GB2224826A - Ventilators - Google Patents

Abstract

A ventilator adapted for use with a sealed window or a double glazing unit comprises a ventilator housing (10) having substantially parallel identical extruded inner and outer facing sections (20, 22), having aligned slot-like apertures therein, so as to form an airflow passage which passes through the ventilator. The inner and outer facing sections are connected together by elongate upper and lower connectors (32, 30), each of these connectors being H-shaped and being arranged to snap fit onto respective elongate flanges (26, 24) of the facing sections. <IMAGE>

Description

VENTILATOR This invention relates to ventilators, more particularly but not exclusively for use in roorns with sealed windows and/or double-glazing where it is desirable to provide for ventilation without having to open the window or other glazing panel. This type of ventilation is now usually referred to as "secondary ventilation". It has in many instances been achieved hy insertion of a slot ventilator into a slot cut or formed in the frame or sash of a window, the slot connecting through an air passage usually to the exterior of the building. Air flow through the resulting ventilation passage is usually controlled by some sort of openable or closable ventilator such as a hit and miss ventilator or a parallel motion ventilator of the type described and claimed in the present applicant's UK Patent No. 1417751.

There are some locations where e.g. the available or economic volume of window head piece will preclude use of the desired ventilator. Furthermore cutting the required slot in the frame of an an existing, installed window is often difficult. To meet that problem what is now known as "glazed-in" secondary ventilation is often used. An elongate housing is provided having a ventilation passage through it, the housing being designed to be located in a gap left between the top edge of the glass and the glazing channel of an element of the sash, usually the upper element.In such arrangements, the upper edge of the ventilator housing is usually formed to have substantially the same thickness as the glazing panel itself, the lower edge of the housing being slightly flared (in section) to provide a glazing channel within the housing to receive the glazing panel, the housing thereby filling the substantially rectangular gap between the glazing panel and the upper element of the sash. The applicant's UK Published Patent No. 2113825 discloses an example of this type of glazed-in secondary ventilation arrangement.

It is an object of the present invention to produce a simple and satisfactory glazed-in ventilation arrangement, more particularly one which avoids some of the complications of construction of previously suggested glazed-in ventilating arrangements.

According to the present invention a glazed-in ventilator comprises a ventilator housing having substantially identical parallel inner and outer facing sections connected by upper and lower connectors located on either side of an air flow passage across the ventilator housing through holes in said inner and outer facing sections.

The terms "inner and outer" and "upper and lower" are used in the sense in which a glazed-in ventilator would normally appear in relation to a window frame or sash.

The said upper and lower connectors are preferably elongate and of substantially the same length as the said inner and outer facing sections. The connectors may locate directly onto the said facing sections or, more preferably, each facing section may be provided with a formation thereon such as an elongate connecting flange substantially normal to the facing section. The connecting flange preferably has a formation on its distal edge complementary to a formation on the connector with which it may snap fit.

The inner and outer facing sections and the upper and lower connectors are all preferably extrusions, e.g. of plastics material. The inner and outer facing sections are preferably identical extrusions each formed with a substantially planar facing member and two spaced connecting flanges extending substantially at right angles thereto on the same side of the facing member.

By taking two sections of such an extrusion and locating them face to face with their connecting flanges aligned, each connecting flange may be connected to the associated connector to provide a ventilator housing having a central air flow section substantially rectangular in cross-section and defined on either side by the facing members and top and bottom by adjacent connecting members and connectors.

Each of the facing members has one or more holes between its connecting members. These holes are preferably substantially aligned between the inner and outer facing sections to provide an air passage across the ventilator housing between the connectors.

The facing members extend above and below the connecting members or flanges to provide upper and lower channels. The lower channel will usually form the glazing channel to receive the upper edge of the glass or other glazing panel. The facing members may therefore be cranked in section at that point to provide an internal channel width of substantially the width between the external faces of the facing members over the rest of the ventilator housing. The upper channel is defined in essence by two upwardly extending flanges which locate the housing in the glazing channel of the sash or frame.

The connecting members or flanges of each facing section are preferably provided with a slight lateral extension in the form of a hook to locate as a snap fit in a complementarily formed recess along one side of each connector. The connector may therefore be formed substantially in an H-section with the channels of the H of a shape to receive the connecting members or flanges. The connecting members or flanges, the connectors, or both, will need a degree of flexihility sufficient for this fit to take place without damage.

In the preferred form of the invention the facing sections each have an elongate slot cut in them between the connecting flanges, the elongate slot in the inner facing section receiving within it a slot ventilator of the type described in the applicant's UK Patent No.

1417751. The substantially aligned slot in the outer facing section may be open or be provided with a hood and/or mesh screen to permit passage of air in and out but at the same time excluding rain, leaves and insects and the like.

The present invention extends to any one or any combination of the features described above or in the following specific description. Moreover the invention also extends to a kit of parts for formation of a ventilator comprising inner and outer facing sections, upper and lower connectors, an air flow control ventilator, for example of the type described and claimed in their UK Patent No. 1417751, with or without a protective hood/screen arrangement.

The present invention also extends a window comprising a glazing panel, a frame or sash, an elongate ventilator housing located between the glazing panel and a bar of the frame or sash.

The present invention may be embodied in a number of ways. A specific embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing showing a section through the upper part of a glazed-in ventilator according to the invention located in position between a glazing panel and a sash piece.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown at 10 a ventilator housing located between a double-glazing panel 12 and a wooden sash member 14 made up of separable sections 16 and 16' This view is of course a section and the various elements extend into and out of the plane of the paper and are elongate.

The ventilator housing 10 comprises inner and outer facing sections 20 and 22. Each facing section 20 and 22 is provided with upper and lower connecting flanges 24 and 26. The facing sections 20 and 22 are identical and may preferably be extruded from the same die. They are preferably formed of rigid and resilient plastics material but may be formed e.g. from aluminium.

The facing sections 20 and 22 are interconnected by upper and lower connectors 30 and 32 which are again identical extrusions probably of plastics material.

Each of the connecting flanges 24 and 26 has a hooklike extension in section which snap fits into complementarily formed recesses in the receiving channels of the connectors 30 and 32. The materials of the facing sections and connectors are such that a firm snap fit location is provided with the connecting flanges 24 and 26 located within the receiving channels of the connectors 30 and 32 thereby forming a substantially rigid housing structure.

Each of the facing sections 20 and 22 has an elongate slot shown best at 36. The advantage of the present arrangement is that the elongate slots may be punched into the facing sections - a cheap and quick operation.

If the housing 10 were to be formed as is usually the case as a complete section (that is to say with the connecting members formed as integral cross pieces), the air flow slots 36 would need to be drilled or routed, a more expensive and time consuming operation.

The air flow slot 36 in the facing section 20 is in this case occupied by a ventilator 40 of the type shown in UK Patent No. 1417751 to control the air flow. It may be opened or closed manually. The slot 36 in the facing section 22 is completely open but an elongate hood arrangement 42 associated with a protective mesh 44 is affixed to the facing section 22 to keep rain, insects, leaves and other extraneous matter out of the air passage through the housing 10.

The facing sections 20 and 22 extend above and below the connecting members 26 and 24. Those parts of the facing members 20 and 22 which extend above the connecting member 26 are received within the glazing channel 17 formed between the wooden pieces 16 and 16'.

At that point the housing has an external width substantially that of the glazing panel 12.

The elements of the facing sections 20 and 22 which extend below the connecting members 24 are cranked outwardly as shown at 46 so that they provide between them a glazing channel having an internal width substantially the external thickness of the glazing panel 12. The glazing panel 12 is located in that channel. There will he seen at 50 a flexible e.g.

expanded beading arrangement to provide a seal. Other sealing members may be located between the glazing panel and the ventilator housing 10 and/or between the beads 14 and the ventilator housing 10 to ensure a rigid and airtight connection between the ventilator housing 10, the sash piece 14 and the glazing panel 12.

In other forms of the invention (not shown) the ventilator 40 may be replaced by other means of controlling the air flow, for example a hit and miss ventilator. Whatever form of ventilator 40 or otherwise is used, it may be screwed, glued or otherwise affixed to the housing. The hood arrangement 42 may likewise be screwed, glued or otherwise affixed to the housing 10.

Claims (13)

1. A glazed-in ventilator comprising a ventilator housing having substantially parallel inner and outer facing sections connected by upper and lower connecting means, the connecting means being located one on each side of an air flow passage extending across the ventilator between respective apertures in the inner and outer facing sections.

2. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in Claim 1 in which the inner and outer facing sections are elongate, whereby the ventilator is shaped for positioning within a slot.

3. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in Claim 2 in which the upper and lower connecting means are elongate and extend lengthwise of the inner and outer facing sections.

4. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in Claim 3 in which the upper and lower connecting means each comprise respective elongate flanges on the inner and outer facing sections, and a connector extending between the respective flanges.

5. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in Claim 4 in which the connectors are elongate and extend lengthwise of their respective flanges.

6. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 in which each connector is a snap-fit onto its respective flanges.

7. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in Claim 6 in which each connector is generally of H-shape in cross-section, the channels of the H being shaped to receive the respective flanges.

8. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the facing sections and the connecting means are extruded of a plastics material.

9. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in Claim 8 in which the inner and outer facing sections are identical or substantially identical extrusions.

10. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the facing members extend above the upper connecting means to provide an upper ventilator locating means, and below the lower connecting means to provide a lower glazing channel therebetween.

11. A glazed-in ventilator as claimed in Claim 10 in which the facing members are cranked in cross section so that the internal width of the lower glazing channel is substantially equal to the external width of the upper locating means.

12. A glazed-in ventilator comprising a ventilator housing having substantially parallel substantially identical extruded inner and outer facing sections, the sections being secured together by elongate upper and lower connecting means, and the sections defining generally aligned inner and outer slot-like apertures, the inner and outer apertures together forming an air flow passage through the ventilator, between the upper and lower connecting means.

13. A glazed-in ventilator substantially as specifically described with reference to the drawing.