Patent Abstract:
A ceiling wall and floor register assembly has interconnecting parts for the termination of an air duct and the parts purposefully lack mechanical or adhesive connections into the air flow. The parts interconnect with precisely tapered ends that cooperate and use a friction fit to resist jarring and separation during handling, construction, installation, and usage. Each part has an inlet face and an outlet face and at least one of the faces has a tapered end for connection to the opposite face of an adjacent part. The taper is generally upon the inside diameter of the selected end. The taper is applied to various parts of the assembly for a common method of installation. The assembly delivers treated air from a duct to a register without air loss through the connections of the assembly.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This non provisional patent application claims priority to the provisional patent application having Ser. No. 60/936,367, having filing date Jun. 19, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The ceiling and wall register assembly generally relates to heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems and more specifically to the connection of duct joints without using mechanical or adhesive fasteners. 
         [0003]    The prevalence of heated and air conditioned spaces has increased over the years. More and more, the air itself is heated, cooled, conditioned, and ventilated in structures of all kinds occupied by people. People occupy structures to protect themselves from the exterior environment. As the exterior environment changes with the seasons or has more temperature extremes, people seek to make the environment within a structure more comfortable. People have adjusted the interior environment with various heating and cooling devices over the years. At the present time, people often have a combined furnace and air conditioning unit in a residential setting. 
         [0004]    The combined furnace and air conditioning unit has a heating portion for raising the interior temperature, typically in winter, and an air conditioning portion for cooling and drying the interior environment, typically in summer. The combined units, and stand alone air conditioning units, generally alter the temperature and humidity of air blown through the units. An electrically operated blower draws room air into the unit where it is heated or cooled as desired and then blows the treated air back into a structure, typically a house. The treated air moves into a house through a system of ductwork. The ductwork begins with a main duct generally extending the length of a house with branch ducts extending from the main duct for individual rooms where each duct generally terminates near a window. Older styles of ducts are generally sheet metal and have a hollow rectangular cross section, while newer ducts are round. Ducts terminate in a register that people see within a room as it releases treated air for the comfort of the room occupants. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0005]    Existing registers generally have a rectangular shape with a perimeter flange that extends into an opening in a floor, wall, or ceiling, and then into the duct. Perpendicular to the perimeter flange, the register has a louvered surface that people see in their homes. The louvers extend perpendicular to the length of the register and have spacing between adjacent louvers for air flow out of the register as is commonly felt by home occupants. The register often has adjustable vanes below the louvered surface. People can adjust the vanes and partially close off a register as desired. The treated air from a register then mixes is with room air through convection. 
         [0006]    However, louvers function as an obstruction to a flow of fluid, here treated air, generally heated or cooled. Louvers are known to reduce air flow exiting a register by 30% to 40% in volume per minute. The air flow reduction causes the heating and cooling system to operate longer and thus increase operating and maintenance costs for the system over time. People notice this in their utility bills, particularly at the seasonal adjustment times, the June electric bill and the November natural gas or heating oil bill. Additionally, the obstruction of the louvers disrupts the air flow and creates noise. Homeowners, particularly those sleeping or of tender year in age, have a sensitivity to noise and seek registers and other equipment that causes the least noise. 
         [0007]    The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and provides a register without louvers that mixes treated air unobtrusively. The assembly connects its components without mechanical fasteners entering the air flow as in existing sheet metal ducts. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Generally, the present invention of a ceiling wall and floor register assembly has interconnecting parts for the termination of an air duct where the part to part connections do not use mechanical fasteners or adhesives that extend into the air flow of the parts. The parts of the invention interconnect using precisely tapered ends that cooperate in a friction engagement that resists jarring and separation during handling, construction, installation, and usage. Each part has an inlet face—receiving air—and an opposite outlet face—releasing air—and at least one of the faces has a tapered end for connection to the opposite face of an adjacent part. The parts of the assembly interconnect to deliver treated air from a duct to a register for a room without air loss through the connections of the assembly. 
         [0009]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. The present invention also includes a register, an elbow, a reducer, a bracket for connecting the assembly to the structure, a diverter connecting to the register, and a cap for closing the register, in place of the diverter. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. 
         [0010]    Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0011]    One object of the present invention is to provide a ceiling and wall register assembly for use with existing heating and air conditioning systems. 
         [0012]    Another object is to provide such a ceiling and wall register assembly that connects adjacent parts that transfer air without mechanical fasteners, adhesives, or tapes. 
         [0013]    Another object is to provide such a ceiling wall and floor register assembly that saves on head room, or vertical space, for low roof slope or other tight quarters installation. 
         [0014]    Another object is to provide such a ceiling wall and floor register assembly that is made with non-metallic materials, preferably injection molded plastics. 
         [0015]    Another object is to provide such a ceiling wall and floor register assembly that has a low cost of manufacturing so the consuming public can readily purchase the assembly and its component parts through existing retail outlets. 
         [0016]    These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    In referring to the drawings, 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a top view of a register, the termination of the present invention, generally as seen when installed in a room; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  describes a side view of a register; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the register; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  describes a front view of an elbow of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  shows a side view of the elbow; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  describes a sectional view of the elbow; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  illustrates an end view of a reducer looking from the narrow end—outlet—to the wide end—inlet; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the reducer; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view of the reducer; 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  describes an end view of a narrower reducer, again looking from outlet to inlet; 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  illustrates a side view of the narrower reducer; 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the narrower reducer; 
           [0030]      FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the bracket for installing the present invention to a structure; 
           [0031]      FIG. 14  is side view of the bracket; 
           [0032]      FIG. 15  is a top view of the dome like diverter that fits into the outlet of the register; 
           [0033]      FIG. 16  is a side view of the diverter; 
           [0034]      FIG. 17  is a sectional view of the diverter; 
           [0035]      FIG. 18  is a top view of the plug that fits into the outlet of the register; 
           [0036]      FIG. 19  is a side view of the plug; and, 
           [0037]      FIG. 20  is a sectional view of the plug. 
       
    
    
       [0038]    The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    The present art overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a ceiling wall and floor register assembly that connects its various components without mechanical fasteners, adhesives, or tapes. Beginning the description with what a person sees when the assembly is installed in a ceiling or wall,  FIG. 1  shows a top view of a register  1 . The register has a generally round shape with a perimeter flange  2  that has means to attach  3  the register to the structure of a building. The attachment means is generally screws that fit through fabricated openings  4  that penetrate through the thickness of the flange outside of the air flow through the assembly. The screws turn into a bracket, later described, and hold the register against the wall or ceiling of a room. Centered upon the flange and the register itself, an aperture  5  transmits air from the duct system into a room at either the ceiling or the wall. Preferably, the aperture is round for laminar air flow and serves as the outlet for air from the register. 
         [0040]    Turning the register,  FIG. 2  shows the register from the side. The flange has a thickness and a beveled edge  6  that eases the transition to the ceiling or wall surface. Beneath the flange  2 , the register has a hollow cylindrical tube  7  that has an inner diameter that defines the aperture  5 . The cylindrical tube is shown with a step inwards in diameter, as at  8 , from near the flange to approximately the middle of the tube, though a nearly constant diameter embodiment is foreseen. Opposite the flange, the tube has its narrow portion  9  that serves as the inlet for air to the register. The narrow portion has a beveled edge  10  to ease insertion of the tube into a preceding fitting or duct. 
         [0041]    The essence of the invention is then shown in  FIG. 3  as a sectional view of  FIG. 2 . The register  1  has a flange  2  having an integral tube  7 , centered upon and perpendicular to the flange. The aperture  5  communicates with the tube to permit the flow of air through the register. The tube has a narrow portion  9  that has a round wall  11  that terminates in a beveled edge  10  opposite the flange  2 . The round wall itself has a taper of one degree from proximate the midpoint of the length of the tube away from the flange towards the beveled edge. The taper reduces the outer diameter of the wall  11  and allows for a snug fit of this inlet into the outlet of a preceding fitting. 
         [0042]    Within the aperture  5 , the tube  7  has a wider section  12  with a rounded wall  13  as well. This rounded wall has a taper of one degree narrowing the diameter of the aperture away from the flange and towards the narrow portion  9  and terminating at the step  8 , or approximately the midpoint of the height of the tube  7 . The tapering of the wider section  12  receives a fitting and secures it without mechanical fasteners or adhesives, primarily using friction between the register and the fitting augmented by the taper of the wider section. 
         [0043]    Inwardly from the register  1  in the present invention,  FIG. 4  shows a front view of an elbow  14 . The elbow is generally a hollow cylinder that has been bent, as at  17 , approximately 45° generally at the center of the cylinder. The elbow has an inlet portion  15  that receives air from preceding ductwork or fittings and an opposite outlet portion  16 . The inlet portion has a means to lock  18  upon a preceding fitting, such as the bracket as later described. Preferably, the locking means is of the bayonet type  19  that engages cooperatively with a preceding fitting. The bayonet lugs, as at  19 , are spaced ahead of a ring  20  that serves as a stop for the preceding fitting. The ring in the preferred embodiment extends around the perimeter of the inlet portion  15 . The inlet portion generally has a constant inside diameter as in  FIG. 6 . Opposite the inlet portion  15 , the elbow has the outlet portion  16 , here shown below the bend as at  17 . The outlet portion has a smooth wall  21  with a tapering outer diameter. 
         [0044]      FIG. 6  shows the elbow in section view where the inlet portion  15  has a constant inner diameter and the bayonet type locking means. The inlet portion transitions to the outlet portion  16  at the bend  17 . From the bend outwardly, the outlet portion has an outer diameter that tapers at one degree from its widest at the bend to its narrowest at a beveled edge  10 . The inner diameter of the inlet portion slightly exceeds the outer diameter of the outlet portion. 
         [0045]    Often an elbow transitions a duct to the register in the near vicinity of the register. The elbow assists a duct passing through a wall or ceiling to mate with the register, more particularly the inlet portion, generally perpendicular to the wall or ceiling. As the elbow inlet  15  has a diameter proximate to the register aperture but less than the duct diameter, a reducer  22  connects the duct to the elbow and is shown in  FIG. 7 . The reducer has an outlet  23  here shown as a hollow round tube of a diameter slightly larger than the outsider diameter of the elbow inlet  15 . The outlet has sufficient length to admit the inlet  15  and then the reducer expands in diameter as a frusto-conical shape to the reducer inlet  24 . The reducer inlet is also round and hollow and has a greater diameter than the reducer outlet. The reducer inlet  24  connects to a duct of comparable shape and diameter. Though a round cross section for the inlet is shown, the reducer can also be fabricated with a rectangular inlet for connection to rectangular cross section ductwork. 
         [0046]    The relationship of the diameters of the inlet  24  and the outlet  23  is shown in the side view of the reducer in  FIG. 8 . The outlet  23  has a hollow tube form with a smooth exterior wall  25 . The outlet has a length to receive the inlet  15  securely. Then the outlet  23  transitions, or expands, in diameter to the diameter of the inlet  24 . The transition in diameter appears as a frusto-conical shape here shown as two inclined surfaces  26 . The transition is shown having a length along the longitudinal axis of the reducer of approximately one third the diameter of the inlet  24 . The inlet also has a perimeter opposite the inclined surfaces  26  and the outlet  23 . The perimeter has a lip  27  along the circumference of the inlet to assist installers in gripping the reducer and any attached elbow, register, or other component. 
         [0047]    The reducer also secures firmly to the elbow, as at  15 , with its outlet  23  in  FIG. 9 . The outlet has a wall  25  with a tapered exterior surface  25   a  of approximately one degree that narrows the outside diameter of the wall away from the center of the reducer towards the opening of the outlet  23 . The wall  25  also has a tapered interior surface  25   b  of approximately one degree but that narrows the inside diameter of the wall. The taper of the interior surface, reducing the diameter of the outlet opening, grips the inlet  15  of the elbow and the friction between the reducer outlet  23  and the elbow inlet  15  secures the two parts without mechanical fasteners or adhesive. The narrowing taper of the elbow inlet  15  pinches with the narrowing taper of the interior surface  25   b  of the outlet  23 . 
         [0048]    Reducers can transition between ducts and fittings of various diameters.  FIG. 10  illustrates another reducer similar to  FIG. 7  but with a smaller transition in diameter from inlet to outlet. This reducer  28  has an outlet  23  of a hollow round shape that communicates with a slightly larger inlet  24 . As before, the outlet and inlet are round but can be formed in rectangular shapes to connect with similar shaped ducts. Turning the reducer on end,  FIG. 11  shows a side view of this reducer  28  that generally shows a transition of approximately twenty percent from inlet diameter to outlet diameter. The hollow tubular inlet  24  connects to the also hollow tubular outlet  23  with inclined surfaces  26 . In this reducer, the inclined surfaces have a shallower incline that in the previous reducer. The outlet though has a smooth wall  25  with a tapered cross section shown in  FIG. 12 . 
         [0049]    As in the previous reducer, the outlet has a wall  25  with a tapered exterior surface  25   a  of approximately one degree that narrows the outside diameter of the wall away from the center of the reducer towards the opening of the outlet  23 , here to the left of the figure. The wall  25  also has a tapered interior surface  25   b  of approximately one degree that narrows the inside diameter of the outlet. The taper of the interior surface reducing the diameter of the outlet opening grips an inlet  15  of the elbow where the friction between the outlet  23  and the elbow inlet  15  secures the two parts. Though an elbow to reducer connection is described, the outlet can connect to other fittings of complementary shape. The narrowing taper of the inlet  15  pinches with the narrowing taper of the interior surface  25   b  of the outlet  23  for a snug fit between two components of the assembly. 
         [0050]    With an elbow generally terminating a duct for connection to register and the register being visible to occupants of a room, the assembly  1  generally secures to the building structure, such as a ceiling joist or truss chord. Securing the elbow to the structure prevents inadvertent movement of the register during air speed and volume changes through connected ducts, and expansion and contraction of metal ductwork. A secure register prevents damage to adjacent room finishes such as drywall or in some cases plaster. As building structure has standard shapes, generally rectangular, and without a taper, the assembly connects to a joist or truss chord with mechanical fasteners. The mechanical fasteners generally have heads upon threaded shanks where the shanks embed into a joist or truss, wood screws and machine bolts are preferred fasteners. The heads of the fasteners connect with a boot bracket  29  shown from above in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0051]    As in  FIG. 13 , the boot bracket has a central plate  30 , generally rectangular, and here shown as square with four sides. The plate has an upper surface  30   a,  generally away from a register, and an opposite lower surface  30   b  towards the register. The plate is generally thin in cross section and has a perimeter edge reinforced with a band  31 . The band is shown upon three sides of the plate and is generally perpendicular to the plane of the plate. The plate has a centered opening  32 , generally round that accepts the outlet  15  of the elbow. The centered opening has at least one bayonet type lock  33 , here shown as four, that engage the bayonet lugs  19 . The ring  20  of the outlet then abuts the upper surface  30   a  of the plate  30 . The bayonet type locks, cooperating with the lugs, previously shown in  FIG. 5 , allow the elbow  14  to achieve various angles relative to the building structure. The elbow, through a reducer, allows a duct to connect, generally from parallel to perpendicular, to the building structure. Finer angle adjustments of the elbow, to the building structure, can be made with a higher number of lugs and bayonet locks, or more precisely located bayonet locks for specific angles, as desired. Generally, the elbow permits a duct to approach the register from at least four angles. 
         [0052]    Returning to the perimeter of the central plate, the fourth side is enclosed by a flange  34 , also perpendicular to the plane of the central plate. The flange, as shown in  FIG. 14 , has a generally elongated rectangular shape of similar depth to the height of the band and two ends. Upon each end, the flange has a notch  35  partially through the depth of the flange. The notch allows the boot bracket  29  to rest upon the shanks of the mechanical fasteners and the heads to extend outward from the notch and to grasp the flange and pull the boot bracket to the building structure for securement. The junction of the flange to the corner of the plate may be reinforced by a gusset  36  in the plane of the central plate. Beneath the band  31 , a sleeve  37  extends below the perimeter of the opening  32 . The sleeve, generally hollow, has a constant inside diameter that receives the tapered tube  7  of the register. The sleeve generally joins to the upper surface  30   a.    
         [0053]    With the assembly  1  secured to the structure from the register  1  to the ducts and the finish applied to a room, an occupant of the room may adjust the register for a directed air flow. By the addition of the direction the register is primarily an opening flush with a ceiling, wall, or floor, with the air directed straight out of the register. The diverter  38  shown in  FIG. 15  allows a room occupant to direct air flow from a register in a desired direction. The diverter has a partial dome  39  upon a round cylindrical end  40 . The dome has a generally round shape that occupies more than 180° of the perimeter of the end and a radius that occupies over 90° upwardly from the plane of the end as later shown in  FIG. 17 . As the dome extends only partially, the diverter has an opening  41  that transmits air therethrough from the register to a room. 
         [0054]    Viewing the diverter  38  from the rear,  FIG. 16  shows the dome  39  extending across the diameter of the end  40 . The radius of the dome is generally similar to that of the end. The dome joins with the end so the perimeter of the dome matches a wall  42  that defines the end  40 . The wall forms a hollow cylinder and is generally tangent to the dome at all points around the perimeter of the dome. The wall in this embodiment has a constant thickness and no tapering. The wall has its own beveled end as at  43  opposite the dome. This beveled end  43  fits into the outlet  5  of the register. 
         [0055]    In section, the diverter  38  appears as a partial hemisphere in  FIG. 17 . The dome  39  rests upon the wall  42  that forms the end  40  of the diverter. The dome extends from one wall upwardly and beyond ninety degrees in rotation from the top of the wall. The incomplete extent of the dome provides an opening as at  41  that distributes air from the register into a room. The opening, in cooperation with the fit of the end into the outlet  5 , allows a person to turn the diverter and direct air flow as desired. 
         [0056]    When a person wants to stop air flow from a register into a room, the person uses the plug shown in  FIG. 18 . The plug  44  has a generally round shape, slightly larger in diameter than the register outlet  5 . The plug has its primary part as a disk  45 . Beneath the disk,  FIG. 19  shows the plug has a tapered cylindrical inlet as at  46 . The inlet has slightly less diameter than the disk and fits snugly into the opening of the register. The inlet may have a step outward in diameter as at  47  and then an expansion outward of diameter in a transition to the disk as at  48 . The inlet is generally a hollow cylinder formed of a wall  49  with a beveled end  50 . 
         [0057]    And,  FIG. 20  shows a section through the plug illustrating the construction of the plug. The disk  45  joins to the inlet  46  and the inlet transitions in diameter at  48  and then steps inwardly in diameter as at  47 . Below the step, the inlet has the wall  49 , here shown as two spaced apart sections. Below the step, the wall tapers in its outside diameter so that the wall narrows in diameter at a rate of one degree. Opposite the disk, the wall  49  attains its narrowest diameter proximate the beveled end  50 . This one degree taper provides a snug fit of the plug into the outlet  5  of the register similar to the other fitting having tapered inlets and outlets as previously described. The tapering of the inlets and outlets allows of construction of this assembly without the use of mechanical fasteners or adhesives in fittings from ducts to the registers. 
         [0058]    From the aforementioned description, a ceiling wall and floor register has been described. The device is uniquely capable of connecting two adjacent fittings using a friction fit of at least one tapered fitting with mechanical fasteners or adhesives. The tapered is generally a narrowing of the outside diameter of one fitting and the narrowing of the inside diameter of a second fitting. Generally the taper is approximately 0.5 degree to approximately two degrees and preferably one degree with the narrowest portion at the outside end of a fitting. The assembly and its various components may be manufactured from many materials, including but not limited to, wood, steel, aluminum, polymers, ABS plastic, polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, rubber, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys, and composites. 
         [0059]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Heretofore, those skilled in the art have not recognized tapered ends as suitable for connections of adjacent parts in ductwork. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5