US 11,072,904 B2Granted

Lightweight vault cover

AssigneeHubbell Incorporated

InventorsKeith Alden Chudley, Lemuel David Fagan, Jason David Estes, Jeffrey Douglas Angelo

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Abstract

A cover for a utility vault and a method for making such covers. The cover is formed from fiberglass reinforcement layers and a polymer mix matrix. The reinforcement layers include a bottom reinforcement layer, one or more edge reinforcement layers, and a top reinforcement layer. A first portion of the edge reinforcement layer overlaps a portion of the bottom reinforcement layer and a second portion of the edge reinforcement layer overlaps a portion of the top reinforcement layer. The reinforcement layers are formed from fiberglass fabric and may include fiberglass layers whose fibers are oriented quadraxially. The polymer mix impregnates the fabric layers and forms the bulk of the cover. The polymer matrix bonds the reinforcement layers so that forces applied across the top and bottom layers are communicated to the edge reinforcement layer. The polymer matrix includes a thermoset polymer resin and an expanded glass bead filler.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A vault cover comprising:

a bottom reinforcement layer extending, at least partially along a first horizontal plane;
at least one “C”-shaped edge reinforcement layer, a middle portion of the edge reinforcement layer disposed proximate to an edge of the cover;
a top reinforcement layer extending, at least partially along a second horizontal plane substantially parallel with the first horizontal plane;
and
a matrix,
wherein a first portion of the edge reinforcement layer extends from the middle portion inward from the edge of the cover along the second horizontal plane and overlaps a portion of the top reinforcement layer, and a second portion of the edge reinforcement layer extends from the middle portion inward from the edge of the cover along the first horizontal plane and overlaps a portion of the bottom reinforcement layer, wherein the edge reinforcement layer is continuous from the first portion through the middle portion to the second portion, and wherein the overlapping portions are bonded with one another by the matrix.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/290,486Filed 1 Mar 2019 · us provisional application
Priority: 1 Mar 2018
Published: US 2019/0271134 A15 Sep 2019
Granted: 27 Jul 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification46 codes

E02D 29/14
Manhole shafts; Other inspection or access chambers; Accessories therefor: covers for manholes or the like; Frames for covers
B29B 15/14
Of reinforcements of indefinite length: of filaments or wires
B29C 70/025
Combinations of fibrous reinforcement and non-fibrous material: with particular filler
B29C 70/16
Characterised by the structure of fibrous reinforcements , e.g. hollow fibres: using fibres of substantial or continuous length