GB2324148A

GB2324148A - Ventilator

Info

Publication number: GB2324148A
Application number: GB9707207A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Davies
Original assignee: PLUS PLAN
Current assignee: PLUS PLAN
Priority date: 1997-04-09
Filing date: 1997-04-09
Publication date: 1998-10-14
Also published as: GB9707207D0

Abstract

A ventilator (1) for mounting on a door or window having a ventilation opening is moulded in plastics material and comprises a support (2) adapted for mounting adjacent to the ventilation opening and an occluding member (3) formed integrally therewith. The occluding member (3) is connected to the support (2) at a line of weakness such that the occluding member (3) may be moved about said line of weakness between a closed position in which the occluding member (3) prevents the flow of air through said ventilation opening to an open position in which flow of air through the ventilation opening is permitted.

Description

Title - Ventilator This invention relates to a ventilator, in particular to a ventilator for a door or window.

The provision of adequate ventilation of buildings is essential. This is particularly the case where modem doors and windows are installed, since such doors and windows are generally fitted with excellent seals which exclude draughts and otherwise prevent passage of air between the interior and exterior of the building.

To address this problem, modern doors and windows are commonly fitted with so-called slot ventilators. These comprise a slot or similar opening in the door or window which is normally closed on one side by a mesh (eg to prevent ingress of insects etc) and is provided on the other side (usually the inside) with an occluding member arranged to be movable from an open position, in which passage of air through the vent occurs, to a closed position in which the ventilator is closed. The occluding member is most commonly a hinged member mounted on a support which is fixed to the internal face of the door or window. The hinged connection is relatively complex and results in relatively high manufacturing costs.

There has now been devised an improved form of ventilator which overcomes or substantially mitigates the disadvantages associated with the prior art.

According to the invention, a ventilator for mounting on a door or window having a ventilation opening is moulded in plastics material and comprises a support adapted for mounting adjacent said ventilation opening and an occluding member formed integrally therewith, the occluding member being connected to the support at a line of weakness such that the occluding member may be moved about said line of weakness between a closed position in which the occluding member prevents flow of air through said ventilation opening to an open position in which flow of air through said ventilation opening is permitted.

The ventilator of the invention is advantageous primarily in that, because the support and the occluding member are formed integrally, they can be moulded in a single moulding step, thereby reducing the manufacturing time and saving capital costs.

The ventilator is preferably formed by injection moulding, using any suitable plastics material.

The support preferably comprises a substantially planar member arranged to be mounted on the door or window and containing an aperture corresponding to the ventilation opening in the door or window. The ventilation opening, and hence the aperture, most preferably takes the form of an elongate slot.

The free edge of the occluding member preferably carries one or more formations adapted to engage the support member when the occluding member is in the closed position so as to retain the occluding member in the closed position.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a door or window having a ventilation opening and a ventilator moulded in plastics material and comprising a support mounted adjacent said ventilation opening and an occluding member formed integrally with the support, the occluding member being connected to the support at a line of weakness such that the occluding member may be moved about said line of weakness between a closed position in which the occluding member prevents flow of air through said ventilation opening to an open position in which flow of air through said ventilation opening is permitted.

The ventilator is preferably fitted to the internal side of the door or window. On the external side, the ventilation opening is preferably provided with a hood or the like arranged to prevent ingress of moisture, eg rainwater. The ventilation opening is most preferably also provided with a mesh or the like to prevent or inhibit ingress of insects through the opening.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view (partially cut away) of a ventilator according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line II-II in Figure 1 of the ventilator in a closed condition; and Figure 3 is a partial perspective view (partly cut away) of a hood used in conjunction with the ventilator of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring first to Figure 1, a slot ventilator according to the invention is generally designated 1 and is integrally formed by injection moulding in plastics material. The ventilator 1 comprises a planar support member 2 and a closure member 3 connected to the support member 2 along a line of weakness 4 which serves as a hinge.

The support member 2 is formed with a rectangular aperture 5 of dimensions slightly exceeding the dimensions of a similarly shaped ventilation slot formed in the frame of a window sash (not shown). The support member 2 is also provided with two pre-formed fixing holes 6 through which screws may be passed to secure the ventilator 1 to the internal face of the window sash adjacent the ventilation slot.

The closure member 3 has the shape shown in the drawings, the free major edge of the closure member 3 being arranged, when the closure member 3 is moved to the closed position shown in Figure 2, to locate beneath a perpendicularly projecting limb 2a of the support member 2. The limb 2a is formed with a rib 7 which engages the free edge of the closure member 3 and retains the closure member 3 in the closed position.

End portions 8 are formed integrally with the support member 2 to close the spaces between the closure member 3 and the support member 2 at each end of the ventilator 1.

In use, the ventilator 1 is fixed to the internal face of the window sash as described above. The closure member 3 may be pivoted about the hinge 4 from a closed position (as shown in Figure 2), in which the free edge of the closure member 3 is held beneath the limb 2a and passage of air through the ventilator 1 is prevented, to an open position (shown in Figure 1) in which the closure member 3 is released from the limb 2a and air is permitted to flow through the aperture 5 and the ventilation opening in the window sash.

The ventilator 1 is of unitary construction and does not require assembly, as is the case where two separately formed components are connected together by means of a conventional hinge ssmechanism. This leads to reduced manufacturing costs. The ventilator 1 is moulded with the closure member 3 in the orientation shown by the broken lines in Figure 2. This has the further advantage that a number of identical ventilators 1 may easily and compactly be stacked for transportation and storage, further saving on costs.

Turning now to Figure 3, this shows an end portion of a ventilator hood 11 used in conjunction with the ventilator 1 of Figures 1 and 2, just prior to fixing in place. In particular, the ventilator 1 is fitted as described to the intemal face of the window sash, and the ventilator hood 11 is fitted to the external face. Obviously, one or more openings must be present in the window sash to define an airflow path across one end of which the ventilator hood 11 is fitted and across the other end of which the ventilator 1 is fitted.

The hood 11 is of generally similar overall dimensions to the ventilator 1 and is also integrally formed by injection moulding of plastics material. Figure 3 shows just one end portion of the hood 11, the other end being similar. The hood 11 has a rear face 12 which abuts the window sash. The central portion of the rear face 12 is formed with a series of openings 13 which define a grille. A downwardly-depending cowling 14 extends over the rear face 12 to define a downwardly open space 15 through which air may flow.

The space 15, and the grille defined by the openings 13, are separated from the end of the hood 11 by a web 16. In the region between the web 16 and the end of the hood 11, the rear face 12 is formed with a cut-out 17 which is shaped to receive a circular boss 18 with a snap fit. The boss 18 is fixed to the window sash by a screw 19 and is provided with an enlarged head portion 20 which retains the hood 11 in place.

In use, two bosses 18 are fixed to the window sash alongside the opening(s) over which the hood 11 is to be fitted. The window sash may be supplied with the bosses 18 and the hood 11 in position, or they may be fitted on site. Most conveniently, the window sash is supplied with the bosses 18 in position, the hood 11 being fitted on site when the window is installed.

A similar method of fixing may be employed f':r the ventilator 1.

Claims

1. A ventilator for mounting on a door or window having a ventilation opening, the ventilator being moulded in plastics material and comprising a support adapted for mounting adjacent said ventilation opening and an occluding member formed integrally therewith, the occluding member being connected to the support at a line of weakness such that the occluding member may be moved about said line of weakness between a closed position in which the occluding member prevents flow of air through said ventilation opening to an open position in which flow of air through said ventilation opening is permitted.

2. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support comprises a substantially planar member arranged to be mounted on the door or window and containing an aperture corresponding to the ventilation opening in the door or window.

3. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the ventilation opening takes the form of an elongate slot.

4. A ventilator as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the free edge of the occluding member carries one or more formations adapted to engage the support member when the occluding member is in the closed position so as to retain the occluding member in the closed position.

5. A ventilator as claimed in any preceding claim, which is formed by injection moulding.

6. A door or window having a ventilation opening and a ventilator moulded in plastics material and comprising a support mounted adjacent said ventilation opening and an occluding member formed integrally with the support, the occluding member being connected to the support at a line of weakness such that the occluding member may be moved about said line of weakness between a closed position in which the occluding member prevents flow of air through said ventilation opening to an open position in which flow of air through said ventilation opening is permitted.'

7. A door or window as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ventilator is fitted to the internal side of the door or window.

8. A door or window as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the ventilation opening is provided with a hood or the like arranged to prevent ingress of moisture on the external side.

9. A door or window as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the ventilation opening is provided with a mesh or the like to prevent or inhibit ingress of insects through the Opening.

10. A ventilator for mounting on a door or window substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.