Abstract:
Apparatus, systems and methods of 50/60 CFM exhaust and ventilation fans for bathrooms with flaps/ears that allow the housings to mount directly to joists and/or other structural members inside of a ceiling or inside of a wall. The housing can include a mounting plate having a motor with attached impeller thereon, wherein the mounting plate with motor and attached impeller can be removed as a single unit from the housing for accessing and inspecting interior wire connections during inspection and for ease in replacing parts such as burned out motors overtime.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Divisional Patent Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/233,700 filed Aug. 4, 2015, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,097,265, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/383,813 filed Sep. 17, 2010. The entire disclosure of each of the applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to ventilation exhaust fans, and in particular to apparatus, systems and methods of 50/60 CFM ventilation exhaust fans for bathrooms with flaps/ears that allow the housings to mount directly to joists in a ceiling or wall. 
       BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    Various types of bathroom ventilation fans have been proposed over the years. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,640 to Penlesky et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,851 to Sarnosky et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,175 to Larson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,579 to Larson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,770 to Larson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,416 to Craw et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,654,495 to Adrian et al. 
         [0004]    There have been many problems with the prior art. For example, many bath fans are difficult to be installed into a ceiling since the housings cannot be easily attached to different locations of joists in the ceiling. If a joist is off center to the middle of the bathroom ceiling the bath fan is not easy to center in the room. Additionally, many of the bath fans have numerous parts which add extra manufacturing costs. And as a result a bath fan that requires assembly of the bath fan at a job site will incur undesirable extra labor and material costs to install. Additionally, many bath fans have to be wired to components inside of the housings which also requires extra expensive labor costs to make the connections onside during the installation of the bath fan. 
         [0005]    Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A primary objective of the present invention is to provide exhaust fans, apparatus, systems and methods for bathrooms with flaps/ears on the housings with blowers that provide 50 (fifty) CFM(cubic feet of air per minute) of airflow. 
         [0007]    A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide exhaust fans, apparatus, systems and methods for bathrooms with flaps/ears on the housings with blowers that provide 60 (sixty) CFM(cubic feet of air per minute) airflow. 
         [0008]    A third objective of the present invention is to provide exhaust fans, apparatus, systems and methods for bathrooms with flaps/ears on single one-piece box shaped housings with blowers. 
         [0009]    A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide exhaust fans, apparatus, systems and methods for bathrooms with flaps/ears on the housings with vertically mounted motors and blowers. 
         [0010]    A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide exhaust fans, apparatus, systems and methods for bathrooms with flaps/ears on the housings with an internal mounted motor and blower without a separate blower housing. 
         [0011]    A sixth objective of the present invention is to provide exhaust fans, apparatus, systems and methods for bathrooms with flaps/ears on the housings using two piece deflectors around a blower to direct airflow. 
         [0012]    A seventh objective of the present invention is to provide exhaust fans, apparatus, systems and methods for bathrooms with flaps/ears on the housings with blowers formed from minimal components. 
         [0013]    An exhaust fan embodiment can include a housing having closed side walls, an open top and open bottom, a blower wheel inside of the housing, a motor for running the blower wheel, the blower wheel being vertically oriented relative to the motor, and external flaps attached to an exterior of the housing for mounting the housings directly to joists and other structural members inside of a ceiling. The motor can be a 50 (fifty) CFM(cubic feet per minute) generating motor. The motor can be a 60 (sixty) CFM(cubic feet per minute) generating motor. The motor can be an open motor with C-frame. 
         [0014]    The flaps can include a base plate fastened to an external side corner of the housing, and flap plate attached at an angle to the base plate, the flap plate having a fastening opening for mounting the housing to a joist. The flaps can include a hinge for allowing the flap plate to swing relative to the base plate. The fastening opening in the flap plate can include a keyhole shape. 
         [0015]    The fan can include a removable mounting plate having the motor and the blower wheel pre-attached thereto, wherein the mounting plate with the motor and blower wheel are removable as a single piece from the inside of the housing. The removable mounting plate can include a central opening for extending the blower wheel down therethrough. The motor can include an open motor with C-frame. 
         [0016]    The fan can include a curved plate member to direct airflow and minimize excess noise from air being moved from the blower wheel. The curved plate member can include at least two curved plates attached to one another in a curved arrangement about the blower wheel. 
         [0017]    The fan can include tabs attached to the housing for allowing the bath fan to be leveled and/or flush mounted to a ceiling. 
         [0018]    Another embodiment of the ceiling mounted exhaust fan, can include a housing having closed side walls, an open top and open bottom, a motor attached to an impeller in a vertical orientation, and a mount plate member with an opening therethrough, the plate member having edge portions mounted inside of the housing so that the motor when mounted to the plate member allows for the motor and impeller to extend through the opening in the mount member, wherein the mount with mounted motor and attached impeller are removable as a single unit from the housing. 
         [0019]    The motor can be a 50 (fifty) CFM(cubic feet per minute) generating motor. The motor can be a 60 (sixty) CFM(cubic feet per minute) generating motor. The motor can be an open motor with C-frame. 
         [0020]    The fan can include external flaps attached to an exterior of the housing for mounting the housings directly to structural members inside of a ceiling. The flaps can include a base plate fastened to an external side corner of the housing, and a flap plate attached at an angle to the base plate, the flap plate having a fastening opening for mounting the housing to a joist. The fan can include tabs attached to the housing for allowing the bath fan to be leveled onto a ceiling. 
         [0021]    Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a 60 CFM bath fan housing(with no heater) and motor separated from impeller and separate wind deflector shields. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is another exploded view of the 60 CFM bath fan housing of  FIG. 1  with motor attached to impeller. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is another exploded view of the 60 CFM bath fan housing of  FIG. 1  showing separate male plug, female receptacle plug mounting plate and housing hole plug. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a partial assembled perspective view of the 60 CFM bath fan housing with interior mounted components without grill cover. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the partial assembled 60 CFM bath fan housing of  FIG. 4  without grill cover. 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of the assembled 60 CFM bath fan housing of  FIGS. 4-5  with grill cover. 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a perspective side view of the assembled 60 CFM bath fan housing of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is another perspective side view of the assembled 60 CFM fan housing of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the assembled 60 CFM bath fan housing of  FIGS. 6-8 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the assembled 60 CFM bath housing of  FIGS. 6-9  with partial cut-away with housing mounted into the ceiling. 
           [0032]      FIG. 11  is another side view of the ceiling mounted 60 CFM bath housing of  FIG. 10  showing airflow direction into the housing and exhausted from the housing. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
         [0000]    50 CFM Bath Exhaust Fans with Flaps/Ears. 
         [0034]    A list of the components for  FIGS. 1-11  will now be described.
     1 . 50 CFM embodiment     10 . Outlet damper plate     20 . Outlet     22 . male protruding inlet end     28 . circular outlet end     30 . Ceiling clip(4)     32 . tab portions     36 . clip mount(U shaped mount ends)     40 . Wind Deflector(galvanized steel)     50 . Wind Deflector(galvanized steel)     60 . Motor mounting plate(galvanized steel)     70 . Impeller(blower wheel)     80 . Motor     83 . fastener     87 . fastener     90 . rubber pad     100 . Motor bracket     102 . footer     106 . midportion     108 . footer     110 . Grille assembly     120 . Plug mounting plate     121 . fastener     125 . opening in plate     130 . Female plug 2-pin     132 . exterior electrical supply line     140 . Housing assembly     142 . closed sidewall(s)     143 . rectangular outlet opening of housing     144 . closed bottom     145 . open top     147 . side opening for power cord line     149 . ledge clip(s)     150 . Hole plug     160 . male plug 2-pin     162 . electrical line     170  spring clips     172 . leg(s) of spring clips     173 . apex(s) of spring clips     174 . bent lower edge(s)     176 . leg(s) of spring clips     178 . bent lower edge(s)     180 . flap ears(1-4)     190 . joist(s)     200 . ceiling   
 
         [0080]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a 60 CFM bath fan housing(with no heater)  1  and electric motor  80  separated from impeller  70  and separate wind deflector shields  40 ,  50 .  FIG. 2  is another exploded view of the 60 CFM bath fan housing  1  of  FIG. 1  with motor  80  attached to the impeller  70 .  FIG. 3  is another exploded view of the 60 CFM bath fan housing  1  of  FIG. 1  showing separate male plug  160 , female receptacle plug  130  mounting plate  120  and housing hole plug  150 . 
         [0081]      FIG. 4  is a partial assembled perspective view of the 60 CFM bath fan housing  1  with interior mounted components without grill cover  110 .  FIG. 5  is a top view of the partial assembled 60 CFM bath fan housing  1  of  FIG. 4  without grill cover  110 .  FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of the assembled 60 CFM bath fan housing  1  of  FIGS. 4-5  with grill cover  110 . 
         [0082]      FIG. 7  is a perspective side view of the assembled 60 CFM bath fan housing  1  of  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 8  is another perspective side view of the assembled 60 CFM fan housing  1  of  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 9  is a top view of the assembled 60 CFM bath fan housing  1  of  FIGS. 6-8 . 
         [0083]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , the bath fan housing embodiment  1  can include a housing assembly  140  that can be formed from two or more preformed pieces that can be riveted together into a box shape having closed sidewalls  142 , open top  145  and closed bottom  144 . An exhaust outlet  20  can have a male protruding end  22  attached to a rectangular outlet opening  143  of the housing  140 . A pivotal outlet damper plate  10  can be attached to the exterior opening  28  of the outlet  20   
         [0084]    The motors  80  that can be used in these bath fans are C-frame electric motors. Opened meaning it is exposed and not encased in a metal casing like the 80 CFM, 90 CFM and 110 CFM bath fans. The electrical motor  80  can have a rotating axle portion  85  having an end that fits into central portion of an impeller  70 . The impeller  70  can have a disc shaped base with blades perpendicular to and extending outward from a midportion therefrom. 
         [0085]    The motor  80  with attached impeller  70  can be mounted to a mid portion of an inverted U-shaped motor bracket  100  by threadable fasteners  83 ,  87 , such as screws and bolts that attach to the underside of a midportion  106  of the motor bracket  100 . Together the bracket  100  with attached motor  80  and impeller  70  are attached to the upper surface of a motor mounting plate  60  by attaching footer(s)  102 ,  108  to an upper surface of the plate  60  by fasteners, such as screws, and bolts, or rivets, and the like. Antivibration and anti-noise members,  90  such as rubber pads, and the like, can be sandwiched between the footers  102 ,  108  and the upper surface of the mounting plate  60 . 
         [0086]    When attached the impeller  70  with motor  80  can extend through the middle opening  65  of the mounting plate  60 . The mounting plate  60  can have bent side edges  64  which allow the mounting plate with mounted motor  80  and impeller  70  to be attached to interior sidewalls of the housing  140  by various removable type fasteners, such as screws and bolts, and the like. The edges  64  can sit on plural ledge clip(s)  149  arranged about an interior perimeter edge inside of the housing  140 . 
         [0087]    In a preferred embodiment, the impeller  70  and motor are preattached by the bracket  100  to the mounting plate  60  so that all of these components can be installed at once, and removed at once. The combined one piece motor/impeller/mount assembly allows inspectors, such as home inspectors, and the like to be able to visually see electrical connections by being able to insert and remove this one-piece assembly of components. Additionally, removing the combined plate  60  with bracket  100  mounted motor  80  and impeller  70  allows for replacement of parts, such as a burned out motor to be more easily accomplished after the fan has been installed. 
         [0088]    To direct air from the rotating impeller  70  blades, a two piece combination of wind deflector components  40 ,  50  can be used. Each deflector  40  can be formed from metal such as but not limited to galvanized steel, having curved shapes that can be fastened together by rivets, and the like. The curved plates  40 ,  50  can be used to guide the airflow and minimizes excess noise. The attached deflectors  40 ,  50  can be positioned about the opening  65  below the plate  60  within the housing  140 . 
         [0089]    Before assembly, a removable plug  150  can be used to close off a side opening  147  in the housing  140 . An external electrical power supply can be attached to an electrical line  132  that can pass through the side opening  147  in housing  140  to a female receptacle end  130  that can be within an opening  125  of a plug mounting plate  120  that can be attached by a fastener  121  such as a screw and the like, to cover an opening in the motor mount plate  60 . The screw type fastener  121  on the top can loosen enabling the installer to slide the plate  120  for easy access to the wire connections. Motor  80  can be supplied with electrical power via electrical line  162  that is attached to a male plug  160  which can be mateably be attached to the female receptacle  130   
         [0090]    A pair of grill clips  170  can springably hold the grill cover  110  to cover the top opening  145  of the blower housing  140 . The pair of grill clips  170  can each be scissor clips each having an apex  173  that can attach to an inner protruding portion along the lower edge  112  of the grill cover  110 . The cover  110  can be attached by pressing together the legs  172 ,  176  of the clips  170 , so that the bottom bent edges  174 ,  178  of legs  172 ,  176  can be inserted to catch inside either side ledge portions  149  of housing  140  or into slot openings in the mount plate  60 . 
         [0091]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , the invention can use ceiling clips  30  that can have a U-shaped mount end and a perpendicular extending tabs  32 , where the mount ends  36  can attach about upper edges about the top opening  145  of the housing. These tabs  32  on the clips  30  can be used in case the ceiling is not flush so the tabs would level the bath fan. It is not always used. 
         [0092]    Pre-attached to exterior side(s)  142  of the housing  140  can be flap ears  180  that can be L-shaped mount members having one leg pre-attached by fasteners such as screws, bolts, and rivets to an external corner of the housing  140 , and a second perpendicular leg that can have openings, such as circular openings, and keyhole shaped openings for attaching the housing  1  to wood supports such as joists  190  behind a ceiling  200 . The ear shape is very important, where the externally extending ear leg members can be rounded on the corners and it screws to the joist  190 . Once a fastener is screwed tight the outer leg side with the ears  180  can be flush against the joist  190  and will not move. The ear flaps allow for flush mounting the bath fans  1  to the joists in less steps and using less parts than other types of mount members such as telescoping members, and the like. The flap ears can be rigid L shaped members. Alternatively, the flap ears can have a hinge between the housing mount leg, and the perpendicular extending ear leg portion, so that the flap ears are more versatile when mounting the housing inside of the ceiling. 
         [0093]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the assembled 60 CFM bath housing  1  of  FIGS. 6-9  with partial cut-away with housing mounted into the ceiling.  FIG. 11  is another side view of the ceiling mounted 60 CFM bath housing  1  of  FIG. 10  showing airflow direction into the housing and exhausted from the housing  140 . 
         [0094]    While the preferred embodiment describes a 60 CFM fan, the invention can be practiced with a 50 CFM motor and the like. 
         [0095]    Although the preferred embodiments describe the housings to be attached directly to joists in ceilings, the invention can apply to attaching the housings to structural members in walls, and other structural members behind ceilings and/or walls. 
         [0096]    While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.