Abstract:
A vent cover for covering an opening in a building structure to vent its interior is provided. The vent cover includes a hollow cover member with an open bottom for positioning over and covering the opening in the building and a front end with an opening. A grill is removably secured in the opening in the front end of the cover member. The grill has a plurality of partitions. Each of the partitions is defined by intersecting members, which have a tapered cross section for accelerating the flow of air through the grill. The grill also has a splash guard and an overhang structure optimal for preventing rain, snow and water from entering the grill and the opening in the building structure. The cover member may be aerodynamically shaped for use atop vehicles such as trailers and RVs.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/552,952, filed Oct. 28, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention generally relates to air vents, and more particularly, to an outdoor vent cover. 
     Vent covers are known. One such cover is shown in U.S. D629,094. Like this design, vent covers for outdoor use typically include a venting portion to permit airflow and a protective shell to keep rain and snow out. Thus, the challenge to innovators is to produce a design having features for keeping the weather out, but also permitting the air to flow freely and efficiently to vent the enclosed area. Despite state-of-the-art technology and materials, problems of partially occluded grills and leaky covers persist. There is, therefore, a need for an improved outdoor vent cover capable of optimal venting of the interior of a building structure, but which prevents rain, wind and water from entering the building. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The new vent cover may be used to cover a vent or opening extending through the roof or wall of a building structure. The unique design of the vent cover improves passive venting of the interior of the building. The vent cover includes a hollow cover member with an open bottom for positioning above and covering the opening in the building structure and a front end with an opening. A grill is removably secured in the opening in the front end. The grill has a plurality of partitions, and each of the partitions is defined by intersecting members. The intersecting members have a tapered cross section. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the grill has a bottom splash guard, and the partitions are formed in an upper vent portion of the grill. The vent portion extends upwardly from the bottom splash guard and outwardly toward the front end of the cover member so that the vent portion of the grill overhangs the splash guard. 
     In another aspect, the vent portion of the grill includes a top, and the front end of the cover member extends outwardly in a manner such that it overhangs the top so that the opening in the front end or edge of the cover is downstream or in front of the grill and the cover overhangs the grill. 
     One object of the invention is to provide an improved vent cover that provides optimal venting of the interior of a building structure while preventing rain, wind and water from entering the building. Related objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The details of the invention, both as to its structure and operation, may be obtained by a review of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view showing the front of an embodiment of the vent cover of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view showing the back of an embodiment of the vent cover of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the grill and cover member of the invention disassembled. The cover member and the grill are shown partially cutaway to illustrate the tabs, cutouts, and channels formed in the cover member and grill; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the grill of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the area within the phantom-lined circle of  FIG. 4  showing the cross section of the intersecting members that form the vent portion of the grill; and, 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the vent cover taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 . The phantom lines show a prior art vent with a movable cover to open and close the vent. The vent is shown in the open position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention and presenting its currently understood best mode of operation, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nonetheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, with such alterations and modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. 
     The vent cover  10  may be useful for covering any opening where it is desirable for air, but not water, snow or other undesirables, to freely pass. Thus, the new vent cover provides a means for air from the inside to circulate and passively flow to the exterior of a building structure or other enclosure, including a recreational vehicle (RV), tent or the like, despite a heavy storm with wind, rain or snow. Some vents, like the one schematically shown in the phantom lines of  FIG. 6 , may include a cover  19  that can be raised and lowered or an electric motor with fan (not shown) so venting may be controlled as desired. The new vent cover, therefore, is sized to accommodate motors, fans, as well as the raising and lowering of lids and covers, like the example in  FIG. 6 , enabling them to function as intended. 
     Referring to the Figures, a vent cover  10  for covering a vent and/or opening  44  extending through the roof of a building structure  40  is shown. In one embodiment, the vent cover includes a hollow upstanding cover member  12  with an open bottom  14  for positioning above and covering the opening in the building structure, a pair of sides  13 ,  15 , a closed back end  16 , and a front end  18  with an opening  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . The closed back of the cover member may be aerodynamically shaped like the example shown in the Figures making it well suited for placement on top of a towable trailer or recreational vehicle, for example. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , the grill  30  has a top vent portion  32 , a bottom  34 , opposite sides  35 ,  37 , and a top  38 . In one embodiment, the bottom includes an upstanding splash guard  33  extending between the opposite sides. The splash guard  33  is preferably contiguous with and transverse to the surface  42  of the building structure  40  when the grill is secured in the opening  44  ( FIG. 5 ) of building structure to prevent water from reaching the opening  44  in the roof via the opening  20  in the front end of the vent cover. Seals may also be added to, overlaid, or integrally formed with, portions of the cover, grill or both the cover and the grill to accomplish desired weather resistant/proofing features accordingly. Rigid or nonrigid seals may be included under the splash guard  33  and cover member, for example. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-5 , the vent portion  32  of the grill  30  includes a plurality of partitions  50 . In one embodiment, the partitions are formed by intersecting members  52 ,  54 . Each of the intersecting members is aerodynamically formed. In one embodiment, each has a cross section having an arcuate shaped forward end  56  tapering rearwardly toward a rear end  58 . In that embodiment, the forward end of the cross sections are directed toward the closed back end  16  of the hollow cover member  12  when the grill  30  is removably fastened in the opening  20  of the front end  18 . In this manner, the grill  30  increases the velocity, which reduces, in part, the pressure of the air flowing through the partitions  50 . Thus, the vent grill  30  produces an overall increase in the volume of air flowing from the interior through the opening  44  in the building structure  40 . 
     In one embodiment, the vent portion  32  extends upwardly from the bottom splash guard  33  and outwardly toward the front end  18  of opening  20  in the front end of the cover member  12  so that the vent portion of the grill  32  overhangs the splash guard  33 . With reference to  FIGS. 3-6 , the unique combination of the solid splash guard and the angled orientation of the vent portion of the grill prevents water, which mostly flows perpendicularly downward, from reaching through the opening  44  beneath the cover. In one non-limiting example, the vent portion  32  of the grill  30  is formed so that it overhangs the splash guard at an angle of between about 12° and 25°. In other embodiments, or perhaps assemblies that include a motorized fan positioned in the opening for example, the angle between the splash guard and top portion of the grill is greater (25.5°-35°) or lesser (5.5°-11.5°) than a figure in the twelve-to-twenty-five degree range of angles. 
     In the embodiment illustrated, the grill  30  is removably secured in the opening  20  of the front end  18  of the cover using mating structures formed in the cover and/or grill so that the grill can be releasably fastened by hand into the opening  20 . Protruding portions  22  define channels in the interior surfaces of the sides  13 ,  15 , of the cover member  12 , as best shown in  FIG. 3 . In that embodiment, the protruding portions  22  on both sides of the cover define a channel for receiving the legs  39  located on the ends of the bottom  34  of the grill. In one embodiment, a snap fit is also provided by way of an indention receiving a protruding portion(s). These structures may be formed in the interior surfaces of the sides  13 ,  15  of the cover member  12  and the legs  39  of the grill, respectively, or visa versa, as shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 . 
     Additionally, with reference to  FIGS. 3-5 , cutouts  51  extending through the top of the grill receive the tabs  11  formed in the underside of the top of the cover member to releasably connect the grill securely in the opening  20 . To assemble vent cover  10 , the grill  30  is positioned with the cutouts  51  loaded over tabs  11 . Next, the bottom  34  is rotated inward, or rocked into opening  20  until the legs  39  are retained by the channel portions  22 , and the protruding elements are received by the corresponding indentions. 
     Unlike prior vent covers, the intersecting members  52 ,  54  of the grill of the present invention can be arranged horizontally relative to the surface of the roof of the building structure when the vent cover is positioned above the opening in the roof. Thus, water is kept out and airflow is not impeded as with most prior vent covers and grills. As mentioned previously, rigid or nonrigid seals may be included to provide further protection from the elements as desired. 
     The cover and grill may be formed from rigid and/or nonrigid plastic using known means. In some embodiments the rigid and non-rigid features of the cover and grill are formed separately and connected together using means known by skilled artisans. In other embodiments, the rigid and non-rigid features of the cover and grill are integrally formed or over molded. 
     The cover  12  and grill  30  may be formed from a thermoplastic olefin (TPO). Some portions and parts of the cover and grill may, in some embodiments, be harder than others and/or have varying hardness. Some of the more rigid portions may have a hardness of between about 55-65 Shore D. Other parts and portions of the cover and grill, such as the front portions  22  of the channels and/or the protruding portion(s) on the legs  39 , for example, may be integrally formed with or molded over their corresponding supportive structures and have a hardness of between about 65-70 Shore A. 
     The above materials, compositions, and/or constituent elements forming the particular plastics discussed and their corresponding physical properties, however, should not be construed as limiting. High density polyethylene (HDPE) has been used to form an embodiment of the invention. Preferably, any of various known UV stabilizers or combinations thereof are preferred to be added in the plastic since the vent cover may be used outdoors. Other materials, compositions, and/or constituent elements forming rigid and non-rigid materials or plastics possessing the physical properties useful in a manner as herein described may be appropriately desirable and availed using different materials, compositions, and/or constituent elements without undue experimentation and should be considered to fall within the scope of Applicants&#39; innovative vent cover and grill. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that the embodiments have been shown and described in the foregoing specification in satisfaction of the best mode and enablement requirements. It is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art could readily make a nearly infinite number of insubstantial changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments and that it would be impractical to attempt to describe all such embodiment variations in the present specification. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.