Abstract:
A modular air vent assembly kit can be used to cover duct openings that supply a flow of heated or cooled air to a room in addition to covering duct openings that receive return air from a room. The modular air vent assembly kit is comprised of a base, a damper mechanism, and two different faceplates where the damper mechanism can be selectively assembled into the base depending on whether control through the air vent by operation of a damper is needed in the particular duct opening and where either of the two faceplates may be selectively connected with the base where one faceplate has a lattice and is used in combination with the damping mechanism and the other faceplate has a series of louvers and is used when the damping mechanism is not used in the vent assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to a modular air vent assembly kit that can be used to cover duct openings that supply a flow of heated or cooled air to a room in addition to covering duct openings that receive return air from a room. In particular, the modular air vent assembly kit of the invention is comprised of a base, a damper mechanism, and two different faceplates where the damper mechanism can be selectively assembled into the base depending on whether control through the air vent by operation of a damper is needed in the particular duct opening and where either of the two faceplates may be selectively connected with the base where one faceplate has a lattice and is used in combination with the damping mechanism and the other faceplate has a series of louvers and is used when the damping mechanism is not used in the vent assembly. 
     (2) Description of the Related Art 
     In many HVAC systems, and in particular in HVAC systems used in households, the network of air ducts that make up the system communicate with two groups of outlets or openings, one group providing an outlet for cooled or heated air and the other group providing an inlet for return air to the HVAC system. These two different groups of openings are usually covered by two different types of air vent assemblies. 
     Air vent assemblies that cover return air openings or inlets of HVAC systems are commonly constructed as rectangular panels that have a grill or a series of louvers that conceal the return air inlet opening but do not appreciably restrict the flow of return air through the inlet opening. Air vent assemblies that cover air outlet openings of the HVAC system typically include some time of damper mechanism that can control the flow of air through the outlet opening. The damper mechanism is assembled into a base of the air vent assembly and can be operated to completely close the air outlet opening and to open the air outlet opening in varying degrees. The outlet air vent assembly also includes a faceplate that is attached to the base and conceals the damper mechanism and the air outlet opening from view, but does not appreciably obstruct the flow of air through the outlet opening. The faceplate includes a lattice that conceals the air outlet opening, and the lattice can be constructed as a series of louvers or can be given a more ornamental appearance. 
     The need for having two different types of faceplates to cover air outlet openings and air inlet openings of an HVAC system contributes to the overall cost of the system. Air return or air inlet vent assemblies are typically comprised of a base that connects the assembly to the air return opening of the HVAC system and also connects with an air return faceplate that is specifically adapted for the particular base. In a like manner, air outlet vent assemblies are typically comprised of a base that attaches to the outlet opening of the HVAC system and includes the damper mechanism that is attached in the base, and the air outlet faceplate that covers over the base with the base, damper mechanism and faceplate being a pre-assembled unit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The modular air vent assembly of the present invention is specifically designed to reduce the cost of HVAC systems by providing a kit of component parts that are used in both securing an air inlet faceplate over an air return duct opening of an HVAC system and in securing an air outlet faceplate and damper mechanism over an air outlet duct opening of an HVAC system. The air vent assembly kit of the invention is comprised of a base, a damper mechanism, and a pair of faceplates with one faceplate being intended for use in covering an air return inlet opening and the other faceplate being intended for use in covering an air outlet opening. The base is designed to be inserted and secured in both an air outlet opening and an air inlet opening and is also designed to have either of the faceplates selectively connected to the base. The base is also designed to have the damper mechanism selectively connected to or assembled in the base where desired. Thus, the base can be assembled into an air return opening without a damper mechanism in the base or the base can be assembled into an air outlet opening with the damper mechanism assembled in the base. With the base assembled in an air return opening, the desired faceplate of the two faceplates of the kit can be selectively connected to the base by connectors of the faceplate that are inserted into the base and connect the faceplate to the base without separate fasteners. In a like manner, with the base containing a damper mechanism assembled into an air outlet opening of an HVAC system, the desired faceplate of the two faceplates can be selectively connected to the base by inserting connectors of the faceplate into the base and thereby connecting the faceplate to the base without separate fasteners. 
     By providing a common base that can be used in air return openings and air outlet openings and by providing a set of faceplates that can be selectively connected to the same base whether they cover an air return opening or an air outlet opening, the modular air vent assembly kit of the present invention simplifies the assembly of the HVAC system and reduces the number of parts needed in assembling the HVAC system and thereby reduces the costs of its assembly. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further features of the invention are revealed in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and in the drawing figures wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded view of the air vent assembly kit of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of an end wall of the base of the invention prior to forming; 
     FIG. 3 is an end view of the base end wall of FIG. 2 following its forming; 
     FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the second base end wall prior to its forming; 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the end wall of FIG. 4 following its forming; 
     FIG. 6 is an elevation view of either of the side walls of the base prior to its forming; 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the side wall of FIG. 6 following its forming; 
     FIG. 8 is an end elevation view of the side wall of FIG. 6 following is forming; 
     FIG. 9 is a plan view of a louver prior to its forming; 
     FIG. 10 is a plan view of the louver of FIG. 9 following its forming; 
     FIG. 11 is an end elevation view of the louver of FIG. 9 following its forming; 
     FIG. 12 is an elevation view of the louver actuator; 
     FIG. 13 is an end view of the louver actuator of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is a plan view of the lattice face plate of the kit; 
     FIG. 15 is a plan view of the louvered face plate of the kit; 
     FIG. 16 is a plan view of the assembled air vent assembly kit with the lattice face plate; 
     FIG. 17 is a side section view of the assembled air vent assembly kit of FIG. 16; 
     FIG. 18 is an end section view in section of the assembled air vent assembly kit of FIG. 17 along the line  18 — 18 ; and 
     FIG. 19 is a partial section view of the louvered face plate of FIG. 15 from along the line  19 — 19 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The air vent assembly kit of the invention can be assembled in two different configurations, one of those two configurations being shown in FIG.  1 . The air vent assembly configuration assembled from the kit shown in FIG. 1 includes a face plate  12 , a base  14 , and a damper mechanism  16 . The other assembled configuration of the air vent assembly from the air vent assembly kit of the invention includes the same base  14  shown in FIG. 1 assembled to a different, second face plate  18  shown in FIG.  15 . The second configuration of the air vent assembly assembled from the air vent assembly kit of the invention does not include the damper mechanism  16 . In the preferred embodiment of the kit of the invention, both the first face plate  12  and second face plate  18 , as well as the component parts that make up the base  14  and the damper mechanism  16  are all stamped from sheet metal making the air vent assembly kit of the invention inexpensive to manufacture. However, other materials such as plastics may be employed in constructing the component parts of the kit of the invention. 
     The base  14  of the kit is constructed from a first base end wall  22  shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a second base end wall  24  shown in FIG. 4 and 5 and a pair of identical base side walls  26  shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. 
     The two base end walls  22 ,  24  are not identical as the first base end wall  22  is slightly smaller than the second base end wall  24 . FIG. 2 shows the first base end wall  22  as a flat, stamped piece of sheet metal. The end wall is formed with a top edge  34  and a parallel bottom edge  36 , and opposite side edges with upper side edges  38  being spaced slightly farther apart than lower side edges  42 . The first end wall is formed with a pair of oblong openings  44  adjacent is top edge  34  and with four smaller circular openings  46  that extend across the end wall adjacent its transition between the upper side edges  38  and the lower side edges  42 . Just above the circular openings  46  the first end wall has two fold or bend lines  48 . In the final construction of the first end wall  32  it is folded along the two bend lines  48  to the configuration shown in FIG.  3 . 
     The second end wall  24  shown in FIG. 4, like the first end wall described above is a flat stamped piece of metal with a top edge  52  and an opposite bottom edge  54 . However, the distance between the top edge  52  and bottom edge  54  of the second end wall is slightly larger than that of the first end wall. The second end wall is also formed with opposite side edges which include upper side edges  56  that are spaced farther apart than the bottom side edges  58 . The second end wall also has oblong openings  62  adjacent its top edge  52  and four smaller circular openings  64  that extend across the end wall adjacent the transition between the upper side edges  56  and the lower side edges  58 . The second end wall is also provided with a pair of fold or bend lines  66  that extend across the end wall. In addition, the bottom edge  54  of the second end wall has a notch  68  with a fold line  72  that extends across the bottom of the end wall from the notch. The notch  68  and the second fold lines  72  define a pair of flanges  74  that project outwardly from the second end wall  24  when the second end wall is bent along the bend lines  66 ,  72  to the configuration shown in FIG.  5 . 
     The two base side walls  26  are the same and only one is shown in FIG.  6  and FIG.  7 . In FIG. 6 the side wall is shown as a flat blank stamped from sheet metal including a top edge  82  and an opposite bottom edge  84  and opposite side edges that include upper side edges  86  and lower side edges  88 . A fold or bend line  92  extends across the side wall adjacent the bottom edge  84  and defines a flange  94  that extends across the bottom of the side wall for almost its entire length. Pairs of two rectangular cut outs  96 ,  98  are made in the side wall adjacent but spaced from the bottom edge  84 . An arcuate strip  102  of side wall material is left between the two rectangular cut outs  96 ,  98 . Two more fold lines  104 ,  106  are formed in the side wall just above the pairs of rectangular cut outs  96 ,  98 . Two circular indentations are made in the side wall that form circular projections  108  on the interior surface of the side wall. A pair of curved cut out lines are made in the side wall adjacent the pair of circular projections  108  that form tabs or projections  112  having a general L-shape. The upper side edges  86  of the side walls are spaced slightly farther apart than the lower side edges  88 , and the upper side edges  86  are formed with flaps  114  that project from fold lines defined by the upper side edges  86 . 
     In forming the side walls  26  of the base into their final configuration shown in FIG. 7, each of the bottom flanges  94 , the arcuate strips  102 , the L-shape tabs  112  and the side edge flaps  114  are bent in the same direction from the side wall as shown in FIG.  7 . The side walls are also bent along the two intermediate fold lines  104 ,  106  in the manner shown in FIG. 7 to complete the construction of each side wall. 
     The first end wall  22  and the second end wall  24  are assembled to the pair of side walls  26  by spot welding or otherwise securing the pair of flaps  114  of each side wall  26  to the first  22  and second  24  end walls in the orientations shown in FIG.  1 . With the assembled relative positions of the base end walls  22 ,  24  and the base side walls  26  shown in FIG. 1, the bottom flanges  94 , the arcuate strips  102  and the L-shaped tabs  112  of each side wall project into the interior  116  of the base and the bottom flanges  74  of the second end wall  24  also project into the interior  116  of the base. The interior  116  of the base is accessible through a top opening  118  of the base as well as through a bottom opening  122  of the base. The dimensions of the first end wall  22  leave an opening slot  124  adjacent its bottom edge  36  that enables the insertion of a filter element in a rectangular frame (not shown) through the slot  124  between the bottom flanges  94  and the arcuate strips  102  of the side walls as well as on to the bottom flanges  74  of the second end wall  24  which securely hold the filter frame in place. 
     FIGS. 9 through 11 show the construction of a louver  126  of the damper mechanism  16  of the invention. FIG. 9 shows the louver  126  as a flat blank formed from sheet metal. The louver  126  has opposite, straight side edges  128  and opposite end edges  132 . Each end edge  132  is formed with a projecting rectangular tab  134  with opposite side foldable margins  136  and a generally arcuate projecting tab  138 . One of the end edges  132 , the left side end edge as shown in FIG. 9, is also provided with a projecting flange  142  having a hole  144  passing therethrough. The louver is also provided with a pair of fold lines  146 ,  148  that extend across its length and separate the rectangular projecting tabs from their side edge margins  136 . In forming the louver  126  into its final configuration shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the louver is folded along the pair of fold lines  146 ,  148  in the manner shown in FIG.  11  and the side edge margins  136  of the pair of rectangular projecting tabs  134  are folded over on the tabs also as shown in FIG.  11 . The opposite pair of arcuate projecting tabs  138  are bent at a right angle relative to the louver on one side of the louver and the louver flange  142  is bent at a right angle relative to the louver projecting from the opposite side of the louver relative to the arcuate tabs, as shown in FIG.  11 . In the preferred embodiment of the invention, four damper mechanism louvers are formed in the same manner as the louver described above and as shown in FIGS. 9 through 11. 
     FIGS. 12 and 13 show the louver actuator that is assembled to the louvers  126  of the damper mechanism  16 . The louver actuator is stamped from a flat sheet of metal in the configuration shown in FIG. 12 with an elongate bar  154  having a plurality of spaced openings  156  passing through the bar, and an actuator handle  158  projecting from the bar. 
     The louvers  126  and the louver actuator  152  of the damper mechanism  116  are assembled together and assembled into the interior  116  of the base in the manner shown in FIG.  1 . Because the base end walls  22 ,  24  and each of the louvers  126  are constructed from flat sheets of metal, they are resiliently bendable. This enables each of the louvers  126  to be bent slightly to insert the projecting tabs  134  at the opposite ends of each louver into one of the circular openings  46 ,  64  of the first end wall  22  and the second end wall  24  of the base. Each of the louvers is assembled into the base in this manner with its flange  142  projecting toward the top opening of the base. The holes  156  of the louver actuator  152  are aligned with the louver flange holes  144  and the louver actuator is pivotally connected to each of the louver flanges  142  by a pin or other similar type of mechanical fastener inserted through the aligned holes. With the damper mechanism  16  thus assembled into the base  12 , the actuator handle  158  can be moved between the opposite base side wall  26  to pivot the louvers between opened and closed positions in the base interior  116 . 
     The first face plate  12  of the air vent assembly kit is shown in FIG.  14 . Like the other component parts of the invention, the first face plate  12  is preferably stamped from a flat sheet of steel with a rectangular border  162  and a decorative lattice  164  in the interior of the border. In the stamping of the first face plate  12 , preferably the interior of the rectangular face plate surrounding the lattice  164  is flat and portions of the face plate around the border  162  angle slightly downward from the top surface of the face plate. The lattice  164  is defined by a plurality of openings  166  stamped in the face plate. The face plate border  162  is also formed with four rectangular projecting tabs  168  that extend inwardly from the border  162  into four of the lattice openings  166 . The projections or tabs  168  are connected to the face plate border  162  by fold lines  172 . Each of the tabs has an oblong opening  174  passing through the tab. In the final construction of the first face plate  12 , each of the tabs or projections  168  is bent downwardly across its fold line  172  so that the tabs project perpendicularly below the face plate  12 . 
     The first face plate  12  with its decorative lattice  164  is designed to be used in the air vent assembly of the invention when the base  14  is assembled with the damper mechanism  16  and is to be used in an air outlet opening of an HVAC system. Moving the damper mechanism  16  between its opened and closed positions controls the flow of air through the air outlet opening of the HVAC system into which the air vent assembly has been inserted. The first face plate  12  is assembled to the base  14  by first positioning it over the top opening  118  of the base with each of the four face plate tabs or projections  168  positioned over one of the L-shaped tabs or projections  112  of the base. Pressing the first face plate  12  downward on top of the base  14  will result in the face plate tabs or projections  168  resiliently flexing inwardly toward each other as they pass over the L-shaped tabs or projections  112  of the base. The first face plate  12  is pressed downwardly until the L-shape projections or tabs  112  of the base pass into the openings  174  of the face plate tabs  168 . The first face plate  12  is then moved to the right as viewed in FIG. 1 until the circular projections  108  on the interior of the base side walls  26  are positioned at the sides of each of the face plate tabs  168  and securely hold the tabs against movement on the L-shaped projections  112  of the base. In this manner the first face plate  12  is attached to the base  14  without separate fasteners. The first face plate  12  can be easily removed from the base  14  by reversing the steps described above. 
     The second face plate  18  of the air vent assembly is shown in FIG.  15 . The second face plate  18  is also stamped from a flat sheet of metal with a rectangular border  182  that is substantially the same size of the border as the first face plate  12 . In addition, the second face plate border  182  is stamped so that it angles downwardly from the top surface of the second face plate in the same manner as the border of the first face plate. The interior area  184  of the second face plate is flat and has a plurality of louvers or vanes  186  formed by cuts having widened, generally U-shapes  188  made in the face plate. Fold lines  192  extend across each of the Ushaped cuts  188  and the louvers or vanes  186  are pressed downwardly below the top surface of the second face plate  18  across the fold lines  192 . As seen in FIG. 15, each of the vanes or louvers  186  are formed in the second face plate  18  in two groups that project toward each other. An outer most pair of the vanes  186  have arcuate tabs  194  cut into the vanes. The tabs  194  are bent downwardly from their respective vanes  186  along fold lines  196 . FIG. 19 shows the relative positions of the second face plate  18 , one of the folded vanes  186  and the arcuate tab  194  folded outwardly from the vane. 
     The second face plate  18  is assembled to the base  14  in a similar manner to that of the first face plate  12  except that the damper mechanism  16  is not previously assembled into the base. The second face plate  18  is positioned over the base top opening  118  with the arcuate tab projections  194  positioned above the oblong openings  44 ,  62  in the respective first  22  and second  24  base end walls. The second base plate  18  is then pressed downwardly on the base top opening  118  causing the projecting arcuate tabs  194  to pass into the base interior  116  and engage in the oblong openings  44 ,  62  in the respective opposite base end walls  22 ,  24 . In this manner, the second face plate  18  is attached to the base without separate fasteners. Because the second face plate  18  does not have the larger lattice openings  166  of the first face plate  12  that provide access to the louver actuator handle  158 , the damper mechanism  16  is not used when the second face plate  18  is used in combination with the base  14 . The second face plate  18  is intended to be used when the air vent assembly kit comprising the second face plate  18  and the base  14  are employed in covering an air return or air inlet opening of an HVAC system. 
     Thus, the air vent assembly kit of the invention described above provides a base that can be assembled to either an air outlet opening or an air inlet opening of an HVAC system and interchangeable first and second face plates that can be attached to the base whether covering an air inlet opening or an air outlet opening of the HVAC system. The damper mechanism  16  of the kit can be selectively assembled to the base or left out of the base as desired. Furthermore, because the base end walls and side walls are constructed with lower sections that are spaced inwardly toward each other, a plurality of bases can be nested together and stacked in a compact arrangement for shipping or storage. The damper mechanism  16  and the face plates  12 ,  18  can also be packaged substantially flat for compact shipping or storing. Still further, by stamped each of the component parts from sheet metal the air vent assembly kit of the present invention is inexpensively manufactured. 
     While the present invention has been described by reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the following claims.