Ventilation system and method
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention provide a ventilation system comprising a housing. The housing includes an inlet through which air is received and the housing is capable of being installed within a structure. A ventilating assembly can be supported within an interior of the housing. The ventilating assembly can be operable to generate a flow of air and can be in fluid communication with the inlet. The system can include a thermal damper assembly comprising an aperture and a substantially non-metallic curtain. The damper assembly is capable of being coupled to the housing so that the aperture of the thermal damper assembly and the inlet of the housing are in fluid communication with each other. In some embodiments, the thermal damper assembly is configured and arranged to be uncoupled from the housing after the housing has been installed within the structure to provide access to the interior of the housing.
1. A ventilation system comprising:
a housing including an inlet through which air is received within the housing and an outlet through which the air exits the housing, the housing being capable of being installed substantially within a structure;
a ventilating assembly being supported in the housing and operable to generate a flow of air;
a thermal damper assembly comprising a substantially non-metallic curtain positioned within a frame; and
an adaptor capable of being coupled to the housing such that the adaptor is flush with the housing, the adaptor having at least one aperture for receiving a fastener for releasbly coupling the adaptor to the frame of the thermal damper assembly within an opening defined by the adaptor for operably coupling the thermal damper assembly to the housing, wherein the adaptor is configured and arranged to be uncoupled from the housing after the housing has been installed within the structure to release the thermal damper assembly from the housing, wherein a region of the frame of the thermal damper frictionally engages the adaptor to assist retention of the thermal damper assembly within the opening of the adaptor.
2. The ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein the substantially non-metallic curtain comprises a ceramic curtain.
3. The ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal damper assembly comprises one or more frame apertures defined through the frame, a thermal link, and one or more biasing members coupled to the frame and the substantially non-metallic curtain.
4. The ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal damper assembly is configured and arranged so that the thermal damper assembly is capable of being uncoupled from the housing through an interior of the thermal damper assembly.
5. The ventilation system of claim 1 and further comprising a grille movably coupled to at least one of the thermal damper assembly and the housing.
6. The ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor comprises one or more mounting apertures that are configured and arranged to receive one or more mounting wires that are capable of aiding in installation of the housing within the structure.
7. The ventilation system of claim 1 and further comprising a guard member, and wherein the guard member is configured and arranged to be coupled to one of the thermal damper assembly and the housing during installation of the housing within the structure.
8. The ventilation system of claim 1 and further comprising a mounting assembly being capable of being coupled to the housing to aid in installing the housing within the structure.
9. The ventilation system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal damper assembly is configured and arranged to at least partially seal the inlet when a temperature adjacent to the thermal damper assembly is at or above a predetermined threshold.
10. A ventilation system comprising:
a housing including an inlet through which air is received within the housing, the housing being capable of being installed within a structure;
a ventilating assembly being supported within an interior of the housing and operable to generate a flow of air, the ventilating assembly being in fluid communication with the inlet;
a thermal damper assembly comprising a frame defining an aperture and a substantially non-metallic curtain, and
an adaptor capable of being coupled to the housing such that the adaptor is flush with the housing, the adaptor having at least one aperture for receiving a fastener for releasbly coupling the thermal damper assembly for operably coupling the thermal damper assembly to the housing, wherein the adaptor is configured and arranged to be uncoupled from the housing after the housing has been installed within the structure to release the thermal damper assembly from the housing, wherein a region of the frame of the thermal damper frictionally engages the adaptor to assist retention of the thermal damper assembly to the adaptor;
wherein the thermal damper assembly is configured and arranged to be uncoupled from the adaptor after the housing has been installed within the structure to provide access to the interior of the housing through the inlet of the housing.
11. The ventilation system of claim 10 , wherein the thermal damper assembly is configured and arranged to at least partially seal the inlet of the housing when a temperature adjacent to the thermal damper assembly is at or above a predetermined threshold.
12. The ventilation system of claim 10 , wherein the thermal damper assembly is configured and arranged so that the thermal damper assembly is capable of being uncoupled from the housing through an interior of the thermal damper assembly.
13. The ventilation system of claim 10 , and further comprising a mounting assembly being capable of being coupled to the housing to aid in installing the housing within the structure.
14. The ventilation system of claim 10 , wherein the housing comprises one or more mounting apertures that are configured and arranged to receive one or more mounting wires that are capable of aiding in installation of the housing within the structure.
15. The ventilation system of claim 10 and further comprising a guard member, and wherein the guard member is configured and arranged to be coupled to the thermal damper assembly to substantially seal the inlet of the housing and the aperture of the thermal damper assembly during installation of the housing within the structure.
16. The ventilation system of claim 10 , wherein the substantially non-metallic curtain comprises a ceramic curtain.
17. A ventilation system comprising:
a housing including an inlet through which air is received within the housing, the housing being capable of being installed within a structure;
a ventilating assembly being supported within an interior of the housing and operable to generate a flow of air, the ventilating assembly being in fluid communication with the inlet; and
a thermal damper assembly comprising
a frame defining an aperture,
a substantially non-metallic curtain comprising ceramic, and
a central aperture, the thermal damper assembly being capable of being coupled to the housing so that the central aperture of the thermal damper assembly and the inlet of the housing are in fluid communication with each other;
an adaptor capable of being coupled to the housing such that the adaptor is flush with the housing and defining an opening for receiving the thermal damper assembly, the adaptor having at least one aperture for receiving a fastener;
wherein the frame is configured to receive the fastener to be coupled to the adaptor and uncoupled from the adaptor through an interior of the thermal damper assembly after the housing has been installed within the structure to provide access to the interior of the housing through the inlet of the housing, wherein a region of the frame of the thermal damper frictionally engages the adaptor to assist retention of the thermal damper assembly within the opening of the adaptor.
18. The ventilation system of claim 17 , wherein the thermal damper assembly comprises a frame, one or more frame apertures defined through the frame, a thermal link, and one or more biasing members coupled to the frame and the substantially non-metallic curtain.