Patent Publication Number: US-2019169806-A1

Title: Apparatus for marking the location of a utility fixture

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/593,676, filed 1 Dec. 2017, the contents of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally related to the field of construction, and more particularly related to an apparatus for marking the location of a utility fixture wherein the apparatus may be run over by a construction related vehicle without causing permanent damage to a utility fixture, line or opening. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the field of construction, underground utility contractors spend countless hours and money repairing broken pipes that have been destroyed by heavy equipment. At a standard construction site, utility fixture pipes (such as sewer pipes, gas pipes, storm drains, electric conduits, or communications conduits) are marked by extending the pipe above ground for approximately one to five feet; this extended pipe portion is meant to mark the location of the utility fixture. 
     Using the extended pipe portion as an indicator of the location of utility fixtures present problems because the extended pipe portions are very often run over by a piece of heavy equipment such as a truck or a backhoe. When they are run over, the heavy equipment will crush the extended pipe portion and destroy a portion of pipe itself, usually forcing dirt and other debris into the broken-off utility pipe. When this commonplace event occurs, the utility contractor must both dig out the utility pipe and replace the pipe extension—a great expense of both time and resources. 
     There is a demonstrated need, therefore, for a device or apparatus that may mark the location of a utility fixture and that is not easily destroyed by heavy construction equipment. 
     SUMMARY OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     Advantages of One or More Embodiments of the Present Invention 
     The various embodiments of the present invention may, but do not necessarily, achieve one or more of the following advantages: 
     the ability to mark a utility fixture; 
     the ability to protect a utility fixture during construction; 
     the ability to prevent ingress of dirt and debris into a utility fixture; 
     allow a utility fixture and marker to be run over without substantial damage to the utility fixture or marker; 
     the ability to visually indicate different types of utility fixtures. 
     These and other advantages may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification, claims, and abstract. 
     Brief Description of One Embodiment of the Present Invention 
     In one aspect, there is provided an apparatus for marking a location of a utility fixture. The apparatus may include a resilient tubular body and a first anchoring system that anchors the tubular body to the utility fixture. The tubular body may include a resilient circumferential side wall that forms the tubular body, a lower opening at a lower end of the side wall, and an upper opening at an upper end of the side wall. The lower opening may have a first external perimeter, the lower opening being dimensioned to fit over a utility fixture top. The upper opening may have a second external perimeter. A pole may be anchored within the upper opening and may extend upward of the tubular body. A second anchoring system may anchor the pole within the second opening of the tubular body. In use, the tubular body may be secured to the utility fixture such that the pole extends upward and thereby indicates the location of the utility fixture. The resilient tubular body may be able to bend in response to pressure applied to the pole to allow the pole to temporarily displace horizontally and return upward when the pressure to the pole is removed. 
     In one aspect, there is provided a method for indicating a position of a utility fixture within the ground. The method may comprise disposing a fixture indicating apparatus onto an open end of the fixture. The fixture indicating apparatus may comprise a resilient tubular body and a pole extending upward of the resilient tubular body. Disposing the fixture indicating apparatus may comprise disposing the tubular body on the utility fixture such that the pole extends upward and thereby indicates the location of the utility fixture. The resilient tubular body may be able to bend in response to pressure applied to the pole to allow the pole to temporarily displace horizontally and return upward when the pressure to the pole is removed. 
     In one aspect, there is provided apparatus for indicating a position of a utility fixture. The apparatus may comprise pole means for indicating a position and resilient body means for supporting the pole means and for anchoring to the utility fixture. The resilient body means may be able to bend in response to pressure applied to the pole means to allow the pole to temporarily displace horizontally and return upward when the pressure to the pole means is removed. 
     The above description sets forth, rather broadly, a summary of one embodiment of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. Some of the embodiments of the present invention may not include all of the features or characteristics listed in the above summary. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a fixture indicating apparatus for marking the location of a utility fixture, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a fixture indicating apparatus for marking the location of a utility fixture, in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention having a magnet for removably attaching the apparatus to a utility fixture having a metal value box; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a fixture indicating apparatus for marking the location of a utility fixture, in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention having a flat rubber block for receiving a wood fixture; 
         FIG. 4A  includes a photograph of an exemplary embodiment of the fixture indicating apparatus in use to mark the location of a utility fixture at a construction site; 
         FIG. 4B  includes a photograph of an exemplary embodiment of the fixture indicating apparatus in use to mark the location of a utility fixture at a construction site, wherein heavy equipment has run over the fixture indicating apparatus (and the utility fixture beneath), the body has begun to flex, and the reflective pole has begun to displace towards a horizontal position to allow the heavy equipment to drive over the fixture indicating apparatus without permanently damaging the fixture indicating apparatus; 
         FIG. 4C  includes a photograph of an exemplary embodiment of the fixture indicating apparatus in use to mark the location of a utility fixture at a construction site, wherein heavy equipment has run over the fixture indicating apparatus (and the utility fixture beneath), the body has begun to revert to its default upright position, and the reflective pole has begun to revert to its default vertical position; and 
         FIG. 4D  includes a photograph of an exemplary embodiment of the fixture indicating apparatus in use to mark the location of a utility fixture at a construction site, wherein the body has reverted to its default upright position and the reflective pole has reverted to its default vertical position to continue to mark the location of the utility fixture. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The present invention is generally related to the field of construction, and more particularly related to an apparatus for marking the location of a utility fixture wherein the apparatus may be run over by a construction related vehicle without causing permanent damage to a utility fixture, line or opening. The herein disclosed fixture indicating apparatus may be removably attached to a utility fixture so that an elongated member protrudes upward from the utility fixture to mark the location of the utility fixture and to indicate this location to observers or vehicles located nearby. While in use to indicate the location of the utility fixture, vehicles and other heavy equipment may then avoid running into or over the utility fixture. If nearby vehicles or other heavy equipment cannot avoid running into or over the utility fixture, the herein disclosed fixture indicating apparatus will flex (or bend) at the body and thus allow the reflective pole to displace to a horizontal position to avoid damage from the vehicle or heavy equipment passing above. A vehicle or piece of heavy equipment is then able to drive completely over the horizontally displaced reflective pole (and the rest of the sticker saver apparatus) without causing permanent damage to the reflective pole, the body, or the utility fixture beneath. Once the vehicle or heavy equipment is gone from the immediate area, the body reverts to its non-flexed position and thus raises the reflective pole back to its vertical default position so that the fixture indicating apparatus may continue to mark the location of the utility fixture. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed fixture indicating apparatus for marking the location of a utility fixture comprises: a resilient body with a bottom opening having a first external perimeter and an upper opening having a second external perimeter; the bottom opening being dimensioned to fit over a utility fixture top, wherein the bottom opening is anchored onto the utility fixture top by a first hose clamp secured about the first external perimeter; the upper opening for receiving a pole, wherein the pole is anchored within the upper opening by a second hose clamp secured about the second external perimeter; and wherein the pole indicates the location of the utility fixture to nearby observers and vehicles, and wherein the resilient body bends in response to pressure applied to the pole to allow the pole to temporarily displace horizontally and thus avoid permeant damage to the pole. 
     An alternative embodiment of the fixture indicating apparatus comprises a magnet for removably attaching the apparatus to a utility fixture having a metal valve box. A further alternative embodiment of the fixture indicating apparatus comprises a flat rubber block for receiving a wooden fixture and thus removably attaching the apparatus to the wooden fixture. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , herein disclosed fixture indicating apparatus  101  includes body  110  formed of a circumferential side wall  116  having bottom opening  112  and top opening  114 . The body  110  is thus substantially tubular. Body  110  is formed of a flexible and resilient material, such as a flexible rubber for example, and will bend in response to pressure (or force) applied to body  110 . Body  110  is described as being conical in shape in a preferred embodiment, but body  110  may be of any shape wherein body  110  forms bottom opening  112  having a first external perimeter  111  and forms upper opening  114  having a second external perimeter  113 , and wherein first external perimeter  111  is greater than second external perimeter  113 . Body  110  is shown primarily with a literal conical shape in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 3 ; an alternative profile shape for body  110  is shown by  119  in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  101  is shown located over a utility fixture  100  that is substantially buried within the ground  150 . The utility fixture  100  has a top  130  that protrudes slightly above the ground level  152 . Body  110  is dimensioned to fit over utility fixture top  130 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, body  110  has a height of approximately 8 inches. 
     Fixture indicating apparatus  101  is removably anchored to utility fixture top  130  by first hose clamp  140 . Utility fixture  100  may be any type of utility fixture, such as a sewer pipe, a gas pipe, a storm drain, an electrical conduit, or a communications pipeline for example. Bottom opening  112  is dimensioned to fit over utility fixture top  130 , and is secured or anchored to utility fixture top  130  by first hose clamp  140 . Most utility pipes have a diameter of 4 inches to 12 inches, and in a preferred embodiment bottom opening  112  is dimensioned to fit over such a 4 to 12 inch diameter utility fixture pipe. First hose clamp  140  may be any type of hose clamp known in the art capable of securely (but removably) fastening body  110  to a round pipe such as the type normally found at utility fixture  100 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of fasteners may be utilized to removably attach body  110  at utility fixture  100 , and all such types of fasteners are intended to be included herein; for example, an adhesive may be utilized to removably attach body  110  at utility fixture top  130  or, alternatively, one or more screws may be utilized to removably attach body  110  at utility fixture top  130 . 
     Body  110  forms upper opening  114  for receiving pole  120 . Pole  120  may be any type of elongated member capable of rigidly (or semi-rigidly, as in the case of utilizing a bendably wire as the elongated member at  120 ) protruding upward from body  110 . In a preferred embodiment, pole  120  has a height of approximately 6 feet, a diameter of approximately 1 inch, and has a reflective surface. The reflective surface is capable of reflecting vehicle headlights or other lights so that fixture indicating apparatus  101  is capable of indicating the location of utility fixture  100  at night or in the absence of ambient light. To further indicate the type of utility fixture  100  that fixture indicating apparatus  101  is marking, different color poles may be utilized at pole  120 . For example, a green pole may indicate a sewer pipe at utility fixture  100 , a yellow pole may indicate a gas pipe at utility fixture  100 , a purple pole may indicate a storm drain at utility fixture  100 , a red pole may indicate an electric conduit at utility fixture  100 , and an orange pole may indicate a communications conduit at utility fixture  100 . 
     Pole  120  is removably anchored within upper opening  114  by second hose clamp  150 . Second hose clamp  150  may be any type of hose clamp known in the art capable of securely (but removably) fastening pole  120  within upper opening  114 . Second hose clamp  150  has a smaller diameter than first hose clamp  140 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a side view of fixture indicating apparatus  101  for marking the location of a utility fixture  200 , in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention having magnet  210  for removably attaching fixture indicating apparatus  101  to a utility fixture  200  having a metal valve box. Certain types of utility fixtures, such as water, sewer, or gas lines, may utilize a metal valve box at the exposed portion of the utility fixture; such a utility fixture is illustrated at  200 . In this embodiment of the present invention, magnet  210  is attached to the underside of body  110 , beneath bottom opening  112  and held in place by the clamp  140 . Magnet  210  may be any type of magnet known in the art that is capable of securely and removably attaching fixture indicating apparatus  101  to utility fixture having a metal valve box  200 . In this embodiment, instead of bottom opening  112  fitting over and around a protruding utility fixture pipe (as in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 ), magnet  210  is placed on top of utility fixture having a metal valve box  200  to removably attach fixture indicating apparatus  101  to utility fixture having a metal valve box  200 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , second hose clamp  150  secures pole  120  within upper opening  114 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a side view of fixture indicating apparatus  101  for marking the location of a utility fixture, in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention having flat rubber block  310  for receiving wood fixture  300  is shown. In this alternative embodiment of the present invention, fixture indicating apparatus  101  may be removably attached (or anchored) to wood fixture  300 . This embodiment is intended to facilitate attaching a fixture indicating apparatus  101  to a wooden fixture such as a wood beam or tie that may be forming a retaining wall, for example. Flat rubber block  310  may be attached to body  110  beneath bottom opening  112 . Flat rubber block  310  may form a square or rectangular opening for receiving wood fixture  300 . In this way, flat rubber block  310  may removably attach (or anchor) over a protruding wood beam or tie to anchor fixture indicating apparatus  101  to wood fixture  300 . Flat rubber block  310  may be formed of materials other than rubber. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4A ,  FIG. 4B ,  FIG. 4C , and  FIG. 4D , a herein disclosed fixture indicating apparatus  101  is shown in use to mark a utility fixture while the fixture indicating apparatus  101  is driven over by a piece of heavy equipment. As discussed herein, the purpose of fixture indicating apparatus  101  is to mark the location of a utility fixture so that vehicles and heavy equipment may avoid running over the utility fixture and damaging the protruding pipe or conduit (referred to in the construction field as a “sticker”).  FIG. 4A  shows fixture indicating apparatus  101  in its default vertical (or upright) position to mark the location of a utility fixture in a way that is highly visible to vehicles and other heavy equipment.  FIG. 4B  shows a piece of heavy equipment failing to notice fixture indicating apparatus  101 , and therefore driving the heavy equipment over fixture indicating apparatus  101 . As can be seen in  FIG. 4B , when this happens the heavy equipment applies pressure (or force) against the protruding reflective pole, thereby flexing the body of fixture indicating apparatus  101 , which in turn displaces the reflective pole down to a horizontal position ( FIG. 4B  shows the reflective pole as it is being displaced towards the horizontal position). When the reflective pole is in a horizontal position, the piece of heavy equipment is able to drive over fixture indicating apparatus  101  without causing damage to either fixture indicating apparatus  101  or the utility fixture. After the vehicle or heavy equipment has driven past fixture indicating apparatus  101 , the body will return to its default non-flexed position due to the resilient nature of the material used to form the body, thus forcing the reflective pole back up to its default vertical position.  FIG. 4C  then shows the reflective pole on its way back up to its default vertical position. And  FIG. 4D  shows fixture indicating apparatus  101  in its fully vertical position after the piece of heavy equipment has completely driven over fixture indicating apparatus  101 . In this way, fixture indicating apparatus  101  may continue to mark the location of the utility fixture even after being hit or driven over. 
     It has thus been demonstrated that the present invention provides an apparatus that can both indicate the location of utility fixtures and avoid permanent damage in the case of being hit or run over by heavy construction equipment. An advantage of the fixture indicating apparatus is that in some embodiments, the fixture indicating apparatus may allow the end of the fixture to be disposed below the ground level but prevent the ingress of dirt and debris into the fixture opening. In these embodiments, the fixture is protected even where the wheels of the vehicle run directly over the fixture. In alternative embodiments, the end of the fixture may be disposed above ground level where it may be at risk of being run over by vehicles etc. However, because of the length of the elongate member, the driver of a vehicle is able to maintain awareness of the location of the fixture even where the actual fixture has disappeared out of the view of the driver as the fixture moves under the vehicle. 
     Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.