FROST PROTECTION COVER FOR A WATER METER AND CORRESPONDING METHOD OF PROTECTION

Abstract

A frost protection cover for a water meter generally includes four parts, each made from a thermal textile laminate and stitched together into a generally upside down T shape. The four parts include: a central portion in the shape of a closed tubular sleeve having an upper opening and a lower opening, the lower opening having cut-outs on the right and left side; two lower portions forming, on each side of the central portion, on the right and left side, extensions to the respective cut-outs, the two lower portions being shaped as open tubes that can be folded shut, and the lower portions being stitched to the central portion; and an upper portion mounted on the central portion and serving as a cover that can be opened or closed over the upper opening of the central portion.

Claims

1. A cover for protecting a water meter, the cover comprising: a central portion defining a closed tubular sleeve-shape and having an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein the lower opening includes indentations on a right and a left side of the central portion; two lower portions, each lower portion forming an extension for the respective indentations and shaped as an open tube which can be closed on itself, wherein the two lower portions are sewn to the central portion; and an upper portion mounted on the central portion and forming a lid that can be opened and closed on the upper opening of the central portion, wherein the central portion, the two lower portions, and the upper portion are made from a thermal textile complex and define an upside down T shape.

2. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the thermal textile complex comprises a superposition of a plurality of insulating textile layers.

3. The cover according to claim 2, wherein the thermal textile complex comprises a superposition of at least four insulating textile layers.

4. The cover according to claim 2, wherein the thermal textile complex comprises a waterproofing fabric covering the superposition of several insulating textile layers.

5. The cover according to claim 4, wherein the waterproofing fabric is a PVC coated nonwoven fabric.

6. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion includes a self-gripping tape and a complementary self-gripping tape on the central portion to keep the upper portion closed on the upper opening.

7. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the central portion includes self-gripping tapes for closing the lower opening.

8. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the two lower portions include self-gripping tapes to keep the lower portions closed on themselves.

9. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the lower portions are externally sewn to the sides of the central portion along the indentations.

10. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the central portion is closed over a height from the lower opening to the upper opening by sewing.

11. The cover according to claim 10, wherein the central portion is closed by at least one internal seam along two flaps facing inwardly.

12. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion includes a peripheral folded edge capable of covering an exterior of the central portion.

13. A method for protecting and insulating a water meter having a top portion integrating a counting mechanism and a dial at a top, and a bottom portion from which depart, on two opposite sides, inlet and outlet ducts having threaded ends, the method comprising: providing a cover according to claim 1; slipping the central portion around the water meter until the inlet and outlet ducts of the water meter are placed in their respective indentations of the central portion; closing the two lower portions around the respective inlet and outlet ducts of the water meter; and closing the upper portion on the upper opening of the central portion and on the dial of the water meter.

14. The protection method according to claim 13, wherein the two lower portions are closed on themselves and around the respective inlet and outlet ducts of the water meter by self-gripping tapes.

15. The protection method according to claim 13, wherein the upper portion is closed on the upper opening of the central portion by self-gripping tapes.

16. The protection method according to claim 13, wherein the lower opening of the central portion is closed by self-gripping tapes under the bottom portion of the water meter.

17. The protection method according to claim 13, wherein the two lower portions respectively cover the inlet and outlet ducts up to their respective threaded ends.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0098] In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0099] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cover in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0100] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the cover of FIG. 1 in place on a water meter;

[0101] FIG. 3 is a schematic back view of the cover of FIG. 1 in place on a water meter;

[0102] FIG. 4 is a schematic angled bottom and back view of the cover of FIG. 1 in place on a water meter, with the bottom of the central portion and lower portions opened;

[0103] FIG. 5 is a schematic angled bottom and back view of the cover of FIG. 1 in place on a water meter, with the bottom of the central portion closed and the lower portions opened;

[0104] FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of the cover of FIG. 1 in place on a water meter, with the upper portion forming a lid, which is open;

[0105] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the water meter without the cover;

[0106] FIG. 8 is a schematic angled bottom and back view of the cover of FIG. 1, with the bottom of the central portion and the lower portions opened;

[0107] FIG. 9 is a schematic front view of the cover of FIG. 1, with the bottom of the central portion the lower portions opened; and

[0108] FIG. 10 is a schematic angled side and back view of the cover of FIG. 1, with the bottom of the central portion and the lower portions opened.

[0109] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0110] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

[0111] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 10, a cover 1 according to the present disclosure comprises a cover for protecting a water meter 10 (best shown in FIG. 7) against frost.

[0112] Such a water meter 10 includes:

[0113] a top portion 11 integrating an inner counting mechanism (not shown) and a dial 12 at the top; and

[0114] a bottom portion 15 from which depart on two opposite sides, inlet and outlet ducts 13 provided with threaded ends 14 to connect by screwing respectively a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe.

[0115] The cover 1 comprises four portions each tailored from a thermal textile complex and sewed together to have a general shape of an upside down T.

[0116] The thermal textile complex comprises a superposition of at least four insulating textile layers, and in particular between four and nine insulating textile layers, covered with a waterproofing fabric such as for example a PVC coated nonwoven fabric.

[0117] Thus, the thermal textile complex forms the internal liner of each portion of the cover 1 in order to confer protection and thermal insulation, and the waterproofing fabric forms the external membrane to confer waterproofing.

[0118] More specifically, the cover 1 comprises:

[0119] a central portion 2 shaped as a closed tubular sleeve having an upper opening 20 (on the top of the central portion 2) and a lower opening 21 (on the bottom of the central portion 2), where the lower opening 21 has indentations 210 on the right and on the left;

[0120] two lower portions 3 forming, on each side of the central portion 2 on the right and on the left, extensions for the respective indentations 210, where these lower portions 3 are shaped as open tubes which can be closed on themselves, and where these lower portions 3 are sewed on the central portion 2; and

[0121] an upper portion 4 mounted on the top of the central portion 2 and serving as a lid that can be opened or closed on the upper opening 20 of the central portion 2.

[0122] The upper portion 4 is attached to the central portion 2 by means of a tab 40 sewed both on the upper portion 4 and on the central portion 3; such a flexible tab authorizing the opening/closing of the upper portion 4.

[0123] The upper portion 4 is provided with a self-gripping tape 41 associated with a complementary self-gripping tape 42 provided on the central portion 2 to keep the upper portion 4 closed on the upper opening 20.

[0124] The upper portion 4 is provided with a disc 43 bordered by a peripheral folded edge 44 capable of covering the outside of the central portion 2 when this upper portion 4 is closed. This peripheral folded edge 44 overlapping the top of the central portion 2, this peripheral folded edge 44 may be formed only by the waterproofing fabric. On the contrary, the disc 43 is well formed by the thermal textile complex.

[0125] When in place, the upper portion 4 covers the top of the water meter 10, in other words covers its top portion 11 and its dial 12.

[0126] The central portion 2 is closed over its entire height, from its lower opening 21 to its upper opening 20, by sewing. As shown in FIG. 6, the central portion 2 is closed by at least one internal seam 22 along two flaps facing inwardly.

[0127] The central portion 2 has at the bottom of the complementary self-gripping tapes 23, 24, on either side of the indentations 210, allowing closing the lower opening 21, with more specifically an internal self-gripping tape 23 provided on an internal face of the central portion 2, and an external self-gripping tape 24 provided on an external face of the central portion 2 for closing by overlapping of this internal face on the external face.

[0128] The lower portions 3 are sewed on the outside on the sides of the central portion 2, along the indentations 210.

[0129] These lower portions 3 have complementary self-gripping tapes 33, 34 to keep the lower portions 3 closed on themselves, with more specifically for each lower portion 3 an internal self-gripping tape 33 provided on an internal face of the lower portion 3, and an external self-gripping tape 34 provided on an external face of the lower portion 3 for closing by overlapping of this internal face on the external face.

[0130] The protection method for protecting and insulating the water meter 10 against frost by means of such a cover 1 implements the following steps of:

[0131] slipping (or fitting) the central portion 2 around the water meter 10 until the inlet and outlet ducts 13 of the water meter 10 are placed in the respective indentations 210 of the central portion 2;

[0132] closing the two lower portions 3 around the respective inlet and outlet ducts 13 of the water meter 10 by means of the self-gripping tapes 33, 34, where these lower portions 3 thus respectively cover the inlet and outlet ducts 13 up to their respective threaded ends 14 (as schematized by the arrows F1 in FIG. 1);

[0133] closing the upper portion 4 of the upper opening 20 of the central portion 2 and the dial 12 of the water meter 10 by means of the self-gripping tapes 41, 42 (as schematized by the arrows FS in FIG. 1); and

[0134] closing the lower opening 21 of the central portion 2 (in other words closing the bottom of the central portion 2) by means of the self-gripping tapes 23, 24 under the bottom portion 15 of the water meter 10 (as schematized by the arrow FB in FIG. 1).

[0135] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values indicating mechanical/thermal properties, compositional percentages, dimensions and/or tolerances, or other characteristics are to be understood as modified by the word about or approximately in describing the scope of the present disclosure. This modification is desired for various reasons including industrial practice; material, manufacturing, and assembly tolerances; and testing capability.

[0136] As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.

[0137] The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.