GB2527065A

GB2527065A - Improvements in or relating to door and window assemblies

Info

Publication number: GB2527065A
Application number: GB1410290.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adrian Redshaw
Original assignee: HL Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Liniar Ltd
Priority date: 2014-06-10
Filing date: 2014-06-10
Publication date: 2015-12-16
Also published as: GB201410290D0

Abstract

A head vent 10, for providing ventilation through the top of a door or window assembly 14, having a vent body 12, securable to a door or window frame, and having first and second openings 16,18 between which extends a ventilation chamber 20. There may also be a filtration member 22 within the ventilation chamber, with rigid support elements 36a,36b which may extend between first and second sides 28, 30 and first and second ends (32,34 figure 4) of the vent body. The support element may house or retain a porous foam filter element 44, and have fluid conduits 62,64 which permit the passage of air 24 between first and second openings while inhibiting the passage of airborne debris e.g. dust. The conduits may have the same cross sectional area as the first and second openings. There may also be end caps selectively securable to the vent body, with a fastener guide 70, and an engagement formation couplable to frame. Also claimed is construction assembly comprising said vent.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO DOOR AND WINDOW ASSEMBLIES

This invention relates to a head vent for providing ventilation through a door or window assembly, and to a construction assembly including such a head vent.

It is known to provide ventilation to the interior of a room by permitting an exchange of air from outside the room (or a building in which the room is located) with air present inside the room.

io Permitting ventilation is desirable since it can be used to provide high air quality inside a room compared to a room that does not have any ventilation. In addition, ventilation can be used to control the temperature of a room and to prevent stagnation of interior air in a room.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a head vent, for providing ventilation through a door or window assembly, the head vent comprising: a vent body having a predetermined cross-sectional profile securable to a door or window frame, the vent body having first and second openings between which extends a ventilation chamber; and a filtration member lying in the ventilation chamber to permit the passage of air between the first and second openings while inhibiting the passage of airborne debris through the ventilation chamber.

The provision of a vent body which has first and second openings between which extends a ventilation chamber provides a conduit through which air can pass. As such, air external to a room in which the head vent is located can pass through the ventilation chamber and into the room so as to ventilate the room.

In the meantime the inclusion of a filtration member permits the aforementioned ventilation while reducing the likelihood of unwanted airborne debris from entering the room in which the head vent is located, so that an interior of the room remains clean of any such debris.

It will be understood that airborne debris may include dust, dirt or other visible particles, as well as possibly bacteria or other invisible contaminants, for example.

In addition to the foregoing, the filtration member also permits the passage of air between the first and second openings while attenuating the passage of sound waves through the ventilation chamber. In this manner, the head vent of the invention can, for example, help to isolate the interior of a room from a noisy environment outside the room.

Optionally the filtration member includes a rigid support element which extends between first and second sides of the vent body.

A rigid support element provides structural support to the vent body, and more specifically, helps to maintain the spacing of the first and second sides relative to one another such that an elongate vent body is less likely to deform, i.e. bend, when lifted, thus making such a vent body easy to both transport and also secure to a door or window frame.

The filtration member may include a rigid support element which extends between first and second ends of the vent body.

A rigid support element configured in such a manner helps to increase the lengthwise stiffness of the structural support of the vent body such that it is less likely to bend and so is easy to handle.

The rigid support element may retain a porous filter element.

A porous filter element conveniently permits the passage of air between the first and second openings at the same time as inhibiting the passage of airborne debris through the ventilation chamber. Meanwhile retention of the porous filter element by the rigid support element helps to ensure that the filter element remains in a desirable position within the ventilation chamber.

Preferably the rigid support element houses the porous filter element.

A rigid support element configured in this manner readily prevents the porous filter element from moving around within the ventilation chamber, for example, during transportation of an associated door or window assembly in which the head vent of the invention is incorporated.

Preferably the porous filter element is or includes a foam.

The inclusion of a foam, particularly one with an open cell configuration, provides a ready means of permitting the passage of air between the first and second openings while trapping airborne debris so as to inhibit its passage through the ventilation chamber.

In addition foam can be readily shaped and/or formed to suit the installation requirements of a particular door or window assembly.

Optionally the rigid support element defines at least one fluid conduit extending therethrough and corresponding to the first and second openings.

The inclusion of at least one fluid conduit extending through the rigid support element allows the passage of air through the ventilation chamber without adversely affecting the structural integrity of the rigid support element.

Preferably the or each fluid conduit has the same cross-sectional area as each of the first and second openings.

Providing the fluid conduit, or a plurality of fluid conduits when considered together, with the same cross-sectional area as each of the first and second openings minimises any pressure drop that might otherwise arise between the first and second openings.

The head vent may further include an end cap selectively securable to an end of the vent body.

The inclusion of an end cap at one or more ends of the vent body protects the vent body, and in particular the filtration member located inside the vent body, from damage.

Moreover, the end cap not only hides the interior of the vent body but can also match the configuration of the door or window assembly in which the head vent is incorporated such that the overall appearance of the assembly is more pleasing.

In addition, an end cap which is selectively securable to an end of the vent body permits, for example, the optional insertion of the filtration member into the vent body after partial assembly of the vent body and end cap.

Optionally the end cap includes a fastener guide to desirably position a fastener relative to the vent body.

The use of such a fastener guide helps to ensure that the introduction of a fastener does not damage any parts inside the vent body, for example the filtration member.

Preferably the vent body includes an engagement formation selectively couplable with a door or window frame.

The provision of an engagement formation assists in securing the vent body to a door or window frame by reducing the need for secondary fastening components.

Optionally the vent body includes a detent formation to, in use, receive a construction article.

The inclusion of a detent formation in the vent body assists in locating, for example a piece of plasterboard, following installation of the head vent.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a construction assembly comprising: one of a door frame and a window frame; and a head vent as described herein above secured to the corresponding door or window frame.

The construction assembly of the invention shares the benefits associated with the corresponding features of the head vent.

There now follows a brief description of preferred embodiments of the invention, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference being made to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view from one end of a head vent according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the head vent shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows the head vent shown in Figure 2 in an assembled condition; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a construction assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention including the head vent shown in the foregoing figures; and Figure 5 shows a plan view from below of the construction assembly shown in Figure 4.

A head vent according to a first embodiment of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10.

The head vent 10 includes a vent body 12 that has a predetermined cross-sectional profile 13 and that is securable to a window frame 14 (as shown), or in other embodiments to a door frame.

The vent body 10 has first and second openings 16, 18 between which extends a ventilation chamber 20.

Each of the first and second openings 16,18 is defined by a single elongate slot which is extends substantially equally either side of a midpoint along the length Lv of the vent body 12 and inboard of each end of the vent body 12, as shown in Figure 5.

In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) each single elongate slot may be bisected by a support web. Each support web may lie coincident with the midpoint of the corresponding elongate slot, although other positions are also possible, such that in any event each support web divides the corresponding single elongate slot into first and second slot portions.

In still further embodiments of the invention (not shown), each of the first and second openings 16, 18 may be defined by a respective plurality of discrete first and second slots that are spaced from one another along the length Lv of the vent body 12. Each of the slots may be generally oblong with rounded ends, although in yet further embodiments of the invention the slots may take a different form or have a different shape.

Each of the first and second openings 16, 18 lies in the same second side 30 of the vent body 12, although this not necessarily be the case.

One or both of the first and second openings 16, 18 may be covered by a movable flap which is selectively closable by a user to temporarily seal the corresponding opening 16, 18.

The vent body 12 shown is a hollow, thin-walled structure, the entire interior of which defines the ventilation chamber 20. In other embodiments of the invention (not shown), the ventilation chamber 20 may be defined by some other internal hollow cavity within the vent body 12.

The head vent 10 further includes a filtration member 22 that lies in the ventilation chamber 20.

The filtration member 22 includes a rigid support element 26 which extends between a first side 28 and the second side 30 of the vent body 12, and more particularly abuts each of the first and second sides 28, 30, as well as also extending along the whole length Lv of the vent body 12, i.e between first and second ends 32, 34 of the vent body 12.

is In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) the rigid support element 26 may not extend along the whole length Lv of the vent body 12, and/or the rigid support element 26 may include a plurality of support sub-elements that lie along the length Lv of the vent body 12.

The rigid support element 26 retains a porous filter element 44, and more specifically houses the porous filter element 44.

In this regard the rigid support element 26 includes first and second arms 36a, 36b that extend between the first and second sides 26, 30 of the vent body 12. The first and second arms 36a, 36b of the rigid support element 26 are spaced from one another by a bridge element 46 to define a first open channel 46. The porous filter element 44 is housed within the first channel 46 such that it is exposed on a first side thereof 40. In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) the support element 26 may fully enclose the porous filter element 44.

Each of the first and second arms 36a, 36b includes a respective retention formation 38a, 38b which extends towards the exposed side 40 of the porous filter element 44 to help retain the filter element 44 within the channel 4ft In the embodiment shown, the first side 40 of the filter element 44 lies adjacent to the first side 28 of the vent body 12 although in other embodiments (not shown) it may lie adjacent to the second side 30 of the vent body 12.

The support element 26 is removably retained within the ventilation chamber 20. More particularly the first and second arms 36a, 36b cooperate with respective first and second retention formations 42a, 42b which extend into the ventilation chamber 20 from the first side 28 of the vent body 12 to help to maintain the position of the rigid support element 26 within the vent body 12.

In addition, each of the first and second arms 36a, 36b extends beyond the bridge element 48 and opposite the first channel 46 to form a second open channel 50.

The second channel 50 cooperates with a boss formation 52 that protrudes from the second side 30 of the vent body 12. The second channel 50 and corresponding boss formation 52 provide additional retention of the rigid support element 26 within the vent body 12 and associated ventilation chamber 20.

The porous filter element 44 is a foam 54, and more specifically a foam with an open cell configuration.

A foam 54 that may be used for the purpose of the invention is a controlled open cell reticulated polyester foam which has a porosity of 30 pores per inch, for example FT-S3OFR which is provided by Foam Techniques Limited.

As shown in Figure 1, the open cell foam 54 has pockets 56 that are formed in a surrounding substrate 58 and which are interconnected with one another to define a cellular network 60 throughout the foam 54. In this way, the open cell foam 54 permits the passage of air through the said cellular network 60, while its convoluted nature helps to trap airborne debris in the pockets 56 thereof.

The rigid support element 26 includes a plurality of fluid conduits 62 that are spaced along the length of the rigid support element 26 (which in the embodiment shown has the same length Lv as the vent body 12). Each of the fluid conduits 62 defines an aperture 64 that extends through each of the first and second arms 36a, 36b of the rigid support element 26, as also shown in Figure 1. In the embodiment shown the apertures 64 are staggered relative to one another, although in other embodiments they may extend directly opposite one another.

The apertures 64 shown in Figure 1 (and in Figure 2) are circular, however the apertures 64 may take a different form, such as oblong or square. Moreover the various apertures 64 are equally spaced along the length of the support element 26, although in other embodiments this need not be the case.

The various fluid conduits 62, i.e. the corresponding apertures 64, in each arm 36a, 36b when considered together as a whole, have the same cross-sectional area as the first opening 16 and as the second opening 18, i.e. the total cross-sectional area of the fluid conduits 62 in one arm 36a, 36b is the same as the total cross-sectional area of the fluid conduits 62 in the other arm 36a, 36b and as the first opening 16, which in turn is the same as the total cross-sectional area of the second opening 18.

The head vent 10 further includes two end caps 66, each of which is selectively securable to a respective first or second end 32, 34 of the vent body 12. In other embodiments (not shown) the head vent 10 may include only one end cap 66.

As shown in Figure 2, each end cap 66 is selectively securable to a corresponding end 32, 34 of the vent body 12 by a plurality of mutually engagable snap-fit formations 68.

Each end cap 66 further includes a fastener guide 70. As shoi in Figure 3, once the end cap 66 is secured to the vent body 12, the fastener guide 70 overlies the first side 28 of the vent body 12. In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) the fastener guide 70 may instead overlie the second side 30 of the vent body 12.

The fastener guide 70 includes a positioning portion 72 which, in use, receives a fastener (not shown) so as to desirably position the fastener relative to the vent body 12. The fastener may be a screw, for example.

In addition to the foregoing the vent body 12 includes an engagement formation 74 that is selectively couplable with a window frame 14. In the embodiment shown, the engagement formation 74 includes two frame channels 76 that extend along the length Lv of the vent body 12. Each of the frame channels 76 receives, in use, a corresponding protruding frame portion 78 that forms part of the window frame 14. In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) the frame channels 76 may instead receive similar protruding frame portions 78 of a door frame.

In still further embodiments of the invention (not shown) the vent body 12 may include fewer than or more than two frame channels 76.

The vent body 12 also includes a detent formation 80 which1 in use, receives a construction article (not shown). The construction article may be a piece of plasterboard,

for example.

Figure 4 shows a construction assembly 100, in the form of a window assembly, according to a second embodiment of the invention.

The construction assembly, i.e. window assembly 100, includes a head vent lOas herein described above and like features of the head vent 10 share identical reference numerals.

The head vent 10 of the window assembly 100 is secured to a window frame 114. More specifically, protruding portions 78 (not shown in Figure 4) of the window frame 114 are secured to corresponding frame channels 76 of the vent body 12, i.e. in the same Is manner as shown in Figure 1.

In use, the filtration member 22 permits the passage of air 24 between the first and second openings 16, 18 while inhibiting the passage of airborne debris (not shown) through the ventilation chamber 20. The air 24 that is permitted to pass between the first and second openings 16, 18 may be air 24 from outside a room in which the head vent is located, or air 24 from outside a building in which the room is located.

More particularly air 24 flows through the first opening 16 of the vent body 12 and enters the ventilation chamber 20. The air 24 then passes through each of the fluid conduits 62, i.e. apertures 64, formed in the rigid support element 26 via the open cell foam 54 housed within the rigid support element 2ft The air 24 is permitted to pass through the interconnecting cellular network 60 formed within the open cell foam 54 but any airborne debris, for example dust or dirt, in the air 24 is trapped in the pockets 56 of the open cell foam 54.

Clean air 24 which is free of airborne debris, passes further through the ventilation chamber 20 and exits via the second opening 18 of the vent body 12.

In this way, ventilation of air 24 external to a room in which the head vent 10 is located passes through the ventilation chamber 20 and into the room in which the head vent 10 is located so as to ventilate the room whilst keeping the room clean of airborne debris.

Moreover, in the event that sound waves (not shown) pass through the or each first opening 16 of the vent body 12 and enter the ventilation chamber 20, the open cell foam 54 dampens the sound waves thus attenuating their passage through the ventilation chamber 20.

In this manner, the head vent 10 helps isolate the interior of a room in which the head vent 10 is located from an external noisy environment.

ic It will be appreciated that air 24, airborne debris and sound waves may also seek to pass through the head vent 10 in an opposite direction, i.e. by entering the ventilation chamber through the second opening 18 of the vent body 12 and subsequently exiting via the first opening 16 of the vent body 12.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A head vent, for providing ventilation through a door or window assembly, the head vent comprising: a vent body having a predetermined cross-sectional profile securable to a door or window frame, the vent body having first and second openings between which extends a ventilation chamber; and a filtration member lying in the ventilation chamber to permit the passage of air between the first and second openings while inhibiting the passage of airborne debris through the ventilation chamber.
2. A head vent according to Claim I wherein the filtration member includes a rigid support element which extends between first and second sides of the vent body.
3. A head vent according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the filtration member includes a rigid support element which extends between first and second ends of the vent body.
4. A head vent according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the rigid support element retains a porous filter element.
5. A head vent according to Claim 4 wherein the rigid support element houses the porous filter element.
6. A head vent according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the porous filter element is or includes a foam.
7. A head vent according to any one of Claims 2 to 6 wherein the rigid support element defines at least one fluid conduit extending therethrough and corresponding to the first and second openings.
6. A head vent according to Claim 7 wherein the or each fluid conduit has the same cross-sectional area as each of the first and second openings.
9. A head vent according to any preceding claim further including an end cap selectively securable to an end of the vent body.
10. A head vent according to Claim 9 wherein the end cap includes a fastener guide to desirably position a fastener relative to the vent body.
11. A head vent according to any preceding claim wherein the vent body includes an engagement formation selectively couplable with a door or window frame.
12. A head vent according to any preceding claim wherein the vent body includes a detent formation to, in use, receive a construction article.
13. A construction assembly comprising: one of a door frame and a window frame; and a head vent according to any preceding claim secured to the corresponding door or window frame.
14. A head vent generally as herein described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
15. A construction assembly generally as herein described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.