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.

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  41 and  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° 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: