Patent Publication Number: US-2010120352-A1

Title: Wall Vent

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is concerned with a wall vent, and in particular a wall vent for location in the outer leaf of cavity wall, in order to facilitate ventilation of the cavity between the leaves. The vent is especially intended for use with timber frame buildings. The vent is also adapted to be retro fitted to existing buildings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The cavity wall is the most common type of wall in use in domestic and other buildings, as it has a number of benefits over solid or single skin walls. The main benefit resulting from the use of a cavity wall is the reduction or elimination in the transfer of moisture from the exterior to the interior of a building. Masonry such as stone and brick is porous to a certain extent, and combined with minor defects such as cracks in the mortar joints between such bricks, will eventually let in water. In the absence of a damp proof barrier or the like, there is a significant risk of water working its way indoors, however thick the wall. By locating a cavity between a pair of wall leaves, that possibility is eliminated as water cannot cross this cavity to enter to contact the inner leaf. 
     However, the use of cavity walls, in particular in modern buildings which are designed with a heavy emphasis on saving energy by minimizing heat loss, gives rise to other moisture based problems, although this time with moisture being trapped inside the building and not having a path to vent to the outside. The increased presence of central heating, showers and modern domestic appliances produces greater amounts of water vapour in buildings, in particular domestic dwellings. In addition, through greater draught proofing, double glazing and fewer open fire places, ventilation is reduced throughout the home, causing a building up of vapour within the building. This vapour becomes trapped in the cavity between the inner and outer leaves and so forming condensation. This poses a particular problem in timber framed buildings which are especially susceptible to damage from trapped moisture. Such condensation can cause severe damage to the frame of the building, rotting timber and so weakening the structure. Wet timber will often swell and distort, permanently damaging the building. Metal corrosion can occur on components such as nail plates or the like joining beams of the frame to one another. Insulation material provided in the cavity may absorb dripping water and thus suffer a decrease in thermal efficiency. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention therefore provides a wall vent comprising a tubular sidewall defining first and second ends; and a radially outwardly extending flange surrounding the first end. 
     Preferably, the first end is provided with an apertured cover across the first end. 
     Preferably, the wall vent comprises one or more ribs on an exterior of the sidewall. 
     Preferably, the one or more ribs are circumferentially disposed on the sidewall. 
     Preferably, the flange is disposed in a plane disposed at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the sidewall. 
     Preferably, the flange is disposed at an angle in the range of between 70° and 90°, more preferably in the range of 85° and 90°, and most preferably at 87.5°. 
     Preferably, the apertured cover comprises an array of vents. 
     Preferably, the apertured cover comprises a mesh adapted to prevent insects entering the vent. 
     Preferably, the wall vent comprises indicia on the flange to indicate the intended working orientation of the vent. 
     Preferably, the second end of the sidewall comprises a radially inwardly extended circumferential lip. 
     Preferably, the sidewall comprises one or more frangible portions. 
     As used herein, the term “apertured” is intended to mean having one or more openings, for example in a surface, which allow the passage of air therethrough, which apertures may take any suitable form such as vents, an array of holes, a mesh or reticulated covering or the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a wall vent according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side elevation of the wall vent illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a front elevation of an alternative embodiment of a wall and according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a plan view of the vent illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a sectioned side elevation of the vent shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a first embodiment of a wall vent, generally indicated as  10 , for particular use in cavity walls, and in particular extending from an exterior of an outer leaf of the wall, into the cavity, in order to facilitate ventilation of the cavity. The vent  10  is primarily intended for use with timber frame houses, which require substantial ventilation of the cavity, in order to prevent damage to the interior timber frame as a result of an accumulation of moisture within the cavity. It will however be understood that the vent  10  may be used in any other suitable location. 
     The vent  10  comprises a substantially tubular sidewall  12 , which in the embodiment illustrated is cylindrical in cross section, although it will be appreciated that the cross section could be of any other suitable shape, for example square, hexagonal, pentagonal or the like. However, one of the benefits of the vent  10  is in allowing it to be retrofitted to an existing cavity wall (not shown) by simply drilling or otherwise forming a hole through the outer leaf into the cavity, and then pressing the vent  10  into position within the drilled hole. As such holes will normally be cylindrical in cross section, a cylindrical cross section for the tubular sidewall  12  will provide the most secure fit therein. 
     The sidewall  12  defines a first end  14  and a second end  16 , which enable the passage of air through the vent  10 . The first end  14  is provided with a circumferential and radially outwardly extending flange  18  thereabout. Although in the embodiment illustrated the flange  18  is circular in shape, it will be appreciated from the following description of the operation of the vent  10  that any other suitable shape may be employed, as the primary function of the flange  18  is simply to prevent excessive insertion of the vent  10  into the cavity wall. Referring in particular to  FIG. 1 , the first end  14  further includes an apertured cover in the form of a mesh  20  effectively covering or closing the first end  14 , which mesh  20  is thus surrounded by the flange  18 . The mesh  20  is preferably dimensioned to prevent the ingress of insects or other matter likely to block the vent  10 , while still allowing air to flow freely through the vent  10 . It will thus be appreciated that this functionality may be achieved with a large number of alternative covers across the first end  14 . 
     The vent  10  further comprises at least one, and in the embodiment illustrated, a pair of circumferentially extending ribs  22  on an exterior of the sidewall  12 , for reasons set out hereinafter. The ribs  22  are preferably formed from a resiliently deformable material such as plastic or the like. 
     In order to install the vent  10  in the outer leaf of a cavity wall, a suitably dimensioned bore (not shown) must be drilled from an exterior to an interior of the outer leaf. The diameter of the bore to be drilled is preferably slightly greater than the diameter of the tubular sidewall  12 , but slightly less than the diameter of the ribs  22 . In this way the vent  10  can then be pressed into the bore in the outer leaf, and the pair of ribs  22  will thus provide an interference fit with the bore, in order to securely grip the wall and maintain the vent  10  in place. The ribs  22  should thus be capable of deforming in order to allow the vent  10  to be fully inserted, and the resilience of the ribs  22  will then effect a grip on the bore to retain the vent  10  in position and to create a seal between the exterior of the vent  10  and the bore in which it is inserted. It should be appreciated that the ribs  22  could be replaced with any other suitable alternative, for example an array of dimples or other such protrusions on the exterior of the sidewall  12 . 
     It is preferable that when in place, the vent  10 , and in particular a longitudinal axis of the side wall  12 , is slightly upwardly inclined from the first end  14  to the second end  16 , in order to prevent water from flowing from the first end  14  to the second end  16 . This will thus prevent any rain or other liquid which finds a way past the mesh  20  into the sidewall  12  from flowing towards the second end  16 , and possibly entering the cavity of the cavity wall. As a further precaution, the second end  16  may be provided with an inwardly extending circumferential lip (not shown), in order to prevent any wind blown water from flowing out of the second end  16 . 
     It will thus be appreciated that the bore drilled in the outer leaf of the cavity wall should be drilled at a slight upward angle, in order to obtain the above discussed benefit. When the vent  10  is pressed into the bore, the flange  18  arrests the advance of same, and prevents the vent  10  from being pushed internally of the outer leaf. Thus, the flange  18  is intended to sit flush against the exterior of the outer leaf of the cavity wall. It will therefore be seen, in particular referring to  FIG. 2 , that the flange  18  lies in a plane which in, in the embodiment illustrated, is disposed at an acute angle A with respect to a longitudinal axis of the sidewall  12 . The angle A is preferably in the range of between 70° and 90°, more preferably in the range of 85° and 90°, and most preferably at 87.5°. It will however be appreciated that this angle may vary depending on the intended location of the vent  10 . Thus if the vent  10  is located in the correct rotational orientation when inserted into the cavity wall, the flange  18  will sit flush against the exterior of the outer leaf, despite the upward inclination from the first end  14  to the second end  16 . Obviously the angle at which the flange  18  is disposed may be varied in order to match the angle at which the bore is to be drilled in the outer leaf. Alternatively, the vent  10  may comprise a flexible connection (not shown) between the flange  18  and the sidewall  12 , in order to be capable of accommodating a range of such angles. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the flange  18  is preferably provided with indicia  24  thereon, which demonstrates the intended working orientation of the vent  10 . For example, the indicia  24  could be positioned such as to be at the top or 12 o&#39;clock position when the vent  10  is correctly orientated. 
     The dimensions of the vent  10  may obviously be varied to suit required applications. In addition, the sidewall  12  may be provided with one or more frangible portions (not shown) which may be separated from the side wall  12  in order to modify the length thereof to suit a particular cavity wall. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 to 5  of the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a second embodiment of a vent according to the present invention, generally indicated as  110 . In this second embodiment like components have been accorded like reference numerals, and unless otherwise indicated perform a like function. The vent  110  comprises a sidewall  112  having a first end  114  and a second end  116 , and a flange  118  disposed about the first end  114 . Extending across the first end  114  is an apertured cover in the form of louvers  120 . These louvers  120  slope downwardly from an interior towards an exterior of the sidewall  112 , as clearly visible in  FIG. 5 , in order to prevent the ingress of precipitation to the vent  110 . The louvers  120  still however allow the free passage of air through the vent  110 . A reinforcing strut  30  extends, in use, vertically downwardly and is connected to each of the louvers  120  in order to add strength thereto. It will however be appreciated that the strut  30  could be omitted. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  the vent  110  is provided with an array of circumferentially disposed ribs  122  about the exterior of the sidewall  112  which are designed to provide a secure fit between the vent  110  and a bore into which the vent  110  is inserted during use. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the flange  118  is preferably disposed at an acute angle A to a longitudinal axis of the sidewall  112 . This angle A is preferably in the range of between 70° and 90°, more preferably in the range of 85° to 90°, and most preferably at 87.5°. In this way the bore into which the vent  110  is to be seated can be drilled at an angle upwardly from the exterior to the interior of the cavity wall such that the vent  110 , and in particular the sidewall  112  is disposed in an upwardly sloping orientation. This will prevent any rain water which enters the vent  110  from flowing towards the second end  116  to enter the cavity. A substantially horizontal orientation of the louvers  120  will indicate the correct orientation of the vent  110  when inserted in the bore. 
     It will therefore be appreciated that the vent  10 ;  110  of the present invention provides a simple yet effective means of ventilating a cavity wall, and in particular for quickly and easily retro-fitting to a cavity wall by drilling one or more holes in the outer leaf of the cavity wall and simply pressing the vent  10 ;  110  into position.