Patent Publication Number: US-6666762-B2

Title: Ventilation system

Description:
This invention concerns a ventilation system suitable for use in a conservatory roof. 
     For a conservatory roof having a central ridge it is convenient to locate a power assisted ventilation system in the ridge for extraction of hot and/or stale air. But in a conservatory roof of the type having a roof sloping from a wall or other structure there is no corresponding position for a ventilation system. 
     This invention provides, in a conservatory having a wall and having a roof, an arrangement wherein a supporting structure, which is adapted to support the roof, is mounted to the wall so as to define an air flow space between the supporting structure and the wall and wherein a power assisted ventilation system is mounted to the supporting structure and is arranged to direct air flow into the air flow space. 
     Preferably, the supporting structure comprises a channel member, which is mounted to the wall via spaced brackets, which define the air flow space between the channel member and the wall. Preferably, a power assisted ventilation system includes a cowl, which is arranged to direct air flow into the air flow space. 
     Preferably, the power assisted ventilation system includes a one-way valve allowing air flow from the power assisted ventilation system into the air flow space but not allowing reverse air flow. Preferably, the one-way valve is a flap valve. 
    
    
     This invention will now be further described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a ventilation system for a conservatory roof; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the cover of the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the cover of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a first section through the ventilation system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a second section through the ventilation system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a third section through the ventilation system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 shows part of the system of FIG. 1 with the cover removed; and 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the ventilation system of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     The ventilation system illustrated aims to overcome the abovementioned problem by being locatable where the roof meets the wall. The roofing panels (not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) are supported by a supporting structure comprising channel members  18  that are mounted in spaced brackets  20  which are screwed to the wall  14  and which define an air flow space S (see FIG. 4) between the supporting structure and the wall, i.e., between the channel members  18  and the wall  14 . Not shown is a capping that prevents rain ingress but permits air flow in the air flow space S, behind the channel members  18 , and between the brackets  20 . 
     The channel member  18  has a top barb  22  onto which the capping can be located, a bottom barb  24 , and a slot  26  onto which undercladding (not shown) can be located. The latter barb  24  and the slot  26  are used to support the ventilation system. 
     The system  10  comprises a generally inverted L-shaped back plate  36  having a top web  32  with a pair of spaced L-shaped ribs  34 ,  36 , the first rib  34  locating over barb  24  and the second rib  36  locating in the slot  26  of the channel member  18 . The other web  38  of the back plate depends from the first web and is fixed to the wall. 
     The free end of top web  32  is slotted ( 40 ) and the free end of the other web  38  has a lip  42 . The slot  40  and lip  42  serve as locations respectively for cooperating rib  44  and slot  46  along top and bottom edges of cover  50 . The cover  50  is in the form of a grill formed by angles slats  52 . The cover is screwed to the back plate via screw holes  53  in ends  42  of the cover and snap-on end covers  55  are provided to conceal the screws and electrical wiring for the ventilation system that can be run behind the undercladding. The ends  54  have cut outs  57  for electrical wiring to pass through. 
     Mounted to the back plate via anti-vibration mountings  60  at each end is a cowl  62  having a cylindrical first part  64  containing a rotary motor  66  and a second open fronts part  68  in which is an axial fan  70  operated by the motor. The second part  68  of the cowl is shaped to direct air flow upwards through longitudinal slot  72  in the top of the cowl. 
     Directly above the slot  72 , the top web of the back plate has a one-way flap valve  74  following air flow into the air flow space S and out behind the channel member  18  but not allowing reverse air flow. At one end of the ventilation system are electrical terminals  80  for connecting an external power supply to the motor  66 . 
     The ventilation system illustrated can be fitted to a conservatory roof in a relatively unobtrusive fashion and is used to remove hot or stale air from within the conservatory to maintain pleasant conditions therein. By mounting the roof cowl on anti-vibration mountings noise levels can be kept down because operation of the ventilation system will have minimal vibrating effects on the roof itself.