Insulated Cover System

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide an insulated cover system comprising an insulated cover formed of rigid insulating material such as extruded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate panel having a high R-value with pivoted linkage assembly in communication with an attic pull-down ladder assembly such that the insulated cover automatically hinges open upon deploying the attic pull-down ladder and automatically hinges closed upon closing the attic pull-down ladder. The insulated cover is structured to effectively seal a ceiling access opening providing a high thermal R-value barrier while allowing hands-free access to and from the attic. Exemplary embodiments disclose the bottom edge of the insulated cover having a weatherstrip gasket to couple with a rigid frame to form an airtight seal therebetween.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insulated cover system to seal a ceiling access to an attic space having attic insulation of a certain fill depth, comprising:
 an insulated cover movable from a closed position to an open position, and having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said closed position sealing the ceiling access and said open position exposing the ceiling access;   a rigid frame having a length, width, and height forming a rectangular aperture and having two sides and front and back ends, each said side forming a rectangle of said length and height, and said front and back ends each forming a rectangle of said width and height, said width and length configured to couple with a ladder assembly, said height configured to substantially match the level of the attic insulation fill depth, said insulated cover hingedly coupled to said back end via a hinge coupled to said insulation cover and said rigid frame back end; and   a linkage assembly having two linkage assembly components, each linkage assembly component having two or more sections coupled by a fastening mechanism and first and second ends, said second end of each linkage assembly component adapted to slidably contact said insulated cover, said first end of each linkage assembly component pivotally coupled to the ladder assembly, wherein as the ladder assembly moves from a stored position to a deployed position, the pivotally coupled linkage assembly components move, which in slidable contact with said insulated cover, causes movement of said insulated cover from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         2 . The insulated cover system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more guide bars mounted to said insulated cover to receive in slidable contact said linkage assembly components. 
     
     
         3 . The insulated cover system of  claim 1 , further comprising a roller mounted to said second end of each of said two linkage assembly components to facilitate slidable contact of said linkage assembly components with said insulated cover. 
     
     
         4 . The insulated cover system of  claim 1 , further comprising a weatherstrip gasket mounted in substantial proximity to the perimeter of the interior surface of said insulation cover to facilitate a sealing engagement between said insulation cover and said rigid frame when said insulation cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The insulated cover system of  claim 1 , further comprising said insulation cover having a recessed outer periphery along said interior surface. 
     
     
         6 . The insulated cover system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting plate coupled to said insulation cover to receive said hinge. 
     
     
         7 . The insulated cover system of  claim 1 , said insulation cover further comprising one or more segments coupled together via an insulation cover hinge. 
     
     
         8 . An insulated cover system kit having component parts capable of being packaged in a disassembled form and of being assembled into an insulated cover system to seal a ceiling access to an attic space having attic insulation of a certain fill depth, comprising:
 an insulated cover movable from a closed position to an open position, and having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said closed position sealing the ceiling access and said open position exposing the ceiling access;   a rigid frame having a length, width, and height forming a rectangular aperture and having two sides and front and back ends, each said side forming a rectangle of said length and height, and said front and back ends each forming a rectangle of said width and height, said width and length configured to couple with a ladder assembly, said height configured to substantially match the level of the attic insulation fill depth, said insulated cover hingedly coupled to said back end via a hinge coupled to said insulation cover and said rigid frame back end; and   a linkage assembly having two linkage assembly components, each linkage assembly component having two or more sections coupled by a fastening mechanism and first and second ends, said second end of each linkage assembly component adapted to slidably contact said insulated cover, said first end of each linkage assembly component pivotally coupled to the ladder assembly, wherein as the ladder assembly moves from a stored position to a deployed position, the pivotally coupled linkage assembly components move, which in slidable contact with said insulated cover, causes movement of said insulated cover from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         9 . The insulated cover system kit of  claim 8 , further comprising one or more guide bars mounted to said insulated cover to receive in slidable contact said linkage assembly components. 
     
     
         10 . The insulated cover system kit of  claim 8 , further comprising a roller mounted to said second end of each of said two linkage assembly components to facilitate slidable contact of said linkage assembly components with said insulated cover. 
     
     
         11 . The insulated cover system kit of  claim 8 , further comprising a weatherstrip gasket mounted in substantial proximity to the perimeter of the interior surface of said insulation cover to facilitate a sealing engagement between said insulation cover and said rigid frame when said insulation cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The insulated cover system kit of  claim 8 , further comprising said insulation cover having a recessed outer periphery along said interior surface. 
     
     
         13 . The insulated cover system kit of  claim 8 , further comprising a mounting plate coupled to said insulation cover to receive said hinge. 
     
     
         14 . The insulated cover system kit of  claim 8 , said insulation cover further comprising one or more segments coupled together via an insulation cover hinge.