Foundation vent

Abstract

A foundation vent having a main body defining a first area and a number of openings to permit air to pass through the body. A moveable grill portion is mounted to said body and can be moved to selectively open and close the openings to the passage of air. A skirt is bendably attached to at least one edge of said main body by a living hinge to define a second area. The foundation vent may be fit to an opening of any size between the sum of said first and second areas and the first area, by bending the skirt to form an angled ramp.

1 . A foundation vent for a blockwall, the vent comprising: 
 a main body defining a first area;    a plurality of vent openings in said body to permit air to pass through the body;    a moveable grill portion mounted to said body to selectively open and close the vent openings to the passage of air; and    a skirt bendably attached to at least one edge of said main body to define a second area,    wherein said foundation vent may be fit to a range of appropriately sized block openings in said block wall by selectively bending said skirt to fit said vent to said block opening.    
   
   
       2 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein the first and second areas are rectangular.  
   
   
       3 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein the skirt is bendably attached to a lower edge of the main body.  
   
   
       4 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 1  further including a living hinge between the skirt and the rectangular body.  
   
   
       5 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 1  further including a frangible portion to retain said skirt in an unbent position.  
   
   
       6 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first rectangular area is sized and shaped to match a first block size, so said rectangular body fits into said first block opening formed in a block wall formed from said first blocks.  
   
   
       7 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said skirt is sized and shaped to extend partially down a front face of a first block positioned below the first block opening.  
   
   
       8 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said foundation vent may be secured in place in a block wall with mortar, and said skirt is sized and shaped to inhibit said mortar from interfering with said moveable grill portion.  
   
   
       9 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said first and second rectangular areas together are sized and shaped to match a second block size so said rectangular body and said skirt fit into a second block opening in a second block wall formed by omitting one of said second blocks.  
   
   
       10 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said skirt bends to permit said vent to fit into a third block opening in a block wall wherein said third block opening is sized between said first and second block opening sizes.  
   
   
       11 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 1  further including a top sill, said top sill extending laterally on either side of said rectangular body to permit said rectangular body to be supported by blocks positioned adjacent to either side of said rectangular body.  
   
   
       12 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said top sill further includes lateral extensions which extend beyond a side edge of said rectangular body and which are offset from a front edge of said rectangular body.  
   
   
       13 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said moveable grill includes blocking sections sized and shaped to block said plurality of vent openings in said body, when said movable grill is moved to a closed position.  
   
   
       14 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said moveable grill section includes a handle to move said grill in said main body between said closed position and an open position.  
   
   
       15 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said moveable grill includes a molded in grill extending rearwardly from said blocking sections, said grill sections ending in generally planar upright sections.  
   
   
       16 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said moveable grill section is press fit into said main body portion.  
   
   
       17 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said skirt includes a lower edge, and said lower edge is shaped to engage monitor to retain said skirt in a bent position.  
   
   
       18 . A foundation vent as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said first rectangular area is defined by side walls which extend rearwardly from a front face to define said rectangular main body.  
   
   
       19 . A method of installing a prefabricated vent in a foundation block wall comprising: comparing the prefabricated vent to a vent opening in a block wall, determining if the vent fits into the opening without modification; and if it does, installing the vent, and if not, modifying the vent by bending a bendable skirt to adjust the size of the vent to suit the vent opening and then installing the modified vent.