Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to plumbing fixtures and more particularly to faucets and bibs. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    Often people forget to disconnect their garden hose from the faucet before the freezing temperatures of winter occur. When freezing temperatures occur, the water trapped in the hose and faucet may freeze. This frozen water has the ability to cause the body of the bib to crack and fail. In other instances, the faucet may be installed wrong with a negative slop towards the basement or crawl space preventing the water from draining out when a hose is disconnected. The remaining water may freeze in the bib resulting in the same type of failure. Once a crack has occurred in the bib, water will typically escape into the inside of a dwelling and potentially cause extensive water damage. 
         [0005]    In  FIG. 1 , a diagram  100  of a prior art faucet  102  and bib  104  mounted in a dwelling  106  having a crack  108  located within the dwelling  106  is shown. The actual valve for turning the water on and off may be located near the threaded portion  110  of the bib. Once a crack  108  has formed in the bib  104 , water is allowed to escape into the dwelling  106  whenever the handle  112  is turned and valve opened. Even if water does come out of the faucet  102 , it will also be escaping into the dwelling  106  and may not be noticed by anyone for some time. Thus, the more water that enters the dwelling  106  the greater the damage may be. 
         [0006]    In yet other instances, a foreign substance, such as a small stone may become lodge within the valve and upon using force to turn the faucet on or off the body of bib  102  may be cracked. When water is again turned on, the interior of the dwelling  106 experiences water damage. 
         [0007]    Therefore, there is a need for an approach to providing water from a cracked bib to be directed out side of a dwelling in order to prevent water damage within the dwelling and provide an external indication of a leaking bib. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    An anti-leak water guard (AWG) is formed and mounted in an area where a bib is traditionally placed. The anti-leak water guard is able to accept a bib and both the anti-leak water guard and the bib may be fixed trough a dwellings wall. The anti-leak water guard encloses the bib, such that if a leak occurs the water has a path out of the anti-leak water guard and out of the dwelling. 
         [0009]    Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0010]    The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a diagram  100  of a prior art faucet  102  and bib  104  mounted in a dwelling  106  where the bib has a crack  108 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side cut-a-way drawing  200  of the anti-leak water guard (AWG)  202 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a drawing  300  of the faucet end  206  of the AWG  202 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a drawing  400  of the AWG  202  with a faucet  402  and bib  404  attached to a dwelling  406 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    An approach for an anti-leak water guard (AWG)  202  is described. Turning to  FIG. 2 , a side cut-a-way drawing  200  of the AWG  202  is shown. The AWG  202  may have a threaded end  204  that is able to receive the threads  110  of bib  104 . The other end (faucet end  206 ) of the AWG  202  is able to receive the faucet  102 . The faucet end  206  may have one or more extensions  208  that aid in affixing the AWG  202  to the wall of a dwelling. The AWG  202  also may have holes drilled through the faucet end  206 , such as holes  210  and  212  that enable water to exit the AWG  202 . 
         [0016]    The AWG  202  may be formed out of a plastic material, such as Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic with a chemical formula of (CH 2 ═CHCl) commonly used in plastic plumbing pipes or other types of known plastics. Other materials such as copper, aluminum, iron, or similar materials that may be formed or molded in such a way to accept a bib  104  may also be used to form the AWG  202 . The AWG  202  may be molded as a single structure or be made up of multiple pieces that are put together, such as the extensions  208  being formed separate from the body  214 . In other implementations, it is conceivable that the bib  104  may pass through the AWG  202  where the AWG forms a seal around the bib  104  without the use of threads in the threaded end  204 . 
         [0017]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , a drawing  300  of the faucet end  206  of the AWG  200  is shown. The faucet end  206  may have a reinforced portion  302  formed to accept the faucet  102 . Screw holes  304  may be formed in the faucet end  206  of the AWG  202  that line up with screw holes (not shown) in the faucet  102 . The water holes  210  and  212  can be seen along with other holes around the faucet end  206 . An opening for the bib  104  in the faucet end  306  of the AWG  206  is also shown in  FIG. 3 . In other implementations, the holes ( 210 ,  212  and the other water holes) to allow water to escape may be formed as one or more openings in the faucet end  206  rather than drilled into the faucet end  206 . In yet other implementations, both formed and drilled holes may be used. 
         [0018]    In  FIG. 4 , a drawing  400  of the AWG  202  with a faucet  402  and bib  404  attached to a dwelling  406  is shown. The faucet end  206  is fixed secure against the side of the dwelling  406  and the faucet  404  is similarly fixed secure against the faucet end  206 . The bib  402  extends into the AWG  202  and may be screwed into the threaded end  204  of the AWG  202 . The space between the AGW  202  and the bib  402  may be filled with insulation material  408 . Examples of insulation material may be open cell foam that would enable water to pass, paper, or other water passable or dissolvable materials. In other implementations, insulations may be placed around the outside of the body  202  around the portion that extends into the dwelling. The insulation  408  may stop before the holes, such as holes  412  and  212 . The insulation may be foam, fiberglass, paper, or any other type of materials that would increase thermal “R” value of body  202 . In yet other implementations, one or more holes, such as hole  412  may be formed in the body  214  of the AWG  202  to allow water to escape from the AWG  202  if bib  402  fails. 
         [0019]    The securing of the faucet end  206  to the dwelling  406  may occur with the use of fasteners, such as screws nails, rivets or other types of fasteners commonly used dwelling fasteners. In other implementations, glue such as LIQUID NAILS™, or MASTIC™ may be used to glue the faucet end  206  to the dwelling  406 . Regardless of what type of securing approach is used, the faucet end  206  of the body  202  may be caulked  414  after installation or during installation to form a weather proof seal between the AWG  202  and the dwelling  406 . 
         [0020]    If a crack should form in bib  402 , such as crack  410 , the water that escapes from the bib  402  is directed outside of the dwelling via shown holes  412  and  212 . The water may pass through or dissolve the insulation  408  in order to exit the AWG  202 . 
         [0021]    The foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the claimed inventions to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above description or may be acquired from practicing the invention. The claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention and are not intended to be limited to only the described implementation.

Technology Category: 2