Turbine ventilator

#The invention relates generally to roof ventilators and in particular to an enhanced wind-powered turbine roof ventilator.

#Wind-powered turbine ventilators are widely used in a variety of ventilation applications. Turbine ventilators are especially suited for ventilation of the under-roof space of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. The popularity of wind-driven turbine ventilators derives from their relatively small initial costs, low maintenance requirements, and negligible operating costs.

#Turbine ventilators reduce the cost of cooling a building by removing hot air from the under-roof space of a building. Because the effectiveness of a ventilator is a function of the amount of air the ventilator is able to remove from the ventilated space, it is desirable to increase the volume of air-flow through a ventilator. It is further desirable to increase airflow without increasing the size of the ventilation assembly, because larger ventilators are more expensive to manufacture, generally considered unaesthetic, and may take up otherwise useful space.

#For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 illustrates a ventilation apparatus;

#FIG. 2 illustrates a gear assembly which may be used in a ventilation assembly;

#Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a wind-powered turbine ventilator 100 embodying features of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ventilator 100 includes a turbine 12 rotably mounted on a ventilation shaft 14, which extends from a ventilation port 19 in a roof 16. Flashing 13 is preferably used between the ventilation shaft 14 and the roof 16 to prevent precipitation from entering the building. The turbine 12 is preferably mounted to the ventilation shaft 14 using a plurality of support members 15, which extend from the outer perimeter of the ventilation shaft 14. The support members 15 are preferably connected at the opposite end to a bearing housing 17 at a point above the center of the turbine 12. The top of the turbine 12 is preferably rotably mounted in the bearing housing 17 so that the turbine 12 is rotably supported above the ventilation shaft 14 by the support members 15. A number of other methods of rotably mounting the turbine 12 above the ventilation shaft 14 are known in the art, and any method may be used which is effective for holding the turbine 12 in position above the ventilation shaft 14 while allowing rotational movement of the turbine 12.

#A fan 18 is positioned within or near the ventilation shaft 14, preferably near the ventilation port 19, and is preferably configured to force air from the ventilated space through the ventilation port 19. The fan 18 preferably is coupled to the turbine 12 so that rotation of the turbine 12 results in rotation of the fan 18. More preferably, the fan 18 is coupled to the turbine 12 so that rotation of the turbine 12 causes the fan to rotate at a greater speed of rotation than the turbine 12, preferably at a ratio of at least approximately 1.5:1, and, most preferably, at a ratio of about 15:1. The fan 18 is preferably coupled to the turbine 12 so that the fan 18 rotates in the same direction as the turbine, but may alternatively be configured to rotate in the opposite direction.

#Preferably, an axle 20 is mounted to the turbine ceiling 22, preferably near its center. The axle 20 preferably extends downward from the turbine ceiling 22, substantially in alignment with the axis of rotation of the turbine 12. The axle 20 is preferably fixed in position with respect to the turbine 12, so that the axle 20 rotates with the turbine 12.