Systems and Methods of Providing a Notched Cover

Abstract

Example embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods of providing a notched cover include a lid for an underground vault for temporary use while the permanent lid to the underground vault is removed. In an example application, this underground vault lid would facilitate fiber maintenance in that the fiber optic cables may be maintained through the lid while protecting the public and the utility company employees from the danger of injury due to an “open hole in the ground” that is created when an underground vault is open. The disclosed systems and methods of providing a notched lid may include a temporary vault lid comprising a small opening relative to the size of the lid, the opening allowing the fiber optic cable to exit the vault while maintaining the pedestrian integrity of the vault lid, thereby reducing and/or eliminating the safety risk associated with the exposed vault.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/451,549, filed on Mar. 10, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is generally related to utility systems and, more particularly, is related to a utility vault cover.

BACKGROUND

In the process of assessing the field dangers related to utility systems and equipment maintenance, for example, in maintaining fiber operations in the telecommunications systems, open covers during maintenance operations is a legitimate safety concern. It is typical to open the cover and cordon off the area for safety reasons. Permission for blocking off the area is generally requested from the appropriate municipal entity, and safety cones and/or rope, chain, warning tape, or other material is used to attempt to keep technicians, other people, animals, etc., from walking into the underground vault, which may be, for example, as large as three feet by five feet in some cases. There are heretofore unaddressed needs with previous solutions in providing safety with access to the underground utility systems.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems of providing a notched cover. Briefly described, in architecture, one example embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows: a vault lid, the vault lid comprising a notched opening for providing access to the vault with the lid in place on the vault.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can also be viewed as providing methods for providing a notched cover. In this regard, one embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following steps: removing a utility vault cover; and replacing the utility vault cover with a temporary vault lid comprising a notched opening for providing access to the vault with the lid in place on the vault.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of an underground vault with a one piece cover.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram of an underground vault with a multiple piece cover.

FIG. 3 is a system diagram of an underground vault with a multiple piece cover with cables extended out of the vault.

FIG. 4 is a system diagram of an example embodiment of a system of providing a single piece notched cover.

FIG. 5 is a system diagram of an example embodiment of a system of providing a multiple piece notched cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures, and in which example embodiments are shown. Embodiments of the claims may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The examples set forth herein are non-limiting examples and are merely examples among other possible examples.

Example embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods of providing a notched cover include a lid for an underground vault, which may be pedestrian-rated for example, for temporary use while the permanent lid to the underground vault is removed. In an example application, this underground vault lid would facilitate fiber maintenance in that the fiber optic cables may be maintained through the lid while protecting the public and the utility company employees from the danger of injury due to an “open hole in the ground” that is created when an underground vault is open. In other example applications, hoses, wires, and/or other maintenance equipment may pass through the notch in the temporary lid. The disclosed systems and methods of providing a notched lid may include a temporary vault lid comprising a small opening relative to the size of the lid, the opening allowing the fiber optic cable to exit the vault while maintaining the pedestrian integrity of the vault lid, thereby reducing and/or eliminating the safety risk associated with the exposed vault.

When maintenance personnel or technicians are performing work in the field, a grate covers a vault containing equipment underneath a sidewalk, street, or other area. Currently, there is a cordoned area that the maintenance personnel may be required to implement to block off the whole sidewalk based on regulations and/or restrictions. When the permanent lid is removed to access the equipment, an open area is created that maintenance personnel use to access equipment in the underground vault. If care is not taken to properly cordon of the open area, a danger exists that people and/or animals could fall into the open area. The area is left open for access to the vault so that cables or other devices can pass through. Example embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods of providing a notched cover are introduced so that the open area can now be covered, but the cables may still be run through the notch or opening to perform the work. There is no longer an open hole, and the sidewalk is not closed down, among other advantages.

Materials for example embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods of providing a notched cover may include cast iron, concrete, heavy metal, or hard plastic, among other suitable materials. The cover may be sized to fit the present opening. The cover may also additionally comprise an extra lip, to extend over the sides of the original hole to provide additional stability. The cover may be translucent so that ambient light can pass through. The notch may be of many shapes, including rectangular, square, elliptical, oval, etc. The cover may comprise a single notch, or multiple notches. The edges of the notch may be rounded. The notch may also comprise a mechanism to help run the cable through such as a non-limiting example of a rolling mechanism to assist in pulling cables through the notch. The notched cover may comprise two or more separable pieces with the notch in one piece or in multiple pieces. The notches in multiple pieces may line up to be combinable.

In an alternative embodiment, the permanent lid/cover may include a removable notch plate. When access to the underground vault is required, the notch may be removed from the permanent lid/cover, and the cables, wires, hoses, or other maintenance equipment may be passed through the notched opening. The notch may be sized for the equipment used in the particular application. Lids currently in use may be retrofitted to include a notch plate.

FIG. 1 provides a system drawing of utility vault 100 with opening 110 and equipment 115. Permanent lid 120 fits over opening 110 to provide safety when equipment 115 is not in use and to provide access when necessary. When access is necessary, permanent lid 120 is removed and utility vault 100 may become a safety hazard. Permanent lid 120 is a single piece.

FIG. 2 provides a system drawing of utility vault 200 with opening 210 and equipment 215. A permanent lid comprising first permanent lid piece 220 and second permanent lid piece 230 fits over opening 210 to provide safety when equipment 215 is not in use and to provide access when necessary. When access is necessary, the permanent lid comprising first permanent lid piece 220 and second permanent lid piece 230 is removed and utility vault 200 may become a safety hazard. Each piece of the permanent lid comprising first permanent lid piece 220 and second permanent lid piece 230 is lighter and less cumbersome than a single piece permanent lid would be, enabling a technician to remove the permanent lid with more ease than with a single piece lid.

FIG. 3 provides a system drawing of utility vault 300 with opening 310 and equipment 330. Permanent lid 320 and second permanent lid piece 330 fits over opening 310 to provide safety when equipment 330 is not in use and to provide access when necessary. When access is necessary, permanent lid 320 is removed, equipment 330 is extended outside of utility vault 300 and utility vault 300 may become a safety hazard.

FIG. 4 provides a drawing of an example embodiment of a system of providing a notched cover. Lid 400 comprises notch opening 410. An example embodiment of lid 400 is a single piece and fits over the opening in the vault. Opening 410 allows the equipment such as cables in the vault to extend outside the vault with lid 400 in place on the vault. Lid 400 may be sized to fit in the vault opening from where the permanent lid was removed. Alternatively, lid 400 may fit over the opening and/or comprise a lip. Notched opening 410 may be located in the corner or in any other location in lid 400. Lid 400 may be designed in any shape or size to provide safety by covering the top of the utility vault while providing access to the equipment.

FIG. 5 provides a drawing of an example embodiment of a system of providing a notched cover. Lid 500 comprises notch opening comprising opening 515 and 525. An example embodiment of lid 500 comprises a plurality of pieces 510 and 520. Lid 500 fits over the opening in the vault and the opening comprising opening 510 and 520 allows the equipment such as cables in the vault to extend outside the vault with lid 500 in place on the vault. Lid 500 may sized to fit in the vault opening where the permanent lid was removed. Alternatively, lid 500 may fit over the opening and/or comprise a lip. The notched opening comprising opening 515 and 525 may be located where the pieces meet to provide access to the equipment in the vault. Alternatively each of lid piece 510 and 520 may comprise its own notch opening that does not meet the opening of another lid piece. Lid 500 may be designed in any shape or size to provide safety by covering the top of the utility vault while providing access to the equipment.

Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a utility vault comprising utility equipment; and

a vault lid comprising a notched opening for providing access to the vault with the lid in place on the vault.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vault lid is a temporary vault lid used in place of a permanent vault lid.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the permanent vault lid does not have a notched opening.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the temporary vault lid is lighter than the permanent vault lid.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vault lid is a single piece.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the notched opening is located in a corner of the vault lid.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vault lid comprises a plurality of pieces.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the notched opening is located in each of the plurality of pieces of the vault lid.

9. A system comprising:

a vault lid, the vault lid comprising a notched opening for providing access to the vault with the lid in place on the vault.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vault lid is a temporary vault lid used in place of a permanent vault lid.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the permanent vault lid does not have a notched opening.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the temporary vault lid is lighter than the permanent vault lid.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the vault lid is a single piece.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the notched opening is located in a corner of the vault lid.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the vault lid comprises a plurality of pieces.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the notched opening is located in each of the plurality of pieces of the vault lid.

17. A method, comprising:

removing a utility vault cover; and

replacing the utility vault cover with a temporary vault lid comprising a notched opening for providing access to the vault with the lid in place on the vault.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vault lid is a temporary vault lid used in place of a permanent vault lid.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the permanent vault lid does not have a notched opening.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the temporary vault lid is lighter than the permanent vault lid.