GB2358700A

GB2358700A - Grille for an air inlet for ventilating a building

Info

Publication number: GB2358700A
Application number: GB0027130A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pierre Charles Jardinier
Original assignee: Conseils Etudes et Recherches en Gestion de lAir CERGA
Current assignee: Conseils Etudes et Recherches en Gestion de lAir CERGA
Priority date: 1999-11-05
Filing date: 2000-11-06
Publication date: 2001-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 2020-11-06
Also published as: GB0027130D0; IT1319081B1; GB2358700B; DE10054531B4; DE10054531A1; PL192269B1; ITMI20002374A1; FR2800855B1; PL343665A1; JP2001193373A; FR2800855A1; JP4711500B2

Abstract

A grille designed to permit the entry of air into a building is designed to be mounted inside the air inlet and comprises a circular body (6) at least partially elastically deformable, with an exterior diameter corresponding to the interior diameter of the air inlet, the body being equipped with a perforated part (9) forming the grille, and being extended, on the side intended to be turned towards the interior of the building, by a grasping handle (10).

Description

2358700 Grille for an air inlet for ventilating a building The object of

the present invention is a grille for an air 5 inlet for ventilating a building.

It is usual to ventilate a building, with a view to renewing its air, so as to maintain the building under good sanitary conditions, and in particular to prevent an excess of humidity which would damage construction materials as well as furnishings.

The ventilation of a building such as a building for habitation or commercial use is often carried out with the aid of controlled mechanical ventilation comprising a ventilation unit which extracts the air in service rooms, such as sanitary rooms or kitchens, this extraction in service rooms being compensated for by an admission of air in the neighbouring rooms. This admission of air is carried out through air inlets which are provided in window frames, if a building is involved which has been recently designed. For a building with an older design which has been constructed without a ventilation system, air has to be admitted by other means. One solution exists of constructing a hole between the building and the outside, so as to form an air inlet conduit. This conduit is fitted from the side inside the building with a device known as an air inlet, of which the cross section of the passageway may vary in particular according to the differences in pressure between the interior and the outside of the building, t he interior humidity, the temperature or another factor. In such a case, it is known to mount, at the end of the conduit turned towards the outside, a hood fitted with a grille designed to prevent the passage of mosquitos or other insects. This grille, which is flat and perpendicular to the conduit, is fixed to the facade, outside the building. It is quite clear that taking into account the pressure drop created inside the building, and the circulation of air existing from the outside to the inside of the building through this grille, the latter rapidly becomes dirty, in particular in an urban environment, by reason of atmospheric pollution. If this grille is situated on the ground floor it is possible to have access to it. If this grille is situated on an upper floor, it is inaccessible unless it is situated level with a balcony. The result is that, in many cases, the grille cannot be dismantled for the purpose of cleaning, and the air admission to the interior of the building is completely impaired.

The object of the invention is to provide a grille in the case of such an installation for the admission of air, of which the maintenance can be carried out in an effective and rapid manner.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, there is provided a grille for an air inlet for ventilating a building of which the air supply is achieved via a conduit (4) passing through a wall (3) and emerging at one of its ends inside (1) the building and at its other end outside (E) the building, the end of the conduit situated inside the building being equipped with an air inlet (5) and its other end being equipped with a hood associated with a grille, characterised in that the grille, designed to be mounted inside the conduit, includes a circular body (6) which is at least partially deformable, with an external diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the conduit, this body being equipped with a perforated part (9) forming a grille, and being extended, on the side intended to be turned towards the interior of the building, by a grasping handle (10).

Taking into account its structure, this grille may be engaged in the conduit for the admission of air, from the interior of the 3 building, after withdrawing the air inlet. The grille can be fixed onto the inner surface of the conduit by means of elastically deformable zones of the circular body, which are buttressed up against the inner surface of the conduit. when the grille becomes dirty, the operator can remove the air inlet, which is achieved very easily, and then has direct access to the grille which he can withdraw from the conduit by sliding it towards the interior of the building, by operating the grasping handle. Since the grille has been withdrawn, it is possible to clean it before putting it back in place by a reverse operation.

The circular body can include radially deformable elastic lugs. The circular body may be non-deformable or barely deformable, attachment inside the conduit being achieved by elastic lugs.

According to one embodiment of this grille, the perforated part forming a grille can include a surface of revolution or several convergent flat or curved surfaces, inclined from the 6utside towards the inside and from the circular part of the body towards the end thereof intended to be turned towards the interior of the building and equipped with a handle. This general configuration of the grille makes it possible to increase the area of the perforated part compared with the case where this is perpendicular to the axis of the conduit. The result is a reduction in pressure losses as well as a limitation of the number of operations since such a grille becomes dirty less quickly than a grille in which the filtering part is perpendicular to the axis of the conduit., According to one embodiment in the latter case, the grille can include a perforated part forming a grille consisting of two convergent flat surfaces connected on the one hand to the part of the body having a circular form and on the other hand to two parts of body which extend longitudinally and which form the grasping handle, beyond the junction line of the two surfaces.

Advantageously, in the case of such a configuration, the grille can be made of a synthetic material and is obtained by moulding in a single piece.

In any case, the invention will be better understood with the aid of the following description with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings representing, by way of a non-limiting example an embodiment of this grille.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view in position mounted inside an air inlet conduit in a building, Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view along the line III-III of figure 2.

The grille 2 according to the invention, which is represented in detail in figure 1 is designed to be associated with an air inlet device inside I the building, separated from the outside E by a wall 3. A traversing conduit 4 is provided in this wall 3 putting the interior I of the building and the outside E in communication. The interior of the building is equipped opposite the conduit 4 with an air inlet 5. The grille 2 is designed to be housed inside the conduit 4, on the outer end side thereof.

The grille represented in the drawing is made of a synthetic material and is obtained by moulding in a single piece. This grille includes a body having a circular part 6 with an external diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the conduit 4. Two diametrically opposed elastic lugs 7 are provided in the region of this circular part 6, separated from the body by two axial slits and oriented slightly outwards with respect to the circular part 6. The circular part 6 is extended towards the front by two diametrically opposed longitudinal parts 8, which are curved. Two flat perforated surfaces 9 are provided forming a grille between the circular part 6 and these two longitudinal parts 8. These two flat surfaces converge on the side opposite the circular part 6 and join together at 6 the front end of the longitudinal parts 8. In front of the two surfaces forming a grille, the longitudinal parts 8 are connected by a component 10 possessing a central opening 12 forming a handle. 5 As shown in figures 2 and 3, the grille 2 is positioned inside the conduit so that the circular part 6 is situated close to the outer end of the conduit 4 and of a hood 11, and so that the handle 10 is situated on the side of the conduit emerging on the interior I of the building.

Accordingly, after withdrawing the air inlet 5, the grille can be installed and withdrawn very simply, without using tools, since- the grille is fixed simply by wedging it elastically and it is manipulated manually by operating the handle 10. This grille may thus be very easily removed so as to carry out periodic cleaning. Moreover, and as is clearly apparent from the drawing, the shape of the grille makes it possible to increase the perforated area compared with the case where this area would be perpendicular to the axis of the conduit, which on the one hand limits pressure losses and on the other hand increases the period between cleaning operations on the grille.

As is self evident, the invention is not limited to the single embodiment of this grille described above by way of example but on the contrary encompasses all variants. Thus in particular the shape of the perforated surfaces may be different, it being possible for the perforated surfaces to be reduced to the number of a single one which could be conical or furthermore perpendicular to the axis of the conduit without, for all that, departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Grille for an air inlet for ventilating a building of which the air supply is achieved via a conduit (4) passing through a wall (3) and emerging at one of its ends inside (I) the building and at its other end outside (E) the building, the end of the conduit situated inside the building being equipped with an air inlet (5) and its other end being equipped with a hood associated with a grille, characterized in that the grille, designed to be mounted inside the conduit, includes a circular body (6) which is at least partially deformable, with an external diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the conduit, this body being equipped with a perforated part (9) forming a grille, and being extended, on the side intended to be turned towards the interior of the building, by a grasping handle (10).

2. Grille according to claim 1, characterized in that the circular body (6) includes radially deformable elastic lugs (7).

3. Grille according to either of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the perforated part forming a grille includes a surface of revolution or several convergent flat or curved surfaces, inclined from the outside towards the inside and from the circular part (6) of the body towards the end thereof intended to be turned towards the interior of the building and equipped with a handle (10)

4. Grille according to claim 3, characterized in that it includes a perforated part (9) forming a grille consisting of two convergent flat surfaces connected on the one hand to the part (6) of the body having a circular form and on the other hand to the two parts (8) of the body which S extend longitudinally and which form the grasping handle (10) ' beyond the junction line of the two surfaces.

5. Grille according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it is made of a synthetic material and is obtained by moulding in a single piece.

6. A grille substantially as hereinbefore described.

7. A grille substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.