GB2235761A

GB2235761A - Building ventilator

Info

Publication number: GB2235761A
Application number: GB9018478A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Frederick Gibson; David Bottomore
Original assignee: Glidevale Building and Products Ltd
Current assignee: Glidevale Building and Products Ltd
Priority date: 1989-08-23
Filing date: 1990-08-23
Publication date: 1991-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-23
Also published as: GB8919170D0; GB2235761B; GB9018478D0

Abstract

A building ventilator (10) in the form of an air-brick is injection moulded in a single step. The ventilator comprises a hollow member forming an air duct, and a baffle arrangement (40) secured to the ventilation member by a hinge (42). During the moulding process the baffle arrangement (40) is formed outside the hollow member. The baffle arrangement (40) can then be pivoted about the hinge (42) to a position in which it lies at least partially within the ventilation member. Detents engage as a snap-fit, securing the baffle (40) in position. Manufacturing the ventilator in a single injection moulding step speeds up manufacture and this saves cost. <IMAGE>

Description

BUILDING VENTILATOR This invention relates to a building ventilator. The invention particularly concerns the type of building ventilators that are disposed in walls to provide ventilation therethrough.

The provision of ventilation through walls has been known for many years. Originally such ventilators were in the form of "air bricks". An example of an early ventilator is disclosed in GB-A-1255146. This specification discloses a two-piece ventilator which requires a great deal of skill to install correctly.

With the advent of plastics technology it became common to manufacture this type of ventilator out of plastics materials and to provide the ventilator in a single unit. An example of such a ventilator is disclosed in GB-A-2167177.

The ventilator disclosed in GB-A-2167177 can be brick-sized for easy installation, and is provided with a particular baffle arrangement which has been found to be especially advantageous.

However, for best results the ventilator needs to be injection moulded. To achieve this it has been necessary to injection mould the interior baffles of the ventilator in injection moulding apparatus separate from the apparatus used to injection mould the exterior. Usually the ventilator has a moulded or louvre arrangement at the front, which is also injection moulded separately, This increases capital costs, and wastes time because it is necessary to align and fit the two parts after moulding.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making a building ventilator comprising injection moulding in a single step a hollow ventilation member having baffle arrangement secured thereto and disposed outside thereof, wherein a hinge is provided between the baffle and the ventilation member, and subsequently pivoting the baffle arrangement about the hinge to a position in which it lies at least partially within the ventilation member.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a building ventilator comprising a hollow ventilation member defining an air flow path therethrough and a baffle arrang~ment hingedly mounted to the ventilation member in such a manner that it can be pivoted from a position outside the ventilation member to a position at least partially inside the ventilation member.

Preferably the ventilator has first and second faces each face having an aperture through which air can enter and leave the ventilation member. When the ventilator is used in a wall structure the first face would be arranged substantially flush with the outer surface of the wall.

The first face is desirably provided with a plurality of louvres therein for dividing the air flow into a plurality of air flow passages.

The overall structure of the ventilator, when complete, may be substantially the same as the wall ventilator described in GB-A-2167177.

The ventilation member is advantageously provided with a stop member which defines a limit of movement of the baffle in order to enable the baffle arrangement to be positioned correctly within the ventilation members. The ventilation member and the baffle arrangement may be provided with cooperating detent means for securing the baffle arrangement in position.

The cooperating detent means desirably provides a snap-fit.

The baffle arrangement desirably comprises a plurality of elongate baffles arranged in a row extending from an upper surface of the ventilation member to a lower surface of the ventilation member.

A flyscreen may be provided over the baffles and this is preferably injection moulded with the rest of the ventilator in the same injection moulding step.

The building ventilator according to the invention can be manufactured in a single injection moulding step thereby speeding up the manufacturing time and saving capital costs.

The ventilator according to the invention is best suited to use as a wall ventilator as described in GB-A-2167177.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above and the front of a building ventilator according to the invention, ready for installation; Figure 2 is a perspective view from below and the front of a building ventilator according to the invention with the louvres and baffle arrangement removed; Figure 3 is a perspective view from the front of a building ventilator according to the invention immediately after formation by injection moulding, with part broken away; Figure 4 is a perspective view from the rear of a building ventilator according to the invention immediately after formation, by injection moulding with part broken away; Figure 5 is a cross sectional view on lines 5-5 of figure 1;; Figure 6 is a cross sectional view on lines 6-6 of figure 3 showing the position of the injection moulding tool during the injection moulding; and Figure 7 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of part of a modified baffle arrangement.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a building ventilator generally designated 10 is substantially hexahedral in shape with a ventilation member including a front or first face 12, a rear or second face 14, opposed side walls 16, an upper wall 18 and a lower wall 20.

The ventilation member is substantially hollow and defines an air flow path therethrough between the front and rear faces 12 and 14 (see figure 5).

An exterior surface 22 of the ventilation member is provided with a plurality of formations 24 which are designed to receive and secure a ventilation duct (such as the ventilation duct described in GB-A-2176277).

The upper surface 18 is provided with dovetail formations 24a which can cooperate with dovetail formations 24b on the lower surface 20 to enable two ventilators 10 to be stacked and secured to one another. Formations 24c extend from the lower surface 20 at the front so that when two ventilators are stacked an appearance is given which simulates the appearance of a single ventilator.

Support members 26 and 28 are provided within the ventilating member and help to provide it with increased structural integrity. The support members define a plurality of apertures 30 in the front face 12; in each aperture 30 a plurality of angled louvres 32 are provided.

The support members 28 are provided with stop members 34 each having a stop surface 34a; a detenting formation 36 extends from each stop surfade 34a. An additional stop member 38 is provided along the lower member and has a stop surface 38a.

A baffle arrangement generally designated 40 is pivotally connected to the ventilation member by means of a hinge 42. The baffle arrangement is provided in three sections 40a. The sections 40a may or may not be secured to one another.

Each section 40a is provided with two spaced support members 44 with a plurality of baffle members 46 extending therebetween. The baffle members 46 are elongate and of striplike configuration. A detenting formation 48 is provided at one end of each of the support members 44.

The ventilator 10 is injection moulded in a single injection moulding step into the configuration shown in figure 3. The alignment of each half of the injection moulding tool is shown in figure 6: one half of the tool is designated by reference numeral 52; the other half is designated by reference numeral 54.

After formation the baffle arrangement 40 is pivoted in the direction of arrows B (figure 3), about the hinge 42 until it engages the stop surfaces 34a and 38a. During this pivotal movement the detenting formations 36 and 48 engage one another and snap fit to secure the baffle arrangement 40 in the position shown in figure 5.

A modification to the baffle arrangement 40 is illustrated in figure 7 where a flyscreen is formed by a plurality of small elongate baffles 50 extending between each baffle member 46.

The injection moulding tool can be modified (for example by putting extra cut outs in the half 52, in order to produce the baffles 50).

Claims

1. A building ventilator comprising a hollow ventilation member defining an air flow path therethrough and a baffle arrangement hingedly mounted to the ventilation member in such a manner that it can be pivoted from a position outside the ventilation member to a position at least partially inside the ventilation member.

2. A ventilator according to Claim 1 comprising first and second faces each face having an aperture through which air can enter and leave the ventilation member.

3. A ventilator according to Claim 2 provided with a plurality of louvres therein for dividing the air flow into a plurality of air flow passages.

4. A ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ventilation member is provided with a stop member which defines a limit of movement of the baffle in order to enable the baffle arrangement to be positioned correctly within the ventilation member.

5. A ventilator according to Claim 4 wherein the ventilation member and baffle arrangement are provided with cooperating detent means for securing the baffle arrangement in position.

6. A ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the baffle arrangement comprises a plurality of elongate baffles arranged in a row extending from an upper surface of the ventilation member to a lower surface of the ventilation member.

7. A ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a flyscreen provided over the baffles.

8. A ventilator constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of making a building ventilator comprising injection moulding in a single step a hollow ventilation member having baffle arrangement secured thereto and disposed outside thereof, wherein a hinge is provided between the baffle and the ventilation member, and subsequently pivoting the baffle arrangement about the hinge to a position in which it lies at least partially within the ventilation member.

10. A method according to Claim 9 wherein the step of injection moulding utilises a two-part moulding tool.

11. A method according to Claim 9 of making a ventilator according to any one of Claims 1 to 8.