Housing assembly

• US 7,610,726 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boral Building Products Inc. (Seven Group Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tapco International Corporation (Seven Group Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Lajewski, Todd M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield; Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Herring; Brent W
• Application Number:
  US11/429,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20060272231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 521/98, 522/18, 52/97, 523/021, 522/208, 522/08, 522/19, 522/09, 522/045.4, 524/73, 521/99, 52/60, 523/023, 454/358, 454/368, 248/225.21, 248/56, 248/220.21, 174/50, 174/480, 174/481
• US Class Current: 52/97
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/082 Grilles, registers or guards
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2007/0025 using vent ports in a wall
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/00 Ventilation

Abstract

A housing assembly for mounting to a wall of a building is disclosed. The housing assembly includes a front plate attached to a back plate. The back plate defines an axis and has a flange extending radially away from the axis for coupling to the wall. An insert is disposed between the front plate and the back plate. The insert includes a central body having a fluid diverter extending outwardly from the central body for guiding a fluid away from the wall. The housing assembly further includes a locking device for selectively coupling and uncoupling the insert from one of the front plate and the back plate.

Claims

1. A housing assembly for mounting to a wall of a building, said assembly comprising;

a back plate defining an axis and having a flange extending radially away from said axis for coupling to the wall with said back plate defining a void along said axis,

a front plate attached to said back plate for aesthetic purposes,

an insert disposed between said front plate and said back plate and having a central body with a fluid diverter extending outwardly from said central body above and below said void for redirecting a fluid around said void and away from the wall,

said fluid diverter including an upper portion spaced from a lower portion with each of said portions extending from said central body, and

a locking device for selectively coupling and uncoupling said insert from one of said front plate and said back plate.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking device includes a first coupling member and a second coupling member interposed between said front plate and said back plate.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first coupling member is further defined as a continuous rib extending radially toward said axis from one of said front plate and said back plate for engaging said second coupling member.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a raised portion extending from one of said front plate and said back plate along said axis.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said raised portion extends from said back plate and said central body defines a recess for receiving said raised portion.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper portion defines an outer surface angled toward said central body for guiding the fluid toward said lower portion.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said lower portion defines an inner surface angled away from said central body for receiving the fluid from said outer surface and for guiding the fluid away from the wall.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower portion includes a pair of wings extending angularly away from said axis to a distal end for receiving the fluid from said upper portion.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said front plate and said back plate includes a plurality of adjustment devices spaced from one another for securing said front plate to said back plate.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper portion is disposed above said void for redirecting the fluid around said void and into said lower portion with said lower portion disposed below said void for guiding the fluid away from the wall.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said void defines an annular configuration and said upper and lower portions each define a semi-circular configuration extending radially about said void.

12. A housing assembly for mounting to a vertical wall of a building, said assembly comprising;

a back plate defining an axis and having a flange extending radially away from said axis for coupling to the wall with said back plate defining a void along said axis,

a front plate attached to said back plate for aesthetic purposes,

an insert disposed between said front plate and said back plate and having a central body with a fluid diverter extending outwardly from said central body above and below said void for redirecting a fluid flowing transverse to said axis around said void and away from the wall, and

a locking device including a first coupling member selectively engaging a second coupling member with one of said first and second coupling members affixedly connected to said insert for selectively coupling and uncoupling said insert from one of said front plate and said back plate.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said first coupling member is mounted to said back plate and said second coupling member is affixedly connected to said insert.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said first coupling member is further defined as a continuous rib extending radially toward said axis from said back plate for engaging said second coupling member.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said second coupling member is further defined as a plurality of tangs spaced from each other and extending from said central body along said axis for engaging said rib.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said fluid diverter includes an upper portion spaced from a lower portion with each of said portions extending from said central body.

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said upper portion defines an outer surface angled toward said central body for guiding the fluid toward said lower portion.

18. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said lower portion includes a pair of wings extending angularly away from said axis to a distal end for receiving the fluid from said upper portion.

19. A housing assembly for mounting to a wall of a building, said assembly comprising;

a back plate defining an axis and having a flange extending radially away from said axis for coupling to the wall with said back plate defining a void along said axis,

a front plate attached to said back plate for aesthetic purposes,

at least one adjustment device mounted to one of said front plate and said back plate,

an insert disposed between said front plate and said back plate and having a central body with a fluid diverter extending outwardly from said central body above and below said void for redirecting a fluid around said void and away from the wall, and

said central body defining at least one hole offset from said void of said back plate for allowing passage of said adjustment device through said central body to abut said fluid diverter against one of said front plate and said back plate.

20. An assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said at least one adjustment device is further defined as a plurality of adjustment devices spaced from each other and mounted to said back plate.

21. An assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said at least one hole is further defined as a plurality of holes spaced from each other with each of said holes allowing passage of one of said adjustment devices for allowing said fluid diverter to abut against said back plate.

22. An assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said front plate includes a plurality of locking fingers spaced from each other for mating with said adjustment devices.

23. An assembly as set forth in claim 22 wherein each of said adjustment devices define a plurality of channels for receiving said locking fingers and for adjusting a space between said front plate and said back plate.

24. An assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said fluid diverter includes an upper portion spaced from a lower portion with each of said portions extending from said central body.

25. An assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said upper portion defines an outer surface angled toward said central body for guiding the fluid toward said lower portion.

26. An assembly as set forth in claim 25 wherein said lower portion includes a pair of wings extending angularly away from said axis to a distal end for receiving the fluid from said upper portion.

27. An assembly as set forth in claim 26 wherein said lower portion defines an inner surface angled away from said central body for receiving the fluid from said outer surface of said upper portion and for guiding the fluid away from the wall.

28. An assembly as set forth in claim 27 wherein said outer surface of said upper portion is angled such that the fluid flows toward the wall, about said void, and into said wings with said inner surface of said lower portion angled such that the fluid flows away from the wall.