Abstract:
The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus and method for providing a single-size register grill system. In one aspect, a grill system which can be adapted for use with multiple sizes of register boxes is provided. The grill system includes a grill funnel configured to be attached to a register box, the grill funnel having a body with an airflow pathway that includes an airflow opening and a plurality of secondary airflow openings, wherein the secondary airflow openings are initially closed. The grill system further includes a grill assembly having a plurality of airflow adjustment members for controlling the airflow through the airflow pathway, wherein the grill assembly is attached to the grill funnel. In another aspect, a method of using a grill system is provided. In yet a further aspect, a grill funnel for use with a register box and a grill is provided.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/169,573, filed Apr. 15, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems. More particularly, the invention relates to the grills and register boxes which exist at the distal ends of duct systems for delivering air into rooms served by the HVAC system. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    The typical air registers in commercial and residential settings consist of louvers which may be manually opened or closed in varying degrees. These air registers provide an ability to adjust the amount of airflow into a room or area, the air coming from a central environmental control unit, such as a furnace, central air-conditioner, or dehumidifier. There may be several such vents connected, via ducts, to the central environmental control unit, each vent providing airflow to a room or area. There are a wide variety of sizes of register boxes which are installed at the distal ends of these duct systems. These variations in size may be due to airflow requirements, local or regional building codes, or individual preference by the builder. Typical register box sizes may be 6×8, 6×10, 6×6, 6×12, and 6×14, 8×8, 8×10, 8×12, 8×14 or even larger in industrial applications. The different sizes create an inventory problem for air-conditioning distributors and service personnel. Not knowing in advance the sizes that may be in a specific installation can be problematic if the service vehicle happens not to have the right size on board during a service call. The situation is worse for the air-conditioning distributor who must maintain a dozen or more sizes in his warehouse. 
         [0006]    An example of a typical register is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As shown, a register grill assembly  1  is permanently connected to an adjustable vane system  3  which protrudes into the register box (not shown). The vane system  3  is manually operated by a control lever  2  which is operatively attached to the vane system  3 . The nature of the design only allows the device to be utilized in a register box of specific size which is determined by the shape and volume of the vane system  3 . One is required to carry inventory and multiple sizes in stock to cover the wide range of register boxes found in homes and businesses. Therefore, there is a need for a single-size register grill unit which can service multiple sizes of register boxes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus and method for providing a single-size register grill system. In one aspect, a grill system which can be adapted for use with multiple sizes of register boxes is provided. The grill system includes a grill funnel configured to be attached to a register box, the grill funnel having a body with an airflow pathway that includes an airflow opening and a plurality of secondary airflow openings, wherein the secondary airflow openings are initially closed. The grill system further includes a grill assembly having a plurality of airflow adjustment members for controlling the airflow through the airflow pathway, wherein the grill assembly is attached to the grill funnel. 
         [0008]    In another aspect, a method of using a grill system is provided. The method includes the step of providing the grill system that includes a grill assembly and a grill funnel, the grill funnel having a body with an airflow pathway that includes a primary airflow opening and a plurality of secondary airflow openings that are initially closed. The method further includes the step of determining a size of an opening in a register box. The method also includes the step of removing a bypass plug in at least one secondary opening if the size of the opening in the register box is greater than the primary airflow opening in the grill funnel. Additionally, the method includes the step of attaching the grill system to the register box. 
         [0009]    In yet a further aspect, a grill funnel for use with a register box and a grill is provided. The grill funnel includes a body having an adjustable airflow pathway that includes a primary airflow opening and a plurality of secondary airflow openings. Additionally, the grill funnel includes a plurality of bypass plugs disposed in the secondary airflow openings, wherein the bypass plugs are configured to block airflow through the secondary airflow openings and wherein the bypass plugs are removable to adjust the size of the airflow pathway. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a register grill; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a grill funnel for a grill system; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows the grill funnel with inner bypass plugs removed; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows the grill funnel with both the inner and outer bypass plugs removed; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows a front grill assembly of the grill system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows the interior of the grill assembly showing internal mechanisms for airflow control; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  shows the details of a vane closure system and a control knob inside a grill assembly; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view illustrating the grill system with a flow control unit; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view illustrating the front of a grill system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus and method for providing a single-size register grill system which can service multiple sizes of register boxes. The present invention is essentially a one-size-fits-all register. It provides a variable opening into the register box which can be configured at installation. Additionally, it may provide for adjustable flow via a series of moveable vanes or shutters which are external to the register box. By placing all these components external to the register box, the size of the register box becomes of less significance. Various terms as used herein are defined below. To the extent a term used in a claim is not defined below, it should be given the broadest definition persons in the pertinent art have given that term, as reflected in printed publications and issued patents. In the description that follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same number indicator. The drawings may be, but are not necessarily to scale, and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the invention. One of ordinary skill in the art of a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system will appreciate that the embodiments of the invention can and may be used in various types of flow systems. To better understand the novelty of the present invention and the methods of use thereof, reference is hereafter made to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a grill funnel  10  which forms a back portion of a grill system  50 . Generally, the grill system  50  includes a grill funnel  10  and a grill assembly  20  (see  FIG. 5 ). The grill funnel  10  includes an airflow pathway that is adjustable. The grill funnel  10  is configured to attach a register box (not shown). The grill funnel  10  includes a primary opening  14  (e.g., airflow opening) that is configured to be the airflow pathway through the grill funnel  10 . The primary opening  14  is generally sized for a minimum register box dimension for which the grill system  50  may be used. The grill funnel  10  further includes a plurality of secondary openings  15 . The secondary openings  15  are closed by inner and outer bypass plugs  11 ,  12  which may be removed to increase the size of the airflow pathway through the grill funnel  10  to accommodate larger register boxes than the primary opening  14 . The bypass plugs  11 ,  12  may be made from an elastomeric material or a composite material. 
         [0022]    The grill funnel  10  includes a series of mounting holes  16  present around the periphery of the primary opening  14  which may be used to mount an optional automated flow control units as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,774, which is incorporated herein by reference. In another embodiment, the grill funnel  10  may be used with conventional grills which have a user adjustable closure system. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows the grill funnel  10  with several inner bypass plugs  12  removed. The removal of the inner bypass plugs  12  effectively increases the size of the airflow pathway (e.g., opening) between the grill funnel  10  to the register box (not shown). For example, if the primary opening  14  was 6×10 inches, then with the inner bypass plugs  12  removed such that the secondary openings  15  are opened, the grill funnel  10  would have an airflow pathway that would be suitable for a larger size such as 6×12 inches. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows the grill funnel  10  with the bypass plugs  11 ,  12  removed. As a result, the effective opening (e.g., airflow pathway) to the register box is enlarged by exposing each secondary openings  15 . The holes  19  are drilled at specific intervals to allow the connection of grill funnel  10  to the ceiling or wall register box during installation. This allows this example grill funnel  10  to service register boxes from 6×10 through 6×14. The example of removable bypass plugs is only one way in which to vary the effective opening of the grill funnel  10 . Alternate embodiments include but are not limited to sliding doors, roll up gates, folding gates (accordion style), pre-molded punch out plugs, etc. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  shows the front view of the grill assembly  20  of the grill system  50 . The grill assembly  20  is configured to be attached to the grill funnel  10  (see  FIG. 1 ). The grill assembly  20  includes a housing with a series of vertical and horizontal vanes  21 ,  22  to deflect the airflow uniformly into the room served. In other words, the vanes  21 ,  22  are configured to direct air flowing through the airflow pathway. Also visible in  FIG. 5  is an adjustment knob  25  which may be used to control the airflow through the grill system  50 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 6   a  shows the inside of the grill assembly  20 . For clarity, the grill funnel is not shown. Mounted on the grill assembly  20  are corresponding airflow adjustment members  23 ,  24  such as vertical and horizontal shutters which may be used to vary the airflow through the grill assembly  20 . The adjustment members  23 ,  24  are activated by means of the adjustment knob  25  which is operatively connected to the adjustment members  23 ,  24 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6   b  shows a cross-section view of the grill assembly  20 . As shown in  FIG. 6   b , the vertical vanes  21  line up with vertical adjustment members  23  to form a means to regulate airflow through the grill assembly  20 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  illustrates an enlarged view of the adjustment knob  25 . In one embodiment, the adjustment knob  25  is connected to the adjustment members  23 ,  24  by connection members  27 , such as rods, linkages or cable arrangement. One portion of the connection member  27  is attached to the adjustment knob  25 , and another portion of the connection member  27  is attached to the adjustment members  23 ,  24 . Rotating the adjustment knob  25  between a first position and a second position causes the connection members  27  to move, and hence each adjustment member  23 ,  24  to pivot around an end of the adjustment member  23 ,  24  to open or close off the airflow through the grill assembly  20 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  shows an embodiment of the grill system  50  used in conjunction with an optional flow control device  30 . An example of a flow control device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,774. The flow control device  30  is attached to the back of the grill funnel  10  by attachment members (not shown), such as screws. The removable bypass plugs have been removed in this view. In operation, one might remove these to reduce the amount of airflow through the flow control unit should excessive airflow be present and the airflow control unit is smaller than the register box to which it is to be inserted. In this manner it is possible to service a wide range of register boxes and airflow rates with a limited number of sizes of grill assemblies and airflow control units. Also shown in this view is a seal assembly  18  which is attached to the wall or ceiling contacting face of grill funnel  10 . This serves to seal the airflow and prevent flow-out from the edges of the grill assembly which can discolor a wall or ceiling over time. Alternately, the seal assembly may be held in a groove formed into the grill funnel  10 . Again, in this view the mounting holes  19  are visible. Operationally, the installer selects the holes  19  to match the register box size to which the grill assembly is affixed (not shown). In one embodiment, the grill system  50  extends from an end of the register box. 
         [0030]      FIG. 9  illustrates a grill system  60  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. For convenience, the components in the grill system  60  that are similar to the components in the grill system  50  will be labeled with the same number indicator. The grill system  60  includes the grill assembly  20  and the grill funnel  10 . The grill system  60  optionally may include the flow control device  30 . In this embodiment, the vanes  21  are separated by a divider  31 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the divider  31  is positioned at an angle relative to the sides of the grill assembly. In the case of a smaller register box, the horizontal and vertical grill vane structure, as shown in  FIG. 5 , may not be as effective in distributing air into the room because the lateral vanes may not be in the main airflow. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , the face of the grill is divided into three airflow directions, and the angle of the separation divider  31  is designed to give a more uniform flow in all three directions without regard to the register box size or the number of bypass plugs removed. 
         [0031]    Although the descriptions above contain many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the embodiments of this present invention. Persons skilled in the art will understand that the method and apparatus described herein may be practiced, including but not limited to, the embodiments described. Further, it should be understood that the invention is not to be unduly limited to the foregoing, which has been set forth for illustrative purposes. Various modifications and alternatives will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the true scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims. While there have been illustrated and described particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that numerous changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover those changes and modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0032]    While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.