Ventilation and illumination system

• US 10,619,844 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broan-Nutone LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Broan-Nutone LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Schiltz, Michael, Fagan, Kevin, Sinur, Richard, Revers, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diaz, Jose M
• Application Number:
  US16/174,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20200132294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0096 Fans, e.g. ceiling fans forced cooling of lighting devices characterised by the arrangement of fans F21V29/67
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/082 Grilles, registers or guards
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/02 combined with lighting fixtures

Abstract

A grille assembly for a ventilation system, the grille comprising a first primary reflector, a second primary reflector configured and arranged to define an intake gap between the first primary reflector and the second primary reflector, and a secondary reflector located over the intake gap to conceal the intake gap from view; a light source on one of the first and second primary reflectors and configured and arranged to generate light wherein at least some of the light will be redirected by both the primary and secondary reflectors.

Claims

1. A ventilating and illumination system comprising:

a main housing defining

a main housing internal volume,

a main housing inlet configured to receive air into the main housing, and

a main housing outlet configured to allow the air to exit the main housing;

a reflector system comprising

a first primary reflector,

a second primary reflector configured and arranged to define an intake gap between the first primary reflector and the second primary reflector, and

a secondary reflector located over the intake gap;

a light source configured and arranged to generate light wherein at least some of the light will be redirected by the reflector system; and

a blower configured and arranged to generate a flow of air through the intake gap and into the main housing internal volume.

2. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, wherein the secondary reflector is configured and arranged to conceal the light source from a direct line of sight.

3. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, wherein the secondary reflector is configured and arranged to conceal the intake gap from a direct line of sight.

4. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, wherein air moved by the blower passes between the secondary reflector and at least one of the first and second primary reflectors before passing through the intake gap.

5. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, wherein air moved by the blower encounters the light source before passing through the intake gap.

6. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, the secondary reflector being curved convexly away from the main housing internal volume.

7. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, the first primary reflector being curved concavely toward the main housing internal volume.

8. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, the reflector system within the internal volume of the main housing.

9. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, the light source on the first and primary reflector.

10. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, wherein the reflector system further comprises a first end cap extending across a first end of the first and second primary reflectors and a second end cap extending across a second end of the first and second primary reflectors.

11. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 10, wherein the intake gap extends from the first end cap to the second end cap.

12. The ventilating and illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.

13. A grille assembly for a ventilation system, the grille assembly comprising:

a first primary reflector,

a second primary reflector configured and arranged to define an intake gap between the first primary reflector and the second primary reflector, and

a secondary reflector located over the intake gap;

a light source on one of the first and second primary reflectors and configured and arranged to generate light wherein at least some of the light will be redirected by both the primary and secondary reflectors.

14. The grille assembly claim 13, further comprising an end cap extending across a first end of the first and second primary reflectors.

15. The grille assembly of claim 13, the secondary reflector being translucent.

16. A grille assembly for a ventilation system, the grille assembly comprising:

a primary reflector defining an intake gap, and

a secondary reflector located over the intake gap;

a light source on one of the first and second primary reflectors and configured and arranged to generate light wherein at least some of the light will be redirected by both the primary and secondary reflectors.

17. The grille assembly of claim 16 wherein the intake gap is generally circular.

18. A ventilating system comprising:

a main housing defining an inlet configured to receive air into the main housing and an outlet configured to allow the air to exit the main housing;

a blower in the main housing and configured and arranged to generate a flow of air through the main housing inlet and through the main housing outlet, the blower comprising;

a scroll defining

a blower inlet configured to allow air to enter the scroll, and

a blower outlet adjacent to the main housing outlet and configured to allow air to exit the scroll,

a blower wheel in the scroll,

wherein the blower outlet consumes only a portion of the area of the main housing outlet.

19. The ventilating system of claim 18, wherein the main housing outlet defines a height and the blower outlet defines a height less than the height of the main housing outlet.

20. The ventilating system of claim 19, wherein the main housing outlet defines a width and the blower outlet defines a width consuming the substantial entirety of the width of the main housing outlet.