Heated plumbing vent
AssigneeHeat-Line Corporation
InventorLorne R. Heise
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heated vent cap assembly is provided which can be coupled to a pipe originating from a plumbing system within a building. A heating element is wound around an inner cylinder which is wrapped in a conductive foil and enveloped by a larger diameter outer cylinder which is lined with a reflective foil defining a void there between. The cylinders are secured at an upper end by an end cap and at a lower end by a lower end cap and a tether is tautly secured within the inner cylinder by a bridge in an opening of the end cap and a lower disk engaged with the lower end of the inner cylinder to support ice blocks formed therein. The heating cable generates heat, which is reflected by the reflective foil and absorbed by the conductive foil to prevent ice from forming on the inner surface of the inner cylinder.
Claims19
A vent cap assembly for connection to a vent pipe of a plumbing system, to vent gas to atmosphere, said vent cap having a body defined by a pair of nested pipes of equal length and different diameter and end pieces interconnecting said nested pipes, wherein one nested pipe defines a passageway for gas and the other defines a chamber, said vent cap further including a heating element positioned in said chamber to supply heat to said passageway and thereby inhibit freezing of water vapour in said passageway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.