been set, i.e. cured, the retention device and the pipe are not visible and ac cessible by a user of the building element providing a high com fort, protection and usability.

According to another preferred embodiment, the method com prises the steps of: - placing at least two retention devices on the subsurface, mutually connecting said two retention devices and - inserting the pipe in the recesses of said two retention devic es. By connecting neighboring devices a stiff and dimensionally stable system is obtained. Such may be preferably especially when using the device for manufacturing a wall element or a ceiling el ement as building element.

As an alternative embodiment the method comprises the steps of: - placing at least two retention devices loosely besides each other on the subsurface, and - inserting the pipe in the recesses of said two retention devices. By placing neighboring devices loosely on the subsurface, it will be more easy for a worker to divide the devices along the floor surface without the need to cut a series of devices if a whole number of devices does not fit in a direction of the subsurface.

Hereafter, the invention will be further described by means of a drawing. The drawing shows in:

Fig. 1 a schematic view of an embodiment of the retention de vice according to the present invention with a pipe inserted in recesses,

Fig. 2 shows a top view and side view of another embodiment of the device according to the invention,

Fig. 3 shows a detail of the coupling elements of neighboring devices, and

Fig. 4 shows a detailed view of a recess.

For ease of understanding the figure, not all parts that are required for a practical embodiment have been shown.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the retention device 1 ac cording to the present invention. The retention device 1 has a grid shape 2 and is comprised in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 of two sets of beams. Beams 3 of a first set extend parallelly in a first direction and beams 4 of the second set extend parallelly in another direction. In the embodiment shown the two sets extend substantially perpendicular with respect to each other. All beams 3, 4 are provided with recesses 5 for receiving and retaining at least part of a pipe 6, 6'. The retention device 1 depicted in Fig. 1 is shown from the top side, which is the side to which an entrance opening to each recess 5 is directed. The side not visi ble in Fig. 1 is the bottom side, also referred to as first main side, which is placed on and in contact with a subsurface (not shown in the drawing).

A pipe 6 is received in a couple of recesses 5. The shape of the recesses 5 is such that the pipe 6 is held within the recess 5. The minimum size of the entrance opening 7 (see the detailed view of Fig. 4) to the recess 5 is somewhat smaller than the pipe's diameter. Since a pipe 6 for floor heating and / or cooling is made from a plastic material it is somewhat flexible, allowing same to be inserted through said entrance opening 7.

Preferably, the force required to insert the pipe into the recess is such that a grown person may for example place his hand or foot on the pipe 6 to overcome the force to flex the pipe and / or the retention device's material sufficiently.

Fig. 2 shows a top view and a side view of an alternative em bodiment of the retention device 1 according to the invention. The device 1 as shown in Fig. 2 has four parallel beams 4 and 6 paral lel beams 3. The open space 8 enclosed by beams 3, 4 has a sub stantial size.

The recesses 5 in beams 4 are clearly visible in the side view of Fig. 2. Between each cross connection with a beam 3 four recesses 5 are provided in beam 4 in the embodiment according to this Figure. As a matter of fact, many different numbers of re cesses between two subsequent beams are possible. The distance be tween two subsequent recesses may be about the width of the re cess, or maximally two times the width of a recess. In the embodi ment shown, the distance is about 1.5 times the width of a recess. Such number of recesses and mutual distance between two recesses provides a sufficient possibility to mount a pipe for a heating and / or cooling system in a floor, wall or ceiling, and still providing a sufficient rigidity and strength.

In Fig. 3 a connection system is shown for mutually coupling two retention devices 1 according to the invention. Each retention device 1 is at the end of beams at two sides of the device 1 pro vided with a male coupling part 9 and at the end of beams at two other sides provided with a female coupling part 10. A firm cou pling is ensured by such coupling system.

Fig. 4 shows a detailed view of a recess 5 in a beam 3. As a matter of fact, the recesses 5 in beams 4 are of a similar shape, wherein the inner shape of the recess resembles part of the outer shape of the pipe 6. A pipe 6 inserted in the recess 5 is held due to the size of the entrance opening 7, which is smaller than the pipe's diameter whereas more than half of the pipe's circumference is retained within said recess.

Fig. 5- 12 relate to an embodiment wherein the recess does not have a shape that resembles part of the outer shape of the pipe, but wherein the recess has substantially linear walls that diverge from the entrance opening, such that the pipe can be re tained within the recess. The entrance to the recess is smaller than the pipe's diameter so as to retain the pipe.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a retention device 11.

Like in the retention device 1, the retention device 11 has a grid shape 12 and is comprised in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 of two sets of beams. Beams 13 of a first set extend parallelly in a first direction and beams 14 of the second set extend parallelly in another direction. In the embodiment shown the two sets extend substantially perpendicular with respect to each other. All beams 13, 14 are provided with recesses 15 for receiving and retaining at least part of a pipe (not shown). The retention device 11 de picted in Fig. 5 is shown from the top side, which is the side to which an entrance opening 17 to each recess 15 is directed. The side not visible in Fig. 5 is the bottom side which is placed on and in contact with a subsurface (not shown in the drawing).

A pipe (not shown) is received in a couple of recesses 15.

The shape of the recesses 15 is such that the pipe 16 is held within the recess 15. The minimum size of the entrance opening 17 to the recess 15 is somewhat smaller than the pipe's diameter.

Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 more clearly show that the entrance opening 17 is smaller than the width of the recess 15 between the entrance opening and the device's bottom side 18, allowing the pipe 6 to be firmly held within the recess, with the proviso that the pipe's diameter is larger than the width of the entrance opening 17.

Fig. 8 shows a detailed view of a cross section of a beam 13 (or a beam 14 which is substantially identical), wherein an iso lating material 19 is provided at the beam's bottom side. A con nection between the beam and the isolating material is obtained by a connector 20, shown in ghost view.

Fig. 9, 10 and 11 relate to a foldable retention device 21. The foldable characteristic is obtained by means of a reduced por tion 22 of the retention device's material along a linear line of the device 21. The material should be able to withstand a combined action of folding and subsequently unfolding same. Due to its folded state, the retention device 21 is more simple to transport and to manually handle whereas in its unfolded state it covers a large surface area allowing a user to cover a larger area with fewer actions. It thus safes time and power to use a retention de vice 21 that can be transported in a folded state compared to sep arate smaller devices 1, 11.

Finally, any retention device according to the present inven tion can be provided with an isolating material 19, for example a heat reflecting or isolating material at its surface away from the entrance openings to the recesses. When placing the retention de vice on a subsurface the isolating material will contact said sub surface and cover same. By using such isolating embodiment, the retention device yields a floating floor. The curable material, for example concrete, does not reach and contact the subsurface but will be carried by the retention device and the isolating ma terial 19. The advantage of such floating floor, in addition to its thermal isolation, is less contact noises.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments as mentioned above and as shown in the drawings. The invention is limited by the claims only. The invention also relates to all combinations of features described here independently of each other.