Hinge assembly for supporting a fan on a roof

• US 9,551,499 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omni Containment Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Omni Containment Systems LLC
• Inventors: Chwala, Kevin Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECTON, MARTHA M
• Application Number:
  US12/657,918
• Time in Patent Office: 2,552 Days
• Field of Search: 454/341, 454/354, 454/367, 163/67, 162/47, 522/17, 492/48
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2011/1035 with circumferential and evenly distributed detents around the pivot-axis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/32 Supports for air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation units
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/02 Roof ventilation ventilation of roof coverings E04D
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/025 with forced air circulation by means of a built-in ventilator

Abstract

A buttressed hinge assembly or a flexible hinge assembly adjusts to fit a vent on a wall or a roof in order to hold a fan thereon, which fan is especially suitable for a restaurant roof or wall. The hinge assembly attaches to a roof or wall vent to hold the fan in a proper position, yet permits the fan to be easily moved for cleaning of vent and the fan.

Claims

1. A buttressed hinge assembly with combination with a fan assembly positioned on a roof vent structure, the roof vent structure being mounted around a vent on a roof, to provide for an easy cleaning and servicing procedure for both the fan assembly and the vent on the roof, the buttressed hinge assembly comprising:

a first hinge side cooperating with a second hinge side to form the buttressed hinge assembly, the first hinge side being similar in structure to the second hinge side, and each of the first and second hinge sides having;

a mounting support bar extending along a first axis, the mounting support bar configured to be securable to the roof vent structure,

a hinge plate mechanism,

a fan support bar configured to be securable to the fan assembly,

a first pivot coupling pivotally connecting the mounting support bar to the hinge plate mechanism, the first pivot coupling configured to permit angular displacement of the mounting support bar relative to the hinge plate mechanism about a first axis,

a hinge locking plate secured to the hinge plate mechanism, and

a second pivot coupling pivotally connecting the fan support bar to the hinge locking plate, the second pivot coupling configured to permit angular displacement of the fan support bar relative to the hinge locking plate and thus the hinge plate mechanism about a second axis, wherein the second axis is transverse to the first axis, such that when the hinge plate mechanism and the hinge locking plate are connected to each other and further connected to the mounting support bar and the fan support bar, the fan support bar is movable in relationship to the mounting support bar and further configured such that the mounting support bar is angularly displaced separate from the angular displacement of the fan support bar and about a different axis.

2. The buttressed hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the mounting support bar includes at least two apertures for securing the mounting support bar to a desired surface of the roof vent structure;

the fan support bar includes at least two apertures for securing the fan support bar to the fan; and

the fan support bar includes at least two locking pin apertures for releasably securing the fan support bar in an orientation relative to the mounting support bar for cleaning and servicing of the fan as desired.

3. The buttressed hinge assembly of claim 2, wherein:

the at least two apertures for the mounting support bar include a plurality of apertures for selectively distributing a weight of the fan;

the at least two apertures for the fan support bar include a plurality of apertures for selectively distributing a weight of the fan;

the hinge locking plate includes at least two adjustment apertures;

the fan support bar includes a fan support bar locking pin aperture configured to cooperate with the at least two adjustment apertures; and

the at least two adjustment apertures are configured to enable the fan support bar to be oriented in at least a first orientation relative to the hinge plate mechanism and a second different orientation relative to the hinge plate mechanism.

4. The buttressed hinge assembly of claim 3, wherein:

the second orientation is associated with either of a fully opened position and a partially opened position;

the second orientation provides for easy cleaning or service of the fan assembly and the vent; and

a locking pin is mounted in the locking pin aperture.

5. The buttressed hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second hinge sides are disposed at opposite sides of a fan assembly and oriented such that the second axis of the first hinge side is collinear with the second axis of the second hinge side;

the mounting support bar of the first hinge side is configured to be angularly displaced in any of an inward direction toward the second hinge side and an outward direction away from the second hinge side.

6. The buttressed hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinge plate mechanism of at least one of the first and second hinge sides includes a hinge locking plate and a hinge plate, wherein the hinge locking plate is configured to be removably securable to the hinge plate in any one of a plurality of different orientations for adjusting a position of the fan support bar relative to the mounting support bar.

7. The buttressed hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein the hinge locking plate and the hinge plate each include a right side and a left side, and the locking plate is configured to be removably securable to the hinge plate in either of:

(i) a first orientation wherein the right side of the hinge locking plate engages the left side of the hinge plate, and (ii) a second orientation wherein the left side of the hinge locking plate engages the right side of the hinge plate.

8. A hinge assembly with combination with a fan assembly positioned on a roof vent structure, the roof vent structure being mounted near a vent on a roof, to provide for easy cleaning and servicing of both the fan assembly and the vent on the roof, the hinge assembly comprising:

a hinge plate mechanism including a hinge plate secured to a hinge locking plate;

a fan support bar configured to be mountable to the fan assembly, the fan support bar pivotally coupled to the hinge locking plate such that the fan support bar is angularly displaced from the hinge plate mechanism about a first axis, wherein the hinge locking plate is further configured to be releasably securable in a plurality of different orientations relative to the hinge plate such that when the hinge locking plate is unsecured to the fan support bar the fan support bar is moveable about the hinge locking plate about the first axis; and

a mounting support bar pivotally coupled to the hinge plate about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, wherein the mounting support bar is configured to be mountable to a surface of the roof vent structure, and the mounting support bar is configured to be angularly displaced to align with any one of a plurality of orientations of the surface of the roof vent structure and wherein such that when the hinge plate and the hinge locking plate are connected to each other and further connected to the mounting support bar and the fan support bar, the fan support bar is movable in relationship to the mounting support bar and further configured such that the mounting support bar is angularly displaced separate from the angular displacement of the fan support bar and about a different axis.

9. The hinge assembly of claim 8, wherein the mounting support bar is configured to be angularly displaceable between:

(i) a first orientation wherein a mounting surface of the mounting support bar is aligned parallel to a surface of the roof, and (ii) a second orientation wherein the mounting surface of the mounting support bar is aligned to a surface of the roof vent structure extending perpendicular to the surface of the roof.

10. The hinge assembly of claim 8, wherein the fan support bar is configured to be releasably securable in any of a plurality of different angular displacements relative to the hinge locking plate, at least one of said plurality of different angular displacements corresponding to an open position, and for each open position, the hinge locking plate is configured to be releasably secured in at least two different positions relative to the hinge plate for selectively adjusting distribution of a weight of a fan assembly mounted to the fan support bar.

11. The hinge assembly of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of different angular displacements of the fan support bar relative to the hinge locking plate corresponds to an open position, and for each open position, the hinge locking plate is configured to be releasably secured in at least two different positions relative to the hinge plate for selectively adjusting distribution of a weight of a fan assembly mounted to the fan support bar.