Abstract:
The invention comprises a replacement collar for a roof vent pipe. The collar provides UV protection for an existing gasket or can be used as a separate installation. Preferably, the collar has a thicker gauge and includes a seal flange and pre-applied sealant. The collar is designed for universal application for all appropriate sizes of pipe with unique cut line indentations to enable correct trimming to selected size.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims benefit of copending and co-owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/414,611 entitled “Pipe Sealing Collar”, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Nov. 17, 2010 by the inventors herein, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains to protection of roof components from the damaging effects of ultra violet rays from the sun, and, more particularly, a shield device for blocking out ultra violet rays from roof pipe flashing components that are susceptible to ultra violet ray damage. 
     2. Background 
     Roofing in general deals with first sealing a structure from moisture and second protecting the sealing material from damage caused by the sun&#39;s ultra violet rays. For example, the standard built up roof uses alternating layers of felt paper and tar (bitumen) with a final layer of pea gravel to protect the roofing material from the sun. In addition, the standard composition asphalt shingle has an outer layer of mineral granules to block out UV rays. Other materials such as paint, wood, aluminum, steel, copper, and UV resistant plastic, and rubber are also used for UV protection. However, UV protection has generally been ignored in the design and manufacture of modern pipe flashing that has elastomeric or caulking material as a seal between the flashing and the pipe. 
     Since the invention of the roof flashing with elastomeric collar, there has been a problem with the elastomeric portion of the flashing becoming brittle, cracking, peeling, and rotting away because of damage caused by the sun&#39;s ultra violet rays. 
     Although there have been many variations and improvements to roof pipe flashing such as Kifer (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,526,407 and 4,903,997) and Hasty (U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,782), these variations deal with methods of manufacture. Other improvements such as Gustafson (U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,576), Logsdon (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,010,578 and 4,160,347), and Merrin (U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,263) deal with forming a better watertight seal between the pipe and flashing. Even the collar for venting high efficiency furnaces, Orr (U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,048), which is designed to seal onto PVC pipe with PVC glue, ignores the fact that PVC glue breaks down in the sun. 
     Recently, plumbing material manufactures such as Oatey and IPS Corporation started marketing a pipe flashing repair collar, known as a rain collar. This collar is the elastomeric portion of their pipe flashing without the base. Placing the rain collar over the damaged pipe flashing makes the repair. In a similar case as pipe flashing, rain collars need protection from the sun. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a pipe-sealing collar that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     It is another object of the invention is to provide a pipe-sealing collar in the form of a device that can be attached to a pipe passing through a roof structure. 
     It is yet another object of the invention to provide a pipe-sealing collar that is inexpensive and of simplified construction so as to be commercially feasible. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a pipe-sealing collar that can accommodate more than one pipe diameter. A related object of the invention is to provide a pipe-sealing collar having separable rings of appropriate diameters. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe-sealing collar having pre-applied sealant around its base. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe-sealing collar that provides protection against ultraviolet radiation. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a pipe-sealing collar that can be installed over an existing collar or that can be used for initial installation. A related object of the invention is to provide a pipe-sealing collar that is replaceable. 
     In accordance with the above objects, a pipe-sealing collar for a roof vent pipe is disclosed. The collar provides UV protection for an existing gasket or can be used as a separate installation. Preferably, the collar has a thicker gauge and includes a seal flange and pre-applied sealant. The collar is designed for universal application for all appropriate sizes of pipe with unique cut line indentations to enable correct trimming to selected size. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention are considered in more detail, in relation to the following description of embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pipe collar according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a pipe collar according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of a pipe collar according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a pipe collar according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention summarized above and defined by the enumerated claims may be better understood by referring to the following description, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numbers are used for the same parts in the various views. This description of an embodiment, set out below to enable one to practice an implementation of the invention, is not intended to limit the preferred embodiment, but to serve as a particular example thereof. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 
     Referring to the drawings, the Figures show a pipe collar, indicated generally as  10 , having a frustoconical, hollow shaped body  11  with an opening  13  at the top portion  15  and a substantially wider bottom portion  17  that is fully open. The body  11  has an inner surface  19  and an outer surface  20 . In practice, the collar  10  is basically circular and symmetrical about a central vertical axis. Preferably, the collar  10  is manufactured of a resilient, rubber-like, elastomeric material approximately 0.125 inches thick that is resistant to damage from ultraviolet radiation. Such material may include neoprene, plastic, EPDM, among others. In a preferred embodiment, the material should meet ASTM, BOCA, and/or other building code standards. 
     According to one embodiment, the pipe collar  10  includes a plurality of reinforcement rings  22  circumscribing the outer surface  20 . Each ring  22  has a cut-line indentation  25  on one side of the reinforcement ring  22 , on the side nearest the top portion  15  of the body  11 . In some embodiments, the cut-line indentation  25  will be only on the outer surface  20  of the body  11 . In some embodiments, the pipe collar  10  may include a plurality of ridges  23  circumscribing the inner surface  19 . When the collar  10  includes a ridge  23 , there should be a cut-line indentation  26  on the inner surface  19  of the body  11 , adjacent to the ridge  23 . It is contemplated that, in some embodiments, there may be both a cut-line indentation  25  on the outer surface  20  and a cut-line indentation  26  on the inner surface  19  of the body  11 , such that the cut-line indentation  26  is directly below the cut-line indentation  25 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Preferably, the reinforcement rings  22  are positioned to enable a user to change the diameter of the opening  13  to conform to the diameter of a pipe on which the collar  10  is to be installed. In a preferred embodiment, the collar  10  will have sufficient rings  22  positioned at an appropriate diameter for every pipe size that is used for roof penetration. This feature enables a universal collar  10  to be used for all size applications. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the inner wall  28  of the opening  13  should be substantially vertical with respect to the central axis of the collar  10 . In use, any cut if necessary to adjust the diameter of the collar  10  should also be vertical at the appropriate cut line indentation  25  and/or  26 . 
     A flange  31  may be provided on the inner surface  19  of the body  11 . The flange  31  should circumscribe the bottom portion  17 , extending downwardly and may be approximately a half-inch long. A pre-applied sealant  34  may also be provided on the inner surface  19  of the body  11 . The sealant  34  should circumscribe the bottom portion  17 , as near as practicable to the outer edge  37  of the body  11 . Typically, the sealant  34  will be located closer to the outer edge  37  than the flange  31 . In some embodiments, the sealant  34  will have a removable non-stick cover  40  for shipment. In use, the cover  40  should be removed during the installation process. The outer edge  37  of the collar  10  may be rounded or any appropriate shape. 
     The collar  10  of the present invention can be used as an original installation, as a replacement for an existing gasket, or as a protective cover for an existing gasket. In use, an installer would verify the diameter of the pipe on which the collar  10  is to be installed. If necessary, the installer can cut the collar  10  at an appropriate cut-line indentation  25  and/or  26  to fit the pipe. Preferably, the cut should be vertical with respect to the central axis of the collar  10 . If present, the installer should remove the non-stick cover  40 . The collar  10  is installed over the pipe and should form a tight seal against the pipe. Then, the installer should press the bottom portion  17  against the roof to ensure contact of the sealant  34  with the roof. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as described. Having now fully set forth the preferred embodiments and certain modifications of the concept underlying the present invention, various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concept. It should be understood, therefore, that the invention might be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth herein. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.