Abstract:
An apparatus for leveling piping systems during installation. The piping leveling assembly can also determine an exact direct of travel for future runs of pipe to complete the installation.

Description:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of leveling means and more specifically relates to a piping leveling system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Within industry, piping is a system of pipes used to convey fluids (liquids and gases) from one location to another. Plumbing is a piping system with which most people are familiar, constituting the form of fluid transportation that is used to provide potable water and fuels to their homes and businesses. Plumbing pipes also remove waste in the form of sewage, and allow venting of sewage gases to the outdoors. Fire sprinkler systems also use piping, and may transport non-potable or potable water, or other fire-suppression fluids. Further use of piping may be found in the running of conduit along walls or in relation to locations where electricity may find use. 
     Conventional means of assembling these piping installations may be difficult and time-consuming for installation technicians. A cost-effective way to install piping at proper angles and to pin-point direction of travel of the piping towards a final destination is desirable. 
     Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,369 to William F Becker, U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0115907 to Daniel F. Gamon. This art is representative of leveling means. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed. 
     Ideally, a piping leveling system should provide leveling means and project direction indication means for completing proper piping installation projects and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable piping leveling system to avoid the above-mentioned problems. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known leveling tools art, the present invention provides a novel piping leveling system. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide an effective and efficient means by which to level piping during installation processes. 
     A piping leveling system is disclosed herein, in a preferred embodiment, comprising: a piping leveling assembly comprising a connection body having lugs, and a leveling insert having a cross-array of bubble-levels, a laser pointer, a powerer (batteries or the like), and an on/off switch; wherein the piping leveling system comprises the piping leveling assembly. 
     The piping leveling assembly comprises in functional combination the connection body and the leveling insert; wherein the leveling insert comprises the cross-array of bubble-levels, the laser pointer, and the powerer. The laser pointer is located at an intersection of the cross-array of bubble-levels and points upwardly for use. The cross-array of bubble-levels is integrally-located; the leveling insert formed as a periphery about the cross-array of bubble-levels. The powerer (DC battery) powers the laser pointer for use. In preferred embodiments the connection body comprises PVC pipe, given its inexpensive manufacturability. 
     The cross-array of bubble-levels is structured and arranged to allow leveling of a piping system when the piping leveling assembly is removably coupled to the piping system, as described and shown subsequently. The cross-array of bubble-levels comprises a cross-shape; wherein the cross-array of bubble-levels comprises exactly four bubble-levels for accurate leveling. 
     The lugs of the connection body fit on and about an exterior of the round piping of the piping system; wherein the lugs restrict relative movement of the connection body in relation to the round piping of the piping system. In certain embodiments the lugs bias against the round piping of the piping system via spring-loaded means or alternately via induced tension within the material itself. The connection body comprises a cylindrical-profile suitable for insertion-coupling with round piping of the piping system (other shapes may be used); wherein, as such, the connection body of the piping leveling assembly is able to be removably inserted into the (cylindrical) piping system (at an open portion) to provide a guide for leveling and completing construction on the piping system. The guide for leveling and (laser for) completing construction on the piping system visually assists an operator-user to help determine a path for future assembling of the piping system. 
     A kit is also described herein including: a plurality of the piping leveling assembl(ies) available in different diameters (for use with different sized piping), and a set of user-instructions. 
     A method of using a piping leveling system is also disclosed herein comprising the steps of: activating a laser pointer of a piping leveling assembly (via an on/off switch or the like), removably-coupling the piping leveling assembly to a piping system, and determining a ‘future run’ (travel direction for installation) of the piping system. The method may further comprise the step of leveling existing piping of the piping system using the cross-array of bubble-levels. 
     The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as a piping leveling system. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, piping leveling system, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view illustrating a piping leveling system in an in-use condition according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a piping leveling assembly of the piping leveling system according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the piping leveling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the piping leveling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of use for the piping leveling system according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     
    
    
     The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a levelers and more particularly to a piping leveling system as used to improve the efficiency of piping installation processes. 
     Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , various views of piping leveling system  100  comprising: piping leveling assembly  110  comprising connection body  120 , and leveling insert  130  having a cross-array of bubble-levels  132 , laser pointer  136 , and a powerer  140  (powering means such as a battery or the like); wherein piping leveling system  100  comprises piping leveling assembly  110 . Piping leveling assembly  110  comprises in functional combination connection body  120  and leveling insert  130 ; the present invention may be offered in sizes of 1½ inches in height and various sized diameters. Connection body  120  preferably comprises PVC pipe. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as user preferences, design preference, structural requirements, marketing preferences, cost, available materials, technological advances, etc., other material arrangements such as, for example, non-plastics, other plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous materials and composites, etc., may be sufficient. 
     Referring now to leveling insert  130 ; leveling insert  130  comprises cross-array of bubble-levels  132 , laser pointer  136 , and powerer  140 ; wherein laser pointer  136  is located at an intersection  134  of cross-array of bubble-levels  132  and points upwardly for use, as shown. Cross-array of bubble-levels  132  is integrally-located; leveling insert  130  formed as a periphery about cross-array of bubble-levels  132 . Powerer  140  powers laser pointer  136  for use, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Cross-array of bubble-levels  132  is structured and arranged to allow leveling of a piping system  150  when piping leveling assembly  110  is removably coupled to the piping system  150 . 
     Connection body  120  of piping leveling assembly  110  is able to be removably inserted into piping system  150  (at an open/unfinished portion) to provide a guide (guiding means) for leveling and completing construction on piping system  150 . Connection body  120  comprises a cylindrical-profile suitable for insertion-coupling with round piping of piping system  150 . Connection body  120  further comprises lugs  122  in preferred embodiments, as shown. Lugs  122  fit on an exterior of the round piping of piping system  150 . Lugs  122  restrict relative movement of connection body  120  in relation to the round piping of piping system  150 . Lugs  122  may bias against the round piping of piping system  150 . In alternate embodiments lugs  122  may further comprise spring-loading means. Cross-array of bubble-levels  132  comprises a cross-shape, as shown; wherein cross-array of bubble-levels  132  comprises exactly four bubble-levels  133 . Piping leveling system  100  as such provides the guide for leveling and completing construction on piping system  150  visually assists an operator-user to determine a ‘path’ for future assembling of piping system  150 . 
     Piping leveling system  100  may further comprise an on/off switch  144  to control laser pointer  136  between on and off conditions, respectively; laser pointer  136  is located along a centerline of the round piping. Laser pointer  136  comprises a focused light that is able to be aimed to indicate a drill-point. Piping system  150  as discussed herein may comprise for example a plumbing-assembly or an electrical-installation-assembly. 
     Piping leveling system  100  may be sold as a kit comprising the following parts: a plurality of the piping leveling assembl(ies)  110 ; and at least one set of user instructions. The kit has instructions such that functional relationships are detailed in relation to the structure of the invention (such that the invention can be used, maintained, or the like in a preferred manner). Piping leveling system  100  may be manufactured and provided for sale in a wide variety of sizes and shapes for a wide assortment of applications. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other kit contents or arrangements such as, for example, including more or less components, customized parts, different color combinations, parts may be sold separately, etc., may be sufficient. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flowchart illustrating a method of use  500  for piping leveling system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     A method of using (method of use  500 ) piping leveling system  100  comprises the steps of: step one  501  activating laser pointer  136  of piping leveling assembly  110  (via an on/off switch  144  or the like), step two  502  removably-coupling piping leveling assembly  110  to piping system  150 , and step three  503  determining a ‘future run’ (travel direction for installation) of piping system  150 . The method  500  may further comprise the step four  504  of leveling existing piping of piping system  150  using cross-array of bubble-levels  132 . 
     It should be noted that step  504  is an optional step and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method  500  are illustrated using dotted lines in  FIG. 5  so as to distinguish them from the other steps of method  500 . 
     It should be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods of use arrangements such as, for example, different orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc., may be sufficient. 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.