Window fan with screen covering

Abstract

A window fan system includes a housing unit having a front panel and a rear panel, the front panel and the rear panel having grilles, a fan disposed between the front panel and the rear panel, a covering, and a plurality of fasteners, each including a first fastening member on said housing unit and a second fastening member on said covering designed to connect with said first fastening member. The covering is configurable in a covered state and a stored state, a grille on said front panel or said rear panel is covered by the covering in the covered state and the grille on said front panel or said rear panel is not covered by the covering in the uncovered state. A holder supports the covering in the stored states, and the holder includes one of the plurality of fasteners, a storage fastener that is different from the plurality of fasteners, and a retainer.

1 . A window fan system, comprising:
 a housing unit having a front panel and a rear panel, said front panel and said rear panel having grilles;   a fan disposed between said front panel and said rear panel;   a covering configurable in an installed state and a stored state, wherein said covering covers a grille on said front panel or said rear panel in the installed state and said grille on said front panel or said rear panel is not covered by said covering in the stored state;   a plurality of fasteners, each including a first fastening member on said housing unit and a second fastening member on said covering designed to connect with said first fastening member at least in the installed state,   a holder supporting said covering on the housing unit when said covering is in the stored state, said holder selected from the group consisting of at least one of said plurality of fasteners, a storage fastener that is different from said plurality of fasteners, and a retainer.   
     
     
         2 . The window fan system of  claim 1 , wherein said covering is a screen. 
     
     
         3 . The window fan system of  claim 1 , wherein said covering is rolled up in the stored state. 
     
     
         4 . The window fan system of  claim 3 , wherein said covering is held on a side of said grille in the stored state. 
     
     
         5 . The window fan system of  claim 1 , wherein said holder comprises the retainer and is configured to maintain said covering in the stored state. 
     
     
         6 . The window fan system of  claim 5 , wherein the retainer includes tie strings attached to said housing unit. 
     
     
         7 . The window fan system of  claim 5 , wherein the retainer includes a strap attached to said housing unit. 
     
     
         8 . The window fan system of  claim 1 , wherein the holder includes said at least one of said plurality of fasteners and said at least one of said plurality of fasteners is connected in the stored state to support the covering on the housing unit. 
     
     
         9 . The window fan system of  claim 1 , wherein the holder includes said storage fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The window fan system of  claim 9 , wherein said covering is releasably connected to said storage fastener. 
     
     
         11 . The window fan system of  claim 10 , wherein said storage fastener includes a first fastening member on said housing unit and a second fastening member on said covering, manipulation of a portion of said first fastening element to allows disconnection of said second fastening element and each of said plurality of fasteners allows disconnection of said second fastening element from said first fastening element without any manipulation of said first fastening element. 
     
     
         12 . The window fan system of  claim 11 , wherein said first fastening member of said storage fastener is in a closed state to maintain a connection between said first fastening member and said second fastening member of said storage fastener and includes a resilient element that is manipulable by an external force to open the closed state and release the connection between said first fastening member and said second fastening member. 
     
     
         13 . The window fan system of  claim 1 , wherein the holder includes said retainer and one of said storage fastener or said at least one of the plurality of fastening elements. 
     
     
         14 . The window fan system of  claim 13 , wherein the retainer includes tie strings attached to the covering.