Adjustable-Height Support Member

Abstract

An adjustable-height support member, also referred to as a chair, provides support in a panel assembly having an inner wall and an outer wall. The chair includes a base configured for attachment to an interior surface of the inner wall. A shaft extends from the base. An optional cap covers the shaft such that the total length of the chair corresponds with a desired thickness between the inner wall and the outer wall of the panel assembly. During assembly, the chair prevents sagging between the inner wall and the outer wall. The chair also allows the insulating foam to be applied so as to substantially fill the void between the inner and outer wall.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A panel assembly, comprising:
 an inner wall;   an outer wall;   an insulating foam disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall; and   at least one chair member located between the inner wall and the outer wall for providing support between the inner wall and the outer wall, the chair member comprising:
 a base configured for attachment to an interior surface of the inner wall;
 a shaft integrally extending from the base; and 
 an indicator configured for facilitating the changing of a length of the shaft in which a predetermined portion of the shaft may be removed; 
 wherein the chair member is configured to provide support between the inner wall and the outer wall, so as to resist sagging between the inner wall and outer wall during manufacturing of the panel assembly; and 
 
   wherein the indicator is an indentation in the shaft located on a plane parallel to the base, the indentation configured to facilitate a cutting off of the predetermined portion of the shaft, thereby changing the length of the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The panel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaft is in supporting contact with an interior surface of the outer wall. 
     
     
         3 . The panel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the chair member further comprises:
 a cap coupled to the shaft, the cap being in supporting contact with an interior surface of the outer wall.   
     
     
         4 . The panel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner wall and the outer wall are metallic sheets. 
     
     
         5 . The panel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the chair member further comprises:
 a bonding member located on the base for bonding the chair member to the interior surface of the inner wall.   
     
     
         6 . The panel assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the bonding member is double-sided tape. 
     
     
         7 . The panel assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the bonding member is an insulating tape having a first side bonded to the base, a second side with a release liner configured to selectively expose an adhesive, and an insulating material between the first side and the second side. 
     
     
         8 . The panel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the chair member further comprises:
 a bonding member located on the base for bonding the chair member to the interior surface of the inner wall;   wherein a diameter of the base is larger than a diameter of the shaft, the diameter of the shaft being configured to promote the application of the insulating foam around the chair member and between the inner wall and the outer wall;   wherein the chair member is configured to resist sagging between the inner wall and outer wall through by contact between the shaft and the outer wall; and   wherein the shaft is substantially cylindrical.   
     
     
         9 . A panel assembly, comprising:
 an inner wall;   an outer wall;   an insulating foam disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall; and   at least one support member located between the inner wall and the outer wall for providing support between the inner wall and outer wall, the support member comprising:
 a base configured for attachment to an inner surface of the inner wall; and 
 a shaft extending from the base. 
   
     
     
         10 . The panel assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the shaft is in supporting contact with an inner surface of the outer wall. 
     
     
         11 . The panel assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the support member further comprises:
 a cap coupled to the shaft, the cap being in supporting contact with an inner surface of the outer wall.   
     
     
         12 . The panel assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the inner wall and the outer wall are metallic sheets. 
     
     
         13 . The panel assembly according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a bonding member located on the base for bonding the support member to the inner surface of the inner wall.   
     
     
         14 . The panel assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the bonding member is double-sided tape. 
     
     
         15 . The panel assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the bonding member is an insulating tape having a first side bonded to the base, a second side, and an insulating material between the first side and the second side. 
     
     
         16 . The panel assembly according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a bonding member located on the base portion for bonding the support member to the inner surface of the inner wall;   wherein a diameter of the base is larger than a diameter of the shaft, the diameter of the shaft being configured to promote the application of the insulating foam around the support member and between the inner wall and the outer wall; and   wherein the shaft is substantially cylindrical.   
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a panel assembly, comprising:
 providing an inner wall and an outer wall;   determining a desired thickness between the inner wall and the outer wall;   providing at least one chair that is configured to limit sagging between the inner wall and the outer wall;   installing the at least one chair between the inner wall and the outer wall; and   applying insulating material, so as to substantially fill the space between the inner wall and the outer wall.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 changing a length of the chair to correspond with the desired thickness between the inner wall and the outer wall.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the changing of the length of the chair includes cutting off a portion of the shaft at an indication in the shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the installing the at least one chair between the inner wall and the outer wall includes bonding a base portion of the chair to an inner surface of the inner wall.