US 8,574,045 B2Granted

Frost-free vent assembly

OwnerDina Warnerinventor

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Abstract

A rotatable vent assembly system for areas where breathable airflow is required is disclosed herein. The rotatable vent assembly system improves airflow in any structure where breathable airflow may be a concern, including but not limited to air vacuum vaults, valve vaults, water tanks, pressure reducing valve units, or other confined structures. The rotatable vent assembly system helps reduce frost accumulation within riser pipes during winter months and improves breathable air within confined spaces. By reducing the accumulation of frost, the potential for pipe breakage is reduced, also reducing maintenance and replacement costs to municipalities and property owners for burst pipes. Rotating the vent control component at the top of a riser pipe connected to a pipe system controls the flow of breathable air by increasing or reducing airflow within the pipe system.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A frost-free vent assembly apparatus for pipe systems comprising:

a riser pipe having a longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends, the proximal end comprising a flange configured to secure the riser pipe to a pipe or surface, the distal end of the inner cylindrical surface of the riser pipe having a plurality of radially arranged vertical grooves parallel to the longitudinal axis and designed to receive one or more ridges, the distal end of the riser pipe comprising a plurality of equidistant radially arranged openings along the riser pipe cylindrical surface, the equidistant openings having a plurality of equidistant air vanes horizontally and perpendicularly arranged to the longitudinal axis;
a rotatable vent control component having a longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends, the proximal end configured to secure the vent control component concentrically within the riser pipe, the outer cylindrical surface of the vent control component comprising:
a plurality of radially arranged vertical grooves and a plurality of radially arranged vertical ridges designed to fit within the radially arranged vertical grooves of the distal end of the inner cylindrical surface of the riser pipe, wherein the plurality of radially arranged vertical grooves of the outer cylindrical surface of the vent control component converge inward toward the longitudinal axis of the vent control component at the distal end of the vent control component;
and
an annular protrusion extending outward from the outer cylindrical surface of the vent control component and configured to create a gap between the outer cylindrical surface of the vent control component and the riser pipe such that air flow is still permitted when the plurality of radially arranged grooves of the vent control component is not aligned with the radially arranged openings of the riser pipe;
and
a mesh component located between the rotatable vent control component and the inside of the riser pipe.

4 more elements

A frost-free vent assembly for pipe systems comprising:

a riser pipe comprising:
a proximal end comprising a flange configured to secure the riser pipe to a pipe or surface;
and
a distal end comprising a plurality of radially arranged vertical grooves on an inner surface of the riser pipe running parallel to a longitudinal axis of the riser pipe and configured to receive one or more ridges, the distal end of the riser pipe further comprising a plurality of radially arranged openings along the riser pipe cylindrical surface;
a rotatable vent control component comprising:
a plurality of radially arranged vertical grooves on an outer cylindrical surface of the vent control component and running parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vent control component, the plurality of radially arranged vertical grooves in fluid communication with an interior of the riser pipe and converging inward toward the longitudinal axis of the vent control component at a distal end of the vent control component;
a plurality of radially arranged vertical ridges designed to fit within the radially arranged vertical grooves of the distal end of the inner surface of the riser pipe;
and
an annular protrusion extending outward from the outer cylindrical surface of the vent control component and configured to create a gap between the outer cylindrical surface of the vent control component and the riser pipe such that air flow is still permitted when the plurality of radially arranged grooves of the vent control component is not aligned with the radially arranged openings of the riser pipe;
and
a mesh component located between the rotatable vent control component and the inside of the riser pipe, the mesh component extending over at least one of the radially arranged openings of the riser pipe cylindrical surface.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.