INSPECTION VENT

Abstract

An inspection vent on a building includes a frame and a vented door section that is vented to allow air flow through the vented door. A hinge connects the vented door section to the frame. Flame resistant material within the vented door section stops fire while allowing air flow for ventilation through the inspection vent. A latch is shut to hold the vented door section closed against the frame and is released to allow opening of the vented door section for a visual inspection of a portion of the building.

Description

BACKGROUND

In June of 2015, six students in the San Francisco Bay Area fell to their deaths and seven more were seriously injured because of a balcony that collapsed. The balcony was apparently not flashed properly. This allowed moisture to access the supporting cantilevered wood or engineered wood members of the balcony at the most critical location, which is the location directly over the supporting wall below. The moisture infiltration resulted in the wood or engineered wood supporting members rotting. No regular inspection of the balcony integrity was performed or was practical to perform, so the rot was not detected before failure occurred.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows inspection vents placed under balconies in accordance with an implementation.

FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 shows different views and details of an inspection vent in accordance with an implementation.

FIG. 8 shows different sized inspection vents optimized for particular implementations.

FIG. 9, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 shows different views and details of an inspection vent placed on a wall or ceiling in accordance with an implementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an inspection vent 20 placed under a balcony 102. Inspection vent 20 includes a locking latch 21 and a locking latch 22, which allow inspection vent 20 to be opened for visual inspection of supporting cantilevered wood or engineered wood members of balcony 102 at a location of balcony 102 directly over the supporting wall below.

FIG. 1 also shows an inspection vent 10 placed under a balcony 101. Inspection vent 10 includes a locking latch 11 and a locking latch 12, which allow inspection vent 10 to be opened for visual inspection of supporting cantilevered wood or engineered wood members of balcony 101 at a location of balcony 101 directly over the supporting wall below.

FIG. 2 shows that inspection vent 10 includes a frame 15 and a vented door section 14 connected to frame 15 by a hinge 13. Keys 18 are shown inserted in locking latch 11 and locking latch 12 allowing the opening vented door section 14 for visual inspection of supporting cantilevered wood or engineered wood members of balcony 101 at a location of balcony 101 directly over the supporting wall below. For example, frame 15 is composed of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or some other long-lasting material that is impervious or resistant to corrosion and is not easily destroyed by fire. For example, hinge 13 is composed of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or some other long-lasting material that is impervious or resistant to corrosion and is not easily destroyed by fire. For example, vented door section 14 is composed of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or some other long-lasting material that is impervious or resistant to corrosion and is not easily destroyed by fire. Vented door section 14 is perforated or otherwise vented to allow air flow through vented door section 14.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show different views of vented door section 14 being opened to reveal a latch portion of locking latch 11 and a latch portion of locking latch 12. Flame resistant material 16 is installed and held in place by vented door section 14. Flame resistant material 16 stops fire but permits air flow to allow ventilation. For example, flame resistant material 16 is composed of a honeycomb matrix such as the Vulcan Vent® fire stopping matrix, coated aluminum honeycomb and stainless steel mesh available from Vulcan Technologies. For example, screws placed in holes drilled in frame 15 are used for installation of inspection vent 10 to the underside of joists which hold up balcony 101

FIG. 5 shows a view of vented door section 14 of inspection vent 10 having been opened to reveal detail of hinge 13.

FIG. 6 shows a view of vented door section 14 of inspection vent 10 being opened to reveal how a bend in vented door section 14 provides a container to hold flame resistant material 16.

FIG. 7 shows a view of vented door section 14 of inspection vent 10 being opened to reveal that flame resistant material 16 has been removed from vented door section 14. Key 18 is shown placed within locking latch 12.

FIG. 8 shows three vents of different sizes used for different applications. For example, an inspection vent 30 includes a locking latch 31, a frame 35 and a vented door section 34 connected to frame 35 by a hinge 33. An inspection vent 40 includes a locking latch 41, a locking latch 42, a locking latch 49, a frame 45 and a vented door section 44 connected to frame 45 by a hinge 43. As described above, inspection vent 10 includes locking latch 11, locking latch 12, frame 15 and a vented door section 14 connected to frame 15 by a hinge 13.

While FIG. 8 shows a locking latch 11, locking latch 12, locking latch 31, locking latch 41, locking latch 49 and a locking latch 42, in residential applications, a lock may not be necessary. For the applications where a locking latch is not necessary or desired, the locking latch may be replaced by a latch that does not require a key to open a vented door or to secure a vented door section shut against a frame. Such a latch may be shut to hold a vented door section closed against a frame and may be released to allow opening of a vented door section for a visual inspection.

In addition, locking latches that do not use a key may also be used. For example, a security coin turn lock may be used, a tubular cam lock may be used, or any other type of latch, locking or not, may be used that is able to hold a vented door section closed against a frame.

FIG. 9 shows inspection vent 30 in position for mounting on the exterior of a wall. For example, inspection vent 30 allows inspection of wood or other material within the wall. A key 38 is shown within locking latch 31.

FIG. 10 shows inspection vent 30 in an open position with locking latch 31 removed, revealing a hole 39. Flame resistant material 36 is installed and held in place by vented door section 34. Flame resistant material 36 permits air flow to allow ventilation. For example, flame resistant material 36 composed of a honeycomb matrix consisting of coated aluminum honeycomb and stainless steel mesh. A screen mesh 37 is placed between flame resistant material 36 and vented door section 34 to prevent insects from accessing flame resistant material 36. A hand 50 illustrates separating flame resistant material 36 from screen mesh 37 and vented door section 34 for visual inspection.

FIG. 11 shows inspection vent 30 in position for mounting on a ceiling. For example, inspection vent 30 allows inspection of wood or other material within the ceiling. Key 38 is shown within locking latch 31. In FIG. 11, vented door section 34 of inspection vent 30 is shown opened to reveal that flame resistant material 36 and screen mesh 37 have been removed from vented door section 14 for illustrating purposes.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the disclosed subject matter may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A method to detect moisture penetration of supporting members of a building balcony, the method comprising:

placing on an underside of the building balcony at least one inspection vent that stops fire but permits airflow to allow ventilation, including: placing the at least one inspection vent at one or more locations on the underside of the building balcony that allow inspection of the supporting members, so that each of the at least one inspection vent includes: a frame, a vented door section that is vented to allow air flow through the vented door, a hinge that connects the vented door section to the frame, flame resistant material within the vented door section, the flame resistant material resisting fire while allowing air flow for ventilation through the inspection vent, and a locking latch that is locked to hold the vented door section closed against the frame and is unlocked to allow the vented door section to open for a visual inspection of supporting cantilevered wood or engineered wood members of the balcony; and

periodically opening the inspection vent to inspect the supporting members of a building balcony, including: checking for moisture penetration of the supporting members of the building balcony.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the inspection vent additionally includes a mesh screen placed between the flame resistant material and the vented door.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the frame, the vented door and the hinge are composed of stainless steel.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the frame, the vented door and the hinge are composed of galvanized steel or aluminum.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the flame resistant material comprises a coated aluminum honeycomb matrix.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the locking latch is one of a plurality of locking latches.

7-14. (canceled)

15. A method to detect damage to supporting structure of a building, the method comprising:

placing an inspection vent that stops fire but permits airflow to allow ventilation at a location on the building that when open allows inspection of the supporting structure, wherein, the inspection vent includes: a frame, a vented door section that is vented to allow air flow through the vented door, a hinge that connects the vented door section to the frame, flame resistant material within the vented door section, the flame resistant material resisting fire while allowing air flow for ventilation through the inspection vent, and a latch that is shut to hold the vented door section closed against the frame and is released to allow opening of the vented door section for a visual inspection of a portion of the building;

periodically opening the inspection vent to inspect the supporting structure of the building for moisture penetration.

16. A method as in claim 15, additionally comprising:

a mesh screen placed between the flame resistant material and the vented door.

17. A method as in claim 15, wherein the frame, the vented door and the hinge are composed of stainless steel.

18. A method as in claim 15, wherein the frame, the vented door and the hinge are composed of galvanized steel or aluminum.

19. A method as in claim 15, wherein the flame resistant material comprises a coated aluminum honeycomb matrix.

20. A method as in claim 15, wherein inspection vent is located on an underside of a balcony of the building.

21. An inspection vent that stops fire but permits airflow to allow ventilation, the inspection vent comprising:

a frame;

a vented door section that is vented to allow air flow through the vented door;

a hinge that connects the vented door section to the frame;

a coated aluminum honeycomb matrix within the vented door section, the coated aluminum honeycomb matrix being flame resistant material that resists fire while allowing air flow for ventilation through the inspection vent, and,

a locking latch that is locked to hold the vented door section closed against the frame and is unlocked to allow the vented door section to open for a visual inspection of supporting structures of a building.

22. A method as in claim 15, additionally comprising:

a mesh screen placed between the flame resistant material and the vented door.

23. A method as in claim 15, wherein the frame, the vented door and the hinge are composed of stainless steel.

24. A method as in claim 15, wherein the frame, the vented door and the hinge are composed of galvanized steel or aluminum.

25. A method as in claim 15, wherein inspection vent is located on an underside of a balcony of the building.