EP3056833A1

EP3056833A1 - Ventilation grille

Info

Publication number: EP3056833A1
Application number: EP16155461.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Emiliano Santi
Original assignee: EUR EX Srl
Current assignee: EUR EX Srl
Priority date: 2015-02-13
Filing date: 2016-02-12
Publication date: 2016-08-17
Also published as: ITBO20150012U1

Abstract

Aeration grille with multifunction front shield which allows said grille to be set to an open condition, a partially open condition or a substantially closed position. The grille comprises a body with a surround (1) provided with means for positioning on the wall (P) of the building onto which the inner aperture of the aeration duct crossing the wall (P) opens, to circumscribe the inner aperture, and in which said body is provided with removable fastening means and is provided internally with transverse fins (102) with which it sustains a bush (3) parallel to or coinciding with the axis of said surround (1), and which comprises a grille or reticular element (2) intercepting the space between the bush (3) and the surround (1) to allow passage of the necessary quantity of air, at the same time preventing the entry of insects. At the front of the surround (1) and parallel to it is a shield (7,7') supported by a stem (107) perpendicular and arranged to slide axially in the bush (3), to be retained in it to prevent it accidentally sliding out and to arrange said shield at a variable distance from the grille surround (1, 2). The shield (7, 7') has a form correlated with that of the surround (1) and has plan dimensions equal to or preferably greater than those of the surround and is also characterised in that it comprises means to ensure that the shield (7, 7') can be set not only at different distances from said surround, but also to a position of substantial closing thereof, to prevent the circulation of air through the grille.

Description

DISCLOSURE

The invention concerns an aeration grille, particularly suitable for positioning on the ends of aeration ducts, which is open inside the rooms to be ventilated, for example kitchens, bathrooms or similar, and which is provided with a multifunction shield which allows the grille to be set to a normally open operating condition or a partially open condition or a fully closed condition. The terms "front" and "rear", which will be used below, refer to parts of the grille facing towards the room to be ventilated and towards the outside respectively.
Alternatively to the traditional grilles provided at the front with parallel fins usually inclined downwards and normally provided with a rear mesh that prevents the passage of insects, grilles have been proposed provided with a front shield which conceals from sight the fins and the rear mesh of the grille supporting said shield; in addition to this important aesthetic function, the shield also diffuses the air flow on a plane vertical to that of the ventilation duct axis and attenuates the noise coming from the outside.
Grilles of this type are illustrated in the publications of the Japanese patent application JP 11237090A of 1999 and the British patent application GB 2490138A of 2012 , which are widely referred to.
The applicant believes it would be extremely advantageous to propose on the market grilles of the type described above, but in which it is possible to adjust the distance of the shield from the body of said grille in order to vary the rate of the air flow crossing the grille and adapt it to installation requirements in areas in which the air can circulate naturally in the aeration duct, with speeds that can vary according to the exposure of the outer end of said duct in environments with varying degrees of windiness or affected by natural air currents, or to adapt it to particular and temporary external situations, caused for example by atmospheric disturbances. The publication of the Japanese patent application JP 2005/273980A describes a grille that solves the following technical problem: provide a vent with the possibility of varying the space between the opening of the vent body and an opening/closing plate or shield positioned in front of said opening. This technical problem is solved by a vent which is inserted and fixed on the inner end of the aeration duct of the wall, closed by a protection grille and provided axially with a sleeve in which the stem of a shield parallel to said grille can be inserted and can slide, countering the action of a return spring; said stem is provided laterally and longitudinally with saw tooth cams which cooperate by friction with a sprung pin inserted in the sleeve, so that by pushing the shield, it can be set and snap locked at different distances increasingly close to the aeration grille vent but without closing it, to adapt the air flow to the user's needs. By pushing the shield to the end of its stroke nearest the vent, the pin is arranged to the rear of the saw tooth profile of the cams, on a linear path where, due to the action of the return spring, by slackening or removing the pressure of the hand on the shield, it returns to its position farthest away from the grille vent, thus re-setting it to maximum flow condition.
According to this solution, the grille is complex in construction terms and when the shield is in the position nearest to the vent, it considerably increases the intensity of the air current that passes through the grille and turbulences are generated that can produce unwanted noise.
The invention proposes an aeration grille particularly for internal uses, as claimed in the independent claim 1 and in the subsequent dependent claims, provided with a multifunction front shield which allows the grille to be arranged in a normally open condition with maximum flow rate, in a partially closed position or in a substantially closed position, useful in particular ambient conditions and when, for example, there is the need to exclude the ambient aeration provided by the grille in the kitchen or in the bathroom due to replacement of the gas utilities with other electrically powered equipment.
Further characteristics of the grille according to the invention and the resulting advantages will appear evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

- fig. 1 and 2 are lateral elevation and overhead views respectively of the grille in the open condition with maximum flow rate;
- fig. 3 and 4 illustrate the grille according to figures 1 and 2 in external front elevation view and internal front elevation view respectively;
- fig. 5 illustrates in perspective, according to an enlarged internal front view, the part of the grille within the circle K of figure 4;
- fig. 6 illustrates details according to the transverse section line VI-VI of figure 1;
- fig. 7 illustrates other details of the grille mounted and in the maximum opening condition, according to the lines of section VII-VII as in figures 2 and 3;
- fig. 8 illustrates the grille as in figure 7 according to a front perspective;
- fig. 9 illustrates the grille as in figures 7 and 8 but according to a variation in which the shield does not have a round shape;
- fig. 10 illustrates the grille mounted, in section as in figure 7, but in the closing condition of the aeration duct;
- fig. 11 illustrates in perspective a construction variation of the stem of the grille shield;
- fig. 12, 13 and 14 illustrate details of possible operation of the construction variation as per figure 11, in section according to line XII-XII;
- fig. 15 illustrates in perspective a possible externally indented form of the stem of the shield, with the section that projects from the support and guide bush when the shield is pushed into the partial or total closing position of the grille;
- fig. 16 illustrates in perspective the guide bush of the stem of the shield and highlights in particular the inner shape of said bush for cooperation by friction with the externally indented surface of the stem of the shield as in figure 15;
- fig. 17 and 18 illustrate in longitudinal section the stem of the shield inserted in the support and guide bush, with the shield at maximum distance from the grille and closer to the grille respectively.

With reference firstly to figures 1 to 8, it can be seen that a first component of the grille consists of a reticular body obtained by injection of plastic material into a mould, which comprises a surround 1 which has a round or any other suitable shape (square, rectangular, polygonal or other), enclosed in the internal space by a reticular structure 2 formed for example by four radial supporting fins with larger dimensions 102, angularly spaced from one another by ninety degrees, positioned on edge and to which fins with smaller dimensions 202 are joined, forming square or lozenge-shaped concentric patterns, to the parallel sides of which small fins 302 are attached, parallel to one another and equally spaced by approximately 1-2 mm, so that the reticular structure 2 formed by these components allows passage of the necessary air flow while preventing the entry of insects. The reticular structure 2 is integral with a bush 3 positioned in the centre and on the axis of the space circumscribed by the surround 1, having square or lozenge-shaped section (see further on) and with the sides parallel to the fins 202. The bush 3 projects with sections 103 and 203 from the front and rear of the grille body 1, 2 (see fig. 1, 2 and 7) and is connected to the supporting fins 102 with reinforcement ribs 402, 402', both front and rear. Again, from figures 1, 2 and 7 and from figure 4 it can be seen that at a short and equal distance from the bush 3, on two supporting fins 102 diametrically opposite each other and connected to the reinforcement ribs 402', hollow and internally profiled appendages 4, 4' are provided, with the same dimensions and parallel to each other and to the common axis of the bush 3 and of the reticular body 1, 2. It is possible to fit in said appendages the ends of laminated springs 5, 5', of known type, with V-shaped lateral profile, designed to bend towards each other and to an equal extent when they are inserted in the aeration duct C obtained on the outer wall P of the building and which, with their pointed end teeth 105, 105', anchor to the inner lateral surface of the duct C, maintaining the grille body 1, 2 resting on the inner face of the wall P and centred on the axis of the duct C.
For installation of the grille, in combination with or alternatively to the use of the laminated springs 5, 5', on the end nearest the surround 1 of at least two of the radial supporting fins 102, opposite one another, small annular seats 6, 6' with outward flared profile are provided, in which to house screws for fastening the grille body 1, 2 directly on the inner face of the wall P.
As shown in figures 1, 2, 7, 8, the surround 1 has on the front facing the wall P a flat front for intimate distributed contact with said wall, while the opposite front has a concave profile which derives from the fact that the surround has at the top and bottom or in any case in two diametrically opposite areas, parts 101 with greater and equal thickness or depth, while it has the other two areas 101' angularly spaced from the previous ones by 90', with a lesser and equal thickness or depth, said areas being characterised by a curved profile and being connected to one another by curved edges 100. This particular profile of the front of the surround 1 has both aesthetic functions, which reduce the aesthetic impact of the grille on the wall P, and technical functions which will be described further on.
The second component of the grille in question consists of a shield 7 also obtained by injection of plastic material into a mould, having a round shape, as in figures 1 to 8, or a square shape with rounded corners, as shown by 7' in figure 9, with plan dimensions equal to or preferably greater than the plan dimensions of the grille body 1, 2, as in the example illustrated in the drawings. The shield 7, 7' has a curved shape so that it is concave in the rear part facing towards the body 1, 2 and convex on the exposed front part and this configuration is such that if the shield 7, 7' is pushed against the exposed front of the surround 1, the concave surface of the shield 7 or 7' adheres in a distributed and intimate manner to the convex front 101, 101', 100 of the surround 1, thus substantially closing the communication of the grille body 1, 2 with the environment in which the aeration grille is installed. More specifically, the concave surface of the shield 7, 7', as it appears from the details of figures 2, 3, 7, is provided with an annular projection 8 with centre of curvature on the centre of the shield, having an external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the surround 1 and which with the shield in the closed position, as in figure 10, is arranged inside and in contact with the inner lateral surface of the surround 1, in order to close it more effectively.
From figures 1, 2, 4, 7 and 10 it can be seen that the shield 7, 7' is provided on the centre of its concave surface, and in one single piece (see further on), with a tubular-shaped axial stem 107, with square or slightly rhomboidal section and such as to be slidingly inserted in the axial bush 3 of the body 1, 2, in order to be supported and guided by the latter. If the bush 3 and the stem 107 have a square section, when the stem is mounted in the bush, care is required to ensure that the shield 7, 7' is correctly oriented for complementary coupling with the surround 1. If the bush 3 and the stem 107 have a slightly rhomboidal and conjugate section, the same can be coupled axially to each other with an obligatory predefined angular orientation, such that the curved shape of the shield 7, 7' will certainly couple with the complementary shape of the front of the surround 1.
On at least one, or on several or on all sides of the stem 107, on its distal end, flexible tabs 9 are obtained which, on their distal end nearest to that of the stem 107 carry in relief, towards the outside, teeth 109 for example with isosceles or right trapezium profile. When the stem 107 is inserted into the bush 3, from its front aperture, the teeth 109 cooperate, with their front profile, with that of the bush and due to the flexibility of the tabs 9 which carry them, and due to a sufficient axial insertion thrust of the stem, said teeth 109 move closer to one another and allow insertion of the stem 107 into the bush 3; when the stem emerges from the rear end of the same bush 3, the teeth 109 elastically return to the initial position, to retain the stem 107 in the bush 3 and prevent it accidentally sliding out, as illustrated in figure 7. In this phase of insertion of the stem 107 into the bush 3, the intermediate part of the stem 107 is provided with relief means adapted to cooperate with the front end of the bush 3, to stop insertion of the stem 107 into the bush 3 and to ensure positioning with a predefined maximum distance of the shield 7, 7' from the grille surround 1, 2 and therefore to secure the grille in the open position of maximum flow.
The stop devices can comprise a fork 10 made of plastic material, as shown in the detail of figure 6, provided with opposite ends 110, 110' with Y shape and different dimensions, of which the one with largest dimension 110 can be inserted in transverse aligned holes 11 provided in the intermediate part of the stem 107, in which it remains by friction due to the presence of small projections 12 on the wings of the forked end 110. It is evident from figures 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 that, when the grille is installed in the duct C and is open, the shield 7, 7' acts as a diffuser to distribute the flow of air on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the duct C, since it obliges the air flow to lap the face of the shield; the latter, in the part 207 inside the projection 8, can have a rough or honeycomb-type surface, performing both the function of a mechanical filter, to retain any dirt in the air, and the function of an acoustic filter, for effective abatement of any noises channelled by the air and the duct C.
The user has the option of removing the fork 10 from the holes 11 and snapping the smaller end 110' into one of the rear ribs 402' of the grille, as illustrated in figure 10, so that it is available for future use as in figure 7, after which said user can push the shield 7, 7' against the surround 1, to the desired distance or until fully closing the grille, as in the same figure 10, with the shield 7, 7' in intimate contact with the front of the grille surround 1, 2. To facilitate extraction of the fork 10 from the holes 11, at least one of the fins of its end 110' can be provided perpendicularly with a small peg 210 (fig. 6 and 7) on which the necessary extraction force can be exerted, for example with a screwdriver, a pair of pliers or other tool.
According to a variation that falls within the scope of the invention, the aforementioned fork 10 can be replaced by one or more flexible tabs 13 as in figure 11, obtained longitudinally on one or more of the sides of the stem 107, having the same orientation as the securing tabs 9 and provided on the distal end with outer teeth 113, with right or isosceles trapezium profile; the latter, when the stem 107 is inserted in the bush 3 and the teeth 109 have emerged from the bush, as in figure 12, cooperate with the inner face of said bush 3, maintaining the shield 7 or 7' in the position of maximum distance from the grille surround 1, 2. By axially pushing the shield 7 or 7' to close, with an adequate and non-random thrust, the teeth 113, due to their inclined rear profile, cooperate with the bush 3 which pushes them inwards to allow axial sliding of the stem 107 in said bush 3, consequently moving the shield nearer to the grille. If one single tab 13 is provided, the inward bending thereof, for neutralization of the relative tooth 113, can be performed by the user also with a pointed tool, for example with a screwdriver.
When the shield 7, 7' completely closes the grille, due to adequate sizing and/or adequate positioning of the tabs 13, the tooth 113 of the latter can project from the rear face of the bush 3, as illustrated in figure 13, or can remain inside it, as illustrated in figure 14, to facilitate the return stroke of the stem 107 when re-setting the shield 7 or 7' to the opening position. In the condition of figure 14, the teeth 113 can be scheduled to cooperate with recessed parts (not illustrated) of the inner lateral surface of the bush 3, to limit the elastic load of the tabs 13, in an intuitive manner and easily carried out by persons skilled in the art.
The variation of figure 12 is particularly suitable for the grilles as described here, which are fixed to the wall by screws which pass through the perimeter seats 6 and can be without the springs 5, 5' and relative supporting parts 4, 4'. For these grilles with substantially fixed position the following slight variation, not illustrated, may also be useful, in which the shield 7, 7' is removably fixed to the stem 107, for example with coupling parts, by snap fitting, with screws or other means, so that if necessary said shield 7, 7' can be removed and periodically cleaned, both outside and inside. In this case, the stem 107 can be usefully provided with its own external head which stops against the front end of the bush 3 when the shield 7, 7' is in the grille closing position. According to these last slight modifications, said grilles can be provided with the sole supporting fins 102 which sustain the bush 3, while all the grilled part 2 can be replaced by at least one grilled removable piece, which can be easily removed, cleaned and repositioned, without having to remove the grille from the wall. According to another slight modification, the bush 3 can be positioned out of line within the surround 1, until touching a point of said surround. Slight modifications relative to the manner of installing the grille, which for this purpose can be provided with other known means different from those illustrated, also fall within the scope of the invention.
Lastly, from figures 15 and 17 it can be seen that the stem 107 of the shield 7, 7' can be provided on its outer lateral surface, for example in the corner areas, with longitudinal areas 14 in relief and in counter-relief, formed of small transverse teeth, adapted to cooperate by friction with an internal annular projection 15 (see also figure 16) of the bush 3 which supports and guides the stem 107. Figure 17 illustrates the stem 107 of the shield 7, 7' inserted in the guide bush 3 as in the condition of figure 7, with the shield 7, 7' at maximum distance from the grille 1, 2. From figure 17 it can be seen that the toothed outer surface 14 of the stem 107 already cooperates also in this phase with the inner annular projection 15 of the guide bush 3, while from figure 18 it can be seen that said cooperation serves to stabilise the position of the stem 107 and the shield 7, 7' also when, after removal of the fork 10 or equivalent stop device described previously with reference to figures 11 to 14, said stem 107 is pushed into the bush 3 to bring the shield 7, 7' nearer to the grille 2 in intermediate positions or in the position of complete closure of the grille. Again from the details of figures 17 and 18 it can be seen that the bush 3 is provided both on the inner face and outer face with recesses or bevels 16 for engaging with the profile of the teeth 109 and also with that of any teeth 113 as in figures 11 to 14, to facilitate the insertion of said teeth in said bush 3.
These and all further modifications of equal utility which adopt the same innovative concept and can be easily deduced and implemented by persons skilled in the art, also as technical equivalents, do not depart from the protective limits of the invention, as described, illustrated and as claimed below. In the claims the references in brackets are purely indicative and do not limit the protective scope of said claims.

Claims

Aeration grille with multifunction front shield which allows said grille to be set to an open condition, a partially open condition or a substantially closed position, comprising a body with a surround (1) provided with means for positioning on the wall (P) of the building onto which the inner aperture of the aeration duct crossing the wall (P) opens, to circumscribe the inner aperture, and in which said body is provided with removable fastening means and is provided internally with transverse and for example radial fins (102) with which it sustains a bush (3) parallel to or coinciding with the axis of said surround (1), and which comprises a grille or reticular element (2) which intercepts the space between the bush (3) and said surround (1) to allow passage of the necessary quantity of air, at the same time preventing the entry of insects. At the front of the surround (1) and parallel to it is a shield (7, 7') supported by a stem (107) perpendicular and arranged to slide axially in the bush (3), to be retained in it to prevent it accidentally sliding out and to arrange said shield at a variable distance from the grille surround (1, 2). The shield (7, 7') has a form correlated with that of the surround (1) and has plan dimensions equal to or preferably greater than those of the surround and is also characterised in that it comprises means to ensure that the shield (7, 7') can be set not only at different distances from said surround, but also to a position of substantial closing thereof, to prevent the circulation of air through the grille.
Aeration grille according to claim 1), wherein the stem (107) comprises, in one piece on the distal end, flexible tabs (9) with teeth (109) projecting towards the outside which bend inwards when said stem (107) is axially pushed into said bush (3) and which at the end of the insertion stroke of the stem (107) elastically return to the external position to prevent said stem (107) accidentally sliding out of the support and guide bush (3). In the intermediate part of said stem (107) removable stop means are provided which, when the stem is inserted, cooperate with the front end of said bush (3) to arrange and maintain the shield (7, 7') in an open position at maximum distance from the grille surround (1, 2).
Aeration grille according to claim 2), wherein said intermediate and removable stop means consist of a fork (10) inserted with its own forked end (110) in transverse and intermediate holes (11) of the stem (107) of the shield (7, 7'), said fork (10) being provided with a gripping end (110', 210) with form such as to be easily gripped, if necessary, by the user to slide out said fork from said holes (11) and allow insertion of the stem (107) into the bush (3) with intermediate strokes or with the maximum stroke necessary to ensure that the shield (7, 7') touches the grille surround (1, 2) and closes it.
Aeration grille according to claim 3), wherein the gripping end (110') of said fork (10) also has a forked shape and is designed to be fitted on one of several reinforcement fins (402') which connect the bush (3) to supporting fins (102).
Aeration grille according to claim 2), wherein said intermediate removable stop means of the stem (107) in the position of first insertion in the support and guide bush (3), consist of one or more flexible tabs (13) obtained in one piece in the intermediate part of the stem (107) of the shield (7, 7'), having the same orientation as said tabs (9) with the securing teeth (109) and which on their distal end are also provided with teeth (113) projecting outwards and adapted to cooperate with the front end of the support and guide bush (3) but which can, if necessary, be neutralized by a pressure from the outside, for example by means of a pointed tool, and/or which can have an inclined profile at least on their front facing towards said bush (3), so that they can be neutralized by said bush (3) if the shield (7, 7') is axially pushed towards the reticular grille (1, 2) with an adequate force.
Aeration grille according to claim 5), wherein the intermediate sprung teeth (13, 113) are such as to remain inside the bush (3) even when the shield (7, 7') is in the position in which it is right next to and completely closes the grille surround (1, 2) and in this condition said teeth (113) can remain elastically loaded or can cooperate with inner recessed parts of said bush (3).
Aeration grille according to claim 5), wherein the intermediate sprung teeth (13, 113) are sized and arranged so as to emerge from the bush (3) when the shield (7, 7') is in the position in which it is right next to and completely closes the grille surround (1, 2).
Aeration grille according to claims 6) and/or 7), wherein the intermediate sprung teeth (13, 113) have their rear face inclined to be automatically neutralized in cooperation with the bush (3) when the shield (7, 7') is pulled towards the opening position of the grille (1, 2).
Aeration grille according to claim 1), wherein the shield (7, 7') has a curved shape with round or square plan, with rounded corners, with convex exposed surface and concave rear surface and which in the closing position intimately copies the shape of the front face (101, 101', 100) of the surround (1) of the grille, the rear face of which is flat to uniformly touch the inner face of the wall (P), onto which the aeration duct (C) opens provided with the grille in question.
Aeration grille according to claim 9), wherein the shield (7, 7') is provided on the rear face with an annular projection (8) which is inserted in the inner perimeter of the grille surround (1, 2) when said shield (7, 7') is pushed into the closing position of said surround.
Aeration grille according to claim 9), wherein the guide bush (3) and the stem (107) of the shield (7, 7') have a slightly rhomboidal section or a square or regular polygonal section which prevents relative rotation movements and can be provided with means via which the stem (107) can be inserted in the bush (3) with an obligatory non-random orientation, as in the case of the rhomboidal section, to ensure the necessary joining of the curved and complementary forms of the shield (7, 7') and grille surround (1, 2) when the shield is pushed into the closing position of said grille surround (1, 2).
Aeration grille according to claim 10), wherein at least the rear surface (207) of the shield (7, 7') which is inside said annular projection (8) is rough or of honeycomb type to retain any dirt in the air that laps it and/or to better attenuate the noises channelled by the air flow.
Aeration grille according to claim 1), wherein the reticular or grille surface (2) can be obtained in one single piece with the outer surround (1) and with the inner support and guide bush (3) of the stem (107) of the shield (7, 7').
Aeration grille according to claim 1), wherein the reticular or grille surface in (2) can be made as at least one separate disc-shaped element, which can be fixed in and removed from said surround (1) to facilitate periodic cleaning.
Aeration grille according to claim 1), wherein the shield (7, 7') can be removably fixed to the relative stem (107), in order to be easily removed for periodic cleaning and then easily refitted.
Aeration grille according to claim 15), wherein the stem (107) of the shield (7, 7') is provided with its own front head for stopping against the front end of the guide bush (3) when the shield (7, 7') is in the closing position of the grille surround (1, 2).
Aeration grille according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the guide bush (3) is provided both on the inner face and outer face with recesses or bevels (16) for engaging with all or part of the sprung teeth (109, 113) with which the stem (107) of the shield (7, 7') is or can be provided, to facilitate the entry of said teeth into the same bush (3).
Aeration grille according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the outer lateral surface of the stem (107) of the shield (7, 7') and the inner lateral surface of the relative guide bush (3) can be provided with parts in relief and in counter-relief (14, 15) which reciprocally cooperate by friction to ensure sufficiently stable positioning of said stem (107) in the intermediate positions and also in the position in which the shield (7, 7') is right next to the grille structure (1, 2).