DEVICE AND METHOD OF EMPLOYING REUSABLE AIR DISTRIBUTION CAP

Abstract

A reusable air vent cap system which employing an easy to engage magnetic engagement between a cap and a forced air duct. In a system, the vent cap is engageable to a sealed engagement with an air vent by hand or using a pole-mounted installation tool, and easily removed from such a sealed engagement with hook adapted to engage with an aperture in the vent cap.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to air duct caps for HVAC systems in buildings. More particularly, the disclosed device and method, relates to a reusable air and removably engageable cap component which can be easily installed to cover the air distribution openings in ceilings and later removed without requiring a ladder.

2. Prior Art

Most indoor spaces in homes and offices are cooled by central air-conditioning systems that communicate air from a central air conditioning or heating unit along ducts in the ceilings or above overhead ceilings of each room, to exit vents from the ducts. Although HVAC units contain one or more filters which trap dirt, dust, and germs, these filters are optimized toward maintaining machine efficiency and filtering air communicated from the fan toward the exit vents, and not necessary for preventing the communication of particulate into the ducts from the direction of the exit vents. This is especially true during building construction when air exit vents and the engaged conduits, become exposed to the dust, grime, sawdust, powdered drywall, and other particulate which is constantly circulating in the air on such sites. This communication of particulate from the job site, into the ducts, can cause serious problems later on, and is expensive and time consuming to remove when it occurs.

Conventionally, many job sites have workers tape on plastic to cover open ducts during construction, or cardboard or the like. Such is time consuming, and thus expensive, and uses paper and plastic materials which are later disposed. As large office buildings contain many air ducts, money and time spent installing and removing temporary duct openings can be substantial.

US Pat. No. 2013/0212990 to Albert describes porous material which can adhere to ceiling air vents to prevent overhead particulate from reaching the living space. That device, as well as several commercially available duct caps, however, are not reusable and must be discarded after a set period of use. In addition, all of the devices described by prior art require a ladder for installation, and removal, which increases the labor for both exercises, and can potentially be a safety risk.

As such, there is a continuing and unmet need for a duct cap that can be installed temporarily, to prevent particulate in the air, especially on construction sites, from entering the HVAC ducts. Such a device and method should have an easily engageable cap to substantially seal the opening to the duct from particulate entry. Such a duct cap once installed, should be easily removed in seconds rather than in the minutus it can take to remove duct tape secured covers. Such a device should be easy to install, should maintain the duct substantially sealed from particulate entry, and should be lightweight and not require a ladder for either installation or removal.

Still further, while such a device should be formed of durable non porous material resistant to dirt, it should be lightweight and easily transported. Once removably installed to seal a duct at the vent end, the device should be capable of substantially total blocking of any dust or particulate or stray liquid which might be, or enter into the space of the building from communication into the ducting for the HVAC system.

The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device herein disclosed and described provides a solution to the shortcomings in prior art, and achieves the above noted goals through the provision of a non permeable and durable, flexible, reusable air duct vent cap which can be easily installed to cover the openings communicating with HVAC ducts in a substantially sealed engagement. So engaged, the device will block the passage of substantially any particulate therethrough, which would subsequently be communicated into ducting. Upon termination of the need for the installed covers, employing an installation tool adapted for installation and removal of the duct covers, they are easily removed from their sealed engagement with the openings communicating with underlying ducts without the need for the user to employ a ladder or scaffold.

In commercial buildings having overhead ducts, ceiling tiles are generally suspended a distance above the flooring in any given room, using a standard square array of “t-bar” supporting structures. Such structures conventionally hang from the ceiling of a building using wire supports and are generally formed from extruded metal of a strength to support various cables, wires, sensors, smoke detectors and lighting installed in conventional suspension ceilings. In between the extrusions, holding ceiling tiles and other suspended items, there are also positioned air duct termination points, or exits, which communicate forced air from the fan of the heater or air conditioner through the distal end of an air duct. The device herein is adapted for an easily installed and removed engagement in this position.

Most commonly in the United States, the members forming T-bar structures are substantially one inch wide and are engaged in a grid of two foot square rectangles defined by the members of the T-bar. Of course the device herein can be configured to engage and easily disengage from structures in other dimensions and such is anticipated within the scope of this application.

During building construction, there are many occasions when the vent opening communicating with the duct system may be left uncapped by either a vent cover, or any other cover. Further, there are many occasions where even temporary covers are removed, and generally not replaced due to the labor-intensive nature of the current art.

Current types of covers generally include a piece of fabric or paper or cardboard, engaged over the opening, using a ladder, with duct tape. Due to the labor intensive nature of the problem, many times no duct caps are installed.

If they happen to be installed, such duct caps are generally left in place until a building or an HVAC system inspection, when they must be temporarily disengaged for the inspection. In the current duct tape and cardboard model of such devices, the labor to remove and reinstall the tape-surrounded covers is a significant cost, and the materials used for the cover, if not reinstalled, are thrown away to be hauled to a landfill.

As can be discerned, employing a ladder for positioning cardboard or plastic or fabric from engagement with strips of duct tape holding to the duct termination points of ceiling-mounted ducts, is time consuming initially and even more time consuming when it must be removed and/or replaced. Further, the lack of convention in the cover material employed causes wide variances in the amount of particulate and moisture which can enter the conduits from occupied space in the building.

As a consequence of the abundant particulate on a job site such as pulverized drywall, sawdust, paint over spray, and the like, it can easily communicate into the ducts of the system through the uncovered openings. Once in the system, this material will be communicated back into the building over time due to the pressurized airstream moving through the ducts to the various rooms of the building.

In addition to the easily engaged and disengaged cap herein described which is configured from flexible non permeable fabric, a cap instillation tool is also provided for installation of the device. In addition to the provision of a reusable easily installed and removed cap, the installation component which is matched with the caps, provides an easy means for the attachment of the duct cap to seal the air duct on a ceiling. Employing the combined cover and tool herein, there is no need for a ladder or scaffold.

To install the air duct cap device herein, a user engages the non permeable duct cap, to a removable engagement on the distal end of a hand-held installation tool which is employed to raise and maneuver the duct cap onto a removable sealed engagement with the ceiling-mounted duct.

The disclosed duct cap herein, is composed of a rectangular body of non permeable material such as vinyl laminate, or a similar non-permeable material. The body is surrounded on all four edges by a cap frame, which may include one or more removal grommets such as in each corner. The cap frame edges may be formed of, or engaged to elongated magnetic strips.

In a preferred mode, the duct cap's width and length including the frame, are both substantially 25 inches, and have magnetic edges adapted to magnetically engaged the overhead frame surrounding the duct entrance which is about 1 inch wide and provides the perimeter edge to the duct communication into the room. While a plurality of individual magnets on each side might be employed for a removable magnetic engagement, experimentation has shown that elongated magnets providing magnetic contact with the cap material along the entire perimeter will provide a fully sealed engagement of the cap and thereby prevent substantially all communication of particulate and/or airborne moisture and building air into the covered vent. This full perimeter of magnetic engagement will contact and magnetically engage the full perimeter of the non permeable fabric to the surrounding frame of the air vent.

When used in a combination with the installation tool herein as a system, one or a plurality of apertures are preferably formed in the perimeter edge, to provide an engagement point for a hook on a distal end of a removal tool during a subsequent removal of the cap from the magnetic engagement. The apertures may be provided by engaged grommets or other reinforcement.

The preferred material for the central body is 10 oz vinyl laminated with an interior support scrim, but can alternatively be produced from other materials which are not permeable and will provide the seal from passage of particulate, air, and humidity into the covered conduit.

The cap perimeter can be made of a similar non permeable material such as plastic or other polymeric material which will stay taught and extended under operating temperatures and humidity. The cap perimeter should be substantially rigid to support the removal grommets, and to hold the perimeter of the vinyl interior in a sealed engagement against the underlying metal to which it engages. Ideally the frame should be sufficiently pliable in a non axial direction, to allow for bending and for easy separation from the air duct cover or cap after use. Means of attachment of the cap perimeter to the central cap body of vinyl or other non permeable material may be accomplished using any of a group of engagements including epoxy, glue, stitching, sonic welding, over-molding or tape.

The removal grommets if employed can be made of any metal or a plastic which is sufficiently rigid so that user can engage the interior of the grommet with a hook or the like, and remove the duct cap from the air duct by pulling on the single removal grommet which separates the magnetic engagement and allows the device to drop from vent engagement. Additionally, the removal grommets must not rust or tarnish under the requisite temperature and humidity ranges, and can be attached to the remainder of the duct cap using any of the standard means.

As the magnetic strips are the current preferred fastener which removably engage the duct cap to the air duct, they must have a magnetic attraction which is strong enough to hold the weight of the duct cap from the pull of gravity but must not be too strong or it will inhibit removal.

The magnetic strips can be composed of any polymeric magnetic material or metal magnetic material or combinations thereof, which meet the magnetic attraction strength requirements per above and which is sufficiently ductile to withstand the force of snapping against the air duct or t-bar structure. If separate from the components forming the frame, the magnetic strips can adhere to the perimeter of the frame using means of attachment such as epoxy, gluing, stitching, over-molding, sonic welding, heat, or tape.

Alternatively, the cap perimeter can be composed of elongated strips of magnetic material such as the polymeric magnets employed for refrigerator magnets, which offers both support, ductility and the ability to adhere to the air duct. Such magnetic material is conventionally a polymeric and magnetic metal mix.

Finally, all components of the duct cap herein should be composed of materials that are durable and may be cleaned to remove scuffs and attached particulate to either side surface, to allow reuse of the entire assembly, and avoid transporting of dirt, dust, or other particulate to a duct in a subsequently engaged duct.

Employed as a system, the duct cap is mated to an installation tool which has a shelf face which has at least one and preferably a pair of installation magnetic strips on at least two opposing outer edges. The installation magnetic strips serve to magnetically engage with two of the perimeter magnetic strips of the cap. This installation engagement is easily overcome by the four sided magnetic engagement of the metal frame surrounding the duct, and thus a pull of the handle away from the duct, will cause the cap to dismount the shelf face and engage the duct in a sealed engagement.

An elongated member serving as an installation handle to the back or opposing side of the shelf face and allows a user to magnetically engage a cap to the shelf and install the cap to sealed engagement with the duct, without employing a ladder.

In a preferred mode, the shelf face's width and length are substantially 24.875 inches and the installation tool is made of PVC or alternatively consist of any one or more of the following materials including but not limited to: plastic, non conductive metal, fiberglass, or wood.

The installation handle is preferably telescopic to allow extension of individual sections for tall ceilings, and a subsequent collapse for easy storage and transportation. The telescopic sections are configured to twist and lock in engagement with each other to rigidly support the shelf face. The shelf face may have a mechanism which allows the user to lock the connection of the shelf to the handle at a specific relative angle.

The installation magnetically attractive strips can be made of any metal strong enough to prevent the duct cap from falling off the shelf face and to maintain the duct cap fully extended in all directions while the user lifts the device up toward the ceiling, but must impart an attraction force weaker than the force between the duct cap's magnetic strips and the air duct to ensure that the duct cap adheres to the air duct and not the installation tool. Additionally, the installation magnetic strips should be sufficiently ductile to withstand any snapping forces or impacts during installation or storage.

As the user cannot employ the installation tool to remove the duct cap from the air duct, a cap removal tool is required. The cap removal tool consists of an elongated member or pole having a grommet hook at one end. To remove the duct cap from the air duct, the user inserts the grommet hook into one of the air duct's removal grommets and pulls downwards.

The cap removal tool's grommet hook should be configured of a diameter to fit easily into the aperture of the removal grommet. The cap removal tool should be durable enough to withstand use and storage, and should be made of light weight but durable material such as one or a combination of materials from a group including plastic, metal, fiberglass, PVC, carbon fiber, or wood.

With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements.

It is an object of the invention to provide a duct cap which is reusable and will fully block communication of air and particulate into a covered duct.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a duct cover having easy means for sealed installation and removal without requiring a ladder.

Finally it is an object of this invention to provide a duct sealing device which maintains a sealed engagement over a duct using magnets engaged with conventional t-bar.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the duct sealing invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, FIGS. 1-7a, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of the device during installation with the metal suspension ceiling or rectangular deflection element surrounding the duct, using the tool and cap or cover herein.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the duct cap device.

FIG. 3 is a top view of installation tool for the duct device.

FIG. 4 is a top isometric view of duct cap installation tool.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the duct cap removal.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the duct cap removal tool showing the showing the hook or platform being removably engageable.

FIG. 7 depicts the device herein magnetically engaged to the duct when not engaged to a rectangular or circular deflector element which engages the suspension ceiling.

FIG. 7a shows the slight outward angle of the magnetic strip relative to a perpendicular engagement with the duct cap so as to easily slide on and engage with distal end of the duct.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

Referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-6 wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1 an isometric view of the device 10 in an exploded view showing a standard square array of t-bar structure 12, which hang from the ceiling of a building, are generally formed from extruded metal to support various lights, cables, wires, sensors, smoke detectors as well as air ducts 14 which terminate in deflector elements sized to engage with the t-bar structure. Commonly in the United States, T-bar structures 12 are formed of one inch wide magnetically attractive members which are adapted for engagement to ceiling tiles and ducts in an array of two foot by two foot rectangles in a grid.

The duct cap 16 herein is configured in a shape to cap either the distal end of an air duct 14 as in FIG. 7, or to engage the perimeter of the ceiling surrounding its communication with a deflector element 15 engaged with the distal end of the duct 14. These deflector elements 15 are in sealed engagement to the duct 14 on one end and the t-bar structure 12 surrounding them on the other end. They may be rectangular or curved or circular depending on the building and the perimeter of the deflector element 15 is conventionally engaged with a perimeter of the T-bar structure 12 of matching shape and size.

The duct cap 16 is formed of non air permeable fabric which will block and prevent communication of air, and particulate, humidity, and the like from communication through a covered air deflector element 15 and/or duct 14 depending on whether the deflector element 15 is installed. In new construction or remodeling of a building additional substances in the air resulting from such building construction such as dust, sawdust, paint overspray and the like, are prevented from any communication into an air duct 14 which covered by the device 10 herein engaged with either the T-bar 12 structure surrounding an engaged perimeter of a deflector element 15 as in FIG. 1, or the hanging duct 14 as in FIG. 7.

Also shown in FIG. 1, a cap installation tool 18 may be provided as part of a system for deployment and removal of the device 10 to provide easy means for the attachment of the duct cap 16 in a sealed engagement to the T-bar structure 12 preferably, or with the angled planar surface of the deflector element 15, or with the distal edge of the duct 14 where it is lacking a deflector element, as in FIG. 7, thereby sealing the axial passage of the air duct 14, from communication with room air.

As noted herein, to install the duct cap 16 a user employs the installation tool 18 with the duct cap 16 magnetically engaged thereon, to raise and maneuver the duct cap 16 onto a sealed engagement with the surrounding perimeter of the T-bar structure 12, or the surface of the deflector element 14 or the distal end of the air duct 14 as in FIG. 7.

FIG. 2 displays a top view of the duct cap 16, employed with the T-bar structure 12 or surface of the deflector element 15, which is composed of a central cap body 20 of non air-permeable material that is surrounded on a perimeter edge by an engaged cap perimeter 22. Although the duct cap 16 can be removed by tugging on an edge with the hook of the tool 34, this can take a long time and additionally the duct cap 16 will drop to the floor which is not desirable as it will become soiled.

Experimenting has found that when at least one aperture 21 is positioned in the cap perimeter 22, or in a tab 27 as in FIG. 7, it may be employed during removal to tug on the device 10 during removal, and the duct cap 16 will stay engaged to the hook on the removal tool 34 and not fall to the ground. The aperture 21 may be reinforced if necessary with means for reinforcement such as a grommet 24 in each aperture 21 which may be placed in on or more corners of the cap perimeter 22. As noted above, as a means for magnetic engagement of the cap 16 about its circumference with the T-bar frame, the cap perimeter 22 is formed of, or engaged with, four elongated magnetic strips 26.

In a preferred mode, the width of the duct cap 16 and length thereof are each substantially 23.5 to 26 with a particularly preferred size of 23.75 inches on each side. This renders it an excellent sized for a sealed engagement on conventional perimeters of conventional T-bar supported ducts. However, it should be noted, the cap 16 may be formed in any size to match a T-bar frame surrounding a duct and such is anticipated within the scope of this patent.

With magnetic strips engaged, the cap perimeter 22 formed substantially one inch wide around the perimeter of the cap 16 and one or a plurality of removal apertures 21 which may be positioned using for instance removal grommets 24 which have substantially an internal diameter of the aperture of ⅜ inch. However, the size of the perimeter of the duct cap 16 may change depending on the size of the perimeter edge surrounding a duct 14, which must be placed in sealed engagement and such is considered within the scope of this patent. Thus, in the device 10 herein, the perimeter edge defined by the cap perimeter 22 of the duct cap 14 is configured in size to match the size and magnetically mate with, the perimeter edge surrounding a duct 14.

The preferred material for the central cap body 20 is 10 oz vinyl material preferably with an internal fabric scrim for support to prevent puncturing, but can alternatively be produced of other non permeable materials which will prevent passage of air and particulate entirely into the duct 14 which is in sealed engagement with the duct cap 16.

The cap perimeter 22 as noted, is formed of a material of sufficient magnetic strength to support the weight of the central cap body 20 and ensure that the vinyl or other non permeable material is maintained somewhat taught between the four sides of the cap perimeter 22 and under operating temperatures and humidity. The cap perimeter 22 thus should be rigid enough to support the body 20 and to maintain an aperture 21 therethrough for removal or engaged with removal grommets 24.

However, the cap perimeter 22 should be sufficiently pliable at least in a direction normal to the long axis of the each elongated piece of the perimeter 22, to allow for a slight bend for easy magnetic separation from the perimeter surrounding the air duct 14 after use. The cap perimeter 22 can be engaged to surround the central cap body 20 fabric using means of engagement which will maintain the seal and endure reuse such as epoxy, glue, stitching, sonic welding, heat welding, over-molding or tape.

The removal grommets 24 can be made of metal or plastic which is sufficiently rigid so that user can remove the duct cap 16 from the sealed engagement with the perimeter surrounding the air duct 14 by pulling on a single removal grommet 24. Additionally, the removal grommets 24 should be formed of material which will not rust or tarnish under the requisite temperature and humidity ranges, and can be attached to the perimeter of the duct cap 16 using any of the standard means.

As the magnetic strips 26 are the preferred means for sealed engagement of the perimeter edge of the duct cap 16 to the metal perimeter surrounding a duct 14, they are preferably magnetically sufficiently strong to hold the weight of the duct cap 16 from falling, but must not be too stiff to resist removal. The magnetic strips 26 can be composed of magnetic polymeric material or magnetic metal material which meets the magnetic attractive strength requirements per above and which is sufficiently ductile to withstand the force of snapping against the air duct 14 or T-bar structure 12, and during the bending during removal therefrom.

Means for engagement of the magnetic strips 26 to the cap perimeter 22, if not formed as part thereof, may be through means of engagement using epoxy, gluing, stitching, welding or over-molding or taping or other means of such engagement adapted to the purpose.

In another mode of the device 10, the cap perimeter 22 can be composed of the magnetic material, such as a polymeric and magnetic material mix, which offers both support, ductility and the ability to adhere to the air duct 14. Additionally, the device 10 could be designed whereas the duct cap 16 contains sealing padding larger seal area against the air duct 14 or the metal frame surrounding it.

Finally, all components of the duct cap 16 should be composed of materials that are flexible and may be cleaned for reuse of the entire assembly on subsequent duct engagements whereby dirt and dust and particulate are prevented from being carried from one duct to the next.

As depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, the installation tool 18 contains a supporting face 28 which has installation magnetic or magnetically attractive strips 30 on two opposing outer edges. These strips 30 attract sufficient magnetic force to maintain the cap 16 on top of the supporting face 28 when not level or in a vertical positioning during installation. An installation handle 32 connects to the back side of the support face 28 and allows a user to grasp and install the device 10 without employing a ladder.

In a preferred mode, the support face 28 width and length are substantially equal to that of the cap 16 and the planar installation tool 18 is made of PVC or alternatively consist of any one or a combination of the following non ferrous materials including but not limited to: plastic, metal, fiberglass, or wood.

The installation handle 32 can be designed to telescope for easy storage and transportation and to allow for use with various ceiling heights, and can attach rigidly to the shelf face 28 or through a mechanism which allows the user to pivot and lock the connection at a specific relative angle.

The installation magnetic attracting strips 30 can be made of any magnetized or magnetically attractive material with a sufficient magnetic attraction to engage with the magnets on the duct cap 16 and prevent the duct cap 16 from falling off the support face 28 while the user lifts the device 10 up toward the ceiling. The strips 30 must also impart an attraction force weaker than the force between the four magnetic strips 26 and the air duct perimeter edge to ensure that the duct cap 16 releases from the support shelf and magnetically adheres to the air duct 14 or the surrounding metal perimeter. Additionally, the installation the strips 30 should be sufficiently ductile to withstand any snapping forces or impacts during installation or storage.

As the user cannot employ the installation tool 18 to remove the duct cap 16 from sealed engagement with an air duct 14, a cap removal tool 34, per FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is required. The cap removal tool 34 may be provided as a component of the system or the user can configure a wire or other hook to grab the duct cap 16 and pull it from magnetic engagement. The tool 34 consists of an elongated shaft 36 with a hook 38 positioned at a distal end. To remove the duct cap 16 from the sealed magnetic engagement over an air duct 14, the user inserts the hook 38 into one of the apertures 21 or removal grommets 24, and pulls downwards.

The grommet hook 38 should be designed to fit easily into the aperture 21. The hook 38 may be removed from a cooperative engagement such as with threads, at the distal end of the shaft 36 and the installation tool 18 may also be cooperatively engaged as shown in FIG. 6. Additionally, the shaft 36 may be designed to telescope for easy storage and transportation and to accommodate use for ceilings of various heights. The cap removal tool 34 should be durable enough to withstand use and storage, and can be made of one or combination of materials from a group including plastic, metal, fiberglass, PVC, carbon fiber, and wood.

FIG. 7 depicts the device 10 herein magnetically engaged to the distal end of the duct 14 in situations where there is no deflector element 15 engaged to the distal end of the duct 14 and T-bar. This mode may be shaped rectangular, or rounded as shown, to allow the magnetic strip 26 around the perimeter of the duct cap 16, to engage with the perimeter edge of the duct 14, when not engaged to a rectangular or circular deflector element 15 which engages the suspension ceiling. The same installation mode is employed as the magnetic strip 26 is mounted to run in a line traverse to the duct cap 16 fabric, and will slide on and is easily pulled off using the aperture 21 as in the other modes.

FIG. 7a shows the slight outward angle of the magnetic strip 26 along the line traverse to the plane of the fabric of the duct cap 16 so as to allow easy alignment of the interior surface of the magnetic strip 26 with the exterior surface of the duct 14 distal end. Of course this mode might also be engaged with the axial conduit of the duct 14 however experimentation has shown exterior engagement is easier to remove and saves time.

While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A vent cover for a conduit of a building ventilation system, comprising:

a cap having a perimeter edge surrounding a central area;

said central area formed of flexible material;

a magnet positioned on at least two opposing sides of said perimeter edge; and

said cap positionable to an installed position to seal a duct communicating into a room of said building through a magnetic engagement of said perimeter edge thereto.

2. The vent cover of claim 1, additionally comprising:

said perimeter edge extending around said central area along a plane parallel thereto; and

said perimeter edge achieving a removable magnetic engagement between said at least two opposing sides and a distal edge of said duct communicating into said room.

3. The vent cover of claim 1, additionally comprising:

said perimeter edge extending around said central area along a plane parallel thereto; and

said perimeter edge achieving a removable magnetic engagement between said at least two opposing sides of a deflector component engaged with a distal edge of said duct communicating into said room.

4. The vent cover of claim 1, additionally comprising:

said perimeter edge extending around said central area along a plane traverse thereto from a first edge to a distal edge of said perimeter edge; and

said distal edge of said perimeter edge defining an interior circumference sized to encircle and magnetically engage with a distal end of said duct.

5. The vent cover of claim 1, additionally comprising:

a pole-engageable installation tool having a planar surface, said installation tool having magnetically attractive material positioned to magnetically engage said magnet positioned on at least two opposing sides; and

an attraction between said magnet positioned at least two opposing sides and said magnetically attractive material providing means to maintain said cap stationary on planar surface when said planar surface is vertically disposed during a positioning to said installed position.

6. The vent cover of claim 2, additionally comprising:

a pole-engageable installation tool having a planar surface, said installation tool having magnetically attractive material positioned to magnetically engage said magnet positioned on at least two opposing sides; and

an attraction between said magnet positioned at least two opposing sides and said magnetically attractive material providing means to maintain said cap stationary on planar surface when said planar surface is vertically disposed during a positioning to said installed position.

7. The vent cover of claim 3, additionally comprising:

a pole-engageable installation tool having a planar surface, said installation tool having magnetically attractive material positioned to magnetically engage said magnet positioned on at least two opposing sides; and

an attraction between said magnet positioned at least two opposing sides and said magnetically attractive material providing means to maintain said cap stationary on planar surface when said planar surface is vertically disposed during a positioning to said installed position.

8. The vent cover of claim 4, additionally comprising:

a pole-engageable installation tool having a planar surface, said installation tool having magnetically attractive material positioned to magnetically engage said magnet positioned on at least two opposing sides; and

an attraction between said magnet positioned at least two opposing sides and said magnetically attractive material providing means to maintain said cap stationary on planar surface when said planar surface is vertically disposed during a positioning to said installed position.

9. The vent cover of claim 5, additionally comprising:

an aperture formed in said cap; and

said aperture sized for engagement with a pole-engageable hook therethrough, whereby said vent cover is removable from said installed position to a position engaged upon said hook, by a communication of said hook in communication through said aperture and subsequent imparting of force to said hook in a direction away to disconnect said magnetic engagement.

10. The vent cover of claim 6, additionally comprising:

an aperture formed in said cap; and

said aperture sized for engagement with a pole-engageable hook therethrough, whereby said vent cover is removable from said installed position to a position engaged upon said hook, by a communication of said hook in communication through said aperture and subsequent imparting of force to said hook.

11. The vent cover of claim 7, additionally comprising:

an aperture formed in said cap; and

said aperture sized for engagement with a pole-engageable hook therethrough, whereby said vent cover is removable from said installed position to a position engaged upon said hook, by a communication of said hook in communication through said aperture and subsequent imparting of force to said hook.

12. The vent cover of claim 8, additionally comprising:

an aperture formed in said cap; and

said aperture sized for engagement with a pole-engageable hook therethrough, whereby said vent cover is removable from said installed position to a position engaged upon said hook, by a communication of said hook in communication through said aperture and subsequent imparting of force to said hook.