U.S. patent application number 13/909728 was filed with the patent office on 2014-12-04 for plumbing outlet box.
The applicant listed for this patent is IPS Corporation. Invention is credited to Gary Wayne Clarke, James H. Whitehead.
Application Number | 20140352798 13/909728 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51063831 |
Filed Date | 2014-12-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140352798 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Clarke; Gary Wayne ; et
al. |
December 4, 2014 |
PLUMBING OUTLET BOX
Abstract
Plumbing outlet boxes, such as for connecting washing machines,
ice makers, and other plumbed appliances to plumbing systems, are
provided that increase the energy efficiency of a building thermal
envelope. In particular, plumbing outlet boxes are described that
include a continuous flange and a compressible seal contacting the
flange. The plumbing outlet boxes are designed to be mounted within
a cutout in a drywall panel such that, when a faceplate is engaged
with the housing, the seal creates a sealing effect between the
plumbing outlet box and the wall, thereby maximizing the energy
efficiency of the installation by reducing the air leakage between
the interior side of the wall and the exterior side of the
wall.
Inventors: |
Clarke; Gary Wayne; (Olive
Branch, MS) ; Whitehead; James H.; (Collierville,
TN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
IPS Corporation |
Collierville |
TN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51063831 |
Appl. No.: |
13/909728 |
Filed: |
June 4, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/15.08 ;
137/360 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 137/0441 20150401;
Y10T 137/698 20150401; E03C 1/021 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/15.08 ;
137/360 |
International
Class: |
E03C 1/02 20060101
E03C001/02 |
Claims
1. A plumbing outlet box configured for mounting within a cutout in
a drywall panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface,
said plumbing outlet box comprising: a housing including a top wall
and a bottom wall and an opening providing access into an interior
of the housing; a substantially planar and continuous flange
extending proximate to and surrounding the opening; a compressible
seal having a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface of
the seal contacting the flange; and a faceplate configured to mount
to the housing, wherein in a mounted position, the faceplate
contacts a portion of the front surface of the drywall panel and
compresses the seal such that the front surface of the seal
contacts the rear surface of the drywall panel to create a seal
around the drywall panel cutout.
2. The plumbing outlet box of claim 1, wherein the flange is
integral with the housing.
3. The plumbing outlet box of claim 1, wherein the flange is
separate from the housing and wherein the flange is configured to
be attached to the housing.
4. The plumbing outlet box of claim 3, wherein the flange is
configured to be attached to the housing via at least one of a
snap-fit attachment, an adhesive attachment, or a sonic weld
attachment.
5. The plumbing outlet box of claim 1, wherein the faceplate is
configured to mount to the housing via at least one of a snap-fit
mounting and a screw mounting.
6. The plumbing outlet box of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a
single piece.
7. The plumbing outlet box of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises
two or more pieces.
8. The plumbing outlet box of claim 1, wherein the rear surface of
the seal is affixed to the flange.
9. The plumbing outlet box of claim 1, wherein the outlet box is
configured for use as a washing machine outlet box.
10. The plumbing outlet box of claim 1, wherein the outlet box is
configured for use as an ice maker outlet box.
11. A method of installing a plumbing outlet box within a cutout in
a drywall panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface,
said method comprising: providing a plumbing outlet box housing
that includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and an opening providing
access into an interior of the housing; providing a substantially
planar and continuous flange extending proximate and surrounding
the opening; applying a compressible seal having a front surface
and a rear surface to the flange such that the rear surface of the
seal contacts the flange; positioning the plumbing outlet box
proximate the cutout of the drywall panel; and mounting a faceplate
to the housing so that the faceplate contacts a portion of the
front surface of the drywall panel and compresses the seal such
that the front surface of the seal contacts the rear surface of the
drywall panel to create a seal around the drywall panel cutout.
12. The method of installing a plumbing outlet box of claim 11,
wherein providing a substantially planar and continuous flange
comprises attaching a flange to the plumbing outlet box
housing.
13. The method of installing a plumbing outlet box of claim 11,
wherein providing a compressible seal comprises attaching the
compressible seal to the flange.
14. The method of installing a plumbing outlet box of claim 11,
wherein the plumbing outlet box is configured for use as a washing
machine outlet box.
15. The method of installing a plumbing outlet box of claim 11,
wherein the plumbing outlet box is configured for use as an ice
maker outlet box.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to plumbing outlet
boxes, such as outlet boxes for connecting washers, ice makers, and
other equipment to plumbing systems.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Conventional plumbing outlet boxes are typically used as
housings for connections to plumbing systems. A plumbing outlet box
may be provided, for example, for connecting a washing machine to
pipes running within the walls of a building that are designed to
carry water (e.g., hot and cold water supply and drain
connections). As another example, a plumbing outlet box may be
provided to connect an ice maker of a refrigerator to a water
supply. Plumbing outlet boxes are generally installed in the walls
of a house or other climate-controlled building.
[0003] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for plumbing outlet
boxes that provide overall improved energy efficiency and yet are
simple and cost-effective to produce, install, and maintain.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0004] Embodiments of a plumbing outlet box are described that
provide a continuous seal about a periphery of the plumbing outlet
box so as to maximize an energy efficiency of the box by reducing
the amount of air that escapes around the box. The plumbing outlet
box may be configured for mounting within a cutout in a drywall
panel and may have an interior surface and an exterior surface. The
plumbing outlet box may comprise a housing including a top wall and
a bottom wall and an opening providing access into an interior of
the housing. The plumbing outlet box may further include a
substantially planar and continuous flange extending proximate to
and surrounding the opening, as well as a compressible seal having
a front surface and a rear surface, where the rear surface of the
seal is contacting the flange, and a faceplate configured to mount
to the housing. In a mounted position, the faceplate may contact a
portion of the front surface of the drywall panel and compress the
seal such that the front surface of the seal contacts the rear
surface of the drywall panel to create a seal around the drywall
panel cutout.
[0005] In some cases, the flange may be integral with the housing,
whereas in other cases, the flange may be separate from the housing
and may be configured to be attached to the housing. For example,
the flange may be configured to be attached to the housing via at
least one of a snap-fit attachment, an adhesive attachment, or a
sonic weld attachment. In some embodiments, the faceplate may be
configured to mount to the housing via at least one of a snap-fit
mounting and a screw mounting.
[0006] The seal may comprise a single piece in some cases.
Alternatively, the seal may comprise two or more pieces. The rear
surface of the seal may be affixed to the flange. The outlet box
may be configured for use as a washing machine outlet box, or the
outlet box may be configured for use as an ice maker outlet
box.
[0007] In other embodiments, a method of installing a plumbing
outlet box within a cutout in a drywall panel having an interior
surface and an exterior surface is provided. According to the
method, a plumbing outlet box housing may be provided that includes
a top wall, a bottom wall, and an opening providing access into an
interior of the housing. A substantially planar and continuous
flange may also be provided that extends proximate and surrounds
the opening. A compressible seal having a front surface and a rear
surface may be applied to the flange such that the rear surface of
the seal contacts the flange. The plumbing outlet box may be
positioned proximate the cutout of the drywall panel, and a
faceplate may be mounted to the housing so that the faceplate
contacts a portion of the front surface of the drywall panel and
compresses the seal such that the front surface of the seal
contacts the rear surface of the drywall panel to create a seal
around the drywall panel cutout.
[0008] In some cases, providing a substantially planar and
continuous flange may comprise attaching a flange to the plumbing
outlet box housing. Furthermore, providing a compressible seal may
comprise attaching the compressible seal to the flange. The
plumbing outlet box may be configured for use as a washing machine
outlet box, or the plumbing outlet box may be configured for use as
an ice maker outlet box.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Having thus described the invention in general terms,
reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are
not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a housing of a plumbing
outlet box with a continuous flange in accordance with an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a seal configured to be applied to the
continuous flange in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 shows a front perspective view of a faceplate
configured to engage the housing of FIG. 1 in accordance with an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 shows a rear perspective view of the faceplate of
FIG. 3 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 5A shows a side (exploded) view of the plumbing outlet
box in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 5B shows a side (assembled) view of the plumbing outlet
box of FIG. 5A in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view housing of a plumbing outlet
box in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Some embodiments of the present invention will now be
described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the invention
are shown. Indeed, various embodiments of the invention may be
embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as
limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these
embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy
applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to
like elements throughout. Some components of the plumbing outlet
box and associated systems are not shown in one or more of the
figures for clarity and to facilitate explanation of embodiments of
the present invention.
[0018] As used herein, the terms "bottom," "top," "upper," "lower,"
"interior," "exterior," and similar terms are used for ease of
explanation and refer generally to the position of certain
components of embodiments of the described invention in the
installed configuration (e.g., in an operational configuration). It
is understood that such terms are not used in any absolute sense,
and, as such, a component described as a "bottom wall" may be on
the same level (e.g., at the same distance from the ground) as
another component described as a "side wall" in certain
configurations of embodiments of the described invention, such as
when the plumbing outlet boxes are laying on a flat surface prior
to installation as opposed to held within a wall, as described
below. Moreover, in the description and examples provided herein,
the term "seal" is used with respect to minimizing the ingress or
egress of any particulates or contaminants (e.g., in the air within
a wall or outside the wall) and/or with respect to minimizing the
transfer of energy from the external environment into the plumbing
outlet box or from within the plumbing outlet box or a component of
the plumbing outlet box out into the external environment.
[0019] Moreover, although the examples used below refer primarily
to plumbing outlet boxes for providing washing machines with access
to a hot and cold water supply and/or to a drain, embodiments of
the present invention may further be applicable to plumbing outlet
boxes for other applications and in other contexts (e.g., for an
ice maker, dishwasher, sink and toilet angle stop, etc.), as noted
above.
[0020] Plumbing outlet boxes are typically installed within a wall
of the building, such as a house, apartment building, office
building, or other residence or dwelling, in a manner that the box
accessible to a resident or caretaker (e.g., a plumber) when
necessary (e.g., for installation, maintenance, or trouble
shooting) and at the same time is not obtrusive to the resident's
every day activities. In this regard, a hole is typically cut into
the sheet rock of the building wall that is sized to provide access
to the plumbing outlet box, and the box is installed within the
appropriately sized hole, such that it is flush or almost flush
with the inner surface of the wall.
[0021] The housing of a conventional plumbing outlet box is
generally configured to hold certain supply connections (plumbing
shut-offs, valves, pipes, and/or fittings). A faceplate may be
applied to the front face of the plumbing outlet box to only
improve the aesthetics of the plumbing outlet box (e.g., by
providing a finished look and hide the internal components of the
box).
[0022] However, such conventional plumbing outlet boxes are not
designed to seal the box from surrounding environments, in
particular from an energy perspective. Thus, in many cases,
conditioned air (such as, for example, air that has been heated or
cooled in the living space of a home) may escape around
conventional plumbing outlet boxes to another environment, such as
the space within a wall or the outside environment.
[0023] The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), for
example, is published by the International Code Council to provide
guidance regarding the design of energy-efficient building thermal
envelopes. A building's thermal envelope generally refers to the
enclosure that holds warm or cool air inside a structure. This may
include the exterior walls, windows, doors, floors, and ceilings of
a structure.
[0024] Many states have adopted some version of the IECC as part of
their commercial and residential state energy codes. As a result,
builders and construction professionals operating under the code
provisions strive to design, build, procure, and/or install
building components such that the energy efficiency values for the
building thermal envelope are met (e.g., values related to
insulation, fenestration, and/or air leakage requirements). In some
cases, for example, a building test may be conducted by pulling a
vacuum about the structure and recording the air leakage that
occurs at a certain pressure differential. For instance, according
to the 2012 IECC, the air leakage rate of a completed building may
not exceed 0.40 cfm/ft.sup.2 when a pressure differential of 75
Pascals applied to the envelope area.
[0025] Common sources of air leakage and energy waste include
plumbing outlet boxes that are installed within the wall of a house
to provide a plumbed accessory with a supply of water. As noted
above, for example, a plumbing outlet box is typically installed
via a hole that is cut in the drywall forming an interior wall of
the structure. Although a faceplate may be applied to the front
face of the plumbing outlet box, e.g., between an outer edge of the
plumbing outlet box and the edge of the drywall, imperfections in
the fit of the plumbing outlet box and/or faceplate with the hole
may allow air to pass from an interior side of the wall (e.g., a
climate-controlled side of the wall) to an exterior side of the
wall (e.g. a non-climate controlled side of the wall), reducing the
energy efficiency rating of the structure.
[0026] Accordingly, embodiments of the invention provide a plumbing
outlet box that is configured for mounting within a cutout in a
drywall panel such that a seal is created between the plumbing
outlet box and the wall, thereby maximizing the energy efficiency
of the installation by reducing the air leakage between the
interior side of the wall and the exterior side of the wall
resulting from the installation (e.g., around a periphery of the
plumbing outlet box).
[0027] Turning to FIGS. 1 and 5, a plumbing outlet box 5 is shown
that is configured to be mounted within a cutout 8 in a drywall
panel 10 (shown in FIG. 5) having an interior surface 12 and an
exterior surface 14. As noted above, the interior surface 12 may be
the surface of the drywall panel 10 that is closest to a
climate-controlled side of the wall, and the exterior surface 14
may be the opposite surface of the drywall panel that is farthest
from the climate-controlled side of the wall.
[0028] The plumbing outlet box 5 may comprise a housing 15 that
includes a top wall 20 and a bottom wall 25, as well as an opening
30 that is configured to provide access to an interior 35 of the
housing. The housing 15 may be made of a variety of materials
suitable for holding plumbing components and connections, such as,
but not limited to, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or metal. A substantially
planar and continuous flange 40 may be provided that extends
proximate to and surrounding the opening 30. For example, the
flange 40 may lie substantially within a plane defined by
front-most portion of the housing 15 defining the opening 30. In
this regard, the term "substantially planar" is understood to mean
lying approximately within the plane, considering a certain degree
of tolerance in how the plane is measured as would be defined by
one skilled in the art of residential and/or commercial
construction.
[0029] The flange 40 may be integral with the housing 15 (e.g.,
formed with the housing by the same piece of material), or the
flange may be separate from the housing and configured to be
attached to the housing. For example, in some cases the flange 40
may be configured to be attached to the housing 15 via a snap-fit
attachment, an adhesive attachment, a sonic weld attachment, or a
combination of such attachments.
[0030] Turning now to FIG. 2, the plumbing supply box 5 may further
include a compressible seal 45 that is configured to lie against
the continuous flange 40 shown in FIG. 1. In this regard, the seal
45 may have a front surface 50 and a rear surface 55, and the rear
surface of the seal may contact the flange 40 in the installed
configuration. Furthermore, a faceplate 60 may be provided, shown
in FIG. 3, that is configured to mount to the housing 5, as
described in greater detail below. In the mounted position (e.g.,
when the plumbing outlet box is installed within the cutout 8 of
the drywall panel 10), the faceplate 60 may contact a portion of
the interior surface 12 of the drywall panel and may compress the
seal such that the front surface 50 of the seal 45 contacts the
exterior surface 14 of the drywall panel 10 so as to create a seal
around the drywall panel cutout.
[0031] Accordingly, the seal 45 may be made of a material that is
compressible, such that application of a force on the seal material
compresses the material in the direction in which the force is
applied and, in some embodiments, results in expansion of the
material outwardly (e.g., in directions perpendicular to the
direction in which the force was applied). In this way, the
material may fill in any gaps or imperfections in the engagement of
the flange 40 with the exterior surface 14 of the drywall panel 10
when the faceplate 60 is applied, thereby reducing the amount of
air that is able to pass between the flange and the drywall panel
when the two are engaged. The seal 45 may, for example be made of
an open-cell foam (e.g., quantum foam, polyurethane foam (foam
rubber), extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam, polystyrene foam, etc.),
silicone sponge rubber, as well as other materials exhibiting
similar properties.
[0032] In such a manner, the seal 45 may, in a sense, be sandwiched
between the drywall panel 10 and the flange 40 when the faceplate
60 is received by and engaged with the housing 15. Turning to FIGS.
3 and 5, for example, the faceplate 60 may include a frame portion
65 and a transverse extension 70 extending substantially
perpendicularly (e.g., at an angle of approximately 85.degree. to
approximately 95.degree.) from an innermost edge of the frame
portion. The frame portion 65 may be configured to lie against an
edge of the drywall panel 10 defining the cutout 8, such that an
observer on the interior side of the wall would not see the cutout,
but rather would see a clean, finished, and framed plumbing outlet
box 5.
[0033] The transverse extension 70 of the faceplate 60 may, in
turn, be configured to fit within and engage the housing 15 so as
to hold the housing, seal 45, and faceplate 60 in the installed
position with respect to the drywall panel 10. In this regard, an
outer surface of the transverse extension 70 may define serrated
ramps 80 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) that are configured to engage a
corresponding feature of the housing 15. The housing 15 may, for
example, define inwardly turned upper and lower edges 85 that are
configured to progressively engage the serrations of the serrated
ramps 80 on the faceplate 60. In this way, the faceplate 60 may be
configured to mount to the housing 15 via a snap-fit mounting in
some embodiments, such as in embodiments in which serrated ramps 80
and corresponding upper and lower edges 85 of the housing are
provided. In other embodiments, the faceplate 60 may be configured
to mount to the housing 15 via a screw mounting. In this regard,
the peripheral edge 65 of the faceplate 60 may define one or more
holes 67 configured to receive fasteners (such as screws) for
holding the faceplate 60 to the housing 15. In still other
embodiments, both engaging features (e.g., serrated ramps 80) and
mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws) may be used to assemble and
install the faceplate 60, seal 45, and housing 15 within the cutout
8 in the drywall panel 10.
[0034] Turning again to FIG. 5, in some embodiments as the
faceplate 60 is received by the housing 15, the serrated edges of
the serrated ramps 80 may progressively engage the corresponding
inwardly turned upper and lower edges 80 of the housing. The
serrated edge may be configured such that the faceplate 60 may be
moved in a direction towards the housing (for further engagement of
the serrated ramps 80 with the corresponding edges 80), but the
engagement of the ramps with the edges may prevent the faceplate
from being disengaged from the housing when an equal force is
applied in the opposite direction, providing a ratchet-type
effect.
[0035] Moreover, as the faceplate 60 achieves greater engagement
with the housing 15 (e.g., is moved farther in the direction of the
housing 15), greater force is applied to the seal 45 by the flange
40 of the housing and the exterior surface 14 of the drywall panel
10. Thus, the degree of engagement between the faceplate 60 and the
housing 15 may be adjusted based on the amount of force to be
applied to the seal 45 and the desired degree of sealing to be
provided by the compression of the seal 45 between the drywall
panel 10 and the flange 40.
[0036] Although in FIG. 2 the seal 45 is depicted as a single piece
(e.g., configured to extend continuously and uninterrupted about
the flange 40 against which it is applied), in other embodiments
the seal may comprise two or more pieces. For example, four pieces
(e.g., strips) of material may be provided that are configured to
fit together to form the seal 45. In some cases, the pieces may be
cut so as to form a mitre-type joint at the corners of the seal 45.
In addition, the rear surface 55 of the seal 45 may be configured
to be affixed to the flange 40 in some embodiments, such as via the
application of an adhesive to the rear surface 55 of the seal 45
and/or to the corresponding surface of the flange. In this way, the
housing 15, together with the affixed flange 40, may be
appropriately positioned with respect to the cutout 8 in the
drywall 10 such that the faceplate 60 may be more easily applied
and engaged with the housing to hold the assembly in place in the
installed position and create the desired seal.
[0037] In some embodiments, a method of installing a plumbing
outlet box within a cutout in a drywall panel having an interior
surface and an exterior surface is provided. The method includes
providing a plumbing outlet box housing that includes a top wall, a
bottom wall, and an opening providing access into an interior of
the housing. A substantially planar and continuous flange may also
be provided that extends proximate and surrounding the opening, and
a compressible seal having a front surface and a rear surface may
be applied to the flange such that the rear surface of the seal
contacts the flange. The plumbing outlet box may be positioned
proximate the cutout of the drywall panel, and a faceplate may be
mounted to the housing so that the faceplate contacts a portion of
the front surface of the drywall panel and compresses the seal such
that the front surface of the seal contacts the rear surface of the
drywall panel to create a seal around the drywall panel cutout.
[0038] In some cases, providing a substantially planar and
continuous flange may comprise attaching a flange to the plumbing
outlet box housing, as described above. Moreover, in some
embodiments, the compressible seal may be applied to the flange by
attaching the compressible seal to the flange. As noted above, the
plumbing outlet box may be configured for use as a washing machine
outlet box, or the plumbing outlet box may be configured for use as
an ice maker outlet box, among other plumbing applications.
[0039] As noted above the structures and components depicted in the
figures have been simplified for clarity and ease of explanation.
As such, the shape of the housing, components of the housing or
held within the housing interior (e.g., doors, fittings,
connections, etc.) and/or external ductwork, connections,
appliances, etc., although described above, may not be shown in the
figures. Moreover, although a particular configuration of a
plumbing outlet box 5 is shown in FIGS. 1-5, other types, sizes,
and shapes of plumbing outlet boxes may benefit from embodiments of
the present invention. For example, in FIG. 6, a plumbing outlet
box 100 is depicted that has a single outlet to a plumbed appliance
(e.g., an icebox), as opposed to two outlets as shown in the
preceding figures and described above.
[0040] In addition, many modifications and other embodiments of the
invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this
invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in
the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore,
it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to
the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other
embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the
appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they
are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for
purposes of limitation.
* * * * *