Equipment Cover

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of an outdoor equipment cover. The structure has a body, a base, a frame, and a roof. The frame has rigid support elements with at least one horizontal member and one vertical member. The cover may have at least one light source and/or a heating element that can prevent ice and snow build up. A power source is provided for the light source and/or heating element.

Claims

1. A cover for outdoor equipment comprising: a base comprised of a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface defines an area and is configured to support outdoor equipment used to support functions of a house or a building; a frame connected to the base and comprised of a plurality of vertical supports and a plurality of horizontal supports; and a roof that substantially covers the area of the top surface of the base.

2. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 1, wherein the roof is comprised of at least one of a plurality of shingles, a steel or a composite roofing material.

3. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 1, wherein the roof comprises a heating element.

4. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame further comprises a lighting source.

5. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover comprises an operational sensor.

6. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 5, wherein the operational sensor is in communication with a smart device.

7. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 5, wherein the operational sensor detects an operating time, a temperature, a humidity or a motion.

8. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 4, further comprising an activation button or switch for activating the lighting source.

9. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 1 further comprising a fastener for securing the frame to the base.

10. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 9 further comprising a fastener for securing the roof to the frame.

11. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 10, wherein the fastener for the roof further comprises at least one of a chain, a rope, a cord or a string.

12. The cover for outdoor equipment as recited in claim 3, wherein the heating element is either provided under the roof or integrated into the roof.

13. A combination equipment and cover comprising: an equipment unit for supporting a function of a home or building; a cover; a base having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface is sized and configured to receive the equipment unit; a frame comprised of a plurality of rigid vertical and horizontal elements and that is connected to the base by a first fastener; a roof connected to the frame by a second fastener; and at least one sensor positioned on the cover.

14. The combination equipment and cover as recited in claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor is in communication with a smart device.

15. The combination equipment and cover as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor senses at least one of an operating time, a temperature, a humidity and a motion.

16. The combination equipment and cover as recited in claim 13, wherein the roof comprises a heating element.

17. The combination equipment and cover as recited in claim 13, wherein the function is at least one of a heating, a cooling, a sanitary, a power or a combination thereof.

18. The combination equipment and cover as recited in claim 13, wherein the roof comprises a light source.

19. The combination equipment and cover as recited in claim 13, wherein the cover comprises a power source.

20. An HVAC cover comprising: a frame comprised of a plurality of vertical and horizontal supports, a first end and a second end; a base comprised of a top surface and that is connected to the frame by at least one fastener positioned on the first end; a roof connected to the frame on the second end; and a heating element positioned on the roof; a light source positioned on the roof, wherein each of the heating element and the light source is activated by one of a button or a switch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a HVAC equipment cover device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a HVAC equipment cover device positioned on a house of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a HVAC equipment cover device attached to a house of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture; and

[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a HVAC equipment cover device attached to a house of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

[0023] As noted above, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an outdoor equipment cover or structure that keeps outdoor equipment, such as HVAC, generators, well heads, pool filters and other units that are used to provide comfort or other essential functions to a house or building out of adverse weather conditions. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for an outdoor equipment cover or structure that shields the device and prevents objects and precipitation from building up on top of the outdoor equipment. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for an outdoor equipment cover or structure that promotes a longer life span for a user's outdoor equipment.

[0024] The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of an outdoor equipment cover or structure. The structure has a body with a base, a frame, and a roof. The base includes an equipment fastener to attach the equipment to the base. Further, the frame is comprised of one or more horizontal members, and one or more vertical members. The frame may have at least one frame fastener to attach the horizontal and vertical members to each other. The frame also has at least one base fastener. The base fastener attaches the frame to the base so the structure is more stable. The roof of the structure further includes one or more roof fasteners that attach the roof to the frame. The roof may further have singles, metal, or other composite material on its surface to be more aesthetically appealing and to provide protection to the structure. In another embodiment, the roof may have indicia or graphics that allows the user to customize the structure such as the homeowner's favorite sporting franchise.

[0025] In one embodiment, the structure may have at least one fastener that further anchors the structure to the house. This allows for additional stability. In one embodiment, the structure has at least one light source, further powered by at least one power source, and operated by at least one activation switch or button. The light source provides a user with the means to see the outdoor equipment when visibility is limited. In another embodiment, the structure has at least one heating element further powered by at least one power source and operated by at least one button. The heating element can be turned on to melt ice or snow that accumulates on the top of the device and/or the outdoor equipment.

[0026] Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of an outdoor equipment cover or structure 100 of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. The structure 100 includes a body 110 having a base 120, a frame 130, and a roof 140. The base 120 has a bottom surface 122, a top surface 124, and at least one equipment or unit fastener 126. The top surface 124 defines an area and the bottom surface 122 may have an area that is larger than the top surface area to increase the stability of the base. The roof 140 substantially covers the area of the top surface of the base.

[0027] In one embodiment, the base 120 is made from a concrete material such as, but not limited to: plain concrete, lightweight concrete, polymer concrete, glass concrete, reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, precast concrete, air entrained concrete, vacuum concreate, asphalt concrete, rapid set concrete, high-density concrete, shortcrete concrete, pumped concrete, limecrete, etc. In another embodiment, the base may be made from any heavy material such as, but not limited to, metal, stone, cement, wood, or combinations thereof. The base 120 may also be constructed of a pre-sized or configured fiberglass unit which may be provided with weights or other hold downs. Alternatively, other composite materials may be used as the base 120. The base 120 may be chosen based on the size or type of the unit to be covered. The concrete, fiberglass, or otherwise heavy base 120 prevents the structure 100 from falling over in adverse weather conditions such as high winds. In another embodiment, the cover or structure 100 may have a non-heavy base that is anchored into the ground via at least one fastener 150. The fasteners 150 may be any fastener known in the art that would hold the device in place during a storm, such as stakes, rebar, poles, anchors, or combinations thereof.

[0028] The top surface 124 of the base 120 includes at least one equipment fastener 126. The equipment fastener 126 attaches to the unit 10 which prevents the unit from shifting within the structure 100. The fasteners 126 may be any fasteners known in the art such as, but not limited to: a magnet, a screw, a nut, a bolt, a carriage bolt, a nail, an anchor bolt, an acorn nut, a threaded rod, a retaining ring, a rivet, a set screw, a toggle bolt, an anchor, a self-tapping screw, an adhesive, a u-bolt, a lock nut, a castle nut, or combinations thereof.

[0029] The structure includes a frame 130. The frame 130 has at least one horizontal member 132, at least one vertical member 134, at least one base fastener 136, and at least one frame fastener 138. The frame 130 may be manufactured from a variety of relatively rigid materials such as, but not limited to: brass, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, steel, iron, oxidized aluminum, tin, wood, plastics, composite or combinations thereof.

[0030] The frame 130 includes at least one horizontal member 132 and at least one vertical member 134. The vertical members 134 and the horizontal members 132 make up the frame 130 and support the roof 140. The vertical and horizontal members 134, 132 must be oriented in such a way that the roof is securely held by the frame 130 and the vertical and horizontal members 134 and 132 are generally disposed perpendicularly to the roof. The frame 130 includes at least one frame fastener 138. The frame fasteners 138 attach the horizontal members 132 to the vertical members 134. The frame fasteners 138 may be any fastener known in the art that can support the frame 130 such as, but not limited to: a magnet, a screw, a nut, a bolt, a carriage bolt, a nail, an anchor bolt, an acorn nut, a threaded rod, a retaining ring, a rivet, a set screw, a toggle bolt, an anchor, a self-tapping screw, an adhesive, a u-bolt, a lock nut, castle nut, or combinations thereof. The frame 130 has at least one base fastener 136. The base fastener 136 attaches the frame 130 to the base 120. The base fastener 136 may be any fastener known in the art that can support the frame 130 holding the roof 140 such as, but not limited to: a magnet, a screw, a nut, a bolt, a carriage bolt, a nail, an anchor bolt, an acorn nut, a threaded rod, a retaining ring, a rivet, a set screw, a toggle bolt, an anchor, a self-tapping screw, an adhesive, a u-bolt, a lock nut, a castle nut, or combinations thereof. The base fasteners should have a hold down force weight of between 100 and 1000 pounds to counteract any weather forces, such as high winds. The fasteners may also have a rope, string, chain, or cord 137 which can be used as additional safety straps to hold down the equipment. The rope, string, chain, or cord 137 should have a weight test of between 50 and 100 pounds.

[0031] The structure 100 includes a roof 140. In one embodiment, the roof 140 is manufactured from a durable metal material such as, but not limited to: aluminum, tin, stainless steel, wood, renewable resources such as, bamboo, fiberglass, laminates, plastics, recycled materials, or combinations thereof.

[0032] The roof 140 has at least one roof fastener 142. The roof fastener 142 attaches to the frame 130 and prevents the roof 140 from falling over, blowing off, or caving in during adverse weather conditions. The roof fasteners 142 may be any fastener known in the art that can support the frame 130 while holding the roof 140 such as, but not limited to, a magnet, a screw, a nut, a bolt, a carriage bolt, a nail, an anchor bolt, an acorn nut, a threaded rod, a retaining ring, a rivet, a set screw, a toggle bolt, an anchor, a self-tapping screw, an adhesive, a u-bolt, a lock nut, a castle nut, or combinations thereof. The roof fastener 142 may also have a cord, string, chain, or rope 143 to hold the roof in position. The roof 140 may also have one or more vents 145 which can be opened or closed when the unit is in operation to allow adequate air flow. The vents 145 may be opened by a sensor 147 which detects the operational status of the unit.

[0033] The equipment structure 100 may also be provided with a unit monitor or sensor 153 which is connected to a smart device such as a smartphone, tablet or smart home application unit 151. The unit monitor or sensor 153 monitors the time the unit is operational, the temperature, humidity and other conditions and/or other operational information which may be useful to the homeowner or building manager to understand if the unit may be operating under some level of difficulty. The sensor 153 may also be a motion sensor to detect movement near the unit.

[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of an outdoor equipment cover or structure 100 secured to a house 20 of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. The structure 100 may be customized to the user's preferences, such as to match the trim or color of the house or building that it supports or with any personalization that a homeowner or building management company may prefer. In the preferred embodiment, the roof 140 is covered in shingles or other roofing material to match the house 20. This allows the device 100 to be more aesthetically pleasing. In differing embodiments, the roof 140 may be comprised of indicia 144 such as, but not limited to: patterns, logos, emblems, images, symbols, designs, letters, numbers, words, characters, animals, advertisements, brands, or combinations thereof.

[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of an outdoor equipment cover structure 100 attached or secured to a house or building 20 of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. In one embodiment, the structure 100 may be further fastened to the house 20 for additional stability. The structure 100 is fastened to the house 20 via at least one fastener 160 positioned on the frame 130. There are a plurality of fasteners that may be used such as, but not limited to: a magnet, a screw, a nut, a bolt, a carriage bolt, a nail, an anchor bolt, an acorn nut, a threaded rod, a retaining ring, a rivet, a set screw, a toggle bolt, an anchor, a self-tapping screw, an adhesive, a u-bolt, a lock nut, a castle nut, or combinations thereof.

[0036] In another embodiment, the cover or structure 100 may have at least one light source 180, at least one power source 182, and at least one button 190. The light source 180 allows for a user to see the unit 10 when the lighting is poor. Further, the light source 180 provides the user with a more effective way to work on or clean the equipment 10 by providing better visibility. The light source 180 may be any light source known in the art. The light source 180 is further powered by at least one power source 182. In one embodiment, the power source 182 may be in the form of a battery. The battery may be a disposable battery or a rechargeable battery in the form of an alkaline, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride battery, or combinations thereof such as any 3V-12 volts DC battery or other conventional battery such as A, AA, AAA, etc., that supplies power to the light source 180. Throughout this specification the terms battery and batteries may be used interchangeably to refer to one or more wet or dry cells or batteries of cells in which chemical energy is converted into electricity and used as a source of DC power. References to recharging or replacing batteries may refer to recharging or replacing individual cells, individual batteries of cells, or a package of multiple battery cells as is appropriate for any given battery technology that may be used. In another embodiment, the power source 182 may be in the form of a solar panel. In differing embodiments of the device 100, the solar panel may include, but are not limited to: monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, or a photovoltaic cell film. The structure or cover 100 may have at least one button or other actuation switch 190 positioned on the roof 140. The button or switch 190 functions to operate the light source 180 or heating elements 181 to melt the ice or snow that may have built up on the roof 140. There may be a plurality of buttons 190 to turn the light source 180 or heating element 181 to various ranges, or there may just be one button 190 to turn the light source 180 off and on and another button for the heating element 181, which is positioned on the top of the roof or that may be integrated with the roofing materials. The buttons may be low, medium and high settings. A timer may also be provided to allow the light or heating element to run for a certain period of time, or each of the heating element and the light sensor may be connected to the operational unit 153 so that the same will automatically turn on the unit when triggered by the environmental conditions surrounding the unit. In addition, the operational unit can open and close the vents 145. While the various embodiments in this application refer to a power source as a battery or solar panel, the features such as the heating source or illumination source may be powered by a direct electrical connection to the house or building that is supports.

[0037] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of an outdoor equipment cover or structure 100 attached or secured to a house or other building of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed specification. In one embodiment, the cover structure 100 may have an additional heating element 170 positioned under the roof 140. The heating element 170 functions to melt the snow or ice buildup that accumulates on top of the roof 140 and may be operated by a manual switch or by the operational sensor 153. If there is severe snow or ice storms, large amounts of snow and ice may build up on top of the roof 140 which may damage the device 100. Thus, the heater may heat up the roof 140 and slowly melt the snow or ice located on the roof 140 surface. The heating element 170 and/or 181 may be any heating element known in the art such as, but not limited to: ceramic heater, PTC, aluminum heater, wire heater, quartz heater, air process heater, cartridge heater, tubular heater, strip heater, band heater, etched foil heater, or a combination thereof. The heating element 170 and/or 181 is further powered by at least one power source 172. There are a plurality of power sources that could be used, such as batteries, or solar panels. The cover or structure 100 may have at least one activation button or switch 190 positioned on the roof 140. The button or switch 190 functions to operate the heating element 170. There may be a plurality of buttons 190 to turn the heating element 170 to various ranges, or there may just be one button 190 to turn the heating element 170 off and on.

[0038] Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein equipment cover structure and cover or structure are interchangeable and refer to the outdoor equipment cover device 100 of the present invention.

[0039] Notwithstanding the foregoing, the outdoor equipment cover 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration, and material of the outdoor or exposed equipment cover or structure 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the equipment cover 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the equipment cover structure 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the outdoor or exposed equipment cover 100 may be of any size, shape and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.

[0040] Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

[0041] What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term includes is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term comprising as comprising is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.