Integrated ventilation and illumination system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020200412-A1
Application number	US-201916722968-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An integrated ventilation and illumination system includes a ventilation assembly, a light fixture assembly, and an adaptor. In an installed position, the ventilation assembly is installed in a ceiling of a room of building structure to provide ventilation for the room and the light fixture assembly is mounted in a low-profile configuration relative to the ceiling. The adaptor spans and obscures an inlet opening of the ventilation assembly and includes at least one opening that allows for the passage of air through both the adaptor and into the inlet opening. A mounting bracket is coupled to both the adaptor and the light fixture assembly in the installed position, where the fixture is offset a first critical distance from the adaptor to define an air flow gap that allows for air flow around the light fixture assembly, through the opening in the adaptor and into the internal region of the main housing. The first critical distance is purposely sized according to operating parameters of the blower of the ventilation assembly to provide a sufficient flow rate of intake air and acceptable sound levels during operation of the ventilation and illumination system.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A ventilation and illumination system installable within a ceiling of a building structure, the ventilation and illumination system comprising:
a ventilation assembly including (i) a main housing with an external wall arrangement defining an internal region of the housing, (ii) an inlet opening formed in an external wall and in fluid communication with the internal region, (iii) an outlet opening formed in an external wall and configured to exhaust air from the main housing, and (iv) a blower residing within the internal region and configured to generate air flow through the inlet opening and into the main housing; an adaptor that spans and obscures the inlet opening, the adaptor including (i) a peripheral region, (ii) a central region, (iii) a plurality of arms extending between the peripheral region and the central region, and, (iv) at least one opening formed between the arms that allows for the passage of air through the adaptor and into the inlet opening; a light fixture coupled to the adaptor to define an installed position that provides a low-profile mounting configuration of the light fixture with respect to the ceiling; and, wherein in the installed position, the light fixture is offset a first critical distance from the peripheral region of the adaptor to define an air flow gap that allows for air flow around the light fixture, through the opening in the adaptor and into the internal region of the main housing.

2 . The integrated ventilation and illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the first critical distance is sized according to operating parameters of the blower of the ventilation assembly to provide a sufficient flow rate of intake air and acceptable sound levels during operation of the ventilation and illumination system.

3 . The integrated ventilation and illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the first critical distance is less than 1 inch.

4 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the first critical distance is ¾ inch.

5 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the first critical distance is between ¼ and 1 inch.

6 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 1 , wherein in the installed position, the inlet opening of the housing is aligned with an aperture formed in the ceiling, and the adaptor spans and obscures the ceiling aperture, and wherein the combination of the adaptor and the light fixture obscures the housing inlet opening and the ceiling aperture from view.

7 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 6 , wherein in the installed position, the light fixture is offset a second critical distance from a lower surface of the ceiling to further define the air flow gap that allows for air flow around the light fixture, through the adaptor, and into the internal region of the main housing.

8 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 7 , wherein the second critical distance exceeds the first critical distance.

9 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral region of the adaptor has a peripheral flange that engages an extent of a lower surface of the ceiling to define a clearance within the peripheral adaptor region to both accommodate a housing flange and block visibility of said housing flange when the ventilation assembly is offset mounted relative to the ceiling.

10 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting bracket coupled to both the central region of the adaptor and the light fixture in the installed position.

11 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 10 , the mounting bracket having a central aperture that receives an extent of a power supply for the light fixture in the installed position.

12 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 10 , the mounting bracket having a staggered central segment that forms a receptacle, and
in the installed position, the staggered central segment and a power supply for the light fixture extend through a central aperture of the adaptor.

13 . A ventilation and illumination system installable within a ceiling of a building structure, the ventilation and illumination system comprising:
a ventilation assembly including (i) a main housing defining an internal region of the housing, (ii) an inlet opening formed in the main housing and in fluid communication with the internal region and an aperture formed in the ceiling, (iii) an outlet opening formed in the main housing and configured to exhaust air from the main housing, and (iv) a blower residing within the internal region and configured to generate air flow through both the ceiling aperture and the inlet opening and then into the internal region of the housing; an adaptor that underlies and obscures both the ceiling aperture and the inlet opening, the adaptor including (i) a peripheral region, (ii) a plurality of arms extending inward from the peripheral region, and, (iii) at least one opening formed between the arms that allows for the passage of air through the adaptor and into the inlet opening; a light fixture coupled to the adaptor to define an installed position; and, wherein in the installed position, the light fixture is offset a first critical distance from the peripheral region of the adaptor to define an air flow gap that allows for air flow around the light fixture, through the opening in the adaptor and into the internal region of the main housing, and wherein the first critical distance is sized according to operating parameters of the blower of the ventilation assembly to provide a sufficient flow rate of intake air and acceptable sound levels during operation of the ventilation and illumination system.

14 . The integrated ventilation and illumination system of claim 13 , wherein the first critical distance is less than 1 inch.

15 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 13 , wherein the first critical distance is ¾ inch.

16 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 13 , wherein the first critical distance is between ¼ and 1 inch.

17 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 13 , wherein in the installed position, the inlet opening of the housing is aligned with an aperture formed in the ceiling, and the adaptor underlies and obscures the ceiling aperture, and wherein the combination of the adaptor and the light fixture obscures the housing inlet opening and the ceiling aperture from view.

18 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 17 , wherein in the installed position, the light fixture is offset a second critical distance from a lower surface of the ceiling to further define the air flow gap that allows for air flow around the light fixture, through the adaptor, and into the internal region of the main housing.

19 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 18 , wherein the second critical distance exceeds the first critical distance.

20 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 13 , wherein the peripheral region of the adaptor has a peripheral flange that engages an extent of a lower surface of the ceiling to define a clearance within the peripheral adaptor region to both accommodate a housing flange and block visibility of said housing flange when the ventilation assembly is offset mounted relative to the ceiling.

21 . The ventilation and illumination system of claim 13 , further comprising a mounting bracket coupled to both a central region of the adaptor and the light fixture in the installed posi

Assignees

• Broan Nu Tone Llc

Inventors

• Singh Eshank
• Krauska Bernard J

Classifications

• F21S8/043

  mounted by means of a rigid support, e.g. bracket or arm · CPC title

• F24F2221/14

  mounted on the ceiling · CPC title

• F24F2221/02

  combined with lighting fixtures · CPC title

• F24F7/10 Primary

  with air supply, or exhaust, through perforated wall, floor or ceiling (outlet members for directing or distributing air {into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air-diffusers} F24F13/06) · CPC title

• F24F3/056

  the air at least partially flowing over lighting fixtures, the heat of which is dissipated or used  (outlets for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces combined with lighting fixtures F24F13/078) · CPC title