Combination bath fan, register box, air conditioning and heating boot

• US 5,934,362 A
• Filed: 01/21/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleFlow, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TeleFlow, Inc.
• Inventors: Barker, Blaine F. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John K.
• Application Number:
  US08/785,293
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 165/48.1, 454/243, 454/244, 454/234, 454/235, 454/236, 454/124, 454/349, 454/341, 454/249, 454/303, 454/354, 454/245, 454/248, 392/364, 362/92, 362/149, 362/294
• US Class Current: 165/48.1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2007/001 with exhausting air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/003 in combination with air cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/06 with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit

Abstract

A combination bath fan, register box, air conditioning and heating boot requires one opening on the wall or the ceiling of the bathroom, thus reducing the installation and maintenance costs associated with the ventilation of the bathroom. The combination includes a trim kit or assembly which is adapted to be fitted into a rough-in kit or assembly. The rough-in kit or assembly, typically mounted onto a building stud during the early phases of the building construction, has an air outlet which is connected to the outside air and an inlet for receiving conditioned air to be distributed within a confined space. The trim assembly or kit is installed in the rough-in assembly. Louvers are provided around the perimeter of the face plate of the trim assembly to dispense conditioned air from the air inlet to the confined space with the appropriate air gradient. Air flow through the louvers is controlled using one or more slidable dampers mounted above the louvers. Further, one or more baffles are positioned centrally on the face plate to guide the removal of stale air from the confined space. A fan housing having a motorized fan assembly is centrally positioned above the face plate to draw stale air and other odoriferous fumes from the confined space through the baffles and to eject the noxious fumes to the outside atmosphere. The present invention thus provides an economical, aesthetically pleasing, yet high performance air exchange system which can be installed in fewer steps and which provides a less intrusive appearance on the ceiling or wall of the confined space.

Claims

1. An air exchange apparatus for ventilating a room comprising:

a rough-in assembly having an air inlet and an air outlet;

a face plate adapted to be attached to said rough-in assembly, said face plate having one or more louvers for distributing air into said room and one or more baffles through which stale air can be drawn from the room;

fan assembly positioned above said baffles, said fan assembly having a fan assembly inlet for receiving said stale air and a fan assembly outlet coupled to said rough-in assembly air outlet;

said fan assembly comprising;

a fan assembly housing mounted on top of said face plate;

a motor mounted inside said fan assembly housing; and

an impeller rotatably attached to said motor; and

a vent fan grill assembly centrally positioned on said face plate, said vent fan grill assembly having one or more upwardly curved baffles and

one or more tear-shaped inner baffles proximately mounted above said upwardly curved baffles.

2. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more air inlet channeling members, said air inlet channeling members proximately positioned above said upwardly curved baffles and said tear-shaped inner baffles.

3. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, wherein said face plate has a sliding damper assembly positioned above said louver to provide air flow adjustability.

4. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rough-in assembly further comprises an insulating barrier lining the perimeter of said rough-in assembly.

5. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transition plenum coupled to said rough-in assembly for distributing air from said air inlet over said rough-in assembly.

6. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, wherein said air outlet further comprises a one-way air vent coupled to said air outlet to prevent particles from entering the room via said air outlet.

7. The air exchange apparatus of claim 6, wherein said one-way air vent is a damper movably coupled to said air outlet.

8. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light generator coupled to said fan assembly.

9. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heater coupled to said fan assembly.

10. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fragrance generator coupled to said fan assembly.

11. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air conditioner coupled to said air inlet.

12. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heater coupled to said air inlet.

13. The air exchange apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a proximity detector coupled to said fan assembly, said proximity detector turning on said fan assembly upon detecting the presence of an occupant and otherwise turning off said fan assembly.