Abstract:
Apparatus, systems and methods of generating  70  (seventy) CFM (cubic feet per minute) from ventilation fans for bathrooms with flush mount lights and having the motor partially inside and beneath the blower wheel. A one piece or multipiece housing for the bath fan can be attached to joists in the ceiling by a long telescoping mounting bracket, and a short telescoping mounting bracket that are each directly mounted on opposite outer side walls of the housing. A decorative pan about the light can have vents that receive the incoming air into the fan, which is exhausted therefrom by the motor driven blower.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/042,992 filed Mar. 8, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,175,874, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/381,605 filed Sep. 10, 2010. The entire disclosure of each of the applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. 
     
    
     FIELD OF USE 
       [0002]    This invention relates to ventilation exhaust fans, and in particular to apparatus, devices, systems and methods of 70 CFM ventilation fans for bathrooms with flush mount lights and having the motor underneath the blower wheel. 
       BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    Various types of bathroom ventilation fans have been proposed and used 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 bathfans are difficult to be installed into a ceiling since the housings can not be easily attached to different locations of joists in the ceiling. If a joist is off center to the middle of 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 ventilation fans, apparatus, devices, systems and methods for bathrooms with flush mount lights with a motor beneath the blower wheel that provides 70 (seventy) CFM (cubic feet of air per minute) in ventilation. 
         [0007]    A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide ventilation fans, apparatus, devices, systems and methods for bathrooms with flush mount light shade having an exterior rim with at least one opening for passing air to a blower inside a housing where the air does not pass into a shade and on light sources under the shade. 
         [0008]    A third objective of the present invention is to provide ventilation fans, apparatus, devices, systems and methods for bathrooms with flush mount lights, having a one piece plate with side opening around a blower fan so that the incoming air is guided around blower fan and out the side opening and out the side exhaust opening of a housing, in order to reduce excess noise from air movement. 
         [0009]    A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide ventilation fans, apparatus, devices, systems and methods for bathrooms with flush mount light, with telescoping leg(s) on an outer wall of a housing for attaching the housing to joists within a ceiling. 
         [0010]    An embodiment of the bathroom ventilation exhaust fan, can include a one-piece housing having closed top, side walls and open bottom, a blower wheel inside of the housing, a motor partially inside of and beneath the blower wheel, and a flush mount light attached to the bottom of the housing. 
         [0011]    The motor can be an approximately 70 (seventy) CFM (cubic feet per minute) generating motor. 
         [0012]    The housing can include a first elongated side telescoping bracket directly mounted along one side wall of the housing, and a second elongated side telescoping bracket directly mounted along an opposite side wall of the housing, the second elongated side telescoping bracket being shorter than the first elongated side telescoping bracket. 
         [0013]    The flush mount light can include a dome shaped shade. 
         [0014]    The housing can further include a rod that connects the blower wheel to the motor, and a nut generally in the center of the wheel that fastens to the rod so that when the motor is on, the motor causes the blower wheel to spin. 
         [0015]    The housing can further include a decorative pan having vents about the light, wherein air enters through the vents into the exhaust fan. 
         [0016]    The exhaust fan can be used as a bath fan. 
         [0017]    Another embodiment of the ventilation exhaust fan, can include a one-piece housing having closed top, side walls and open bottom, a blower wheel inside of the housing, a motor partially inside of and beneath the blower wheel, a light attached to the bottom of the housing, and a pan having vents about the light, wherein air enters through the vents into the exhaust fan and is exhausted therefrom by the motor run blower. 
         [0018]    A method of ventilating air from a space through a ceiling mounted fan with light, can include the steps of locating a blower wheel and motor in a housing with at least a portion of the motor located outside of the blower wheel, the housing having an side exhaust opening, mounting the housing within a ceiling, mounting a light shade with an inside source having an exterior rim with at least one opening, to the box, with the rim and light shade below the ceiling, and passing incoming air through the at least one opening of the rim and into the middle of the blower wheel and out the side exhaust opening, so that the incoming air does not pass into the light shade and around the light source; 
         [0019]    The least one opening in the rim can include a plurality of slotted vent openings. 
         [0020]    The method can further include the step of positioning a one piece plate having one side opening around the blower wheel so that the incoming air is guided around blower wheel and out the side opening and out the side exhaust opening of the housing, in order to reduce excess noise from air movement. 
         [0021]    The method can further include at least one telescoping leg attached to an exterior wall of the housing, for attaching the housing to a joist inside of the ceiling. The at least one telescoping leg can also include a first telescoping leg on one exterior side of the housing, and a second telescoping leg on an opposite exterior side of the housing, the first and the second telescoping legs for attaching the housing to joists inside of the ceiling. 
         [0022]    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 
         [0023]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of a 70 CFM bath fan (with no heater) with flush mount light and a motor located beneath the blower wheel. 
           [0024]      FIG. 1B  is another exploded view the bath fan of  FIG. 1 , with some attached components. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2A  is a partial exploded view of the bath fan of  FIGS. 1A-1B  showing blower wheel and motor and blower housing detached from the housing. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2B  is a partial exploded view of the bath fan of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2 A with plug components and wiring box cover detached from the housing. 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a perspective bottom front right side view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 1  showing the damper and wiring box cover. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a perspective bottom front left side view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  showing the damper and wiring box cover. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective top front right side view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  showing the damper and wiring box cover. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a left side view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  showing the damper and wiring box cover. 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  showing the damper and wiring box cover. 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  without the light cover showing the sockets and bulbs. 
           [0033]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  with the light cover. 
           [0034]      FIG. 10  shows the assembled bath fan with flush mount light of the preceding figures mounted to a joist. 
           [0035]      FIG. 11  shows the airflow through the outer rim of the light and into the bath fan where it the exhaust emission is exhausted sideways from the housing. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]    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. 
         [0037]    This invention claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/381,605 filed Sep. 10, 2010, which is incorporated by reference. 
         [0038]    A list of the components for  FIGS. 1-11  will now be described.
     1 . Decorative Nut.     2 . Decorative Cover.     3 . Glass Shade/Light     4 . Socket(2)     5 . Connect Screw     6 . Bulb(2)     7 . Grille Rim     7 B. slotted openings     8 . Grill bracket     8 B. Flange edges     9 . M8 Tower Form     10 . Plug 3-Pin     11 . Cover Plate     11 B. Central opening     12 . Impeller(Blower wheel)     13 . Electric Motor     14 . Plug 2-Pin     14 B. wire leads to plug  14       15 . Insert Plate     16 . Capacitor     17 . Plug 3-Pin     18 . Female socket for Plug 2-Pin     19 . Housing     19 B. Fourth sidewall     20 . Damper Connect Screw     21 . Outlet duct     22 . Wiring Box Cover     23 . Damper     24 . M5X12 Screw(4)     25 . Motor Bracket(4)     26 . Fasteners (M5 Screw Nut(4))     27 . blower housing     27 B. bottom plate of blower housing     27 C. central opening     28 . M4X10 Screw(4)     29 . Short Suspension Bracket(2 part)     29 A base pre-attached to exterior sidewall of housing     29 B short slidable member     30 . Long Suspension Bracket (2 part)     30 A base pre-attached to exterior sidewall of housing     30 B long slidable member     31 . screw     32 . tabs     33 . joist   
 
         [0083]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of a 70 CFM bath fan (with no heater) with flush mount light  3  and a motor  13  located beneath the blower wheel  12 .  FIG. 1B  is another exploded view the bath fan of  FIG. 1 , with some attached components.  FIG. 2A  is a partial exploded view of the bath fan of  FIGS. 1A-1B  showing blower wheel  12  and motor  13  and blower wheel  12  detached from the housing  19 .  FIG. 2B  is a partial exploded view of the bath fan of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2 A with plug components and wiring box cover detached from the housing  19 . 
         [0084]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  2 A, and  2 B, the novel bath fan is shown in exploded views where the ceiling mounted light (glass shade)  3  is shown above the housing  19  in order to more clearly show the various components of the bath fan. In operation, the orientation of the housing is on top of the ceiling mounted light (glass shade)  3 , which is shown and described later in reference to  FIG. 10 . 
         [0085]    A generally box shaped main housing  19  can be formed from one piece of bent metal that forms three sidewalls with an open top and bottom. A fourth sidewall  19 B can be attached to the open side of the housing  19 . The fourth sidewall  19 B can have an outlet duct  21  with inwardly narrowing walls and generally cylindrical outlet end with a pivotally attached spring loaded damper door  23  that is held in place to the duct  21  by a damper connect screw  20 . The outlet duct  21  can feed into an exhaust line in the ceiling to exhaust air from the room below. A rectangular opening in the fourth sidewall  19 B can be an exterior wiring box cover  20  having outer flanges that can be mounted to the fourth sidewall  19 B by conventional fasteners (not shown), such as screws, and the like. 
         [0086]      FIG. 3  is a perspective bottom front right side view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 1  showing the damper  23  in the duct outlet  21  and wiring box cover  22  on the side of the housing  19 .  FIG. 4  is another perspective bottom front left side view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  showing the damper  23  and wiring box cover  22  on the side of the housing  19 . 
         [0087]      FIG. 5  is another perspective top front right side view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  showing the damper  23  and wiring box cover  22  on the side of the housing  19 . 
         [0088]      FIG. 6  is a left side view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  showing the damper and wiring box cover. 
         [0089]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  showing the damper and wiring box cover. 
         [0090]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  without the light cover  3  showing the sockets  4  and bulbs  6 . 
         [0091]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the assembled bath fan of  FIG. 3  with the light cover  3 . 
         [0092]    As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 2B  and  3 - 9 , an installer can connect external electrical power to wire leads  17 B and  18 B that can pass through a central opening  22 B in the wiring box cover  22 . The wire leads  17 B,  18 B can be preformed to run into the housing  19  through wiring box cover  22  to the female three socket  18  (which can power the motor  13 ) and to the second female socket  17  (which can power the bulbs  6  in sockets  2 ). A triangular insert plate  15  can have openings that allow the female sockets  17 ,  18  to be mounted therein, wherein the insert plug plate  15  can have side and lower extending flanges so that the plate  15  can be fixably pre-attached to an inner corner of two sidewalls of the housing  19  by conventional fasteners (not shown) such as screws, and the like, or welded in place. 
         [0093]    Mounted along opposite exterior sides of the housing  19  can be extendable two part extension brackets  29  and  30 . Each of the extension brackets can have respective base members  29 A,  30 A pre-attached by fasteners or by welding to respective opposite exterior sidewalls of the housing  19  and a telescopingly slidable members  29 B,  30 B that can slide in and out of the respective base members  29 A,  29 B. The outer ends of the slidable members  29 B,  30 B can be bent at approximately 90 degrees so as to attach to joists in ceiling. One of the extension brackets  29  can have an slidable member  29 B that is shorter in length than the opposite slidable member  30 B on the opposite extension bracket  30 . 
         [0094]    Alternatively, the shorter bracket  29  can be used on the same wall as the outlet  21 , and the longer bracket  20  can be located on the opposite exterior sidewall. Alternatively, slidable extension brackets of equal length can be located on opposite exterior sidewalls of the housing  19 . Still furthermore, the invention can be practiced with one exterior mounted slidable extension bracket. Still furthermore, three, four or more exterior mounted slidable extension brackets mounted to the housing can be used as needed. 
         [0095]    A blower housing (scroll type housing)  27  having a generally cylindrical upper walls and side opening and open top with a generally flat bottom plate can be mounted into the main housing  19  by fasteners  28 , such as screws, bolts, and the like. The side opening in the blower housing  27  is lined up with the exhaust outlet  21 . The bottom plate  27 B of the blower housing  27  can close off the bottom opening in the main housing  19 . Fasteners  28 , such as screws and bolts, can attach the base plate of the blower housing  27  to inwardly bent lower edges (not shown) on sidewalls of the main housing  19 . The blower housing  27  can be formed from a one-piece metal plate  28  that surrounds the blower wheel  12  and helps guide the air towards the outlet duct  21  which reduces excess noise from air movement. 
         [0096]    A motor  13  can have four brackets  25  extending therebelow. Each of the brackets  25  can include two L-shaped flanges that can be fastened to each other by fasteners  26 , such as screws/bolts and nuts. The lower flange of each of the brackets  25  can be L-shaped so as to be attached to respective openings in the bottom plate  27 B of the blower housing  27  by conventional fasteners (not shown) such as screws, bolts, and the like. The upper L-shaped flange of each of the brackets  25  can have a shorter outwardly extending edge than the lower L-shaped flanges, so that the bottom of the impeller (blower wheel)  12  can sit on the lower L-shaped flange exterior protruding edge, and the upper shorter L-shaped flange is inside the impeller (blower wheel)  12 . The motor  13  can connected to an electrical cord  14 B that can be attached to a three prong plug  14  which can be removably attached to the mounted female socket  18  in the plug plate  15 . 
         [0097]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  6 , the motor  13  is shown partially inside and outside (beneath) the blower wheel (impeller)  12   
         [0098]    The screws  24  ( FIG. 1A ) are to mount the motor  13  to the bottom plate  27 B of the housing  27 . This prevents the motor  13  from shifting and vibrating since it secures the motor  13 . The circular opening  27 C at the bottom of  27  is where the motor  13  sits. The capacitor  16  ( FIG. 1A ) can be attached to the housing  19  with double sided tape and can be attached a an inner side of a front panel of the housing  19 . 
         [0099]    A cover plate  11  having a central opening  11 B can close off the upper opening in the housing  19 . The inside of the rotatable blower wheel  12  has a dome shape  12 B with opening, that fits over a tower form  9  having a threaded outer end, wherein the tower form  9  is rotated by the motor  13 . 
         [0100]    A disc shaped bracket  8  with outer grill rim  7 , houses two sockets  4  with respective bulbs  6 . The grill rim  7  can have slotted openings there through which allow incoming air from the room below the ceiling mounted bath fan to enter into the housing  19 . Incoming air passes through slotted openings of the rim  7  and into the middle of the blower wheel  12  and out the exhaust duct  21  The air enters through the openings of the flush mount plate  7  into the blower wheel and then the blower wheel guides the air around the metal plate  28  towards the outlet duct  21  finally to be exhausted. 
         [0101]    The disc shaped bracket  8  has a connect screw  5  with threaded end extending upward from the middle of the bracket  8 . The sockets  6  can be electrically wired to removable pin plug  10  that can be removably connected to female socket  17  in plug plate  15 . A dome shaped glass shade  3  with center opening can be held in place to the disc shaped bracket  8  by being locked to upper threaded end of bracket mounted connect screw  5  by threadably attaching decorative type nut  1  that is on top of a decorative cover ring  2 , where the decorative cover ring has a larger diameter to stabilize and hold the glass shade  3  in place. 
         [0102]    The cover  11  as shown in  FIG. 1B  is secured to the bath fan housing  19   by  a screw  31  in one side and two hook tabs  32  (one is shown) on another side. 
         [0103]    The motor bracket  8  shown in  FIG. 1B  is attached to the bath fan housing with fasteners, such as screws and nuts, which connect through holes in hanging flange edges  8 B and through matching screw holes in the side of the housing  19 . 
         [0104]      FIG. 10  shows the assembled bath fan with flush mount light of the preceding figures with one of the brackets  30 B mounted to a joist  32  by conventional fasteners, such as screws.  FIG. 11  shows airflow I through the outer rim  7  of light  3  and into the bath housing  19  fan where the exhaust emission E is exhausted sideways from the housing  19 . Air does not pass through the light shade  3  and does not go around the bulbs  6  nor sockets  4 . 
         [0105]    As shown in  FIGS. 1B ,  10  and  11 , the incoming air I passes through slotted openings  7 B of the rim  7  and into the middle of the blower wheel  12  and out the exhaust duct  21  The air enters through the openings of the flush mount plate  7  into the blower wheel  12  and then the blower wheel  12  guides the air around the metal plate  28  towards the outlet duct  21  finally to be exhausted. 
         [0106]    Although the invention describes mounting the bath fan in a ceiling the bath fan can be also mounted on walls, and the like, and can also be mounted in any other interior space other than a bathroom. 
         [0107]    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.