Abstract:
A injection plug assembly for insertion internally into a walled structure to permit safe access to and wide distribution of a fluid, liquid or powder spray into that walled structure. The assembly comprises an elongated outer sleeve arranged to pinch any thickness wall structure and an elongated delivery bolt arranged to be received through the outer sleeve. The elongated bolt has a radially directed fluid distribution channel therein.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to arrangements which permit the safe and controlled introduction of a liquid, a foam or a powder spray into the interior spaces of a building, such as its walls, columns or posts, for bug extermination purposes or for the introduction of preservatives into that interior space, and is a continuation in part of my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/661,441, filed 15 Sep. 2003, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
         [0003]     2. Prior Art  
         [0004]     Insect infestation in buildings is common all around the world. Such buildings may be homes, commercial buildings, or industrial buildings. The problem is more acute, in certain areas where the climate is warm and humid.  
         [0005]     Typical methods of exterminating such insect infestation typically comprise of spraying the perimeters of a room or of the building, inside or outside, with an insecticide, or using a fogging apparatus, all of which methods are only temporary and have limited effectiveness.  
         [0006]     Application of those insecticides are preferable when they are introduced into the spaces within the walls themselves so as to get at the hives and colonies where those insects reside. A number of attempts at such fumigation may be seen in the prior art, which however, all appear to have certain drawbacks. U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,505 to Jackson shows a fumigation system for a building in which a tunnel device is inserted through a wall. This tunnel device, however, has barbs which engage the wall to secure the device in place. Such barbs, however, often will work loose within the wall or enlarge the opening so as to make the tunnel device loose and improper.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,312 to Jackson shows a further extermination system utilizing a plug which is inserted into a wall. Such plug system again includes some tapered barbs which may work loose from the wall or wear the wall out where it should not. The same is true in a further patent to Jackson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,669 showing another extermination system which is left open after the insecticide has been installed in the wall, and which plug utilizes those barbs which typically loosen or disarrange the wall.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,207 to Morris, Senior, shows a process for controlling insect infestations in a building. Such process is a rather complicated arrangement of multi tubular nozzles arranged to insert an insecticide into a plurality of holes simultaneously onto a building wall. There is no arrangement for covering those holes after the process has been completed.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,533 to Pepper shows a device for injecting a pesticide into a wall area. The device, however, is attached to an opening in that wall, merely by double-sided tape. Fixtures like that don’t typically last very long or work very well. Such tape could become loosened by the application of the insecticide itself.  
         [0010]     It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.  
         [0011]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an insecticide assembly for a walled structure which may be securely set therewithin, and reusable.  
         [0012]     It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide an insecticide introduction assembly for a wall structure which may be sealed to prevent insecticide escape and to minimize the likelihood of anyone misusing such an assembly, particularly young children.  
         [0013]     It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide an insecticide introducible assembly for a wall structure which will adapt itself to any wall thickness during the introduction of that assembly into the wall.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The injection assembly of the present invention comprises an elongated hollow receiving sleeve, having a first or proximal end, and a second or distal end. The first or proximal end has an annular flange extending radially outwardly thereof. The proximal flange is unitarily attached to an annular housing. The annular housing has an opening of a first diameter extending therethrough. A thin walled shell extends distally of the annular housing. The shell has a bore extending therethrough of a diameter of a second diameter which is greater than the first diameter of the bore of the annular housing. The cylindrical shell has a plurality of generally diamond-shaped cutouts extending circumferentially therearound, so as to create a plurality of circumferentially spaced tapered fingers having an apex which defines a knuckle, and a second set of circumferentially spaced fingers having a taper providing a second set of circumferentially-spaced fingers, which is unitary with a distalmost annular housing of the receiving sleeve. The distalmost annular housing has a threaded surface therewithin of a third diameter.  
         [0015]     A slot is cut into the cylindrical sleeve at the proximal-most end of the diamond-shape cutout to facilitate size accommodations of the receiving sleeve discussed herebelow.  
         [0016]     Each pair of longitudinally aligned tapered fingers are connected by a knuckle joint at their respective apexes. Each knuckle has a slight radially outwardly projecting bulge therein.  
         [0017]     The injection assembly also includes a threaded delivery bolt having a central bore extending therethrough. The delivery bolt has a proximal end with an enlarged annular head thereon. A shank is arranged unitary with the head. The balance of the distal portion of the elongated delivery bolt is threaded externally. A plurality of radially directed discharge ports are arranged distally adjacent the distal cap on the distal end of the delivery bolt. The radial discharge ports are in fluid communication with the boar extending through the delivery bolt. The diameter of the threaded portion of the delivery bolt is equivalent to the third diameter existing on the internal threaded surface of the distal annular housing of the receiving sleeve. The externally threaded delivery bolt is arranged so as to be slidably received within the annular housing and body portion of the receiving sleeve. The threads of the delivery bolt are sized so as to engage the internal threads on the distalmost end of the distal annular housing of the receiving sleeve.  
         [0018]     In use of the injection assembly of the present invention, a hole is drilled into a dry wall or inner wall of the building structure so as to permit the receiving sleeve to be inserted therein, up to the proximal flange on the proximal end of that receiving sleeve. The threaded delivery bolt is then slidably inserted into the receiving sleeve so that the distal threads on the distal end of the threaded delivery bolt engage the internal threads on the distal annular housing portion of the receiving sleeve. Clockwise rotation of the delivery bolt will then threadably engage the internal threads at the distal end of the receiving sleeve and begin its compression relative to the bolt and relative to the wall in which it is inserted.  
         [0019]     Longitudinally adjacent fingers on the receiving sleeve begin to deform at the knuckles therebetween, the proximalmost array of fingers bending adjacent their proximal most slots, so as to snuggly engage the inside surface of the wall structure in which the assembly has been inserted. Those elongated slots adjacent the proximal portion of the diamond-shaped cutouts permits the distortable fingers to accommodate any thickness wall in which the assembly is inserted. Continued rotation of the delivery bolt within the receiving sleeve effects the continued collapse of the longitudinally adjacent fingers onto one another so as to snuggly affix the receiving sleeve and delivery bolt into the wall to which it has been inserted.  
         [0020]     The distal cap, on the distalmost end of the delivery bolt, pushes away any debris or wall material which may otherwise exist, as that delivery bolt is inserted into the wall and as the distal annular housing is caused to be pulled towards the inside surface of the walled structure.  
         [0021]     In use of the present invention, the nozzle of a pressurized injector spray may be inserted within the proximal opening in the receiving sleeve, and a spray or aerosol may be injected through the bore therewithin. Such spray may be delivered radially outwardly from the distal end of the delivery bolt by virtue of the radially directed ports in fluid communication with the central bore of the delivery bolt. Thus, an insecticide or a preservative spray of gas, liquid, foam or a powder may be radially directed into the internal space of a wall, post or column of a structure, which spray is unhindered by debris or wall material, because of the plowing effect of the distal cap on the distal end of the delivery bolt. The collapse of the circumferential array of longitudinally tapered fingers permits a permanent snug engagement of the injection assembly onto the wall structure.  
         [0022]     The injection assembly of the present invention includes a generally hemispherically-shaped mushroom cap, which is inserted into the central drive or shaped bore at the proximal end of the delivery bolt. The mushroom cap preferably has an annular flange which mates around the outer periphery of the head of the delivery bolt. A further embodiment of the mushroom cap includes a threaded bore extending partway into the mushroom cap and in a longitudinal alignment therewith. Such a threaded boar is utilized to permit a threadable tool to be inserted therein for safe and easy removal of that mushroom cap from the injection assembly.  
         [0023]     The invention thus comprises a injection plug assembly for insertion into an internal portion of wall or post structure or the like, to permit safe access to and wide distribution of a fluid spray into the wall structure. The assembly comprises an elongated outer sleeve arranged to pinch any thickness wall structure and an elongated delivery bolt arranged to be received through the outer sleeve, the elongated bolt having a radially directed fluid distribution channel therein. The elongated delivery bolt has a bore arranged therethrough for delivery of a gas, liquid, foam or like fluid therefrom. The elongated delivery bolt may have a cap on a distalmost end thereof. The cap may be removable. The bolt preferably has a plurality of radially directed openings on its distalmost end to permit sideways directed fluid discharge therefrom. The elongated sleeve has a circumferential array of longitudinally directed pairs of fingers therearound, to permit the pinching of the assembly to a wall structure. A slot may be arranged in a proximal end of the sleeve between circumferentially adjacent fingers, to permit adaptability of the assembly to any thickness wall during an attachment process. The pairs of fingers preferably have a bendable knuckle therebetween. The fingers in the pairs of fingers are arranged to collapse on one another when an elongated bolt is threaded through the sleeve. The elongated bolt has a proximal end with an enlarged head thereon, the bolt and said the pinching a wall between the enlarged head on the bolt and the fingers as the fingers are bent.  
         [0024]     A removable end cap may be insertable into the enlarged head on the proximal end of the bolt. The removable cap has a threaded bore extending axially therein, to permit a tool to be inserted into the cap for safe removal of the cap from the bolt. The removable cap may have a flanged rim for sealed engagement of the enlarged head on the proximal end of the bolt.  
         [0025]     The invention may also include a method of introducing a gas, liquid, powder or fluid spray into the inside of a walled structure, comprising one or more of the steps of: drilling a hole into the structure; inserting a collapsable, elongated, fingered sleeve into the hole in the wall structure; threading a hollow elongated delivery bolt into the sleeve; pinching the wall tightly between a head of the bolt and a finger of the sleeve; injecting a fluid spray into the hollow elongated delivery bolt for introduction of the spray fluid into the wall structure. The method may also include: inserting a removable end cap onto a distal end of the elongated bolt to permit the bolt to push away wall debris during its being threaded through the sleeve; arranging a plurality of radially directed openings on the distal end of the bolt to permit the fluid to be sprayed radially from the distal end of the delivery bolt.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]     The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when viewed in conjunction with the following drawings in which:  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a receiving sleeve partially engaging a delivery bolt which comprise the injection plug assembly;  
         [0028]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a receiving sleeve utilized with the present invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the threaded delivery bolt component of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the threaded delivery bolt receiving a drive tool;  
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of an injection assembly comprising a receiving sleeve within a wall structure and the elongated delivery bolt extending therethrough;  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , with the receiving sleeve fully engaging the delivery bolt in a completely collapsed configuration snuggly engaging the wall of the structure; and  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view in section of a delivery bolt having a mushroom plug cap arranged thereon.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0034]     Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown the present invention which comprises an injection plug assembly  10 . The injection plug assembly  10  comprises an elongated hollow receiving sleeve  12 , shown separately in  FIG. 1A , and a delivery bolt  15 , shown separately in  FIG. 2 . The receiving sleeve  12 , in  FIG. 1A , has a first or proximal end  14 , and a second or distal end  16 . The first or proximal end  14  of the sleeve  12  has an annular flange  18  extending radially outwardly thereof. The proximal flange  18  is unitarily attached to an annular housing  20 . The annular housing  20  has an opening of a first diameter d 1  extending therethrough, as may be seen in  FIG. 3 . A thin walled shell  22  extends distally of the annular housing  20 , as best seen in  FIG. 1A .  
         [0035]     The shell  22  has a bore  24  extending therethrough of a second diameter d 2  which is greater than the first diameter d 1  of the bore d 1  of the annular housing  20 . The cylindrical shell  22  has a plurality of generally diamond-shaped cutouts  26  extending circumferentially therearound, as may be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, so as to create a plurality of circumferentially spaced tapered fingers  28  having an apex which defines a knuckle  30 , and a second set of circumferentially spaced fingers  32  having a taper, which second set of fingers  32  is unitary with a distalmost annular housing  34  of the receiving sleeve  12 . The distalmost annular housing  34  has a threaded surface  36  therewithin of a third diameter d 3 .  
         [0036]     A slot  40  is cut into the cylindrical sleeve at the proximal-most end of each diamond-shape cutout  26 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, to facilitate wall thickness accommodations of the receiving sleeve  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and discussed herebelow.  
         [0037]     Each pair of longitudinally aligned tapered fingers  28  and  32  are connected by the knuckle joint  30  at their respective apexes as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1 A. Each knuckle  30  has a slight radially outwardly projecting bulge  33  therein to facilitate bending thereat.  
         [0038]     The injection plug assembly  10  also includes the threaded delivery bolt  15 , shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The delivery bolt  15  has a central bore  44  extending therethrough, as best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The delivery bolt  15  has a proximal end  46  with an enlarged annular head  48  thereon. A shank  50  is arranged unitary with the head  48 . The balance of the distal portion of the elongated delivery bolt  15  has an external thread  52  thereon, as shown best in  FIG. 2 . A plurality of radially directed discharge ports  54  are arranged adjacent a distal cap  56  on the distal end of the delivery bolt  15 . The radial discharge ports  54  are in fluid communication with the bore  44  extending through the delivery bolt  15 . The diameter of the threaded portion  52  of the delivery bolt  15  is equivalent to the third diameter d 3  existing on the internal threaded surface  36  of the distal annular housing  34  of the receiving sleeve  12 . The externally threaded delivery bolt  15  is arranged so as to be slidably received within the annular housing  20  and body portion  22  of the receiving sleeve  12 . The threads  52  of the delivery bolt  15  are sized so as to engage the internal threads  36  on the distalmost end  34  of the distal annular housing  22  of the receiving sleeve  12 .  
         [0039]     In use of the injection plug assembly  10  of the present invention, a hole  60  is drilled into a dry wall or inner wall  62  of the building structure so as to permit the receiving sleeve  12  to be inserted therein, up to the proximal flange  18  on the proximal end  14  of that receiving sleeve  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The threaded delivery bolt  15  is then slidably inserted into the receiving sleeve  12  so that the distal threads  52  on the distal end of the threaded delivery bolt  15  engage the internal threads  36  on the distal annular housing portion  34  of the receiving sleeve  12 . Clockwise rotation of the delivery bolt by a drive tool  55 , as represented in  FIG. 2A  will then threadably engage the internal threads  36  at the distal end of the receiving sleeve  12  and begin its compression relative to the bolt  12  and relative to the wall  62  in which it is inserted. The circumferential array of longitudinally adjacent fingers  28  and  32  on the receiving sleeve  12  begin to deform at the respective knuckles  30  therebetween, as represented in  FIG. 3 , the proximalmost circumferential array of fingers  28  bending adjacent their proximalmost slots  40 , so as to snuggly engage the inside surface of the wall structure  62  in which the injection plug assembly  10  has been inserted, as represented in  FIG. 4 . Those elongated slots  40  adjacent the proximal portion of the diamond-shaped cutouts  26  permits the distortable fingers  28  and  32  to accommodate any thickness wall in which the injection plug assembly  10  is inserted. Continued rotation of the delivery bolt within the receiving sleeve  12  effects the continued collapse of the longitudinally adjacent fingers  28  and  32  onto one another so as to snuggly affix the receiving sleeve and delivery bolt  15  into the wall  62  to which it has been inserted.  
         [0040]     The distal cap  56 , which may be pushably removed from the distalmost end of the delivery bolt  15 , itself pushes away any debris, insulation or wall material  57  which may otherwise exist, as that delivery bolt  15  is inserted into the wall and as the distal annular housing  34  is caused to be pulled towards the inside surface of the walled structure  62 ,as represented in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0041]     In use of the present invention, the nozzle of a pressurized injector spray  68  may be inserted within the proximal opening in the receiving sleeve  12 , and a spray or aerosol may be injected through the bore  44  therewithin. Such spray may be delivered radially outwardly from the distal end of the delivery bolt  15  by virtue of the radially directed ports in fluid communication with the central bore  44  of the delivery bolt  15 . Thus, an insecticide or a preservative spray of fluid, powder, foam or powder or the like may be generally radially (or angularly, i.e. non-orthogonally) directed into the internal space of a wall of a structure  62 , which spray is unhindered by debris, insulation or wall material, because of the plowing effect of the distal cap  56  on the distal end of the delivery bolt  15 . The collapse of the circumferential array of longitudinally tapered fingers  28  and  32  permits a permanent snug engagement of the injection plug assembly  10  into the wall structure  62 .  
         [0042]     The injection plug assembly  10  of the present invention may include a generally hemispherically-shaped mushroom cap  70 , which cap  70  is inserted into a square drive  73  at the proximal end of the delivery bolt  15 . as represented in  FIG. 5 . The mushroom cap  15  preferably has an annular flange  72  which mates around the outer periphery of the head  48  of the delivery bolt  15 . A further embodiment of the mushroom cap includes a threaded bore  74  extending partway into the mushroom cap  70  and in a longitudinal alignment therewith. Such a threaded bore  74  is utilized to permit a threadable tool  76  to be inserted therein for safe and easy removal of that mushroom cap  70  from the injection plug assembly  10  needed.