US 5,879,232 AGranted

Exhaust fan

AssigneeTomkins Industries, Inc.

InventorsRobert J. Luter, II, Randall Allen Bickel

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Abstract

An exhaust fan for bathrooms and the like having two principal structural elements--a housing assembly and a motor plate assembly--wherein the housing assembly includes a generally cylindrical housing formed of injection molded plastic. The housing assembly includes a circumferential mounting flange and mounting clips carried thereon for mounting the fan in a ceiling panel or the like in an arbitrary angular orientation. Flexible mounting tabs on the motor plate assembly releasably engage notches on the housing for snap together assembly. Integral strain relief for power supply wiring is molded into a wiring compartment in the housing. An oval duct connector having an outer circumferential lip extends from an exhaust outlet and is adapted to releasably engage a round flexibly resilient spring reinforced duct thereover. The motor plate assembly also covers the wiring compartment when fitted into the housing assembly.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An exhaust fan for mounting in a circular opening in a panel and providing for unlimited angular positioning of an exhaust port with respect to the ceiling panel, comprising a fan housing having a generally cylindrical body portion adapted to be received within said circular opening,

said body portion having the exhaust port extending generally outwardly therefrom and positioned above said panel when said body portion is inserted within said panel opening,
said body portion further provided with a generally radially extending circumferential flange proportioned to abut a lower surface of said ceiling panel when said body portion is fully inserted in said circular opening,
said housing being rotatable in relation to said panel to position said exhaust port for ease of access to an air exhaust duct above said panel, a plurality of fasteners carried on said flange accessible from a position below said panel,
each said fastener having a threaded portion above said flange terminating in a generally radially extending retainer portion, each said fastener being moveable between a retracted position in which said retainer portion is turned to a position adjacent said body portion and an extended position in which said retainer portion extends generally radially from said housing, stop means on said housing defining said retracted and extended positions,
each said threaded portion receiving an operator screw extending through a hole in said flange with the driving head of said screw positioned below said flange for access from a position below said panel,
said fastener being rotatable by said screw from said retracted position to said extended position by said stop means and thereafter moveable linearly along said screw to draw said retainer portion against said panel for securing said housing in a selected position with respect to said panel, and
wherein said exhaust port is oval in cross-section over a substantial portion of its length, and is proportioned to receive a spring reinforced flexible exhaust hose thereover by the flattening of said hose into an oval shape against its reinforcing spring whereby the resiliency of said hose when released tends to cause said hose to return to a circular shape on said exhaust port causing the sides of said hose to grip said exhaust port along its long transverse axis.

4 more elements

An exhaust fan for mounting in an opening in a panel comprising:

a housing assembly having a body portion including,
an electrical wiring compartment having at least one wiring entrance, and
at least one integral wiring strain relief formed unitarily with said body portion,
whereby said wiring strain relief prevents tensile strain imparted to a portion of power supply wiring disposed exteriorly to said housing assembly from being transmitted to a portion of said wiring disposed interiorly to said wiring compartment, and
wherein said at least one integral wiring strain relief comprises at least one tang proportioned to fit within said wiring entrance including,
a pivot end pivotally connected to said body portion, and
a gripping end extending substantially within said entrance, said gripping end biased inwardly toward the interior of the wiring compartment,
whereby said at least one tang is pivotable inwardly to permit insertion of said wiring into said wiring compartment with a minimum of insertion force, and said gripping end is adapted to engage said wiring in snug frictional fit.

5 more elements

An exhaust fan for mounting in a panel comprising:

a housing assembly including
a substantially cylindrical side wall,
a top wall,
an exhaust outlet extending generally radially outwardly from said housing assembly,
a scroll cooperating with said side wall and said top wall to define a substantially volute blower compartment, said blower compartment in communication with said exhaust outlet,
a mounting flange extending radially outwardly from said side wall having an upper surface proportioned to abut a lower surface of said panel when said fan is fully inserted in said opening,
a plurality of mounting clips carried on said mounting flange for securing said housing assembly to said panel;
and
a motor plate assembly including
a plate proportioned to fit within said housing assembly, said plate spaced a predetermined distance from said top wall,
a substantially circular venturi opening in said plate having a diameter smaller than a diameter of said blower compartment and having substantial registration with said blower compartment,
a motor mount strut spanning said venturi opening;
whereby said housing assembly is rotatable in said panel opening to a predetermined orientation with respect to said panel.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.