Bath fan and heater with cover having adjustable luver or depressible fastener and depressible release

• US 9,797,623 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chien Luen Industries Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Chien Luen Industries Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tom, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lin, Ko-Wei
• Application Number:
  US14/822,650
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 454237, 454241, 454248, 454249, 454254, 454349, 454354
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/052 using incorporated fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/078 combined with lighting fixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/34 Heater, e.g. gas burner, electric air heater
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/06 with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0411 for domestic or space-heating systems

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods of using 70 CFM ventilation fans with heaters for bathrooms having depressibly engageable and depressibly releaseable light covers. The novel ventilation fans and heaters can be mounted to structure in ceilings and inside walls with telescoping suspension brackets that are affixed directly to separate sides of the housing to support the housing against joists and structural supports behind the ceiling. Adjustable louvers on the grill cover allow for outgoing heated air to travel in a different direction into a space from the incoming air travelling into the housing. Plastic type housings around blower wheels reduce undesirable noise effects. Light covers can be easily opened and closed by using depressible engageable fasteners, and depressible release fasteners.

Claims

1. A ventilation fan, comprising:

a housing having top, side walls and a bottom, and an exhaust outlet, the bottom adapted to be mounted adjacent to an opening in a ceiling;

a first blower wheel and a first motor for running the first blower wheel, both mounted inside of the housing, the first blower wheel being rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the top of the housing, wherein the first blower wheel has a volute and an outlet;

a plenum located inside of the housing and removably attached to the outlet of the first blower wheel for redirecting air from the first blower wheel in a substantially vertical direction;

a heating element positioned inside the plenum adjacent to the outlet of the first blower wheel;

a second blower wheel and a second motor for running the second blower wheel, both mounted inside of the housing, the second blower wheel being rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the top of the housing, the second blower wheel adjacent to the exhaust outlet in the housing; and

a grill cover adjacent to the bottom of the housing having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, the grill cover having a first grill portion on the first longitudinal end and a second grill portion on the second longitudinal end separate from the first grill portion, the first grill portion having an outlet for allowing outgoing air from the first blower wheel which has been heated by the heating element to be passed out of the housing, the second grill portion having an inlet for allowing air to be pulled into the housing by at least one of the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel.

2. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

a light in the grill cover between the first grill portion and the second grill portion with a removable lens cover for covering the light.

3. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein one of the first motor and the second motor includes an approximately 70 (seventy) CFM (cubic feet per minute) generating motor.

4. The ventilation fan of claim 2, further comprising:

female sockets in the grill cover behind the lens cover; and

male prongs extending below the lens cover for being inserted into the female sockets, wherein the lens cover is attached to and released from the grill cover by the male prongs and female sockets.

5. The ventilation fan of claim 4, further comprising:

moveable inner parts inside of the sockets, wherein the springs are positioned beneath the inner parts; and

bendable arms are attached to the inner parts, wherein initially depressing the male prongs into sockets causes the bendable arms to hook about enlarged heads on the male prongs to lock the lens cover in place, and subsequently depressing the male prongs causes the springs to push to out the inner parts to release the lens cover.

6. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

a first elongated side telescoping bracket directly mounted along one side wall of the housing; and

a second elongated side telescoping bracket directly mounted along an opposite side wall of the housing.

7. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

an enclosure surrounding at least one of the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel to prevent excess noise and provide maximum performance in the ventilation fan.

8. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first grill portion and the second grill portion includes adjustable louvers so as to direct at least one of the incoming air and the outgoing heated air in separate directions.

9. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel are simultaneously switchable to both run at one time.

10. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel are separately switchable to run at different times.

11. A ventilation fan, comprising:

a housing having top, side walls and bottom adaptable to be mounted adjacent to an opening in a ceiling;

a first blower wheel and a first motor for running the first blower wheel, both mounted inside of the housing, the first blower wheel having a volute and an outlet;

a plenum located inside of the housing removably attached to the outlet of the first blower wheel for redirecting air in a substantially vertical direction;

a heater for providing heated air inside the plenum adjacent to the outlet of the first blower wheel;

a second blower wheel and a second motor for running the second blower wheel both mounted inside of the housing, and adjacent with the first blower wheel and the first motor, both the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel each rotatable in a vertical plane relative to the bottom of the housing; and

a grill adjacent to the bottom of the housing, having a first grill portion for passing outgoing heated air from the first blower wheel to be exhausted from the housing, the grill having a second grill portion for allowing air to be pulled inside the housing by at least one of the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel.

12. The ventilation fan of claim 11, further comprising:

a light adjacent to the grill.

13. The ventilation fan of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first motor and the second motor includes an approximately 70 (seventy) CFM (cubic feet per minute) generating motor.

14. The ventilation fan of claim 11, further comprising:

an enclosure surrounding at least one of the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel which helps prevent excess noise and provide maximum performance to the ventilation fan.

15. The ventilation fan of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first grill portion and the second grill portion includes adjustable louvers so as to direct at least one of the incoming air and the outgoing heated air in separate direction.

16. The ventilation fan of claim 11, wherein the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel are simultaneously switchable to both run at one time.

17. The ventilation fan of claim 11, wherein the first blower wheel and the second blower wheel are separately switchable to run at different times.

18. A ventilation and heating apparatus, comprising:

a housing with top, sides and bottom adaptable to be mounted adjacent to an opening in a ceiling;

a first fan and a first motor for running the first fan, both mounted inside of the housing, the first fan having a volute and an outlet;

a plenum located inside of the housing removably attached to the outlet of the first fan for redirecting air in a substantially vertical direction;

a heater for providing heated air inside the plenum adjacent to the outlet of the first fan;

a second fan and a second motor for running the second fan both mounted inside of the housing, and adjacent with the first fan and the first motor; and

a grill adjacent to the bottom of the housing having a first portion for allowing outgoing heated air from the first fan to be exhausted from the housing, the grill having a second portion for allowing incoming air to be pulled inside the housing by at least one of the first fan and the second fan.

19. The ventilation and heating apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first fan and the second fan each include a blower wheel.