SOFFIT EXHAUST VENT
A soffit vent preventing an ingress of air while facilitating egress thereof, including a cylindrical frame containing an internal vent mechanism, which frame is mounted to the external surface of the soffit duct opening. The other end of the soffit vent is mounted on the vent duct. Within the cylindrical frame is an internal vent mechanism, comprising a cross beam defining two interstices, each interstice having a vent flap on the downstream side. A tension means holds the flaps closed, until the pressure within the building is greater than that outdoors, which pressure pushes the flaps open.
The invention relates generally to venting and specifically to controlled venting from a soffit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONVents are required in buildings to permit air exchange with the outside for dryers, bathroom and kitchen fans, and heating and cooling, among other reasons. A convenient location for a vent exhaust is a soffit, which is often convenient for upstairs bathrooms, a laundry room on a higher floor, and HVAC systems in the attic.
Some attempts to address this problem have been made in the prior art, for example, Canadian Patent No. 2,577,154, which describes a one-way soffit vent with an upstream valve seat and a downstream vented cover having a boss and a valve disk mounted on the boss and biased against the valve seat. This is one way to provide a valve for one-way operation, however, the valve disk is pushed against the valve seat by means of a spring. The spring may eventually weaken in its force and the soffit vent would leak, permitting air to flow back into the vent.
Another attempt to solve this problem involves the use of roof vents such as described under U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,682. However, this product is installed on the roof and does not allow for it to be installed on a soffit and its installation on a roof can create weak spots in the roofing tile which allows for water to enter under the roofing tile and cause damage to the roof of a building. In addition, a flap is installed and relies on gravity to close. Such an application would then not be applicable in a soffit as it would remain open at all times.
Therefore there is a need for an alternative soffit vent valve that does not weaken and leak air back into the vent and less complex which increases its reliability and longevity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the present invention include a soffit vent preventing an ingress of while facilitating egress from, for example, a soffit duct connected to bathroom fan. The soffit vent consists of a cylindrical frame containing an internal vent mechanism, which frame is mounted to the external surface of the soffit duct opening by means of a grill. A collar at the other end of the soffit vent is mounted on the vent duct. Within the cylindrical frame is an internal vent mechanism, comprising a cross beam mounted across the cylindrical opening within the frame, thereby defining two interstices. Each interstice has a semicircular vent flap on the downstream side. A tension means extending across the crossbeam, each end of the tension means mounted to one of the flaps, holds the flaps closed, until the pressure within the building is greater than that outdoors, which pressure pushes the flaps open. The flaps stay open so long as the pressure within the building is greater than the exterior, and once this ceases, the flaps are motivated to close by the tension means. The flaps do not pass through the interstices due to a lip around the interstice, which makes the circumference slightly smaller than that of the flap.
A soffit vent for mounting on a duct opening in a soffit includes a frame; a crossbeam affixed within the frame, bisecting the frame forming first and second interstices between the frame and the crossbeam; a first vent flap pivotally connected to the crossbeam to allow for the closure of the first interstice; a second vent flap pivotally connected to the crossbeam to allow for the closure of the second interstice; a tension means; and a grill adapted to be secured to the frame. The tension means is connected from the first vent flap across the crossbeam to the second vent flap, such that it provides a force pulling the first vent flap to close the first interstice and pulling the second vent flap to close the second interstice. The frame may be cylindrical and the crossbeam may be positioned diametrically across the frame, and the first and second vent flaps may be semicircular in shape. The first interstice has a lip against which the first vent flap may rest when closed, and the second interstice may have a lip against which the second vent flap rests when closed. A collar may permit engagement with a smaller diameter vent duct. The collar may have tabs to allow for the securing of vent ducts onto the frame. The tension means may be an elastic band or a spring.
It will now be convenient to describe the invention with particular reference to one embodiment of the present invention. It will be appreciated that the diagrams relate to one embodiment of the present invention only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention.
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
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In a resting position, shown in
A person skilled in the art would know that the tension means may be composed of rubber, as an elastic band, or a spring, or any number of other tension-providing mechanisms known in the art, while remaining within the scope of the invention. Such a person would also appreciate that the frame, and corresponding componentry, and without limitation the interstices and vent flaps, may be square or rectangular in cross-section and still fall within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the soffit vent is manufactured of molded plastic, however one skilled in the art would appreciate that it may be made of other materials as well and still fall within the scope of the invention.
By means of the drawing of the soffit vent shown in an operational position in
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of a person skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A soffit vent for mounting on a duct opening in a soffit, comprising
- a frame;
- a crossbeam affixed within the frame, bisecting the frame forming first and second interstices between the frame and the crossbeam;
- a first vent flap pivotally connected to the crossbeam to allow for the closure of the first interstice;
- a second vent flap pivotally connected to the crossbeam to allow for the closure of the second interstice;
- a tension means; and
- a grill adapted to be secured to the frame wherein the tension means is connected from the first vent flap across the crossbeam to the second vent flap, such that it provides a force pulling the first vent flap to close the first interstice and pulling the second vent flap to close the second interstice.
2. The soffit vent of claim 1 wherein the frame is cylindrical and the crossbeam is positioned diametrically across the frame, and the first and second vent flaps are semicircular in shape.
3. The soffit vent of claim 1 wherein the first interstice has a lip against which the first vent flap rests when closed, and the second interstice has a lip against which the second vent flap rests when closed.
4. The soffit vent of claim 1 further comprising a collar permitting engagement with a smaller diameter vent duct.
5. The soffit vent of claim 5 wherein the collar has tabs to allow for the securing of vent ducts onto the frame.
6. The soffit vent of claim 1 wherein the tension means is an elastic band or a spring.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 18, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 22, 2011
Inventor: William Leblanc (Moncton)
Application Number: 12/818,629