Ventilating exhaust fan

• US 6,802,770 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Broan-Nutone LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Broan-Nutone LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Penlesky, Robert G., Larson, David M., Klug, Alan G., Gahagan, Kevin P., Chvosta, Robert A., Karst, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOLES, DEREK
• Application Number:
  US10/308,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20030134588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 454/354, 454/355, 415/204, 415/212.1
• US Class Current: 454/354
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2007/001 with exhausting air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/007 with forced flow using ducting systems F24F7/06

Abstract

An exhaust fan for use in bathrooms or similar areas has a generally rectangular fan housing formed from two independent structural members to reduce manufacturing waste and decrease production cost. The fan housing includes a receptacle panel that can be installed and removed from within the housing without additional tools. The fan housing includes two series of spaced view holes formed in its back wall such that during installation of the exhaust fan, the installer can view the ceiling joist to correctly position the fan housing relative to the bottom surface of the joist. The back wall of the fan housing also includes a pair of bend down tabs that can be placed in contact with the bottom surface of the joist to correctly position the bottom edge of the fan housing the required distance from the joist to accommodate the most common drywall thickness. The fan wheel contained within the fan housing includes a mounting hub having an expanded diameter insertion portion formed on its central bore to receive drive shaft of driving motor of the exhaust fan.

Claims

1. A ventilation exhaust fan, comprising:

a two-piece housing having

six sides surrounding and defining an interior space of the housing, the six sides including five sides defined by walls of the housing and a sixth open side;

first and second housing portions defining the five sides of the housing,

wherein the first housing portion is formed from a single substantially flat sheet of material; and

the second housing portion is formed from a single substantially flat sheet of material;

a fluid outlet through which fluid exits the housing,

the sixth open side of the housing permitting access into the housing and through which fluid is received within the housing;

a fan wheel rotatably positioned within the housing; and

a motor supported within the housing and coupled to the fan wheel, the motor operable to rotate the fan wheel in the housing to direct a flow of fluid out of the fluid outlet.

3. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second housing portions each have a mounting portion at which the housing is mounted to a structural member, the mounting portion of the first housing portion overlapping the mounting portion of the second housing portion.

4. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting portions are flanges of the first and second housing portions.

5. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plate coupled to the housing and substantially covering the open side of the housing to enclose the fan wheel within the housing.

6. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second housing portions is shaped to define the fluid outlet.

2. A ventilation exhaust fan, comprising:

a two-piece housing having

a first housing portion formed from a single substantially flat sheet of material;

a second housing portion formed from a single substantially flat sheet of material;

a fluid outlet through which fluid exits the housing; and

an open side permitting access into the housing and through which fluid is received within the housing;

a fan wheel rotatably positioned within the housing; and

a motor supported within the housing and coupled to the fan wheel, the motor operable to rotate the fan wheel in the housing to direct a flow of fluid out of the fluid outlet;

wherein the first housing portion defines three sides of the housing and the second housing portions defines two other sides of the housing.

7. A ventilation exhaust fan, comprising:

a two-piece box-shaped housing substantially enclosing an interior space on five sides and having a substantially open sixth side, the housing having

a first piece substantially defining first, second, and third sides of the housing; and

a second piece substantially defining fourth and fifth sides of the housing,

each of the first and second pieces being a single integral element of sheet material;

a fan wheel rotatably positioned within the housing; and

a motor supported within the interior space of the housing and coupled to the fan wheel, the motor operable to rotate the fan wheel in the housing to direct a flow of fluid out of the fluid outlet.

8. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a fan scroll located within the housing and at least partially encircling the fan wheel.

9. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 7, wherein a portion of the first piece overlaps a portion of the second piece, the portions of the first and second pieces defining a strengthened mounting location of the housing adapted for mounting the ventilation exhaust fan to a structural member.

10. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 9, further comprising at least one mounting aperture passing through the portions of the first and second piece, the mounting aperture dimensioned to receive a fastener therethrough.

11. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second overlapping portions of the first and second pieces are flanges extending from the first and second pieces, respectively.

12. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a plate positioned to cover a sixth side of the interior space.

13. The ventilation exhaust fan as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of the first and second pieces is shaped to at least partially define a fluid outlet of the housing through which fluid exits the housing.

14. A method of manufacturing a ventilation exhaust fan, comprising:

forming a first housing portion from a substantially flat piece of sheet material;

forming a second housing portion from a substantially flat piece of sheet material;

coupling the first and second housing portions together to define a housing having an interior space substantially enclosed on all but one first side by the first and second housing portions;

forming first, second, and third sides of the housing from the first housing portion;

forming fourth and fifth sides of the housing from the second housing portion;

coupling the motor to the housing;

inserting a fan wheel within the housing; and

drivably coupling the fan wheel to the motor.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein forming the first and second housing portions includes bending the substantially flat pieces of material.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein forming the first and second housing portions includes bending tabs located on peripheries of the first and second housing portions.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein coupling the first and second housing portions together includes coupling tabs of the first and second housing portions together.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising overlapping portions of the first and second housing portions to define at least one mounting portion of the housing, mounting portion having at least one aperture therethrough dimensioned to receive a fastener.

19. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising coupling a plate to the first and second housing portions to substantially enclose the interior space of the housing.

20. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising coupling a fan scroll in the housing in a position at least partially encircling the fan wheel.