Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SHROUDED ROOF VENT FOR A VEHICLE
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure is related to air vents.
[0002] More specifically, the present disclosure is related to air
vents configured to
selectively block or allow fluid communication between an interior and an
exterior of a
structure, such as a vehicle, for example.
[0003] It may be advantageous to circulate air through an enclosed area
of a structure
such as a building or vehicle. The structure may include an opening to permit
airflow between
an interior and an exterior of the structure to vent the enclosed area to an
external environment,
such as an ambient environment, for example. The opening may be partially
covered to block
debris and precipitation, such as rain and snow, for example, from entering
the interior of the
structure through the opening. The structure may include an air vent to
selectively permit air to
flow freely between the interior and exterior of the structure to vent the
enclosed area.
[0004] As an example, recreational vehicles may include an air vent to
cover an
opening formed in the roof of the vehicle. The air vent may be configured to
selectively allow
air to circulate between the interior and exterior of the vehicle. In some
instances, the air vent
is closed during inclement weather to avoid precipitation from entering the
vehicle. A hood
may be installed over such an air vent to allow the air vent to be open during
inclement
weather. However, adding a hood to the vehicle increases cost and assembly
time. Some air
vents include a relatively large number of parts and, thus, have a relatively
long assembly
time. Therefore, there is a need for an air vent that has a relatively short
assembly time and
does not require a hood to block precipitation and debris from entering the
vehicle through
the air vent when the air vent is open in inclement weather.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present application discloses one or more of the following
features which,
alone or in any combination, may comprise patentable subject matter:
[0005.1] In accordance with an aspect of at least one embodiment, there
is provided an
air vent comprising: a cover configured to be received in an opening formed in
a vehicle, the cover
including a continuous ceiling and a number of sidewalls extending downward
away from the
ceiling, the ceiling and sidewalls cooperating to define an interior region
and a plate-receiving
opening that opens into the interior region, the cover formed to define a vent
opening that opens
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into the interior region, wherein the vent opening is transverse to the plate-
receiving opening, and
wherein the interior region, the plate-receiving opening, and the vent opening
cooperate to define a
passage for air to communicate between an interior and an exterior of the
vehicle, a damper
positioned in the interior region, the damper selectively moveable between a
closed position
blocking fluid communication through the passage and an open position allowing
fluid
communication through the passage, and an interior plate positioned in the
interior region, the
interior plate and the cover cooperate to define a damper chamber, the damper
is pivotably
coupled to the interior plate, and the damper is positioned in the damper
chamber, wherein at
least one sidewall is formed to define an outlet opening in fluid
communication with the vent
opening and the interior region, wherein the cover further includes an outlet
coupled to the
sidewall to cover the outlet opening and the outlet is formed to define the
vent opening, and
wherein the outlet includes an awning and a vent grill, the awning includes a
flap, tab ends, and a
grill retainer, and the vent grill is coupled to the flap and the grill
retainer.
[0005.2] In accordance with an aspect of at least one embodiment, there is
provided an
air vent comprising: a cover including a continuous ceiling and a number of
sidewalls extending
from the ceiling, the number of sidewalls formed to define a first outlet
opening, an interior plate
coupled to the cover, the interior plate and the cover cooperating to define a
damper chamber, the
interior plate formed to define a screen-receiving opening that opens into the
damper chamber, the
first outlet opening opens into the damper chamber, and the screen-receiving
opening is transverse
to the first outlet opening, and a damper coupled to the interior plate and
positioned in the damper
chamber, the damper selectively moveable between a closed position blocking
fluid
communication through the first outlet opening and an open position allowing
fluid communication
through the first outlet opening, wherein the damper includes a first slat and
a driver, the first
slat is configured to move between a first position covering the first outlet
opening when the
damper is in the closed position and a second position uncovering the first
outlet opening when
the damper is in the open position, and the driver is coupled to the first
slat and configured to
move the first slat between the first and second positions, and wherein the
cover further includes
a first outlet coupled to one of the sidewalls to cover the first outlet
opening, the first outlet
includes an air permeable vent grill removably coupled to the sidewall and a
water impermeable
awning coupled to the cover and the air permeable vent grill, and the water
impermeable awning
extends away from the sidewall to block precipitation and debris from entering
the first outlet
opening.
[0005.3] In accordance with an aspect of at least one embodiment, there is
provided an
air vent comprising: a cover including a ceiling, the ceiling have an aperture
formed therethrough,
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the cover further including a number of sidewalls extending from the ceiling,
the number of
sidewalls formed to define a first outlet opening, a translucent dome secured
to the cover and
positioned in the aperture formed in the ceiling, an interior plate coupled to
the cover, the interior
plate and the cover cooperating to define a damper chamber, the interior plate
formed to define a
screen-receiving opening that opens into the damper chamber, the first outlet
opening opens into
the damper chamber, and the screen-receiving opening is transverse to the
first outlet opening, and
a damper coupled to the interior plate and positioned in the damper chamber,
the damper
selectively moveable between a closed position blocking fluid communication
through the first
outlet opening and an open position allowing fluid communication through the
first outlet opening,
wherein the damper includes a first slat and a driver, the first slat is
configured to move
between a first position covering the first outlet opening when the damper is
in the closed
position and a second position uncovering the first outlet opening when the
damper is in the
open position, and the driver is coupled to the first slat and configured to
move the first slat
between the first and second positions, and wherein the cover further includes
a first outlet
coupled to one of the sidewalls to cover the first outlet opening, the first
outlet includes an air
permeable vent grill removably coupled to the sidewall and a water impermeable
awning coupled
to the cover and the air permeable vent grill, and the water impermeable
awning extends away
from the sidewall to block precipitation and debris from entering the first
outlet opening.
[0005.4] In accordance with an aspect of at least one embodiment, there
is provided an
air vent comprising: a cover configured to be received in an opening formed in
a vehicle, the cover
including a continuous ceiling and a number of sidewalls extending downward
away from the
ceiling, the ceiling and sidewalls cooperating to define an interior region
and a plate-receiving
opening that opens into the interior region, the cover formed to define a
first outlet opening that
opens into the interior region, and wherein the interior region, the plate-
receiving opening, and the
first outlet opening cooperate to define a passage for air to communicate
between an interior and an
exterior of the vehicle, a plate positioned in the plate receiving opening,
the plate including a
central opening and at least one peripheral opening, and a damper positioned
in the interior region,
the damper selectively moveable between a closed position blocking fluid
communication through
the first outlet opening, and an open position allowing fluid communication
through the first outlet
opening, and when the damper is in the closed position allowing fluid
communication through the
interior region between the central opening and the at least one peripheral
opening for recirculating
the air within the interior of the vehicle.
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[0006] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an air vent may
include a cover
and a damper. The cover may be configured to be received in an opening formed
in a vehicle.
The cover may include a continuous ceiling and a number of sidevvalls
extending downward
away from the ceiling. The ceiling and sidevvalls may cooperate to define an
interior region and
a plate-receiving opening that opens into the interior region. The cover may
be formed to
define a vent opening that opens into the interior region. The vent opening
may be transverse to
the plate-receiving opening. The interior region, plate-receiving opening, and
the vent opening
may cooperate to define a passage for air to communicate between an interior
and an exterior of
the vehicle. The damper may be positioned in the interior region. The damper
may be
selectively moveable between a closed position blocking fluid communication
through the
passage and an open position allowing fluid communication through the passage.
[0007] In some embodiments, the air vent may further include an interior
plate
positioned in the interior region. The interior plate and the cover may
cooperate to define a
damper chamber. The damper may be pivotably coupled to the interior plate. The
damper may
be positioned in the damper chamber.
[0008] In some embodiments, at least one sidewall may be formed to define
an outlet
opening in fluid communication with the vent opening and the interior region.
In some
embodiments, the cover may include an outlet coupled to the sidewall to cover
the outlet
opening and the outlet may be formed to define the vent opening.
[0009] In some embodiments, the outlet may include an awning and a vent
grill. The
awning may include a flap, tab ends, and a grill retainer. The vent grill may
be coupled to the
flap and the grill retainer.
[0010] In some embodiments, the flap may include a fixed end coupled to the
at least
one sidewall at a pivot joint and a free end extending away from the sidewall.
The free end
may be pivotable about the pivot joint. The vent grill may be configured to
couple to the grill
retainer and the free end of the flap to maintain the flap in a stationary
position.
[0011] In some embodiments, the ceiling, the sidewalls, and the awning may
be
monolithically formed. In some embodiments, the vent grill may be formed to
define the vent
opening.
[0012] In some embodiments, the damper may include a slat movable between a
first
position blocking fluid communication through the passage and a second
position allowing
fluid communication through the passage. In some embodiments, at least one
sidewall may be
formed to define an outlet opening in fluid communication with the passage.
The slat may
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cover the outlet opening in the first position and uncover the outlet opening
in the second
position.
[0013] In some embodiments, the slat may be configured to be maintained in
a number
of positions between the first and second positions. In some embodiments, the
damper may
include a driver coupled to the slat. The driver may be configured to
selectively move the slat
between the first and second positions.
[0014] In some embodiments, the air vent may include an interior plate
sized to be
received in the interior region to cover the plate-receiving opening. The slat
may be pivotably
coupled to the interior plate. The driver may include a crank and a rod
coupled to the crank and
the slat. The crank may be configured to rotate such that the rod engages the
slat to pivot the
slat relative to the interior plate between the first and second positions.
[0015] In some embodiments, the crank may be driven manually. In some
embodiments, the crank may be driven by a motor.
[0016] In some embodiments, the air vent may include a controller coupled
to the motor
and a user interface in communication with the controller. The user interface
may be
configured to receive user input indicative of a desired position of the
damper. The controller
may be configured to operate the motor.
[0017] In some embodiments, the air vent may include a fan assembly
configured to
force air between the interior and exterior of the vehicle through the
passage. In some
embodiments, the fan assembly may be positioned in the damper chamber.
[0018] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an air vent
may include a
cover, an interior plate, and a damper. The cover may include a continuous
ceiling and a
number of sidewalls extending from the ceiling. The number of sidevvalls may
be formed to
define a first outlet opening. The interior plate may be coupled to the cover.
The interior plate
and the cover may cooperate to define a damper chamber. The interior plate may
be formed to
define a screen-receiving opening that opens into the damper chamber. The
first outlet opening
may open into the damper chamber. The screen-receiving opening may be
transverse to the
first outlet opening. The damper may be coupled to the interior plate and
positioned in the
damper chamber. The damper may be selectively moveable between a closed
position blocking
fluid communication through the first outlet opening and an open position
allowing fluid
communication through the first outlet opening.
[0019] In some embodiments, the damper may include a first slat and a
driver. The first
slat may be configured to move between a first position covering the first
outlet opening when
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the damper is in the closed position and a second position uncovering the
first outlet opening
when the damper is in the open position. The driver may be coupled to the
first slat and
configured to move the first slat between the first and second positions.
[0020] In some embodiments, the cover may include a first outlet coupled to
one of the
sidewalls to cover the first outlet opening. The first outlet may include an
air permeable vent
grill removably coupled to the sidewall and a water impermeable awning coupled
to the cover
and the vent grill. The awning may extend away from the sidewall to block
precipitation and
debris from entering the first outlet opening.
[0021] In some embodiments, the number of sidewalls may be formed to define
a
second outlet opening. The damper may include a second slat. The second slat
may be
configured to move between a first position covering the second outlet opening
when the
damper is in the closed position and a second position uncovering the second
outlet opening
when the damper is in the open position.
[0022] In some embodiments, the first and second slats may be configured to
be
maintained in a number of positions between the first and second positions. In
some
embodiments, the driver may be coupled to the second slat and configured to
move the second
slat between the first and second positions.
[0023] In some embodiments, the cover may include a second outlet coupled
to one of
the sidewalls to cover the second outlet opening. The second outlet may
include an air
permeable vent grill removably coupled to the sidewall and a water impermeable
awning
coupled to the cover and the vent grill. The awning may extend away from the
sidewall to
block precipitation and debris from entering the second outlet opening.
[0024] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an air vent
comprises a
cover, a plate, and a damper. The cover is configured to be received in an
opening formed in a
vehicle. The cover includes a continuous ceiling and a number of sidewalls
extending
downward away from the ceiling. The ceiling and sidewalls cooperate to define
an interior
region and a plate-receiving opening that opens into the interior region. The
cover is formed to
define a vent opening that opens into the interior region. The interior
region, plate-receiving
opening, and the vent opening cooperate to define a passage for air to
communicate between an
interior and an exterior of the vehicle. The plate is positioned in the plate
receiving opening
and includes a central opening and at least one peripheral opening. The damper
is positioned in
the interior region and selectively moveable between a closed position
blocking fluid
communication through the vent opening and an open position allowing fluid
communication
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through the vent opening. When the damper is in the closed position, fluid
communication is
permitted through the interior region between the central opening and the at
least one peripheral
opening.
[0025] In some embodiments, the damper includes a first slat and a driver,
the first slat
is configured to move between a first position covering the first outlet
opening when the
damper is in the closed position and a second position uncovering the first
outlet opening when
the damper is in the open position, and the driver is coupled to the first
slat and configured to
move the first slat between the first and second positions.
[0026] In some embodiments, the cover further includes a first outlet
coupled to one of
the sidewalls to cover the first outlet opening, the first outlet includes an
air permeable vent grill
removably coupled to the sidewall and a water impermeable awning coupled to
the cover and
the vent grill, and the awning extends away from the sidewall to block
precipitation and debris
from entering the first outlet opening.
[0027] In some embodiments, the number of sidewalls are formed to define a
second
outlet opening, the damper includes a second slat, the second slat is
configured to move
between a first position covering the second outlet opening when the damper is
in the closed
position and a second position uncovering the second outlet opening when the
damper is in the
open position.
[0028] In some embodiments, the first and second slats are configured to be
maintained
in a number of positions between the first and second positions.
[0029] In some embodiments, the driver is coupled to the second slat and
configured to
move the second slat between the first and second positions.
[0030] In some embodiments, the cover further includes a second outlet
coupled to one
of the sidewalls to cover the second outlet opening, the second outlet
includes an air permeable
vent grill removably coupled to the sidewall and a water impermeable awning
coupled to the
cover and the vent grill, and the awning extends away from the sidewall to
block precipitation
and debris from entering the second outlet opening.
[0031] In some embodiments, the wherein the slat includes a guide that
engages with
the opening to position the slat when the damper is in the closed position.
[0032] In some embodiments, the damper further includes a gasket that is
positioned
adjacent the guide, the gasket positioned between a surface of the slat and
the sidewall to
provide a seal.
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[0033] In some embodiments, when the damper is in the closed position,
the surface of
the slat is spaced apart from the sidewall.
[0034] In some embodiments, the slat is formed to include a stand-off
that
engages the plate when the damper is in the fully opened position.
[0035] Additional features, which alone or in combination with any
other
feature(s), may comprise patentable subject matter and will become apparent to
those
skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of
illustrative
embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as
presently
perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying
figures in
which:
[0037] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an air vent in accordance with
the present
disclosure, the air vent is configured to cover an opening formed in a
structure, such as a
recreational vehicle or building, for example, to selectively block or allow
air circulation
between an interior and an exterior of the structure while blocking
precipitation and debris
from entering the interior through the opening;
[0038] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the air vent of Fig. 1 installed
in an opening
formed in a roof of a recreational vehicle to selectively block or allow air
circulation between
an interior and an exterior of the recreational vehicle while blocking
precipitation and debris
from entering the interior through the opening formed in the roof;
[0039] Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the air vent of Figs. 1 and 2
showing that the air
vent includes a cover, an interior plate, and a damper, the cover configured
to be received in
the opening to block precipitation and debris from entering the recreational
vehicle through the
opening and to provide a passage for air to move between the interior and the
exterior of the
recreational vehicle, the interior plate is configured to cooperate with the
cover to define a
damper chamber sized to receive the damper, and the damper is configured to
selectively block
or allow fluid communication through the passage to control air circulation
between the
interior and the exterior of the vehicle;
[0040] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the air vent of
Fig. 1 showing an
awning and a vent grill included in the cover, the awning configured to be
pivoted downward,
and the vent grill configured to couple to the cover to maintain the awning in
position;
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[0041] Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4 showing the vent
grill coupled to
the awning to maintain the awning in the pivoted position;
[0042] Fig. 6 is a cross-section view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 1
showing the
damper in the closed position to block fluid communication between the
interior and
exterior of the vehicle;
[0043] Fig. 7 is a cross-section view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 1
showing the
damper in the open position to allow fluid communication between the interior
and exterior
of the vehicle;
[0044] Fig. 8 is an exploded view of another embodiment of an air vent
in accordance
with the present disclosure, the air vent including a damper having a motor, a
controller, and a
user interface, the user interface configured to receive user input indicative
of a desired
position of the damper, the controller operable to control the motor, and the
motor configured
to open and close the damper;
[0045] Fig. 9 is an exploded view of another embodiment of an air vent
in
accordance with the present disclosure, the air vent including a fan assembly
for forcing air
circulation between the interior and exterior of the vehicle;
[0046] Fig. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an air
vent in
accordance with the present disclosure, the air vent similar to the embodiment
of Fig. 1; the
embodiment of Fig. 10 including a translucent dome member secured to the
ceiling of the air
vent, the dome member permitting light to penetrate to illuminate the interior
of the
recreational vehicle;
[0047] Fig. 11 is a top view of the air vent of Fig. 10;
[0048] Fig. 12 is an exploded view of Fig. 10, showing the fasteners
used to
secure the translucent dome to the ceiling of the air vent;
[0049] Fig. 13 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of air
vent, the
air vent of Fig. 13 including extensions supported from awnings on the vent;
[0050] Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Fig. 6, of the
embodiment of Fig.,
Fig. 14 showing a damper in the closed position to block fluid communication
between the
interior and exterior of the vehicle;
[0051] Fig. 15 is a view similar to the view of Fig. 14, however, the
damper is
shown in the open position in Fig. 15;
[0052] Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the bottom of the air vent
embodiment of Fig. 13;
[0053] Fig. 17 is a bottom plan view of the air vent embodiment of Fig.
13; and
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[0054] Fig. 18 is a perspective view with portions removed and other
portions cut-away,
Fig. 18 depicting the structure of a slat and the corresponding mounting
structure of the slat of a
damper of the air vent embodiment of Fig. 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0055] An air vent 10 in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in
Fig. 1. In
some applications, a recreational vehicle 24 or another structure, such as a
building, for
example, is formed to include an opening 18 to allow air to circulate between
an interior 20 and
an exterior 22 of the vehicle 24 as suggested in Fig. 2. It may be desired for
air, but not water
or debris, to pass freely between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 of the
vehicle 24 through the
opening 18. The air vent 10 covers the opening 18 to selectively block or
allow fluid
communication of air between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 of the
vehicle 24 while
blocking water or debris from entering the interior 20 through the opening 18
when the air vent
is in both an open and closed position.
[0056] The air vent 10 includes a cover 12, an interior plate 14, and a
damper 16 as
shown in Fig. 3. The cover 12 is received in the opening 18 to block water or
debris from
entering the vehicle 24 through the opening 18 and to provide a passage 26 to
allow air to move
between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 of the vehicle 24. The interior
plate 14 is received in
the cover 12 and cooperates with the cover 12 to define a damper chamber 28
sized to receive a
portion of the damper 16. The damper 16 is movable between a closed, or
blocked position, as
shown in Fig. 6, and an open position, as shown in Fig. 7, to allow air to
move through the
passage 26. The position of the damper 16 is movable to a plurality of
positions between the
closed position of Fig. 6 and the fully open position of Fig. 7 to control air
circulation between
the interior 20 and the exterior 22.
[0057] The cover 12 includes a frame 30 and outlets 32 as shown in Figs. 3-
5. The
frame 30 covers the opening 18 to block water or debris from entering the
vehicle 24 through
the opening 18. The outlets 32 are coupled to the frame 30 and form a portion
of the passage 26
to allow fluid communication between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 of
the vehicle 24. The
outlets 32 block water or debris from entering the vehicle 24 through the
passage 26. In the
illustrative embodiment, the cover includes two outlets 32.
[0058] The frame 30 may comprise an air and water impermeable material to
block air,
water, and debris, for example, from entering the vehicle 24 through the
opening 18 as shown in
Figs. 3-5. The frame 30 may comprise metal or a suitable plastic material, for
example. The
frame 30 includes a ceiling 34, a number of sidewalls 36 extending downward
from ceiling 34,
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and a skirt 38 coupled to the sidewalls 36. The ceiling 34 is sized to cover
the opening 18. In
the illustrative embodiment, the ceiling 34 is generally rectangular,
continuous, and dome
shaped.
[0059] The sidewalls 36 are formed to define an interior region 40 and a
plate-receiving
opening 42 that opens in to the interior region 40 as shown in Fig. 3. The
plate-receiving
opening 42 is sized to receive the interior plate 14 and the damper 16. At
least one sidewall 36
is formed to include an outlet opening 44. The outlet opening 44 opens into
the interior region
40. The interior region 40, outlets 32, and interior plate 14 cooperate to
define the passage 26.
[0060] As shown in Fig. 1, the sidewalls 36 are formed to include two
outlet openings
44. The two outlet openings 44 may allow a draft to pass through the interior
region 40 to
encourage air circulation between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 of the
vehicle 24. In other
embodiments, the sidewalls 36 are formed to include more than two outlet
openings 44. The
more than two outlet openings 44 may increase the draft passing through the
interior region 40
and thereby increase the circulation between the interior 20 and the exterior
22. In other
embodiments, the sidewalls 36 are formed to include a single outlet opening
44. Circulation
between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 may also be induced due to a stack
effect caused by
pressure differences between the interior 20 and the exterior 22. The pressure
differences may
be produced naturally or by a fan assembly.
[0061] The skirt 38 is coupled to the sidewalls 36 and extends outward away
from the
sidewalls 36 as shown in Figs. 3-5. The skirt 38 engages the vehicle 24 to
block the air vent 10
from passing through the opening 18. The skirt 38 couples the air vent 10 to
the vehicle 24 to
maintain the air vent 10 in position relative to the vehicle 24 as suggested
in Fig. 2. Water and
debris are blocked from entering the interior 20 of the vehicle 24 through the
opening 18 via the
interface between the skirt 38 and the vehicle 24. In some embodiments, the
skirt 38 includes a
weatherproof seal. In other embodiments, a weatherproof seal is positioned
between the skirt
38 and the vehicle 24.
[0062] The outlets 32 are coupled to the frame 30 to cover the outlet
openings 44 as
shown in Fig. 3. Each outlet opening 44 is covered by an outlet 32. The
outlets 32 allow air to
communicate between the exterior 22 and the damper chamber 28 and, thus, the
interior 20
when the damper 16 is in the open position as suggested in Fig. 7. The outlets
32 include an
awning 46 and a vent grill 48 as shown in Fig. 3. The awning 46 is coupled to
the sidewall 36
of the frame 30 and forms a rain covering over the vent grill 48 to block
water or debris from
entering the damper chamber 28 via the outlet opening 44. The vent grill 48 is
formed to
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include a vent opening 50 to allow air to communicate between the interior 20
and the exterior
22. In the illustrative embodiment, the awning 46 and the frame 30 are
monolithically formed.
Monolithically forming the awning 46 and the frame 30 reduces one or more of
the manufacture
time, number of parts, assembly time, and cost of the cover 12. In other
embodiments, the
awning 46 and the frame 30 may be formed from a number of parts.
[0063] The awning 46 is coupled to the sidewall 36 and includes a flap 66,
two end tabs
60, and a grill retainer 64 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In the illustrative
embodiment, the flap 66
is air and water impermeable. The flap 66 includes a fixed end 54, a free end
56, and a lip 74.
The fixed end 54 is coupled to the sidewall 36 of the frame 30 above the
outlet opening 44
along a pivot joint 58. The free end 56 is spaced apart from the fixed end 54
such that the flap
66 forms a cantilever. The lip 74 is coupled to the free end 56 and extends
upwardly away from
the free end 56. The free end 56 is pivoted downwardly about the pivot joint
58 and the vent
grill 48 engages the lip 74 to maintain the flap 66 in a pivoted position as
suggested in Figs. 4
and 5. The flap 66 is held in the pivoted position to form the roof covering
over the vent grill
48 and the outlet opening 44 to block water or debris from entering the damper
chamber 28 via
the vent grill 48 or the outlet opening 44.
[0064] The end tabs 60 are coupled to the sidewall 36 on both sides of the
outlet
opening 44 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In the illustrative embodiment, the end
tabs 60 are air
and water impermeable. The end tabs 60 extend away from the sidewall 36 and
engage the flap
66 and the vent grill 48. The end tabs 60, flap 66, and vent grill 48
cooperate to form a housing
surrounding the outlet opening 44 to block water or debris from entering the
outlet opening 44.
[0065] The grill retainer 64 is coupled to the sidewall 36 and extends
along a bottom of
the outlet opening 44 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The grill retainer 64 is
configured to pivotably
couple to the vent grill 48 such that the vent grill 48 may pivot relative to
the frame 30.
[0066] The vent grill 48 is formed to define the vent opening 50 to allow
air to
communicate between the exterior 22 and the damper chamber 28 as shown in Fig.
5. The vent
grill 48 is coupled to the awning 46 to cover the outlet opening 44 and to
maintain the awning
46 in a stationary position after the flap 66 has been pivoted downward. The
vent grill 48
includes a face 62, awning tabs 72, and frame pins 68. The face 62 is formed
to define the vent
opening 50 to allow air to circulate between the interior 20 and the exterior
22 via the passage
26. The awning tabs 72 couple the vent grill 48 to the flap 66 of the awning
46. The frame pins
68 couple the vent grill 48 to the grill retainer 64.
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[0067] The face 62 covers the outlet opening 44 as shown in Fig. 5. The
face 62 is
generally flat and air and water impermeable to block water or debris from
entering the interior
20 via the outlet opening 44. The face 62 engages the awning 46 to form a
weather blocking
seal between the vent grill 48 and the awning 46. The face 62 is formed to
include the vent
opening 50 to allow air to communicate between the exterior 22 and the
interior 20 via the
passage 26. In the illustrative embodiment, the vent opening 50 is covered by
an air permeable
vent 52. While shown as only partially covering the opening 50 in Fig. 3, it
should be
understood that the air permeable vent 52 may extend over the entire opening
50. The vent 52
may be an air permeable mesh or plastic grill. In some embodiments, the face
62 is generally
mesh and air permeable. The face 62 is angled downward relative to the
sidewall 36 of the
frame 30. In the illustrative embodiment, the face 62 and the frame 30 form
about a 45 degree
angle.
[0068] The awning tabs 72 are coupled to the face 62 and engage the lip 74
of the flap
66 when the flap 66 is pivoted downward as suggested in Figs. 4 and 5. When
the vent grill 48
is coupled to the awning 46, the awning tabs 72 engage the lip 74 to block the
flap 66 from
pivoting upward and, as such, maintain the flap 66 in a stationary position.
[0069] The frame pins 68 are formed in the face 62 and engage the grill
retainer 64 of
the awning 46 to couple the vent grill 48 to the awning 46. When the frame
pins 68 are
received by the grill retainer 64 and the awning tabs 72 are not engaged with
the lip 74, the vent
grill 48 is free to pivot relative to the frame 30. When the frame pins 68 are
received by the
grill retainer 64 and the awning tabs 72 are engaged with the lip 74, the vent
grill 48 is
maintained in a stationary position relative to the awning 46 and the frame
30.
[0070] The interior plate 14 is received in the interior region 40 formed
in the cover 12
and cooperates with the cover 12 to define the damper chamber 28 as shown in
Figs. 6 and 7.
The interior plate 14 includes a base 76 and a screen 78. The base 76 couples
to the frame 30 to
maintain the interior plate 14 in position relative to the frame 30. The
screen 78 allows fluid
communication between the interior 20 and the damper chamber 28.
[0071] The base 76 is sized to be received in the plate-receiving opening
42 to cover the
plate-receiving opening 42. The base 76 includes a body 82, a number of frame
couplers 98,
and a damper retainer 100. The body 82 supports the frame couplers 98, damper
retainer 100,
and screen 78. The frame couplers 98 couple the base 76 to the frame 30. The
damper retainer
100 couples the damper 16 to the body 82.
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[0072] The body 82 is sized to be received in the plate-receiving opening
42 and
engages the sidewalls 36 as shown in Fig. 3. The body 82 is formed to define a
screen-
receiving opening 80 sized to receive the screen 78. The body 82 is generally
flat and includes
an upper surface 102 and a lower surface 104. The upper surface 102 is coupled
to the frame
couplers 98 and the damper retainer 100. The lower surface 104 is generally
continuous.
[0073] The frame couplers 98 are coupled to the body 82 and extend upward
away from
the body 82 as shown in Fig. 3. The frame couplers 98 couple the interior
plate 14 to the cover
12. The frame couplers 98 space the base 76 apart from the ceiling 34 of the
cover 12 so that
the damper chamber 28 is properly sized to receive the damper 16.
[0074] The damper retainer 100 is coupled to the body 82 as shown in Fig.
3. The
damper retainer 100 is pivotably coupled to slats 84 included in the damper
16. The damper
retainer 100 is formed to define a through hole sized to receive a driver 86
included in the
damper 16.
[0075] The screen 78 mates with the body 82 to cover the screen-receiving
opening 80.
The screen 78 is air permeable to allow air to communicate between the
interior 20 and the
damper chamber 28. In some embodiments, the screen 78 comprises a mesh
material. In some
embodiments, the screen 78 comprises a metal or plastic material. When the
damper 16 is in
the open position, air is allowed to circulate between the interior 20 and the
exterior 22 through
the passage 26 by passing through the screen 78, damper chamber 28, and vent
opening 50 as
shown in Fig. 7.
[0076] The damper 16 selectively blocks or allows circulation between the
interior 20
and the exterior 22 by blocking or allowing air to pass through the passage 26
as suggested in
Figs. 6 and 7. The damper 16 is sized to be received in the plate-receiving
opening 42 and is
positioned in the damper chamber 28. The damper 16 is movable between the open
position
and the closed, or blocking position. In the open position, air is allowed to
circulate between
the interior 20 and the exterior 22 via the air vent 10. In the closed
position, air is blocked from
circulating between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 via the air vent 10.
The damper 16 is
configured to be maintained in a number of open positions between a fully open
position and a
fully closed position to thereby regulate the airflow. In the illustrative
embodiment, the damper
16 is configured to be maintained in an infinite number of open positions
between the fully
open position and the fully closed position. In other embodiments, the damper
16 is configured
to be maintained in a discrete number of open positions.
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[0077] The damper 16 includes slats 84 and a driver 86 as shown in Fig. 3.
The slats 84
are movable between an upright position to block air from moving through the
passage 26 and
an angled position to allow air to move through the passage 26 as suggested in
Figs. 6 and 7.
The driver 86 is operated by a user to selectively move the slats 84 between
the upright and
angled positions. In the illustrative embodiment, the damper 16 includes two
slats 84 and a
single slat 84 is used in conjunction with each outlet opening 44. The slats
84 are substantially
similar and, as such, only a single slat 84 will be described in detail.
[0078] The slat 84 is in the upright position when the damper 16 is in the
closed
position as shown in Fig. 6. The slat 84 is in the angled position when the
damper 16 is in the
open position as suggested in Fig. 7. The slat 84 is air and water impermeable
and sized to
cover the outlet opening 44. In the upright position, the slat 84 covers the
outlet opening 44 and
blocks air from moving between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 through the
passage 26. In
the angled position, at least a portion of the slat 84 is moved away from the
outlet opening 44 to
uncover the outlet opening 44 and air is allowed to move between the interior
20 and the
exterior 22 through the passage 26. The slat 84 is configured to be maintained
in a number of
positions between the upright and angled positions to thereby regulate the
airflow.
[0079] The slat 84 includes a wall 88, pins 90, and rod joints 92 as shown
in Fig. 3. The
wall 88 is air and water impermeable and sized to completely cover the outlet
opening 44. The
pins 90 pivotably couple the slat 84 to the damper retainer 100. One of the
rod joints 92 couple
the slat 84 to the driver 86 so that the driver 86 may push and pull the slat
84 to selectively
move the slat 84 between the upright and angled positions.
[0080] The driver 86 is configured to be rotated in a first direction to
move the slats 84
to the upright position when the damper 16 is in the closed position as
suggested in Fig 6. The
driver 86 is configured to be rotated in a second direction to move the slats
84 to the angled
position when the damper 16 is in the open position as suggested in Fig. 7.
The driver 86 is
rotatable to move and maintain the slats 84 in a number of positions between a
fully angled
position and the upright position to thereby regulate the airflow. In the
illustrative embodiment,
the driver 86 is rotatable to maintain the slats 84 in an infinite number of
positions between the
fully angled position and the upright position. In other embodiments, the
driver 86 is rotatable
to maintain the slats 84 in a discrete number of angled positions.
[0081] The driver 86 includes a number of rods 120, a crank 122, and a
handle 124 as
shown in Fig. 3. The rods 120 are pivotably coupled to the rod joints 92 and
the crank 122 as
shown in Fig. 6. The crank 122 is configured to rotate about a crank axis 130
to move each rod
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120 toward or away from the corresponding outlet opening 44 as suggested in
Figs. 6 and 7.
When the crank 122 is rotated to move each rod 120 away from the corresponding
outlet
opening 44, the corresponding slat 84 pivots toward the upright position and
the damper 16
moves toward the closed position as shown in Fig. 6. When the crank 122 is
rotated to move
each rod 120 toward the corresponding outlet opening 44, the corresponding
slat 84 pivots
toward the fully angled position and the damper 16 moves toward the fully open
position as
shown in Fig. 7. The handle 124 is coupled to the crank 122 and extends
through the though
hole formed in the interior plate 14 and into the interior 20. The handle 124
is gripped by a user
and rotated to rotate the crank 122 about the crank axis 130 to move the
damper 16 between the
fully open and closed positions.
[0082] In some embodiments, the damper 16 includes a motor 136, a
controller 138, and
a user interface 140 as shown in Fig. 8. The motor 136 is coupled to the crank
122 and
configured to rotate the crank 122 to move the damper 16 between the open and
closed position.
The user interface 140 is operable to accept a user input indicative of a
desired position of the
damper 16. A signal from the user interface 140 is received by the controller
138. The
controller 138 is operable to control the motor 136 to cause the motor 136 to
rotate the crank
122 to move the damper 16 between the open and closed position. In some
embodiments, the
user interface 140 is a toggle switch. In some embodiments, the toggle switch
is located on the
air vent 10. In other embodiments, the toggle switch is located on a dashboard
of the
recreational vehicle 24. In some embodiments, the user interface 140 allows
for continuous
operation of the motor 136 to vary the position of the damper 16 through the
range of open and
closed positions.
[0083] In some embodiments, the air vent 10 includes a fan assembly 150 as
shown in
Fig. 9. The fan assembly 150 forces air circulation between the interior 20
and the exterior 22
of the vehicle 24. The fan assembly 150 is positioned in the damper chamber 28
and coupled to
the body 82.
[0084] The damper 16 couples to the interior plate 14 and both the damper
16 and the
interior plate 14 are sized to be received in the interior region 40. As such,
the damper 16 and
the interior plate 14 may be installed together after the cover 12 is
positioned in the opening 18
and coupled to the vehicle 24. Additionally, other embodiments of the damper
16 and the
interior plate 14 may be used with the cover 12. The damper 16 and the
interior plate 14 may
be uncoupled and removed from the cover 12 while the cover 12 remains coupled
and installed
to the vehicle 24.
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[0085] In another embodiment of an air vent 210, shown in Figs. 10-12, the
air vent 210
is similar to the air vent 10, but includes an aperture formed in the ceiling
234 and a translucent
dome member 212 secured to the ceiling. While the ceiling 234 is different
from air vent 10, in
all other respects, air vent 210 functions similarly to air vent 10. The dome
member 212 is a
monolithic member that is molded of a translucent polymeric material. In some
embodiments,
the dome member 212 may be transparent. The dome member 212 may be tinted in
various
colors. The ceiling 234 is formed to include a number of tabs 214 spaced about
a perimeter of
an aperture 216 formed in the ceiling 234. A plurality of fasteners 218 are
inserted through
holes 220 in the tabs 214 and threaded into blind cavities 222 formed in the
dome member 212.
The blind cavities 222 in the illustrative embodiment are cylindrical and the
fasteners 218 are of
the thread cutting type and form their own threads in the cavities 222. In
other embodiments,
the cavities 222 may comprise inserts molded into the dome member 212 when it
is formed.
When the inserts are used, the fasteners may have a standard rolled thread. In
other
embodiments, other methods of fastening may be used to secure the dome member
212. For
example, gluing, ultrasonic welding, and interference fit coupling may be used
in some
embodiments. Still other fastening techniques known by those of ordinary skill
in the art may
be employed.
[0086] To assemble the dome member 212 to the ceiling 234, the dome member
212 is
placed on the outer side 224 of the ceiling 234 and the fasteners 218 are
inserted from the inner
side 226. The ceiling 234 if formed to include a ledge 226 about the perimeter
of the aperture
216 upon which the dome member 212 is seated during installation. The ledge
226 interacts
with the dome member 212 to form a seal. In some embodiments, a sealing
material such as
silicone caulk may be applied prior to assembly. In other embodiments, a
pliable gasket may be
applied to the perimeter of the dome member 212 to provide a seal.
[0087] In still another embodiment shown in Figs. 13-17, an air vent 310 is
similar to
the air vent 10, but is modified to reduce the potential for ingress into the
vehicle and permits
recirculation within the vehicle if the damper is closed.
[0088] The air vent 310 includes a cover 312, an interior plate 314 (see
Fig. 17), and a
damper 316 as shown in Fig. 14. The cover 312 is received in the opening 18 as
described with
regard to air vent 10 to block water or debris from entering the vehicle 24
through the opening
18 and to provide a passage 326 to allow air to move between the interior 20
and the exterior 22
of the vehicle 24. The interior plate 314 is received in the cover 312 and
cooperates with the
cover 312 to define a damper chamber 328 sized to receive a portion of the
damper 316. The
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damper 316 is movable between a closed, or blocked position, as shown in Fig.
14, and an open
position, as shown in Fig. 15, to allow air to move through the passage 326.
The position of the
damper 316 is movable to a plurality of positions between the closed position
of Fig. 14 and the
fully open position of Fig. 15 to control air circulation between the interior
20 and the exterior
22.
[0089] The cover 312 includes a frame 330 and outlets 332. The frame 330
covers the
opening 18 to block water or debris from entering the vehicle 24 through the
opening 18. The
outlets 332 are coupled to the frame 330 and form a portion of the passage 326
to allow fluid
communication between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 of the vehicle 24.
The outlets 332
block water or debris from entering the vehicle 24 through the passage 326. In
the illustrative
embodiment, the cover includes two outlets 332.
[0090] The frame 330 may comprise an air and water impermeable material to
block air,
water, and debris, for example, from entering the vehicle 24 through the
opening 18. The frame
330 may comprise metal or a suitable plastic material, for example. The frame
330 includes a
ceiling 334 (which includes a translucent dome member 212 in the embodiment of
Figs. 13-18),
a number of sidewalls 336 extending downward from ceiling 334, and a skirt 338
coupled to the
sidewalls 336.
[0091] The sidewalls 336 are formed to define an interior region 340 and a
plate-
receiving opening 342 that opens in to the interior region 340. The plate-
receiving opening 342
is sized to receive the interior plate 314 and the damper 316. At least one
sidewall 336 is
formed to include an outlet opening 344. The outlet opening 344 opens into the
interior region
340. The interior region 340, outlets 332, and interior plate 314 cooperate to
define the passage
326.
[0092] The sidewalls 336 are formed to include two outlet openings 344. The
two
outlet openings 344 may allow a draft to pass through the interior region 340
to encourage air
circulation between the interior 20 and the exterior 22 of the vehicle 24.
[0093] The skirt 338 is coupled to the sidewalls 336 and extends outward
away from the
sidewalls 336. The skirt 338 engages the vehicle 24 to block the air vent 10
from passing
through the opening 18. The skirt 338 couples the air vent 310 to the vehicle
24 to maintain the
air vent 310 in position relative to the vehicle 24 in manner similar to that
of air vent 10 shown
in Fig. 2. Water and debris are blocked from entering the interior 20 of the
vehicle 24 through
the opening 18 via the interface between the skirt 338 and the vehicle 24. In
some
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embodiments, the skirt 338 includes an integral weatherproof seal. In other
embodiments, a
weatherproof seal is positioned between the skirt 338 and the vehicle 24.
[0094] The outlets 332 are coupled to the frame 330 to cover the outlet
openings 344.
Each outlet opening 344 is covered by an outlet 332. The outlets 332 allow air
to communicate
between the exterior 22 and the damper chamber 328 and, thus, the interior 20
when the damper
316 is in the open position as suggested in Fig. 15. The outlets 332 include
an awning 346, an
awning extension 347, and a vent grill 348 best seen in Figs. 16-17. The
awning 346 is coupled
to the sidewall 336 of the frame 330 and, in cooperation with the awning
extension 347, forms a
rain covering over the vent grill 348 to block water or debris from entering
the damper chamber
328 via the outlet opening 344. The vent grill 348 is formed to include a vent
opening 350 to
allow air to communicate between the interior 20 and the exterior 22. In the
illustrative
embodiment. the awning 346 and the frame 330 are monolithically formed.
Monolithically
forming the awning 346 and the frame 330 reduces one or more of the
manufacture time,
number of parts, assembly time, and cost of the cover 312. In other
embodiments, the awning
346 and the frame 330 may be formed from a number of parts fastened together
in any of a
number of ways known in the art.
[0095] The awning 346 is coupled to the sidewall 336 and includes a flap
366, two end
tabs 360, and a grill retainer 364. In the illustrative embodiment, the flap
366 is air and water
impermeable. The flap 366 includes a fixed end 354, a free end 356, and a lip
374. The fixed
end 354 is coupled to the sidewall 336 of the frame 330 above the outlet
opening 344 along a
pivot joint 358. The free end 356 is spaced apart from the fixed end 354 such
that the flap 366
forms a cantilever. The lip 374 is coupled to the free end 356 and extends
upwardly away from
the free end 356. The free end 356 is pivoted downwardly about the pivot joint
358 and the
extension 347 engages the lip 374 to maintain the flap 366 in a pivoted
position as suggested in
Fig. 14. The vent grill 348 is coupled to the extension 347. The flap 366 is
held in the pivoted
position to form the roof covering over the vent grill 348 and the outlet
opening 344 to block
water or debris from entering the damper chamber 328 via the vent grill 348 or
the outlet
opening 344.
[0096] The end tabs 360 are coupled to the sidewall 336 on both sides of
the outlet
opening 344. In the illustrative embodiment, the end tabs 360 are air and
water impermeable.
The end tabs 360 extend away from the sidewall 336 and engage the flap 366 and
the vent grill
348. The end tabs 360. flap 366, and vent grill 348 cooperate to form a
housing surrounding the
outlet opening 344 to block water or debris from entering the outlet opening
344.
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[0097] A grill retainer 364 is coupled to the sidewall 336 and extends
along a bottom of
the outlet opening 344. The grill retainer 364 is configured to pivotably
couple to the extension
347 such that the extension 347 may pivot relative to the frame 330.
[0098] The extension 347 is formed to define the vent opening 350 to allow
air to
communicate between the exterior 22 and the damper chamber 328. The extension
347 is
coupled to the awning 346 to cover the outlet opening 344 and to maintain the
awning 346 in a
stationary position after the flap 366 has been pivoted downward. The vent
grill 348 includes a
face 362, awning tabs 372, and frame pins 368. The face 362 is formed to
define the vent
opening 350 to allow air to circulate between the interior 320 and the
exterior 322 via the
passage 326. The awning tabs 372 couple the vent grill 348 to the flap 366 of
the awning 346.
The frame pins 368 couple the vent grill 348 to the grill retainer 364.
[0099] The face 362 covers the outlet opening 344. The face 362 is
generally flat and
air and water impermeable to block water or debris from entering the interior
320 via the outlet
opening 344. The face 362 engages the awning 346 to form a weather blocking
seal between
the vent grill 348 and the awning 346. The face 362 is formed to include the
vent opening 350
to allow air to communicate between the exterior 322 and the interior 320 via
the passage 326.
In the illustrative embodiment, the vent opening 350 is covered by an air
permeable vent 352.
The vent 352 may be an air permeable mesh or plastic grill. In some
embodiments, the face
362 is generally mesh and air permeable. The face 362 is angled downward
relative to the
sidewall 336 of the frame 330. In the illustrative embodiment, the face 362
and the frame 330
form about a 345 degree angle.
[00100] The awning tabs 372 of the extension 347 are coupled to the face
362 and
engage the lip 374 of the flap 366 when the flap 366 is pivoted downward as
suggested in Figs.
14 and 15. When the vent grill 348 is coupled to the awning 346, the awning
tabs 372 engage
the lip 374 to block the flap 366 from pivoting upward and, as such, maintain
the flap 366 in a
stationary position.
[00101] The frame pins 368 are formed in the face 362 and engage the grill
retainer 364
of the awning 346 to couple the vent grill 348 to the awning 346. When the
frame pins 368 are
received by the grill retainer 364 and the awning tabs 372 are not engaged
with the lip 374, the
extension 347 is free to pivot relative to the frame 330. When the frame pins
368 are received
by the grill retainer 364 and the awning tabs 372 are engaged with the lip
374, the extension
347 is maintained in a stationary position relative to the awning 346 and the
frame 330.
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[00102] The interior plate 314 is received in the interior region 340
formed in the cover
312 and cooperates with the cover 312 to define the damper chamber 328 as
shown in Figs. 16
and 17. The interior plate 314 includes a base 376 and a plurality of screens
378. The base 376
couples to the frame 330 to maintain the interior plate 314 in position
relative to the frame 330.
The screen 378 allows fluid communication between the interior 20 and the
damper chamber
328.
[00103] The base 376 is sized to be received in the plate-receiving opening
342 to cover
the plate-receiving opening 342. The base 376 includes a body 382, a number of
frame
couplers 398, and a damper retainer 400. The body 382 supports the frame
couplers 398,
damper retainer 400, and screen 378. The frame couplers 398 couple the base
376 to the frame
330 through fasteners 331, best seen in Figs. 16 and 17. The damper retainer
400 couples the
damper 316 to the body 382.
[00104] The body 382 is sized to be received in the plate-receiving opening
342 and
engages the sidewalls 336 as shown in Fig. 14. The body 382 is formed to
define a screen-
receiving opening 380 sized to receive the screen 378. The body 382 includes
an upper surface
402 and a lower surface 404. The upper surface 402 is coupled to the frame
couplers 398 and
the damper retainer 400.
[00105] The frame couplers 398 are coupled to the body 482 and extend
upward away
from the body 482 as shown in Fig. 14. The frame couplers 398 couple the
interior plate 314 to
the cover 312. The frame couplers 398 space the base 376 apart from the
ceiling 334 of the
cover 312 so that the damper chamber 328 is properly sized to receive the
damper 316.
[00106] The damper retainer 400 is coupled to the body 382 as shown in Fig.
14. The
damper retainer 400 is pivotably coupled to slats 384 included in the damper
316. The damper
retainer 400 is formed to define a through hole sized to receive a driver 386
included in the
damper 316.
[00107] The screens 378 mate with the body 382 to cover the screen-
receiving openings
380. The screens 378 are air permeable to allow air to communicate between the
interior 320
and the damper chamber 328 when the damper is in the closed position shown in
Fig. 14. In
some embodiments, the screen 378 comprises a mesh material. In some
embodiments, the
screen 378 comprises a metal or plastic material.
[00108] In the illustrative embodiment of Figs. 13-17, the air vent 310
includes a fan
assembly 500. The fan assembly 500 includes a motor 502 and a blade assembly
504. The
motor 502 is reversible and operable to pull air into the interior region 340
from the interior 20
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of the vehicle 24 or pull air from the interior region 340. When the damper
316 is closed, the
fan assembly 500 recirculates air within the vehicle 24.
[00109] When the damper 316 is in the open position, air is allowed to
circulate between
the interior 320 and the exterior 322 through the passage 326 by passing
through the screen 378,
damper chamber 328, and vent opening 350 as shown in Fig. 15. The fan assembly
500
includes a grill 508 through which the air passes. In some embodiments, the
grill 508 may be
removable.
[00110] The damper 316 selectively blocks or allows circulation between the
interior 320
and the exterior 322 by blocking or allowing air to pass through the passage
326 as suggested in
Fig. 15. The damper 316 is sized to be received in the plate-receiving opening
342 and is
positioned in the damper chamber 328. The damper 316 is movable between the
open position
and the closed, or blocking position. In the open position, air is allowed to
circulate between
the interior 20 and the exterior 22 via the air vent 310 through the fan grill
508. In the closed
position, air is blocked from circulating between the interior 20 and the
exterior 22 via the air
vent 310 but may be circulated through the fan assembly 500 and the screens
378. The damper
316 is configured to be maintained in a number of open positions between a
fully open position
and a fully closed position to thereby regulate the airflow. In the
illustrative embodiment, the
damper 316 is configured to be maintained in an infinite number of open
positions between the
fully open position and the fully closed position. In other embodiments, the
damper 316 is
configured to be maintained in a discrete number of open positions.
[00111] The damper 316 includes slats 384 and the driver 386 as shown in
Figs. 14-15.
The slats 384 are movable between an upright position to block air from moving
through the
passage 326 as suggested by Fig. 14 and an angled position to allow air to
move through the
passage 326 as suggested in Fig. 15. The driver 386 is operated by a user to
selectively move
the slats 384 between the upright and angled positions. In the illustrative
embodiment, the
damper 316 includes two slats 384 and a single slat 384 is used in conjunction
with each outlet
opening 344. The slats 384 are substantially similar and, as such, only a
single slat 384 will be
described in detail.
[00112] The slat 384 is in the upright position when the damper 316 is in
the closed
position as shown in Fig. 14. The slat 384 is in the angled position when the
damper 316 is in
the open position as suggested in Fig. 15. The slat 384 is air and water
impermeable and sized
to cover the outlet opening 344. In the upright position, the slat 384 covers
the outlet opening
344 and blocks air from moving between the interior 320 and the exterior 22
through the
CA 02951956 2016-12-09
WO 2015/191029 PCT/US2014/041566
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passage 326. In the angled position, at least a portion of the slat 384 is
moved away from the
outlet opening 344 to uncover the outlet opening 344 and air is allowed to
move between the
interior 20 and the exterior 22 through the passage 326. The slat 384 is
configured to be
maintained in a number of positions between the upright and angled positions
to thereby
regulate the airflow. In the fully open position shown in Fig. 15, a housing
385 of the slat 384
covers the screens 378 to prevent air flow through the screens 378.
[00113] The slat 384 includes a wall 388, pins 390, and rod joints 392 as
shown in Figs.
14-15. The wall 388 is air and water impermeable and sized to completely cover
the outlet
opening 344. The pins 390 pivotably couple the slat 384 to the damper retainer
400. One of the
rod joints 392 couple the slat 384 to the driver 386 so that the driver 386
may push and pull the
slat 384 to selectively move the slat 384 between the upright and angled
positions. The slat 384
also includes a stand-off 410 that extends from the wall 388 and is formed at
an angle to an
inner face 394 of the wall 388 with a surface 412 that engages the upper
surface 414 of the
interior plate 314 to overly the screen-receiving opening 380 when the damper
316 is in the
fully opened position shown in Fig. 15. When the damper 316 is fully closed,
air flow through
the screen-receiving opening 380 is blocked.
[00114] The slat 384 also includes a guide 416 that extends from an outer
face 418 of the
wall 388 as shown in Fig. 18. The guide 416 has a continuous wall 430 that
extends around the
periphery of the guide 416 with an upper portion 432 of the wall 430 being
shorter than a lower
portion 434 of the wall 430. Ramp segments 436 and 438 extend between the
upper portion
432 and the lower portion 434. A pair of ribs 440 and 442 each also extends
between the upper
portion 432 and lower portion 434 as shown in Fig. 18. The shape of the wall
430 assists with
positioning the guide 416 in the outlet opening 344 as the slat 384 is moved
to the closed
position shown in Fig. 14. A gasket 444 is positioned on the slat 384
surrounding the wall 430
of the guide 416 so that when the slat 384 is moved to the closed position,
the gasket 444 seals
around the guide 416. As can be seen in Figs. 14 and 15, the pivot axis formed
by the damper
retainer 400 and the pins 390 is offset from the sidewall 336 such that the
gasket 444 is
positioned to seal against the sidewall 336 and prevent a flow of air between
the interior region
340 and the exterior.
[00115] The driver 386 is configured to be rotated in a first direction to
move the slats
384 to the upright position when the damper 316 is in the closed position as
suggested in Fig
14. The driver 386 is configured to be rotated in a second direction to move
the slats 384 to the
angled position when the damper 316 is in the open position as suggested in
Fig. 15. The driver
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386 is rotatable to maintain the slats 384 in an infinite number of positions
between the fully
angled position and the upright position. In other embodiments, the driver 386
is rotatable to
maintain the slats 384 in a discrete number of angled positions.
[0116] The driver 386 includes a number of rods 420, a crank 422, and a
handle 424 as
shown in Fig. 14 and similar to the driver 86. The rods 420 are pivotably
coupled to the rod
joints 392 and the crank 422 as shown in Fig. 14. The air vent 310 includes a
translucent dome
member 212 as described above with regard to the air vent 210. However, it
should be
understood that the cover 312 may be constructed similarly to the air vent 10,
with the
translucent dome member 212 omitted and the cover 312 being a monolithic
opaque member.
[0117] Similarly, the driver 386 may be modified to include an actuator
such as the
actuator 136 which is controlled by a controller such as controller 138 under
the direction of
a user through a user interface such as user interface 140. Still further, the
fan assembly 500
may be omitted and the air vent 310 may simply provide for a natural flow of
air
therethrough.
Date recu/Date Received 2020-07-09
