Key information

Title: INSULATING ELEMENT FOR A BASIN ASSEMBLY
Application number: 20172024
Case type: National
Status: 05.11.2018 Patent meddelt (B1)
Filed: 21.12.2017
Divided from: 20170231 (342946)
Priority: 10.04.2016 NO 20160582
Effective date: 15.02.2017
Publicly available: 11.10.2017
Next annual fee due: 28.02.2027
Applicant: WDF ISOLASJON AS (NO)
Owner: WDF ISOLASJON AS (NO)
Inventor: Werner Krath (NO)
Agent: ACAPO ONSAGERS AS (NO)
Granted: 05.11.2018
Patent number: 343102
Expiry date: 15.02.2037

Abstract and drawing

Disclaimer: This text has been machine-scanned and may contain errors – please refer to "Publications" for legally binding content.

The invention concerns an insulating element (1) for a basin assembly (2) having at least an outer surface (20) with a conical configuration. The insulating element has the shape of a sleeve and comprises an outer configuration provided by an outer surface (11) with a conical configuration . The insulating element further comprisesan inner configuration provided by an inner surface is formed complementary to be matable with the configuration of the conical shape of the outer surface (20) of the basin assembly (2), wherein the insulating element (1) is provided as a one piece moulded foam article being configured for removable arrangement onto the basin assembly (2) in an installation position.

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Date

Date	Doc. No.	Process	Case number	In/Out	Journal description	To/from
28.11.2018	16-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	Generelt Brev Patent	ONSAGERS AS
28.11.2018	15-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	PT Batch Varsel om betaling av første årsavgift (3317)
19.11.2018	14-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	PT Opphørt Patent - SPC for ikke betalt årsavgift (3311)
09.11.2018	13-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	PT Registreringsbrev Nasjonal Patent (15) (PT20172024)
17.10.2018	12-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	PT Meddelelse om patent	ONSAGERS AS
05.09.2018	11-06	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Beskrivelse merket	ONSAGERS AS
05.09.2018	11-05	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Beskrivelse	ONSAGERS AS
05.09.2018	11-04	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Patenttegninger	ONSAGERS AS
05.09.2018	11-03	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Hovedbrev	ONSAGERS AS
05.09.2018	11-02	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Krav	ONSAGERS AS
05.09.2018	11-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Korrespondanse (Hovedbrev inn)	ONSAGERS AS
04.09.2018	10-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	PT Batch Påminnelse om ikke betalt årsavgift (3329)
21.07.2018	09-05	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	PT report 09:30:13
21.07.2018	09-04	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	20045027 beskrivelse krav sammendrag
21.07.2018	09-03	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	20045027 soknadsskjema
21.07.2018	09-02	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	20045027 tegninger
21.07.2018	09-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	Realitet patent	ONSAGERS AS
10.04.2018	08-02	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Hovedbrev	ONSAGERS AS
10.04.2018	08-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Korrespondanse (Hovedbrev inn)	ONSAGERS AS
22.03.2018	07-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	Deling	ONSAGERS AS
06.03.2018	06-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	PT Batch Varsel om betaling av første årsavgift (3317)
12.01.2018	05-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	Generelt Brev Patent	Onsagers AS
09.01.2018	04-02	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Oppdatert søknadsskjema	Onsagers AS
09.01.2018	04-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Korrespondanse (Hovedbrev inn)	Onsagers AS
08.01.2018	03-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	Formalia 1	Onsagers AS
08.01.2018	02-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	UT	Infobrev til oppfinner	Onsagers AS
21.12.2017	01-04	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Patenttegninger	Onsagers AS
21.12.2017	01-03	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Fullmakt	Onsagers AS
21.12.2017	01-02	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Beskrivelse	Onsagers AS
21.12.2017	01-01	Saksbehandling	20172024	INN	Søknadsskjema Patent	Onsagers AS

Description, claims and drawings

Disclaimer: This text has been machine-scanned and may contain errors – please refer to "Publications" for legally binding content.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of insulation of basins that houses water valves, fittings and equipment for connection of water pipe lines. More specifically, the invention relates to an insulating element for a water basin.

A water basin or a catch basin is typically provided as a concrete riser and has the customary arrangement of a man hole for permitting access to the lower structure of the basin and the conduit network, couplings, valves, fittings and equipment as housed in the basin.

The majority of riser elements employed at top part of the concrete riser have a conical configuration, usually produced in an eccentric or concentric shape. In an eccentric design, the top access hole is placed to one side. In a centric or concentric basin, the cone shape tapers uniformly outwards in its height direction from manhole towards the ground.

BACKGROUND

Water pipe lines are usually located at a frost-free depth, and in addition a preventive flow of water is let through the water lines to avoid freezing the waterlines. The water basin is considered the critical point as parts of the water basin are positioned above the frost-free ground and thus is exposed to frost. The configuration of the basin may act as a funnel. When the temperature drops below zero and the funnel effect directs the cold air down to the lower structure there is a risk that the freezing of the equipment housed in the water basin may occur. The problem seems especially explicit in end basins.

During the previous winter seasons, the problem of frosting has been even more distinctive as long periods of unusual low temperature have been occurring in parts of the country where such cold periods have been quite uncommon. The cold has resulted in damages to equipment and periods without water being delivered to the consumer.

Based on these reoccurring problems the need for providing frost protection for the waters basins has risen as a current topic that needs to be addressed.

In accordance with prior art several attempts have been made to provide a sufficient solution to the problem. One approach includes letting the water run to maintain the circulation and avoid freezing. In accordance with another approach an arrangement for insulation has been provided to isolate the cold from entering the basin. The basin has been insulated from the outside by the use of plates for instance xps (extruded polysturen) that need to be shaped to fit with the basin.

The idea when insulating the exterior of the basin is to maintain the warmth from the ground within the basin and to prevent the cold from entering the equipment accommodated in the basin. For adequate insulating it is thus necessary to provide a tight- fitting insulation structure that encloses the basin. The use of plate structures for insulation demands straps wounded circumferentially onto the basin to keep the plate structures in place. This is a cumbersome procedure to complete without gaps occurring between neighbouring plates. When using this method of insulating the risk of cold brigdes is present and experience has shown that the capacity for insulation is thus not satisfactory.

The need for insulation of basins that have a conical configuration has proven especially demanding and a need has arisen for providing a solution that is capable of sufficient insulation of basin having an outer configuration where parts or all of the basin has a conical shape.

WO 2015/117801 concerns the form- shaping of an insulation element by foam moulding, however the insulation element does not display a conical configuration.

NO 20045027 suggests a solution for insulation of concrete ring elements to be mounted on site to build a basin. The insulation is moulded directly onto the individual concrete rings and to avoid leakage in between the rings, some kind of joining material needs to be applied in situ. The publication suggests applying a foaming material in the joints between the rings. However, the prior art as presented in the publication has several disadvantages, firstly joining the insulation rings by applying foam in the between the rings has proven to produce a non satisfactory result. Further the actual foaming can not be carried out in the cold as the foaming demands a certain warm habitat for the foaming to occur and thus this procedure is not a reliable method to be employed through all seasons. As the insulation as described in NO 20045027 is to be applied on the concrete rings before installation in situ, the system of NO 20045027 can not be employed for existing water basins, only for the once planning to be installed.

Further prior art documents include DE 202011051521 U1, US 5608998 A and SE 521157 C.

An object of the present invention is to solve, or at least substantially alleviate, the above-described disadvantages of the prior art insulation structures.

The invention is applicable both on existing basins and basins to be build, and would be especially suited for installation on basins having at least an outer surface with a conical configuration.

SUMMARY

The invention concerning an insulating element has been set forth in the independent claim. Further additional features are set forth in the dependent claims.

The invention concerns an insulating element for a basin assembly having at least an outer surface with a conical configuration. The insulating element has the shape of a sleeve comprising -an inner configuration provided by an inner surface and formed complementary to be matable with the configuration of the conical shape of the outer surface of the basin assembly,

-an outer configuration provided by an outer surface with a conical configuration, wherein the insulating element is provided as a one piece moulded foam article being configured for removable arrangement onto the basin assembly in an installation position.

The insulating element may be arranged independent of the basin assembly. The insulating element may optionally later be removed from the basin assembly. The insulating element is provided to be placed onto the basin assembly such as in an one step installation procedure which then makes up the entire/complete installation procedure for the insulating element.

The insulating element may be installed by simply placing the insulating element on to the basin assembly. No additional steps or procedures are necessary other than positioning the insulating element for inserting the basin assembly into the insulating element and placing the insulating element so that the inner configuration of the insulating element accommodates the basin assembly.

In accordance with an embodiment of the insulating element, the inner conical configuration may define a through-going hollow comprising a first opening and second opening. The first opening and second opening may be arranged at axially opposite end portions of the hollow. The second opening may be enlarged in comparison to the first opening. The through going hollow may be prepared for accommodating the conical shaped basin assembly so that a top portion of the conical shaped basin assembly fits into the first opening of the insulating element.

In accordance with an embodiment of the insulating element, the end portion surrounding the first opening of the element may be provided as a first projecting cylindrical shaped annular element. The end portion surrounding the second opening of the element may be provided as a second projecting cylindrical shaped annular element.

In one aspect the insulating element may be removably arranged. The insulating element is mountable over various basins and equipment projecting from the ground. The insulating element may be provided as having a closed or open top portion to either cover the basin completely or to expose parts of the basin when in installed position. If the top portion is open some part of the basin or equipment may be visible when the insulating element is installed. In the latter case an additional cover element may be provided to complete the insulation of the basin by closing off the interior of the insulating element. If the need arises, the insulating element is easily removed from the installation site. For instance to be replaced by another insulating element, or the insulating element may be removed from the installation position for other reasons.

The insulating element may comprise pourable foam for instance foamable polyurethane which sets or cures in a double walled mould to form the insulating element. However the insulating element may also be produced by other manufacturing processes suitable for forming foam elements.

The insulating element is suitable for basin assemblies of various configurations, but is especially suitable for basin assemblies shaped with an outer surface having a conical configuration. The outer surface may comprise a portion of the outer surface of the basin assembly or all of the outer surfaces. The insulating element may also be suitable for basin assemblies where at least a portion of the outer surface is curved or double curved. The insulating element may be suitable for a conical shaped basin assembly housing water equipment such as valves and fittings, whether it is arranged for removably arranged installment or not.

As mentioned initially, insulation of conical shaped basins, both eccentric and concentrically shaped basins is a challenging problem to solve satisfactorily, and the provision of a solution producing a moulded one-piece insulation element article facilitates the task of insulating the basins and provides a simple insulating element that is easy to install on site and ensures that the basins are insulated properly and frosting is avoided.

However, the invention may also be suitable for other installations that require protection from the cold, as the invention may be provided custom build and may offer tight contact or a gapped accommodation for the equipment or installation to be insulated.

These and other characteristics of the invention will be clear from the following description of an exemplary embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of an insulating element.

Fig. 1 shows an example of an insulating element 1 for a basin assembly 2 here shown with an eccentric cone shaped basin assembly projecting from the ground. The insulating element 1 is shown with a complementary eccentric conical shape to fit onto the basin assembly 2. The basin assembly 2 houses water valves, fittings and equipment for connection of water pipe lines and is to be insulated by the insulating element 1, and after the installment of the insulating element 1, gravel and soil is heaped on to the the insulating element 1 mounted on the basin assembly 2 for burying in the ground.

The insulating element 1 has at least an outer surface with a conical configuration and in fig 1 the insulating element 1 is shown shaped as a sleeve. As illustrated an inner surface of the insulating element 1 has a configuration that is formed complementary to be matable with the configuration of the conical shape of the outer surface 20 of the basin assembly 1. The insulating element 1 is shown with an outer surface 11 that has an eccentric conical configuration. The insulating element is provided as a one- piece moulded foam article prepared for installment on the basin assembly 2. The insulating element is fitted removably arranged onto the basin assembly 2. Optionally the insulating element may later be removed from the basin assembly. The insulating element 1 is installed by simply placing the insulating element on to the basin assembly 2. No additional steps or procedures are necessary other than positioning the insulating element 1 for inserting the basin assembly 2 into the insulating element 1 and then placing the insulating element 1 so that inner surface of the insulating element 1 accommodates the outer surface 20 of the basin assembly 2. In the illustrative example the inner configuration of the insulating element 1 defines a through-going hollow and has a first opening 12 and second opening 13. As seen in fig 1 the second opening 13 is enlarged in comparison to the first opening 12. The through going hollow is prepared for insert on to the shaped basin assembly 2 so that a top portion of the basin assembly fits into the first opening.

A first projecting cylindrical shaped annular element 14 is arranged surrounding the first opening 12, and a second projecting cylindrical shaped annular element 115 is arranged surrounding the second opening 13 of the insulating element 1.

In the above detailed description, various aspects of the method and system have been described with reference to the illustrated exemplary embodiment. Various modifications and variations of the exemplary embodiment, as well as other embodiments of the method and system, are considered to lie within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims.

CLAIMS

1. Insulating element (1) for a basin assembly (2) having at least an outer surface (20) with a conical configuration wherein the insulating element has the shape of a sleeve, the insulating element comprises

-an outer configuration provided by an outer surface (11) with a conical configuration

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the insulating element further comprises

-an inner configuration provided by an inner surface which is formed complementary to be matable with the configuration of the conical shape of the outer surface (20) of the basin assembly (2),

wherein the insulating element (1) is provided as a one piece moulded foam article being configured for removable arrangement onto the basin assembly (2) in an installation position.

2. Insulating element in accordance with claim 1,