Bath fan and heater with cover having adjustable luver or depressible fastener and depressible release
09797623 · 2017-10-24
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
F24F13/078
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F24H3/0411
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F24F2221/34
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F24F7/06
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
Apparatus, systems and methods of using 70 CFM ventilation fans with heaters for bathrooms having depressibly engageable and depressibly releaseable light covers. The novel ventilation fans and heaters can be mounted to structure in ceilings and inside walls with telescoping suspension brackets that are affixed directly to separate sides of the housing to support the housing against joists and structural supports behind the ceiling. Adjustable louvers on the grill cover allow for outgoing heated air to travel in a different direction into a space from the incoming air travelling into the housing. Plastic type housings around blower wheels reduce undesirable noise effects. Light covers can be easily opened and closed by using depressible engageable fasteners, and depressible release fasteners.
Claims
1. A ventilation fan, comprising: a housing having top, side walls and a bottom, and an exhaust outlet, the bottom adapted to be mounted adjacent to an opening in a ceiling; a first blower wheel and a first motor for running the first blower wheel, both mounted inside of the housing, the first blower wheel being rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the top of the housing, wherein the first blower wheel has a volute and an outlet; a plenum located inside of the housing and removably attached to the outlet of the first blower wheel for redirecting air from the first blower wheel in a substantially vertical direction; a heating element positioned inside the plenum adjacent to the outlet of the first blower wheel; a second blower wheel and a second motor for running the second blower wheel, both mounted inside of the housing, the second blower wheel being rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the top of the housing, the second blower wheel adjacent to the exhaust outlet in the housing; and a grill cover adjacent to the bottom of the housing having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, the grill cover having a first grill portion on the first longitudinal end and a second grill portion on the second longitudinal end separate from the first grill portion, the first grill portion having an outlet for allowing outgoing air from the first blower wheel which has been heated by the heating element to be passed out of the housing, the second grill portion having an inlet for allowing air to be pulled into the housing by at least one of the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel.
2. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising: a light in the grill cover between the first grill portion and the second grill portion with a removable lens cover for covering the light.
3. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein one of the first motor and the second motor includes an approximately 70 (seventy) CFM (cubic feet per minute) generating motor.
4. The ventilation fan of claim 2, further comprising: female sockets in the grill cover behind the lens cover; and male prongs extending below the lens cover for being inserted into the female sockets, wherein the lens cover is attached to and released from the grill cover by the male prongs and female sockets.
5. The ventilation fan of claim 4, further comprising: moveable inner parts inside of the sockets, wherein the springs are positioned beneath the inner parts; and bendable arms are attached to the inner parts, wherein initially depressing the male prongs into sockets causes the bendable arms to hook about enlarged heads on the male prongs to lock the lens cover in place, and subsequently depressing the male prongs causes the springs to push to out the inner parts to release the lens cover.
6. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising: a first elongated side telescoping bracket directly mounted along one side wall of the housing; and a second elongated side telescoping bracket directly mounted along an opposite side wall of the housing.
7. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising: an enclosure surrounding at least one of the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel to prevent excess noise and provide maximum performance in the ventilation fan.
8. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first grill portion and the second grill portion includes adjustable louvers so as to direct at least one of the incoming air and the outgoing heated air in separate directions.
9. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel are simultaneously switchable to both run at one time.
10. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel are separately switchable to run at different times.
11. A ventilation fan, comprising: a housing having top, side walls and bottom adaptable to be mounted adjacent to an opening in a ceiling; a first blower wheel and a first motor for running the first blower wheel, both mounted inside of the housing, the first blower wheel having a volute and an outlet; a plenum located inside of the housing removably attached to the outlet of the first blower wheel for redirecting air in a substantially vertical direction; a heater for providing heated air inside the plenum adjacent to the outlet of the first blower wheel; a second blower wheel and a second motor for running the second blower wheel both mounted inside of the housing, and adjacent with the first blower wheel and the first motor, both the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel each rotatable in a vertical plane relative to the bottom of the housing; and a grill adjacent to the bottom of the housing, having a first grill portion for passing outgoing heated air from the first blower wheel to be exhausted from the housing, the grill having a second grill portion for allowing air to be pulled inside the housing by at least one of the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel.
12. The ventilation fan of claim 11, further comprising: a light adjacent to the grill.
13. The ventilation fan of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first motor and the second motor includes an approximately 70 (seventy) CFM (cubic feet per minute) generating motor.
14. The ventilation fan of claim 11, further comprising: an enclosure surrounding at least one of the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel which helps prevent excess noise and provide maximum performance to the ventilation fan.
15. The ventilation fan of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first grill portion and the second grill portion includes adjustable louvers so as to direct at least one of the incoming air and the outgoing heated air in separate direction.
16. The ventilation fan of claim 11, wherein the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel are simultaneously switchable to both run at one time.
17. The ventilation fan of claim 11, wherein the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel are separately switchable to run at different times.
18. A ventilation and heating apparatus, comprising: a housing with top, sides and bottom adaptable to be mounted adjacent to an opening in a ceiling; a first fan and a first motor for running the first fan, both mounted inside of the housing, the first fan having a volute and an outlet; a plenum located inside of the housing removably attached to the outlet of the first fan for redirecting air in a substantially vertical direction; a heater for providing heated air inside the plenum adjacent to the outlet of the first fan; a second fan and a second motor for running the second fan both mounted inside of the housing, and adjacent with the first fan and the first motor; and a grill adjacent to the bottom of the housing having a first portion for allowing outgoing heated air from the first fan to be exhausted from the housing, the grill having a second portion for allowing incoming air to be pulled inside the housing by at least one of the first fan and the second fan.
19. The ventilation and heating apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first fan and the second fan each include a blower wheel.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(30) Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
70 CFM Ventilation Bath and Heater Fan
(31) A list of the components will now be described. 1. Bath fan and heater with light cover having adjustable louvers and/or depressible engageable fasteners and depressible release 10. Light cover/grill lens (light cover/lid/door)(opaque allows light to pass through) 20. Grill 25. fixed vents 300. Grill lens connecting block chip (depressible engageable and releasable fastener) 40. Shutter (5)(adjustable louvers) 50. Bulb (60 Watt candelabra bulb) 60. Light box (aluminum) 65. socket 70. Shutter adjust bracket 80. Heat element housing side plate (2) (galvanized steel) 90. Heat element housing front plate (galvanized steel) 92. top with vents 94. angled bottom 96. attachment tabs 100. Ceramic heating element 110. Heat element housing rear plate (galvanized steel) 120. Iron impeller (galvanized steel) 130. Iron impeller housing side plate 140. Motor for heating element 150. Iron impeller housing 152. motor side of housing 160. Bath fan motor 170. Motor seat 180. Blower/Impeller 190. Blower/Impeller housing 192. exhaust air output channel 194. side air inlet opening 196. footer(s) 200. Main Housing 210. Wiring box cover 220. Wiring box 230. Outlet 240. Damper 250. Suspension brackets 260. Suspension brackets 300. Grill lens connecting block chip (depressible engageable and releasable fastener) 310. inside part with bendable prong arms 312. bendable prong arms 313. side slot 314. side walls 316. bottom 317. indentation in bottom 318. riding tab stop 320. outside box 322. top end with enlarged edges 324. side walls 326. hook of outside box 327. spring fixture 328. longitudinal slot 330. pothook (L shape) 332. side extending protrusions on vertical leg 334. horizontal leg 340. internal spring 400. male prong with enlarged head 410. shaft 420. enlarged head 500. bath fan grill cover with opposite fixed vents 510. inside cavity for light source 550. hinge attachment for lens cover 600. lens cover 650. hinge attachment for grill cover 700. bath fan grill cover with four fixed vents 710. inside cavity for light fixture 750. hinge attachment for lens cover 800. lens cover
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(34) Referring to
(35) The heater components 80-150 (
(36) A metal heater blower/impeller 120, such as an iron impeller, can have a blower wheel configuration with circumferential side blades. An electrical motor 140, such as a capacitor motor which can be completely enclosed to prevent moisture from entering into the motor, and effectively allowing the motor to last longer over time. Motor 140 can have a rotational axis that attaches to a mid portion of the blower wheel 120, to rotate the blower wheel 120. The blower 120 can be held in place by the motor 140 to be held within a blower housing 150, such as an iron housing, having a generally cylindrical shape with a side exhaust opening for moving air therefrom. An impeller side plate 130 having an opening therethrough which along with the motor 140 function as end plates for the open sides of blower housing 150. Side plate 130 can have a footer 132, with together with the bottom of housing 150 can be attached to the floor of housing 200 by fasteners, such as screws, bolts, rivets, and the like. Side flanges on the motor 140 can attach to edges around an opening in sidewall 152 (which can function as a motor seat) of the blower housing 150, by fasteners, such as screws, bolts, rivets, and the like.
(37) The ceramic heating element 100 and bath fan can each have their separate motors 140, 160 and blower wheels 120, 180. They are even separated from each other inside the bath fan housing 200 so that air can be exhausted outside by the bath fan through outlet 230 with adjustable damper 240, while the heater side blows the warmer air into the room through angle adjustable shutters 40. The adjustable louvers 40 should be adjusted away from the bath fan side to prevent the warmer air being exhausted out.
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(39) Components labeled 190 are plastic enclosures that completely surround the blower wheel 180. The enclosures helps guide the air in a controlled path to prevent excess noise and provide maximum performance to exhaust or heat the air. Air is trapped once it enters the blower wheel 180 and guided to the outlet 192 of the blower housing and outlet 230 of the housing 200 without any corners for the air to be stuck.
(40) Power for the motors 140, 160 and light 50 can be wired to wire box 220 by a line, such as a white plastic bi-pin molex cable from each of the motors 140, 160 and light compartment 60 that plugs into the wiring box 220 with wiring box cover.
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(45) The exhaust ventilator fan 180 pulls air through the adjustable louvers into the housing 200 and exhausts the air through the side outlet 230 of the housing 200.
(46) The heater uses the same grill inlet to pull air into the housing 200, where the air from the room (space underneath the mounted bath fan) is pulled in and heated. The heated air is pushed back into the space through a different set of adjustable louvers 40. The adjustable louvers 40 on the grill 20 for the heater outlet are pointed away from the grill louvers 25 on the air intake in order to make the system more proficient. Although the vents/louvers 25 on the air intake side are earlier described as fixed, the invention can use also use adjustable louvers on the air intake side as well.
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(49) Into one side edge of the rim of the light box 60 can be a depressibly engageable and depressibly releaseable fastener. A downwardly protruding prong 400 allows the light cover 10 to be easily attachable and fully removable from covering the light source 50 in the light box 60, the operation of which is described in greater detail in reference to
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(52) To attach the light cover 10, to the grill cover 20, the unhinged end of the outside of the light cover 10 is first pushed toward the grill cover 20, so that the prong(s) 400 are first pushed (or depressed) into the bendable arms 312. This causes the bendable arms 312 to catch the enlarged prong head 420 while the arms 312 are being pushed into the upper end 322 of the box 320 which partially compresses spring 340. Once the inner part 310 is inside the box 320, the inner part 310 is latched in place. To release the light cover 10, the opposite side of the light cover 10 is pushed toward the housing 100, this causes the inner part 310 to push down again on spring 340, which then releases the latching of the inner part 310. The expanding spring 340 causes the inner part 310 to be pushed to a raised position, with the bendable arms 312 outside the upper end 322 of the box 320, where the arms 312 expand from one another releasing the enlarged prong head(s) 420, and the light cover 10 is then free to pivot open (relative to a hinged end) to allow access to change out the light sources inside of the grill cover 20.
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(60) The Exhaust ventilation fan and the heater can be run separately from one another, by having one turned on and the other turned off.
(61) Additionally, the light can be turned on separately from the ventilation fan and the heater.
(62) Additionally, both the exhaust ventilation fan and heater can be run together as desired so that air is continuously circulated out of a space and the rest of the air being heated and recirculated back into the space.
(63) The bath fan can be hardwired to the house and activated by one or two switches on a wall inside of the space underneath the bath fan.
(64) Although the preferred embodiment covers 70 CFM applications, the invention can be used with other levels, such as but not limited to less than or equal to 50 CFM, 60 CFM, 80 CFM, 90 CFM or greater.
(65) While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.