Exhaust vent arrangement and method of operating the same

Abstract

An exhaust vent assembly for a structure. The exhaust vent assembly can include a base supportable adjacent to the structure and having a raised rim defining an outlet of an exhaust flow channel and a cover moveably secured to the base for movement relative to the base between a closed position, in which the cover extends across the outlet substantially preventing exhaust flow through the outlet, and an opened position, in which the cover is moved away from the outlet to allow exhaust flow through the outlet. The vent assembly can also include a windbreak operable to prevent wind from moving the cover toward the opened position. The windbreak can include a first contour on the raised rim and a second contour on an adjacent edge of the cover.

1 . An exhaust vent assembly for a structure, the exhaust vent assembly comprising:
 a base supportable on the structure and defining an exhaust outlet; and   a cover having a first end pivotably connected to the base for pivoting movement relative to the base between a closed position, in which the cover extends across the outlet and a second end of the cover contacts the base substantially preventing exhaust flow through the outlet, and an opened position, in which the second end of the cover is moved away from the outlet to allow exhaust flow through the outlet;   the cover having an arcuate exterior surface extending substantially from the first end toward the second end and a raised lip extending along the second end of the cover.   
     
     
         2 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the curvature of the arcuate surface is centered about an axis that is substantially parallel to an edge of the second end of the cover. 
     
     
         3 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the cover is substantially concave and the exterior surface of the cover is substantially convex. 
     
     
         4 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 1 , the cover further comprising side edges extending between the first and second ends and positioned substantially perpendicularly with respect to the arcuate surface of the cover. 
     
     
         5 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the side edges and the second end of the cover at least partially define a scoop, and wherein, when the exhaust enters the scoop, the exhaust moves the cover from the closed position toward the opened position. 
     
     
         6 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 1 , and further comprising a strip of elastically deformable material positioned between the second end of the cover and the base when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the strip of elastically deformable material is positioned along a depression formed on an interior surface of the second end of the cover opposite to the lip. 
     
     
         8 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the base further comprises a ridge which at least partially forms a seal with the strip of elastically deformable material when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes an interior periphery surrounding the opening to at least partially define an interior region adjacent to the opening and a rim extending outwardly from the interior periphery, and wherein the rim substantially surrounds an outer perimeter of the cover, when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         10 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 9 , wherein posts pivotably connect opposite sides of the first end of the cover to the rim, and wherein stops extend laterally from the posts between the cover and the rim to substantially prevent movement of the cover with respect to the base in a direction substantially parallel to the posts. 
     
     
         11 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein protrusions extend outwardly from one of the rim and the first end of the cover and contact an other of the rim and the first end of the cover to substantially prevent movement of the cover relative to the base in a direction substantially parallel to the exhaust flow from the outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cover includes an interior periphery surrounding the opening to at least partially define an interior region adjacent to the opening and a rim extending outwardly from a the interior periphery, and wherein a recess extends along the rim adjacent to the lip when the cover is in the closed position to prevent unintended opening of the vent. 
     
     
         13 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the raised lip extending along the second end of the cover and the recess extending along the rim together at least partially define a windbreak operable to prevent unintended opening of the cover. 
     
     
         14 . An exhaust vent assembly for a structure, the exhaust vent assembly comprising:
 a base supportable on the structure, defining an exhaust opening, having an interior periphery surrounding the opening to at least partially define an interior region adjacent to the opening, and having a rim extending outwardly from the interior periphery;   a cover having an outermost perimeter, the cover connected to the base and being pivotable between a closed position, in which the outermost perimeter is positioned substantially within the interior region, and an opened position, in which at least a portion of the outermost perimeter is positioned outside of the interior region; and   a windbreak including a lip positioned along a portion of the outermost perimeter of the cover and a recess positioned along the rim adjacent to the lip when in the closed position to prevent unintended opening of the cover.   
     
     
         15 . The exhaust vent of  claim 14 , wherein the base and the cover are each of one-piece construction. 
     
     
         16 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 14 , wherein an inner surface of the cover is substantially concave and the exterior surface of the cover is substantially convex. 
     
     
         17 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a first end of the cover is pivotably connected to the base and a second end is moveable away from the base to allow exhaust flow out of the outlet, and the cover further comprising side edges extending between the first and second ends along an interior side of the cover. 
     
     
         18 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the side edges and the second end of the cover at least partially define a scoop, and wherein, when the exhaust enters the scoop, the exhaust moves the cover from the closed position toward the opened position. 
     
     
         19 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 14 , and further comprising an elastically deformable material positioned along a depression formed on an interior surface of a distal end of the cover opposite to the lip. 
     
     
         20 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the base further comprises a ridge which at least partially forms a seal with the elastically deformable material when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         21 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 14 , wherein posts pivotably connect opposite sides of the cover to the rim, and wherein stops extend laterally from the posts between the cover and the rim to substantially prevent movement of the cover with respect to the base in a direction substantially parallel to the posts. 
     
     
         22 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 21 , wherein protrusions extend outwardly from one of the rim and the cover and contact an other of the rim and the cover to substantially prevent movement of the cover relative to the base in a direction substantially parallel to the exhaust flow from the outlet. 
     
     
         23 . An exhaust vent assembly for a structure, the exhaust vent assembly comprising:
 a base supportable adjacent to the structure and having a raised rim defining an outlet of an exhaust flow channel;   a cover moveably secured to the base for movement relative to the base between a closed position, in which the cover extends across the outlet substantially preventing exhaust flow through the outlet, and an opened position, in which the cover is moved away from the outlet to allow exhaust flow through the outlet; and   a windbreak operable to prevent wind from moving the cover toward the opened position, wherein the windbreak comprises a first contour on the raised rim and a second contour on an adjacent edge of the cover.   
     
     
         24 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the cover is moveably secured to the base along a top edge of the cover and the second contour extends along a bottom edge of the cover. 
     
     
         25 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 24 , wherein a length of the first contour in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom edge of the cover is substantially equal to a length of the second contour. 
     
     
         26 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 23 , wherein an elastically deformable material is secured to the cover adjacent the windbreak in order to further prevent wind from moving the cover toward the opened position. 
     
     
         27 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 26 , wherein a first end of the cover is pivotably connected to the base and a second end is moveable away from the base to allow exhaust flow out of the outlet, and wherein the strip of elastically deformable material is positioned along a depression formed on an interior surface of the second end of the cover opposite to the second contour. 
     
     
         28 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the base further comprises a ridge which at least partially forms a seal with the strip of elastically deformable material when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         29 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the cover has an arcuate exterior surface extending substantially from the first end toward the second end and a raised lip extending along the second end of the cover. 
     
     
         30 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 23 , wherein an inner surface of the cover is substantially concave and the exterior surface of the cover is substantially convex. 
     
     
         31 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 23 , the cover further comprising side edges extending between the first and second ends and positioned substantially perpendicularly with respect to an interior of the cover. 
     
     
         32 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 23 , wherein a first end of the cover is pivotably connected to the base and a second end is moveable away from the base to allow exhaust flow out of the outlet, and wherein the side edges and the second end of the cover at least partially define a scoop, and wherein, when the exhaust enters the scoop, the exhaust moves the cover from the closed position toward the opened position. 
     
     
         33 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 23 , wherein posts pivotably connect opposite sides of the cover to the rim, and wherein stops extend laterally from the posts between the cover and the rim to substantially prevent movement of the cover with respect to the base in a direction substantially parallel to the posts. 
     
     
         34 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 33 , wherein protrusions extend outwardly from one of the rim and the first end of the cover and contact an other of the rim and the first end of the cover to substantially prevent movement of the cover relative to the base in a direction substantially parallel to the exhaust flow from the outlet. 
     
     
         35 . The exhaust vent assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the cover has an outermost perimeter, and wherein, when the cover is in the closed position, the rim surrounds the outermost perimeter. 
     
     
         36 . A method of venting exhaust from a structure, the method comprising the acts of:
 providing a base defining an outlet for exhaust from a conduit, the conduit extending from a structure;   pivoting a cover relative to the base in response to exhaust pressure from the conduit between a closed position, in which the cover extends over the outlet, and an opened position, in which a distal edge of the cover is moved away from the outlet to allow exhaust flow from the outlet; and   directing wind across a windbreak and away from the distal edge of the cover to prevent wind from moving the cover toward the opened position.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein directing wind across the windbreak includes directing wind across a first contour provided on a raised rim of the base and across a second contour provided on an adjacent edge of the cover.