Claims
- 1. A system comprising:
a plumbing vent stop; and a bonded joint including an electrically releasable adhesive and wherein the vent stop is released upon release of the adhesive.
- 2. The system of claim 1 further including an electric current producing means coupled to the joint.
- 3. The system of claim 2 further including a wireless transducer coupled to the current producing means and wherein a current is passed through the joint upon receipt of a signal received by the transducer.
- 4. The system of claim 1 further including a coupler adapted for affixation to a plumbing vent and wherein the coupler and the vent stop are held in alignment by the joint.
- 5. The system of claim I further including an energy storage device coupled to the vent stop and adapted for urging displacement of the vent stop upon release of the adhesive.
- 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the vent stop includes a plumbing plug.
- 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the vent stop includes a plumbing cap.
- 8. A system comprising:
a plumbing vent stop; a vent stop releasing means coupled to the vent stop and adapted to selectively open a plumbing vent; and signal receiver means adapted to actuate the vent stop releasing means upon receipt of a predetermined signal.
- 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the vent stop releasing means includes an electrically releasable adhesive.
- 10. The system of claim 8 wherein the vent stop releasing means includes a motor.
- 11. The system of claim 8 wherein the signal receiver means includes a wireless receiver.
- 12. The system of claim 8 wherein the signal receiver means includes an audio transducer.
- 13. The system of claim 12 wherein the audio transducer is responsive to audio propagated within the plumbing vent.
- 14. A method comprising:
coupling an audio transducer to a pipe; driving the transducer with a modulated audio frequency signal; and operating an actuator coupled to the pipe in response to receiving the modulated audio frequency signal at the actuator.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein coupling the audio transducer to the pipe includes affixing a transducer to a fitting.
- 16. The method of claim 14 wherein driving the transducer with the modulated audio frequency signal includes propagating a signal with a carrier frequency of approximately 3 kilo Hertz (kHz).
- 17. The method of claim 14 wherein driving the transducer with the modulated audio frequency signal includes propagating a signal with a modulation frequency of approximately 3 Hertz (Hz).
- 18. The method of claim 14 wherein driving the transducer with the modulated audio frequency signal includes driving the transducer with a fully modulated signal.
- 19. The method of claim 14 wherein operating the actuator includes opening a vent.
- 20. The method of claim 14 further including generating an electrical control signal after receiving the modulated audio frequency signal.
- 21. An apparatus comprising:
an annular sealing surface; an actuator coupled to the annular sealing surface and adapted to selectively disengage the annular sealing surface from a mating surface; a wireless receiver coupled to the actuator; and a spring coupled to the annular sealing surface and adapted to urge disengagement of the annular sealing surface from the mating surface; and wherein the wireless receiver is adapted to provide a signal for controlling the actuator.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the mating surface further includes a plumbing coupler adapted for affixation to a plumbing vent.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the actuator includes an adhesive.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the adhesive includes an electrically disbanding adhesive.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the wireless receiver includes an audio frequency signal receiver.
- 26. A device comprising:
a plumbing stop; a coupling adapted to mate with the plumbing stop; an adhesive joint having adhesive disposed therein and wherein an airtight seal is formed between the plumbing stop and the coupling when the adhesive is cured.
- 27. The device of claim 26 wherein the plumbing stop and coupling are freely separable when the adhesive is weakened.
- 28. The device of claim 26 further including a first electrode and a second electrode coupled to the adhesive joint and wherein the adhesive is weakened when an electric current is conducted through the adhesive joint.
- 29. The device of claim 26 further including a linkage coupled to the plumbing stop and the coupling and wherein the adhesive joint secures the linkage in a first position when the adhesive is cured and in a second position when the adhesive is weakened.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 60/422,013, filed on Oct. 29, 2002, entitled REMOTELY OPERABLE VENT CAP, which is herein incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60422013 |
Oct 2002 |
US |