CN111043373B

CN111043373B - Modular valve and hydrant cover

Info

Publication number: CN111043373B
Application number: CN201910137849.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 本杰明·卡洛斯
Original assignee: Dex Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Dex Industries Ltd
Priority date: 2018-10-15
Filing date: 2019-02-25
Publication date: 2023-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2039-02-25
Also published as: CN111043373A; AU2019250122A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular valve cover comprising: a base adapted to receive a valve shield, the base comprising: a top portion defining an aperture for contacting the valve; and a sidewall defining a bottom opening through which the valve shield is received; a cover disposed on the top, the cover operating between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cover covers the aperture when in the closed position; and a cover plate detachably connected to the top portion, the cover plate defining a cover plate aperture corresponding to the aperture, thereby allowing unaffected operation of the cover.

Description

Modular valve and hydrant cover

Technical Field

The invention relates to a modular valve and a hydrant cover.

Background

The valve and hydrant are covered by a valve cover to conceal the valve or hydrant and reduce exposure of the valve or hydrant to the outside. The valve cover also prevents backfilling of the underground manhole, ensuring continued contact with the valve or hydrant. The valve cover is marked to indicate the type of valve or hydrant that is housed within the valve cover.

Conventional valve covers have several disadvantages. Valve covers are generally constructed of solid units cast of recycled plastic, cast iron or concrete, depending on the application and grade. When such a conventional valve cover is damaged, the entire unit device must be replaced. Replacement of these valve covers can be wasteful, as damage such as scratches, stains and discoloration typically occurs only on the surface. Furthermore, concrete and cast iron covers are often painted, the paint layer will fade and need to be repainted and thus become expensive over time.

In such circumstances, there is a need for an improved valve cover.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a modular valve cover comprising:

a base adapted to receive a valve shield, the base comprising:

a top portion defining an aperture into which the valve may be accessed; and

a sidewall defining a bottom opening through which the valve shield is received;

a cover disposed on the top, the cover operable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cover covers the aperture when in the closed position; and

a cover plate removably connected to the top, the cover plate defining a cover plate aperture corresponding to the aperture, which allows the cover to operate unaffected.

The top may define a recess around the edge of the aperture and wherein the lid may be located within said recess when in the closed position.

The top portion may define a receiving structure and the cover plate includes a mutual locating structure, wherein the locating structure is located within the receiving structure when the cover plate is connected to the top portion.

The receiving formation may be a step defined around the outer edge of the top and the complementary engagement formation is an edge extending from the outer edge of the cover plate.

The base may include a sidewall, wherein the sidewall and the top may define a chamber for receiving the valve.

The top portion may define a slot for a conduit connected to the valve.

The modular valve cover may further comprise a hinge hingably connecting the cover to the base. A hinge may be located within the recess.

The cover may further comprise a seal which seals against the edge of the aperture when the aperture is closed.

The cover plate may include a ridged surface.

A modular valve cover according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover plate is detachably secured to the base by screws.

The base may be formed as a molded piece of plastic or composite material. The cover may be formed as a moulded piece of plastics or composite material. The cover plate may be formed as a moulded piece of plastic or a composite material.

According to the present invention there is also provided a modular valve cover kit comprising:

a base adapted to receive the valve shield, the base including a top defining an aperture for accessing the valve;

a cover disposed on the top, the cover operable to selectively open and close the aperture; and

a plurality of cover plates, each cover plate removably connected to the top, each cover plate defining a cover plate aperture corresponding to the top aperture, allowing the cover to operate unaffected, and wherein each cover plate has a different identifying characteristic.

a modular valve cover as described above;

a plurality of additional cover plates, each cover plate removably connected to the top, each additional cover plate defining a cover aperture corresponding to the aperture in the top, allowing the cover to operate unaffected, and wherein each additional cover plate has a different identifying characteristic.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a modular valve cover comprising:

a base adapted to receive the valve shield, the base defining an aperture for accessing the valve and defining an opening through which the valve shield is received;

a cover disposed on the body, the cover operable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cover covers the aperture when in the closed position; and

a cover removably attached to the body, the cover defining a cover aperture corresponding to the aperture, allowing the cover to be manipulated through the cover aperture.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a modular valve cover according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the modular valve cap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modular valve cover according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the modular valve cover of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modular valve cover kit according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modular valve cover according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the modular valve cover of FIG. 6 with the cover in an open condition;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the modular valve cover of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a modular hydrant cover according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 10 is an exploded view of the modular hydrant cover of fig. 9.

Detailed Description

Referring now to fig. 1 and 2, a modular valve cover 10 according to some embodiments of the invention generally includes a base 12, the base 12 being adapted to cover a valve (not shown) in use. The base 12 includes a top 14, the top 14 defining an aperture 16, the aperture 16 providing access to the valve through the base 12. The modular valve cover 10 further includes a cover 18 disposed on the top 14, the cover 18 being selectively operable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cover 18 covers the aperture 16 when in the closed position. The modular valve cover 10 includes a cover plate 20 removably disposed on the base 12 to cover the top 14. The cover plate 20 defines a cover plate aperture 22 corresponding to the aperture 16 in the top 14, allowing the cover 18 to be opened and closed without being affected by the cover plate 20. Advantageously, the cover plate 20 may be removed and replaced by a different or replacement cover plate, e.g. the cover plate comprises a different color or marking.

In some embodiments, the top 14 of the base 12 may define a recess 24 in which the cover 18 may be located when in the closed position. The recess 24 may be defined around the edge of the aperture 16. The recess 24 may comprise a channel slot 25 which allows the cover to be opened by, for example, a user's finger or a tool such as a screwdriver. The top 14 may define a receiving structure and the cover 20 may include a complementary locating structure that is located within the receiving structure when the cover 20 is connected to the top 14. The receiving structure may be a step 26 and the complementary locating structure may be an edge 28 extending downwardly from the cover plate 20, for example, as shown in fig. 1. Edge 28 may extend from an outer edge of cover plate 20.

The base 12 may include a sidewall 30, and the base 12 may define a chamber 32 surrounded by the sidewall 30 and the top 14. When the modular valve cover 10 is in use, the valve may be positioned within or below the chamber 32 and may enter the chamber 32 through the aperture 16 when the cover 18 is opened. The step 26 may be located between the sidewall 30 and the top 14. The side wall 30 may define a slot 34 for handling the valve cover during installation and removal.

In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the valve may be housed within a valve shroud 46. The valve cover 10 may be arranged to cover the valve shield 46 while allowing access to the valve through the cap 18. The valve guard 46 may be a tube. The inner surface of the top 14 may be adapted to receive a valve shroud 46. The inner surface of the top 14 may define a groove 48 for receiving the valve guard 46. Other connection structures, such as rings, channels, or retainers, may also be defined on the inner surface of the top 14 to receive the valve shield. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the inner surface of the top 14 may define a plurality of sockets for engaging various sized valve shields 46 using the same base 12. Although the example embodiment shown in fig. 3 shows two valve shields 46 in the form of base 12 connecting tubes, in use, the valve cover 10 is typically connected to only one valve shield 46 at a time.

For example, as shown in fig. 1-4, the base 12 may be generally circular in shape, but may be square or rectangular, for example, as shown in fig. 6-8. The top 14 may be a predominantly planar surface, but may also be convex or curved. The base 12 may be formed of a suitable plastic material such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, or a suitable recycled plastic. The base 12 may be formed of a composite material such as fiberglass, fiber reinforced plastic, sheet molding compound, or bulk molding compound. The base 12 may be formed as a molded piece of plastic material, for example, the base may be formed by injection or compression molding.

In some embodiments, the lid 18 may include a seal 36 for sealingly engaging the top 14 to seal the aperture 16 when the lid 18 is in the closed position. The seal 36 may engage the edge of the aperture 16. For example, the seal may seal against the surface of the bore or alternatively extend into the bore 16. The cover 18 and the base 12 may include mating locking structures 17 for retaining the cover 18 to the base 12. The locking structure 17 may take the form of a twist lock, as shown in fig. 7 and 8. The cover 18 is removably attached to the body 12, allowing for easy replacement of the cover 18. In some embodiments, the cover 18 may be hingedly connected to the base 12 by a hinge 38. Hinge 38 may be integrally formed with cover 18. The recess 24 may be shaped to receive the lid 18 and the hinge 38 when the lid 18 is in the closed position. A hinge 38 may be located within the recess 24 and maintained between the base 12 and the cover 20 by securing the cover 20 to the base 12. The cover 18 may be generally circular in shape, for example, to engage the generally circular aperture 16 and close the aperture 16. Referring to fig. 9 and 10, the cover 18 may be generally square in shape. The cover 18 may be formed of a suitable plastic material, such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, or a suitable recycled plastic. The cover 18 may be formed of a composite material such as fiberglass, fiber reinforced plastic, sheet molding compound, or bulk molding compound. The cover 18 may be formed as a molded piece of plastic material, for example, the cover 18 may be formed by injection or compression molding. The cover may be formed of metal, such as cast iron.

In some embodiments, the cover plate 20 may include a ridged outer surface 40. The ridged surface 40 may include a pattern of projections, such as shown in the drawings, which may include radially spaced projections 42. A ridged surface 40 may be provided to form an anti-slip surface. The cover plate 20 may be substantially similar in shape to the base 12, for example, as shown in the figures, the top 14 of the circular base 12 may be covered by a circular cover plate 20. In some embodiments, such as shown in fig. 6-8, the cover plate 20 may be generally square in shape. When the cover 20 is connected to the base 12, the inner surface of the cover 20 may be flush with the top 14. The cover plate 20 may be formed of a suitable plastic material such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, or a suitable recycled plastic. The cover plate 20 may be formed of a composite material such as fiberglass, fiber reinforced plastic, sheet molding compound, or bulk molding compound. The cover plate 20 may be formed as a plastic molding, for example, the cover plate 20 may be formed by injection or compression molding. The cover 20 may be secured to the base 12 and removable by screws 44 or other suitable semi-permanent fasteners. For example, as shown in fig. 4, in some embodiments, the cover plate 20 may be secured and removable from the top down by fasteners 44. The screw or fastener 44 or other suitable semi-permanent fastener may be corrosion resistant. The cover plate 10 may include a plug 50 for covering the screw or fastener 44. The plug 50 may help prevent dust and dirt from building up on the fastener and may provide some tamper-proof function to the cover plate. Cover plate 20 may define a plate recess 52 for receiving a valve or hydrant identification, such as an asset plate (not shown) or a valve marker (not shown).

Referring to fig. 6-8, the modular valve cover 10 may include a securing mechanism for securing the cover 18 to the top 14 to prevent theft or loss of the cover 18. In some embodiments, such as shown in fig. 7, the cover 18 may be secured to the top 14 by a cable 19. The cable 19 may be a stainless steel braided cable. The modular valve cover 10 may include a bracket 21 for securing the cable 19 to the base 12.

Referring now to fig. 5, a modular valve cover kit 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a base 12 and a cover 18, as described above with reference to fig. 1-2. The modular valve cover assembly 110 further includes a plurality of cover plates 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d, 120e, 120f for covering the top of the base 12 and being removable. For example, each of the cover plates 120a-f has a unique identifying feature, and each of the cover plates 120a-f shown in FIG. 5, for example, has a unique distinguishable color. The unique identifying features may also be related to the shape, configuration or pattern on the outer surface of each cover plate and/or the material forming the cover plate 120.

In use, the top 14 may be protected from wear by disposing the cover plate 20 over the top 14 when the modular valve cover 10 is installed on a valve. Advantageously, with respect to the modular valve cover 10, in the event that the cover plate 20 is subject to wear or other damage, the entire valve cover 10 need not be replaced because the cover plate can be removed from the base 12 and replaced with a new cover plate.

Furthermore, the different unique identifying characteristics of each cover plate may also be consistent with the state, shape, or type of utility of the valve being covered. For example, a red cover plate may be used to indicate a normally closed valve. A fully white cap may be used to indicate a normally open valve controlling the flow of potable water. The purple cover plate may be used to indicate a normally open valve that controls the flow of non-potable water. The color of the valve cover plate may vary depending on the application and use of the valve, and the color scheme may also vary depending on the location of the device. Advantageously, valve covers as described herein can be easily changed by changing individual modular components, which allows for quick retrofitting and better inventory handling, thereby reducing delivery time.

Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to a modular valve cover, the features described may likewise be embodied in a modular hydrant cover 200 such as that shown in fig. 9 and 10, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the type of application or mechanism applied in the embodiments.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a modular valve and hydrant cover that can be used to inspect and maintain valves and hydrants, allowing a user to replace a module of a valve cover without having to replace the entire valve cover.

For the purposes of this specification, the word "comprising" means "including but not limited to," and the word "comprising" has a corresponding meaning.

The above-described embodiments have been described by way of example only and may be varied within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A modular valve cover comprising:

a base adapted to receive a valve shield, the base comprising:

a top portion defining an aperture for contacting the valve; and

a cover disposed on the top, the cover operating between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cover covers the aperture when in the closed position; and

a cover plate removably connected to the top portion, the cover plate defining a cover plate aperture corresponding to the aperture, thereby allowing unaffected operation of the cover.

2. The modular valve cover of claim 1, wherein,

the top defines a recess around an edge of the aperture, and wherein the cover is located within the recess when in the closed position.

3. The modular valve cover of claim 1 or 2, wherein,

the top defines a receiving structure and the cover plate includes a complementary locating structure, wherein the locating structure is located within the receiving structure when the cover plate is connected to the top.

4. The modular valve cover of claim 3, wherein,

the receiving structure is a step defined around an outer edge of the top and the complementary locating structure is an edge extending from an outer edge of the cover plate.

5. The modular valve cover of claim 1 or 2, wherein,

the base includes a sidewall, and wherein the sidewall and the top define a chamber for receiving a valve.

6. The modular valve cover of claim 5, wherein,

the top defines a slot for a tube connected to the valve.

7. The modular valve cover of claim 2, wherein,

a hinge is also included to hingedly connect the cover to the base.

8. The modular valve cover of claim 7, wherein,

the hinge is located within the recess.

9. The modular valve cover of any of claims 1-2 and 7-8, wherein,

the cover includes a seal that seals against an edge of the aperture when the aperture is closed.

10. The modular valve cover of any of claims 1-2 and 7-8, wherein,

the cover plate includes a ridged surface.

11. The modular valve cover of any of claims 1-2 and 7-8, wherein,

the cover plate is detachably fixed to the base by screws.

12. The modular valve cover of any of claims 1-2 and 7-8, wherein,

the base is formed as a moulding of plastics or composite material.

13. The modular valve cover of any of claims 1-2 and 7-8, wherein,

the cover is formed as a molded piece of plastic or composite material.

14. The modular valve cover of any of claims 1-2 and 7-8, wherein,

the cover plate is formed as a moulded piece of plastic or composite material.

15. A modular valve cover kit comprising:

a base adapted to receive the valve shield, the base including a top portion defining an aperture for contacting the valve;

a cover disposed on the top, the cover being operable to selectively open and close the aperture; and

a plurality of cover plates, each cover plate removably connected to the top, each cover plate defining a cover plate aperture corresponding to the aperture of the top, thereby allowing unaffected operation of the cover, and wherein each cover plate has a different identifying characteristic.

16. A modular valve cover kit comprising:

the modular valve cover according to any one of claims 1 to 14;

a plurality of additional cover plates, each cover plate being removably connected to the top, each additional cover plate defining a cover aperture corresponding to an aperture in the top, thereby allowing unaffected operation of the cover, and wherein each additional cover plate has a different identifying feature.

17. A modular valve cover comprising:

a base adapted to receive the valve shield, the base defining an aperture for contacting the valve and further defining an opening through which the valve shield is received;

a cover disposed on the body, the cover operating between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cover covers the aperture when in the closed position; and