Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
213602
ANGLE VALVE INSULATION
BACKGROtJNI) OF THE INVENTION
Regulations in place in many municipalities require that the so-called
"P-trap" assembly (i.e., the waste-water piping under sinks and the Iike), and
the hot-water-supply piping, be insulated so as to prevent injury from con-
tact with hot metal surfaces. Wheelchair-bound individuals are at particular
risk.
The required thermal insulation may be supplied by wrzpping or other-
wise applying lengths of insulation (such as of foam rubber and the like)
about the pipes. Such practices are however undesirable for a number of
reasons: application is often difficult and time-consuming; the applied insu-
lating material tends to become disoriented and displaced; the finished instal-
lation is typically unaesthetic; and often the result is simply ineffective.
The prior art suggest a wide variety oP pipe covering techniques and
structures. For example, Far et al United States patent No. 3,598,1;7 dis-
closes preformed covering pieces made of foamed plastics and configured for
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various pipe fittings. Blundell United States patent No. 4,205,105 shows an
elongated pipe-insulating structure that is axially slit along one side, and
Martin
United States patent No. 3,402,731 provides foamed insulating sleeves for pipe
elements.
United States patents Nos. 2,650,180, 2,937,662, 3,153,546, 3,559,694,
4,441,743, and 4,840,201, to Walker, Green, Dunn, Volberg, Steenbergen and
Botsolas, respectively, all show encased insulating structures applied to
pipes and
fittings; United States patents Nos. 3,960,181, 4,463,780 and 4,669,509, to
Baur et
al, Schultz et al and Botsolas, respectively, provide one-piece covering
wrappings
fabricated from flexible plastic materials; and United States patents Nos.
3,177,528
and 3,719,209, to Flower et al and Rush et al, respectively, are directed to
electrically insulated coatings for pipe fittings and to extruded plastic
plumbing
traps.
Despite the activity in the art indicated by the foregoing, there has been a
need for means by which under-sink piping can quickly, easily, and
inexpensively
be thermally insulated. The inventions claimed in Applicants' United States
patents Nos. 5,054,513, 5,163,469, 5,259,410 and 5,303,730 provide thermal
insulation systems and installations by and in which the foregoing needs are
well
satisfied; the invention hereof augments the foregoing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a broad object of the present invention to provide novel thermal
insulation for the angle-valve piping of a sink or the like.
More specific objects of the invention are to provide such insulation which
is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction, is versatile in use, and
is
quick and easy to employ.
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It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects of the in-
vention are attained by the provision of thermal insulation comprising an
elongate tubular body of unitary construction fabricated Prom a resiliently
yieldable material having thermal insulation properties, the body defining a
primary passage along its longitudinal axis and having opposite ends with a
valve-covering portion at one end and a pipe covering portion at the other
end. The valve-covering portion has structure (e.g., a collar) that defines a
secondary passage Por a supply tube extending along an axis generally per-
pendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body. The pipe-covering portion
includes at least a section that is dimensioned and configured for insertion
into, and engagement within, the secondary passage-defining structure of the
valve-covering portion, following separation of those portions from one
another.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an elevational view of an article comprising thermal insulz-
tion embodying the inventors' previously claimed inventions;
Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of an insulating piece for
covering angle valve piping and an associated water supply tube, embodying
the present invention;
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1; and
Figure 5 is an elevational view depicting undersink piping upon which
is installed thermal insulation (shown in section) embodying the invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLI1STRATED EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates a unitary article, molded from a
resiliently yieldable, rubbery, thermally insulating material, and comprising
three sections from which insulating pieces are produced. More particularly,
the article is of generally circular cross section throughout its entire
length,
and includes a substantially J-shaped tubular section, generally designated
by the numeral 10, a substantially straight tubular section generally desig-
nated by the numeral 12 and connected to the longer ieg 18 of the section
10, and a substantially L-shaped section generally designated by the numeral
16 and connected to the shorter leg 14 of the section 10; the sections 10, 12
and 16 are demarcated by the "CUT" lines 35. Collar portions 24 and 26 are
provided on the free end portions of the straight section 12 and the L-
shaped section 16, respectively, and the toric portion 20 of the J-section 10
is formed with a circular protrusion 22.
Although not visible in Figure 1, the article is slit continuously along
its inner periphery, to provide longitudinal slits 28 in t:he several
sections.
Aligned slot portions 32 are formed through bosses 30 on the marginal por-
dons contiguous to the slits 28, which provide slots that exo.end generally
tangentially to the internal circumferential surface defining the passageway
33 through the article; these features are best seen in Figures 3 and 4. As
is also seen therein, substantially semiannular rib elements 34 and 36 project
into the passageway 33 Prom the inside surfaces on the sections 16 and 10,
respectively (similar rib elements 31 are provided within the section 12).
As depicted in Figure 5, the article has been converted into three
pieces by cutting it at the locations 35, and the pieces (designated by the
numerals of the sections to which they correspond) are assembled in an end-
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,..
to-end arrangement on the undersink, P-trap assembly illustrated. The
piping consists of a J-bend 38, covered by the piece 10, a tail piece 39 cov-
ered by the piece 12, and a waste arm 41 covered by the piece 16. Pipes 38,
39 and 41 are joined to one another by standard coupling nuts 52, which are
accommodated within the spaces 54, 56 defined respectively by the collar
portions 24 and 26. As will be noted, the collar portions are formed with
internally corrugated entrance structure 46, which cooperates with the corru-
gated end portions 15 on both legs 14 and 18 of the piece 10 for enhanced
interengagement. The insulation sections 10, 12 and 16 are secured in place
by conventional ratchet-acting plastic bands or fasteners 44 (used for exam-
ple for electrical wire bundling), which are threaded through the aligned tan-
gential slot portions 32 and tightened about the overlying bosses 30.
As will be noted, in receiving the pipes certain of the internal ribs 31,
34, 36 have become slightly distorted, while others have maintained substan-
tially their as-molded shape. This serves of course to permit the insulation
to accommodate and closely fit the piping, despite variations in its
dimensions
and configurations, and it permits fabrication of somewhat oversize parts, for
more universal application. The ribs also serve to keep the main body (i.e.,
sidewall) of the insulation out of direct contact with the piping, thereby in-
creasing its thermal insulating value as well as affording enhanced physical
cushioning effects.
The clean-out nut and associated structure 40 on the ,1-bend 38 are
accommodated within the well that is formed by the protrusion 22 on the
toric portion 20 oP the piece 10, which protrusion can simply be cut away
when access to the clean-out structure 40 is required; the weep hole 42 in
the protrusion 22 serves to prevent the buildup of water due to possible
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leakage within the system. It will be noted that a circular opening 48 has
been cut along the slit 28 in the piece 12, for the purpose of accommodating
the projecting pop-up valve structure 50 on the tail piece 39. It will also be
noted that the paired apertures 32 are in radial registry with one of the ribs
31, 34 or 36, as is desirable from the standpoint of providing underlying sup-
port against tightening of the fastening bands, and that they are located on
the inwardly directed (or otherwise obscured) portions of the installed insula-
tion; this not only makes them less obtrusive from an aesthetic standpoint,
but it also makes the fasteners (which may have sharp or ragged edges after
trimming) less accessible for ir~urious contact.
With added reference now to Figure 2, the insulating piece of the in-
vention, as shown therein, consists of an elongate tubular body that includes
a valve handle-covering portion at one end, a pipe-covering portion at the
other end, and an intermediate valve body-covering portion, which portions
are generally designated respectively by the numerals 60, 62 and 64. As is
best seen in Figure 6, a primary passage extends along the longitudinal axis
of the insulating piece; it consists of a relatively large section 72 at one
end, for the containment of the handle 78 and associated structure of the
angle valve, a smaller adjacent section 74 for the containment of the valve
body 80, and a still smaller opposite end section 76 for receipt of the water
inlet pipe 82.
Cover component 66 is integrally formed with the body of the insula-
tion, and is attached thereto by a hinge element 68. A circumferential slot.
69 extends from the ends of the hinge element 68 and substantially surrounds
the cover component 66, the slot 69 being interrupted by a number of nips or
weak connecting elements 70 at spaced locations therealong. When access to
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213602
the valve handle 78 is desired, the cover component 66 can readily be dis-
placed (e.g., to the phantom-line position of Figure 5) by pivoting it away
from the main body portion on the hinge element 68, easily tearing the con-
necting elements 70. Because the hinge element 68 is positioned at the top
of the insulation, as installed, the cover component 66 will of course inher-
ently assume a substantially closed position in the absence of lifting force.
Collar structure 84, also formed at the top of the insulation (along the
slit 26), defines a secondary passage 86 into the valve-covering portion 60,
64 of the tubular body; it is of circular cross section, and has a diameter
substantially the same as the outside diameter of the pipe-covering portion
62. To complete the installation, the portion 62 is cut at an appropriate
point along its length, thus producing a separate piece 88. The piece 88 is
placed over the water supply tube 90 with its lower end portion inserted into
the secondary passage 86, and may be secured in place with a surrounding
plastic band 92.
Although the drawings and the corresponding parts of the specification
describe the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention, it will be
understood that variations can be made without departing from the novel
concepts hereof. For example, although the piece 88 is conveniently formed
integrally (as portion 62) with the valve-covering portions 60, 64, using any
molding technique that may be appropriate under the circumstances, each
piece may be produced individually, if so desired. The insulating pieces will
normally be fabricated from a synthetic elastomeric material such as poly-
urethane, polyvinyl chloride, or a silicon rubber, so as to provide the
desired
_ resiliency for facile installation as well as a suitable thermal
conductivity
value, good cushioning effects, and other desired properties. The material
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used may have a foamed structure and any desired coloration, and the insu-
lation will typically have a nominal wall thickness ranging from 1/8 inch to
1/2 inch, with 1/4 inch often providing a most desirable balance of functional
properties and cost factors. A complete P-trap insulating system may con-
s veniently be produced as a one-piece article. Alternatives to the plastic
fastening bands described will occur to those skilled in the art, and it will
be appreciated that the system can be used to insulate piping of plastic as
well as of metal. Finally, although the pipe-covering portion 62 is shown to
be of substantially uniform, circular cross section along its entire length,
it
will be appreciated that it may be made with sections of different sizes and
shapes, as long as there is at least one section (at a suitable location) that
is dimensioned and configured to fit within the structure defining the passage
86.
Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides novel thermal
insulation for the angle-valve piping of a sink or the like, which insulation
is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction, is versatile in use, and
is quick and easy to employ.
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