Radon exhaust system with a diagnostic bypass filter apparatus

• US 9,140,461 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wayne E. Bailey
• Original Assignee: Wayne E. Bailey
• Inventors: Bailey, Wayne E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECTON, MARTHA M
• Application Number:
  US13/506,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20130295837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 454/356
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 8/70 by removing radon

Abstract

A radon exhaust system comprising an exhaust side with a vent housing, a diagnostic bypass filter apparatus providing observation windows, a removable observation window, internal ice and object filter, internal ribbon flow indicators, internal water gutter with drain spout, an exhaust fan and a suction side coupled together to form a conduit through which gaseous fluid may be conveyed. The diagnostic bypass filter apparatus provides an enlarged elliptical air passage bulge and angular bend configuration having three observation windows, a fourth removable observation window, an internal ice and object filter, ribbon flow indicators, and an internal water gutter with drain spout for providing protection of the exhaust fan from falling ice, water and objects and visual inspection for flow in the exhaust system and access to the filter for cleaning.

Claims

1. A diagnostic bypass filter apparatus in an exhaust system for blocking falling ice which forms inside said exhaust system, debris, birds and animals which enter from the discharge end of said exhaust system, for diverting water which forms inside said exhaust system, for permitting visual inspections and internal cleaning of said diagnostic bypass filter apparatus, for permitting access to the inside of said diagnostic bypass filter apparatus for air quality and air flow testing, said exhaust system comprising an exhaust side having a hollow interior and an inner surface, a flexible exhaust coupling, a diagnostic bypass filter apparatus, a hollow exhaust pipe elbow, a hollow exhaust pipe on which ice and condensate may be formed, a discharge end with a vent housing where debris, birds and animals may enter, a suction side having a hollow interior, and a fan apparatus interposed between said exhaust side and said suction side and coupled to each of said exhaust side and said suction side to form a conduit through which a gaseous fluid may be conveyed, wherein said gaseous fluid is drawn by said fan apparatus from said suction side and expelled by said fan apparatus through said exhaust side, said diagnostic bypass filter apparatus comprising:

a diagnostic bypass filter housing comprising a first open end and a second open end with a continuous hollow interior between said first open end and said second open end communicating between said first open end and said second open end having an elongated curved elbow configuration providing an angle between the said first open end and the said second open end a diagnostic bypass filter housing bulge area, the bulge area having a circular section with an expanded circumference at a midsection forming an eccentric ellipse shaped expansion of said diagnostic bypass filter housing, said first open end communicating with said exhaust side of said fan apparatus to said hollow interior thereof and said second open end communicating through said exhaust side to said hollow interior thereof in a manner maximizing air flow; and

a filter, with an axis of said filter substantially coincident with an axis of said first open end of said diagnosis bypass filter housing and said enlarged center elliptical bulge of said diagnostic bypass filter housing, comprising a diameter being dimensioned to fit said hollow interior circumference of the center of the said enlarged elliptical bulge and angular bend section of said diagnostic bypass filter housing, being arranged in a manner forming a barrier comprising said inner surface of the of said diagnostic bypass filter housing and an outer edge of said screen positioned to block falling ice, debris, birds and animals which may form and/or enter said exhaust system; and

a gutter supporting said filter comprising a crescent shape gutter floor constructed as part of said hollow interior of said diagnostic bypass filter housing extending half way around said hollow interior of said diagnostic bypass filter and located at a lower apex of said elliptical bulge, said gutter substantially coincident with the axis of said first open end of said diagnosis bypass filter housing and positioned to collect condensate and melted ice which may drain within said diagnostic bypass filter housing; and

air flow indicators comprising flexible, light-weight ribbon type material attached at their bottoms to said filter on the exit air flow side of the filter with their upper portion being lifted upwardly by air flow produced below by said fan apparatus providing visual system performance evaluation without entering said diagnostic bypass filter housing; and

a drain spout comprising a hollow interior having a first open end and a second open end, said hollow interior communicating between said first open end and said second open end, said first open end of said drain spout communicating through said diagnostic bypass filter housing to said hollow interior there of immediately adjacent to the lowest point of a conical surface of said gutter and within said gutter, said second open end communicating with the outside of the said diagnostic bypass filter housing; and

a removable observation window located in said diagnostic bypass filter housing between said filter and said first open end of said diagnostic bypass filter at an upper apex of said elliptical bulge comprising an access opening having a hollow female threaded interior having a first open and a second open end, said hollow female threaded interior communicating between said first open end and second open end, said first open end communicating with the outside of said diagnostic bypass filter housing and said second open end communicating with the interior of said elliptical bulge, and having a see through closure cap with male threads to match said access opening hollow female threaded interior having a bolt head configuration built in suitable for wrenching said closure cap on and off providing for the inspection and servicing of the interior of the diagnostic bypass filter, and sealing said access opening, and

three observation windows located in said diagnostic bypass filter housing between said filter and said first open end of said diagnostic bypass filter housing, having two of said observation windows diametric to each other on the sides of said diagnostic bypass housing and the third said observation window diametric to said removable observation window providing the capability for visual inspection of said interior of the diagnostic bypass filter housing while said exhaust system is operating.

2. The diagnostic bypass filter apparatus of claim 1, wherein said exhaust system is a radon mitigation system.

3. The diagnostic bypass filter apparatus of claim 1, wherein said angle between the said first open end and the said second open end is forty-five degrees.

4. An-exhaust system for removing a gaseous fluid containing radon comprising:

an exhaust fan apparatus comprising a housing having an exhaust port and a suction port and enclosing a fan, wherein the operation of said fan draws a gaseous fluid into said suction port and expels said gaseous fluid from said exhaust port;

a cylindrical suction conduit comprising a hollow interior, a first open end, and at least one other open end, said hollow interior communicating between first open end each of said at least one other open ends, said suction pipe being otherwise substantially air tight, wherein said first open end is substantially air tightly coupled with said suction port and each of said at least one other open ends is located proximate to said gaseous fluid so that said gaseous fluid is conducted by operation of said fan from each of said at least one other open ends of said suction conduit through said suction conduit to said suction port;

a cylindrical exhaust conduit comprising a hollow interior, a first open end, at least one other open end, and an inner surface, said hollow interior communicating between said first open end and each one of said at least one other open ends, said exhaust pipe being otherwise substantially airtight, wherein said first open end is substantially air tightly coupled to said exhaust port each of said at least one other open ends is located at a predetermined level above ground so that said gaseous fluid is conducted by operation of said fan from said exhaust port through said exhaust conduit to each of said at least one other open ends of said exhaust conduit;

a diagnostic bypass filter housing comprising a first open end and a second open end with a continuous hollow interior between said first open end and said second open end communicating between said first open end and said second open end having an elongated curved elbow configuration providing an angle between the said first open end and the said second open end of a diagnostic bypass filter housing bulge area, the bulge area having a circular section with an expanded circumference at a midsection forming an eccentric ellipse shaped expansion of said diagnostic bypass filter housing, said first open end communicating with said exhaust side of said fan apparatus to said hollow interior thereof and said second open end communicating through said exhaust side to said hollow interior thereof in a manner maximizing air flow; and

a filter, with an axis of said filter substantially coincident with an axis of said first open end of said diagnosis bypass filter housing and said enlarged center elliptical bulge of said diagnostic bypass filter housing, comprising a diameter being dimensioned to fit said hollow interior circumference of the center of the said enlarged elliptical bulge and angular bend section of said diagnostic bypass filter housing, being arranged in a manner forming a barrier comprising said inner surface of the of said diagnostic bypass filter housing and an outer edge of said screen positioned to block falling ice, debris, birds and animals which form and or enter said exhaust system; and

a gutter supporting said filter comprising a crescent shape gutter floor constructed as part of said hollow interior of said diagnostic bypass filter housing extending half way around said hollow interior of said diagnostic bypass filter and located at a lower apex of said elliptical bulge, said gutter substantially coincident with the axis of said first open end of said diagnosis bypass filter housing and positioned to collect water and melted ice which form within said diagnostic bypass filter housing; and

air flow indicators comprising flexible, light-weight ribbon type material attached at their bottoms to said filter on the exit air flow side of the filter with their upper portion being lifted upwardly by air flow produced below by said fan apparatus providing visual system performance evaluation without entering said diagnostic bypass filter housing; and

a drain spout comprising a hollow interior having a first open end and a second open end, said hollow interior communicating between said first open end and said second open end, said first open end of said drain spout communicating through said diagnostic bypass filter housing to said hollow interior there of immediately adjacent to the lowest point of a conical surface of said gutter and within said gutter, said second open end communicating with the outside of the said diagnostic bypass filter housing to discharge said water and melted ice; and

a removable observation window located in said diagnostic bypass filter housing between said filter and said first open end of said diagnostic bypass filter at an upper apex of said elliptical bulge comprising an access opening having a hollow female threaded interior having a first open and a second open end, said hollow female threaded interior communicating between said first open end and second open end, said first open end communicating with the outside of said diagnostic bypass filter housing and said second open end communicating with the interior of said elliptical bulge, and having a see through closure cap with male threads to match said access opening hollow female threaded interior having a bolt head configuration built in suitable for wrenching said closure cap on and off providing for the inspection and servicing of the interior of the diagnostic bypass filter and sealing said access opening, and

three observation windows located in said diagnostic bypass filter housing between said filter and said first open end of said diagnostic bypass filter housing, having two of said observation windows diametric to each other on the sides of said diagnostic bypass housing and the third said observation window diametric to said removable observation window providing the capability for visual inspection of said interior of the diagnostic bypass filter housing while said radon mitigation system is operating; and

a vent housing comprising a first open end and a second open end and a continuous hollow interior between said first open end and said second open end communicating between said first open end and said second open end having a hollow cylindrical shape with multiple horizontal elongated exhaust openings symmetrically running along and aligned at right angle to the latitudinal axis of said hollow cylindrical shape that are angled vertically with the interior side of said elongated exhaust openings being higher than the exterior of said elongated exhaust openings within the wall of said vent housing which prevent rain water and objects from entering said vent housing, said first open end of said vent housing is coupled to exit air flow end of said cylindrical exhaust conduit and second open end of said vent housing is sealed with a cap.

5. The vent housing of claim 4, wherein said horizontal elongated exhaust openings are sized at 4¼

inches horizontally by 5/16 inches vertically and are approximately 87 in number providing decreased air flow resistance which increases the efficiency of the exhaust system.

6. The vent housing of claim 4, wherein the said vent housing is manufactured with opaque or transparent materials providing for solar heat within said vent housing to prevent ice build up and subsequent air-flow reduction.

7. The diagnostic bypass filter apparatus of claim 4, wherein said angle between the said first open end and the said second open end is forty-five degrees.