Dual seal access panel

Abstract

A dual seal access panel is utilized with a conventional roof ventilation system that includes an exterior housing with a generally round access hole. The dual seal access panel has a primary seal, a secondary seal coupled to the primary seal, a mounting bracket assembly, and a central handle. The primary seal is generally round having a central floor surrounded by a peripheral rim. The peripheral lip includes a wall portion and a primary seal abutment. The primary seal abutment has an inboard flange and an outboard flange. The combination of the inboard lip and outboard lip form a generally flat, primary seal contact surface. The mounting bracket assembly includes four mounting brackets each having a mounting plate and a spring biased mounting latch. The mounting latch is movably between a released position and a spring-loaded, engaged position bearing against the fan exterior housing.

1 . A dual seal access panel for use with a housing of an exhaust fan with an access port through the housing, said dual seal access panel comprising:
 flexible, resilient primary seal having a central floor and a peripheral rim extending from said central floor, a combination of said central floor and said peripheral rim forming a central recess;   a flexible, resilient secondary seal positioned within said central recess, said secondary seal being adhered to said central floor of said primary seal and said secondary seal being adhered to said peripheral rim of said primary seal;   a handle coupled to either said primary seal or said secondary seal or a combination of said primary seal and said secondary seal, and   a plurality of mounting brackets coupled to said primary seal and said secondary seal, each said mounting bracket of said plurality of mounting brackets having a mounting plate and a mounting latch extending from said mounting plate.   
     
     
         2 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 1  wherein each mounting bracket of said plurality of mounting brackets has said mounting latch pivotally coupled to said mounting plate for movement between a retracted position and an engaged position. 
     
     
         3 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 1  wherein said peripheral rim of said primary seal has a wall portion, an inboard lip extending inwardly from said wall portion and over said secondary seal, and an outboard lip extending outwardly from said wall portion. 
     
     
         4 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 3  wherein a combination of said inboard lip and said outboard lip form a flat contact surface. 
     
     
         5 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 1  wherein said peripheral rim is annular and said secondary seal is round. 
     
     
         6 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 1  wherein said handle is centrally positioned upon said secondary seal. 
     
     
         7 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of mounting brackets are arranged in an annular array. 
     
     
         8 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 1  wherein said primary seal is made of a resilient material and wherein said secondary seal is made of a more rigid material than said primary seal. 
     
     
         9 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 1  wherein said mounting latches are spring biased in a direction towards said primary seal. 
     
     
         10 . A dual seal access panel for use with a housing of an exhaust fan with an access port through the housing, said dual seal access panel comprising:
 a round, flexible seal plate having a disk-shaped, flexible, resilient primary seal and a disk-shaped, flexible resilient secondary seal fixedly coupled to said disk-shaped primary seal, said primary seal having a top surface;   a handle coupled to said seal plate so as to extend above said top surface of said primary seal, and   a plurality of mounting brackets coupled to said seal plate, each said mounting bracket of said plurality of mounting brackets having a mounting plate coupled to said top surface of said primary seal and a mounting latch coupled to said mounting plate, said mounting latch having an end portion distal said mounting plate, each said mounting latch being spring biased towards said seal plate to a position wherein said end portion extends past said top surface of said primary seal so as to bear against a portion of an exhaust fan housing position.   
     
     
         11 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 10  wherein said primary seal has a central floor and a peripheral rim extending from said central floor and said secondary seal is positioned in abutment with said floor and in abutment with said peripheral rim, a combination of said central floor and said peripheral rim forming a central recess. 
     
     
         12 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 10  wherein each mounting bracket of said plurality of mounting brackets has said mounting latch pivotally coupled to said mounting plate for movement between a retracted position and an engaged position. 
     
     
         13 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 11  wherein said peripheral rim of said primary seal has a wall portion, an inboard lip extending inwardly from said wall portion and over said secondary seal, and an outboard lip extending outwardly from said wall portion. 
     
     
         14 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 13  wherein a combination of said inboard lip and said outboard lip form a flat contact surface. 
     
     
         15 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 11  wherein said peripheral rim is annular and said secondary seal is round. 
     
     
         16 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 10  wherein said handle is centrally positioned upon said seal plate. 
     
     
         17 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 10  wherein said plurality of mounting brackets are arranged in an annular array. 
     
     
         18 . The dual seal access panel of  claim 11  wherein said primary seal is made of a resilient material and wherein said secondary seal is made of a more rigid material than said primary seal.