EP1972723A2 - Inspection cover - Google Patents

Abstract

An inspection cover, comprising a perimetric frame (11) to be embedded in the ground and to which a lid (12) is pivoted which is suitable to be arranged, in the closed configuration, within a complementarily shaped annular wall (13) of the frame (11), an internal annular portion (14) of the lid (12) being designed to rest on a corresponding shoulder (15) which protrudes within the frame (11) by way of the interposition of an annular sealing element (17); the lid (12) can be closed onto the frame (11) with reversible locking means. The reversible locking means are constituted by at least one elastically flexible bar (18, 19), which is formed on the internal annular portion (14) of the lid (12) and monolithically therewith; the at least one bar (18, 19) has a raised portion (20, 21) which is suitable to engage by snap action within a corresponding recess (22, 23) formed on the internal surface (16) of the annular wall (13) of the frame (11).

Description

• The present invention relates to an inspection cover.
• Currently known inspection covers are constituted generally by a perimetric frame to be embedded in the ground, to which a lid is hinged which is suitable to be arranged, in the closed configuration, within a complementarily shaped annular wall of the frame; an internal annular portion of the lid is designed to rest on a corresponding shoulder which protrudes inside the frame by way of the interposition of an annular sealing element.
• Such inspection covers are provided generally with reversible locking means for closing the lid onto the frame, so that the lid cannot open inadvertently, when for example a vehicle passes over it, and in any case to prevent anyone from being able to access it easily, if said inspection covers are of the type of the manhole type, i.e., having such dimensions as to allow a person to pass through them.
• The means for locking the lid to the frame are constituted generally by a screw-and-nut coupling, which is arranged in a recess below the walking surface and is therefore awkward to access and also slow to provide.
• In order to obviate the drawbacks in terms of awkwardness and slowness in closing or opening, latch-type locking means have been devised which are constituted by a pin which is inserted through the lid and has an actuation head which faces upward from the lid, at the level of the walking surface, and is available to an operator, and a retention element which protrudes radially from the pin below the lid and is positioned, when the lid is closed, below the shoulder of the frame on which the sealing element is arranged and against which the lid abuts; when the lid is closed, by turning the actuation head the lid is released to lift it or couple it to the frame.
• Although such locking means are widespread and appreciated, they require the provision of a suitable contoured hole for the pin with a recess for the actuation head, and they also require an operation for assembling the retention element to the pin; although the drawbacks of the screw-and-nut system are solved, said locking means introduce the need to fit new components to the inspection cover, with consequent higher costs in terms of manufacture and labor.
• The aim of the present invention is to provide an inspection cover which solves the drawbacks shown by known types of inspection cover.
• Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an inspection cover in which the closure of the lid onto the frame is immediate.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an inspection cover whose locking means are easy and quick to open.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an inspection cover whose mechanical and technical properties are at least equal to those of known types of inspection cover.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an inspection cover which is simple to provide.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an inspection cover which can be manufactured with known systems and technologies.
• This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an inspection cover, which comprises a perimetric frame to be embedded in the ground and to which a lid is pivoted which is suitable to be arranged, in the closed configuration, within a complementarily shaped annular wall of the frame, an internal annular portion of said lid being designed to rest on a corresponding shoulder which protrudes within said frame by way of the interposition of an annular sealing element, said lid being closable onto said frame with reversible locking means, said inspection cover being characterized in that said reversible locking means are constituted by at least one elastically flexible bar which is formed on said internal annular portion of the lid and monolithically therewith, said at least one bar having a raised portion which is suitable to engage by snap action within a corresponding recess formed on the internal surface of said annular wall.
• Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of two preferred but not exclusive embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inspection cover according to the invention in the open configuration, in a first embodiment thereof;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the inspection cover according to the invention in the partly closed configuration, in its first embodiment;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view of a detail of the inspection cover in the first embodiment in the closed configuration;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the inspection cover according to the invention in the half-closed configuration, in a second embodiment thereof;
• Figure 5 is a sectional view of a detail of the inspection cover in the second embodiment in the closed configuration.
• With reference to the figures, an inspection cover according to the invention is generally designated by thereference numeral 10 in its first embodiment; such first embodiment of the invention is shown inFigures 1 to 3.
• Theinspection cover 10 comprises aperimetric frame 11 to be embedded in the ground and to which alid 12 is pivoted which is suitable to be arranged, in the closed configuration, within a complementarily shapedannular wall 13 of theframe 11.
• An internalannular portion 14 of thelid 12 is designed to rest on acorresponding shoulder 15 which protrudes inside theframe 11 by way of the interposition of anannular sealing element 17.
• Thelid 12 can be closed onto theframe 11 by way of reversible locking means.
• Such reversible locking means are constituted by twobars 18 and 19, which are elastically flexible and are formed on the internalannular portion 14 of thelid 12 and monolithically therewith.
• Thebars 18 and 19 each have a raisedportion 20 and 21 respectively, which is suitable to engage by snap action within a corresponding recess, 22 for a first raisedportion 20 and 23 for the second raisedportion 21; therecesses 22, 23 are formed on theinternal surface 16 of theannular wall 13.
• The twoelastic bars 18 and 19 are arranged symmetrically and tangentially with respect to theannular portion 14, and the respective raisedportions 20 and 21 are provided on the free ends thereof.
• Each raisedportion 20 and 21 has a thickness which decreases continuously from the outside toward the inside of thelid 12, as can be seen clearly in the sectional view ofFigure 3, so as to form an inclined pusher surface when the raisedportion 20 and 21, during the closure of thelid 12, comes into contact with theouter edge 24 of theannular wall 13, which produces the inward flexing of theelastic bar 18 and 19 of which the raisedportion 20 and 21 is a part.
• Eachrecess 22 and 23 is contoured so as to form a guide for the upward exit of the corresponding raisedportion 20 and 21.
• Such guiding element, as exemplified inFigure 3 for afirst recess 22, is formed by theupper face 22a of therecess 22, which is inclined so as to allow the sliding thereon, so as to exit from said recess, of the corresponding raisedportion 20; the same applies also to thesecond recess 23 and the respective raisedportion 21.
• In the first embodiment of theinspection cover 10, each one of theelastic bars 18 and 19 is formed on the internalannular portion 14 by a substantially U-shapedslot 25 for thefirst bar 18 and 26 for thesecond bar 19; theslots 25, 26 are open on the solid wall which constitutes the internalannular portion 14.
• Such solid wall which constitutes the internalannular portion 14 therefore has a continuous and uninterruptedlower edge 14a which abuts against theannular sealing element 17, which also is continuous.
• Acompartment 28 for the insertion of a lever-like tool for opening thelid 12 is formed on theannular wall 13 of theframe 11, between the tworecesses 22 and 23; agrip tooth 29 for the tool faces thecompartment 28 from thelid 12.
• Advantageously, theperimetric frame 11 has, on itsperimetric resting base 30,openings 31 for optimizing the grip of the grout.
• Theannular sealing element 17 is a noise-damping and oscillation-preventing gasket, which also acts as an odor-tight seal, if theinspection cover 10 according to the invention is provided, as in the example described and shown here, with such a shape and dimensions as to be of the manhole type, and is used to close accesses for sewer inspection.
• Theinspection cover 10 according to the invention can be provided preferably by using spheroidal cast iron, but also by using any other equivalent material.
• For the closure of theinspection cover 10 according to the invention it is therefore necessary and sufficient to allow thelid 12, pivoted to theframe 11 with a per se known articulation, to enter by gravity theannular wall 13 of theframe 11; the passage of the raisedportions 20 and 21 against theannular wall 13 causes theelastic bars 18 and 19 to flex toward the inside of thelid 12 and then return to the initial position when the raisedportions 20 and 21 snap into therespective seats 22 and 23 provided on thewall 13.
• Thelid 12 ends its stroke in abutment against theannular sealing element 17.
• To open thelid 12, it is sufficient to insert a lever-like tool, for example a bar or a crowbar, in thecompartment 28, and act so that the end portion of the bar arranged inside thecompartment 28 rests on one side against the upper edge of thecompartment 28 while it pushes with the end against thetooth 29 which protrudes from thelid 12.
• The profile of the raisedportions 20 and 21, in cooperation with the upper faces of the recess which are suitably inclined, allows the raisedportions 20 and 21 to exit from theseats 22 and 23 without jamming, allowing thebars 18 and 19 to flex toward the inside of thelid 12 and thus freeing said lid for its opening.
• A particular advantage provided with theinspection cover 10 according to the invention resides in that thelower edge 14a of theannular portion 14 of the lid is continuous, and when the lid is closed, it presses against the equallycontinuous sealing element 17.
• In applications in which odors and stenches rise from the well closed by theinspection cover 10, this solution allows, as in the case in which it is used for inspecting sewer system lines, theseal 17 and thecontinuous edge 14a to co-operate greatly in reducing the passage of air toward the outside from theinspection cover 10.
• In asecond embodiment 110 of the inspection cover according to the invention, shown inFigures 4 and 5 and also to be considered as exemplifying and nonlimiting for the invention, each one of theelastic bars 118 and 119 is formed on the internalannular portion 114 of thelid 112 by a substantially L-shaped slot 125 and 126 which is open onto the solid wall which constitutes the internalannular portion 114; the L-shaped slot 125 and 126 protrudes from thelower edge 114a of the latter.
• The solid wall that constitutes the internalannular portion 114 has alower edge 114a with two discontinuous portions whose dimensions are between 5 and 15 mm at the L-shaped slots 125 and 126 and abuts against the continuous annular sealing element 117.
• The seal formed by the closure of thelower edge 114a on the sealing element 117 is therefore slightly inferior to the one achieved with thefirst embodiment 10 of the inspection cover described above, but is in any case better than similar known types of inspection cover, which generally have closure means which are structured so that the sealing element is interrupted and therefore the ability to retain odors is inferior.
• In practice it has been found that the invention thus described solves the problems noted in similar known types of inspection cover.
• In particular, the present invention provides an inspection cover in which the closure of the lid onto the frame is immediate, since it is sufficient to lower thelid 12 onto theframe 11 to achieve the automatic snap insertion of the raisedportions 20 and 21 in therespective seats 22 and 23.
• Further, the present invention provides an inspection cover whose locking means are easy and quick to open, since a tool with which to act as a lever, as described above, is sufficient.
• Moreover, the invention provides an inspection cover whose mechanical and technical properties are not inferior to those of known types of inspection cover.
• Further, the inspection cover according to the invention allows to achieve an optimum hermetic closure in order to prevent the escape into the environment of the odors and stenches that rise for example from a sewer system inspection well to which it is applied.
• Moreover, with the present invention an inspection cover has been devised which is simple to provide, without having to add components to provide the locking means, with important savings in terms of labor and in terms of components.
• Moreover, an inspection cover which can be manufactured with known systems and technologies has been provided with the present invention.
• The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
• In practice, the materials employed, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.
• The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No.PD2007A000101 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
• Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims (15)

1. An inspection cover, comprising a perimetric frame (11) to be embedded in the ground and to which a lid (12) is pivoted which is suitable to be arranged, in the closed configuration, within a complementarily shaped annular wall (13) of the frame (11), an internal annular portion (14) of said lid (12) being designed to rest on a corresponding shoulder (15) which protrudes within said frame (11) by way of the interposition of an annular sealing element (17), said lid (12) being closable onto said frame (11) with reversible locking means, said inspection cover beingcharacterized in that said reversible locking means are constituted by at least one elastically flexible bar (18, 19) which is formed on said internal annular portion (14) of the lid (12) and monolithically therewith, said at least one bar (18, 19) having a raised portion (20, 21) which is suitable to engage by snap action within a corresponding recess (22, 23) formed on the internal surface (16) of said annular wall (13).
2. The inspection cover according to claim 1,characterized in that it comprises two of said at least one elastic bars (18, 19), which are arranged symmetrically and tangentially with respect to said annular portion (14).
3. The inspection cover according to the preceding claims,characterized in that the raised portions (20, 21) of the elastic bars (18, 19) are provided on the free ends of said bars.
4. The inspection cover according to the preceding claims,characterized in that each raised portion (20, 21) has a thickness which decreases continuously from the outside toward the inside of the lid (12), so as to form an inclined pusher surface when the raised portion (20, 21), during the closure of the lid (12), comes into contact with the outer edge (24) of the annular wall (13), which produces the inward flexing of the elastic bar (18, 19), of which the raised portion (20, 21) is a part.
5. The inspection cover according to the preceding claims,characterized in that each recess (22, 23) for said raised portions (20, 21) is contoured so as to form a guide for the upward exit of the raised portion (20, 21).
6. The inspection cover according to the preceding claim,characterized in that said guide is constituted by the upper face (22a) of the recess (22), which is inclined so as to allow the sliding thereon, so as to exit from the recess (22, 23), of the raised portion (20, 21).
7. The inspection cover according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in that each one of said elastic bars (18, 19) is formed on the internal annular portion (14) by a substantially U-shaped slot (25, 26) which is open onto the solid wall which constitutes the internal annular portion (14).
8. The inspection cover according to the preceding claim,characterized in that the solid wall that constitutes the internal annular portion (14) has a continuous and uninterrupted lower edge (14a) which abuts against said annular sealing element (17), which also is continuous.
9. The inspection cover according to one or more of claims 1 to 6,characterized in that each one of said elastic bars (118, 119) is formed on the internal annular portion (114) by a substantially L-shaped slot (125, 126), which is open onto the solid wall which constitutes the internal annular portion (114) starting from the lower edge (114a) of the latter.
10. The inspection cover according to the preceding claim,characterized in that the solid wall that constitutes the internal annular portion (114) has a lower edge (114a) with two discontinuities whose dimensions are between 5 and 15 millimeters at the L-shaped slots (125, 126) and abuts against said continuous annular sealing element (117).
11. The inspection cover according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in that a compartment (28) is formed on the annular wall (13) of the frame (11), between the two recesses (22, 23), for the insertion of a lever-like tool for opening the lid, a grip tooth (29) for said tool facing said compartment (28) from the lid (12).
12. The inspection cover according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in that said perimetric frame (11) has, on its perimetric resting base (30), openings (31) for optimizing the grip of the grout.
13. The inspection cover according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in that said annular sealing element (17) is a noise-damping and oscillation-preventing gasket.
14. The inspection cover according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in that it is made of spheroidal cast iron or another equivalent material.
15. The inspection cover according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in that it is of the manhole type.

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