Patent Application
20180180311
This invention relates generally to cooling and ventilation systems for building structures, and more particularly, relates to a hybrid gravity or hot air ventilator that can be installed on the top of any structure that needs ventilation through the roof.
Gravity ventilators have been traditionally made with a rain proof top that has sides that require the air to go down before it can go up. This restricts the air flow and reduces the amount of air that can be vented. There has never been a hybrid with a motor and blade and vertical blade turbine top. There have been motor and blade fans and there have been gravity ventilators.
It is thus the object of present invention to provide a rain proof turbine design which will overcome the disadvantages of the prior art systems.
There is still room for improvement in the art.
In one aspect, the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a hybrid gravity and hot air ventilation system that combines both rain proofing and high air flow performance. This system comprises of a turbine rain hat rotating on a central shaft that is mounted on a three or four legged base. The system has a fan blade on a motor that is centered by mounting brackets. Inside the top turbine hat is an assembly that includes two sealed ball bearings spaced vertically to ensure rigidity and a needle thrust bearing at the top of the shaft to reduce friction as the top rotates on the bottom support and shaft. This allows it to rotate when air flows through it. The turbine blades are at an angle to the air flow for the purpose of causing the turbine to turn with the air flow or with wind so that rain cannot enter the interior.
Hybrid is taken from the auto world, where a car can run on battery for free (if the charging was solar) or fossil fuel at a cost. In fans it means air flows from the force of gravity and wind for free or from electricity at a cost.
The current invention is more efficient, effective and functional than the current art.
Without restricting the full scope of this invention, the preferred form of this invention is illustrated in the following drawings:
There are a number of significant design features and improvements incorporated within the invention.
The current invention is directed to a hybrid rooftop mounted whole house fan system 100. The house fan system 100 provides a gravity and hot air ventilation system that combines both rain proofing and high air flow performance. Hybrid is taken from the auto world, where a car can run on battery for free (if the charging was solar) or fossil fuel at a cost. In fans it means air flows from the force of gravity and wind for free or from electricity at a cost.
As shown in
On top of the fan is the turbine rain hat 102 with a ball bearing assembly 116 attached in the center. Below that is the mounting assembly 118 that has a shaft 122 in the center that slips into the ball bearings in the top.
The turbine rain hat 102 rotates on the shaft 122 that is mounted on a three or four legged base. Inside the top turbine hat 102 is the ball bearing assembly 118 that includes as least two sealed ball bearings spaced vertically to ensure rigidity and a needle thrust bearing at the top of the shaft to reduce friction as the top rotates on the bottom support and shaft. This allows it to rotate when air flows through it. The turbine blades 106 are at an angle to the air flow for the purpose of causing the system 100 to turn with the air flow or with wind so that rain cannot enter the interior.
One such application is as a whole house fan.
While the methods disclosed herein have been described and shown with reference to particular steps performed in a particular order, it is understood that these steps may be combined, sub-divided, or reordered to form an equivalent method without departing from the teachings of the embodiments. Accordingly, unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of the steps is not a limitation of the embodiments. Furthermore, methods and mechanisms of the embodiments will sometimes be described in singular form for clarity. However, some embodiments may include multiple iterations of a method or multiple variations of a mechanism unless noted otherwise. For example, when a connection is disclosed in one embodiment, the scope of the embodiment is intended to also cover the use of multiple connections.
Certain features of the embodiments, which may have been, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in various combinations in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the embodiments, which may have been, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Embodiments described in conjunction with specific examples are presented by way of example, and not limitation. Moreover, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
