AU2013101088B4

AU2013101088B4 - multi-fit cover plate

Info

Publication number: AU2013101088B4
Application number: AU2013101088A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Luke Bolton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-08-14
Filing date: 2013-08-14
Publication date: 2017-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-14
Also published as: AU2013101088A4; US20150047719A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cover plate with an inner component of resilient material allowing use with multiple diameters of conduit. It has particular reference to the plumbing industry.

Description

2013101088 20 Oct 2016 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990

PI/00/002 Regulation 3.2B

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT

Invention title: MULTI-FIT COVER PLATE

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: -2- 2013101088 20 Oct 2016

MULTI-FIT COVER PLATE

The present invention relates to a device for covering breaches in surfaces, such as walls or cupboard recesses, where pipes or similar conduits penetrate. 5 A cover plate, also known as a cupboard plate or escutcheon, is a component used in the construction and maintenance industries, and more specifically the plumbing industry, to create a neater and more aesthetically pleasing finish when a conduit, such as a pipe or pipe socket, travels through a wall or similar solid surface. The ίο breach/aperture created to allow the passage of the conduit is usually of larger diameter than the conduit and has an exposed/raw/untidy edge, meaning there is a resultant space adjacent to the outer circumference of the conduit. The use of a cover plate of correct size enables a neater finish by covering the space in the wall through which the conduit projects and edge created. The cover plate is usually 15 threaded over the conduit and then fixed to the solid surface or wall to create a more aesthetically pleasing finish.

Tradespeople are confronted by the situation whereby they must fit a cover plate of the correct size in order that any gap between the cover plate aperture and conduit 20 is minimised/eliminated. This creates difficulty for the tradesperson who must be equipped with the correct size of cover plate for each particular job. A cover plate not fitting flush to the conduit may allow the passage of, for example, drafts, pests and liquids. 25 It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least alleviate, one or more problems associated with the prior art.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a cover plate for creating a neat finish when applied to a surface through which a conduit penetrates, said cover plate 30 including an aperture shaped to fit around said conduit, said aperture including around its periphery a sleeve of a resilient or flexible material that, in use, enables a snug insertion of the conduit through the aperture of the cover plate. -3- 2013101088 20 Oct 2016 ln a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a cover plate for creating a neat finish when applied to a surface through which a conduit penetrates, the cover plate being composed of rigid and resilient components made of different materials, the rigid component making up an outer part of the cover plate, and the 5 resilient component forming an inner part of the cover plate, the resilient component being in the same plane as the rigid component and extending inwards from the rigid component to a continuous internal edge which defines the perimeter of an aperture for receiving conduit, wherein: the continuous iternal edge of the resilient component has a relaxed ίο configuration wherein the perimeter of the aperture is less than the perimeter of the conduit, the continuous internal edge of the resilient component has a stretched configuration wherein the perimeter of the aperture is equal to the perimeter of the conduit, and 15 when the conduit is inserted through the aperture, the continuous internal edge of the resilient component stretches from its relaxed configuration to its stretched configuration to receive the perimeter of the conduit, enabling a snug insertion of the conduit through the aperture of the cover plate. 20 Preferably, said cover plate is composed of rigid and resilient components, said rigid component making up the outer part of the cover plate, and said resilient component being in the same plane as said rigid component and extending inwards from the rigid component to make up the inner part of the cover plate adjacent to the aperture, thus creating the aperture including around its periphery a 25 sleeve of resilient material.

Preferably, said aperture including around its periphery a sleeve of resilient material is able, in use, to accommodate conduits of a plurality of diameters, said resilient material stretching to accommodate a conduit of wider diameter than the aperture. 30 Preferably, in use, the resilient material tightly apposes the outer circumference of the conduit, or more specifically pipe or pipe socket, to eliminate the gap/make the gap negligible between the conduit and the sleeve. -4- 2013101088 20 Oct 2016 ln use, the device reduces the likelihood of pests, draughts and liquids traversing the breach in the surface. It creates a superior seal and a more aesthetically appealing appearance. It also enables a tradesperson to use the same cover plate for a variety of diameter conduits, rather than the tradesperson needing to have 5 available a range of cover plates with different diameter apertures.

In a preferred embodiment the external diameter of the cover plate is between 3cm and 20cm, more preferably between approximately 10 and 15cm and more preferably approximately 10.5cm. 10

In a preferred embodiment the external solid component of the cover plate is circular with an approximately central aperture, with the width of this component being from approximately 5mm to 100mm, more preferably approximately 7mm to 70mm and more preferably approximately 15mm. 15

In a preferred embodiment, the internal resilient component, or sleeve, is also circular with an approximately central aperture, said resilient component having an external diameter of approximately 3cm to 16cm, more preferably approximately 4cm to 12cm and more preferably approximately 7.6cm. Preferably, the width of 20 the resilient component is from approximately 6mm to 17cm, more preferably 7mm to 8cm and more preferably approximately 16mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the approximately central aperture may have a diameter of approximately 5mm to 14cm, more preferably 2cm to 10cm, more 25 preferably 3cm to 6cm.

In another preferred embodiment the external solid component may be of an oval shape or in another preferred embodiment a polygonal shape. 30 In a preferred embodiment, the aperture may be approximately centrally located in the cover plate. In an alternative embodiment, the aperture may be placed asymmetrically, particularly when the cover plate is an elongated shape such as an oval or polygonal shape. -5- 2013101088 20 Oct 2016 ln one preferred embodiment the cover plate may include a plurality of apertures or a single aperture designed to accommodate a plurality of conduits or the like. For example, the aperture may be the shape of a Figure 8. 5

In another preferred embodiment the resilient component may accommodate a conduit of a noncircular cross section, such as a square or rectangle.

In a preferred embodiment the solid and resilient components of the device may be 10 white or a similar colour, but in other embodiments the cover plate may be produced in various colours, for example to match the colouring of the conduit or the solid surface being penetrated. In another preferred embodiment the colour of the resilient component may differ from, and even be in a contrasting colour to, the solid component. 15

In a preferred embodiment, the solid outer component may be composed of a rigid plastic, such as unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) and the resilient inner component may be composed of a flexible plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC may be made softer and more flexible by the addition of plasticizers, the most 20 widely used being phthalates.

The invention may be better understood with reference to the illustrations of its preferred embodiments. It should be understood, however, that the following description is illustrative only and should not be taken in any way as a restriction 25 on the generality of the invention described above.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the device, demonstrating the solid outer component (comprising UPVC in this example) and the inner, resilient component (PVC in this example). It is approximately 10.5cm in diameter with the central 30 aperture being approximately 4.5cm diameter. A - solid outer component; B -width of external solid component; C - internal resilient component; D - width of internal resilient component; E - external diameter of inner resilient component; F -external diameter of outer solid component. 2013101088 20 Oct 2016 -6-

Figure 2 illustrates the posterior view of the device, showing the resilient plasticized PVC attached (in the example, moulded) to the solid PVC component. The arrow shows where the resilient component is moulded to the solid component. 5

Figure 3 shows a side elevation of a wall with a pipe penetrating it and the device threaded over the pipe. The device has been attached (in this case by gluing) to the wall. ίο Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the configuration.

Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 demonstrate other possible configurations of the device. 15 Figures 7 and 8 show variations of the resilient component, with allowance for apposing conduits to pass through.

Figure 9 shows a plurality of separated conduits being accommodated by the resilient material. 20

Figure 10 demonstrates that the conduit need not be circular in cross section.

Figure 11 demonstrates how a number of different diameter conduits can thread through a device of one size.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A cover plate for creating a neat finish when applied to a surface through which a conduit penetrates, the cover plate being composed of rigid and resilient components made of different materials, the rigid component making up an outer part of the cover plate, and the resilient component forming an inner part of the cover plate, the resilient component being in the same plane as the rigid component and extending inwards from the rigid component to a continuous internal edge which defines the perimeter of an aperture for receiving conduit, wherein: the continuous iternal edge of the resilient component has a relaxed configuration wherein the perimeter of the aperture is less than the perimeter of the conduit, the continuous internal edge of the resilient component has a stretched configuration wherein the perimeter of the aperture is equal to the perimeter of the conduit, and when the conduit is inserted through the aperture, the continuous internal edge of the resilient component stretches from its relaxed configuration to its stretched configuration to receive the perimeter of the conduit, enabling a snug insertion of the conduit through the aperture of the cover plate.
2. A cover plate according to claim 1, wherein, in use, the continuous internal edge of the resilient component tightly apposes the conduit, to eliminate gap between the conduit and the resilient sleeve or make the gap negligible.
3. A cover plate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rigid component is composed of a rigid plastic and the resilient component is composed of a flexible plastic.
4. A cover plate according to claim 3, wherein the rigid plastic is unplasticized polyvinyl chloride.
5. A cover plate according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the flexible plastic is polyvinyl chloride to which plasticiser has been added.