Insulated register box/connector for use with insulated air duct, an insulated register box assembly, method of use and method of making

Abstract

An insulated register box includes an expandable polymeric foam insulation on an exterior thereof. The foam insulation, as applied to the exterior of the insulated register box, provides a boss having a first surface that engages the end of an insulated duct and a second surface that runs parallel to the collar of the register box and is designed to align with an outer surface of the insulated air duct. The zip ties that are used to attach the insulated air duct to the register box are easily applied to both the exterior of the insulated air duct near and at where the insulated air duct engages the first surface and the second surface of the boss. The boss can include a groove with crushable ribs and/or the collar can include similar crushable ribs to enhance connection between the register box and the insulated air duct.

1 . An insulated register box comprising:
 a body having side walls forming an opening to allow conditioned or unconditioned air to be directed in a building space and an end wall extending from side edges of the side walls and having an end wall opening therein;   a collar extending from the opening, the collar configured to connect to an insulated or uninsulated air duct to supply conditioned or unconditioned air to the register box; and   insulation surrounding an exterior of the side walls, the end wall, and a portion of the duct, the insulation including a boss that surrounds the portion of the collar, the boss having a first surface extending from an exterior surface of the collar and spaced from the end wall and a second surface extending toward the end wall and being generally perpendicular to the first surface, the second surface configured to facilitate attachment of the insulated or uninsulated air duct to the register box.   
     
     
         2 . The insulated register box of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation is an expandable polymeric material, preferably a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         3 . The insulated register box of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes flanges, extending outwardly from the side walls, the flanges including a surface for contact with the insulation. 
     
     
         4 . The insulated register box of  claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane foam has a durometer rating ranging from 3000 to up to 80A. 
     
     
         5 . The insulated register box of  claim 1 , wherein the boss includes a groove formed in the second surface, the groove optionally having side walls terminating in a ribbed portion, the ribbed portion including a plurality of ribs extending circumferentially around the boss, the ribs being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism located in the groove and tightened against the ribbed portion, or the boss includes a ribbed portion on an outer surface thereof, the ribbed portion including a plurality of ribs extending circumferentially around the boss, the ribs being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism tightened against the ribbed portion. 
     
     
         6 . The insulated register box of  claim 5 , wherein the groove includes the ribbed portion. 
     
     
         7 . The insulated register box of  claim 5 , wherein the boss includes a ribbed portion on an outer surface thereof, the ribbed portion including a plurality of ribs extending circumferentially around the boss, the ribs being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism tightened against the ribbed portion. 
     
     
         8 . The insulated register box of  claim 6 , wherein the side walls are angled inwardly towards the ribbed portion. 
     
     
         9 . The insulated register box of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the collar includes either:
 a plurality of ribs made from an expandible polymeric material, each rib extending circumferentially around the portion of the collar, the plurality of ribs extending along a length of at least a portion the collar, the plurality of ribs being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism applied against the plurality of ribs; and/or   a layer of expandable polymeric material extending circumferentially around the portion of the collar, the layer extending along a length of at least a portion of the collar, the layer of expandable polymeric material being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism applied against the layer of expandable polymeric material.   
     
     
         10 . A register box comprising:
 a body having side walls forming an opening to allow conditioned or unconditioned air to be directed in a building space and an end wall extending from side edges of the side walls and having an end wall opening therein;   a collar extending from the opening, the collar configured to connect to an insulated or non-insulated, flexible or non-flexible air duct to supply conditioned or unconditioned air to the register box;   wherein a portion of the collar includes either:   a plurality of ribs made from an expandible polymeric material, each rib extending circumferentially around the portion of the collar, the plurality of ribs extending along a length of at least a portion the collar, the plurality of ribs being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism applied against the plurality of ribs; and/or   a layer of expandable polymeric material extending circumferentially around the portion of the collar, the layer extending along a length of at least a portion of the collar, the layer being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism applied against the layer.   
     
     
         11 . The insulated register box of  claim 3 , further comprising an I-shaped bracket, a first leg of the bracket attached to the side wall, and a second leg having a first portion extending from the side wall and through the insulation, and a second portion extending outside of the insulation, the second portion including means for either bending the second portion or separating the second portion from the first portion. 
     
     
         12 . The insulated register box of  claim 11 , wherein a bottom portion of the insulation extending beneath the first portion of the flange includes a means for enhancing a seal between a face of the bottom portion and a structure engaging the face of the bottom portion when the insulated register box is installed in a location. 
     
     
         13 . The insulated register box of  claim 11 , wherein the seal enhancing means comprises a lip extending along a periphery of the bottom portion of the insulation. 
     
     
         14 . The insulated register box of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation surrounding the side walls includes a bottom portion, the bottom portion including a means for enhancing a seal between a face of the bottom portion and a structure engaging the face of the bottom portion where the insulated register box is installed in a location. 
     
     
         15 . The insulated register box of  claim 14 , wherein the seal enhancing means comprises a lip extending along a periphery of the bottom portion of the insulation. 
     
     
         16 . A connector having at least one passageway for conditioned or unconditioned air to pass therethrough, the connector has at least one portion configured to attached to a duct by the use of a fastening means, the at least one portion having at least one of crushable ribs and a layer of expandable polymeric material surrounding the at least one portion and enhancing a seal between the at least one portion and the duct;
 the crushable ribs made from an expandible polymeric material, each rib extending circumferentially around the at least one portion of the connector, the crushable foam ribs extending along a length of the at least one portion of the connector, the crushable ribs being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism applied against the crushable ribs;   the layer of expandable polymeric material extending circumferentially around the at least one portion of the connector, the layer extending along a length of the at least one portion of the connector, the layer being crushable under a force of a clamping mechanism applied against the layer.   
     
     
         17 . The connector of  claim 16 , wherein the connector is a duct having two openings ends, with the at least one portion adjacent at least one of the two openings. 
     
     
         18 . The connector of  claim 16 , wherein the duct has a straight profile or a curved profile. 
     
     
         19 . The connector of  claim 16 , wherein the connector has a collar and a flange, the collar including the at least one portion with one or more of the crushable ribs and the layer of expandable polymeric foam. 
     
     
         20 . The connector of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one chamber and at least two open-ended collars, at least one of the open-ended collars including the at least one portion with one or more of the crushable ribs and the layer of expandable polymeric material. 
     
     
         21 . In a method of moving conditioned or unconditioned air using insulated or non-insulated, flexible or non-flexible air ducts and register boxes, wherein the insulated air duct is attached to an insulated register box, the improvement comprising using the insulated register box of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         22 . A duct and insulated register box assembly comprising the insulated register box of  claim 1 , an insulated or non-insulated, flexible or non-flexible air duct, and means for attaching the insulated or non-insulated, flexible or non-flexible air duct to a portion of collar of the insulated register box and the boss thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the means for attaching is one or more of tape, nylon tie(s), wire(s), and worm drive expanding clamp(s), each attached to an exterior portion of the insulated or non-insulated, flexible or non-flexible air duct and at least the second surface of the boss. 
     
     
         24 . A method of making a boss-containing insulated register box comprising:
 providing a register box having:
 a body having side walls forming an opening to allow conditioned or unconditioned air to be directed in a building space and an end wall extending from side edges of the side walls and having an end wall opening therein; 
 a collar extending from the end wall opening, the collar configured to connect to an insulated air duct to support the conditioned or unconditioned air to the register box; 
   providing a mold with a boss forming portion, the mold sized to fit over the register box while leaving a space between an inside of the mold and an exterior of the register box, and providing an insulation in the space to form the boss-containing insulated register box.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the insulation is an expandable polymeric material, preferably a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the side walls are angled inwardly toward the ribbed portion. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the mold includes a plurality of recesses for forming a plurality of ribs around the duct.