U.S. patent application number 10/814071 was filed with the patent office on 2005-11-10 for trim for hose faucet.
This patent application is currently assigned to Bluegrass Products, L.L.C.. Invention is credited to Vagedes, Michael.
Application Number | 20050247009 10/814071 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35006262 |
Filed Date | 2005-11-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050247009 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vagedes, Michael |
November 10, 2005 |
Trim for hose faucet
Abstract
A trim unit for a hose faucet includes a base unit which
attached to the wall of a building and surrounds the water pipe to
which the faucet is attached. A trim ring then attaches to the base
unit. In order to reduce air infiltration and freezing of the pipe
during the winter, an insulated cover is adapted to attach to the
trim unit.
Inventors: |
Vagedes, Michael; (Erlanger,
KY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOOD, HERRON & EVANS, LLP
2700 CAREW TOWER
441 VINE STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
US
|
Assignee: |
Bluegrass Products, L.L.C.
Erlanger
KY
|
Family ID: |
35006262 |
Appl. No.: |
10/814071 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/698 ;
52/699 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K 27/12 20130101;
E03B 7/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/698 ;
052/699 |
International
Class: |
E04C 005/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A trim unit for a hose faucet comprising a base and a ring; said
base having a nailing flange and a back wall and a first wall
extending up from said base and said back wall defining a hole to
permit passage of a water pipe; said ring adapted to snap onto said
first wall; a cover adapted to mate with to said trim unit and
cover said back wall; said cover having an inner area which
provides clearance for a hose faucet.
2. The trim unit claimed in claim 1 wherein said ring fits within
said first wall and wherein said cover snaps onto said ring.
3. The trim unit claimed in claim 2 wherein said cover snaps onto
an interior surface of said ring.
4. The trim unit claimed in claim 1 wherein said cover attaches to
an exterior edge of said ring.
5. The trim unit claimed in claim 1 wherein said ring fits over
said first wall and said cover attaches to said first wall.
6. A trim unit attached to a wall and covering a hose faucet
attached to a water pipe extending through a wall of said building,
said trim unit comprising a base unit and a ring, said base having
a nailing flange and being affixed to said building wall and
defining a hole, said pipe extending through said hole, said faucet
attached to said pipe and said base unit having a first wall
surrounding said faucet and said pipe; a ring attached to said wall
of said base unit; an insulating cover attached to said trim
unit.
7. The trim unit claimed in claim 6 wherein said cover attaches to
an inside surface of said trim ring.
8. The trim unit claimed in claim 6 wherein said cover is attached
to an exterior edge of said trim ring.
9. The trim unit claimed in claim 6 wherein said cover attaches to
said first wall of said base unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Hose faucets attach to pipes which run through the side
walls of buildings. If the wall is covered in siding, there is
generally trim that surrounds the faucet. This is particularly the
case with respect to vinyl siding. There are various types of trim
units that are designed to trim out a hose faucet. Two such
products are disclosed in Vagedes U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,619 and
Schiedigger U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,431. These units generally have a
base piece that snaps around the pipe between the house wall and
the faucet. Siding is applied against the trim unit and an outer
ring is attached to the base unit to complete the wall.
[0002] There is always some clearance between the pipe and the
wall. This can present a problem during the winter time. Cold air
can enter through this clearance and can cause the pipe to freeze
and, possibly, rupture. Also, simply cold transferring through the
faucet can present problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a hose faucet trim unit which reduces air infiltration and
provides insulation for the hose faucet. Further, it is an object
of the present invention to provide a hose faucet trim unit which
incorporates an insulated cover that snaps onto the trim unit and
covers the faucet and thus the hole through the house wall. This
reduces air infiltration and decreases the likelihood of any pipes
freezing. The object and advantages of the present invention will
be further appreciated in light of the following detailed
descriptions and drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention
without a cover.
[0005] FIG. 2. is a cross sectional view taken at lines 2-2 of FIG.
1.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a rear side perspective view for a trim ring for
use in the present invention.
[0007] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the base portion of the
present invention.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cover for use in the
present invention.
[0009] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of an assembled unit.
[0011] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is a trim unit 10
used to surround a faucet 12 on a building wall 13 which is covered
with siding 14. The trim unit includes a base 16, a trim ring 18
and an insulating cover 20. The base unit 16 as shown includes two
mirror image sections 22 and 24. These have mirror image mating
edges 26 and 28 which, when assembled, define a hole 30 which is
designed to provide for passage of a pipe 31. The two bases 22 and
24 are assembled to form the combined base 16 which then has a back
wall 36 which defines hole 30 and a wall 38. Extending from the
base of wall 38 is a peripheral nail flange 40 which extends around
the entire base unit 16.
[0013] Wall 38 includes upper and lower sections 41and 43 and two
side sections 42 and 44. The side sections 42 and 44 include slots
46 which are adapted to allow the trim ring 18 to snap onto the
base 16, as explained hereinafter. The side sections 42 and 44
further include notched portions 48 which are again designed to
mate with enlarged portions 49 of the trim ring 18.
[0014] The trim ring 18 includes a continuous inner wall 50 adapted
to fit within peripheral wall 38 and a flange member 52 which
extends at an approximately 90.degree. angle from wall 50 and,
again, extends around the entire periphery of trim ring 18. The
flange member 52 is adapted to conceal siding edges 51 that abut
against the trim unit 10, as is explained hereinafter.
[0015] Wall 50 again has upper and lower sections 53 and 55, and
two side sections 54 and 56. The two side sections each include
raised portions 58 which are adapted to rest in notches 46 of the
base unit 16 to attach the trim ring onto the base unit 16. The
trim ring 18 further includes enlarged portion 49 in side sections
54 and 56 which allows for notches 62 in the edge portion 63 of
side sections 54 and 56. The notches 62 provide for attachment of
the cover 20 as explained hereinafter.
[0016] The trim ring 18 further includes four outer corner walls 64
which provide an area 66 between the corner walls 64 and the wall
50 and is designed to receive wall 38.
[0017] Cover 20 includes an inner surface 66 and an outer surface
68. The inner surface 66 is covered with a layer of foam insulation
74. The outer surface includes a base portion 76 which is adapted
to mate with wall 50. Innermost edge 70 of cover 20 has two prongs
80 which are adapted to be received within notches 62 of trim ring
18. A series of stops 82 on the outer surface 68 are adapted to
engage an outer edge 84 of trim ring 18.
[0018] The trim unit 10 of the present invention is used as shown
in FIG. 7 by combining the left and right bases 22 and 24 of base
unit 16 around the faucet 12 with the pipe 31 passing through the
hole 30 formed in the base 16. Base 16 is then fixed to wall 13
with nails (not shown) which extend through the nail flange. Siding
14 is than applied to the wall 13 butted up closely against wall
38. The trim ring 18 is snapped over the base 16 with the
protrusions 58 mating with the slots 46 in side walls 42 and 44.
The flange of the trim ring will conceal any cut edges of the
siding.
[0019] This completes the application of the trim. In the winter
time, the cover 20 is simply snapped onto the trim ring 18 with the
prongs 80 fitting into the notches 62 portion of the trim ring 18,
holding it in position. As the lower portion 76 mates with the wall
50 of the trim ring 18, it reduces air infiltration around the
faucet. Further, the insulation 74 in the interior surface of the
cover further prevents heat loss.
[0020] Alternately, if the trim ring is attached to the exterior
surface of the base unit, the cover would attach to the inner
surface of the base unit as opposed to the trim ring. Further,
cover 20 could attach to the faucet with a spring or the like, but
would still mate with the opening in the trim unit.
[0021] Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
8 wherein a cover is designed to mate with the exterior edge of the
trim ring 18 and includes prong portions which simply snap fit over
the edge of the trim ring and cover the faucet 12 and the exterior
of the trim ring. Likewise, it provides the same benefits as the
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] This has been a description of the present invention along
with the preferred method of practicing the present invention.
However, the invention itself should only be defined by the
appended claims, wherein we claim:
* * * * *