Patent Application
20240301611
The present invention relates to the field of washing machine outlet boxes.
Washing machine outlet boxes are structures that house portions of plumbing systems that are connected directly or indirectly to washing machines. Among the purposes of these boxes is to enable easy access to water shutoff devices. By way of example, a washing machine outlet box may be a box that sits in a wall of a room and has a forward-facing open side.
Additionally, the washing machine outlet box may have one more openings in one or more of its walls, e.g., its bottom wall as the box is oriented in the wall of a room. For transportation of water to a washing machine, conduits for hot and cold water may enter the washing machine outlet box through these openings and exit the washing machine outlet box through the forward-facing open side. Optionally, there may be a first conduit for hot water and a first conduit for cold water, each of which enters the washing machine outlet box and a second conduit for hot water and a second conduit for cold water, each of which exits the washing machine outlet box. There may also be a first conduit for wastewater that enters the washing machine outlet box through the forward-facing open side and a second conduit for wastewater that exits the washing machine outlet box through an opening in a wall of the washing machine outlet box.
Each conduit may be a rigid, flexible, or semi-rigid material and be made of plastic, metal, a metal alloy or a combination thereof. Examples of conduits, include but are not limited to pipes and flexible tubes. Additionally, at or proximate to where one or more first conduits and their corresponding second conduits meet within the washing machine outlet box, there may be a nozzle or other water shutoff device.
Recently, there have been movements toward standardization and/or prescription of the placement of washing machine outlet boxes relative to the washing machines with which they are associated. Among the goals of these movements are to render these boxes easy to locate visually and to provide easy access when one wishes to shutoff a water supply.
Designers and industry experts have spent a great deal of resources on trying to design better washing machine outlet boxes. However, often these designs focus on the shape, size, and construction of the walls of the washing machine outlet box. Among the unmet needs in this industry are sufficiently effective and efficient devices for covering the front face of a washing machine outlet box while not undesirably impeding access to structures contained within it. Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to one or both of these needs.
The present invention is directed to washing machine outlet box covers, systems that incorporate them, and methods for using them. Through various embodiments of the present invention, one may efficiently and effectively cover and uncover washing machine outlet boxes without affecting the integrity of the washing machine outlet box covers themselves, the washing machine outlet boxes with which they are to be associated, or the plumbing components housed therein or emanating therefrom.
According to a first embodiment, the present invention provides a washing machine outlet box cover that comprises: (a) a shield face; (b) a set of frame covering walls; (c) a plurality of shield walls, wherein the plurality of shield walls connects the set of frame covering walls to the shield face; and (d) an outlet box association structure. The set of frame covering walls may, for example, comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of a first frame covering wall and a second frame covering wall; or a first frame covering wall, a second frame covering wall, and a third frame covering wall. The plurality of shield walls may, for example, comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of a first shield wall and a second shield wall; or a first shield wall, a second shield wall, and a third shield wall.
According to a second embodiment, the present invention provides a washing machine outlet box cover that comprises: (a) a first channel, wherein the first channel comprises a first channel base, a first channel front wall, and a first channel rear wall, and the first channel has a first channel opening; (b) a second channel, wherein the second channel comprises a second channel base, a second channel front wall and a second channel rear wall, and the second channel has a second channel opening, and (c) a shield, wherein the first channel opening faces the second channel opening. The first channel front wall may form or be part of a first frame covering wall and the second channel front wall may form or be part of a second frame covering wall. The shield spans from the first frame covering wall to the second frame covering wall. The shield may, for example, comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of a shield face and a plurality of shield walls. The first frame covering wall may be connected to the shield face through a first shield wall, and the second frame covering wall may be connected to the shield face through a second shield wall.
According to a third embodiment, the present invention provides a washing machine outlet box cover comprising: (a) a shield face; (b) a set of frame covering walls; (c) a plurality of shield walls, wherein the plurality of shield walls connects the set of frame covering walls to the shield face; and (d) an outlet box association structure, wherein the outlet box association structure is a component of a latch and hook system.
According to a fourth embodiment, the present invention provides a system comprising a washing machine outlet box cover of the present invention and a washing machine outlet box.
According to a fifth embodiment, the present invention provides a method for shielding a washing machine outlet box. The method comprises engaging a washing machine outlet box cover of the present invention with a washing machine outlet box. The washing machine outlet box cover may, for example, comprise a first channel and a second channel. Additionally, the washing machine outlet box may comprise a frame and the frame may comprise a first region and a second region that optionally are coplanar. The first region extends in a first direction and the second region extends in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions and the engaging comprises causing at least a portion of the first region of the frame to enter the first channel and at least a portion of the second region of the frame to enter the second channel. When engaged, a portion or the entire first frame covering wall of the washing machine outlet box cover may cover a portion or all of the first region of the frame, and a portion or the entire the second frame covering wall of the washing machine outlet box cover may cover a portion or all of the second region of the frame.
According to a sixth embodiment, the present invention provides another method for covering a portion or all of a washing machine outlet box. In this method, the washing machine outlet box cover comprises a lip and an outlet box association structure. The washing machine outlet box may be positioned to cover some or all of the sides of one, two, three or more sides of a frame of a washing machine outlet box, and the outlet box association structure may engage a complementary structure that is located on the frame of the washing machine outlet box. For example, the outlet box association structure may be a set of latch elements, while the washing machine outlet box may comprise a set of hook elements, and the latch and hook elements are aligned such that the latch elements engage the hook elements. Alternatively, the outlet box association structure may be a set of hook elements, while the washing machine outlet box comprises a set of latch elements, and the latch and hook elements are aligned such that the latch elements engage the hook elements.
The aforementioned two embodiments that are directed to methods are recited in terms of covering all or a portion of a washing machine outlet box. However, also within the scope of the invention are methods for uncovering washing machine outlet boxes by disassociating the washing machine outlet box covers from them in the reverse order of the steps of the methods described above.
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, unless otherwise indicated or implicit from context, the details are intended to be examples and should not be deemed to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Additionally, features described in connection with the various or specific embodiments are not to be construed as not appropriate for use in connection with other embodiments disclosed herein unless such exclusivity is explicitly stated or implicit from context.
In some embodiments, the washing machine outlet box covers of the present invention comprise: (a) a shield face; (b) a set of frame covering walls; (c) a plurality of shield walls, wherein the plurality of shield walls connect the frame covering walls to the shield face; and (d) an outlet box association structure. The washing machine outlet box covers are designed so that they can reversibly be associated with a washing machine outlet box, i.e., associated with and disassociated from the washing machine outlet box multiple times without destroying or undesirably diminishing the integrity of either the washing machine outlet box cover or the washing machine outlet box.
The washing machine outlet box cover also contains one or more shield walls, e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, etc. When there is a plurality of shield walls, they all may be the same size, any two or more may be different sizes, or each may be a different size. In some embodiments, a first shield wall 133 and a second shield wall 132 extend from opposite edges of the shield face. By way of a non-limiting example as shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the shield face is in a plane that is parallel or substantially parallel to the one, a plurality, or all of the frame covering walls, e.g., the first frame covering wall, the second frame covering wall, and if present, the third frame covering wall. The phrase “frame covering wall” refers to a portion of the washing machine outlet box cover that may, when the washing machine outlet box cover and the washing machine outlet box are associated with each other, cover a portion or all of one or more, or all regions of the frame of the washing machine outlet box. However, as persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, use of the phrase “frame covering wall” is for convenience and does not dictate that at a particular time the frame covering wall is covering a region of or all of a frame of a washing machine outlet box or that the washing machine outlet box cover is associated with or proximate to the washing machine outlet box.
In some embodiments, the washing machine outlet box cover comprises, one or more than one channels, e.g., two or three or more channels. Within any channel, there may be a front wall, a base, and a rear wall. The front wall of a channel is a portion or all of a frame covering wall of the washing machine outlet box cover.
Accordingly, there may be a first channel that has a first channel front wall and a second channel that has a second channel front wall. The first shield wall connects the first frame covering wall, a region of which forms the first channel front wall to the shield face, and the second shield wall connects the second frame covering wall, a region of which forms the second channel front wall to the shield face. In some embodiments, the first shield wall is neither parallel to nor coplanar with the shield face and the first shield wall is neither parallel to nor coplanar with the first framing covering wall. In some embodiments, the second shield wall is neither parallel to nor coplanar with the shield face and the second shield wall is neither parallel to nor coplanar with the second framing covering wall. When additional shield walls are present, in some embodiments, they too are neither parallel to nor coplanar with the shield face and neither parallel to nor coplanar with the corresponding frame covering wall with which they are associated.
In some embodiments, each shield wall is planar or substantially planar and forms and angle with the plane of the shield that is greater than 90 degrees, greater than 100 degrees, greater than 110 degrees, greater than 120 degrees, greater than 130 degrees, greater than 140 degrees, greater than 150 degrees, greater than 160 degrees, or greater than 170 degrees. In some embodiments, each shield wall is planar or substantially planar and forms and angle with the plane of the shield that is less than 180 degrees, less than 170 degrees, less than 160 degrees, less than 150 degrees, less than 140 degrees, less than 130 degrees, less than 120 degrees, less than 110 degrees, or less than 100 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle is between 120 degrees and 150 degrees. In other embodiments, each shield wall forms a right angle with the shield.
When there is a plurality of channels within the washing machine outlet box cover, optionally, in addition to the first channel and the second channel, there is a third channel. The first channel and the second channel, may, for example, be parallel or substantially parallel to each other, being located on opposite edges of the washing machine outlet box cover. The third channel may be perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first channel and the second channel. In some embodiments, each of the first channel, the second channel and the third channel may be the same length and the same depth. In other embodiments, each channel is the same depth, and while the first channel and the second channel are the same length, the third channel may be longer or shorter than the first channel and the second channel.
As noted above, when there is a third channel, there may also be a third shield wall. The third shield wall connects a third frame covering wall, of which the third channel's front wall may be a region, to a third edge of the shield face, which may be referred to as the top edge or upper edge, which, when the washing machine outlet box is oriented vertically as, for example, shown in
By way of a non-limiting example and as shown in
Also as shown in
In some embodiments, the combination of the shield walls 131, 132, and 133 and the shield face 134 produce a protective bump out relative to the wall in which the outlet box sits and relative to the frame covering walls of the washing machine outlet box cover. The bump out allows the shield to cover some or all of the components housed in the outlet box, while accommodating for the reality that one or more of them may extend beyond the plane of the wall and into a room. As persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the size of the bump out may be defined by the combination of: (1) the distance between the edges of each shield wall that abuts the shield face and the edges of each shield wall that abut the frame covering walls with which it is associated; and (2) the angle of the shield walls. In some embodiments, the shield face resides in a plane that is between 0.5 cm and 20 cm or between 1 cm and 10 cm away from a plane in which the first frame covering wall resides.
Each washing machine outlet box cover comprises an outlet box association structure, which is a structure that allows the cover to retain association with the outlet box. As noted above, in some embodiments, the outlet box association structure comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of one or more channels, for example, one channel, two channels or three channels.
As illustrated in more detail in
The first channel opening shield faces the second channel opening, and they run parallel to each other. The first channel base is located at a first edge of the washing machine outlet box cover and the second channel base is located at a second edge of the washing machine outlet box cover. In some embodiments, these edges of the washing machine outlet box cover are parallel to each other and define a channel that runs from the upper or top end of the washing machine outlet box cover to the bottom or lower end of the washing machine outlet box cover.
The first frame covering wall, which comprises the first channel front wall connects the first channel base and the first shield wall. The second frame covering wall, which comprises the second channel front wall connects the second channel base and the second shield wall. Thus, for convenience, the front wall of a channel is defined by the region of the frame covering wall that contains it for which there is a corresponding rear wall of the channel.
In some embodiments, the first frame covering wall and the second frame covering wall are coplanar. In some embodiments, the first frame covering wall, and the second frame covering wall are coplanar, and they are in a plane that is parallel to a plane in which the shield resides. In some embodiments, the inner and outer surface of the first channel front wall and the first channel rear wall are parallel to each other. In some embodiments, the inner and outer surface of the second channel front wall and the second channel rear wall are parallel to each other. In some embodiments, the first channel front wall and the second channel front wall are coplanar, and the first channel rear wall and the second channel rear wall are coplanar. In some embodiments, one end of the length of the first channel and one end of the length of the second channel are open in order to allow sliding onto a frame while the other end is closed. If a third channel is present, the closed ends of the first and second channels may be part of the third channel base on opposite ends of the third channel. Additionally, if a third channel is present, both of the ends of its length may be closed and optionally be parts of the base of each of the first channel and the second channel.
In some embodiments, there is a plurality of channels, and the front wall of
each channel spans up to 10%, up to 20%, up to 30%, up to 40%, up to 50%, up to 60%, up to 75%, up to 80%, up to 90%, up to 95% or 100% of the frame covering wall that comprises it. In some embodiments, within a frame cover wall, the front channel wall is 5%-50% or 10% to 40% of the frame covering wall.
Certain of the above-mentioned embodiments, refer to the use of one or more channels as outlet box association structures. Alternatively, or additionally, the outlet box association structure 780 (see
As shown in
One advantage of using a latch and hook system is that it can be used with existing washing machine outlet boxes. Thus, to a frame of an existing washing machine outlet box, one can affix either a latch or hook component of a latch and hook system. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that latch and hook systems are commercially available in adhesive strips or rolls in which there is an adhesive on the back of the strips of each of the components, and the adhesives are protected until one wishes to affix the strips to other structure. Thus, one can retrofit washing machine outlet boxes for use in the present system.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a washing machine outlet box cover and a washing machine outlet box. The washing machine outlet box is configured to sit in a wall or a room and is both of a size to housing plumbing structures and is configured to allow conduits such as pipes and tubing to carry water to a washing machine and wastewater away from a washing machine. The outlet box may also house water shut off valves.
The washing machine outlet box may be defined by a plurality of outlet box walls and a frame. The walls may define the size of the washing machine outlet box.
For example, the washing machine outlet box may comprise a rear outlet box wall, an upper outlet box wall, a lower outlet box wall, a left outlet box wall, and a right outlet box wall. One, more than one, or all of the walls may be regular or irregular shapes, and smooth or contoured. In some embodiments, there is no front wall (the space facing into a room) for the washing machine outlet box. In some embodiments, adjacent outlet box walls meet at right angles. Additionally, the frame may be at a right angle relative to each of the upper outlet box wall, the lower outlet box wall, the left outlet box wall, and the right outlet box wall. In some embodiments, the frame is parallel or substantially parallel to the rear wall.
As shown in
The outlet box may also comprise one or more openings (not shown in
The washing machine outlet box as shown in
Further, in some embodiments, each frame covering wall may have approximately the same height (distance from the edge of the shield wall that it abuts to the channel base) as the corresponding region of the frame of washing machine outlet box (distance from inner edge of the frame to the outer edge of the frame). In other embodiments, each frame covering wall may have a smaller or larger height than the corresponding region the frame of the washing machine outlet box.
As shown in
When the washing machine outlet box cover comprises channels and the washing machine outlet box cover is associated with the washing machine outlet box, a portion of the first region, a portion of the second region and a portion of the third region of the frame may reside in the first channel, the second channel, and the third channel, respectively. If the washing machine outlet box cover is designed to obscure only a portion of the washing machine outlet box when fully engaged, the portion of the first region of the frame that resides within the first channel does not run the full length of the first region, and the portion of the second region of the frame that resides within the second channel does not run the full length of the second region. By contrast, the portion of the third region of the frame that resides within the third channel does run the full length of the third region. The length of each region of the frame refers to the dimension that runs along edge of the frame that will be parallel to the base of the respective channel when the washing machine outlet box cover is engaged with the washing machine outlet box.
If the washing machine outlet box cover is designed to cover the entire washing machine outlet box, then in addition to being at least slightly wider (left to right in the figure to account for at least the thickness of the bases of the channels,) as the washing machine outlet box, the washing machine outlet box cover must be of a size that is a least slightly larger than the length of the first region of the frame.
Notably, regardless of whether when fully engaged, the washing machine outlet box cover completely or only partially covers the washing machine outlet box, because of the combination of the bump out of the shield as the absence of a shield wall on the bottom of the washing machine outlet box cover, there is a space or a gap that allows for one or more conduits to flow between the washing machine outlet box and a washing machine.
If the washing machine outlet box cover is designed to covered the entire washing machine outlet box, but the washing machine outlet box cover does not form channels and instead forms lips, then then in addition to be at least slightly wider, (left to right in the figure) as the washing machine outlet box, the washing machine outlet box cover must still be of a size that is a least slightly larger than the length of the first region of the frame.
Notably, regardless of whether when fully engaged, the washing machine outlet box cover has a larger footprint that the washing machine outlet box and completely covers the frame of the box, because of the combination of the bump out of the shield and the absence of a shield wall at the bottom of the washing machine outlet box cover, there is space or gap that allows for one or more conduits to flow between the washing machine outlet box and a washing machine.
In embodiments, in which the washing machine outlet box cover comprises either latches or hooks, the washing machine outlet box comprises the reciprocal structure. As shown in
As shown in
The size of the washing machine outlet box covers will depend on the washing outlet boxes with which they are intended to be associated. Additionally, the size will be determined based on whether one wishes for the cover to obscure all or only a portion of the washing machine outlet box. For example, the covers may be larger in both height and width than the outlet box or larger only in the width dimension, but smaller in the height dimension than the outlet box. If the cover is smaller in height than the outlet box, then when fully engaged with the outlet box, up to 90%, up to 80%, up to 70%, up to 60%, up to 50%, up to 40%, up to 30% or up to 20% of the outlet box is covered. For example, 20% to 80% is covered, or 30% to 70% is covered or 40% to 60% is covered.
By way of non-limiting examples, a cover may have a width from the first channel base to the second channel base or the first lip to the second lip of 20 cm to 40 cm or 25 cm to 30 cm. They may, for example, have a height of 15 cm to 35 cm or 20 cm to 30 cm. By way of further example, each frame covering wall may span 0.5 cm to 3.0 cm or 1 cm to 2 cm (from the edge to the shield wall). Further the shield may, for example, form a shield face with a width of 18 cm to 38 cm or 23 cm to 28 cm and a height of 13 cm to 33 cm or 18 cm to 28 cm.
The different areas of the washing machine outlet box cover may have uniform or non-uniform thicknesses. By way of example, the thickness may be from 0.1 cm to 1.0 cm or 0.3 cm to 0.8 cm. In embodiments, in which there are channels, the width of the space of the channels may, for example, be from about 0.1 cm to 1.0 cm or 0.3 cm to 0.8 cm.
The areas of the washing machine outlet box may have uniform or non-uniform thickness. By way of example, the thickness may be from 0.1 cm to 1.0 cm or 0.3 cm to 0.8 cm. In embodiments, in which the washing machine outlet box is to be used with a washing machine outlet box cover that has channels, the frame should have a thickness no larger than the channel width and the frame should sit distanced away from the wall by an amount that is at least the thickness of the rear walls of the washing machine outlet box cover, e.g., 0.1 to 1.0 cm or 0.3 to 0.8 cm.
In some embodiments in which the washing machine outlet box is to be used with a washing machine outlet box cover that does not have channels, the frame has a thickness no larger than the inner surface of the lip.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method for shielding a washing machine outlet box. The method may comprises engaging a washing machine outlet box cover of any of the embodiments of the present invention with a washing machine outlet box. The washing machine outlet box comprises a frame and the frame comprises a first region and a second region. The first region extends in a first direction and the second region extends in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions.
When the washing machine outlet box cover has channels, the method comprises causing the first channel to receive the first region of the frame and the second channel to receive the second region of the frame. Optionally, the frame further comprises a third region, and the method further comprises causing the third channel to receive the third region of the frame.
According to this method, to cover the washing machine outlet box, one may slide first (left) and second (right) channels of the washing machine outlet box cover over the left and right edges of the frame of the outlet box. Optionally, one may also slide the third channel over a portion of the third (upper) region of the frame. To uncover the washing machine outlet box, one may slide first (left) and second (right) channels off of the left and right edges of the frame of the outlet box. If the washing machine outlet box cover has a third channel in which a third region of the frame resides, then one also slides the third channel off of the third (upper) region of the frame. In case of a need to shut off water or otherwise access what is contained in the washing machine outlet box, one may remove the washing machine outlet box and for example, turn one or more nozzles.
When the washing machine outlet box cover does not contain channels, and instead contains an element of a latch and hook system, one may cause association with the washing machine outlet box by aligning the lips with the frame of the washing machine outlet box and applying force at the region of the complementary element of the latch and hook system that is part of the washing machine outlet box. These covers can be removed by applying force in the opposite direction.
The washing machine outlet box covers of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of plastic, metal, a metal alloy or combination thereof. Similarly, the washing machine outlet boxes of the present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of plastic, metal, a metal alloy or combination thereof. Methods for making these covers and boxes include, but are not limited to injection molding.
