Flush-Mounted Siding Air Vent With Concealed Damper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air vents mounted directly to exterior walls protrude from the siding, detracting from the aesthetic appearance and value of a structure.
Innovation Solution
An air vent design that integrates with the exterior wall siding, featuring a body with a matching siding portion and a damper mechanism, allowing it to blend into the wall when not in use, with first and second siding pieces that match the surrounding siding to create a seamless appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional air vents are mounted directly to the siding, then the air vent is functional and easy to install, but the air vent protrudes outward and diminishes the aesthetic appearance of the siding
Solution Approach 1:
The air vent is repositioned from a protruding mounting on the siding surface to a recessed mounting within the siding plane. The vent body is installed in a cavity created by removing a portion of the siding, allowing the vent to sit flush with or recessed into the siding surface, thereby eliminating the protrusion that detracts from aesthetics while maintaining functional accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The air vent body is nested within a cavity in the siding structure. The siding material is removed to create a recessed space that accommodates the vent body, and the vent is then installed within this nested space. This nesting approach allows the vent to be concealed within the siding plane rather than protruding outward.
2Ease of operation
If the air vent body protrudes outward from the siding, then the air vent is easy to access and maintain, but it significantly diminishes the aesthetic appearance and value of the structure
Solution Approach 1:
The air vent is repositioned from a protruding mounting on the siding surface to a recessed mounting within the siding plane. The vent body is installed in a cavity created by removing a portion of the siding, allowing the vent to sit flush with or recessed into the siding surface, thereby eliminating the protrusion that detracts from aesthetics while maintaining functional accessibility.
3Shape
If siding material is removed to create a recessed mounting, then the air vent blends into the siding and becomes substantially invisible, but the installation process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The installation process is segmented into distinct steps: first, a cavity is created in the siding by removing a portion of the siding material; second, the air vent body is installed within this cavity; third, the vent is secured in place. This segmentation of the installation process makes the complex task of recessed mounting more manageable and systematic.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an air vent for mounting directly to an exterior wall of a structure to allow air flow from an interior space of the structure to the ambient environment. The air vent comprises a body comprising an opening and a siding portion disposed below the opening. The air vent further comprises a first siding piece secured to the siding portion that is substantially similar to the siding of the exterior wall. The air vent further comprises a damper moveably engaged with the body between a closed position where the damper blocks air flow thru the opening and an open position where the damper allows air flow thru the opening. The air vent further comprises a second siding piece secured to the damper that is substantially similar to and overlaps the first siding piece in the closed position. Unlike conventional devices, the air vent of the present invention blends into the siding on the exterior wall increasing the aesthetic appearance of the siding.