Ventilation – Having outlet airway – Slant roof ventilator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-06
2001-02-06
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3744)
Ventilation
Having outlet airway
Slant roof ventilator
C454S082000, C454S367000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183360
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a ventilating apparatus and, more particularly, to a roof exhaust vent which is adapted to discharge gases from within a building structure.
Building constructions are often designed with rooms having a ventilator fan designed to discharge air and gases from within the room. For example, rooms within the house including kitchens and bathrooms often require means for discharging undesirable fumes and gases from the room, and generally include a vent opening associated with a ventilating fan which extracts the gases from within the room, and typically ducts the gases to a roof or wall vent structure on the exterior of the building.
The exterior vent structure is typically formed with a connector for connecting to duct work extending from the ventilating fan and includes a cover element which extends over the opening to prevent exposure of the opening to elements such as wind and rain. Several prior art exhaust vents include a lower portion which is adapted to attach to a ventilation duct, and which may include integral flashing, and a separate upper cover piece for covering the outlet to the duct opening. One problem associated with prior art devices is the need to assemble the devices, such as placing the cover portion in association with the lower duct attachment portion, using fasteners, which contributes to increased installation time for mounting the exhaust vent to a building structure.
In addition, as a result of forming exhaust vents with planar surfaces, the vent structures are subject to bending and/or breakage, such as if a worker inadvertently steps on the vent structure, or if the vent structure has been struck by an object when located in its operating position on the building structure.
In view of the above noted characteristics of prior art vent structures, it is desirable to provide a vent structure which reduces installation time, and which further is resistant to deformation and breakage when in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an exhaust vent which is adapted to be mounted to a building structure, such as a roof, and which includes means for attaching the exhaust vent to a duct whereby exhaust gases may be vented from a location inside the building structure to the exterior. The exhaust vent includes a roof cap inlet, a roof cap outlet which is frictionally attached to the roof cap inlet, and a grill or louver member which is held captive between the roof cap inlet and the roof cap outlet.
The roof cap inlet includes a substantially planar base portion defined by opposing, generally parallel first and second side edges, a front edge and a rear edge. An aperture is formed through the base portion adjacent to the rear edge, and a cylindrical extension extends from a lower surface of the base portion at the aperture for connection to a tubular duct member. The roof cap inlet further includes a rectangular extension extending from an upper surface of the base portion a sufficient distance to prevent ingestion of water through the aperture into the duct member.
The roof cap inlet also includes attachment and sealing means located around the upper periphery thereof. The attachment and sealing means includes a flange portion extending upwardly from the upper surface along the first, second and rear edges. and a plurality of elongated tabs extending upwardly from the flange portion for engaging with cooperating sockets formed in the roof cap outlet.
The roof cap outlet includes semicircular portion which. in cooperation with the base portion of the roof cap inlet, defines a flow passage. A hemispherical portion of the roof cap outlet defines a closed end for the closed passage. The semicircular portion includes opposing generally parallel side walls, and the hemispherical portion includes a semicircular rear wall contiguous with the side walls wherein the side walls and semicircular rear wall define a recess for receiving the flange portion of the roof cap inlet to thereby facilitate sealing between the roof cap outlet and roof cap inlet. In addition. the sockets for receiving the elongated tabs of the attachment and sealing means are defined along lower portions of the side walls and semicircular rear wall of the roof cap outlet adjacent to the recess. The tabs are received in the sockets in frictional engagement whereby the roof cap outlet is held in place on the roof cap inlet without requiring fasteners.
The roof cap outlet further includes a roof flashing formed integrally with the side walls and semicircular rear wall. A profile defined by the intersection line between the roof flange and the side walls and rear wall of the roof cap outlet matches the profile of the roof cap inlet, in plan view, and the lower surface of the roof cap inlet base portion is substantially coplanar with a lower surface of the flange.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an exhaust vent which facilitates assembly and installation of the vent.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an exhaust vent having a simple and durable construction for the terminal end of a duct conduit.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2550353 (1951-04-01), Hopfinger
patent: 3062125 (1962-11-01), Henneberger
patent: 3524400 (1970-08-01), Magi
patent: 3779149 (1973-12-01), Bernard, Jr.
patent: 4050363 (1977-09-01), Fuerst
patent: 4297818 (1981-11-01), Anderson
patent: 4592269 (1986-06-01), Lamparter
patent: 4895065 (1990-01-01), Lamparter
patent: 5662522 (1997-09-01), Waltz
Copeland Matthew J.
Luter, II Robert J.
Biebel & French
Joyce Harold
Philips Products, Inc.
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