Pre-formed foundation pier vapor barrier wrapand method of manufacturing

Abstract

A pre-formed foundation pier vapor barrier wrap having a lower skirt having a lower interior edge defining an open interior area for receiving a foundation pier; an upper wrap extending vertically upward in a uniform arrangement from the lower interior edge; said lower skirt and said upper wrap each having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite said first end portion, wherein said first end portion includes an overlap portion that overlaps with the second end portion in a closed configuration; a first adhesion strip carried by said overlap portion for bonding and sealing said first end portion to said second end portion in said closed configuration; and, a second adhesion strip carried by said lower skirt extending along a perimeter portion for bonding and sealing to a ground vapor barrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pre-formed foundation pier vapor barrier wrap comprising:
 a lower skirt having a lower interior edge defining an open interior area for receiving a foundation pier, wherein said lower skirt extends horizontally outward from the lower interior edge when disposed around a foundation pier;   an upper wrap extending upward from the lower interior edge of the lower skirt and further defining said open interior area for receiving a foundation pier;   said lower skirt and said upper wrap each having a first end portion and a second end portion with the second end portion disposed opposite said first end portion;   the first end portion of said upper wrap includes an overlap portion that extends and overlaps with the second end portion of the upper wrap when in a closed configuration disposed around a foundation pier and is separated from the second end portion of the upper wrap in an open configuration;   the first end portion of said lower skirt includes an overlap portion that extends and overlaps with the second end portion of the lower skirt when in the closed configuration disposed around a foundation pier and is separated from the second end portion of the lower skirt in the open configuration;   whereby the lower skirt and upper wrap extend around a foundation pier such that the upper wrap is disposed adjacent to and extends up at least a portion of the foundation pier and the lower skirt extends horizontally outward from the base of the foundation pier.   
     
     
         2 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 1  wherein said lower skirt and said upper wrap are defined by a single continuous sheet of moisture impervious material. 
     
     
         3 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 2  wherein said single continuous sheet of material is selected from the group consisting of plastic film sheeting and rubberized sheeting. 
     
     
         4 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 2  wherein said single continuous sheet of material comprises a multilayered plastic film sheet ranging in thickness from about 1 mil to 25 mil. 
     
     
         5 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 2  wherein said single continuous sheet of material includes at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of an antimicrobial property, a fire-retardant property, reinforcing puncture and abrasion resistance property, and a UV resistance property. 
     
     
         6 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 2  wherein said single continuous sheet of material is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, nylon, polyvinyl chloride, and various mixtures thereof and arranged in one or more layers. 
     
     
         7 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 2  wherein a transition area of the material interconnecting the lower skirt and the upper wrap is curved. 
     
     
         8 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 1  wherein the upper wrap extends upward in a uniform arrangement from the lower interior edge of said lower skirt. 
     
     
         9 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 8  wherein a top edge of the upper wrap is at a consistent height relative to the lower skirt. 
     
     
         10 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 1  including a first adhesion strip carried by at least one of said first and second end portions of each said upper and lower skirts, wherein said first adhesion strip bonds and seals said first end portions to said second end portions within the overlap portion for each said upper and lower skirts in said closed configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 10  including a second adhesion strip carried by said lower skirt for bonding and sealing to a ground vapor barrier. 
     
     
         12 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 11  wherein said second adhesion strip extends along an entire perimeter portion of said lower skirt to form a continuous gapless seal between said lower skirt and the ground vapor barrier. 
     
     
         13 . A pre-formed foundation pier vapor barrier wrap comprising:
 a lower skirt extending horizontally;   an upper wrap extending upward from the lower skirt;   an open interior area defined by said lower skirt and upper wrap for receiving a foundation member;   said lower skirt and said upper wrap each having a first end portion and a second end portion with the second end portion disposed opposite said first end portion so that the first and second end portions of the lower skirt and upper warp overlap when in a closed configuration and separate in an open configuration; and,   wherein said lower skirt and said upper wrap are defined by a single continuous sheet of moisture impervious material molded so that a transition area of the material interconnecting the lower skirt and the upper wrap is curved;   whereby the lower skirt and upper wrap extend around a foundation pier such that the upper wrap is disposed adjacent to and extends up at least a portion of the foundation pier and the lower skirt extends horizontally outward from the base of the foundation pier.   
     
     
         14 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 13  wherein said single continuous sheet of material comprises a multilayered plastic film sheet ranging in thickness from about 1 mil to 25 mil. 
     
     
         15 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 14  wherein said single continuous sheet of material includes at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of an antimicrobial property, a fire-retardant property, reinforcing puncture and abrasion resistance property, and a UV resistance property. 
     
     
         16 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 15  including a first adhesion strip carried by at least one of said first and second end portions of each said upper and lower skirts, wherein said first adhesion strip bonds and seals said first end portions to said second end portions within the overlap portion for each said upper and lower skirts in said closed configuration; and, a second adhesion strip carried along a perimeter portion of said lower skirt for bonding and sealing to a ground vapor barrier. 
     
     
         17 . A pre-formed foundation pier vapor barrier wrap comprising:
 a lower skirt extending horizontally;   an upper wrap extending upward from the lower skirt;   an open interior area defined by said lower skirt and upper wrap for receiving a foundation member;   said lower skirt and said upper wrap each having a first end portion and a second end portion with the second end portion disposed opposite said first end portion so that the first and second end portions of the lower skirt and upper warp overlap when in a closed configuration and separate in an open configuration;   a first adhesion strip carried by at least one of said first and second end portions of each said upper and lower skirts, wherein said first adhesion strip bonds and seals said first end portions to said second end portions when overlapped in said closed configuration; and,   a second adhesion strip carried by said lower skirt along a perimeter portion for bonding and sealing to a ground vapor barrier;   whereby the lower skirt and upper wrap extend around a foundation pier such that the upper wrap is disposed adjacent to and extends up at least a portion of the foundation pier and the lower skirt extends horizontally outward from the base of the foundation pier.   
     
     
         18 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 17  wherein said lower skirt and said upper wrap are defined by a single continuous sheet of moisture impervious material molded so that a transition area of the material interconnecting the lower skirt and the upper wrap is curved. 
     
     
         19 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 18  wherein said single continuous sheet of material comprises a multilayered plastic film sheet ranging in thickness from about 1 mil to 25 mil and includes at least one layer having a characteristic selected from the group consisting of an antimicrobial property, a fire-retardant property, reinforcing puncture and abrasion resistance property, and a UV resistance property. 
     
     
         20 . The vapor barrier wrap of  claim 19  wherein the upper wrap extends upward in a uniform arrangement from the lower skirt so that a top edge of the upper wrap is at a consistent height relative to the lower skirt.