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  Heating cable guide strip for electric radiant floor heating and method of useUSPTO Application #: 20070193764Title: Heating cable guide strip for electric radiant floor heating and method of use Abstract: A heating cable guide strip for retaining and guiding a resistance heating cable in a serpentine path on a sub-floor adapted to receive a cementitious material to form a radiant heated floor is described. The method of use is also described. The heating cable guide strip is molded of plastics material and defines an elongated flat base having a plurality of spaced-apart wire retaining guide members. The retaining guide members have at least a curved section for guiding the heating cable along a curved path about one or more of the guide members. The guide members further have a flexible cable retention flange to permit the positioning and retention of the cable captive between opposed ones of the retaining guide members. The heating cable guide strip is attached to the sub-floor by glue, nails or screws. (end of abstract) Agent: Ogilvy Renault LLP - Montreal, QC, CA Inventors: Michel Morand, Philippe Charron USPTO Applicaton #: 20070193764 - Class: 174037000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electricity: Conductors And Insulators, Underground The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070193764. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a heating cable guide strip for retaining and guiding a resistance heating cable in a serpentine path over a sub-floor adapted to receive a cementitious material whereby to embed the resistance heating cable to form a radiant floor heating system. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Electric radiant floor heating systems are known and a typical one of these systems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,332 issued on Nov. 7, 1989 to Infloor Inc. These systems comprise a plurality of cable retaining strips which are secured to a sub-floor surface whereby to support a resistance heating cable along a serpentine path and spaced above the top surface of the sub-floor. Once the cable is installed, a cementitious slurry is then poured over the sub-floor whereby to embed the resistance heating cable into the cement layer. Resistance heating cables are today covered with a suitable insulation material whereby to protect the resistive wire and therefore the cable can lie on the top surface of the sub-floor. [0003] There are several disadvantages with known systems and a main one is the time required to install the cable. The cable needs to be properly disposed along a predetermined serpentine arrangement over the sub-floor and properly anchored to prevent displacement and damage thereof when the cementitious product is poured thereover. The cementitious slurries may shrink and crack during its curing cycle and thus tends to disrupt the heating cable which could cause a rupture thereof rendering the system ineffective. Some known systems utilize anchoring metal strips which pinch the heating cable and any shifting of the cable during curing of the slurry can cause a cable rupture at its anchor point with the support members. [0004] There is therefore a need to provide a system which utilizes cable guide strips for retaining and guiding the heating cable along a serpentine path and which is inexpensive, easy to install and secure the cable thereto, flexible, and reliable and which permits the installation to be effected very quickly thereby reducing the labour cost. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0005] It is therefore a feature of the present invention to provide a heating cable guide strip which substantially overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art and which provides the above-mentioned need. [0006] Another feature of the present invention is to provide a heating cable guide strip which permits the installation of resistance heating cables along different configurations to adapt to floor areas of varying shapes and which permits the cable to be installed in wire runs of different spacings in a quick and efficient manner. [0007] Another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of installing a resistance heating cable in a serpentine path by the use of wire-guide strips which are flexible, easy to install and which provides quick connection thereto by the resistance heating cable. [0008] According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a heating cable guide strip for retaining and guiding a resistance heating cable in a serpentine path on a top surface of a sub-floor over which is to be applied a cementitious material to embed the cable to form a radiant floor heating system. The heating cable guide strip is molded of plastics material and defines an elongated flat base having a plurality of spaced-apart wire retaining guide members. The retaining guide members have at least a curved section for guiding the heating cable along a curved path about one or more of the guide members. The guide members further have flexible cable retention means to permit positioning and retention of the cable captive between opposed ones of the retaining guide members and guiding of a cable section along the said curve section of the guide member. [0009] According to a still further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of installing a resistance heating cable in a serpentine path on a top surface of a sub-floor on which is to be poured a cementitious slurry to form a radiant floor heating system. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of heating cable guide strips molded from plastic material and defining an elongated flat base having a plurality of spaced-apart wire retaining guide members. The retaining guide members have at least a curved side wall section and a top horizontal flexible flange projects outwardly of the curved side wall section. The method comprises securing the heating cable guide strips in parallel, spaced-apart, rows on the top surface of the sub-floor. The cable is disposed in a serpentine path by positioning the cable between opposed selected ones of the guide members and pushing it against the flexible flange of opposed guide members in a gap formed therebetween to cause said flanges to flex to position said cable under at least a portion of the top horizontal flange thereof. The guide strips are aligned with one another whereby to form substantially parallel cable runs. The method further comprises forming curved cable ends between the parallel cable runs by bending the cable against the curved side wall section of one or more of the guide members. The one or more guide members determine the spacing between the substantially parallel cable runs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0010] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the construction of a wire guide strip formed in accordance with the present invention; [0012] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the construction of a wire retaining guide member which is constituted by a disc-shaped hub; [0013] FIG. 3 is a side view of the disc-shaped hub of FIG. 2; [0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-section view along cross-section lines 4-4 of FIG. 2 and showing a resistance heating cable held captive under a top horizontal circumferential flange of the disc-shaped hub and disposed on a curved portion of the hub; [0015] FIG. 5 is a fragmented perspective view showing a section of a resistance heating cable secured about some of the disc-shaped hubs of a wire guide strip to form cable runs of different spacings; [0016] FIG. 6 is a simplified plan view showing a serpentine arrangement of a resistance heating cable secured between opposed parallel rows of wire guide strips formed in accordance with the present invention; [0017] FIG. 7 is a top view of a section of a wire guide strip in enlarged view and showing a heating cable section wound over a curved portion of a disc-shaped hub; [0018] FIG. 8A is a fragmented side view showing the gap between the flexible flanges of opposed disc-shaped hubs of the strip; [0019] FIG. 8B is a view similar to FIG. 8A but showing a cable being positioned captive under the gap of the flexible flanges; and [0020] FIG. 8C is a view similar to FIG. 8A but showing a cable of larger diameter retained captive in the gap. 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