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Vent with attached screen

Vent with attached screen description/claims

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to screened vents and, more particularly, to vents adaptable for use in exterior walls, whether of concrete block, brick or of framing having a stucco-type finish or concrete with or without a stucco finish.

2. Description of Related Art

During summertime in the southwest United States and throughout the United States in climatologically similar areas, the temperatures in an unvented, enclosed garage may increase to well over 100 degrees F. Such a high temperature may cause damage or deterioration to temperature sensitive items stored or otherwise disposed within such garage. Moreover, the high temperatures render it very uncomfortable for a person working with a garage. To alleviate this problem, it is not uncommon to install vents in one or more exterior walls of the garage to permit the air flow into and out of the garage.

The simplest of such vents is a louvered panel of lightweight material nailed or screwed to the exterior surface of a wall in juxtaposed relationship to the corresponding aperture. Such lightweight louvered panels are easily removed by a person intending to commit mischief within the garage. Other more robust vents have been used in conventional walls which are designed to preclude removal from outside the wall.

In the southwest, stucco-type walls are a common treatment to exterior walls of framing, brick or concrete block. Existing vents for use with such walls generally fail to accommodate the unique properties attendant the construction of stucco wall surfaces and cause the vent and surrounding stucco to be unsightly, not resistant to moisture and to be generally unacceptable from an aesthetic viewpoint.

Many residential garages have gas fired water heaters located therein. These heaters require makeup air to provide a continuing source of oxygen to maintain complete combustion and reduce the emission of deadly carbon monoxide. Many municipalities are redrafting or adopting building codes that require vents in an exterior wall enclosing a gas fired water heater. Generally, such vents must be within twelve inches (12″) of the ceiling and of the floor to ensure an adequate source of makeup air through convection or otherwise. As mentioned above, many presently available vents for this purpose are either inadequate as security devices to preclude entry into the garage, are unsightly, compromise the integrity of the exterior wall against intrusion, or do not adequately prevent intrusion of moisture due to rain and/or yard water sprinklers.

A louvered panel of a vent is supported by top, bottom, left and right side panels forming an open box-like structure. In a first embodiment, screen having punched out apertures includes top and bottom panels located in juxtaposed relationship with the top and bottom panels of the structure for attachment thereto and to locate the screen adjacent the interior surface of the louvered panel. Flanges extend outwardly from the top and bottom panels of the screened panel for placement against the exterior side of the framed wall to be vented. Retaining elements are attached on opposed sides to the outwardly extending panels of the screened panel and to the respective opposed sides of the structure. The depth of the structure is a function of the thickness of the exterior wall in which it is to be mounted.

In a second embodiment, the screen includes left and right side panels for attachment to the interior panels of the structure to locate the screen adjacent the interior surface of the louvered panel. For the second embodiment and the third embodiment, one or more holes may be formed in each side panel of the structure to receive a nail or screw for penetrably engaging an adjacent block, brick or concrete wall to prevent sliding movement of the vent. The rear of the panel at the interior surface of the wall may be closed by a louvered panel or by an apertured panel for engagement with duct work. These panels are attached to flanges extending inwardly from opposed sides of the structure.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a vent with a screen having punched apertures attached adjacent the interior surface of the louvered panel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensively manufactured screened panel for a vent.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an easily assemblable screened louvered vent ready for installation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a screen permanently attached to a louvered vent.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a screen having punched out apertures of any selected size for a louvered vent.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a screened louvered vent of any depth commensurate with the location of the installation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a screened louvered vent for permanent installation in a concrete block wall, brick wall or a concrete wall.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rear plate for a screened louvered vent that is attachable to duct work.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a moisture resistant screened louvered vent.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a screened louvered vent for concrete block walls, brick walls or concrete walls and secured thereto to prevent movement of the vent.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling a screened louvered vent for use in any location.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a method for installing a screened louvered vent in a concrete block wall, a brick wall, or a concrete wall.

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