Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates generally to the field of building construction supplies, and more particularly to a cover for temporary installation over a floor vent opening to prevent construction debris from accumulating in the duct work.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Homes and other buildings often include floor mounted vents which are associated with the building&#39;s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These floor vents may serve either as supply vents for providing fresh air to a room or as return vents for circulating air from the room back to the furnace or air conditioner. The vents are connected to the HVAC system through a system of duct work.  
           [0005]    When a building is constructed, the vent openings and duct work are often roughed in early in the construction process and finish work continues for a substantial period of time thereafter. The grills or gratings which will eventually cover the vent openings are not generally installed until the later phases of the construction. If the vent openings are simply left open until the finish work is completed, debris from the continuing construction can fall through the openings and accumulate in the associated duct work. If the debris is not removed from the ducts it can partially block the flow of air through the duct and impair the efficiency of the HVAC system. In addition, small particles of debris such as sawdust and drywall dust can be blown out of the duct work and back into the living space, creating housekeeping problems and possibly even breathing difficulties for the building&#39;s occupants. It is therefore advantageous to prevent construction debris from entering the duct work through the floor vent openings. Open floor vent openings also present a safety hazard to personnel working around the construction site, as a worker can easily step into an unprotected opening and sustain personal injuries.  
           [0006]    Those contractors who have previously attempted to address this problem have generally done so by covering the vent openings with a solid surface, such as a piece of sheet metal or plywood. While this method is effective for preventing debris from falling into the vent openings, it also prevents the construction workers from enjoying the benefits of having the HVAC system operating while they complete their work.  
           [0007]    What is needed is a temporary cover for the vent openings which prevents even small debris from entering the duct work, but which allows air to flow through the opening so that the HVAC system can be operated during construction. A previous solution to this problem is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,886 to George Battaglin entitled Central Heating System Vent Guard. The Battaglin device comprises a guard with a central recess or trap and a circumferential flange which surrounds the recess. The recess is designed to extend downwardly into the vent opening such that the flange is generally in contact with the floor adjacent to the opening. The flange includes a plurality of raised portions which allow air to pass between the flange and the floor. One disadvantage of this device is that its usage would still allow dust and small debris items to be inadvertently swept into the vent openings through the air passages during routine site clean-up. This problem is compounded if the cover is not securely fastened to the floor and lifts up when pushed against by a broom. A second problem is that the recess in the guard represents a safety hazard in that it provides an opening into which a person could step, causing injury. In addition, debris which collects in the recess cannot be swept out and will have to be manually removed from the recess, making clean-up more difficult.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention comprises a temporary cover for use during building construction to prevent debris from entering floor vent openings. The cover has a generally flat upper surface which allows any debris which accumulates on the cover to be simply swept or vacuumed away. The cover further includes a plurality of air passages which allow the HVAC system to be operated with the covers in place so that the construction workers can work in a heated or air conditioned environment. The air passages are protected by a layer of filter material which helps prevent small debris from entering the vent opening through the air passages.  
           [0009]    An additional function of the generally flat upper surface of the cover is that it can serve as a location for the printing of logos or other promotional indicia. This feature would allow a business such as a contractor, lumberyard, or furnace or air conditioning equipment supplier to place their company name or advertising on the vent covers where it would be seen by other persons in the building trades who might purchase their products or services. Promotional logos directed toward homeowners could also be printed on the cover to promote a business&#39;s goods and services to potential home buyers viewing the house under construction.  
         OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The principal objects and advantages of the present invention include: providing a temporary vent opening cover for preventing debris from entering duct work through a vent opening during building construction; providing such a vent opening cover which includes air passages which allow air to circulate therethrough so that the associated HVAC system can be operated during construction; providing such a vent opening cover which is easy to clean around without causing debris to be swept into the vent opening; providing such a vent opening cover having filter material to help prevent smaller debris from passing through the air passages; providing such a vent opening cover which has at least one relatively large flat surface which can display logos or other promotional indicia; and providing such a vent opening cover which is economical to manufacture, durable, and particularly well-adapted for the proposed usage thereof.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a temporary vent opening cover embodying the present invention over a floor vent opening.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the vent opening cover of FIG. 1 with the filter material removed.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a vent opening cover similar to the vent opening cover of FIG. 1, but with legs shaped in the form of ribs.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a side view of the vent opening cover of FIG. 3.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged perspective view of the filter material attaching hooks of the vent opening cover.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the vent opening cover installed over a floor vent opening taken generally along line  6 - 6  in FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a top view of a modified embodiment of the vent opening cover showing the cover plate divided longitudinally between perforated and nonperforated portions.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the modified embodiment of the vent opening cover taken generally along line  8 - 8  in FIG. 7.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a top view of the modified embodiment of the vent opening cover showing the cover plate having a central nonperforated portion and a peripheral perforated portion.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    I. Introduction  
         [0021]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.  
         [0022]    Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “rightwardly,” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of a similar import.  
         [0023]    II. First Embodiment  
         [0024]    Referring to the drawings in more detail, the reference number  1  generally designates a vent opening cover embodying the present invention. The cover  1  is especially designed to cover a vent opening  3  in a floor  5 , to prevent debris from entering the associated duct work  7 , however the cover  1  may also be used to cover similar vent openings in walls, ceilings, or other surfaces if there is danger of debris entering these openings under the particular conditions of the job site.  
         [0025]    The cover  1  can be formed by a variety of methods from any of a wide variety of strong, durable materials, however a preferred construction technique is to form the cover  1  of injection molded ABS or other highly impact resistant plastic. The cover  1  includes a generally rectangular cover plate  9  which is sized and shaped to completely cover the vent opening  3  and overlap a portion of the floor  5 . The cover plate  9  is preferably of a size that allows a single cover  1  to used to cover any of a variety of standard size vent openings  3  such as 2″×10″, 4″×10″ and 4″×12″ openings, for example. It is foreseen, however, that the cover  1  could also be manufactured in a variety of sizes and shapes to cover vent openings  3  of widely divergent sizes.  
         [0026]    The cover plate  9  has a top surface  11  and a bottom surface  13 . The top surface  11  is generally flat and can provide a location for a logo or other promotional indicia  15  which can be affixed to the cover  1  in any known manner, such as by printing, engraving, embossing, or the use of adhesive stickers or decals. The bottom surface  13  of the cover plate  9  is generally divided into a central portion  17 , which is somewhat larger than the largest vent opening  3  over which the cover  1  is to be used, and a peripheral portion  19  which surrounds the central portion  17 .  
         [0027]    The cover plate  9  is spaced outwardly from the floor  5  by a plurality of legs or pedestals  21  which extend downwardly from the peripheral portion  19  of the bottom surface  13 . The legs  21  can be of any of a variety of shapes; for example, the legs  21  are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as being cylindrical or tubular in shape, and in FIGS. 3 and 4 as being elongate ribs oriented transversely to the narrow dimensions of the peripheral portion  19 .  
         [0028]    In an injection molded cover  1  having rib shaped legs  21 , the ribs would preferably have a thickness which is generally the same as the thickness of the cover plate  9 . If the ribs  21  are substantially thicker than the plate  9 , the thicker portions of the cover  1  adjacent to the ribs  21  will cool and contract at a different rate than the thinner portions and create sink marks in the top surface  11  over the ribs  21 . These sink marks would detract from the appearance of the cover  1  and adversely affect the application of the promotional indicia  15 .  
         [0029]    The spaces between the legs  21  define a plurality of air channels  23  which allow air to pass between the cover plate  9  and the floor  5  so that airflow between the duct work  7  and the surrounding room or workspace may be maintained with the cover  1  in place. A pad of open-cell foam air filter material  29  having generally the same outer dimensions as the central portion  17  of the plate  9  is installed over the central portion  17 , between the legs  21 . The filter material  29  has a thickness which is at least equal to the height of the legs  21 , and is preferably somewhat thicker, so that the edges of the pad  29  will be compressed between the floor  5  and the cover plate  9  when the cover  1  is installed over the vent opening  3 , creating a tight seal.  
         [0030]    The filter material  29  may be attached to the bottom surface  13  of the plate  9  by use of an adhesive or by any of a variety of known methods, or the central portion  17  of the plate  9  may be provided with a plurality of hooks  30  which are designed to penetrate the filter material  29  and hold it in place relative to the cover plate  9 . In order to provide the surest grip on the filter material  29 , the hooks  30  are preferably arranged in closely spaced pairs as shown in FIG. 5, the hooks  30  in the pair having their barbs pointing in opposite directions. The opposedly paired hooks  30  also have the function of creating localized tension in the filter material  29 . This tension pushes the filter material  29  onto the barbs of the hooks  30  and helps to hold the filter material  29  in place relative to the cover plate  9 .  
         [0031]    The cover  1  is temporarily secured to the floor  5  by screws or other fasteners which are inserted through mounting holes  31  extending through the cover plate  9 . The mounting holes  31  are preferably positioned proximate each of the four comers of the cover plate  9  and midway along the longer sides of the plate  9 . If the cover  1  includes tubular legs  21 , the mounting holes  31  may each be located over a respective one of the legs  21  so that fastener extends through the center of the leg  21 . If the cover  1  has legs  21  which cannot accommodate the fasteners, such as the rib-like legs shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, then mounting bosses  33  can be added to provide locations for the mounting holes  31 . The mounting bosses  31  extend downward from the bottom surface  13  of the cover plate  9  and have a height which is equal to the height of the ribs  21 .  
         [0032]    The cover  1  may also include two or more registration pegs  35  (three shown) which depend downward from the central portion  17  of the cover plate  9  at points which correspond to edges of the vent opening  3 . The registration pegs  35  serve to help locate the cover  1  over the vent opening  3 .  
         [0033]    In use, the cover  1  is placed over the vent opening  3  with the registration pegs  35  each engaging edges of the floor  5  adjacent the opening  3 , and secured in place with screws or other fasteners inserted through the mounting holes  33 . When the cover  1  is so installed, the air channels  23  each become bounded on their bottom sides by the floor  5 . The filter material  29  is compressed around its peripheral edges between the floor  5  and  8  the cover plate  9 , creating a seal between the filter material  29  and the floor  5 . The channels  23  allow air to flow between the duct work  7  and the room through the opening  3 , however the channels  23  are protected by the filter material  29  which restricts the entry of debris into duct work  7  through the air channels  23 .  
         [0034]    III. Second Embodiment  
         [0035]    An alternative embodiment of the present invention, vent opening cover  101 , is shown in FIGS.  7 - 9 . The vent opening cover  101  shares many of the features of the cover  1 , in that it includes a cover plate  109  having a generally flat top surface  111 , portions of which may serve as a location for the printing of promotional indicia  115 , and a plurality of air passages  123  which are protected by a layer of filter material  129 .  
         [0036]    The cover  101  differs from the cover  1  primarily in that the cover plate  109  is raised above the level of the floor  5  by sidewalls  130  and the air passages  123  are formed through the cover plate  109  instead of being located between the cover plate  109  and the floor  5 . These modifications make it possible to clean around the cover  101  without risk of debris being swept into the air passages  123 , as can sometimes occur with the passages  23  of the cover  1 . While the filter material  29  of the cover  1  generally restrains such swept-in debris from entering the duct work  7 , this debris can clog the air passages  23  and prevent air from passing therethrough.  
         [0037]    The cover plate  109  of the vent opening cover  101  is generally sized and shaped to match the vent opening  3 . The sidewalls  130  extend downward from the outer edges of the plate  109  to a peripheral mounting flange  132  and present a solid barrier which prevents the passage of debris between the floor  5  and the cover plate  109 . A plurality of mounting holes  133  are formed through the flange  132  for the insertion of nails, screws, or other like fasteners for securing the cover  101  to the floor  5 .  
         [0038]    The air passages  123  of the cover  101  take the form of a plurality of openings passing through the cover plate  109 . While the air passages  123  are shown in the drawings as being square holes, it is to be understood that the shape of the openings is not critical and that the air passages may be of various configurations, including holes of any shape, slots, and louvers. The air passages  123  should, however, be arranged so as to leave a relatively large, flat, nonperforated area of the cover plate  109  free for the application of promotional indicia  115 . This can be accomplished, for example, by dividing the cover plate  109  lengthwise into a perforated section  137  and an nonperforated section  139 , as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Alternatively, the nonperforated section  139  may be located in the center of the cover plate  109 , with the perforated section  137  around the periphery of the plate  109  as shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0039]    The filter material  129  is attached to the underside of the cover plate  109  by an adhesive, hooks molded into the cover plate  109 , or other means known in the art so as to protect the air passages  123  and prevent debris, generally in the form of dust, from entering the duct work  7  therethrough.  
         [0040]    It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.

Technology Category: 2