STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIALS SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to ductwork for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to register boxes as used with such systems. More particularly, the present invention relates boot rail adapters that are used to secure the register box to supporting surfaces.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98

To create the desired ambient conditions within a structure, a typical HVAC system is installed for circulating and/or conditioning air drawn from the interior of the structure and returned to the interior of the structure. A central unit or several units are located in or near the structure, each unit comprising a fan for air circulation and optionally comprising a heating, humidification, or cooling system for conditioning the air passing through the central unit.

To conduct air to and from each central unit, ducting is provided in the structure. The ducting includes supply-air ducts which provide conditioned air to the interior of the structure and are connected to the outlets of each central unit and return-air ducts which return air to each central unit and are connected to inlets of each central unit. Supply-air ducts typically terminate in supply-air register boxes mounted to the walls, the ceilings, or other surfaces within the interior, whereas return-air ducts typically begin at register boxes mounted to a surface within the interior, such as a wall, ceiling, or floor. There are usually many more register boxes for supplying air than for returning air, with those for returning air typically being substantially larger than those for supplying air.

To increase efficiency, building codes are being revised to require substantially airtight HVAC systems. In the past, a standard technique has been utilized for forming such sheet-metal register boxes. A form is cut from a rectangular, planar metal sheet. The form has cutouts for corners or other features to allow bending of the form into the desired shape. Cutouts define the height of the sides and an overlapping flap is formed by cutting a slot at each cut out. The sides are bent along bend lines to lie in intersecting planes so as to form an open-bottom, rectangular enclosure of a register box, with the vertical edges of the sides abutting the inside surfaces of the sides. The flap is folded around each corner that lies adjacent the outer surface of the side and then fastened to the side with rivets. In order to complete the register box, a circular duct connector or is connected to a circular cutout in the upper surface of the box. Prior art register boxes are also formed with abutting edges to form the enclosure. The abutting or overlapping edges may be fastened by adhering or by other fastening means, such as spot welding.

The method described above produces ducting enclosures that often leak conditioned air through the gaps between the edges at the corners, or, in the case of enclosures formed with multiple pieces, through the seams where the pieces are joined together. The prior-art method includes many labor-intensive steps to form the enclosures, including the cutting of the planar sheet and the fastening of the edges.

In order to achieve the requisite efficiency in compliance with building codes, insulation is used with such register boxes. The formation of the insulation of the register boxes has become somewhat of a problem. Since the boxes are conventionally made of sheet metal, such as galvanized steel or aluminum, the insulation must be applied to either or both the inside and outside of the register box either before or after it is installed. The cutting and fastening of the insulation to the box is tedious and time-consuming. As such, it is thereby rather expensive in terms of the cost of the insulation material and in terms of the amount of time required to properly insulate the register box.

The placement of insulation can be a time-consuming, hazardous, and tedious task. Typically, a large section of fibrous material requires a cutting into various shapes that fit within the interior of the register box. This fibrous material is then affixed to the walls on the inside of the register box by hand. Often, many steps are required so as to properly fit the insulation material within the register box. Furthermore, since fibrous material is being manually handled by workers, there can be exposure to airborne fibers. The cutting and fitting of the insulation material within the register box is extremely tedious and boring to workers.

In the past, various patents have issued relating to register boxes and to the insulating of such register boxes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,158, issued on Oct. 12, 1976 to J. V. Felter, describes a box for mounting diffusers wherein the main body of the box is made of expanded plastic or similar material. One or more connection elements are molded within the walls of the box to provide for connection of the box to the building structure and to a duct and also to reinforce the box.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,235, issued on Apr. 5, 1988 to Anderson et al., discloses an insulated duct end system. The system includes duct assemblies and transition components for interconnecting the duct assemblies. Each duct assembly includes an insulated duct having a rigid sleeve within at least one end. Each sleeve includes an abutment ring and orifices in the ring for permitting air to flow into the insulated area to balloon the layer and improve its insulative effect.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,942, issued on Mar. 17, 1992 to G. C. Murphy, teaches a plastic self-insulating ductwork system. The system includes a distribution box which includes an upper portion having a plurality of walls and a bottom plate. The distribution box is joined to interconnecting duct lines by adapter conduits. The adapter conduits are adapted at one end for connection to an opening in the wall and are adapted at the other end for connection to an adjoining duct line. U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,403, issued on Jun. 15, 1993 the G. C. Murphy, discloses a similar type of self-insulating ductwork system as that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,942.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,196, issued on Aug. 19, 1997 to T. L. Swaim, provides an air duct diffuser for attachment to a ceiling grid. The diffuser includes a frame which mounts to the ceiling grid and a louver which mounts to the frame for directing diffused air within an associated airspace. A pre-formed composite housing of insulating material mounts to the frame and has punch-out duct openings of varying sizes.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,190, issued on May 12, 1998 to S. R. Williams, shows an HVAC register box having no welded or riveted corners and also a process for making such an HVAC register box. The register box is fabricated from a single sheet of material without cutting. The register box has superior rigidity and resistance to air leakage at the joints or corners.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,506, issued on Sep. 28, 1999 to M. D. Stepp, provides a sheet-metal insulated register box. The register box has an adjustable elbow fitting that is coupled directly to an air inlet panel of an air distribution register box by having roll-formed flange portions that are mated in interlocking, overlapping engagement with each other. The air inlet panel includes an outwardly flared coupling flange bordering an air inlet opening. The neck of the sheet-metal elbow includes a folded coupling flange that is dimensioned for interfitting, overlapping engagement with the outwardly-flared elbow coupling flange.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0014860, published on Jan. 17, 2008 to Heitman et al., discloses a method and apparatus for eliminating register boxes. A collar plate assembly interfaces with metal air ducts and is provided with at least one spring indentation ring to accept two or more locking springs. The locking springs are used to attach the ceiling register to the collar plate assembly. The collar plate assembly uses mounting rails that attach the assembly to either the ceiling or wall supports. A trim ring is inserted in the cutout that attaches between the collar in the ceiling so as to eliminate air leakage and so as to provide an essentially smooth flow of air from the supply duct to the inside of the structure.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0130154, published on Jul. 8, 2004 to Stepp et al., shows a substantially airtight register box for HVAC systems. The register box has a body formed from at least one planar sheet. The body has an inlet and outlet. At least one of the inlet and the outlet is formed by folding corners of the planar sheet to form planar sides that lie in intersecting planes. The enclosure is then mounted to a surface of an interior area of a structure and is connected to ducts for communicating air between the interior area at a central air-handler unit.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0045137, published on Feb. 21, 2008 F. Rosal, discloses an insulated plenum box for heating, ventilating and air conditioning duct systems. This plenum box has insulation sprayed onto either the inside or outside of the plenum box in order to match the R-value of the connecting insulated duct.

The configuration of the ductwork poses a problem for unskilled construction workers and is extremely time-consuming. Generally, this work involves fitting together preformed components that frequently differ in dimensions and require careful measuring and positioning during the installation process so that the components fit together. For example, a worker will commonly transpose the dimensions of the register box onto the area of the wall or ceiling opening to ascertain the dimensions of the opening to be cut. Alternately, the worker will select a standard-sized commercially available register box to fit into a pre-existing opening. Because any measurements can introduce inaccuracies, the possibility that the components will not fit together to provide support for the register box in the wall or ceiling opening or create gaps between the edges of the opening in the register box is a real concern. In those cases, another bracket must be brought to the site and used. Alternatively, the register box must be modified or register box replaced with a different size so that the components fit together and so that the register box is securely supported in the opening in the wall or ceiling.

Additionally, prior art boot systems often utilize fasteners, brackets and supports which apply fasteners to the structure of the a register box. The penetration of the structure of the register box can damage the register box. Furthermore, the structural integrity of the register box will be somewhat compromised by the penetration of the walls of the register box. As such, a need has developed so as to provide a boot rail adapter assembly which avoids the damaging of the register box while, at the same time, allowing flexibility in the installation of the register box.

In the past, various patents have issued with respect to boot rail adapters. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,981, issued on Aug. 2, 1988 to B. E. Hodges, discloses a boot hanger assembly. This hanger assembly supports ductwork. The hanger assembly has telescoping brackets for supporting the ductwork and a clip. The clip is adapted to slidably receive the telescoping hanger brackets. The clip is also adapted to mount the ductwork to the hanger brackets in a slidable fashion.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,375, issued on Nov. 25, 2003 to W. J. Donnelly, shows an air-conditioning register and boot assembly. A register mounting member is detachably connected to the boot member and a register face member is mounted on the mounting member to cover the front face thereof. The assembly is quickly and conveniently installed an opening in a floor, wall or ceiling by flexible securing clips mounted on upper edges of side or end walls of the mounting member. The securing clips have gripping formations which engage with similar formations on the face member to assist in retaining the face member to the mounting member.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,579, issued on Mar. 15 2005 to A. Pilger, describes a boot hanger mounting bracket that includes a boot hanger frame portion and a supporting member portion. The boot hanger mounting bracket is formed of a sturdy yet bendable material so that it can be configured and adjusted on-site. The boot hanger mounting bracket is secured to the building structure by securing a pair of boot hanger arms to the ceiling joists, wall studs or other supporting surface.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,944,397, issued on Feb. 3, 2015 to Brown et al., teaches a universal HVAC component mounting system. The mounting system defines a platform comprised of slidingly engaging rail sections. Each of the rail sections includes support brackets from which extend a receiving member or an inserting member configured to engage a receiving member. The platform sections include arms having channels and arms having glides. Each glide is configured to slidingly engage the channel of an adjacent platform section so as to allow the platform sections to adjust the effective length and width of the platform.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0177724, published on Sep. 25, 2003 to W. A. Botting, provides an adapter having a central body portion and a mount for connection to each of an HVAC register cover and a duct-engaging boot. A surface of the central body portion includes mounting apertures in which each is configured to accept a fastener so that the central body portion can be mounted to a support structure, such as a ceiling joist. The adapter includes a register cover mounting surface that is adjustable so that it can accommodate different-sized register covers. The adapter also includes a boot mounting surface coupled to the register cover mounting surface such that, upon engagement between the register cover mounting surface and the register cover and upon engagement between the boot mounting surface and the boot, fluid communication between the boot and the register cover is established.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0034407, published on Feb. 17, 2005 to Snyder et al., provides a support frame for a duct so as to hold the position of a vertically-disposed air duct within a wall between wall studs. The support frame defines an opening that receives the air duct. The support frame has a flange extending around the opening that engages the air duct. The support frame may include notched ends that receive the opposed wall studs to position the support frame with respect to the duct opening formed in the floor boards.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/703,436, to the present Applicant, describes a register insulated register box with a boot rail adapter. This apparatus includes an insulating material affixed within the register box, a rail guide affixed to a side panel of the register box, and a rail having a section received in a slot of the rail guide. The rail is adapted to be affixed to a supporting surface, such as a joist. The rail guide is slidable relative to the rail. The rail guide is affixed to an exterior surface of the side panel.

Upon experimentation with the subject matter of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/703,436, the present Applicant found that it was possible, and sometimes practical, to reverse the orientation of the rail guide with respect to the rail. In certain circumstances, it was found to be easier to put the rail guide onto the joist and then put the rail onto the register box. As such, the present application was directed to the insulated register box with the boot rail adapter in which the rail guide is adapted to be affixed to a supporting surface and the rail is secured to the register box.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box which minimizes air loss.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box which improves the insulating rating of the register box.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a insulated register box in which the register box is fire-resistant.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box which is compliant with national building codes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box which avoids the use of fibrous insulation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box which improves the health and safety of workers that assemble the register box.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box in which the formed register box is very energy efficient.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a process for forming a register box which allows inspectors to quickly ascertain that the register box is insulated.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box with a boot rail adapter which allows the position of the register box to be adjusted.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box with a boot rail adapter which allows the register box to be locked in position on the rails.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box and a boot rail adapter which avoids the penetration of the material of the register box.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box with a boot rail adapter which can be quickly and easily assembled by unskilled personnel.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an insulated register box with a boot rail adapter which is easy to manufacture and relatively inexpensive.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an apparatus that comprises a register box having a plurality of side panels and a duct opening to an interior of the plurality of side panels, an insulating material affixed to the plurality of side panels and extending inwardly of the plurality of side panels, a rail guide defining a slot that extends longitudinally along the rail guide, and a rail having a section received in the slot of the rail guide. The rail guide is adapted to be affixed to a supporting surface. The rail is affixed to at least one of the plurality of side panels.

The rail guide is slidable relative to the rail. The rail is affixed to an exterior surface of the side panel. The rail is affixed to the exterior surface of the side panel without fasteners. The rail includes a first rail affixed to a first side panel of the plurality of side panels and a second rail affixed to a second side panel of the plurality of side panels. The first side panel is on an opposite side of the register box from the second side panel.

The rail guide includes a first rail guide and a second rail guide. The first rail guide receives the first rail therein. The second rail guide receives the second rail therein. The rail guide comprises a first surface adapted to be affixed to the underlying surface, a second surface extending inwardly from a side of the first surface, and a third surface extending in spaced relationship to the second surface. The third surface has an inwardly turned edge that is inwardly turned in a direction toward the second surface. The slot of the rail guide is defined by the second and third surfaces. The section of the rail is received between the second and third surfaces. The section of the rail has at least one projection extending toward the third surface of the rail guide. This projection is cooperative with the inwardly turned edge so as to lock the rail guide to the rail.

The support surface is a joist. The rail guide is affixed to the joist. The register box has a portion extending away from the joist. The joist comprises a first joist and a second joist extending in parallel relation to each other. The rail guide comprises a first guide rail guide and a second rail guide. The first rail guide is affixed to the first joist and to the second joist. The second rail guide is affixed to the first joist and to the second joist in parallel relationship to the first rail guide. The rail comprises a first rail and a second rail. The first rail is received by the first rail guide. The second rail is received by the second rail guide. The insulating material is an expanded polymeric material. The rail is affixed to the side panel by a clinch lock.

The present invention is also a method for positioning a register box upon a supporting surface. This method includes the steps of: (1) affixing a rail to an exterior surface of the register box; (2) inserting a section of the rail into a slot of a rail guide such that the rail is secured to the rail guide; and (3) fastening the rail guide to the supporting surface such that the register box extends away from the supporting surface. This method further includes sliding the section of the rail longitudinally along the slot of the rail guide so as to position the register box in a desired position with respect to the sporting surface. The step of affixing includes attaching the rail to the exterior surface of the register box without penetrating the material of the register box.

In the method of the present invention, the supporting surface is a first joist and a second joist. The step of fastening includes affixing the rail guide to the first joist such that the register box is positioned between the first and second joists. The step of fastening includes a fixing the first rail guide to the first and second joists such that the first rail guide extends between the first and second joists, and affixing the second rail guide to this first and second joists such that the second rail guide extends between the first and second joists in parallel relationship to the first rail guide. The step of inserting include snap-fitting the section of the rail into the slot of the rail guide such that the rail guide is locked upon the rail.

This foregoing Section is intended to describe, with particularity, the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is understood that modifications to these preferred embodiments can be made within the scope of the present claims. As such, this Section should not to be construed, in any way, as limiting of the broad scope of the present invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

