Cross-Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/317,640 filed on March 8, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Field

The present disclosure relates to universal covers or lids for underground utility enclosures for providing protection for below ground devices including water meters, valves, utility hardware, and the like and, more particularly, to a polymer/composite utility enclosure having an air vent system.

Background

Utility enclosures are used to protect buried meters, valves, and utility hardware and need to be capable of withstanding heavy loads that may be placed on the cover of the utility enclosure. Concrete covers are commonly used in or near roadways and driveways since they are heavy duty and can withstand heavy loads placed on the cover. Concrete covers, formed using concrete or polymer/concrete, are designed to sit inside the upper lip of an underground utility enclosure. Concrete covers, that can withstand heavy loads, are themselves heavy making them difficult to transport and install. Concrete-based covers are brittle, and, during transport, the covers are prone to chipping resulting in a significant portion of concrete utility cover being non-useable because of damage incurred during transport. Installation of concrete covers is difficult because of the heavy weight. Furthermore, if the cover is dropped during installation, chipping or cracking will render the cover non-useable. In certain cases where the covers are significant in size, the weight of the concrete cover presents some danger of physical injury to the persons installing the cover. Polymer covers for utility enclosures are known. U.S. Patent No. 4,163,503 discloses a polymer cover for use on a polymer enclosure for protection of below ground devices. However, the patent does not disclose a polymer cover that can withstand heavy loads (for example, 33,750 lbs on a 13” x 24” cover) in or near roadways or driveways. Furthermore, the current market has demonstrated that for these heavy load cases, it is acceptable to place a concrete polymer cover onto a polymer enclosure. What is needed is a polymer cover for a utility enclosure that can support heavy loads in or near roadways or driveways.

A number of attributes are desired by the industry that enhance the value and utility of the enclosure cover. One of these is a cover that will sink and not float in water. The covers preferably can have a honeycomb of voids to reduce weight. However, voids give buoyancy to the cover. A 36 in. x 24 in. cover will require the cover to weigh more than 120 lb. to prevent it from floating due to entrapped air in the voids. While concrete and iron covers can weigh enough to cause them to sink, they once again present the problems associated with such heavy objects. Polymer and composite covers must find ways to dissipate the air when placed on or immersed in water. What is needed is a polymer or composite cover for a utility enclosure that will not float when facing heavy rain or flood prone areas.

The utility industry is in a transitional period where meter reading is done manually or electronically. The meter reading is sometimes done manually by lifting the cover or raising a mechanical window in the cover so that a meter inside the enclosure can be read by sight. The meter might also be read electronically by several different methods that involve such actions as walking or driving by in the near vicinity of the meter using a reading device or the meter might send electronic reports directly to the utility through a Bluetooth-like internet network. Covers must be so designed that they can accept any of these reading methods which might involve mechanical windows, sending antennas, or transparency to signals passing directly through the cover. What is needed is a polymer or composite cover for a utility enclosure that supports multiple meter reading methods.

Brief Description

Aspects and advantages of the invention in accordance with the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the technology.

In accordance with one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a cover for a utility enclosure. The cover includes a cover having a top, a bottom, a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side, defining an interior. The cover further includes a plurality of ribs in the interior dividing the interior into a plurality of spaces. The cover further includes the top having one or more air vents. The cover further includes the air vents having channels constructed to vent air in the spaces to an exterior of the cover, thereby preventing flotation of the cover in water.

In accordance with another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a mold design that itself can be modified to accommodate multiple cover cut-out patterns including ones that allow the cover to be configured for remote antenna read methods or manual, flip-to read methods.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the technology and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the technology.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode of making and using the present systems and methods, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:

FIG. l is a top, front, perspective view of the universal utility cover of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom, front, perspective view of the universal utility cover.

FIG. 3 is a left side enlarged perspective view of the universal utility cover.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the universal utility cover.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the universal utility cover.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the bottom of the universal utility cover.

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of an air channel in a vent in the top of the cover.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the universal utility cover showing the placement of a metal grid.

FIG. 9 is a front, top, perspective view of the metal grid.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the metal grid.

Detailed Description

Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Moreover, each example is provided by way of explanation, rather than limitation of, the technology. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present technology without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed technology. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description have been used to refer to like or similar parts of the invention.

As used herein, the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The terms “coupled,” “fixed,” “attached to,” and the like refer to both direct coupling, fixing, or attaching, as well as indirect coupling, fixing, or attaching through one or more intermediate components or features, unless otherwise specified herein. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of features is not necessarily limited only to those features but may include other features not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive- or and not to an exclusive- or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

Terms of approximation, such as “about,” “generally,” “approximately,” or “substantially,” include values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction. For example, “generally vertical” includes directions within ten degrees of vertical in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems are described below with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any feature(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature of any or all the claims.

FIG. 1 shows a top front perspective view of the universal utility cover 10 of this invention. The cover 10 of the present invention has a top 11, a bottom 12, a front side 13, a rear side 14, a left side 15, and a right side 16, defining an interior space 21 (see FIG. 2). There is an opening 17 for a flip top window (window not shown), opening 18 for a meter antenna, and an opening 19 for a lift hook bar. There is a plurality of air vents 20 in the top 11. The air vents are designed and located so that the air vents can be molded into the cover with no post-molding modifications.

FIG. 2 shows a bottom, front, perspective view of the universal utility cover 10. The interior 21 has a plurality of ribs 22 that divide the interior 21 into a plurality of spaces. The rib 22 pattern supports and stiffens the cover and positions an over-molded metal grid (see FIG. 8).

FIG. 3 shows a left side enlarged perspective view of the universal utility cover 10. FIG. 3 further shows that the air vents 20 have channels 23 that extend into the interiors (spaces) 21. The air vent 20 is designed and located to vent multiple air pockets in the interiors 21.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the universal utility cover 10 further showing the channels 23 and that the opening 17 has hinge members 24 for the flip top window. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of FIG. 4 further showing that the channels 23 have openings 25 that allow air in the interiors 21 to escape to the exterior of the cover 10.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the bottom 12 of the universal utility cover 10. FIG. 6 further shows a perspective view of the structure of the vents 20 and the openings 25 of the channels 23 interfacing the interiors 21 of the cover 10. The channel 23 is embedded in a rib 22.

FIG. 7 shows a bottom perspective view of an air channel 23 in a vent 20 in the top of the cover 10. Arrows 34 show the path of air flow from and interior space 21 through openings 25, through the air channel 23, and out of the vent 20 to the exterior 35 of the cover 10. If water enters an interior space 21, the water can displace the air by forcing the air through the channel 23 and out the vent 20. FIG 8 is a bottom plan view of the universal utility cover 10 showing the placement of a metal grid 26. The metal grid 26 is rectangular and has a front end 29, rear end 30, a right side 27 and a left side 28. Extensions 31 extend from the front end 29 along the line of the front end 29 and extend from the rear end 30 along the line of the rear end 30. The metal grid 26 supports and stiffens the cover 10 to meet utility strength and stiffness standards while supporting placement of desired cutouts for antennas and windows. The grid 26 has a landing member 33 near the front end 29 to support a flip top window.

FIG. 9 shows a front, top, perspective view of the metal grid 26 and further shows the hinges 32 for mounting a flip top window. FIG. 10 shows a top plan view of the metal grid 26,

The universal cover may be produced, for example, by compression or injection molding. Polymer/composite construction provides protection from chipping and cracking during transport and installation. The cover is designed to fit on boxes produced by multiple enclosure and box manufactures and can fit multiple types of utility boxes including concrete, polymer/concrete, polymer, composite, and metal boxes. The design of the cover allows multiple meter-reading methods to be incorporated into the cover while maintaining the specified strength and stiffness of the cover. The cover is universal because a single mold construction can produce multiple configurations of the cover to fit any standard size utility enclosure and meet multiple utility specifications.

The cover is designed with air vents connecting the top surface to the interior to release trapped air and prevent floating if the cover is installed into a flood prone area or an area subjected to heavy rainfall. All polymer/composite and even concrete covers are susceptible to floating when installed in flood prone areas. These air vents are so designed, located, and molded such that they release air from every void space on the backside and interior of the cover. Furthermore, the air vents are formed into the cover during molding, eliminating the need for post processing which reduces the cost of manufacturing, resulting in a less expensive cover. In addition, an air vent can molded into the lid during manufacturing such that a single air vent on the top surface of the cover can vent multiple air pockets in the interior of the cover.

The cover contains an over-molded metal grid capable of withstanding heavy loads (for example, 33,750 lbs on a 13” x 24” cover) in or near roadways or driveways. The metal grid is constructed of cast iron or steel, capable of meeting industry standards for occasional and inadvertent vehicular traffic. Polymeric and polymer-composite covers are susceptible to shape change and loss of strength when they are exposed to high temperature. The over-molded grid provides higher temperature strength compared to current polymer/composite covers that do not use an over-molded structure. The over-molded grid can support heavy loads at temperatures near the melting point of the polymer/composite material making this lid suitable for installation in

5 environments that are susceptible to high temperatures such as areas that are prone to wildfires.

The enclosure and cover, being buried in the ground at ground level, is subject to being completely buried and hidden from view. A fully polymer or polymer-composite enclosure would be difficult or impossible to locate. Metal detectors are used to find the current metal covers. An innovation of the present design is the over-molded metal grid which is not only valuable for fO strength but can be used with a metal detector to locate the cover when it becomes hidden by dirt and/or debris. Furthermore, metal powder can be added to the polymer/composite during molding to increase the cover’s locating capability and reduce the cover’s radio transmissibility. The combination of polymer/composite material, an over-molded metal grid, and air vents which eliminate air trapped beneath the cover reduce the buoyancy and prevent the cover from floating.

The universal cover can incorporate a mechanical window (flip-top) located on the top surface, that is directly connected to the over-molded metal grid providing greater strength compared to current polymer/composite covers. The over-molded metal grid contains a hinge and landing platform for a flip-top meter-reading window. If the flip-top meter-reading window is not desired, the universal cover can be molded using the same manufacturing tool to produce a 0 universal lid without a flip-top meter-reading window.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.

30