Fan having disposable grease collection cannister

A ventilation assembly comprising:

• an exhaust fan including an impeller operable to generate an airstream, a shroud operable to separate any fluid in the airstream from the airstream when the airstream engages the shroud, and a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the shroud;
• and
• a disposable fluid collection cannister for collecting the fluid separated from the airstream generated by the exhaust fan including a container, a fluid absorbent core, and a coupling mechanism,
• said container including an open-top receptacle that presents an internal chamber adapted to contain fluid,
• said container further including a cover that at least substantially covers the open-top of the receptacle,
• said container presenting a fluid access opening in fluidic communication with the fluid conduit when the container is coupled to the fan,
• said fluid absorbent core being located within the chamber of the receptacle,
• said coupling mechanism operable to couple the container to the fan and permit manual removal of the container from the fan without contacting the receptacle,
• said coupling mechanism being adapted to non-threadably couple the container to the fan so that the container is coupled to and removed from the fan without twisting.

A disposable fluid collection cannister for collecting fluid separated from the airstream generated by an exhaust fan, the cannister comprising:

• a container including a receptacle that presents an internal chamber, with the chamber being adapted to contain fluid and being in fluidic communication with the fan when the container is coupled to the fan;
• a fluid absorbent core located within the chamber of the receptacle;
• and
• a coupling mechanism operable to couple the container to the fan and permit manual removal of the container from the fan without contacting the receptacle,
• said coupling mechanism including a manually shiftable retention catch that is shiftable between a retention position in which the catch is operable to engage the fan and thereby retain the container on the fan, and a release position in which the catch is disengaged from the fan and permits removal of the container from the fan.

A ventilation assembly comprising

• an exhaust fan including an impeller operable to generate an airstream, a shroud operable to separate any fluid in the airstream from the airstream when the airstream engages the shroud, and a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the shroud;
• and
• a disposable fluid collection cannister for collecting fluid separated from the airstream generated by the exhaust fan including a container, a fluid absorbent core, and a coupling mechanism,
• said container including a receptacle that presents an internal chamber, with the chamber being adapted to contain fluid and being in fluidic communication with the fluid conduit when the container is coupled to the fan,
• said fluid absorbent core being located within the chamber of the receptacle,
• said coupling mechanism operable to couple the container to the fan and permit manual removal of the container from the fan without contacting the receptacle,
• said coupling mechanism including a manually shiftable retention catch that is shiftable between a retention position in which the catch is operable to engage the fan and thereby retain the container on the fan, and a release position in which the catch is disengaged from the fan and permits removal of the container from the fan.

A method of collecting fluid that is separated from the airstream generated by an exhaust fan, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing an absorbent core in a container;
• (b) removably coupling the core-laden container to the fan;
• (c) allowing the core to at least partially absorb some fluid;
• and
• (d) removing the fluid-absorbed core-laden container from the fan without squeezing or twisting the container.