Readily installed vent for flexible cover panel

Claim 2

A vent for a flexible panel, said vent comprising first and second separable members, said first member defining a central opening and being adapted to abut the inner surface of a panel having a vent opening formed therethrough of a size and shApe corresponding to the size and shape of the first mentioned opening and with said openings in registry, said second member defining a central opening and being adapted to abut the outer surface of said panel with said central openings registered, one of said members including a plurality of arms spaced about the central opening thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom and through the central opening in the other member, said arms being stiff but slightly flexible and resilient and including outwardly projecting outer end abutments overlying opposing surfaces of said other member disposed about its central opening and facing away from said one member, at least one of said members including an outwardly projecting stiff but flexible and resilient flange having first outer peripheral surface portions facing toward the other member extending continuously about the central opening thereof, said other member including second surface portions facing toward and opposing said first surface portions and extending continuously about the central opening of said other member, said first and second surface portions being adapted to clampingly engage said panel therebetween with said flange slightly flexed away from said second surface portions, said free ends of said arms being inwardly flexible toward each other sufficient to withdraw said abutments through the central opening of said other member, said first member further including weather protection means projecting outwardly from the side thereof remote from said second member and at least partially overlying the central opening therethrough and including means for inwardly deflecting air flowing across the last-mentioned opening into the latter.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said central openings are substantially circular and said arms equal six in number and are substantially equally spaced about the central opening of said other member.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein said first member comprises a stiff panel member. 4.. The combination of claim 3 wherein said first member is annular in plan shape.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 wherein said first member comprises a stiff panel member, said second member comprising a sleeve type body from one end of which said arms project.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 5 wherein said body includes a circumferential outwardly opening groove on the side of said flange remote from said first member, said weather protection means including a cover shroud having an open end and an adjoining open side, said open end of said shroud defining a concave arcuate edge of slightly greater than 180 degrees in angular extent, said arcuate edge being snap-engageable in said groove for removably rotatably supporting said shroud from said body.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 wherein said second member and flange are integrally formed.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 7 wherein said central openings are substantially circular and said arms equal four in number and are substantially equally spaced about the central opening of said other member.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 1 including a foraminated closure structure removably supported in the central opening of said second member.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 1 including an imperforate closure structure removably supported in the central opening of said second member.

Claim 11

In combination, a flexible panel having a vent opening formed therethrough, a vent structure for said vent opening, said vent structure including first and second separable members, said first member being disposed on one side of said panel and defining a central opening therethrough registered with said vent opening, said second member being disposed on the other side of said panel and defining a central opening therethrough also registered with said vent opening, at least one of said members including an integral outwardly projecting stiff but flexible and resilient flange having first outer peripheral surface portions opposing and abutted against the correspOnding side of said panel, the other member including second surface portions opposing and abutted against the adjacent side of said panel, said first and second surface portions extending continuously about said vent opening and being registered with each other on opposite sides of said panel, said first member including a plurality of lugs spaced about the corresponding central opening, projecting generally axially of said one member and extending through said vent opening and the central opening of the other member, the free ends of said lugs being at least slightly radially inwardly deflectable and including radially outwardly offset inwardly facing abutment surfaces engaged behind corresponding inner peripheral portions of the other member disposed about its central opening releasably securing said members together against relative separation and with said flange at least slightly flexed, whereby the portions of said panel extending about said opening and disposed between said first and second surface portions are clamped therebetween, said first member further including weather protection means projecting outwardly from the side thereof remote from said second member and at least partially overlying the central opening therethrough and including means for inwardly deflecting air blowing across the last-mentioned opening into the latter.

Claim 12

In combination, a flexible panel having a vent opening formed therethrough, a vent structure for said vent opening, said vent structure including first and second separable members, said first member being disposed on one side of said panel and defining a central opening therethrough registered with said vent opening, said second member being disposed on the other side of said panel and defining a central opening therethrough also registered with said vent opening, at least one of said members including an integral outwardly projecting stiff but flexible and resilient flange having first outer peripheral surface portions opposing and abutted against the correspOnding side of said panel, the other member including second surface portions opposing and abutted against the adjacent side of said panel, said first and second surface portions extending continuously about said vent opening and being registered with each other on opposite sides of said panel, said first member including a plurality of lugs spaced about the corresponding central opening, projecting generally axially of said one member and extending through said vent opening and the central opening of the other member, the free ends of said lugs being at least slightly radially inwardly deflectable and including radially outwardly offset inwardly facing abutment surfaces engaged behind corresponding inner peripheral portions of the other member disposed about its central opening releasably securing said members together against relative separation and with said flange at least slightly flexed, whereby the portions of said panel extending about said opening and disposed between said first and second surface portions are clamped therebetween, said first member further including weather protection means projecting outwardly from the side thereof remote from said second member and at least partially overlying the central opening therethrough and including means for inwardly deflecting air blowing across the last-mentioned opening into the latter.