Patent Publication Number: US-6699118-B1

Title: Vent apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a vent apparatus and more particularly, to a vent apparatus having a pivotal vent cap that may be used in a wide variety of applications where it is needed to provide airflow to or from a closed or enclosed space, while also preventing water or other similar elements from entering the closed space. 
     Vents and vent caps are known in the art. Generally, these devices include a vent cap mounted to a vent, which extends into a opening. The vent cap usually assumes a conical or triangular shape and functions to keep water, ice, snow or other such elements from entering the vent from a position substantially perpendicular to and above the vent cap. While the existing vent caps have been relatively successful at keeping water or other elements from entering the vent from perpendicular positions above the vent cap, such vent caps are susceptible to water and other elements entering the closed space from positions which are substantially horizontal to or below the vent cap. As is currently known in the art, water can cause significant problems in the operation or longevity of the devices or structures typically associated with the vent and vent cap. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To overcome these disadvantages, the present invention is realized through an improved vent apparatus. The improved vent apparatus includes a vent tube with a first end extending outside of the closed space and a second end extending into a closed space, a vent cap attached to the first end for keeping water, snow, ice and other elements from entering the vent tube. The vent cap includes a top, a continuous side wall extending in a downward direction from the top and a cap opening through which air enters the vent tube. The vent cap also includes an annular structure located on an inside top portion of the vent cap for enabling the vent cap to be removably coupled to the vent tube. It should also be understood that the closed space may exist as part of a variety of distinct structures, which require an exhaust port that may be exposed to the elements, such as a home or building, a boat, a car or any other motorized vehicle. 
     A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, properties and relationships of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which set forth an illustrative embodiment and is indicative of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a vent cap in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vent apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in combination with a closed space; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional side view of a vent cap in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention. 
     FIGS. 4A,  4 B and  4 C depict alternative embodiments of an annular structure of the vent on which the vent cap may be secured; 
     FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of the vent cap in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5B is a partial cross-sectional view of certain components of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5; and 
     FIGS. 6A,  6 B and  6 C depict the vent apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in combination with varying structures which include an enclosed space with which the vent apparatus cooperates. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Turning now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements, there is illustrated a vent apparatus  10  for providing airflow to a closed space, while also preventing water or other similar elements from entering the closed space. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a simplified version of the vent apparatus  10 , having a vent cap  11  mounted to a vent  12 , which is mounted to and extends into a closed space  14 . The vent cap  11  is generally bowl shaped and includes a top  15 , a continuous side wall  16  and an opening  13 . To shield the vent  12  and vent opening  17  from the elements, the side wall  16  extends in a generally downward direction from the top  15  and toward the opening  13 . 
     Protrusion  19  are integrally formed on vent tube  12  and interact with inner ring  18  which extends downwardly from top  15  to permit vent cap  11  to pivot with respect to vent tube  12 . 
     For preventing water from entering the closed space, the vent cap  11  is mounted to the vent  12  in a manner which allows the vent cap  11  to pivot with respect to the vent  12 . Operation of the present invention can be seen most clearly in FIG. 3, where the arrows depict the direction of possible water spray against the apparatus. In this embodiment, a vent tube  24  extends down into the closed space (not shown), the vent tube  24  has a first end that extends outside of the closed space and a second end that extends within the closed space. The vent cap  11  may be removably coupled to a fitting  22  that may be attached to the first end of the vent tube  24 . Fitting  22  also includes a passage  26  having a top and a bottom. The top of the passage has a first opening  27  and the bottom of the passage has a second opening  29 ; the second opening  29  opens into the vent tube  24 . It will be understood that the specific arrangement and appearance of passage  26  is not critical to this invention. 
     For allowing the vent cap  11  to pivot with respect to the vent  12 , the vent cap  11  may include an inner ring,  18  extending downwardly from the inside of top  15  and having an inner circumference sized to cooperate with and fit over the top of fitting  22 . Thus, the cooperation of the inner ring  18  and the fitting  22  enable the vent cap  11  to pivot about the longitudinal axis of vent tube  24  and fitting  22 . As shown in FIG. 3, when water spray contacts the side wall  16  of vent cap  11 , the entire vent cap  11  swivels or pivots with respect to the vent tube  12 , so that the bottom of side wall  16  contacts vent tube  24  to aid in deflecting water away from the first opening  27  of the passage  26 , thereby minimizing the amount of water that may enter the vent cap  11 . 
     As exemplified in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the pivoting action may be achieved by the interaction between fitting  22  and the inner ring  18 . Specifically, fitting  22  has an annular structure  28  formed thereon which protrudes outwardly from fitting  22  to contact the inner circumference of ring  18 . Ring  18  may also have an annular structure  25  which extends inwardly from the inner circumference of the ring  18 . The interaction of annular structures  25  and  28  permit the vent cap  10  to be coupled to the fitting  22 , while still permitting the vent cap  11  to pivot as described above. It is preferred that the height of vent cap  11  (i.e., the distance from top  15  to opening  13 ) be at least twice the distance measured from the top of fitting  22  to the top of vent tube  24 . 
     To aid airflow via opening  27 , a notch or aperture  23  may be provided on the top of the fitting  22 . Therefore, it is important that the interaction between the fitting  22  and the cap  11  be such that it does not create an air-tight seal, as this would defeat the purpose of the vent. It should be appreciated by those with skill in the art that other designs may be employed for creating a space to allow for airflow between the opening  13  and the passage  26 . 
     FIGS. 4A,  4 B and  4 C show alternative embodiments of an engagement structure formed on the vent to permit the swiveling or pivoting motion of the vent cap. Specifically, FIG. 4A shows an annulus  51  that may be glued or pressed on to vent tube  52 . FIG. 4B shows a different annulus  53  which may be press fit or glued on to vent tube  52 . FIG. 4C shows an alternative embodiment of a possible press fit annulus  54 . The benefit of these designs is that they may be provided as a retrofit kit for use with existing vents or with materials such as extruded pipes where forming such features are difficult or impossible. Therefore, the user is provided with an easy manner to obtain the benefits of the vent cap of the present invention without the need of replacing expensive components. In the preferred embodiment, the annuluses or annuli in FIGS. 4A-C are composed of a nitryl or plastic gasket; for a retrofit kit the composition of the annulus may depend to a large extent on the material used for the existing vent to which the annulus will be applied. While these structures  51 ,  53  and  54  have been described and shown as an annulus extending around the entire circumference of the vent tube  52 , they need not extend around the entire outer circumference of the vent tube  52  in order to achieve the swiveling feature of this invention. It should also be appreciated that the structures  51 ,  53  and  54  may also be attached to a fitting  22 , as described above, instead of the tube  52 . 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B show an alternative embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, vent cap  30  may be mounted to fitting  32 , which is mounted within vent tube  31 . The fitting  32  comprises a body  57  and a neck portion  56  integrally formed therewith. The neck portion  56  of the fitting  32  may have curved shoulder portions  33  to prevent water from accumulating thereon, and an opening  37  formed at its top. Thus, if water does enter the inside of the vent cap  30 , it will not accumulate near the top of fitting  32 ; this prevents capillary action from introducing water through vent opening  37 . To see the external structure of the fitting more clearly, FIG. 5B eliminates the tube  31  shown in FIG.  5 A and does not show fitting  32  in cross-section. 
     The alternative embodiments shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B include a vent cap  30  with a generally flat top portion  35  and a continuous side wall  36  extending downward therefrom to an opening  38 , which is formed at the bottom of the vent cap  30 . The side wall  36  is substantially perpendicular to top  35 , which is primarily based on the ease of manufacturing a side wall  36  that is perpendicular to the top  35 . An inner ring  39  may be formed on the inner surface of top  35  as an engagement structure for fitting  32 . The top of fitting  32  and inner ring  39  are shaped to permit movement of the bottom portion of cap  30 , (i.e., adjacent to opening  38 ) relative to tube  31 . In this embodiment, an annular structure  34  may be mounted on the neck portion  56  of the fitting  32 . As shown in FIG. 5B, the annular structure  34  may not extend around the entire circumference of the neck portion  56  of the fitting  32 , as gaps in the annular structure  34  may be used to enhance airflow in and out of vent opening  37 . The annular structure  34  may be integrally formed with neck  56  or it may be attached to the neck  56 , as described in FIGS. 4A-C. As further exemplified in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the ring  39  may not require a separate protrusion formed thereon to create the necessary interaction between the neck portion  56 , the annular structure  34  and the ring  39 . Rather, the ring  39  forms a wall and the wall simply has an increased diameter at the bottom thereof to permit the neck portion  56  and the annular structure  34  to be removably coupled by snapping the annular structure  34  into the ring  39 , thus, permitting cap  30  to swivel or pivot with respect to the tube  31  and the fitting  32 . The design shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B may also be used in connection with other embodiments of the present invention, which require the cap  11  to be mounted directly on the tube  12 ; therefore, a separate internal fitting may not be required. 
     As shown in FIGS. 6A,  6 B and  6 C, the present invention may be used in connection with a variety of different structures. For example, FIG. 6A depicts the vent apparatus  10  being used in connection with a fan  62 , such as may be used with a restroom, or an HVAC system  64  of a building  66  such as an office or home. In addition, FIG. 6B shows the vent apparatus  10  being used in connection with a motor vehicle  68  and FIG. 6C shows the vent apparatus  10  coupled to a vent pipe of a boat  70 . It should be appreciated by those with skill in the art that the vent apparatus  10  described herein may be used with any structure having an enclosed space to provide the enclosed space with a continual airflow while also preventing water or similar elements from entering the enclosed space. 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalent thereof.