ADA-compliant pipe-insulating sleeves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11326733-B2
Application number	US-201716348283-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2017
Priority date	Nov 8, 2016
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A system of pipe insulating sleeves includes a series of elastomeric foam insulating sleeves that are capable of opening up to, and beyond, 180 degrees, to accommodate and capture an undersink pipe. The disclosed system may include a number of different sleeves that are capable of coupling to one another at respective couplers so as to form the system. The sleeves may include fastening mechanisms to retain the sleeves in the closed configuration while capturing the pipe, so as to create a smooth, streamlined appearance that is aesthetically pleasing. Also disclosed is a method of installing the sleeves. The sleeves are made of an elastomeric foam material that has heat insulating properties, and which may also have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that make it particularly advantageous for use in undersink pipe insulating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for insulating pipes, the system comprising:
a first sleeve defining a hollow first body that extends along a first axis of elongation from a first end to a second end, the first body having a first rounded outer surface and an opposed first inner surface,
wherein the first body includes a first hinge that extends along a portion of the first outer surface of the first body, the first hinge is configured free of a biasing force, the first hinge bifurcating the first body into a first half and a second half, the first half of the first body defining first and second edges that are planar and the second half of the first body defining third and fourth edges that are planar, the first and third edges being connected by the first hinge and defining a first angle therebetween,
wherein the second edge defines a first at least one pit configured to receive a first at least one fastening element within, and the fourth edge defines a second at least one pit configured to receive a second at least one fastening element within, the second at least one fastening element corresponding to the first at least one fastening element,
wherein the first and second halves of the first body are rotatable relative to one another about a first rotation axis defined by the first hinge, such that the first sleeve defines:
A) a closed configuration wherein the second and fourth edges abut one another causing the first at least one fastening element to engage the second at least one fastening element, and
B) a partially open configuration wherein the second and fourth edges do not abut one another and the first angle is between 0° and 180°.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second sleeve configured to removably connect to the first sleeve, the second sleeve defining a hollow second body that extends along a second axis of elongation from a third end to a fourth end, the second body having a second outer surface and an opposed second inner surface, the third end defining a third opening and the fourth end defining a fourth opening,
wherein second body includes a second hinge that extends along a portion of the second outer surface at the fourth end, the second hinge bifurcating the second body into a first half and a second half, the first half of the second body defining fifth and sixth edges that are planar and the second half of the second body defining seventh and eighth edges that are planar, the fifth and seventh edges being connected by the second hinge and defining a second angle therebetween,
the first and second halves of the second body being rotatable relative to one another about a first rotation axis defined by the first hinge, such that the second sleeve defines:
A) a closed configuration wherein the sixth and eighth edges abut one another,
B) a partially open configuration wherein the sixth and eighth edges do not abut one another and the second angle is between 0° and 180°.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the first sleeve further defines a fully open configuration wherein the second and fourth edges do not abut one another and the first angle is greater than 180°, and
the second sleeve further defines a fully open configuration wherein the sixth and eighth edges do not abut one another and the second angle is greater than 180°.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second end of the first sleeve defines a first coupler and the third end of the second sleeve defines a second coupler, wherein the first coupler is configured to complementarily engage the second coupler so as to removably connect the first sleeve to the second sleeve.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein when the first sleeve is detachably coupled to the second sleeve, the second outer surface of the second sleeve at the third end abuts the first inner surface of the first sleeve at the second end.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the sixth edge includes a third at least one fastening element, and the eighth edge includes a fourth at least one fastening element corresponding to the third at least one fastening element, wherein each of the third and fourth at least one fastening element is sized and configured to selectively retain the second sleeve in its respective closed configuration.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the first sleeve comprises an L-shaped sleeve, configured to receive an L-shaped pipe section of a P-trap, and
the second sleeve comprises a J-shaped sleeve, configured to receive a J-shaped pipe section of a P-trap.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first body comprises a tubular body that resembles an elongated letter L, and wherein the second body comprises a parabolically-shaped body that resembles the letter J.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein a first opening extends into the first body along a first axis, a second opening extends into the first body along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, the third opening extends into the second body along a third axis, and the fourth opening extends into the second body along a fourth axis that is parallel to the third axis.

10. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first and second sleeves comprise an elastomeric foam material.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric foam material comprises ethylene-vinyl acetate, antifungal and antimicrobial ingredients, or combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a third sleeve that is removably connectable to any of the first and second sleeves.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the third sleeve is configured to receive any one of: a supply line pipe, a supply stop pipe, an extension tube pipe, a grid drain offset pipe, an elbow pipe, and a grid drain pipe.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first at least one fastening element comprises a first at least one magnet, and wherein the second at least one fastening element comprises a second at least one magnet.

15. A method of installing a pipe insulating sleeve system on an undersink pipe, the method comprising the steps of:
selecting a pipe insulating sleeve that is sized and configured to be installed on an identified undersink pipe, the pipe insulating sleeve being generally elongate along a first axis;
opening the pipe insulating sleeve by rotating a first half of a body of the pipe insulating sleeve relative to a second half of the body about a second axis defined by a hinged joint that bifurcates the first half from the second half, the first half defining a first edge that is planar and the second half defining a second edge that is planar, the first edge defining a first at least one pit configured to receive a first at least one fastening element and the second edge defining a second at least one pit configured to receive a second at least one fastening element within, the second at least one fastening element corresponding to the first at least one fastening element, the hinged joint is configured free of a biasing force, wherein opening the pipe insulating sleeve creates a gap defined by the first and second edges of the pipe insulating sleeve on the opposite side of first axis from the hinged joint, wherein the gap is a function of a degree of rotation between the first and second halves of the body of the pipe insulating sleeve, and wherein the degree of rotation is configured to exceed 180°;
retaining the identified undersink pipe within a hollow interior portion of the pipe insulating sleeve by inserting the identified undersink pipe through the gap; and
closing the pipe insulating sleeve by rotating the first half relative to the second half in the opposite direction a

Assignees

• Oatey Co

Inventors

• Hull Eric
• Funk Joshua
• Perez Willie

Classifications

• E03C2001/321

  Siphon or angle valve covers · CPC title

• E03C1/182

  connected to the waste-pipe · CPC title

• F16L59/16 Primary

  Arrangements specially adapted to local requirements at flanges, junctions, valves or the like · CPC title

• E03C1/04

  Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths (valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K) · CPC title

• F16L59/023 Primary

  with a hinge opposite the slit · CPC title