Combustion air wall vent

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to wall vents and, more particularly, combustion air wall vents adapted for use with exterior walls having a stucco type finish.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] During the summertime in the southwest United States and in climatologically similar areas, the temperature in an unvented enclosed garage increases to well over 100° F. Such a high temperature may cause damage or deterioration to temperature sensitive items stored or otherwise disposed within such a garage. Moreover, the high temperatures render it very uncomfortable for a person working within the garage. To alleviate this problem, it is not uncommon to install vents in one or more exterior walls of a garage to permit airflow into and out of the garage.

[0005] The simplest of such vents are a louvered panel of relatively light weight material nailed or screwed to the exterior surface of a wall in juxtaposed relationship with the corresponding aperture. Such light weight louvered panels are easily removed by a person intending to commit mischief within the garage. Other more robust vents have been used in conventional walls which are designed to preclude removal from outside the wall.

[0006] In the southwest, stucco type walls are a common treatment to exterior walls. Existing vents for use with such walls generally fail to accommodate the unique properties attendant the construction of stucco wall surfaces and cause the vent and surrounding stucco to be unsightly and generally unacceptable from an aesthetic viewpoint. Additionally, sealing the junction between conventional vents and the stucco is of questionable merit and water readily flows therebetween as a result of rain or other wetting of the exterior wall.

[0007] Many residential garages have gas fired water heaters located therein. These heaters require make-up air to provide a continuing source of oxygen to maintain complete combustion and reduce the emission of deadly carbon monoxide. Many municipalities are redrafting or adopting building codes that require vents in an exterior wall enclosing a gas fired water heater. Generally, such vents must be within 12 inches of the ceiling and of the floor to insure an adequate source of make-up air through convection or otherwise. As mentioned above, many presently available vents for this purpose are either inadequate as security devices to preclude entry into the garage, are unsightly or compromise the integrity of the exterior wall against intrusion of elements.

[0008] A louvered panel is supported by top, bottom, left and right sidewalls forming a boxlike structure. Right angled flanges extend from the edges of the top, bottom, left and right sidewalls for attachment by nails or screws to an underlying frame defining the opening covered by the vent. A screen serving as an insect barrier is juxtaposed with the interior surface of the louvered panel and held in place by tabs bent inwardly from one or more of the top, bottom, left and right sidewalls. Upon bending of the tabs, slots are formed that may serve as openings through which the nails or screws are inserted to secure the vent in place. Thereby, the vent includes several labor saving features to minimize installation time. The depth of the top, bottom, left and right sidewalls corresponds with the width of conventional stucco wall construction external of the supporting studs (or framing) whereby the louvered panel is flush with the stucco wall and the stucco forms a weather tight seal about the vent.

[0009] It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a labor saving easy to install combustion air vent for use with an exterior wall having a stucco finish.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a combustion air vent for an exterior wall which is impossible to remove without major damage to the exterior wall.

[0011] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a vent having an insect screen retained in place by bent tabs.

[0012] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a combustion air vent precluding unwanted intrusion therethrough.

[0013] A further object of the present invention is to provide a combustion air vent secured in place prior to applying a stucco finish to the attendant exterior wall.

[0014] A still further object of the present invention is to provide a combustion air vent in sealed engagement with a surrounding stucco wall finish.

[0015] A yet further object of the present invention is to provide an easily installable combustion air vent and method for installing same.

[0016] These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.

[0017] The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combustion air vent particularly adapted for use with an exterior wall having a stucco finish;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a partial view illustrating the attachment of the combustion air vent;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3—3, as shown in FIG. 2;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view illustrating a variant of the combustion air vent; and

[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5—5, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a combustion air wall vent 10 providing airflow through a louvered panel 12. The louvered panel is supported by top, bottom, left and right panels or sidewalls 14, 16, 18, 20, respectively. A flange 30 extends from top wall 14 at an angle of approximately 90 degrees. This flange may include a pair of extensions 32, 34 particularly adapted, as will be described below, for securing flange 30 to an underlying cross member extending between two wall studs. A similarly configured and oriented flange 40 extends from bottom wall 16; it may also include extensions 42, 44 for attachment to another cross member extending between wall studs. A flange 50 extends at approximately 90 degrees from left sidewall 18. This flange may be in juxtaposed relationship with a wall stud and be attached thereto, as described below. A flange 52, similar to flange 50, extends from right sidewall 20 for bearing against and attachment to an underlying wall stud.

[0024] Referring jointly to FIGS. 2 and 3, further details of combustion air vent 10 will be described. Flange 52 is supported adjacent wall stud 60. The flange may be attached to this stud by screws, nails or other fastening means penetrably engaging apertures 62, 64 in flange 52. Extension 32 and part of top wall 14 includes a slot 70 formed to define a right angle tab 72 extending from top wall 14. An insect screen 74 of mesh or similar material is placed adjacent the inside surface of louvered panel 12 to preclude intrusion of insects through the apertures defined by louvers 76. Bending tab 72 approximately 180 degrees at its junction with top wall 14 will position a segment of the tab adjacent screen 74 and retain screen adjacent louvered panel 12, as particularly illustrated in FIG. 3. Slot 70 will now be open and a screw or nail 78 or other fastening means may be driven therethrough into cross member 80 to secure extension 32, and vent 10, to the cross member.

[0025] Extension 34 includes a similar tab 82 disposed within slot 84; this tab is also bent to hold screen 74 in place as described above with respect to tab 72. Extensions 40 and 44 include similar tabs 86, 90 disposed within slots 88, 92, respectively, and for the same purpose as tab 72. Moreover, slots 84, 88 and 92 serve as apertures through which a screw, nail or other fastening means may be inserted to engage an underlying cross member. It is to be noted that flange 50 (see FIG. 1), like flange 52, may include apertures for penetrably receiving screws, nails or other fastening means for engagement with an underlying wall stud.

[0026] As described above, combustion air vent 10 is secured to the framing of a wall; that is, to the vertical wall studs and cross members therebetween defining an aperture generally corresponding with the size of the vent. To obtain a stucco finish exterior of the wall framing, presently used conventional procedures and construction may be undertaken. As particular shown in FIG. 3, black paper 100, also known as moisture barrier paper, is attached to the framing by conventional means. Industry standard blue board 102 (or white board) is attached adjacent black paper 100 and serves primarily as an insulator. A mesh, such as chicken wire 104, is attached to blue board 102. The chicken wire serves to provide purchase for stucco 106 in the form of a paste troweled onto the chicken wire. Blue board 102 also serves the purpose of providing structural support for the stucco. Upon curing, the stucco forms a relatively hard surface with beneficial insulating properties.

[0027] As particularly illustrated in FIG. 3, the depth of combustion air vent 10 conforms with the thickness of the totality of the stucco wall construction. Furthermore, the stucco wall renders inaccessible nail 78, screws or other fastening means used to secure the vent in place. Thus, removal of the vent is impossible without destroying the surrounding parts of the stucco wall. Furthermore, the blue board is easily cut and fitted about the vent by making a series of straight cuts therein. Attachment of the chicken wire about the vent requires no more then a modicum of skill. The stucco paste is readily troweled about the vent and effectively seals the top, bottom, left and right sidewalls of the vent with the encircling stucco wall.

[0028] Referring jointly to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a variant 110 of combustion air vent 10. Herein, top, bottom, left and right panels or sidewalls include right angled flanges, of which top wall 112, its flange 114 and right sidewall 16 and its flange 118 are shown. Each of the flanges includes one or more apertures 120 for penetrably receiving nails, screws or other fastening means may be used to attach variant 110 to the underlying wall studs and cross members. A slot 122 may be formed in one or more of the top, bottom, left side and right sidewalls to define a bendable tab 124. Each tab is bent approximately 90 degrees to locate the tab adjacent and retain insect screen 126 juxtaposed with louvered panel 128. As will be evident by inspection of FIG. 3, application of stucco 106 may fall through one or more of slots 122. Under normal circumstances, the stucco falling therethrough will be of no consequence. However, to prevent such intrusion of the stucco, a piece of tape or other material may be used to cover the slot after the respective tab is bent.

[0029] For purposes of minimizing the cost of vent 10 or variant 110, the vent may be formed from galvanized sheet material. Such sheet material may be of limited benefit in preventing intrusion through the underlying wall by purposefully damaging the louvered panel. To provide a high degree of security, vent 10 or variant 110 may be formed of steel of sufficient gauge to prevent destruction of the louvered panel except by extraordinary efforts. It is also contemplated that vent 10 or variant 110 may be formed of a plastic or other manmade material by conventional low cost processes.

[0030] In summary, vent 10 or variant 110 may be formed relatively inexpensively by presently well known manufacturing processes from any of various materials. The parts count is very low to enhance the low cost of manufacture, storage and shipping. Installation of the vent or the variant is easily performed by even low skilled artisans and may be rapidly performed which further enhances minimizing costs. Because the workman applying the stucco wall to the framing can easily accommodate the disruption caused by the vent or the variant to provide a uniform wall with little likelihood of error or mistake, little, if any, additional cost is incurred by forming the stucco wall about the vent or the variant. Finally, the louvered panel is essentially flush with the final wall surface and provides little, if any, aesthetic disruption to the final exterior wall.

[0031] While the invention has been described with reference to several particular embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make the various modifications to the described embodiments of the invention without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all combinations of elements and steps which perform substantially the same function is substantially the same way to achieve the same result are within the scope of the invention.