Ventilating and heating apparatus with heater shielded by tapered discharge duct
DCFirst Claim
1. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
- a main housing;
a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet;
a fan located within the fan housing and rotatable about an axis; and
a heater in the discharge duct shielded from the discharge outlet by at least one interior wall of the discharge duct, substantially the entire heater located in a substantially straight portion of the discharge duct.
14 Assignments
Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a main housing in which is located a ventilating fan assembly and a heater fan assembly having a heater and a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet, wherein the heater is located within and connected to the discharge duct of the heater fan assembly. The heater can be shielded from the discharge outlet by at least one interior wall of the discharge duct. In some embodiments, the discharge duct can have a tapered portion approaching the discharge outlet. In some embodiments, a discharge aperture of a cover is recessed with respect to the discharge outlet of a fan housing.
193 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; a fan located within the fan housing and rotatable about an axis; and a heater in the discharge duct shielded from the discharge outlet by at least one interior wall of the discharge duct, substantially the entire heater located in a substantially straight portion of the discharge duct. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15)
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13. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; a fan located within the fan housing and rotatable about an axis; and a heater in the discharge duct shielded from the discharge outlet by at least one interior wall of the discharge duct, the heater located in a substantially straight portion of the discharge duct; the fan housing including a first side wall having a peripheral flange extending therefrom in a direction substantially normal to the first side wall; a second side wall substantially identical to the first side wall, spaced from the first side wall, and in facing relationship from the first side wall; and at least one additional wall coupled to the peripheral flanges of the first and second side walls and extending along the outer periphery of the first and second side walls.
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16. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; a fan located within the fan housing and rotatable about an axis; a heater in the discharge duct shielded from the discharge outlet by at least one interior wall of the discharge duct, the heater located in a substantially straight portion of the discharge duct; a first dividing wall positioned in the main housing to at least partially separate the main housing into a first compartment and a second compartment; a ventilation fan assembly positioned in the first compartment; an electrical compartment positioned in the first compartment at a location adjacent the first dividing wall, the electrical compartment enclosing electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly; and a second dividing wall positioned in the second compartment and extending between the first dividing wall and a side wall of the main housing to subdivide the second compartment into a first sub-compartment and a second sub-compartment, the fan housing positioned in the first sub-compartment, and the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed through an aperture in the first dividing wall and into the second sub-compartment the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed from the second sub-compartment to an exterior of the main housing via at least one outlet aperture in a side wall of the main housing.
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17. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; a fan located within the fan housing and rotatable about an axis; a heater in the discharge duct shielded from the discharge outlet by at least one interior wall of the discharge duct, the heater located in a substantially straight portion of the discharge duct; a first dividing wall positioned in the main housing to at least partially separate the main housing into a first compartment and a second compartment; a ventilation fan assembly positioned in the first compartment; an electrical compartment positioned in the first compartment at a location adjacent the first dividing wall, the electrical compartment enclosing electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly; and a second dividing wall positioned in the second compartment and extending between the first dividing wall and a side wall of the main housing to subdivide the second compartment into a first sub-compartment and a second sub-compartment, the fan housing positioned in the first sub-compartment, and the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed through an aperture in the first dividing wall and into the second sub-compartment, electrical wiring associated with the fan and heater in the first sub-compartment passed into the second sub-compartment via an aperture in the second dividing wall.
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18. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; and a heater positioned in the discharge duct and operable to heat airflow passing through the discharge duct, the discharge duct having a first cross-sectional area taken along a plane normal to the discharge duct at the heater, the discharge outlet having a second cross-sectional area taken along a plane normal to airflow passing through the discharge outlet, the second cross-sectional area being less than the first cross-sectional area; a ratio of the first cross-sectional area to the second cross-sectional area being no greater than 4;
1 and no less than 1.125;
1. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32)
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30. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet, the discharge duct including a substantially straight portion extending from a central chamber of the fan housing and an elbow extending from the substantially straight portion; and a heater positioned in the substantially straight portion of the discharge duct and operable to heat airflow passing through the discharge duct, the discharge duct having a first cross-sectional area taken along a plane normal to the discharge duct at the heater, the discharge outlet having a second cross-sectional area taken along a plane normal to airflow passing through the discharge outlet, the second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area, the fan housing including a first side wall having a peripheral flange extending therefrom in a direction substantially normal to the first side wall; a second side wall substantially identical to the first side wall, spaced from the first side wall, and in facing relationship with the first side wall; and at least one additional wall coupled to the peripheral flanges of the first and second side walls and extending along the outer periphery of the first and second side walls.
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33. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet, the discharge duct including a substantially straight portion extending from a central chamber of the fan housing and an elbow extending from the substantially straight portion; a heater positioned in the substantially straight portion of the discharge duct and operable to heat airflow passing through the discharge duct, the discharge duct having a first cross-sectional area taken along a plane normal to the discharge duct at the heater, the discharge outlet having a second cross-sectional area taken along a plane normal to airflow passing through the discharge outlet, the second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area; a first dividing wall positioned in the main housing to at least partially separate the main housing into a first compartment and a second compartment; a ventilation fan assembly positioned in the first compartment; an electrical compartment positioned in the first compartment at a location adjacent the first dividing wall, the electrical compartment enclosing electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly; and a second dividing wall positioned in the second compartment and extending between the first dividing wall and a side wall of the main housing to subdivide the second compartment into a first sub-compartment and a second sub-compartment, the fan housing positioned in the first sub-compartment, and the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed through an aperture in the first dividing wall into the second sub-compartment, the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed from the second sub-compartment to an exterior of the main housing via at least one outlet aperture in a side wall of the main housing.
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34. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet, the discharge duct including a substantially straight portion extending from a central chamber of the fan housing and an elbow extending from the substantially straight portion; a heater positioned in the substantially straight portion of the discharge duct and operable to heat airflow passing through the discharge duct, the discharge duct having a first cross-sectional area taken along a plane normal to the discharge duct at the heater, the discharge outlet having a second cross-sectional area taken along a plane normal to airflow passing through the discharge outlet, the second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area; a first dividing wall positioned in the main housing to at least partially separate the main housing into a first compartment and a second compartment; a ventilation fan assembly positioned in the first compartment; an electrical compartment positioned in the first compartment at a location adjacent the first dividing wall, the electrical compartment enclosing electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly; and a second dividing wall positioned in the second compartment and extending between the first dividing wall and a side wall of the main housing to subdivide the second compartment into a first sub-compartment and a second sub-compartment, the fan housing positioned in the first sub-compartment, and the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed through an aperture in the first dividing wall into the second sub-compartment, electrical wiring associated with a fan in the fan housing passed into the second sub-compartment via an aperture in the second dividing wall.
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35. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; a heater secured within the discharge duct of the fan housing; a cover coupled to and substantially closing an open side of the main housing, the cover having a discharge aperture defined therein and in fluid communication with the discharge outlet of the fan housing, and the discharge aperture of the cover having a larger cross-sectional area than the discharge outlet of the fan housing such that edges of the cover defining a periphery of the discharge aperture are recessed with respect to the discharge outlet of the fan housing; and a gasket positioned between the cover and a periphery of the discharge outlet. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; a heater secured within the discharge duct of the fan housing; and a cover coupled to and substantially closing an open side of the main housing, the cover having a discharge aperture defined therein and in fluid communication with the discharge outlet of the fan housing, and the discharge aperture of the cover having a larger cross-sectional area than the discharge outlet of the fan housing such that edges of the cover defining a periphery of the discharge aperture are recessed with respect to the discharge outlet of the fan housing; the fan housing including a first side wall having a peripheral flange extending therefrom in a direction substantially normal to the first side wall; a second side wall substantially identical to the first side wall, spaced from the first side wall, and in a facing relationship with the first side wall; and at least one additional wall coupled to the peripheral flanges of the first and second side walls and extending along the outer periphery of the first and second side walls. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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52. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; a heater secured within the discharge duct of the fan housing; a cover coupled to and substantially closing an open side of the main housing, the cover having a discharge aperture defined therein and in fluid communication with the discharge outlet of the fan housing, and the discharge aperture of the cover having a larger cross-sectional area than the discharge outlet of the fan housing such that edges of the cover defining a periphery of the discharge aperture are recessed with respect to the discharge outlet of the fan housing; a first dividing wall positioned in the main housing to at least partially separate the main housing into a first compartment and a second compartment; a ventilation fan assembly positioned in the first compartment; an electrical compartment positioned in the first compartment at a location adjacent the first dividing wall, the electrical compartment enclosing electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly; and a second dividing wall positioned in the second compartment and extending between the first dividing wall and a side wall of the main housing to subdivide the second compartment into a first sub-compartment and a second sub-compartment, the fan housing positioned in the first sub-compartment, and the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed through an aperture in the first dividing wall into the second sub-compartment, the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed from the second sub-compartment to an exterior of the main housing via at least one outlet aperture in a side wall of the main housing.
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53. A ventilating and heating apparatus for installation in a building structure, the apparatus comprising:
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a main housing; a fan housing positioned in the main housing, the fan housing having a discharge duct terminating in a discharge outlet; a heater secured within the discharge duct of the fan housing; a cover coupled to and substantially closing an open side of the main housing, the cover having a discharge aperture defined therein and in fluid communication with the discharge outlet of the fan housing, and the discharge aperture of the cover having a larger cross-sectional area than the discharge outlet of the fan housing such that edges of the cover defining a periphery of the discharge aperture are recessed with respect to the discharge outlet of the fan housing; a first dividing wall positioned in the main housing to at least partially separate the main housing into a first compartment and a second compartment; a ventilation fan assembly positioned in the first compartment; an electrical compartment positioned in the first compartment at a location adjacent the first dividing wall, the electrical compartment enclosing electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly; and a second dividing wall positioned in the second compartment and extending between the first dividing wall and a side wall of the main housing to subdivide the second compartment into a first sub-compartment and a second sub-compartment, the fan housing positioned in the first sub-compartment, and the electrical wiring associated with the ventilation fan assembly passed through an aperture in the first dividing wall into the second sub-compartment, wherein electrical wiring associated with the fan in the first sub-compartment passed into the second sub-compartment via an aperture in the second dividing wall.
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Specification