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US 6,475,079 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for an air vent assembly
AssigneeInFocus Corporation
InventorGary Basey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for an air vent assembly is provided in which individual louvers and spacers are connected together to form chevron shaped channels that allow increased air flow while blocking the escape of direct light. The louvers are formed into a chevron shape that extends lengthwise from one end of the louver to another end of the louver. The spacers are chevron shaped and interlock or are bonded together with one another to secure the louvers and to provide a support structure such that additional spacers and louvers may be stacked together as needed to form an air vent for use in a given device.
Claims27
A method comprising:
- connecting a first louver to a second louver with a first set of spacers, the louvers having a length and a width and the spacers having a chevron shape and an interlocking mechanism, by interlocking the first louver along the width to a top side of each one of the set of spacers with the interlocking mechanism, and interlocking the second louver along the width to a bottom side of each one of the set of spacers, so that the spacers separate the louvers and the louvers conform to the chevron shape of the spacers along their length to form a chevron shaped channel through which a minimally restricted flow of air is permitted and a ray of light is blocked;
- connecting the second louver to a third louver with a second set of spacers to form a second chevron shaped channel adjacent to the first chevron shaped channel, in the same manner as connecting the first louver to the second louver, interlocking the second set of spacers with the first set of spacers with the interlocking mechanism, wherein the interlocking mechanism comprises at least one post on the top side of the spacers and a corresponding hole on the bottom side of the spacers so that the post of the first spacer fits snugly into the hole of the second spacer, until a desired number of adjacent chevron shaped channels are formed to create an air vent;
- and
- mounting the air vent into a device housing.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- connecting a first louver to a second louver with a first set of spacers, the louvers having a length and a width and the spacers having a chevron shape and an interlocking mechanism, wherein the interlocking mechanism comprises a tab on the top side of the spacer and a corresponding slot on the bottom side of the spacer, by interlocking the first louver along the width to a top side of each one of the set of spacers with the interlocking mechanism, and interlocking the second louver along the width to a bottom side of each one of the set of spacers, so that the spacers separate the louvers and the louvers conform to the chevron shape of the spacers along their length to form a chevron shaped channel through which a minimally restricted flow of air is permitted and a ray of light is blocked;
- connecting the second louver to a third louver with a second set of spacers to form a second chevron shaped channel adjacent to the first chevron shaped channel, in the same manner as connecting the first louver to the second louver, interlocking the second set of spacers with the first set of spacers with the interlocking mechanism, until a desired number of adjacent chevron shaped channels are formed to create an air vent;
- and
- mounting the air vent into a device housing.
1 more element
An air vent assembly comprising:
- a first louver connected to a second louver with a first set of spacers, the louvers having a length and a width and the spacers having a chevron shape and an interlocking mechanism, wherein the interlocking mechanism comprises at least one post on the top side of the spacers and a corresponding hole on the bottom side of the spacers so that the post of the first spacer fits snugly into the hole of the second spacer, the first louver affixed along the width to a top side of each one of the set of spacers, and the second louver affixed along the width to a bottom side of each one of the set of spacers, the spacers separating the louvers and the louvers conforming to the chevron shape of the spacers along their length, forming a chevron shaped channel through which a minimally restricted flow of air is permitted and a ray of light is blocked;
- a third louver connected to the second louver with a second set of spacers forming a second chevron shaped channel adjacent to the first chevron shaped channel, the adjacent chevron shaped channels forming an air vent, wherein each louver is interlocked with the spacers using the interlocking mechanism.
An air vent assembly comprising:
- a first louver connected to a second louver with a first set of spacers, the louvers having a length and a width and the spacers having a chevron shape and an interlocking mechanism, wherein the louvers has at least one opening corresponding to the at least one post on the top side of the spacers, and wherein affixing the louvers to the spacers further comprises anchoring the opening over the corresponding post, the first louver affixed along the width to a top side of each one of the set of spacers, and the second louver affixed along the width to a bottom side of each one of the set of spacers, the spacers separating the louvers and the louvers conforming to the chevron shape of the spacers along their length, forming a chevron shaped channel through which a minimally restricted flow of air is permitted and a ray of light is blocked;
- a third louver connected to the second louver with a second set of spacers forming a second chevron shaped channel adjacent to the first chevron shaped channel, the adjacent chevron shaped channels forming an air vent, wherein each louver is interlocked with the spacers using the interlocking mechanism.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for connecting a first louver to a second louver with a first set of spacers, the louvers having a length and a width and the spacers having a chevron shape, including a means for interlocking the first louver along the width to a top side of each one of the set of spacers, wherein the means for interlocking the first and second louvers with the spacers comprises at least one post on the top side of the spacers and a corresponding hole on the bottom side of the spacers so that the post of the first spacer fits snugly into the hole of the second spacer, and a means for interlocking the second louver along the width to a bottom side of each one of the set of spacers, so that the spacers interlock with and separate the louvers and the louvers conform to the chevron shape of the spacers along their length to form a chevron shaped channel through which a minimally restricted flow of air is permitted and a ray of light is blocked;
- means for connecting the second louver to a third louver with a second set of spacers to form a second chevron shaped channel adjacent to the first chevron shaped channel in the same manner as the means for connecting the first louver to the second louver, until a desired number of adjacent chevron shaped channels are formed to create an air vent;
- and
- means for mounting the air vent into a device housing.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- means for connecting a first louver to a second louver with a first set of spacers, the louvers having a length and a width and the spacers having a chevron shape, including a means for interlocking the first louver along the width to a top side of each one of the set of spacers, wherein the means for interlocking comprises a tab on the top side of the spacer and a corresponding slot on the bottom side of the spacer, and a means for interlocking the second louver along the width to a bottom side of each one of the set of spacers, so that the spacers interlock with and separate the louvers and the louvers conform to the chevron shape of the spacers along their length to form a chevron shaped channel through which a minimally restricted flow of air is permitted and a ray of light is blocked;
- means for connecting the second louver to a third louver with a second set of spacers to form a second chevron shaped channel adjacent to the first chevron shaped channel in the same manner as the means for connecting the first louver to the second louver, until a desired number of adjacent chevron shaped channels are formed to create an air vent;
- and
- means for mounting the air vent into a device housing.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.