Hinge assembly for supporting a fan on a roof

• US 8,535,128 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omni Containment Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Omni Containment, LLC
• Inventors: Chwala, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, SAMANTHA A
• Application Number:
  US13/622,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20130017775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 454/356, 454/364, 454/365, 454/136, 454/15
• US Class Current: 454/354
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/32 Supports for air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation units
• 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 mounting hinge assembly configured to connect to a fan assembly positioned on a roof or wall, the fan assembly being defined by a fan secured to a fan base that is positionable over a vent on the roof or wall, the mounting hinge assembly provides for an easy cleaning and servicing procedure for both the fan and the vent on the roof or wall, the mounting hinge assembly comprising:

a pair of hinge sides, each hinge side including;

a fan base support bar having a fan base mounting section and a fan base support arm extending from the fan base mounting section, the fan base support arm having an upper edge and a lower portion, the lower portion having at least one tab extending outwardly and upwardly towards the upper edge and being opposed to the fan base support arm such that a channel is formed between the at least one tab the fan base support arm, the at least one tab having an aperture aligned with at least one opening on the fan base support arm, and at least one fastener configured to be inserted through the at least one aligned aperture and opening capturing a portion of the fan base resting in the channel;

a surface support bar having a surface support mounting section and a surface support arm extending from the surface support mounting section, the surface support arm having at least one surface support opening configured to receive a mounting fastener to secure the surface support bar to a surface defined on the vent, roof, or wall;

a hinge plate mutually connecting the fan base mounting section to the surface support mounting section such that the fan base support bar is moveable in relationship to the surface support bar, the hinge plate having a hinge plate opening corresponding to a hinge support opening positioned on either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, a hinge fastener securing through the hinge plate opening and the hinge support opening thereby hingedly securing the hinge plate to either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, and the hinge plate further having at least one adjustment aperture corresponding to at least one aperture on the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, and an adjustment fastener securing through the at least one adjustment aperture and corresponding aperture on the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, thereby securing the hinge plate to either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, whereby the surface support bar is hingedly connected to the fan base support bar; and

each hinge side is thereby configured to be secured to the fan assembly, by securing at least a portion of the fan base in the channel between the at least one tab the fan base support arm and fastening the at least one fastener through the opening in the tab through the fan base and into the aligned aperture on the fan base support arm, and securing by at least one mounting fastener the surface support arm to either a surface of the vent below the fan base or a surface of the roof or wall, such that the fan base is moveable from vent.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one shim secured between the surface support bar and the fan base support bar by the adjustment fastener.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustment aperture is further defined as pairs of adjustment apertures vertically aligned along the hinge plate such that either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section can be adjusted vertically along the hinge plate when secured thereto.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the fan base support arm has a ledge extending laterally from the upper edge thereof and away from the surface support bar, the ledge being configured for position onto an upper surface of the fan base.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ledge includes at least one aperture configured to receive a fastener to secure the ledge to the upper surface of the fan base.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one tab is further defined as a plurality of tabs each being opposed to the fan base support arm and each of the plurality of tabs being spaced apart from each other, each tab having an aperture configured for alignment with at least one opening defined on the fan base support arm.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one tab is a single tab extending along and being opposed to a portion of a length of the fan base support arm and the single tab having a plurality of apertures separately configured for alignment with a plurality of openings defined along the fan base support arm.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening on the fan base support arm corresponding to the aperture on the tab is a threaded opening.

9. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first locking pin aperture positioned in the hinge plate and a corresponding locking pin aperture positioned on either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section and at least one locking pin which when inserted into the aligned locking pin apertures movement of the fan base support arm with respect to the surface support bar is prevented.

10. The assembly of claim 9 further comprising a second locking pin aperture positioned in the hinge plate that aligns with the locking pin aperture positioned on either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section when the fan base support arm is moved with respect to the surface support bar such that the locking pin inserted into the aligned second locking pin aperture and into the corresponding locking pin aperture positioned on either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section is capable of securing the hinge side in an opened positioned providing access to the fan assembly.

11. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a lateral arm extending from a rear portion of an upper edge of the fan base support arm, the lateral arm further extending towards the mounting plate, such that when the fan base support bar is moved with respect to the surface support bar, the lateral arm come into contact with the hinge plate preventing over extension of the fan base support bar with respect to the surface support bar.

12. A mounting hinge assembly configured to connect to a fan assembly positioned on a roof or wall, the fan assembly being defined by a fan secured to a fan base that is positionable over a vent on the roof or wall, the mounting hinge assembly provides for an easy cleaning and servicing procedure for both the fan and the vent on the roof or wall, the mounting hinge assembly comprising:

a pair of hinge sides, each hinge side including;

a fan base support bar having a fan base mounting section and a fan base support arm extending from the fan base mounting section, the fan base support arm having an upper edge and a lower portion, the lower portion having at least one tab extending outwardly and upwardly towards the upper edge and being opposed to the fan base support arm such that a channel is formed between the at least one tab the fan base support arm;

a surface support bar having a surface support mounting section and a surface support arm extending from the surface support mounting section, the surface support arm having at least one surface support opening configured to receive a mounting fastener to secure the surface support bar to a surface defined on the vent, roof, or wall;

a hinge plate mutually connecting the fan base mounting section to the surface support mounting section such that the fan base support bar is moveable in relationship to the surface support bar, the hinge plate having a hinge plate opening corresponding to a hinge support opening positioned on either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, a hinge fastener securing through the hinge plate opening and the hinge support opening thereby hingedly securing the hinge plate to either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, and the hinge plate further having at least one adjustment aperture corresponding to at least one aperture on the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, and an adjustment fastener securing through the at least one adjustment aperture and corresponding aperture on the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, thereby securing the hinge plate to either the fan base mounting section or the surface support mounting section, whereby the surface support bar is hingedly connected to the fan base support bar; and

each hinge side is thereby configured to be secured to the fan assembly, by positioning at least a portion of the fan base in the channel between the at least one tab the fan base support arm, and securing by at least one mounting fastener the surface support arm to either a surface of the vent below the fan base or a surface of the roof or wall, such that the fan base is moveable from vent.

13. The hinge assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one tab has an aperture aligned with at least one opening on the fan base support arm, and at least one fastener configured to be inserted through the at least one aligned aperture and opening capturing a portion of the fan base resting in the channel.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one tab is further defined as a plurality of tabs each being opposed to the fan base support arm and each of the plurality of tabs being spaced apart from each other, each tab having an aperture configured for alignment with at least one opening defined on the fan base support arm.

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one tab is a single tab extending along and being opposed to a portion of a length of the fan base support arm and the single tab having a plurality of apertures separately configured for alignment with a plurality of openings defined along the fan base support arm.