Flexible vane and grille assemblies

Claim 1

A FLEXIBLE VANE FOR DIRECTING THE FLOW OF FLUID FLOWING THEREOVER, COMPRISING: A BASE PORTION; A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR END PORTION SPACED FROM SAID BASE PORTION AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF FLUID DIRECTION SURFACES THEREON; A FLEXIBLE NECK PORTION FORMED INTEGRAL AND SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID BASE PORTION AND SAID END PORTION RESPECTIVELY; SAID FLEXIBLE NECK PORTION BEING DEFORMABLE ABOUT A LONGITUDINAL AXIS DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO A PLANE COINCIDENT WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FLUID DIRECTING SURFACES; SAID FLEXIBLE NECK PORTION HAVING A MINIMUM CROSS-SECTIONAL THICKNESS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN A MINIMUM CROSS-SECTIONAL THICKNESS OF SAID BASE PORTION AND SAID FLUID DIRECTING END PORTION WHEN CONSIDERED IN A A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS; SAID FLUID DIRECTING END PORTION HAVING A LINEAR DIMENSION PARALLEL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN ANY LINEAR DIMENSION OF SAID FLUID DIRECTING END PORTION DISPOSED NORMAL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS; SAID FLUID DIRECTING END PORTION, IN A NON-FLEXED CONDITION HAVING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FLUID DIRECTING SURFACES DISPOSED IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND LATERALLY OFF-SET WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE PORTION WHEREBY POSITIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID FLUID DIRECTING END PORTION VARIES THE ANGULAR DISPOSITION OF SAID END PORTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE PORTION BY THE FLEXING OF SAID NECK PORTION WITH THE FLUID DIRECTING END PORTION REMAINING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY UNDISTORTED SHAPE.