Abstract:
A ventilating exhaust fan including a housing unit, a motor module, a panel module, and an exhaust assembly is provided. The exhaust assembly fixed on a side surface of the housing unit is improved by replacing single piece stopping flake with two-piece stopping flakes in order to reduce air flow friction, thereby overcoming the shortcoming of existing technique of stopping flake which, relying on gravity for reposition, gives rise to larger air flow friction. Furthermore, the noise of the existing pipeline exhaust fan is also reduced by adopting the methods of injection molding of motor module with volute as one entity, and by adhering to volute bottom sponge layer, which in turn is adhered to the base plate of exhaust fan housing.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a ventilating exhaust fan and, in particular, a pipeline exhaust fan with replaceable panel. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    At the present, the traditional ceiling pipeline exhaust fan in the market consists primarily of panel, housing, motor, fan wheel and other accessories, wherein the panel is usually fixed with V hanger inside housing with very shallow snap-on groove; such being the case, in the process of installing the hanger, one must attach panel to the end face of housing as close as possible, but since operator cannot see the position of the snap-on groove, it is very difficult to get to snap-on groove with precision; moreover, it is very likely that the hanger falls through motor module trough which is fixed on the side wall of housing, thereby making it hard for the panel to install to its precise position. Further, the above installation method is mostly suitable only for light panels made of plastic or other light materials, and would be inapplicable to such panels as made of glass or ceramic materials; then one would have to use bolt to fasten panel and housing, hence much of the inconvenience to install and replace such panels. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The invented model aims to resolve aforementioned technical problems by overcoming technical shortcomings described above and offering instead exhaust system with installation panel. 
         [0004]    The invented model of pipeline exhaust fan offers a technical solution by means of exhaust system with installation panel, which includes exhaust fan housing with an open frame on one side, motor module located within housing, panel module located on the end face of housing door, and motor module connecting with external power source through socket connectors. The model has the following characteristics: said panel module connects with housing and motor module through flexible connection fitting and thereby forms an integral entity. 
         [0005]    The said panel module includes strut member, panel garnish member, and panel main body, whereas said strut member and exhaust fan housing are connected through fixture, and panel garnish member so connects with panel main body as to form one body; specifically, flexible connection fitting comprises the connection member that is attached to panel garnish member and can be moved horizontally to a settled position as to fix on strut member. On strut member are a number of keyholes which, commeasurable with connection member, are composed of slots and round apertures so connected as to share identical direction; located upon connection member&#39;s axis is the shoulder, which, being compatible with keyhole, is to go through keyhole&#39;s round aperture in order to lock into keyhole&#39;s slot. Upon the other end of connection member is the screw thread which serves to so connect panel garnish member with panel main body as to form an integral entity; upon connection member, location step is created between screw thread part and shoulder, whose distance to be between location step and shoulder ought to be equal to or slightly larger than the thickness at the edge of keyhole on panel strut member, whereas location step&#39;s radial size should be bigger than the diameter of keyhole&#39;s round aperture. 
         [0006]    Or, said flexible connection fitting is fixed upon the bottom of panel module as garter spring whose two jaws extend outward in an arc shape; upon motor module&#39;s end face is the mounting base with two symmetrically placed long grooves, whereas garter spring&#39;s two jaws are to snap into two corresponding long grooves. Mounting base is placed on the volute of motor module to form one entity, whereas said long grooves, being perpendicular to the end face of volute, are so installed as to have the top parts above or higher than the end face of housing. 
         [0007]    Base upon above feature, the present invention also offers improvement of existing pipeline exhaust fan on the reduction of noise by adopting the methods of injection molding of motor module with volute as one entity, and by adhering to volute bottom sponge layer, which in turn is adhered to the base plate of exhaust fan housing. 
         [0008]    Moreover, in order to aid convenient replacement and repair of capacitor, the structure of motor module is improved to the effect that cover plate is fixed on volute while motor is fixed on cover plate, and that capacitor is located in capacitance box which has been molded as one entity with volute, and that the connecting wires of motor and capacitor are so connected as to lead to external power source through male and female socket connectors. 
         [0009]    The proposed invention improves on the structure of exhaust assembly by replacing single piece stopping flake with two-piece stopping flakes in order to reduce air flow friction, thereby overcoming the shortcoming of existing technique of stopping flake which, relying on gravity for reposition, gives rise to larger air flow friction. 
         [0010]    Thanks to the adoption of above techniques, the proposed model has the following good effects: 
         [0011]    1. Panel module adopts flexible connection fitting adaptive to all kinds of materials, thereby facilitating easy installment and repair work on panel module. 
         [0012]    2. Volute adheres to the bottom of housing, between which sponge layer is inserted as buffer to reduce noise of exhaust fan in operation. 
         [0013]    3. Capacitor is placed in capacitance box on the volute, forming an integral entity with motor module, thereby making it easier for replacement and repair work. 
         [0014]    4. Two pieces of stopping flakes, using springs for repositioning, are placed at the exit of exhaust assembly, thereby reducing friction of air passage. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The followings are the drawings and preferred embodiments to further illustrate the present invention: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an axonometric drawing of preferred embodiment 1 of the present invention of pipeline exhaust fan; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a three-dimensional drawing of the installed reflective cover, lamp socket and strip lamp in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a three-dimensional drawing of the lamp cap and swivel gantry in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a three-dimensional drawing of the reflective cover in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a three-dimensional drawing of the panel module in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a three-dimensional drawing of the connection member in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a three-dimensional drawing of the panel strut member in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a three-dimensional drawing of the connection member as installed along with panel garnish member and panel main body in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a three-dimensional drawing of the exhaust assembly in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a three-dimensional drawing of the stopping flake in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a three-dimensional drawing of the installed exhaust assembly and stopping flake; 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is an axonometric drawing of the second practical preferred embodiment of the present invention of pipeline exhaust fan (this drawing does not show motor module (C) and exhaust assembly parts); 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a three dimensional drawing of the garter spring in  FIG. 12 ; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is a three dimensional drawing of the volute in  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Preferred Embodiment 1 
       [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the implemented pipeline exhaust fan includes housing  1  and the four following main parts placed on housing  1 : panel module B placed on the end face of housing  1 , motor module C placed in housing  1 , light source module A placed between panel module B and motor module C, and exhaust assembly connected with vent-pipe and placed on outer side of housing  1 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIGS. 5 through 8 , this example indicates that panel module B of the exhaust fan consists of panel strut member  19 , panel garnish member  24 , panel main body  23 , four panel connection members  25 , bolt  21 , bush  22  and garnish cover  26 . Both panel garnish member  24  and panel strut member  19  are of hollow structure with frames. Panel strut member  19  uses bolts and nuts to connect with both housing  1  and motor module C to form one entity. Panel strut member  19  has four corners where keyholes  191  are made with slots and round apertures and aligned in identical direction. Connection member  25  is of cylinder shape, one end of which contains internal thread  252 , wherein bolt  21  is to go through bush  22  to connect with internal thread  252 , thereby consolidating panel garnish member  24  and panel main body  23  into one entity as shown in  FIG. 8 . In this setting the design of bush  22  is primarily to offset the limitation in processing art on panel main body  23  using glass and ceramic materials, as it is difficult to drill holes in glassware with high precision; therefore one may opt to use plastic materials to make bush  22  to be capped by garnish cover  26 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , on the other axial end of connection member  25  is located shoulder  251 , to be commeasurable with keyholes: on the same axis whereupon shoulder  251  is, location steps  253  and  254  reside between shoulder  251  and screw thread  252 ; the distance between location step  253  and shoulder  251  is equal to or slightly larger than thickness of panel strut member  19  near keyhole  191 , whereas the radial size of location step  253  is bigger than the diameter of the round aperture of keyhole  191 . Location step  254  functions primarily to define the axial position of connection member  25  on panel garnish member  24 . In installation one should insert connection member&#39;s  25  shoulder  251  through the round aperture of keyhole  191 , and then move horizontally along slot to snap connection member  25  at keyhole  191  slot. This structural design is especially adaptive to such panel main body as made of glass or ceramics, because the greater weight of the latter would rule out the kind of snap device as used by panel main body  23  made of plastic materials to achieve quick and easy positioning. Therefore, by adopting above connection method, it is much easier and faster to attach such panel main body as made of glass or ceramics to housing  1  so as to form one entity. Moreover, on the back of panel strut member  19  near keyhole&#39;s  191  round aperture, there is a check block  192  with the same arc as round aperture, whose main function is to ensure that, as he moves panel main body  23  horizontally until shoulder  251  touches check block  192 , the operator may pull off panel main body  23  along the axial line of round aperture without having to align precisely to the center of round aperture. Meanwhile, location steps  253  and  254  of connection member  25  would always provide certain space between panel main body  23 , panel garnish member  24  and panel strut member  19 , thereby enabling strip lamp  17  to dissipate heat; moreover, since location step  253  has an axial size greater than that of round aperture, its installation may have some ornamental effect by being able to cover keyhole  191 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , motor module C comprises primarily of volute  8 , vane wheel  7 , cover plate  9  and motor  5 . Motor  5  and cover plate  9  are fixed together, whereupon vane wheel  7  is fixed to motor shaft, whereas cover plate  9  and volute  8  are fixed together; capacitor is fixed in capacitance box  10  which is molded together with volute  8  as one entity; both L line and ground line of motor  5  connect to male socket connector  6  jacket, thereby making motor module C an independent entity capable of connecting to external power source through male socket connector  6  and female socket connector  2 . If capacitor needs repair or replacement, one can take out motor module C as an independent entity from housing  1 . Also, sponge layer is adhered to the bottom of volute  8  (the drawing does not show this), which will then adhere to the bottom of housing  1  wherein volute  8  is installed, thereby reducing vibration and noise of exhaust fan in operation. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , this example of present invention indicates that light source module A includes lamp socket  16 , lamp cap swivel gantry  15  and reflective cover  14  for connecting energy-saving lamp  17  which is to snap into lamp socket  16 . Lamp cap swivel gantry  15  is composed of mounting plate  151  and safely apron  152  placed upon mounting plate  151  to form L shape, whereupon joint plate  153  is located on both sides of lamp cap swivel gantry  15  so that reflective cover  14  should clip onto clip-on connecting aperture  156 . Lamp socket  16  is bolt-fixed onto mounting plate  151  of lamp cap swivel gantry  15 , whereas lamp cap swivel gantry  15  and reflective cover  14  clip onto each other through connecting shaft  11  of clip-on connecting aperture  156 . Since reflective cover  14  is equipped with check block  143  at the bottom, lamp socket  16  can only turn in certain angles. Since lamp cap swivel gantry  15  adopts clip-on structure with free swivel, hook  154  is placed on inner side of safety apron  152  of lamp cap swivel gantry  15  along with a corresponding snap  142  positioned on reflective cover  154 , thereby ensuring that, after energy-saving lamp  17  is installed, the strip lamp would lock into U-shape groove of reflective cover. To change energy-saving lamp  17 , one may cause hook  154  to detach from snap  142 , thereby enabling energy-saving lamp  17  and lamp socket  16  to turn together with lamp cap swivel gantry  15  to such angle so that one can conveniently take out strip lamp without bumping into a sealing plate  141  on the end face of the reflective cover  14  nor risking broken strip lamp that may harm the operator. Moreover, by turning strip lamp  17  to a point, the operator may be given needed space between strip lamp  17  and reflective cover  14  so as to reach into reflective cover  14  to take on and off strip lamp by hand-grasping it. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 through 11 , the present example indicates that exhaust assembly consists of exhaust assembly  3 , two pieces of stopping flake  4 , axis of rotation  31  and one or two pieces of torsion spring  32 . Exhaust assembly  3  is, on one end, bolt-fixed to the side of housing  1  while it is, on the other end, connected with vent-pipe. The two pieces of half-circled stopping flake  4  and torsion spring  32  are installed on connecting shaft  31 , whose two ends are, in turn, fixed onto the two pieces of stopping flake respectively. During the operation of exhaust fan, air flow will so overcome the elasticity of torsion spring  32  as to push open stopping flake  4  to go out through vent-pipe, but once exhaust fan stops working, the two pieces of stopping flake  4  will return to their original position by torsion spring  32  to close the exit door of exhaust assembly  3 . Because of the lower elasticity of torsion spring, the friction against air flow is minimal. 
         [0036]    To install exhaust fan, one should first install exhaust assembly onto housing  1  which is fixed on a wood piece, and then he should fix motor module C and panel strut member  19  onto housing  1 ; next one should install light source module A on cover plate  9  of motor module C; and lastly he should install panel module B by connecting connection member  25  with panel strut member  19  inside keyhole  191 . 
       Preferred Embodiment 2 
       [0037]    Preferred Embodiment 2 differs from Example 1 in flexible connection fitting of panel module B. Example 1 can apply to panels made of both light and heavier materials such as ceramics and glass, whereas Example 2 employs flexible connection fitting which applies primarily to panels made of light materials such as plastics. As shown in  FIGS. 12 through 14 , Example 2 indicates that panel module B includes panel  20  composed of panel frame and transparent plate, spring suppress piece  12 , garter spring  18  and set screw. Garter spring  18  has two jaws  181  spreading outward in arc, whereas spring suppress piece  12  has one end exerted into round aperture of garter spring  18  to be fixed onto panel frame of panel  20  by set screw. 
         [0038]    Upon volute  8  of motor module where lies garter spring  18 , there is a mounting base  83  with two long grooves  84  that are symmetrically placed and perpendicular to the end face of volute  8 ; the installation of volute  8  should ensure the top of long groove  84  to be higher than the opening end face of housing  1  whereas the two jaws  181  of garter spring  18  lock into long grooves  84 . Since installed garter spring  18  ensures long groove  84  to be higher than the end face of housing  1 , the operator may, while installing panel  20 , see the position of long groove  84  to align it with much easy; moreover, since the two jaws  181  of garter spring  18  bend with an arc, once garter spring  18  lock into long groove  84 , panel  19  would automatically usher into its designated and installed position.