Air vent deflector insert

An air deflector for use with an air vent supported in a suspended ceiling grid, the grid being of the type having a plurality of grid members intersecting so as to form a generally rectangular opening with a predetermined length and a predetermined width, each of the grid members forming the opening having an upper surface for supporting the air vent, the air vent having a generally rectangular perimeter edge with a lower surface that rests on the upper surfaces of the grid members defining the generally rectangular opening, the air deflector comprising:

• a deflector body comprising four downwardly extending wall segments, each wall segment having a first end, an opposed second end, and a midportion therebetween, the first end of each wall segment member being joined to the second end of an adjacent wall segment such that the four wall segments form a generally rectangular tube with an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the rectangular tube having a rectangular perimeter with a length equal to or slightly smaller than the predetermined length of the rectangular opening and a width equal to or slightly smaller than the predetermined width of the rectangular opening;
• the deflector body further comprising a plurality of support tabs extending outwardly from the upper end of the rectangular tube, the support tabs configured to be received between the upper surfaces of the grid members defining the rectangular opening and the lower surface of the perimeter edge of the air vent such that the deflector body is retained adjacent the rectangular opening;
• wherein the deflector body is formed of a resilient material such that the deflector body is deformable into a non-rectangular shape such that the support tabs are positioned between the upper surfaces of the grid members defining the rectangular opening and the lower surface of the perimeter edge of the air vent without disassembling the deflector body or removing the air vent from the rectangular opening.

A method for providing an air deflector adjacent an air vent, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a suspended ceiling grid with an air vent supported therein, the ceiling grid comprising a plurality of grid members intersecting so as to form a generally rectangular opening with a predetermined length and a predetermined width, each of the grid members forming the opening having an upper surface for supporting the air vent, the air vent having a generally rectangular perimeter edge with a lower surface, the lower surface being supported on the upper surfaces of the grid members defining the generally rectangular opening;
• providing an air deflector, the air deflector comprising a deflector body having four downwardly extending wall segments, each wall segment having a first end, and opposed second end, and a midportion therebetween, the first end of each wall segment member being joined to the second end of an adjacent wall segment such that the four wall segments form a generally rectangular tube with an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the rectangular cube having a rectangular perimeter with a length equal to or slightly smaller than the predetermined length of the rectangular opening and a width equal to or slightly smaller than the predetermined width of the rectangular opening, the deflector body further comprising a plurality of support tabs extending outwardly from the upper end of the rectangular tube;
• deforming the deflector body into a non-rectangular shape;
• and
• pushing the support tabs between the upper surfaces of the grid members defining the rectangular opening and the lower surface of the perimeter edge of the air vent such that the deflector body is retained adjacent the rectangular opening;
• wherein the support tabs are positioned between the upper surfaces of the grid members defining the rectangular opening and the lower surface of the perimeter edge of the air vent without disassembling the deflector body or removing the air vent from the rectangular opening.