IP Library Granted Patent US 9,670,717
Granted Patent B2
US 9,670,717 · App. 15/193,779 · Granted Jun 6, 2017

Flood vent trigger systems

Inventors: Winfield Scott Anderson, Jr. (Palm Beach Gardens, FL); Tom Little (Pitman, NJ); James Rycek (Pitman, NJ); Michael J. Graham (Pitman, NJ)
Assignee: SMART VENT PRODUCTS, INC.
E06B9/00E02B7/40E04B1/70E04B1/7069E04B1/7076E04B1/72E04C1/392E04C2/521E04H9/145E06B9/04E06B2009/007
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,670,717
App. No.
15/193,779
Granted
Jun 6, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A flood vent includes a door pivotable within a frame between a closed position and an open position. A fluid trigger that is triggerable by a fluid to allow the door to pivot from the closed position to the open position includes a retainer and a fluid modifiable material. The fluid modifiable material is positioned between the door and the retainer thereby obstructing the door from pivoting from the closed position to the open position until the fluid modifiable material is modified by contact with the fluid.

Claims (20)

1. A flood vent, the vent comprising:

a door pivotable within a frame between a closed position and an open position;

a retainer pivotable between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, a first face of the retainer is positioned against a first face of the door, and the retainer is configured to prevent the door from pivoting between the closed position and the open position in a first direction, wherein, in the second position, the first face of the retainer is positioned against the frame, and the retainer is configured to allow the door to pivot between the closed position and the open position in both the first direction and a second direction opposite of the first direction;

wherein the retainer is further configured to pivot between the first position and the second position in the second direction in response to a first pressure applied to a second face of the retainer by a flow of a fluid into the frame in the second direction; and

wherein the door is configured to pivot between the closed position and the open position in the second direction in response to a second pressure applied to the first face of the door by the flow of the fluid into the frame in the second direction.

2. The flood vent of claim 1 , wherein the first face of the retainer includes a seal.

3. The flood vent of claim 2 , wherein the seal comprises a compressible material positionable against the first face of the door.

4. The flood vent of claim 2 , wherein the seal comprises one or more ridges positionable against the first face of the door.

5. The flood vent of claim 1 , wherein the retainer includes a pivot or hinge coupled to the frame, wherein the pivot or the hinge is configured to allow the retainer to pivot from the first position to the second position.

6. The flood vent of claim 5 , wherein the pivot or the hinge is further configured to allow the retainer to pivot from the second position to the first position.

7. The flood vent of claim 1 , wherein the retainer includes a fluid modifiable adhesive configured to prevent the retainer from pivoting from the first position to the second position until the fluid modifiable adhesive is modified by the fluid.

8. A flood vent, the vent comprising:

a door pivotable within a frame between a closed position and an open position;

a retainer moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the retainer is configured to prevent the door from pivoting between the closed position and the open position in a first direction, wherein, in the second position, the retainer is configured to allow the door to pivot between the closed position and the open position in both the first direction and a second direction opposite of the first direction;

wherein the retainer is further configured to move between the first position and the second position in the second direction in response to a first pressure applied to a second face of the retainer by a flow of a fluid into the frame in the second direction; and

wherein the door is configured to pivot between the closed position and the open position in the second direction in response to a second pressure applied to a first face of the door by the flow of the fluid into the frame in the second direction.

9. The flood vent of claim 8 , wherein the retainer is pivotable between the first position and the second position.

10. The flood vent of claim 9 , wherein the retainer includes a pivot or hinge coupled to the frame, wherein the pivot or the hinge is configured to allow the retainer to pivot from the first position to the second position.

11. The flood vent of claim 10 , wherein the pivot or the hinge is further configured to allow the retainer to pivot from the second position to the first position.

12. The flood vent of claim 8 , wherein the retainer includes a fluid modifiable adhesive configured to prevent the retainer from moving from the first position to the second position until the fluid modifiable adhesive is modified by the fluid.

Assignments (4)
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION Recorded Aug 31, 2023
From: SMART VENT PRODUCTS, INC.
To: SMART VENT PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 064790/0064 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2023
From: SMART VENT HOLDINGS LLC; SMART VENT ACQUISITION LLC; SMART VENT PRODUCTS LLC; SMART PRODUCT INNOVATIONS LLC; RISK REDUCTION PLUS GROUP, INC.; FLOODPROOFING.COM, INC.
To: ALDINE CAPITAL FUND IV, L.P.
Reel/Frame 064179/0412 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2023
From: SMART VENT HOLDINGS LLC; SMART VENT ACQUISITION LLC; SMART VENT PRODUCTS LLC; SMART PRODUCT INNOVATIONS LLC; RISK REDUCTION PLUS GROUP, INC.; FLOODPROOFING.COM, INC.
To: FIRST COMMONWEALTH BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT FOR THE BANKS
Reel/Frame 064170/0992 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2016
From: ANDERSON, W. SCOTT, JR.; LITTLE, TOM; RYCEK, JAMES; GRAHAM, MIKE
To: SMART VENT PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 039492/0347 →
Continuity (2)
Division 14681207 · Apr 8, 2015
Related Publication 20160298383A1 · Oct 13, 2016