Patent Publication Number: US-2016238275-A1

Title: Register vent cover

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/116,549, entitled REGISTER VENT COVER, and filed Feb. 15, 2015, said application being hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and more particularly to HVAC registers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Most modern HVAC systems use forced air to heat and cool residential and commercial spaces. A blower motor forces the heated or cooled air through ducting in the wall, floor, or ceiling of the structure. Registers, which are sometimes referred to as “air vents,” are attached to the ducting to enable the heated or cooled air to enter the room. Some registers have a mechanism to allow the opening or closure of a damper to either allow or block the flow of air into the room. Some registers do not have such a damper mechanism. 
     Even with a damper to close the louvers and inhibit airflow, some air may still exit through the register and enter the room due to leakage through the damper. This can increase heating and cooling costs, as well as interfere with the desired room temperature. 
     A known solution to this problem is to attach a thin sheet of magnetic material, a.k.a. a magnetic vent cover, to the register. A drawback of such magnetic vent covers, however, is that they do not bond strongly enough with the register or duct material, and so may fall off. Additionally, magnetic vent covers do not bond to registers or ductwork made of wood, plastic, painted steel, aluminum, and other non-magnetic materials. 
     What is needed in the industry is a register cover that is easily installed and remains in place, regardless of the material used for the register, ductwork, or building structure. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention addresses the needs of the industry through a register cover that inhibits heated or cooled air from a forced-air HVAC system from exiting a register, regardless of the material used for the register, ductwork, or building construction. 
     The register cover will easily attach to and inhibit airflow from exiting a register that is made from any common material, including, but not limited to, steel, wood, plastic, painted steel, aluminum, tin, copper, and bronze. The register cover can also be made to fit any size register. 
     In one embodiment, the register cover attaches to the register with an adhesive layer on the rear surface of the register cover. Alternatively, the register cover could be attached using other methods (e.g. adhesive strips, adhesive paste, hook &amp; loop fasteners, magnets, suction cups, nanosuction, or other means). 
     The register cover can be made from a woven polyester fabric material. Alternatively, the register cover could be made from any other suitable material that would inhibit air from escaping from the register (e.g. wood, metal, paper products, plastic, rubber, etc.). 
     According to an embodiment, a register vent cover includes a body portion presenting a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface having at least one securing structure arranged thereon. The body portion is sized and shaped so as to correspond with and cover an air flow opening of a register, such that when the rear surface of the body portion is abutted with the register with the body portion covering the air flow opening of the register, the securing structure affixes the register vent cover to the register, and the register vent cover inhibits air from flowing through the air flow opening. The at least one securing structure can include a layer of adhesive over substantially all of the rear surface, extending to or proximate a periphery of the rear surface of the body portion. A pee-off backing layer can be provided over the adhesive layer prior to installation. 
     In embodiments, the register vent cover can include at least one securing structure on the register disposed so as to correspond with the at least one securing structure of the register vent cover when the register vent cover is abutted with the register. The at least one securing structure can include a hook-and-loop fastener, a suction cup, or a nanosuction device. 
     In embodiments, the register vent cover can include a plurality of securing structures on the rear surface of the vent register cover. Each of the plurality of securing structures can correspond with a securing structure on the front surface of the register. The register vent cover can include a body portion formed from woven polyester fabric. 
     In further embodiments, a register and register vent cover assembly for use with a forced air HVAC system includes a register presenting a generally planar front surface, the front surface defining an air flow opening therethrough, and a register vent cover with a body portion presenting a front surface and a rear surface. The rear surface has at least one securing structure arranged thereon. The body portion is sized and shaped so as to correspond with and cover the air flow opening of the register, such that when the rear surface of the body portion is abutted with the register with the body portion covering the air flow opening of the register, the securing structure affixes the register vent cover to the register, and the register vent cover inhibits air from flowing through the air flow opening. 
     In embodiments of the assembly, the at least one securing structure includes a band of adhesive arranged adjacent a periphery of the rear surface of the body portion. In other embodiments, the assembly includes at least one securing structure on the register disposed so as to correspond with the at least one securing structure of the register vent cover when the register vent cover is abutted with the register. 
     In embodiments of the assembly, the at least one securing structure includes a hook-and-loop fastener, a suction cup, or a nanosuction device. The assembly can include a plurality of securing structures on the rear surface of the vent register cover, with each of the plurality of securing structures corresponding with a securing structure on the front surface of the register. 
     In further embodiments, a method of inhibiting air flow through an air flow opening of a register in an HVAC system includes, providing a register vent cover having a body portion presenting a front surface and a rear surface, the body portion being sized and shaped so as to correspond with and cover the air flow opening of the register, arranging at least one securing structure on the rear surface of the register vent cover, and abutting the rear surface of the register vent cover with the register so as to cover the air flow opening of the register, the securing structure affixing the register vent cover to the register. 
     These and further features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following description and attached drawings. In the description and drawings, particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail as being indicative of some of the ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed, but it is understood that the invention is not limited correspondingly in scope. Rather, the invention includes all changes, modifications and equivalents coming within the spirit and terms of the claims appended hereto. 
     Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments. 
     The above summary is not intended to describe every embodiment or every implementation of the subject matter hereof. The figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify various embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Subject matter hereof may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a register and register cover in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front isometric view of the register cover of  FIG. 2  being applied to a register; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the register cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a rear isometric view of the register cover of  FIG. 3 , depicting an adhesive layer and peel-off protective layer; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevation view of the register cover of  FIG. 1 , depicting an adhesive layer; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a register and register cover in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear isometric view of the register cover depicted in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of a register and register cover in accordance with an another alternative embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a rear isometric view of the register cover of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the claimed inventions to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a register vent cover  10  according to an embodiment of the invention is depicted with a typical conventional register  12 . Register  12  presents substantially planar front surface  14  with louvers  16  defined therethrough so as to enable passage of air through air flow openings  17 . Register  12  may further include a damper (not shown) that may be adjusted to control air flow through the air flow openings  17 . Register  12  is depicted as a wall register, but it will be readily appreciated by those of skill in the art, register vent cover  10  may be used in connection with all types of registers (e.g. ceiling registers, floor registers, louvered registers, patterned registers, etc.). 
     Register vent cover  10  generally includes body portion  18 , defining substantially planar rear surface  20  and opposing front surface  22 . Front surface  22  may be may be planar or non-planar, and may include a decorative pattern or other decorative feature (e.g. color, pattern, texture, etc.) to make the register vent cover  10  aesthetically pleasing. Alternatively, front surface  22  may be painted, printed on, or covered with separate material such as wallpaper. Body portion  18  can be formed from any material in a fashion substantially impervious to air, such as wood, metal, paper products, plastic, rubber, or densely woven cloth. In an exemplary embodiment, body portion  18  is formed from a densely woven, flexible, polyester fabric having a thickness of about 0.006 inches. Alternatively, body portion  18  could be formed from any material having suitable durability and structural characteristics, with an air-impervious layer of material, such as plastic, bonded or applied over rear surface  20  and/or opposing front surface  22 . 
     Body portion  18  can be formed in any size or configuration so as to cover air flow openings  17  and inhibit air flow therethrough. In the example depicted in  FIGS. 1-4 , a layer of adhesive  24  is applied over substantially all of rear surface  20  extending out to, or proximate, periphery  26  on all sides. As depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , register vent cover  10  is applied to register  12  with rear surface  20  of body portion  18  abutting front surface  14 , and body portion  18  covering louvers  16 . Adhesive layer  24  adheres to front surface  14  to affix register vent cover  10  to register  12 , thereby blocking air flow through louvers  16 . As depicted in  FIG. 3 a   , adhesive layer  24  can be applied in manufacturing of register vent cover  10 , with a peel-off backing layer  25 , which may be made from suitable paper or polymer as known in the art of self-adhesive technology, applied over adhesive layer  24  for protection and to prevent register vent cover  10  from adhering to undesired items and surfaces during shipping and pre-installation handling. When register vent cover  10  is ready for installation, peel-off backing layer  25  can be removed and discarded before applying register vent cover  10  to register  12  as described above. 
     It will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, adhesive layer  24  may be replaced or supplemented with any other suitable means for securing register vent cover  10  to register  12 , such as adhesive strips, adhesive paste, hook &amp; loop fasteners, magnets, suction cups, or nanosuction structures, or a combination thereof. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, as depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a band of securing material  27 , such as adhesive or hook and loop material, is applied to front surface  14  of register  12  around periphery  26 . Rear surface  20  of register cover  10  has a corresponding band of securing material  28 , such as adhesive or hook and loop material. Register vent cover  10  is applied to register  12  with securing material band  27  registered with and abutting securing material band  28 , so as to affix register vent cover  10  to register  12 . 
     In an alternative embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , register  12  may have multiple spaced-apart fastening devices  30  (e.g. adhesive strips, adhesive paste, hook &amp; loop fasteners, magnets, suction cups, nanosuction devices, or a combination thereof) arranged on front surface  14  around periphery  26 . Register vent cover  10  has corresponding fastening devices  32  arranged on rear surface  20 . Register vent cover  10  is applied to register  12  with fastening devices  30  registered with fastening devices  32 , so as to affix register vent cover  10  to register  12 . 
     It will be appreciated that when vent register cover  10  is made of a thin flexible material such as a woven polyester fabric, it may also be wrapped around any edges of the register  12  and secured to the sides or rear of register  12 . 
     While the present invention is described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present invention, and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full enabling disclosure of the present invention. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed to limit the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention, which scope is to be defined by the claims and equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself. Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. 
     Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, it is understood that equivalents and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specifications. The present invention includes all such equivalents and modifications, and is limited only by the scope the following claims. 
     Various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods have been described herein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed inventions. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes, configurations and locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosed embodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized without exceeding the scope of the claimed inventions. 
     Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the subject matter hereof may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the subject matter hereof may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the various embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted. 
     Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein. 
     For purposes of interpreting the claims, it is expressly intended that the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112(f) are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.