Patent ID: 12203681

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, the present invention is a ventilation system embodying a ventilation element attachable to a lower portion of a sectional garage door for enabling a ventilation condition of the garage door in a partially open position. The ventilation element provides a peripheral frame dimensioned and shaped to mimic a lower section of the sectional garage door. The peripheral frame enables a plurality of filters to be removably nested therein. The peripheral frame is movably attached to the interior surface of the garage door by a plurality of travel bars fixed thereto; a complementary number of grip brackets are attached to the peripheral frame so that the peripheral frame is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position disposing the peripheral frame below a bottom elevation of the garage door so that when the garage door is in the partially open position, the peripheral frame and nested filters established a ventilation barrier between the garage door and the driveway.

Referring now toFIGS.1through12, the present invention may include a ventilation element10that is dimensioned and adapted to be movably attached to a sectional garage door12, thereby improving air quality within a garage interior11A without leaving a gap between the bottom of the garage door12and the driveway11B. Sectional garage doors are usually constructed of three to eight panels and slide up and overhead. The ventilation element10width can vary in size and can be between 12 to 14 inches in height or greater if need be for the ventilation element10to mimic a bottom section of the sectional garage door12it is operatively associated therewith. The ventilation element10may be made of aluminum, melamine, durable plastic, or any other material sufficient to handle the functionality disclosed herein.

The ventilation element10may include a peripheral frame14that defines one or more filter slots22A through which a plurality of filters22may be removably mounted. The peripheral frame14may be rectangular and be dimensioned and shaped to occupy a lower section of a sectional garage door12. It being understood, though, that a wide variety of shapes and ranges of dimensions are contemplated for the peripheral frame14.

Referring toFIGS.3and4, the peripheral frame14may be two frames15having a spaced apart relationship so that an interior space between the two frames15is provided, wherein the plurality of filters22can be removably nested through a plurality of peripheral slots22A, respectively, at the edges of the frames15that communicates said interior space with an external environment. The plurality of peripheral slots22A may be along a longitudinal edge of the peripheral frame14.

A lattice structure16may extend between the inner periphery of each frame15, thereby forming a plurality of openings17that communicate with the interior space. It is understood that the lattice structure16may be in various designs and shapes. Each opening17may have a surface area dimensioned to prevent passage of vermin; for instance, the surface area of each opening17may be less than one inch squared.

The plurality of removable filters22may be formed in a unitary elongate filter panel21, wherein the plurality of peripheral slots22A can be viewed or conceptualized as a unitary peripheral slot22A that the unitary elongate filter panel21moves between a nested condition within the interior space of the peripheral frame14and an unnested condition outside of said interior space.

The peripheral frame14may be connected by way of grip brackets34to travel bars18fixed to an interior surface of the garage door12by way of connectors20. Thereby, the peripheral frame14(and any nested filters22) may be slidably connected to the fixed travel bars18so as move between a retracted position (FIG.10) and an extended position (FIG.11). The slidable movement is relative to the travel bar18which maintains a fixed position relative to the garage door12, as illustrated inFIGS.10and11. Thus, with the garage door12in a partially opened position, the peripheral frame14may be moved from the retracted position to the extended position, thereby defining a ventilation condition26B. Alternatively, with the peripheral frame14in the retracted position, out of the way, the garage door12may be moved to a fully closed position, engaging driveway11B, defining a stowed condition26A, wherein the present invention is not visible to those outside the interior of the garage11A. Each travel bar may terminate with a foot24, whereby with the garage door in a partially open position, the frame closes a gap between the lowest section of the garage door and a floor of the garage of the garage door, and wherein the garage door is in a fully closed position, each foot24engages the floor of the garage.

The grip brackets34may be connected to the peripheral frame14by way of a bracket plate32. The grip brackets34and the bracket plate32critically maintain an approximate one inch to one-and-a-half-inch space between the travel bar18and the peripheral frame14. The grip brackets34may have pliable gripping flanges35configured to provide a sturdy hold along a circumference of the travel bar18. Importantly, the distance between the two grip brackets34must be between four to six inches so that the peripheral frame14is sturdily held when in either the retracted position or the extended position.

Referring toFIGS.5through7, in use an operator can move, by way of manually adjusting the grip brackets34so that the peripheral frame14moves relative to the travel bar18to the retracted position (with the filters14in the nested condition), so that the garage door12may be fully closed, defining a stowed condition26A shown inFIG.5. Then the operator can selectively move the garage door12to a partially opened position and the ventilation element10to the extended position so that a bottom elevation of the peripheral frame14engages the driveway11B, thereby defining a ventilation condition26B, with or without the filters22occupying the peripheral frame14(as the lattice structure16by itself can prevent incursion of vermin; though, the nested filters22filter debris from entering the garage space), as shown inFIG.6. The operator can also further elevate the garage door12so that the ventilation element10is above the driveway11B in an enhanced ventilation condition26C, as shown inFIG.7, affording even more airflow.

Referring toFIG.12, the present invention contemplates a fan embodiment28which includes one or more fans30disposed along the ventilation element.

The ventilation element10disclosed above may be provided and added to the bottom of the garage door12. The present invention is useful and practical for standard garage doors12used for residential properties, any size, such as one car door, two car or three cars. It solves the problem of indoor stuffy air without any rodents, rats, snakes, and lizards sneaking in. Also, it blocks outside dust and dirt from coming into the garage.

As used in this application, the term “about” or “approximately” refers to a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number. And the term “substantially” refers to up to 80% or more of an entirety. Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting, referring instead individually to any and all values falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated, and each separate value within such a range is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.

For purposes of this disclosure, the term “aligned” means parallel, substantially parallel, or forming an angle of less than 35.0 degrees. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “transverse” means perpendicular, substantially perpendicular, or forming an angle between 55.0 and 125.0 degrees. Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “length” means the longest dimension of an object. Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “width” means the dimension of an object from side to side. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “above” generally means superjacent, substantially superjacent, or higher than another object although not directly overlying the object. Further, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “mechanical communication” generally refers to components being in direct physical contact with each other or being in indirect physical contact with each other where movement of one component affect the position of the other.

The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (“e.g.,” “such as,” or the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the embodiments or the claims. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosed embodiments.

In the following description, it is understood that terms such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” “up,” “down,” and the like, are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms unless specifically stated to the contrary.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.