Field of the invention

The present invention is in the field of construction accessories. More specifically, the invention relates to a support device for accurate and simple installations of constructional elements such as wall linings and decorative panels, as well as for creating defined spaces in a simple and accurate manner.

Background of the invention

The construction and retrofitting markets are constantly striving for workforce as well as for work efficiency improvement means.

For instance, the simple task of installing proper supports decoratively covering protruding elements, being installed onto walls, currently requires repeating measuring steps, the dimension of the pipe to be covered, dimensions of the lining supports to be installed, and repeating adjustments thereof during the installation. Furthermore, the abovementioned task being performed by construction workers having various skill levels or even by the same persons is completed with different accuracy levels each time, due to the repeating measuring and adjustment steps involved.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a construction support device that enables accurate and simple installations of supplemental constructional elements.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Summary of the Invention

The invention relates to a construction support device, comprising two mountable units adapted to be mounted to an existing construction, and one or more extension units, to which the two mountable units are adjustably attached, wherein said mountable units and one or more extension units are adapted to be relatively positioned and affixed, such as to form a pre-sized support for supplemental construction elements.

In one aspect, the two mountable units and the one or more extension units comprise corresponding axial grooves and axial guiding protrusions such as to enable desired relative position by an axial shifting of at least one of the mountable units with respect to the one or more extension units.

In another aspect, the two mountable units and the one or more extension units comprise corresponding pre-marked extension grades and pointers providing reference measuring means, thus enabling an easy pre-sizing of said device.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the mountable and the extension units are integrated into a single unit.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above and other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limitative detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a modular construction support device, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the use of two devices of Fig. 1 to form an accurate support for covering a utility pipe installed at the corner of two walls, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3A schematically illustrates an extended modular construction support device, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3B is an enlarged view of an extended modular construction support device of Fig. 3A, according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 schematically illustrates an alternative configuration of a modular construction support device, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 illustrates lining boards mounted on two modular construction support devices; and

Fig. 6 schematically illustrates a construction support device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A detailed description of embodiments of the Invention

The present invention relates to a construction support device, which is adapted to be mounted to an existing construction, and to provide an accurate support of predetermined size for supplemental construction elements. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the proposed support device is utilized for supporting flat-lining boards such as decorative panels covering protruding elements (e.g., piping elements, electrical ducts being installed externally to a wall). Of course, one skilled one the art will readily recognize multiple alternative constructional installations for which the proposed device disclosed hereinafter can provide

In the following detailed description, references are made to several embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The figures depict an embodiment of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that the described embodiments may be combined, alternative embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention described herein.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a modular construction support device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Device 100 comprises two mountable units 110 and an extension unit 120, to which mountable units 110 are adjustably attached for enabling a desirable extension of device 100. Each mountable unit 110 comprises orthogonal support rib 111 and mounting flange 112, having mounting holes 112a for mounting device 100 to existing construction. Of course, mountable unit 110 may be designed with alternative angles between support rib 111 and mounting flange 112 (i.e., rather than orthogonal) for providing differently shaped supports for different uses.

Each mountable unit 110 further comprises an axial groove Illa, while extension unit 120 comprises corresponding axial guiding protrusions 121a for enabling axial shifting of mountable unit 110 with respect to extension unit 120. Furthermore, each mountable unit 110 comprises fixation holes 111b, while extension unit 120 comprises affixing holes 303 (shown exposed in Fig. 3B) through which mountable unit 110 and extension unit 120 can be firmly affixed at the desired extension.

Extension unit 120 further comprises a lower axial groove 121b for enabling utilization of further extension units 120 in a guided manner (as further shown in Fig. 4).

Further shown in Fig. 1, are pre-marked extension grades 121c and pointers 111c, providing sizing reference measuring means for pre-sizing device 100 to the desired size, thus enabling an easy pre-sizing of device 100.

Finally, the front faces llld and 121d of mountable units 110 and an extension unit 120 form together with a flat support to supplemental construction elements as further illustrated hereinafter.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the use of two devices 100 to form an accurate support for lining boards such as gypsum panels for covering a utility pipe 202 being installed at the corner of two orthogonal walls 201, according to an embodiment of the invention. As can be understood, even non-expert construction workers, knowing the size of the pipe to be covered, can easily pre-size two or more devices 100 (i.e., as can be predetermined by the pipe length and the corresponding size and weight of the lining boards), mount the pre-sized devices 100 to walls 201 in suitably leveled position and mount the lining boards to faces llld and 121d of device 100. Device 100 may also be adapted with a compact leveling means, such as a bubble leveling element.

Figs. 3A-3B schematically illustrates modular construction support devices 100 in an extended state, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3A illustrates pipe 202 installed together with a second pipe 302 at the corner of two walls 301. As illustrated in Fig. 3A, pipe 202 is of a larger diameter than pipe 302, such as that one side of devices 100 is required to be extended to the cumulative size of the diameters of the residing pipes 202 and 302 (e.g., 21.5cm as indicated by pointer 111c and grades 121c), while the other side remains in a non-extended state, hence, in the embodiment of Figs. 3A-3B devices 100 are configured to define a 21.5cm by 15cm rectangle, which is required for confining pipes 202 and 302, and thereby to provide support for correspondingly sized lining panels to be mounted onto devices 100. Furthermore, in the extended state, one affixing hole 303 of guiding protrusion 121a is exposed, while residing affixing holes 303 are hidden under support rib 111, some of which are being used for affixing support rib 111 to extension unit 120 using common fasteners such as a bolt 304.

The components of device 100 can be made of various materials and be designed with various dimensions, suitably selected by one skilled in the art according to the constructional elements to be supported by device 100, and to the installation location.

For example, while device 100 is described hereinabove as being utilized with pipes at wall corners, Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative configuration of a modular construction support devices 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 4, each device 100 comprises two support ribs 111 and two extension units 120, such as to define tubes 402 and 403 that are installed along wall 401 (i.e., rather than at walls corner). Fig. 5 illustrates lining boards 501 mounted on devices 100 of Fig. 4, thereby forming a complete lining around pipes 402 and 403, thus enabling a decorative covering thereof.

While mountable units 110 and extension unit 120 of device 100 are illustrated hereinabove as separate elements, the proposed support device may also be provided or integrated as a single support element, such as illustrated in Fig. 6 and indicated by numeral 600.

Although embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be understood that the invention may be carried out with many variations, modifications, and adaptations, without exceeding the scope of the claims.