Abstract:
A modular insulated conduit, and a packaged kit comprising plural modular conduits. Each modular conduit has a conduit and an insulating sleeve adhered about the conduit. The conduit is longer than the insulating sleeve, extends beyond both ends of the sleeve, and may optionally be either rigid or flexible. Optionally, the modular conduit has a reflective barrier which may be between the conduit and sleeve or outside the sleeve. The kit includes connecting and branching fittings. The insulation is effective from subfreezing to hyperboiling temperatures.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to pipes and conduits, and more particularly to prefabricated pipes and conduits having a covering of temperature insulation adhered thereto. The novel insulated conduits are formed in a variety of configurations, such as straight and bent. In one embodiment of the invention, the invention comprises a kit comprising individual members of different configurations. The invention finds utility in construction of plumbing and other fluid handling conduit systems. In particular, the invention assists mechanics in installing and assembling such systems in new construction, renovation, repair, maintenance, of buildings. Construction and modification in other applications, such as industrial and commercial conduit systems, may also benefit from the invention. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Heating, plumbing, industrial and commercial liquid handling systems occasionally require insulation. In typical construction, renovation, and repair work, a system of conduits, such as pipes, is first assembled and subsequently insulated. This process is feasible when access to individual conduits and sections of conduits is available. However, in some situations, access is so severely limited that insulation cannot feasibly be installed after the conduit system is complete. 
     An example is seen in renovation of residential buildings wherein pipes are routed through walls and floors. Individual conduits may possibly pass through and near structural members such as joists, electrical and mechanical objects such as wiring, other pipes, ducts, fans and their housings, and the like. Proximity to such objects may render the usual methods of insulating impossible or nearly so without requiring dismantling of the interfering object or system. Yet there may be sufficient space in the building to accommodate the conduit and an insulating jacket. 
     The prior art has proposed insulated conduits. U.S. Pat No. 5,722,462, issued to Hamadi Dridi et al. On Mar. 3, 1998, describes a flexible insulated conduit having a conduit at its core, a wound insulating covering, and an external protective casing. By contrast, the present invention lacks an external protective casing, has an insulating covering which is not limited to wound construction, and has exposed portions of the conduit which extend outside the insulating cover. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,379, issued to William L. Manofsky et al. On Jul. 7, 1998, describes preformed insulating material which can be slipped over a conduit for the purpose of insulating the conduit. By contrast, the present invention includes a conduit disposed within the insulating cover, with the insulating cover adhered to the conduit. The insulating cover in the present invention cannot be pulled longitudinally along the conduit, as is practiced with the device of Manofsky et al. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,380, issued to David D. Onan et al. on Aug. 11, 1998, describes a construction wherein several pipes are bundled together and insulated. The present invention provides, by contrast, one conduit having its own insulating cover. Each section of insulated conduit in the present invention extends beyond the insulating cover. These characteristics are not seen in the bundled pipe of Onan et al. 
     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention sets forth modular insulated sections of conduit which can readily be joined into a system or network of piping or other conduit. Individual modules have exposed conduit stubs at each end, thereby enabling ready connection. The exposed joined stubs can be insulated after assembly of the system. 
     The insulation comprises a sleeve adhered to the conduit The insulated conduit is tubular in cross section, and of constant diameter along its insulated length. This configuration enables pre-insulated sections of conduit to be inserted into small or limited spaces which may not accommodate manual installation of insulation by traditional methods. It is thus possible to construct an insulated system of pipes or other conduit where either insulating the pipe after assembly of the piping system is not feasible or wherein substantial disassembly of existing building elements would be required to afford access for insulating the piping after the piping is installed and assembled. 
     One application for the present invention is repair or renovation of existing buildings. Piping may be run through tight quarters, such as interstitial floor spaces, in crawl spaces, attics with low roof structure, and other highly obstructed areas wherein it would not be feasible or economical to remove obstacles to construction of plumbing or other piping systems. 
     Preferably, the conduit and insulation are selected to be suitable for a wide range of temperatures. The same insulated piping may then be employed for different purposes. For example, maintenance of temperature in domestic hot water systems may accomplished in commercial buildings being updated without having to rely upon constant recirculation of hot water. Freeze protection equipment may possibly be obviated by replacing existing plumbing with the same novel pre-insulated piping employed in the hot water system. Condensation problems may possibly be forestalled in older homes being renovated by assembling new domestic cold water plumbing employing the same novel pre-insulated conduit as a stock building material. The present invention finds application wherever plumbing or other piping systems are being modified for repair, replacement, and other purposes in an existing structure. 
     There is no requirement that the conduit be rigid, as is typical of metallic piping. The conduit may comprise flexible hose. Rigid and non-rigid pre-insulated conduit types may be mixed in a single installation. This practice may enable a new piping system to be built around an old piping system being abandoned in place. Frequently, there is sufficient space for the first piping system, but the first piping system renders available space inadequate for construction of a superseding piping system unless considerable demolition is undertaken. The present invention allows piping to be fit into irregular spaces which would not necessarily be possible when building a plumbing or piping system from rigid metallic piping and tubing. 
     The modular set incudes fittings such as adapters and connectors to make transitions in direction from one modular conduit to another, to branch, to make transition in nominal conduit size, and the like. 
     Insulation is supplemented by a reflective barrier which is located selectively over or beneath the insulating sleeve. 
     Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide conduits such as pipes in pre-insulated, modular form. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide modular conduits in kit form, wherein plural sections of modular conduits may be obtained packaged together. 
     It is a further object of the invention that the insulation resist being displaced from the conduit being insulated. 
     Still another object of the invention is that ends of the conduit extend beyond the insulation, thereby being accessible for connection. 
     An additional object of the invention is to enable insulated piping to be slipped into tight quarters, thereby obviating necessity of wrapping piping with insulation under adverse conditions of accessibility and working space. 
     It is again an object of the invention to provide fittings enabling ready connection of one section of insulated conduit to another. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide the modular insulated conduit in rigid form. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide the modular insulated conduit in flexible form. 
     Still another object of the invention is to enhance insulation by providing a reflective barrier. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, cross sectional view of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic, cross sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an end cross sectional detail view of an alternative embodiment of a component seen at the top of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, but shows a further alternative embodiment. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional detail view of an optional component of a kit similar to that of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional detail view of another optional component of a kit similar to that of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates one embodiment of the invention wherein modules  10 ,  20  each include a rigid conduit or pipe  12  or  22  and an outer sleeve  14  or  24  of insulating material. Modules  10 ,  20  are pre-insulated fluid conduit modules. Pipes  12 ,  22  are formed from metal, plastic, or other suitable material capable of containing liquids and resisting temperatures in the range of 0 degrees Fahrenheit and 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The insulation material of sleeves  14 ,  24  is selected to have temperature insulating properties within the same range of temperatures and to resist deterioration due to exposure to temperatures of the same range. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, modules  10 ,  20  are furnished as part of a kit  100  which includes plural modules  10 ,  20 , among other components conventionally employed to assemble a piping or conduit system in place. These components will be discussed hereinafter. Kit  100  is preferably contained within suitable packaging  102 . Packaging  102  may comprise cardboard, plastic, or other material which is suitable for retaining components of kit  100  together and protecting the components during transit and retail or wholesale distribution. 
     Sleeves  14 ,  24  adhere to their associated conduit  12  or  22  such that they resist slipping, or being displaced longitudinally along conduit  12  or  14 . Sleeves  14 ,  24  therefore will not inadvertently be lost while maneuvering a module  10  into place in tight quarters, where they could bind on an environmental object (not shown). Adhesion is accomplished in any suitable way. For example, a bonding agent  16  or  26 , such as a temperature tolerant glue, may be applied to conduit  12  or  22  prior to encasing conduit  12  or  22  with its associated sleeve  14  or  24 . Alternatively, sleeves  14 ,  24  may be cast in place on their respective conduits  12  or  22  and engage the conduits  12  or  22  by friction fit due to dimensions and configuration of sleeve  14  or  24 . In a further example, sleeves  14 ,  24  may be adhered to conduits  12 ,  22  by fusion if the constituent materials are compatible. 
     An important feature of each module  10  or  20  is that the two ends of the associated conduit  12  or  22  extend beyond their respective sleeves  14  or  24 , since conduit  12  or  22  is longer than and extends beyond the distal and proximal ends  18 ,  28  (respectively) of its associated insulating sleeve  14  or  24 . This enables each conduit  12  or  22  to be joined to another module, to a connection fitting, to a conduit or component not furnished with kit  100 , or terminated. 
     Kit  100  includes fittings enabling plural modules  10 ,  20  to be connected. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, fittings of kit  100  include an elbow  30 , a tee connector  32 , and a straight connector  34 . Each fitting  30 ,  32 , or  34  is dimensioned and configured to connect to the exposed conduit  12  or  22  in close cooperation therewith. The fitting may either slip over and surround conduit  12  or  22 , or may be inserted into conduit  12  or  22 , as desired. Sealing the assembled conduit system and fittings is performed conventionally. For example, if components are metallic, then components may be soldered together. If fabricated from a plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, then conventional cements and glues may be employed to join and seal the assembled conduit system. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention wherein modules  40 ,  50  are essentially similar to modules  10 ,  20  of FIG. 1, except that the constituent material of respective conduits  42 ,  52  is flexible. Insulating sleeves  44 ,  54  (respectively) are similar to their counterparts of FIG.  1 . Kit  200  includes packaging  202 . Fittings for kit  200  of FIG. 2 are correspondingly different. Fittings of kit  200 , which is functionally similar to kit  100  except for flexibility of conduits  42 ,  52 , include an elbow  60 , a tee connector  62 , and a straight connector  64 . Each fitting  60 ,  62 , or  64  has ribs  66  or functionally corresponding structure to engage and retain conduits  42 ,  52 . Clamps (not shown) may be employed if desired to secure engagement of conduits  42 ,  52  and fittings  60 ,  62 ,  64 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates an optional feature of the invention. Module  10  has a reflective barrier  70  disposed between conduit  12  and insulating sleeve  14 . In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, reflective barrier  72  covers insulating sleeve  14 . 
     It will be appreciated that components of kit  100  or  200  may vary from those depicted. The number and dimensions of any one or more components may be varied. In particular, length of modules  10 ,  20  or  40 ,  50  may be different from other modules of the kit. Alternatively, inner or outer conduit diameters may vary from member to member in the kit. If the diameter varies, adapting connectors  80  (see FIG. 5) may be provided. Connector  80  has one end of relatively great diameter and an opposite end of relatively small diameter, the respective diameters corresponding to diameters of conduits of modules to be joined. 
     Similarly, a kit may include both rigid and flexible modules  10 ,  20  and  40 ,  50 . Adapting connectors  82  may be provided to enable transition from rigid to flexible modules in an assembled conduit system (not shown). Connectors  82  have ribs  66  at one end and terminate at the other end in tubing which can engage a conduit  12 ,  22 ,  42 , or  52  of a respective module  10 ,  20 ,  40 , or  50 . 
     It is preferred that the conduit and insulating sleeve of each module be circular in cross section and of constant diameter along the length. However, this is a convenience in manufacturing and handling individual components during assembly, and is not critical to the invention. Conduits could be square or of other cross sectional configurations if desired. 
     Where diameters and dimensions are recited as being different, the difference extends to nominal dimensions, these being industry standard sizes or dimensions, and not merely to variations of fabrication. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.