Vent assembly
A vent assembly, suitable for marine use including, for example, venting an enclosure, such as an engine compartment, on a boat. The vent assembly has substantially the external appearance of a cast or machined, one piece, stainless steel vent, at a cost very little more than a molded plastics vent. A molded plastics vent has a head perforated by a pattern of ventilating slots separated by flanking strips. A decorative, corrosion-resistant, sheet metal cover shell lies tight against the front side of the molded plastics vent and has a pattern of slots and strips mapping substantially on the pattern of slots and strips of the molded plastics vent. Snap-fit fasteners fix the cover shell on the vent so that the cover shell slots are a substantially flush continuation of the vent slots, so as to provide the decorative appearance of a solid metal vent at substantially lower cost and without compromising or through flow capability.
This invention relates to slotted vents, and more particularly to slotted vents usable in marine applications such as for ventilating a motor enclosure on a boat.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONU.S. Pat. No. 5,588,908, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a apparatus for fixing a ventilating hose at an opening in a wall of an enclosure, e.g. for use on a boat in venting gases from the engine compartment, or venting cooking odor laden air from the galley, or admitting air. That apparatus includes a vent fitting comprising a radially extended, slotted head adapted to rest against the exterior face of the wall to hide an opening therein and a tubular body extending from the rear face of the head through the wall opening, to fix the vent fitting and an attached, rearwardly extending hose to the wall at the opening, to communicate flow through the hose and slotted head. To accomplish its various purposes, such vent fitting is of relatively complex form. Despite this, the assignee of the present invention has succeeded in forming such fittings of molded plastics material at relatively low cost and has successfully marketed units in substantial quantities, for example to boat manufacturers.
However, the present assignee has found that for more expensive lines of boats, boat manufacturers and their buyers prefer more expensive looking fittings, e.g. stainless steel fittings, rather than less expensive looking molded plastics fittings.
With that in mind, the present assignee has marketed molded plastics fittings of this general type with exposed surfaces chromium plated, by a conventional process, to achieve the richer, more expensive appearance of a polished metal fitting. While generally successful commercially, the present assignee has found that continuing contact, over a long period of time, with the elements in a harsh salt water marine environment, may attack, and eventually degrade the appearance of, the plated visible surfaces of such fittings.
Accordingly, the present assignee has considered producing such fittings of corrosion resistant metal, such as stainless steel, as by casting or machining, and while such product is durable and can maintain a rich, expensive appearance over long periods of use, it is many times more expensive to produce than the same product of molded plastics material, and because of this expense would have a very limited market.
The purposes of the present invention include overcoming these conflicting prior difficulties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a vent assembly, suitable for marine uses including, for example, venting an enclosure, such as an engine compartment, on a boat, which vent assembly has substantially the external appearance of a cast or machined, one piece stainless steel vent, at a cost very little more than a molded plastics vent.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A vent 40 (
The molded plastics vent 40 also has a generally tubular base 50 extending substantially coaxially from the back side 21 of the head 42 at its peripheral edge portion 43. The base 50 is spaced inboard of the radially facing edge 30 by a coaxial, radially extending, rear facing, enclosure wall abutting, annular lip 49 and has a coaxial through passage 51 communicating with the slots 31.
In the embodiment shown in
The locking fingers 52 are located slightly radially outwardly from the lock tabs 45. Each locking finger 52 has one or more (here three) axially spaced, radially outwardly protruding, circumferentially extending teeth 54 having a rearward and radially outwardly beveled, generally rearwardly facing surfaces 56. The rearwardmost tooth 54 forms the rear edge of the base 50 and its beveled surface 56a extends the full radial thickness of the tooth. The rearward end portion of each locking tooth 52 is thickened to provide a slightly radially inwardly protruding lip 60. The teeth 54 and lip 60 extend circumferentially the width of the locking finger 52. It will be understood that the locking fingers 52, including their lips 60, are spaced radially outward from the outer circumferential plane of the lock tabs 45 and preferably are circumferentially narrower than the circumferential spaces between the lock tabs 45. Circumferentially spaced, axially extending, reinforcing, rib-like webs 58 protrude radially outwardly from the radially outer face of the locking fingers 52 between the back side 21 of the head 40 and the nearest tooth 54.
The molded plastics vent 40 can be used as an end termination for a ventilation hose 10 (
During installation, the tapered rearward surfaces of the teeth 54 assist installation of the vent 40 in the wall 12, whereas after installation the forward facing radially planar faces of the teeth 54 resist removal of the vent 40 from the wall 12. The radially inward bending of the locking fingers 52 by the peripheral edge of the hole 14 helps the lips 60 of the fingers 60 fixedly grip the hose 10 between themselves and the circumfererentially flanking tabs 45.
To the extent of above discussed, the apparatus is substantially that disclosed in the present assignees prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,908.
For example, the head 142 (
Turning now to aspects of the apparatus more directly dealing with the present invention, attention is directed to
A radially extending cover shell 201 (
The cover shell 201 has a continuous peripheral edge portion 205 surrounding a central portion 206 comprising a pattern of slots 211 separating by elongate strips 206, whose edges define corresponding edges of the flanking slots.
The cover shell 201 has a front face 220 (
Returning to the particular cover shell 201 shown in
The cover shell 201 is three-dimensionally contoured so that its back side 221 can continuously abut the front face 147 (
The pattern of slots 211 and strips 216 of the cover shell 201, as well as the size, shape and placement thereof, are preferably identical to those of the slots 131 and strips 146 of the corresponding vent 140. Thus, with the cover shell 201 properly oriented on the front face 147 of the vent head 142, the vent head 142 is to be entirely hidden from the front by the cover shell 201, as in
In some embodiments, as for example shown in
Thus, to avoid accidental bending after the cover shell 201 is formed, the longer cover shell strips 216 may be reinforced by one or more cross straps 234 (
The cover shell 201 can be fixed to the front of the vent head 142 as desired, for example by adhesive bonding. However, in the preferred embodiment shown, the cover shell 201 is preferably securely but resiliently releasably snap-fitted to the front of the vent head 142 by its own monolithically integrated fastening structure. In the preferred embodiment shown, that fastening structure comprises resiliently bendable, cantilevered tabs 250 (
Applicants found that the cover shell 201 can be inexpensively produced from stainless steel sheet by a stamping operation which separates the cover shell 201 from the surrounding portion of the parent metal sheet (not shown), removes material to form the slots 211 and flanking strips 216, forms the mentioned cup-shaped configuration and forms and bends out of plane the mentioned tabs.
To install the cover shell 201 on the vent 140, the cover shell is moved rearward toward the front of the vent 140 to cammingly engage the rear face of the toe 260 (
Thus installed, it will be noted that the back side 221 (
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover shell 201 was stamped of grade 316 stainless steel sheet material of thickness about 0.5 mm, though use of similar material of thickness in the range 0.2-1.0 mm is contemplated.
The use of thicker material may be desirable where the cover shell is of greater diameter, has a more flat or otherwise less inherently rigid cross-sectional shape, has longer and/or narrower strips 216, has longer and/or wider slots, or has fewer (or no), narrower and/or longer cross straps 234. The cover shell thickness may also be varied to compensate for variations in rigidity as between different cover shell materials.
While the vent 140 and cover shell 201 here shown by way of illustration have a pattern of substantially parallel, chordally extending, uniform width slots 211, the pattern of slots 211 may be varied as desired in shape, size and relative location within the broader scope of the invention. For example, the slots 211 could take the form of a plurality of circular or irregularly shaped holes, and/or nonparallel (e.g. radiating) elongate openings as desired.
In accord with the present invention, the rigidity, frontal impact resistance, and resistance to denting of the vent assembly 140, 201 is provided primarily by the relatively inexpensive, rigid molded plastics vent 140 which firmly backs the cover shell 201. Thus, the thickness of the cover shell 201, including its strips 211, may be a very small fraction (e.g. 1/20 to 1/80) of the thickness of the vent head strips. For example, in the embodiment shown, the cover shell strip thickness is about 1/40th of that of the thickest vent head strips 146.
Thus, the vent assembly 140, 201 according to the present invention, as compared to a monolithic cast or machined vent of solid stainless steel, is substantially more economical both in terms of substituting less expensive plastics material for the great majority of more expensive stainless steel, and in substituting less costly fabrication methods (e.g., relatively inexpensive plastic molding and sheet metal stamping operations) for more expensive stainless steel casting or solid-block machining.
Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A vent assembly, suitable for mounting in a hole in a wall of an enclosure, to vent such enclosure, and comprising;
- a molded plastics vent having a radially extending head, said head having a radially outward facing edge and having a continuous peripheral edge portion inboard of said edge, said head being perforated by a pattern of elongate ventilating slots extending axially therethrough and laterally to said peripheral edge portion, ones of said slots having end walls at said peripheral end portion, said slots being separated by flanking strips defining sidewalls of said slots, said head having front and back sides separated by said radially outward facing edge and through which said slots open, said molded plastics vent having a generally tubular base extending substantially coaxially from said head back side at said peripheral edge portion, said base being spaced inboard of said radially facing edge by a coaxial, radially extending, rear facing, enclosure wall abutting, annular lip and having a coaxial throughpassage communicating with said slots;
- a radially extending, decorative, corrosion resistant, sheet metal cover shell lying tight against said front side of said vent head, said shell having a continuous peripheral edge portion mapping on said head peripheral edge portion and a pattern of slots mapping on said pattern of vent head slots in shape, size and relative location, said cover shell slots being separated by strips substantially mapping on said vent head strips in shape, size and relative location, an edge of a given cover shell slot being a substantially flush, forward continuation of the adjacent edge of the corresponding vent head slot to minimize disruption of airflow through the vent assembly, said cover shell including resiliently bendable, cantilevered tabs angled substantially rearwardly from ends of ones of said shell slots and extending into adjacent vent head slot ends, a given said tab having a leg extending along and adjacent the opposed vent head slot end wall, a heel protruding from the free end of said leg beyond said vent head slot end and snugly behind said vent head peripheral edge portion and locking said cover shell on the front face of said vent head, a foot extending rearward from the radially outboard end of said heel, and a toe angled rearward and radially inward from the free end of said foot, said toe having a cover shell installing position bearing cammingly on the front of said vent head peripheral edge portion to assist snap-fit installation of said tab in its said vent head slot, said cover shell being contoured three dimensionally in a shallow, cup-like shape having a front wall incorporating said slots and strips and a peripheral wall covering said radially outward facing edge of said vent head to give the outside appearance of a solid metal vent, said peripheral wall having an enclosure wall approaching, free, peripheral edge rearwardly approaching the plane of said vent head annular lip.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the axial thickness of said head strips and cover strips is approximately in the range of ratios 1/20 to 1/80.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said cover is a stainless steel stamping.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said front side of said vent head is convexly rounded and said cover shell is correspondingly convexly rounded and lies tight against said front side of said vent head.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said head slots extend substantially parallel and widthwise of said head, said shell slots extending correspondingly parallel and widthwise of said head.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said cover shell has at least one cross strap extending across at least one of said shell slots and between flanking strips, said strap connecting and minimizing deflection of said flanking shell strips.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the width of said strap is at most substantially the width of a said flanking shell strip to minimize interference with flow through said head.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the thickness of said cover shell is in the range 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the thickness of said cover shell is about 0.5 mm.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said cover shall is of type 316 stainless steel sheet.
11. A vent assembly, suitable for marine use and the like, for covering a vent opening while permitting air flow therethrough, and comprising:
- a vent comprising a radially extending head perforated by a pattern of ventilating holes extending axially therethrough, said holes being separated by flanking portions defining side walls of said holes, said head having front and back sides through which said holes axially extend, said head having a radially outwardly facing edge and a peripheral edge portion inboard of said edge;
- a radially extending, decorative, corrosion-resistant, cover shell of substantially rigid sheet stock, said cover shell lying tight against the front of said vent head, said shell having a peripheral edge portion mapping said head peripheral edge portion and a pattern of holes mapping on said pattern of vent head holes in shape, size and relative location, said cover shell holes being separated by flanking portions substantially mapping on said vent head portions in shape, size and relative location, an edge of a given cover shell hole being a substantially flush, forward continuation of the adjacent edge of the corresponding vent head hole to minimize disruption of air flow through the vent assembly, said cover shell being fixed on said vent head, said cover shell forwardly and sidewardly covering said vent head.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said cover shell has a rear facing peripheral edge and said vent head has a rear facing surface substantially flush with said cover shell rear facing edge, the latter two being adapted to substantially abut an environmental surface having a vent hole to be covered by the vent assembly.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said vent is a molded plastics mass and said cover shell comprises a sheet metal stamping perforated by said holes, said sheet metal stamping including integral rearward extending fastener elements in snap-fit engagement with said mass.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said fastener elements are tabs bent rearward from the peripheral portion of the sheet metal at edges of said holes, said tabs being elongate leaf spring-like elements, a given said tab comprising an elongate rearward extending leg received at the edge of a corresponding vent head hole, said leg extending rearward through said corresponding vent head hole and having a heel engaging a rearward surface of said vent head at said corresponding vent head hole end to positively hold said cover shell tight against the front of said vent head in a positive yet resiliently releasable manner.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said vent head has a substantially dome shaped front portion, said cover shell being three-dimensionally shaped to conform to said dome shape, said cover shell continuously abutting and covering said vent head forwardly and sidewardly.
16. The apparatus of claim 11 in which at least ones of said vent head and corresponding cover shell holes are elongate slots.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 in which said cover shell slots are mutually parallel.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 4, 2005
Publication Date: Sep 7, 2006
Inventors: Richard Hartmann (Holland, MI), Richard Camarota (Holland, MI)
Application Number: 11/051,896
International Classification: B63B 19/04 (20060101);