AU781083B2

AU781083B2 - Ventilation grill system

Info

Publication number: AU781083B2
Application number: AU26447/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mark Cummings
Original assignee: Edmonds Pty Ltd
Current assignee: CSR Building Products Ltd
Priority date: 2000-05-05
Filing date: 2001-03-09
Publication date: 2005-05-05
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-09
Also published as: AU2644701A

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Ventilation Grill System The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: TrueCopycovcr doc CE00369916.7 2 Ventilation Grill System Field of the invention This invention relates to a grill system for use typically with ceiling mounted ventilation ducting.

Background of the invention The installation of the ventilation ducting in a large space, such as in an office block or the like, is a relatively complex operation and requires skilled design and installation technologies in order to ensure that ducted air is conveyed to all parts of the space to be airconditioned. The ducting itself is typically of large diameter and air flow capacity and is reasonably cumbersome to handle and manoeuvre in the narrow space between the underside of the floor slab above, and the upper surface of the ceiling itself.

At each point where the airconditioned air is to be delivered through the ceiling, a grill assembly is mounted in the ceiling, the grill assembly typically having a series of slats which direct the downwardly flowing air into the room below. In the preferred embodiment the grill is :15 of an aesthetically pleasing appearance and neatly fills the opening in the ceiling through which the air is ducted.

Typically a box-like housing connects the ducting within the ceiling to the grill. The housing has a generally circular opening or flange in one wall thereof to which the ducting connects. The operatively lower side of the housing will typically have the grill attached to it.

':20 The grill is usually attached to the housing via a screw fastening system or a spring clip arrangement which allows for somewhat simplified removal of the grill from the housing. A typical prior art arrangement is shown in figures 1 and 2 of the attached drawings. As shown in figure 2, the housing is of generally square shape in plan view which allows the airconditioning ducting to be connected to the housing in one or four positions, as clearly shown in figure 2.

Thus, provided the ducting can be aligned so as to arrive at the manifold in alignment with one of those four positions then connecting the ducting to the housing is a relatively straight forward operation.

One problem with this arrangement is that often it is not convenient to bring the ducting to the manifold at a position exactly perpendicular to a side of the housing. Another problem 3 with the arrangement described above is that connecting and disconnecting the grill to and from the housing is not always easily done, particularly if screws are used for the connection arrangement. Where the grill needs to be removed from the frame reasonably regularly, such as where cleaning of the grill is required, or for other reasons, the difficulty in connecting the grill to the frame can significantly increase the time take to complete the task at hand.

Summary of the invention The invention provides a ventilation outlet arrangement comprising: a frame adapted to be mounted in or adjacent an opening through a panel, the frame being adapted to have mounted thereto a manifold for air ducting so that air flow can be directed through the opening in use; a grill assembly to at least substantially close the opening, the grill assembly being releasably mountable to the frame from the opposite side of the frame by mounting means; •.the mounting means comprising at least one magnet fitted to either the frame 20 or the grill assembly and being adapted to magnetically hold the grill assembly to the frame.

Preferably the frame is of generally rectangular or square configuration and the frame has four magnets mounted thereto located adjacent to the four corners of the frame.

The grill assembly may have adjustable connection points thereon which are movable relative to the grill assembly, the connection points being specifically adapted to be magnetically attracted by the magnets. The connection points may comprise screws which are screwable into or out of the grill assembly to adjust the height to which those screws stand proud of the grill assembly, the screws being magnetically attracted by the magnets. The magnets themselves may comprise rare earth magnets and may be located in recesses defined in the frame.

The frame may be mountable into the opening from the opposite side of the panel, the frame being adaptively held in position to the panel by means of screw 4 fasteners or the like.

The frame has a generally circular mounting formation thereon having an axis which lies substantially perpendicular to the panel in use; The manifold comprises a housing having a generally circular opening therein adapted to mount to the circular mounting formation, and an inlet port into the housing which is generally perpendicular to said axis, the manifold being rotatable into different mounting positions relative to the frame about the circular mounting formation.

The circular mounting formation may be in the form of an upstairs circular flange. The circular opening in the manifold may be surrounded by a skirt adapted to engage with the circular flange.

The circular flange may comprise an upstanding skirt of either lesser or greater diameter than the circular skirt on the manifold so that he two skirts are sliding fit, one with the other, which will form a substantially airtight connection when fitted together.

The inlet port into the manifold is preferably of standard diameter so that the inlet port o, is adapted to connect to standard ducting. The connection arrangement between the 20 manifold and the frame may take various forms. For example, the connection arrangement may be a male and female type connection arrangement with the male part being located on either the frame or the manifold and the female part on the other of those two components.

25 In this specification the term "panel" is to be given a broad interpretation and will include within its meaning sheeting and panel structures, suspended ceilings and supported floor structures.

The applicant does not concede that the prior art discussed in this specification forms part of the common general knowledge in the art at the priority date of this application.

These and further features of the invention will be made more apparent from description of a preferred embodiment thereof given below by way of example. In the description, references made to specific features shown in the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting on the invention.

0E00369916.7 Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art ducting and grill assembly.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the assembly shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a perspective exploded view of a grill and housing arrangement according to the invention.

Figures 4 and 5 show cross-sectional side views of a detail of the connection arrangement between the grill assembly and the frame of the embodiment of the invention shown in figure 3.

Figure 6 shows a plan view of the assembly shown in figure 3, but in an assembled 10 condition.

Detailed description of the embodiments Turning to figures 3 to 6, a ventilation outlet arrangement 10 comprises a frame S assembly 12, a grill assembly 14, and a manifold 16. The frame assembly 12 is adapted to be mounted to and secured in a panel 18 which in this embodiment comprises a suspended ceiling.

15 It will be apparent from the description that the assembly may be used in the other applications as well.

The grill assembly 14 is of generally standard configuration and comprises a plurality of slats 20 which are spaced apart as shown to define air gaps 22 therebetween through which ducted air is conveyed into the room below the assembly. Clearly, the configuration of the slats may differ from that shown. The grill assembly 14 has a pair of diagonal support ribs 24 which support the slats in position and provide strength to the grill assembly. At each of the distal ends of the two ribs 24 a tubular stud 26 is defined into which connector screws 28 are screwed.

The screws 28 will preferably be made of a material such as ferrous metal which will be attracted by magnets 30 in the manner described below in greater detail. The frame 12 has a rectangular peripheral edge cornice 32 which is shaped to locate against the underside of the ceiling 18 to form a neat finish to the opening 34 which has been formed in the ceiling 18 and through which ducted air passes from the ducting located above the ceiling 18. The opening 34 is of rectangular configuration and the edge cornice 32 is of larger dimension than the size of the opening 34 so the cornice 32 provides a neat finish to the opening 34.

CE00369916.7 6 The frame 12 extends substantially above the ceiling panel 18 and is further comprised of a cowling 36 which has an upwardly extending circular skirt 38 formed thereon. The skirt 38 defines an opening 40 through which ducted air will pass in use. Air flow deflectors 42 are located in the opening 40 so that air is caused to pass evenly through the openings 22 between the slats The manifold 16 is defined by a generally frusto cylindrical housing 44 which is configured to fit over the flange 38 and form a airtight seal therewith. The housing 44 is of generally circular shape in plan view and has a inlet port 46 defined in the wall thereof for connection to standard airconditioning ducting. Since both the skirt 38 and the housing 44 are of circular shape, the manifold 16 may be rotated relative to the frame 12 about axis 48 in order to position the inlet duct 46 at any position in a 3600 arc. This will allow far greater flexibility in connecting the inlet duct to the air conditioning ducting thereby significantly simplifying the installation process. It will no longer be necessary to exactly align the ducting with the rectilinear configuration of standard rectangular housing. The housing can be rotated to align with the ducting, whichever direction the ducting arrives from. This could well have the effect of reducing the length of ducting required to complete the installation.

Figure 6 clearly depicts the manner in which the manifold is rotatable relative to the frame and the arrow 54 is intended to indicate the manifold could be rotated through a full 360' arc in order to correctly align the inlet duct 46 with the airconditioning ducting.

20 As mentioned above, the magnets 30 are mounted, as shown, in the frame 12. The o magnets 30 locate in the bores 50 of tubular mounting studs 52 and are fastened within the bores 50, at the bottom of those bores 50, as shown in detail in figures 4 and 5. The magnets could be adhered or otherwise fixed in position. As shown, the screws 28 fitted to the grill 14 can be screwed in or out of the tubular studs 26 to thereby vary the extent to which those screws project and stand proud of the studs 26. This will allow the elevation of the grill 14, relative to the frame 12 to be changed and also will allow the four screws 28 to neatly and securely engage with each of the respective magnets 30 to ensure that all four corners of the grill 14 are properly magnetically held to the frame 12. Rare earth magnets 30 have a significant magnetic attractive force, the magnetic force generated will be more than ample to hold the grill 14 in position.

However, to remove the grill 14 from the frame 12 all that will be requiredwill be to apply a downward load on the grill 14 which will pull the grill away from the magnets 30 and thereby 7 release the grill from the frame. Clearly, to reposition the grill in the frame, all that will be required will be to align the screws 28 with the magnets 30 and allow the magnetic force of the magnets to attract the grill back into position against the frame 12.

Clearly, many variations may be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the connection between the manifold 16 and the frame 12 could be quite different to that described herein. The manifold may, for example locate in a circular recess located in the frame.

Alternatively, the manifold may locate within the skirt 38 provided in the frame. The manifold could also, for example, be of a generally box-like configuration, but have a circular connecting flange or recess in the base of that box-shaped housing which will locate and engage with the skirt 38.

Likewise, the arrangement of the magnets could vary from that described herein. The magnets could, for example, be located in the grill and need not necessarily be located in the four corners of the grill or the housing. A different arrangement might, for example, be in the form of a central magnet which would be sufficiently strong to hold the grill in position and possibly one or two locating formations could be positioned on either the frame or the grill, or both, in order to properly align the grill 1 with the frame. What is important is that the quick connect and disconnect arrangement 20 provided by the magnets allows for easy maintenance and rapid fitting and removal of the frame assembly.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute 25 various alternative aspects of the invention.

The foregoing describes embodiments of the present invention and ga•*modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A ventilation grill system comprising: a frame adapted to be mounted in or adjacent an opening through a panel, the frame being adapted to have mounted thereto a manifold for air ducting so that air flow can be directed through the opening in use; a grill assembly to at least substantially close the opening, the grill assembly being releasably mountable to the frame from an opposite side of the frame by mounting means; the mounting means comprising at least one magnet fitted to either the frame or the grill assembly and being adapted to magnetically hold the grill assembly to the frame. *99

2. A ventilation grill system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame is of generally rectangular or square configuration and the frame has four magnets mounted thereto located adjacent to the four corners of the frame.

3. A ventilation grill system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the grill assembly has adjustable connection points thereon which are movable relative to the grill assembly, the connection points being specifically adapted to be magnetically attracted by the magnets. S:

4. A ventilation grill system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the connection points comprise screws which are screwable into or out of the grill assembly to adjust the height to which those screws stand proud of the grill assembly, the screws being magnetically attracted by the magnets.

A ventilation grill system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the magnets comprise rare earth magnets.

6. A ventilation grill system as claimed in any one of the preceding claim wherein the magnets are located in recesses defined in the frame. 9

7. A ventilation grill system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame may be mountable into the opening from said opposite side of the panel, the frame being adaptively held in position to the panel by means of screw fasteners or the like.

8. A ventilation grill system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame has a generally circular mounting formation thereon having an axis which lies substantially perpendicular to the panel in use.

9. A ventilation grill system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the manifold comprises a housing having a generally circular opening therein adapted to mount to the circular mounting formation, and an inlet port into the housing which is generally perpendicular to the axis, the manifold being rotatable into different mounting positions relative to the frame about the circular mounting formation.

A ventilation grill system as claimed in claimed 9 wherein the circular mounting formation is an upstanding circular flange. 20

11. A ventilation grill system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the circular opening o .0 ,'oi in the manifold is surrounded by a skirt adapted to engage with the circular flange.

12. A ventilation grill system as claimed in any one of claim 10 or 11 wherein the circular flange comprises an upstanding skirt of either lesser or greater diameter than °o 25 the circular skirt on the manifold so that the two skirts are a sliding fit, one with the :other, which will form a substantially airtight connection when fitted together.

13. A ventilation grill system as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein the inlet port into the manifold is ofa standard diameter so that the inlet port is adapted to connect to standard ducting. 10

14. A ventilation grill system as claimed in any one of the claims 9 to 13 wherein the connection arrangement between the manifold and the frame is a male and female type connection arrangement, with the male part being located on either the frame or the manifold and the female part on the other of those two components. A ventilation grill system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 3 to 6. Dated this 1st day of February 2005 Edmonds Pty Ltd By Its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK e e