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US 6,786,817 B2Granted
Vent assembly
AssigneeClassic Manufacturing NW, LLC
InventorGary R. Orendorff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vent assembly has a vent cover and sliding air flow regulator for controlling the flow of air through the vent cover. Plural sets of unique couplers may be used to interconnect the air flow regulator and vent cover for relative sliding motion. Desirably, two such couplers are provided at each end of the assembly with an associated one of such couplers being adjacent to each of the corners of the assembly in the event a rectangular assembly is provided.
Claims34
A vent assembly for controlling the flow of air through an opening, comprising:
- a vent cover comprising a plurality of air flow openings;
- an air flow regulator slidable relative to the vent cover from a first closed position in which the air flow regulator substantially blocks the flow of air through the air flow openings to second open positions in which air flow paths are provided through the air flow regulator and the air flow openings;
- the air flow regulator defining a plurality of spaced apart coupler guide openings;
- and
- a first set of at least two spaced apart discrete couplers positioned adjacent to a first end portion of the vent cover and each being inserted through an associated one of the coupler guide openings and into engagement with the vent cover so as to slidably couple the air flow regulator to the vent cover, a second set of at least two spaced apart discrete couplers positioned adjacent to a second end portion of the vent cover and each being inserted though an associated one of the coupler guide openings and into engagement with the vent cover so as to slidably couple the air flow regulator to the vent cover, each of said couplers comprising a body having a first support portion positioned to support the air flow regulator and a second vent cover engagement portion inserted through the associated coupler guide opening and into an associated coupler receiving opening defined by the vent cover, the vent cover engagement portion frictionally engaging the vent cover within the associated coupler receiving opening.
2 more elements
A vent assembly for controlling the flow of air through an opening, the vent assembly comprising:
- a vent cover comprising a plurality of air flow openings;
- an air flow regulator of a rectangular shape with four corners, the air flow regulator being slidable relative to the vent cover from a first closed position in which the air flow regulator substantially blocks the flow of air through the air flow openings to second open positions in which air flow paths are provided through the air flow regulator and the air flow openings;
- at least four spaced apart discrete couplers, with a respective coupler being positioned adjacent to each of the corners of the air flow regulator, the couplers slidably coupling the air flow regulator to the vent cover, each of said couplers comprising at least one first coupler portion coupled to the air flow regulator and at least one second coupler portion frictionally coupled to the vent cover;
- wherein the vent cover comprises plural coupler receiving openings each for receiving a respective second coupler portion, each second coupler portion comprising a compressible member sized so as to be compressed in at least one direction when inserted into a respective one of the coupler receiver openings, the compressible member engaging the vent cover within the coupler receiver opening to couple the air flow regulator to the vent cover.
1 more element
A vent cover assembly comprising:
- vent cover means for positioning in a vent opening;
- air regulator means for controlling the flow of air through the vent opening;
- and
- plural discrete coupler means each formed of a band of material for slidably and frictionally coupling the air regulator means to the vent cover means, the coupler means being spaced apart so as to not contact one another.
1 more element
A vent assembly for controlling the flow of air through an opening, the vent assembly comprising:
- a vent cover comprising a plurality of air flow openings;
- an air flow regulator of a rectangular shape with four corners, the air flow regulator being slidable relative to the vent cover from a first closed position in which the air flow regulator substantially blocks the flow of air through the air flow openings to second open positions in which air flow paths are provided through the air flow regulator and the air flow openings;
- at least four spaced apart discrete couplers, with a respective coupler being positioned adjacent to each of the corners of the air flow regulator, the couplers slidably coupling the air flow regulator to the vent cover, each of said couplers comprising at least one first coupler portion coupled to the air flow regulator and at least one second coupler portion frictionally coupled to the vent cover;
- wherein the vent cover comprises plural coupler receiving openings each for receiving a respective second coupler portion, each second coupler portion comprising a compressible member sized so as to be compressed in at least one direction when inserted into a respective one of the coupler receiver openings, the compressible member engaging the vent cover within the coupler receiver opening to couple the air flow regulator to the vent cover;
- wherein both the compressible member and the first coupler portions are formed of a single band of material;
- and
- wherein each coupler has only two angles formed in the band of material, a first of the angles being formed at a transition from the first coupler portion to the second coupler portion and the other or second of the angles being an acute angle formed in the second coupler portion.
4 more elements
A method of coupling an air flow regulator to a vent cover comprising:
- positioning the air flow regulator against the underside of the vent cover;
- and
- inserting a first set of at least two discrete air flow regulator supporting couplers partially through the air flow regulator and into frictional engagement with the vent cover, inserting a second set of at least two discrete air flow regulator supporting couplers partially through the air flow regulator and into frictional engagement with the vent cover, the first and second sets of couplers being at respective opposite first and second end portions of the air flow regulator from one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.