DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a front cross-sectional view of the brick sentry;
FIG. 2 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the brick sentry;
FIG. 3 illustrates a top cross-sectional view of the brick sentry;
FIG. 4 illustrates a side exploded view of the brick sentry;
FIG. 5 illustrates a rear cross-sectional view of a portion of the brick sentry;
FIG. 6 illustrates a front cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the brick sentry;
FIG. 7 illustrates a side exploded view of the brick sentry;
FIG. 8 illustrates a rear exploded view of the brick sentry;
FIG. 9 illustrates a rear cross-sectional view of the peripheral seal of the brick sentry;
FIG. 10 illustrates a front exploded view of the brick sentry.
FIG. 11 is a front view of a portion of a brick wall having weep holes and the barrier of this invention positioned at one of said weep holes;
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 11 illustrates the front side of a typical brick wall 10, with each brick 11 secured to each adjacent brick by mortar 12. The lowermost brick row is secured to slab 13. The lowermost row includes spaced weep holes 15, normally approximately every third or fourth brick. Such a weep hole is simply an open passageway between bricks for preventing the accumulation of water behind the wall 10. Such open passageways are formed by not providing mortar between two adjacent bricks. The brick sentry 100 of this invention is generally shown in FIG. 11.
FIG. 1 illustrates the brick sentry 100 of the present invention. The brick sentry 100 includes a housing frame 114 which is substantially rectangular in shape and which may be formed from the rigid material. The housing frame 114 includes upper support section 102 to provide an overall support for the housing frame 114, to provide for aid in installation of the brick sentry 100 and to encapsulate a portion of the screen cover 112; a left support section 104 to provide for overall support of the housing frame 114, to provide for aid in installation of the brick sentry 100 and to encapsulate a portion of the screen cover 112; a right support section 106 to provide for overall support of a housing frame 114, to provide for aid in installation of the brick sentry 100 and to encapsulate a portion of the screen cover 112; and a lower support section 110 to provide for overall support of the housing frame 114, to provide for aid in installation of the brick sentry 100 and to encapsulate a portion of the screen cover 112. The housing frame 114 additionally includes an aperture 108 or opening for the screen cover 112. The aperture 108 and screen cover 112 allow the weep hole to function as designed and yet to form a barrier to keep out pests from entering the weep hole.
FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the housing frame 114 which shows the right support section 106. The housing frame 114 is shown in substantially the horizontal plane.
FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the housing frame 114 which shows the upper support section 102.
FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the brick sentry 100. The brick sentry 100 includes an adhesive release sheet 402 which may be flexible paper, flexible cardboard, flexible plastic or any other suitable material in order to protect the peripheral seal 404 from contamination. The adhesive release sheet 402 may be formed to approximate the shape of the peripheral seal 404 or slightly larger or may be formed to approximate the shape of the housing frame 114 or slightly larger. The peripheral seal 404 may be sandwiched or positioned between the adhesive release sheet 402 and the housing frame 114. The peripheral seal 404 may be formed from a flexible adhesive material such as adhesive putty or double-sided adhesive tape or any other appropriate material. The peripheral seal 404 includes a seal aperture 405 which conforms approximately to the opening 108 of the housing frame 114.
FIG. 4 additionally shows that the housing frame 114 includes an outwardly extending projection 408 or cleat formed on the inside of the housing frame 114 in order to penetrate the peripheral seal 404 and hold the peripheral seal 404 in position on the housing frame 114.
The adhesive release sheet 402 prevents exposure of the peripheral seal 404 to contaminants especially if adhesive putty is used. The adhesive release sheet 402 should easily peel off the peripheral seal 404 prior to installation of the brick sentry 100. The advantage of adhesive putty is that it is an all weather adhesive material that can function as a fastening device for the brick sentry 100. The adhesive putty facilitates installation and provides for a durable seal between the brick sentry 100 and the substrate of the weep hole.
FIG. 5 illustrates an interior view of the housing frame 114 showing the outward extending projections 408 or cleats positioned for example in each corner of the housing frame 114. In one embodiment, the outward extending projections 408 are molded with the housing frame 114. Instead of being positioned within the corner of the housing frame 104, the outward extending projections 408 could be positioned along the upper support section 102, the left support section 104, the right support section 106 or the lower support section 110. The outward extending projections 408 acts as a guide for the placement of the peripheral seal 402 and aids the installation process by keeping the peripheral seal from 402 in positioned with respect to the housing frame 114 especially if adhesive putty is used during manufacturing. Although FIG. 5 shows four outward extending projections 408, additional or fewer outwardly extending projections 408 are within the scope of the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates a housing frame 614 having a textured surface 615 for example having a pattern which is similar to brick, masonry or other such pattern found on houses. The textured surface 615 provides an attractive outer surface for the housing frame 614 and helps the housing frame 614 blend into the substrate of the weep hole. The housing frame 614 includes an upper support section 602, a left support section 604, a right support section 606 and a lower support section 610. A rough texture may be molded into these sections 602, 604, 606, 610. FIG. 6 illustrates the opening 608 being oblong in shape with other shapes being within the scope of the invention. The screen cover 612 may be aluminum or other alloy screen.
FIG. 7 illustrates a weep hole diversion device 406 connected to a peripheral seal 404 with adhesive release sheet 402 that has been removed.
FIG. 8 illustrates a rear exploded view of the brick sentry 100 including the interior of the housing frame 114 and the outward extending projections 408. FIG. 8 additionally shows the peripheral seal 404 and the adhesive release sheet 402.
FIG. 9 illustrates an interior view of the brick sentry 100 with the adhesive release sheet 402 removed. The housing frame 114 is substantially covered with the peripheral seal 404. The left support section 104 and the right support section 106 are substantially covered with the peripheral seal 404. The upper support section 102 and the lower support section 110 include a small area of surface which is not covered with the peripheral seal 404.
FIG. 10 illustrates a front exploded view of the brick sentry 100 showing the peripheral seal number 404 as adhesive putty and the adhesive release sheet 402. The brick sentry 100 in FIG. 10 additionally illustrates the screen cover 112 positioned on the housing frame 114 which includes a textured surface 1002 which may be rough masonry, brick or a concrete type of surface. The name ‘Brick Sentry’ has been added as part of the molding process.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.
Patent Application
20080022614
