Patent Publication Number: US-2011053487-A1

Title: Vent Cover and Louver Assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     FILED OF THE DISCLOSURE  
     The disclosure relates to vent cover devices and more particularly pertains to a new vent cover device for remotely controlling airflow throughout a dwelling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing with a perimeter wall having a first edge and a second edge each defining an opening through which air may be passed through an air passageway of the perimeter wall. A flange is attached to and is coextensive with the first edge. The flange is abuttable against a wall surface. A plurality of slats is provided. Each of the slats is rotatably mounted to the perimeter wall and traverses the air passageway. The slats are positionable in a closed position restricting air flowing through the passageway or in an open position allowing air to freely flow through the air passageway. A motor is mechanically coupled to each of the slats to move the slats to the closed position or to the open position. A power supply is electrically coupled to the motor. The power supply comprises a rechargeable battery. An electricity producing apparatus is mounted on the housing and is electrically coupled to the power supply to recharge the power supply. The electricity producing apparatus is actuated by air moving through the housing to produce electricity. An interface is in communication with the motor to allow a user to actuate the motor. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a back perspective view of a vent cover and louver assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure having an electricity producing apparatus removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 1  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 8  thereof, a new vent cover device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 8 , the vent cover and louver assembly  10  generally comprises a housing  11  that includes a perimeter wall  12  having a first edge  14  and a second edge  16  each defining an opening through which air may be passed through an air passageway  18  of the perimeter wall  12 . The perimeter wall  12  may have a rectangular shape as shown in  FIG. 1  and is insertable into a vent opening positioned in a floor, wall or ceiling. A flange  20  is attached to and is coextensive with the first edge  14 . The flange  20  is abuttable against a wall surface in a conventional manner so that it extends over the edge of the vent opening. The flange  20  may be attached to the wall surface with any conventional fastener. 
     A plurality of slats  22  is provided. Each of the slats  22  is rotatably mounted to the perimeter wall  12  and traverses the air passageway  18 . The slats  22  are positionable in a closed position restricting air flowing through the passageway  18  or in an open position allowing air to freely flow through the air passageway  18 . The slats  22  function in a conventional manner but may include curved ends  24  as shown in  FIG. 6  which are abuttable against dividing walls  26  mounted in the housing  11  to form a better seal when they are in the closed position. A conventional louver dial  28  may be mounted on the housing  11  and mechanically coupled to the slats  22  to move the slats to a desired percentage of being open. Vent fins  30  may be mounted on the housing  11  between the first edge  14  and the slats  22 . 
     A motor  32  is mechanically coupled to each of the slats  22 . The motor  32  is actuated to move the slats  22  to the closed position or to the open position. An override hand crank  34  may be mechanically coupled to override the motor  32 . The hand crank  34  may be needed where the louver dial  28  is difficult to rotate due to the interference of the motor  32 . 
     A power supply  34  is electrically coupled to the motor  32 . The power supply  34  comprises a rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery, or power supply  34 , may include one or more batteries which are positioned in a compartment  36  attached to the housing  11 . The compartment  36  has a door  37  to allow access to the batteries should they need replacement. 
     An electricity producing apparatus  38  is mounted on the housing  11  and is electrically coupled to the power supply  34  to recharge the power supply  34 . The electricity producing apparatus  38  is actuated by air moving through the housing  11  to produce electricity. For clarification, the electricity producing apparatus  38  is only shown I  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  7 . The electricity producing apparatus  38  includes a generator  40  that is mounted on the housing  11 . A turbine  42  is mechanically coupled to the generator. The turbine  42  is positioned within a path of the air flowing through the air passageway  18 . As shown in the Figures, more than one combination of a generator  40  and turbine  42  may be utilized. This may be determined by the efficiency of the turbines  42  and generators  40  as well as the shape of the space being utilized. The turbines  42  may be attached to the housing  11  by brackets  44  and the turbines  42  may also be pivotable with respect to the housing  11  to allow for greater efficiency depending on the shape of duct adjacent to the housing  11 . 
     An interface  46  is in communication with the motor  32  to allow a user to actuate the motor  32 . The interface  46  includes a receiver  48  that is electrically coupled to the motor  32 . A transmitter  50  is in communication with the receiver to send actuation signals to the receiver  48  to selectively actuate the motor  32 . The receiver  48  may either be a wireless or a wired receiver and may be capable of receiving as well as sending signals. If the receiver  48  is wireless, it may be a radio receiver for receiving radio signals from the transmitter  50  by way of radio frequencies. This may be used most generally when the transmitter  50  is coupled to a central air system of a dwelling. The receiver  48  may also include an infrared sensor  49  for receiving signals from the transmitter  50  over the infrared spectrum. Finally, the receiver  48  may be directly wired to the transmitter  50  by a connecting wire  52  where the transmitter  50  is again likely the central air system of the dwelling. However, wireless operation may be preferred for the reasons stated below. The interface  46  itself may further include the utilization of wireless phone signals input by a cellular phone and internet connections accessible by a number of conventional means to control the assembly when a user thereof is either in or away from the dwelling. 
     A thermostat  54  is mounted on the housing  11  and is in communication with the motor. The thermostat  54  is adjustable to selectively programmable to automatically actuate the motor  32  when predetermined parameters have been achieved such as a particular temperature threshold and/or time settings. The programming may be accomplished manually or with the transmitter  50  by the sending of signals to the receiver  48  to adjust the thermostat  54  as needed. Alternatively, the thermostat  54  may be used as a monitor to send temperature signals to the interface  46 , when it include a central air control system, so that the interface  46  may then adjust a plurality of assemblies  10  as needed throughout the dwelling. The thermostat  54  includes a readout display  56  mounted on the flange of the housing. 
     A light emitter  58  is mounted on the housing  11  and is electrically coupled to the receiver  48 . The light emitter  58  is turned on when the receiver  48  receives an emergency signal from the interface  46 . While this may take a variety of forms, one form envisioned is when the interface  46  is in communication with a fire/smoke alarm system of the dwelling. When such an alarm is tripped, the interface  46  will turn on the light emitters  58  of the assemblies  10  so that the light emitters  58  may act as emergency lighting for the occupants of the dwelling. 
     A sound emitter  60  is mounted on the housing  11  and is electrically coupled to the receiver  48 . The sound emitter  60  emits sound signals received by the receiver  48  from the interface  46 . In this instance, while the sound emitter  60  may emit a sound associated with an emergency, the interface here may incorporate a personal computer, personal music player or other similar device which has music and the like stored thereon for playing over the sound emitter  60 . The interface  46  may also be in communication with or include an entertainment system of the dwelling to allow for sound signals from video playing type sources to also be heard over the sound emitter  60 . 
     In use, the assembly  10  is placed is placed in the duct opening of a dwelling so that it may be used to control air flow and, consequently, the temperature of a room in which it is placed. In particular, the assembly  10  will allow control of temperature and airflow in a dwelling for which hard wiring of such control system would be impossible or prohibitively expensive. This will be accomplished by the motor  32  rotating the slats  22  without being wired to a conventional power source as the power therefore is generated by the generator  40 . An additional feature is that the connectibility stated herein will allow for the addition of tying together additional systems to the assembly  10  as needed or desired. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.