GB2373323A

GB2373323A - A vent device

Info

Publication number: GB2373323A
Application number: GB0106322A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Edgar Hill
Original assignee: Greenwood Air Management Ltd
Current assignee: Greenwood Air Management Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-14
Filing date: 2001-03-14
Publication date: 2002-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-14
Also published as: GB0106322D0; GB2373323B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or a door frame. The vent is made up of a single-piece shutter and two end pieces which are attached to the window or door frame. The end pieces both have integrally formed pivot means for pivotally attaching a respective end of the shutter thereto, and at least one of said end pieces has an integrally formed latching means. The latching means engages directly with said shutter to secure it in a closed position.

Description

A VENT DEVICE The present invention relates to a vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or a door frame member and to a shutter for such a device.

It is common for window and door frame members to be provided with slots which define air passageways through the frame to allow ventilation. It is desirable to be able to control the ventilation depending on the ambient conditions and to this end a ventilation unit is usually positioned over the air passageway. The ventilation units typically have a closure member which may be simply opened or closed or which may be selectively positioned in intermediate positions to control the air flow. The closure members are generally pivotally or slidably attached to the window or door frame but it is to the former arrangement which the present invention relates.

The closure members of such ventilation units are generally pivoted along a longitudinal axis by a suitable hinge or pivot means. It is proposed in GB 2241572 to fix supports directly to the window or door frame at either end of the slot and to pivotally attach the closure member therebetween. A live hinge in an integrally moulded support provides the necessary pivoting movement of the closure member. A latching arm is provided on the pivotally movable portion of the support to engage with a moulding on the fixed portion of the support to secure the closure member in the open and closed positions. However, the relatively long latching arm may be susceptible to damage. Moreover the plastics material of the live hinge may relax with repeated opening and closing and may even be susceptible to breakage.

It is proposed in EP 0924477 to provide a closure member between supports which are screwed into the frame

at each end of the air passageway. The closure member is supported at each end by additional components in the form of connecting pieces or adaptors which are in turn hingedly attached to the supports and which engage with the supports to fasten the closure member in the closed position. EP 1030025 proposes a similar arrangement whereby the closure member is attached to an additional component which engages with a support attached to the window frame to secure the closure member in the closed position. Whilst the arrangements of EP 0924477 and EP 1030025 avoid the use of a live hinge, they both involve the use of additional components which increases the cost of the units.

Viewed from a first aspect the present invention provides a vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or door frame member, the vent device comprising a single-piece shutter and two end pieces for attachment to the window or door frame, wherein each end piece has an integrally formed pivot means for pivotally attaching a respective end of the shutter thereto, and wherein at least one of said end pieces has an integrally formed latching means engageable directly with said shutter to secure it in a closed position.

Viewed from another aspect the present invention provides a vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or door frame member, the vent device comprising a shutter and two end pieces for attachment to the window or door frame, wherein each end piece has an integrally formed pivot means for pivotally attaching a respective end of the shutter thereto, without an adaptor or other intermediate piece between the end piece and the end of the shutter, and wherein at least one of said end pieces has an integrally formed latching means engageable directly with said shutter to secure it in a closed position.

The frame member in which the air passageway is

formed may be part of a main window or door frame, or it may be an extra unit provided adjacent to a main frame, for example a so-called"over-frame"member which is usually fitted between a main window or door frame and a lintel above.

The end pieces may be attached to the window or door frame member by any suitable attachment means, for example self-tapping screws, but preferably the end pieces are provided with fixture means which engage the window or door frame member to retain the end pieces in position, such as fir-tree clips which engage in the air passageway. The fixture means may be used in place of or in combination with other attachment means such as self-tapping screws and are preferably formed integrally with the end pieces.

A locating means is preferably provided on the end pieces to project into the air passageway to align the end pieces correctly. The locating means is preferably shaped to correspond to the end of the air passageway, which normally has a standard size and shape, and more preferably is shaped to prevent rotational movement of the end pieces.

The shutter may be provided with a latch pin or the like to engage with the latching means provided on the at least one end piece to secure the shutter in the closed position, but preferably the shutter has an indent formed integrally therein to engage with the latching means provided on the at least one end piece.

Most preferably the latching means on the at least one end piece is a latch pin.

The shutter may be arranged to open completely (i. e. pivot through substantially 180 ) but preferably a projection is provided to limit the extent to which the shutter will open. The projection may be arranged to engage with the surface of the window or door frame member when the shutter is opened. In a preferred embodiment, the projection is provided on the side of

the shutter remote from the side where it latches. It advantageously may extend the full length of the shutter. Preferably the projection is formed integrally with the shutter.

An overcap portion is preferably provided for covering the end pieces once they have been attached to the window or door frame member. The end pieces are preferably adapted to slidably receive the overcap pieces or vice versa. The end pieces and overcaps are preferably made of plastics material and are preferably injection mouldings.

The shutter may be formed from any suitable material such as aluminium but preferably it is a plastics material. The shutter may be injection moulded or extruded from plastics material. If the shutter is extruded it may advantageously be manufactured in a length which can then be cut to the required length.

Thus, to make different lengths of shutter there is no need to make modifications to a moulding apparatus.

The shutter is yet more preferably provided with at least one flexible portion along its length for engaging the window or door frame when the shutter is in the closed positioned. Although the at least one flexible portion may be formed separately from the shutter and subsequently attached to the shutter, it is preferably co-formed with the shutter, for example coextruded when the shutter is extruded or co-moulded when it is moulded or injection moulded. The engagement of the at least one flexible portion with the window or door frame member advantageously reduces the flow of air past the shutter and thus prevents drafts when the shutter is closed.

The co-forming of a vent shutter with at least one flexible portion is of independent patentable significance and viewed from a further aspect, therefore the invention provides a shutter for a vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or a door

frame member, wherein the shutter is co-formed with at least one flexible portion along its length for engaging the window or door frame when the shutter is in the closed position. The shutter may be provided with a flexible seal along either longitudinally extending edge of the shutter but preferably a flexible seal is provided along both longitudinal edges to minimise the airflow past the closed shutter.

Usual techniques for providing shutters with flexible seals have required that the shutter and the flexible seal are formed separately of each other. This approach necessitates an extra manufacturing step to attach the two components after they have been formed.

Viewed from a further aspect the present invention provides a shutter for a vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or a door frame member, wherein the shutter is an extrusion of plastics material. Known shutters have been of complex shape and hence injection moulded or where an extrusion has been proposed this has been in aluminium.

The further aspects of the invention set forth above may, in preferred embodiments, be combined with other features described herein.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the vent device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross section along B-B of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the vent device; Figure 4 is a plan view of the underside of the vent device.

Figure 5 and 6 are perspective views of an end piece; Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the shutter; Figure 8 is a cross sectional view along section A A of Figure 1; and

Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of an overcap.

A vent device 1 according to the present invention is shown in Figures 1 to 4. The vent device 1 is to be mounted over a slot in a PVC extruded window frame (not shown) to allow the flow of air through the slot to be controlled. The vent device 1 comprises a shutter 2 hingedly attached to a pair of end pieces 3 provided at each end thereof, as shown in Figure 2. The end pieces 3 are attached to the window frame and a pair of overcaps 4 are provided over the top thereof. The end pieces 3 and overcaps 4 are handed for attachment to each end of the shutter 2 but for brevity herein the description will be with reference to only one of each.

The end piece 3, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, is a one-piece injection moulding of plastics material with a hinge pin 5 about which the shutter 2 pivots directly (i. e. without intermediate adaptor pieces). A latch pin 6 is provided on the end piece 3 to engage and secure the shutter 2 in the closed position. The hinge pin 5 and the latch pin 6 both extend parallel to the longitudinal axes of the vent device 1.

A fir-tree connector 7 is provided on the underside of the end piece 3 to attach it to the window frame. A series of notches 8 are formed on the outer edge of the fir-tree connector 7 to engage with the inside of the window frame when the end piece 3 is installed to prevent its removal. A hole 9 is formed in the end piece 3 optionally to receive a screw 10 to secure the end piece 3 in position.

A"D"shaped alignment member 11 is provided on the underside of the end piece 3 to project into the window frame slot. The alignment member 11 is shaped to match the profile of the end of the window frame slot to ensure that the end piece 3 is correctly positioned and the hinge pins 5 of both the end pieces 3 aligned. The projection 8 is offset from the centre line of the end

piece 3 to displace the hinge pin 5 such that the shutter 2 covers the slot in the window frame while minimising the transverse width of the vent device 1.

A lip 12 is provided on the edge of the upper surface of the end piece 3. Two engagement projections 13 are formed on opposite sides of the end pieces 3 beneath the lip 12. The lip 12 defines an open channel with the window frame when the end pieces 3 are installed to allow the overcap 4 to be secured in place, as described below.

The shutter 2, as shown in Figure 7, is of constant section and is formed from a single extrusion of a plastics material such as PVC. A recess 14 is provided along the inside lower edge of the shutter 2 for receiving the hinge pins 5 of the end pieces 3 about which the shutter 2 pivots. An indent 15 is formed on the inside of the upper edge of the shutter 2 for engagement with the latch pin 6 to secure the shutter in the closed position. A strengthening doubler 16 along the inside of the shutter 2 reduces bending and deformation along the length of the shutter 2. When the vent device 1 is installed, the shutter 2 is prevented from opening completely (i. e. through 180 ) by a projection 17 formed along its outer lower edge which engages with the surface of the window frame to limit the opening of the shutter 2. The projection 17 also aids the opening of the shutter 2 by a user. An additional fixture (not shown), for example a finger grip, may optionally be attached to the outer surface of the shutter 2 to assist a user in opening the shutter 2.

The shutter 2 is further provided with flexible seals 18 and 19 which engage the surface of the window frame when the shutter 2 is in the closed position. The flexible seals 18 and 19 are co-extruded with the shutter 2 and may be made of any suitable plastics material, for example flexible PVC.

Figure 8 shows a cross-section of the shutter 2

installed on the end pieces 3. The mounting of the shutter 2 on the hinge pin 5 and the engagement of the notch 14 on the latch pin 6 are clearly visible.

The overcap 4, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, is also formed from a plastics material and is provided with a flange 20 which is slidably received in the open channel defined between the lip 12 and the window frame.

A pair of notches 21 provided in the flange 20 engage with the engagement projections 13 of the end piece 3 to lock the overcap 4 in position. The overcap 4 is provided with a hood portion 22 to cover the head of the screw 10 used to secure the end pieces 3 in position and is contoured to match the profile of the shutter 2.

To install the vent device 1, the hinge pins 5 of the end pieces 3 are inserted into the recess 14 at each end of the shutter 2. The fir-tree clips 7 of the end pieces 3 are then inserted into the slot formed in the window frame to lock the end pieces 3 and the shutter 2 in position. The alignment member 11 of each of the end pieces 3 is located in the end of the window frame slot to ensure the correct orientation of the end pieces 3.

The end pieces 3 may then be finally located using screws 10 to attach them to the window frame. With the end pieces 3 and the shutter 2 installed, the overcaps 4 are slid horizontally over the end pieces 3 and clipped into place by the co-operation of the engagement projections 13 in the end pieces 3 with the notches 20.

The assembled vent device 1 is shown in Figures 1 to 4.

In operation, the shutter is opened by the user engaging the projection 17 to pivot the shutter 2 about the pivot pin 5. As described above, the open position of the shutter 2 is defined by the engagement of the projection 17 with the window frame. To close the shutter 2, the user again pivots the shutter about the pivot pin 5 until the indent 15 on the inner surface thereof engages with the latch pin 6 formed on the end pieces 3. In the closed position, the flexible seals 18

and 19 prevent the flow of air around the longitudinal edges of the shutter 2. It will thus be seen that the one or each end piece 3 performs triple duty: attachment to the window or door frame, provision of pivot means for pivotally attaching the shutter, and provision of latching engageable directly by the shutter.

Although the vent device according to the present invention has been described with reference to a PVC extruded window or door frame it will also be appreciated that the vent device may be used with window or door frames made from other materials such as wood or aluminium. It will be further appreciated that the vent device according to the present invention is also suitable for mounting over an air passageway formed in an over-frame unit or the like for a window or door.

The skilled person will appreciate that the configuration of the vent device 1 of the present invention may be modified in a number of ways while remaining within the scope of the present invention.

For example, the end pieces 3 need not be formed in one go but may be made from a number of separate mouldings which are then integrated into a single unit (for example the fir-tree clip 7 being moulded separately and so on). Additionally, the plastics material used to form the vent device 1 can be coloured as desired and, thus, there is no need for a separate coloured coating to be applied as would be the case for aluminium components.

Claims

CLAIMS : 1. A vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or door frame member, the vent device comprising a single-piece shutter and two end pieces for attachment to the window or door frame, wherein each end piece has an integrally formed pivot means for pivotally attaching a respective end of the shutter thereto, and wherein at least one of said end pieces has an integrally formed latching means engageable directly with said shutter to secure it in a closed position.
2. A vent device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end pieces further comprise integrally formed fixture means for attachment to the frame.
3. A vent device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the end pieces further comprise locating means for projecting into the air passageway when the end pieces are attached to the window or door frame.
4. A vent device as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the shutter has an indent for engagement with said latching means.
5. A vent device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shutter has an integrally formed projection to limit the opening thereof.
6. A vent device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shutter is made of plastics material.
7. A vent device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shutter is an extrusion.
8. A vent device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the shutter has at least one flexible portion along its

length for engaging the window or door frame member when the shutter is in the closed position and said at least one flexible portion is co-extruded with said shutter.
9. A vent device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the shutter is injection moulded and the shutter has at least one flexible portion along its length for engaging the window or door frame member when the shutter is in the closed position and said at least one flexible portion is co-moulded with said shutter.
10. A vent device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an overcap is provided over each end piece when said end pieces are attached to the window or door frame member.
11. A vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or door frame member, the vent device comprising a shutter and two end pieces for attachment to the window or door frame, wherein each end piece has an integrally formed pivot means for pivotally attaching a respective end of the shutter thereto, without an adaptor or other intermediate piece between the end piece and the end of the shutter, and wherein at least one of said end pieces has an integrally formed latching means engageable directly with said shutter to secure it in a closed position.
12. A shutter for a vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or door frame member, wherein the shutter is an extrusion of plastics material.
13. A shutter for a vent device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the shutter has an integrally formed longitudinally extending projection to limit the opening of the shutter.
14. A shutter for a vent device as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the shutter is co-extruded with at least one flexible portion along its length for engaging the window or door frame member when the shutter is in the closed position.
15. A shutter for a vent device for mounting over an air passageway in a window or door frame member, wherein the shutter is co-formed with at least one flexible portion along its length for engaging the window or door frame member when the shutter is in the closed position.
16. A shutter as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shutter is co-extruded with said at least one flexible portion along its length.
17. A shutter as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shutter is co-moulded with said at least one flexible portion along its length.
18. A vent device substantially as herein described and with reference to Figures 1 to 10.
19. A shutter substantially as herein described and with reference to Figures 1 to 4,7 and 8.