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Vent assembly

  • US 20060199493A1
  • Filed: 02/04/2005
  • Published: 09/07/2006
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A vent assembly, suitable for mounting in a hole in a wall of an enclosure, to vent such enclosure, and comprising;

  • a molded plastics vent having a radially extending head, said head having a radially outward facing edge and having a continuous peripheral edge portion inboard of said edge, said head being perforated by a pattern of elongate ventilating slots extending axially therethrough and laterally to said peripheral edge portion, ones of said slots having end walls at said peripheral end portion, said slots being separated by flanking strips defining sidewalls of said slots, said head having front and back sides separated by said radially outward facing edge and through which said slots open, said molded plastics vent having a generally tubular base extending substantially coaxially from said head back side at said peripheral edge portion, said base being spaced inboard of said radially facing edge by a coaxial, radially extending, rear facing, enclosure wall abutting, annular lip and having a coaxial throughpassage communicating with said slots;

    a radially extending, decorative, corrosion resistant, sheet metal cover shell lying tight against said front side of said vent head, said shell having a continuous peripheral edge portion mapping on said head peripheral edge portion and a pattern of slots mapping on said pattern of vent head slots in shape, size and relative location, said cover shell slots being separated by strips substantially mapping on said vent head strips in shape, size and relative location, an edge of a given cover shell slot being a substantially flush, forward continuation of the adjacent edge of the corresponding vent head slot to minimize disruption of airflow through the vent assembly, said cover shell including resiliently bendable, cantilevered tabs angled substantially rearwardly from ends of ones of said shell slots and extending into adjacent vent head slot ends, a given said tab having a leg extending along and adjacent the opposed vent head slot end wall, a heel protruding from the free end of said leg beyond said vent head slot end and snugly behind said vent head peripheral edge portion and locking said cover shell on the front face of said vent head, a foot extending rearward from the radially outboard end of said heel, and a toe angled rearward and radially inward from the free end of said foot, said toe having a cover shell installing position bearing cammingly on the front of said vent head peripheral edge portion to assist snap-fit installation of said tab in its said vent head slot, said cover shell being contoured three dimensionally in a shallow, cup-like shape having a front wall incorporating said slots and strips and a peripheral wall covering said radially outward facing edge of said vent head to give the outside appearance of a solid metal vent, said peripheral wall having an enclosure wall approaching, free, peripheral edge rearwardly approaching the plane of said vent head annular lip.

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