Ventilator for covers for boats and other vehicles

• US 6,938,631 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bam Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: William E. Gridley
• Inventors: Gridley, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZUMNY, JONATHON A
• Application Number:
  US10/461,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20030230330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 521/98, 521/99, 454/367, 454/368, 454/237, 454/241, 454/242, 454/243, 454/250, 135/91, 135/93, 135/94, 135/114, 135/135, 135/905, 135/33.7, 135/88.09
• US Class Current: 135/94
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 2/04 of living spaces
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/02 Roof ventilation ventilation of roof coverings E04D

Abstract

A ventilator for a covering for a boat or other object includes a dome for covering air venting openings. The air vents are provided in a pair of oppositely disposed ventilator plates. The boat or other covering is firmly clamped between the ventilator plates by means of a nut that can be tightened by hand. The venting openings are disposed one above the other with no obstructions therebetween in order to allow for direct air transfer between the inside and the outside of the cover while preventing weather elements from entering the cover.

Claims

1. A ventilator adapted to be used with a protective cover for a boat or other object comprising:

a dome member including an attached shaft extending downward therefrom;

a first ventilator plate having one or more ventilating openings therethrough, said first ventilator plate being fitted on said shaft;

a second ventilator plate member having one or more ventilating openings therethrough, said second ventilator plate being fitted on said shaft and relative to said first ventilator plate such that said one or more ventilating openings are substantially coincident with each other; and

a fastening member to axially clamp said first and second plates to said shaft.

2. The ventilator of claim 1 including said first ventilator plate comprising:

a first axial portion having an axial opening therethrough, a first flat plate portion extending radially outward from a bottom of the first axial portion, a second axial portion extending downward from an outer diameter of the first flat plate portion and a second flat plate portion extending radially outward from a bottom of the second axial portion.

3. The ventilator of claim 2, wherein said one or more ventilating openings are located in said first flat plate portion.

4. The ventilator of claim 1, including said second ventilator plate comprising:

a first axial portion having an axial opening therethrough, a first flat plate portion extending radially outward from a top end of the first axial portion, a second axial portion extending downward from an outer diameter of the first flat plate portion, and a second flat plate portion extending radially outward from a lower end of the second axial portion.

5. The ventilator of claim 4, wherein said one or more ventilating openings are located in said first flat plate portion.

6. The ventilator of claim 1, including one or more keys fitted to an outside diameter of said shaft, one or more keyways in said first plate member and one or more keyways in said second plate member, said one or more keys being fitted in said one or more keyways in said plate members.

7. The ventilator of claim 1, including one or more ridges on one of said ventilator plates and one or more grooves on an other one of said ventilator plates, each of said one or more ridges being respectively fitted within each of said one or more grooves.

8. The ventilator of claim 1 including one or more strengthening ribs on each of said ventilator plates.

9. The ventilator of claim 1, including a lower surface of said first ventilator and an upper surface of said second ventilator plate each having a non-smooth surface.

10. The ventilator of claim 1, wherein said fastening member comprises a nut having internal screw threads and said shaft includes external screw threads.

11. The ventilator of claim 1, including a stepped surface on said shaft with an upper surface of said first ventilator being fitted up against said stepped surface.

12. The ventilator of claim 1, wherein said dome member includes a curved surface extending radially outward from an axial center of said shaft, said curved surface being convex on an upper side and concave on a lower side thereof, said curved surface being axially spaced from an upper end of said first ventilator plate.

13. A ventilator adapted to be used with a protective cover for a boat or other object comprising:

a dome member including a curved plate portion and an attached shaft extending downward therefrom, said shaft having a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter with a step therebetween, a key member axially positioned on said second outer diameter of said shaft, a lower end of said shaft having screw threads thereon;

a first ventilator plate having one or more ventilating openings therethrough, said first ventilator plate including an inside diameter having a first keyway therein, said first ventilator plate being fitted onto said shaft with said key being positioned within said first keyway, and an upper surface of said first ventilator plate being fitted against said step;

a second ventilator plate member having one or more ventilating openings therethrough, said second ventilator plate including an inside diameter having a second keyway therein, said second ventilator plate being fitted onto said shaft with said key being positioned within said second keyway and relative to said first ventilator plate such that said one or more ventilating openings are substantially coincident with each other;

said protective cover having a hole therethrough and being clamped outside of said hole between a lower surface of said first ventilator plate and an upper surface of said lower ventilator plate; and

a fastening member screwed onto said shaft whereby said cover is firmly clamped between said ventilator plates with said ventilating openings being in registry and allow for flow communication between an inside and an outside of said cover.