Vehicle vent

A vehicle vent (12) for exhausting air from a vehicle occupant compartment includes a float valve (32) that prevents water that enters an outlet (24) of the vent from passing into the vehicle through the vent inlet (20) but which has a drain passage (36) for permitting a limited flow of the water to a drain (38) on the vent inlet side of the float valve (32). The vent (12) preferably includes a fan (40) that is most preferably energized by a solar panel (48). Mounting of the vent (12) can be provided on the vehicle roof, on the roof just forward of a vehicle back window, or as part of a sunroof.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to a vehicle vent for exhausting air from a vehicle 
occupant compartment to the environment. 
BACKGROUND ART 
When vehicles are parked in hot weather, an excessively high temperature 
can build up in the vehicle occupant compartment and thus cause discomfort 
when the occupant initially enters the vehicle as well as causing 
deterioration of the vehicle interior components. This heating of parked 
vehicles is a particular problem with current vehicles that utilize a 
greater amount of glass for the windshield, side windows and back window 
as compared with earlier vehicles. Various forms of solar operated roof 
vents have previously been proposed so as to function effectively, such as 
shown by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,104,088 Lyman; 3,680,467 Brock; 4,558,634 Oshiro 
et al; 4,592,269 Lamparter; 4,658,597 Shum; 4,741,256 Huang; 4,804,140 
Cantrell; and 4,800,803 Farmont. 
One problem that is common to vehicle vents is that the vent must prevent 
the entry of water into the vehicle. Since vehicle vents for exhausting 
air are most advantageously positioned at the vehicle roof where the air 
temperature is highest, this water exclusion requirement is a particular 
problem due to the exposed condition of the vent at the roof location. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved vehicle vent 
for exhausting air from a vehicle occupant compartment to the environment 
while nevertheless preventing water from entering the vehicle occupant 
compartment. 
In carrying out the above object and other objects of the invention, the 
vehicle vent for exhausting air from the vehicle occupant compartment to 
the environment includes a housing having an inlet through which air 
enters the vent from the vehicle occupant compartment and also has an 
outlet through which the air exits the vent to the environment. This 
housing has a divider that defines an upper opening through which the air 
flows from the inlet to the outlet. A float valve of the vent is movable 
between open and closed positions with respect to the upper opening of the 
divider. The housing defines a collection chamber located toward the 
outlet from the divider such that water entering the vent from the 
environment accumulates in the collection chamber to close the float 
valve. The housing has at least one lower drain passage that extends from 
the collection chamber through the divider to a location toward the inlet 
from the divider such that water can flow therethrough at a limited rate 
even when the float valve is closed. The housing also has a drain located 
on the side of the divider toward the inlet so as to receive water from 
the drain passage for draining from the vent to the ground. 
In its preferred construction, the vehicle vent also includes a fan for 
drawing air from the vehicle occupant compartment through the vent for 
exhaustion to the environment. The vent also preferably includes a solar 
panel for energizing the fan such that operation thereof can take place 
without any drain on the battery when the vehicle is parked in the sun. 
In the preferred construction of the vehicle vent disclosed, the float 
valve includes a buoyant valve body and a lower pivotal connection that 
pivotally mounts the buoyant valve body on the housing for movement 
between the open and closed positions with respect to the divider opening 
through which the air flows. This buoyant valve body most preferably has 
an enlarged buoyant portion adjacent the pivotal connection and also has a 
smaller distal end. The buoyant valve body has a flat side that seals with 
the divider and a curved side that cooperates with the flat side to define 
the enlarged buoyant portion and the smaller distal end. The vent may also 
include a counterbalance located on the opposite side of the pivotal 
connection from the buoyant valve body. It is also possible for the float 
valve to include a thermally responsive spring that maintains the float 
valve body in the closed position at lower temperatures. 
The vehicle vent functions effectively on the vehicle roof and most 
preferably includes a peripheral flange for mounting the vent on the 
vehicle roof. As previously mentioned, the vent preferably includes a 
solar panel, which in one embodiment is located just forwardly of a 
vehicle back window and in another embodiment is a component of a vehicle 
sunroof. 
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily 
apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for 
carrying out the invention when taken in connection with accompanying 
drawings.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a vehicle generally indicated by 
10 is illustrated as being of the van type and has a vent 12 that is 
constructed in accordance with the present invention and mounted on the 
vehicle roof 14 just forward of a back window 15 and at the upper 
extremity of the occupant compartment 16. As is hereinafter more fully 
described, the vent 12 operates to exhaust air from the occupant 
compartment 16 while preventing water from entering the occupant 
compartment as is hereinafter more fully described by causing the water 
that enters the vent to drain to the ground as shown by the arrows. 
With reference to FIG. 2, the vent 12 includes a housing 18 having an inlet 
20 provided by an inlet grill 22 through which air enters the vent from 
the vehicle occupant compartment. An outlet 24 of the vent is provided by 
an outlet grill 26 through which the air exits from the vent to the 
environment. The housing 18 includes a divider 28 that defines an upper 
opening 30 through which the air flows from the inlet 20 to the outlet 24. 
A float valve 32 of the vent is movable between the open position shown by 
solid line representation and the closed position shown by phantom line 
representation with respect to the upper opening 30 of the divider. Just 
to the right of the float valve 32, the housing 18 defines a collection 
chamber 34 located toward the outlet 24 from the divider 28 such that any 
water that enters the vent from the environment accumulates in the 
collection chamber to close the float valve. Housing 18 includes at least 
one lower drain passage 36 that extends from the collection chamber 34 
through the divider 28 to a location toward the inlet 20 from the divider 
such that water can flow therethrough at a limited rate even when the 
float valve 32 is closed. A drain 38 of the housing is located to the left 
of the divider 28 as shown in FIG. 2 on the side thereof toward the inlet 
20 so as to receive water from the drain passage 36 for draining from the 
vent to the ground. 
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the vent 12 also preferably includes a fan 40 for 
drawing air from the vehicle occupant compartment through the vent for 
exhaustion to the environment. This vent 40 is illustrated as including a 
squirrel cage rotor 42 and an electric motor 44 that rotates the rotor 42 
upon being energized through electrical wire connectors 46. The vent also 
preferably includes a solar panel 48 having wire connectors 50 that 
connect to the wire connectors 46 of the fan motor 44 to rotate the rotor 
42 and thereby energize the fan when the solar panel is exposed to the 
sunlight. A linear current booster and/or a temperature sensor may be 
incorporated to control the fan motor. The purpose of the linear current 
booster is to provide maximum operational power to the fan motor in all 
light conditions. The temperature sensor prevents fan operation until the 
vehicle interior has been heated to a predetermined temperature regardless 
of the amount of solar or other power available to operate the fan 
As illustrated by combined reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the float valve 32 
of the vent includes a buoyant valve body 50 and a lower pivotal 
connection 52 located below the upper opening 30 of the divider 28. The 
divider opening 30 is inclined from the horizontal at an angle just 
slightly less than 45.degree. to provide good results in closing and 
opening of valve 32. The pivotal connection 52 pivotally mounts the 
buoyant valve body 50 on the housing for movement between the open and 
closed positions with respect to the divider opening 30 through which the 
air flows. The buoyant valve body 50 as best illustrated in FIG. 3 has an 
enlarged buoyant portion 54 adjacent the pivotal connection 52 and also 
has a smaller distal end 56 located at a remote location from the pivotal 
connection. A seal flap 58 of the buoyant valve body 50 has edges that 
provide a snap connection and has a flat shape that provides a flat side 
for sealing with the divider 28 in the closed position. A curved side 60 
of the buoyant valve body cooperates with the flat side to define the 
enlarged buoyant portion 54 and the distal end 56 which is a construction 
that provides a buoyant force for maintaining the valve closed even when 
the water begins to drain from the collection chamber 34. Some water will 
also move by capillarity between the divider 28 and the buoyant valve body 
50 in the closed position and thereby provides a capillarity seal closing 
the valve against further water movement. Furthermore, increased water in 
the collection chamber 34 will provide a greater closing force to the 
buoyant valve body 50 to thereby prevent leakage of the valve 32. 
As also shown by FIGS. 2 and 3, the float valve 32 includes an optional 
counterbalance 62 located on the opposite side of the pivotal connection 
52 from the buoyant valve body 50 so as to thereby facilitate the movement 
of the buoyant valve body to the closed position. The counterbalance 62 
includes a weight 63 and a wire support 64 on which the weight is mounted. 
The wire support 64 extends through slots 66 in the seal flap 58 so as to 
be captured against the buoyant valve body 50 and thereby secured in 
position. Wire 64 also has opposite ends 68 that extend outwardly to be 
received within associated holes in the vent housing 18 in order to 
provide the pivotal connections 52 upon assembly. 
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the vent 12 is shown as having its housing 18 
provided with an interior console 70, a main tray 72, and side members 74. 
The console 70 has openings that define the inlets 20 and receive the 
inlet grills 22 at the opposite sides of the vent. The tray 72 has an 
upwardly extending portion 76 with a central slot 78 that receives a lower 
flange 80 of a divider member 82 to cooperate therewith in providing the 
divider 28. As illustrated, the upwardly extending portion 76 of the tray 
has three drain passages 36 provided therethrough to permit the limited 
flow of the water through the divider even when the float valve is closed. 
With continuing reference to FIG. 3, the side members 74 each have a 
peripheral groove 84 for receiving the adjacent edge of the tray 72 and 
the adjacent end of the divider member 82 upon assembly. Each side member 
also has a journal 86 for rotatably supporting the adjacent end of the fan 
rotor 42, while one of the side members also has a mount 88 for supporting 
the electric motor 44. A pair of louvers 90 are also illustrated as being 
components of the vent and have opposite ends that are received by grooves 
92 of the side members 74 to provide a tortuous path through which the air 
flows through the vent and thereby prevent any water from splashing into 
the vehicle occupant compartment through the inlet grills 22. Each of the 
side members 74 has a flange 94, and the console 70 has a flange 96. These 
flanges 94 and 96 facilitate the mounting of the vent on the vehicle roof 
as well cooperating in the assembly of the vent as is hereinafter 
described. Drains 38 are also provided on the side members 74 and are 
connected to associated hoses 98 by clips 100 to provide a passage for the 
water to flow to the ground through the vehicle such as along or within a 
vehicle pillar or another vehicle component. 
With continuing reference to FIG. 3, the vent 12 also has an upper cap 
assembly 102 which includes a glass panel 104 that mounts the outlet grill 
26, a gasket 106, the solar panel 48 previously described, and a 
peripheral cap housing 108 that rests on the flange 96 of the console 70 
upon assembly. 
With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a modified embodiment of the float valve 
32' includes a thermally responsive spring 110 of the bimetallic type, 
which has a spiral configuration whose center is secured to a support 112 
and whose outer end has a leg 114 including a longitudinal slot 116. The 
buoyant valve body 50 of this embodiment has its pivotal connection 52' 
provided with a radially extending leg 118 including a pin 120 that is 
received by the slot 116 of the spring leg 114. At relatively high 
temperatures, the thermally responsive spring 110 has its leg 114 
positioned as shown in FIG. 4 so that the buoyant valve body 50 remains 
open. At cooler temperatures such as below about 75.degree. Fahrenheit, 
the thermally responsive spring 110 positions its leg 114 as shown in FIG. 
5 so that the buoyant valve body 50 is pivoted to a closed position with 
respect to the divider 28 and thereby prevents air from entering or 
exiting the vehicle occupant compartment through the vent. As such, when 
the vehicle is in a heating mode, the heated air will not be lost to the 
environment through the vent 12. Furthermore, even at higher temperatures 
when the thermally responsive spring 110 positions its leg 114 to maintain 
the buoyant valve body 50 open, moisture accumulation within the 
collection chamber will float the buoyant valve body upwardly as the pin 
116 moves out of the leg slot 116 such that the valve 32' is then closed. 
After the collected water drains from the vent as previously described, 
the valve body 50 pivots downwardly to again open as the leg pin 120 
thereof is inserted back into the slot 116 of the thermally responsive 
spring 110. 
With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, a partially indicated vehicle 10a has a 
roof 14a and a back window 15a. A modified embodiment of the vehicle vent 
12a is supported between the vehicle roof 14a and the back window 15a at a 
central location. At each of its lateral sides, the vent has an inlet 20a 
provided by an inlet grill 22a of upwardly formed openings in a sheet 
metal housing 18a located below a solar panel 48a. An outlet 24a of this 
embodiment is provided by an outlet grill 26a located just above a fan 40a 
that includes a squirrel cage rotor 42a like the previously described 
embodiment. On each side of the outlet 24a, the vent 12a as shown in FIG. 
6 has an associated float valve 32a of generally the same construction as 
the float valve previously described. More specifically, a divider 28a 
having an opening 30a as shown in FIG. 7 extends at an inclined 
orientation between the housing member 18a and the upper solar panel 48a 
utilized to energize the fan 40a by driving a motor 44a at one end of the 
rotor 42a. On the inward side of the divider 28a toward the outlet 24a, a 
collection chamber 34a is defined for the accumulation of water that 
enters the vent through the outlet. Any accumulated water thus controls 
opening and closing of the valve 32a by floating of the buoyant valve body 
50a in the same manner previously described, which may utilize the 
assistance of the optional counterbalance 62a. A certain amount of water 
will pass through the lower drain passage 36a at the lower end of the 
divider 28a and drains between the openings of the grill 22a to the 
outboard end of the housing 18a which functions as a drain 38a that 
empties into a drainage trough 98a of the vehicle body for passage to the 
ground. 
With reference to FIG. 8, another embodiment of the vent 12b is illustrated 
as being mounted on a vehicle 10b at the roof 14b thereof as part of a 
sunroof 124b. This sunroof 124b has a peripheral flange 126b that provides 
mounting thereof on the vehicle roof 14b and has a movable glass panel 
128b that pivots about hinges 130b between the lower position shown by 
solid line representation and the upper position shown by phantom line 
representation where its rear edge is positioned above the vehicle roof in 
order to provide venting. Within the peripheral flange 126b, the sunroof 
includes a fixed glass panel covering a solor panel 48b that energizes a 
motor for running a fan located below the outlet 24b with the same 
construction as the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7. At each side of the 
outlet 24b below the solor panel 48b, the vent 12b has an associated valve 
32b of the same construction as the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 so as to 
prevent water that enters the vehicle through the outlet from entering the 
vehicle occupant compartment. Rather, such water is permitted to drain 
through each valve 32b and from there to pass to a drain 38b for flow to a 
drain hose 98a at a limited rate in the same manner previously described 
with the other embodiments. Otherwise, the operation of the sunroof 
embodiment of the vent is the same a the previously described embodiments 
and thus will not be repeated. 
Also, the vehicle side door mirror 130 shown in FIG. 1 has a lower vent 
opening that is communicated by a conduit 132 within the door to introduce 
air into the vehicle adjacent the vehicle floor. Cooler air adjacent the 
floor is thus moved upwardly to replace the hotter air drawn out adjacent 
the vehicle roof by the vehicle vent of this invention. 
While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in 
detail, other embodiments and ways for carrying out the invention will be 
apparent to those skilled in this art as defined by the following claims.