Expansion Bracket

Abstract

An expansion bracket absorbs movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud. The expansion bracket can include a main body having a main body flange, formed of a deformable material, and having a wall stud attachment end configured to attach to the wall stud via a wall stud attachment element. The main body can also have a furring attachment element configured to attach a furring to the main body. When the main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring via a wall covering attachment element, the flange is configured to absorb, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud.

1 . An expansion bracket for absorbing movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud, said expansion bracket comprising:
 a main body having first and second main body flanges, formed of one or more deformable materials, and having respective wall stud attachment ends configured to attach to the wall stud via respective wall stud attachment elements, said main body further having a furring attachment element configured to attach a furring to said main body;   wherein when said main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring via a wall covering attachment element, the first and second flanges absorb, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud.   
     
     
         2 . An expansion bracket for absorbing movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud, said expansion bracket comprising:
 a main body having a main body flange, formed of a deformable material, and having a wall stud attachment end configured to attach to the wall stud via a wall stud attachment element, said main body further having, a furring attachment element configured to attach a furring to said main body, and an expansion slot through said main body, with at least a portion of the expansion slot having at least two of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape;   wherein when said main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring via a wall covering attachment element, the flange absorbs, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud.   
     
     
         3 . An expansion bracket for absorbing movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud, said expansion bracket comprising:
 a main body having a main body flange, formed of a deformable material, and having a wall stud attachment end configured to attach to the wall stud via a wall stud attachment element, said main body further having a furring attachment element configured to attach a furring to said main body, and at least a portion of the main body flange has at least two of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape;   wherein when said main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring via a wall covering attachment element, the flange absorbs, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud.   
     
     
         4 . The expansion bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the furring attachment element includes a plurality of tabs configured to attach the furring to said main body. 
     
     
         5 . An expansion bracket for absorbing movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud, said expansion bracket comprising:
 a main body having a main body flange, formed of a deformable material, and having a wall stud attachment end configured to attach to the wall stud via a wall stud attachment element, said main body further having a furring attachment element configured to attach a furring to said main body;   wherein when said main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring via a wall covering attachment element, the flange is configured to absorb, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud; and   wherein the furring attachment element is configured to attach to said main body via a main body attachment element, with the furring attachment element being rotatable around at least one axis defined at least in part by the main body attachment element, and when said main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring attachment element, and the furring is attached to the furring attachment element and the wall covering, the furring attachment element is configured to absorb, via rotation around the at least one axis, at least a part of the movement of the wall stud due to the heat-based expansion of the wall stud.   
     
     
         6 . The expansion bracket of  claim 5  wherein said main body includes an expansion slot through said main body. 
     
     
         7 . The expansion bracket of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the main body flange has at least one of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape. 
     
     
         8 . The expansion bracket of  claim 5 , wherein the furring attachment element includes a plurality of tabs configured to attach the furring to the furring attachment element. 
     
     
         9 . The expansion bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the furring attachment element is configured to attach to said main body via a main body attachment element, with the furring attachment element having a furring attachment flange, formed of one of the deformable material and another deformable material, and having a flange attachment end configured to attach to said main body via the main body attachment element, and when said main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring attachment element, and the furring is attached to the furring attachment element and the wall covering, the furring attachment element is configured to absorb, via deformation, at least a part of the movement of the wall stud due to the heat-based expansion of the wall stud. 
     
     
         10 . The expansion bracket of  claim 9  wherein said main body includes an expansion slot through said main body. 
     
     
         11 . The expansion bracket of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the main body flange has at least one of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape. 
     
     
         12 . The expansion bracket of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the furring attachment flange has at least one of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape. 
     
     
         13 . The expansion bracket of  claim 9 , wherein the furring attachment element includes a plurality of tabs configured to attach the furring to the furring attachment element. 
     
     
         14 . The expansion bracket of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the furring attachment flange has at least one of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape. 
     
     
         15 . A method of installing an expansion bracket for absorbing movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud, said method comprising:
 attaching a main body of the expansion bracket to the wall stud;   attaching a furring to the main body; and   attaching the wall covering to the furring;   wherein the main body has first and second main body flanges, formed of one or more deformable materials, and having respective wall stud attachment ends configured to attach to the wall stud via respective wall stud attachment elements, the main body further having a furring attachment element configured to attach the furring to the main body, and when the main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring, the first and second main body flanges absorb, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud.   
     
     
         16 . A method of installing an expansion bracket for absorbing movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud, said method comprising:
 attaching a main body of the expansion bracket to the wall stud;   attaching a furring to the main body; and   attaching the wall covering to the furring;   wherein the main body has a main body flange, formed of a deformable material, and having a wall stud attachment end configured to attach to the wall stud via a wall stud attachment element, the main body further having, a furring attachment element configured to attach the furring to the main body, and an expansion slot through the main body, with at least a portion of the expansion slot having at least two of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape, and when the main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring, the main body flange absorbs, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud.   
     
     
         17 . A method of installing an expansion bracket for absorbing movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud, said method comprising:
 attaching a main body of the expansion bracket to the wall stud;   attaching a furring to the main body; and   attaching the wall covering to the furring;   wherein the main body has a main body flange, formed of a deformable material, and having a wall stud attachment end configured to attach to the wall stud via a wall stud attachment element, with at least a portion of the main body flange having at least two of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape, the main body further having a furring attachment element configured to attach the furring to the main body, and when the main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring, the main body flange absorbs, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the furring attachment element includes a plurality of tabs configured to attach the furring to the main body. 
     
     
         19 . A method of installing an expansion bracket for absorbing movement of a wall stud to prevent damage to a wall covering attached to the wall stud, said method comprising:
 attaching a main body of the expansion bracket to the wall stud;   
       attaching a furring to the main body; and
 attaching the wall covering to the furring; 
 wherein the main body has a main body flange, formed of a deformable material, and has a wall stud attachment end configured to attach to the wall stud via wall stud attachment element, said main body further has a furring attachment element configured to attach the furring to said main body, and when the main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring, and the wall covering is attached to the furring, the main body flange is configured to absorb, via deformation, at least a portion of the movement of the wall stud due to heat-based expansion of the wall stud; and 
 wherein attaching a furring to the main body includes attaching the furring to the main body via a main body attachment element, with the furring attachment element being rotatable around at least one axis defined at least in part by the main body attachment element, and when the main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring attachment element, and the furring is attached to the furring attachment element and the wall covering, the furring attachment element is configured to absorb, via rotation around the at least one axis, at least a part of the movement of the wall stud due to the heat-based expansion of the wall stud. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the main body includes an expansion slot through the main body. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the main body flange has at least one of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the furring attachment element includes a plurality of tabs configured to attach the furring to the furring attachment element. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein attaching a furring to the main body includes attaching the furring to the main body via a main body attachment element, with the furring attachment element having a furring attachment flange, formed of one of the deformable material and another deformable material, and having a flange attachment end configured to attach to the main body via the main body attachment element, and when the main body is attached to the wall stud and the furring attachment element, and the furring is attached to the furring attachment element and the wall covering, the furring attachment element is configured to absorb, via deformation, at least a part of the movement of the wall stud due to the heat-based expansion of the wall stud. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the main body includes an expansion slot through the main body. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein at least a portion of the main body flange has at least one of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein at least a portion of the furring attachment flange has at least one of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the furring attachment element includes a plurality of tabs configured to attach the furring to the furring attachment element. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein at least a portion of the furring attachment flange has at least one of an arc shape, a linear shape, and a spiral shape.