Ventilation – Having outlet airway – Having readliy movable air regulating louver – damper – or cover
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-13
2001-09-25
Lu, Jiping (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Having outlet airway
Having readliy movable air regulating louver, damper, or cover
C454S366000, C454S367000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293862
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to vents and in particular to roof vents.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vents, for venting gases, such as air, through the roof of a building are well known. Such vents are used in a wide variety of applications, including in the venting of air from a bathroom or from a stove in a kitchen. In such circumstances, the vent is interconnected by way of flexible or rigid piping or ducting to an exhaust fan, which draws the air from the location and forces it through the piping and out of the vent at the roof.
The air vent itself is generally comprised of several parts including a conduit which includes an inlet for a connection to the piping, and a cover. The cover, as its name indicates, covers the outlet of the conduit, assisting to prevent rain or snow from entering the conduit, which could then pass down the piping. Air vents also typically have a hinged door flap mounted within the cover, which pivot between a closed position, wherein the cover substantially covers the outlet, and an open position wherein the forced air exiting the conduit's outlet can pass out of the vent through the opening in the cover. Louvres or vanes mounted within the opening of the cover also serve to help inhibit water and snow from entering the pipeline by way of the roof vent.
Although the door flap and the louvres serve the purpose of inhibiting the movement of moisture into the pipeline, there are particular extreme weather conditions where a further barrier to the moisture is highly desirable. As the door flap merely rests against the base of the vent, and typically is only a plastic surface meeting and contacting a plastic surface under the weight of the door flap, there is no positive seal between the base and the flap. The same is true at the side and rear edges of the flap, in so far as there is no positive seal with the walls of the cover. Thus in conditions of hard, wind driven rain, it is not unusual for moisture to be driven through the cover opening and past the door flap, and may thus reach inside the pipeline.
It is highly undesirable to have moisture seep into the pipeline. Aside from the matter of an increased chance of corrosion of the pipeline, if it is made from a material that is susceptible to corrosion, there is also the risk that water might reach the exhaust fan or another electrical appliance and cause damage thereto. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a further means to inhibit the movement of water from outside the vent into the pipeline. However, it is important that any additional features not add significantly to the overall cost of manufacturing the roof vent.
The roof vents also have a way to permit the vent to be secured to the roof. Typically, the vent is placed in a hole in the roof and secured in position by connecting a base to the frame of the roof, placing flashing over the base and then the roof material, such as roof shingles, is put in place over the flashing. It is usually only after the roof has been put in place, that the connection of the pipeline to the inlet of the conduit can be, and is, made. This however is a somewhat difficult and awkward task for the installer, as he/she has to make a connection between two sections of pipe, usually requiring clamping etc. in a confined, raised space (eg. in the attic of the building). It is thus desirable to have an improved way of connecting a roof vent to a pipeline.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a vent for venting gas, said vent comprising a conduit having an inlet for connecting to a source of gas and an outlet for venting gas from said conduit, a barrier disposed around said out let, a cover for securing to a structure, said cover having a roof portion disposed over said outlet and said barrier, said cover having a side portion with a cover opening spaced from said outlet of said conduit, said cover opening adapted to permit said gas vented from said outlet to pass through said cover opening, said barrier being adapted to inhibit the movement of water from said cover opening into said conduit at said outlet.
According to another aspect of the invention, a roof vent for venting a gas, said vent comprising a conduit having an inlet for connecting to a source of gas and an outlet for venting said gas carried by said conduit, said conduit having a first connector, a cover for covering said outlet, said cover having a side portion with an opening for venting gas from said outlet, and a roof portion, said cover having a second connector for securing said cover to a roof, said cover further comprising a third connector adapted to cooperate with said first connector to permit said first connector of said conduit to be connected to said second connector of said cover such that said outlet can received within said cover, with said roof portion positioned above said outlet, in such a manner that when gas vented is from said outlet it can pass out of said opening.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a roof vent for venting a gas from a building, said vent comprising a conduit having an inlet for connecting to a source of gas and an outlet for venting said gas carried by said conduit, a cover adapted to cover said outlet of said conduit, said cover having a roof portion adapted to be positioned above said outlet and having opposed side walls for supporting said roof portion, each side wall having an inner face, each inner face having at least one slot, said cover having an opening for venting gas received within said cover from said outlet and a bottom opening between said side walls for receiving said conduit, said conduit further comprising a plate member positioned proximate said outlet, said plate having an outer face having a plurality of projections, said plate member being adapted to be received between said side walls in said bottom opening so as to engage at least one of said projections on said outer face of said plate member with each of said at least one slots on said inner faces of said side walls, to permit said conduit to be connected to said cover.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3955848 (1976-05-01), Lutz et al.
patent: 4896590 (1990-01-01), Groos
patent: 5662522 (1997-09-01), Waltz
patent: 5762551 (1998-06-01), Lachapelle et al.
patent: 5860256 (1999-01-01), Humber
patent: 2129375 (1996-02-01), None
Jafine Michael David
Jafine Paul
Dundas Jafine Inc.
Lu Jiping
Shook Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
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