Title: Fresh-air valve

The present invention relates to a fresh-air valve of the kind which comprises a housing for building into a slot-shaped opening in walls or frames, for example a window frame, and comprising an elongated ventilation flap with ends which are connected with pressure-releasable snap couplings disposed at the ends of the housing, and which can be activated between an open and a closed position for the ventilation flap.

Examples of such fresh-air valves are known from WO 90/10777, i.e. a valve with an elongated ventilation flap/plate which at both ends is connected with opposing sides of a flat channel bush by means of respective pressure-operated snap couplings in such a manner that the ventilation flap/plate, from an open position at a distance in front of the channel bush opening, can be pressed in to a self- retaining closed position, from which it can be opened by spring pressure after a subsequent, brief further pressing-in effect. The valve can appear completely without operating elements, and since the ventilation flap/plate is in longitudinal tipping connection with the snap couplings, it is without significance whether it is tipped obliquely during the movement inwards or outwards.

An improved version of the fresh-air valve, where the pressure operated snap couplings are housed in closed wells outside the flow opening of the channel bush, and where the sealing strip between the ventilation flap/plate and the channel bush is placed in a recess in the flow opening in the channel bush, is known from WO 2006/131125 A1 The sealing strip is hereby protected against unnecessary clamping and wear during use of the valve in the half-open position, and the pressure-operated snap couplings are to some degree protected against soiling. The ventilation flap/plate consists of a hollow metal profile, typically of aluminium, in the open ends of which protruding tongues on the pressure-operated snap couplings can be engaged by being pressed in, which has led to the metal look on the surface of the valve, which is desired by the purchasers. The construction of the fresh-air valve disclosed in WO 2006/131125 A1 further makes possible a relatively small building-in depth, which is preferred by many manufacturers of doors and windows into which the fresh-air valve is built.

The use of a metal profile as ventilation flap/plate has, however, proved to be problematic, in that as a result of the temperature differences between the side

surfaces, combined with differences in humidity, drops of condensate water are formed on the ventilation flap/plate, which finally become large enough for these to drip down from the flap/plate on to underlying surfaces, which is naturally a great disadvantage. This disadvantage is pronounced namely in rooms with skylights which comprise the fresh-air valve of the kind disclosed.

The object of the invention is thus to provide a fresh-air valve of the kind disclosed which offers a solution to the above-mentioned problem regarding condensate water, and which further reduces the number of individual parts of which the fresh-air valve consists.

This object is achieved with a fresh-air valve of the kind which comprises an elongated channel bush with a substantially slot-shaped through-flow opening for building into .a slot.-shaped opening in walls or frames, for example a window frame, and further comprising an elongated ventilation flap with ends which are connected with pressure-releasable snap couplings disposed in wells near each end of the housing, outside the through-flow opening, where said pressure- releasable snap couplings can be activated between an open and a closed position for the ventilation flap, where the upper side of this is on a level with the facing side of the channel bush, and where between the channel bush and the ventilation flap there is a sealing strip disposed in an annular recess along the edge of the through-flow opening of the channel bush, which is characterised in that oriented towards the through-flow opening the ventilation flap comprises an insulating casing, the side limits of which comprise parallel-extending, upstanding lobes on the side facing away from the channel bush, and oriented in the longitudinal axis of the casing a track with spaced, protruding lugs intended for engagement with and locking of protruding side edges on protruding locking parts, or a locking tongue which extends along the centre axis of a cover plate associated with the ventilation flap which is intended for pressing-in into contact with the parallel protruding lobes, with at the same time locking of the protruding side edges on the locking parts/locking tongue between the spaced lugs in the track.

The forming of condensate water on the ventilation flap associated with the fresh-air valve is hereby counteracted, in that between the insulating casing and the cover plate there is formed a space with static air, due to the protruding lobes on the side facing the cover plate, which creates a distance between the insulating casing and the cover plate. This, combined with a very modest contact area be-

tween the protruding side edges on the locking parts/locking tongue, strengthens the insulating effect of the casing, and shields the internal side/cover plate against the forming of condensate under-cooling. The construction makes it possible to use any kind of material for the configuration of the cover plate, whether it be metal/aluminium, plastic or other material which for aesthetic reasons is desired to be used out of regard for the overall impression of the door or window frame in which the fresh-air valve according to the invention is incorporated. A further advantage of this construction of the fresh-air valve is that its insulating properties are improved in comparison with the known valves with a solid cover plate or ventilation flap. It will be obvious that the insulating casing is configured in at least a poor heat-conducting material. However, it is preferred that the insulating casing is made of a plastic material.

All also being equal, the introduction of an insulating casing in connection with the ventilation flap will have the result that the number of individual parts of which the assembled fresh-air valve consists will be increased, providing that this is constructed in accordance with the known fresh-air valves, which conflicts with the desire to reduce the number of individual parts, whereby the fresh-air valve herewith becomes easier and quicker to assemble.

With the aim of achieving the object regarding the least possible number of individual parts in the fresh-air valve according to the invention, the insulating casing can at the ends comprise a protruding part oriented in the direction of the through-flow opening, said protruding parts forming a part of the pressure- releasable snap couplings.

The number of individual parts of which the fresh-air valve consists is hereby reduced by a single part in relation to the fresh-air valve disclosed in WO 2006 131125.

The fresh-air valve's ventilation flap is supported substantially by the pressure-operated snap couplings, which are vulnerable to transversely-directed pressure forces, which means that these can be ruined by excessive operation with an obliquely transverse pressure force, with subsequent costs of repair.

With the object of strengthening the ability of the ventilation flap to withstand transversely-directed pressure forces, this can comprise an end stop for the ventilation flap in its open position.

The ventilation flap is hereby stabilised so that it can better withstand transversely-directed pressure forces, which is achieved by the end stops to some degree absorbing the effect of said pressure forces, together with the load on the snap couplings being correspondingly reduced.

In a preferred embodiment of the end stops, on the side of the insulating casing facing towards the through-flow opening these can consist of a number of pairs of bluntly extending elastically-resilient elements oriented in the direction of the through-flow opening, the free ends of said elements on the sides facing away from each other comprising barbs in the form of transversely-directed projections, with a plane side facing towards the insulating casing and an opposing wedge- shaped side surface, said bluntly extending elements cooperating with standing- out parts in the through-flow opening of the channel bush for locking of the ventilation flap in the open position.

With the pairs of bluntly extending elements there is achieved good stability of the ventilation flap against transversely-directed forces. Moreover, the wedge- shaped side surfaces opposite the plane sides of the barbs enable an easy and trouble-free assembly of the fresh-air valve, where with the insertion of the insulating casing in the channel bush, the barbs yield slightly towards each other during the contact of the wedge-shaped surfaces against the standing-out parts in the channel bush, and thereafter during continued insertion of the insulating casing are displaced to the start position, whereby the plane surfaces are locked behind the channel bush ^' s standing-out parts.

With the object of achieving a reduced building-in height, and herewith depth of the channel bush, it has proved to be an advantage that the pressure-operated snap couplings are arranged so that the protruding parts are cooperating with and displaceable in the coupling wells, in that the extending parts comprise protruding guide lugs which cooperate with guide tracks in at least in two opposing and facing towards the end parts sides of respectively the first and the second coupling well, and that extending parts further comprise a space for receiving a compression spring in which there is housed the first leg of a substantially U-shaped snap ele-

ment, so that the compression spring rests against the bottom of the U-profile, and said U-shaped snap element in extension of the bottom of the U-profile further comprises a protruding retaining lug for engagement in a cooperating recess/hole in the sides of the coupling wells, and where the U-shaped snap element's second leg comprises a protruding retaining lug element which is oriented towards and accommodated in a track system in the extending parts, comprising tracks extending parallel with the longitudinal axes of the extending parts, the one end of which comprises a labyrinth comprising a V-shaped switch point, the first track of which is deeper than the second track, and in the middle of which there are upstanding retaining parts with a pointed extent oriented towards the track oriented parallel with the extending parts, and where the opposite ends comprise a stepped seating cooperating with the retaining lug element, and where the track depth in the first track between the pointed extent and the stepped seating is decreasing, and by pressing-in of the extending parts to a bottom position the retaining element is in- serted in the stepped seating, whereby the ventilation flap is provisionally locked in the active closed position, pressed against the sealing strip, and where a repeated pressure effect on a relevant end part will result in the release of the retaining element from the stepped seating and is guided sideways into the second track of the V-shaped switch point, the bottom of which is lying lower, and is led via the second track, the depth of which is decreasing, towards the track oriented parallel with the longitudinal axis of the extending part during the displacement of the part(s) to an open passive position for the ventilation flap.

With the object of protecting the tracks in the pressure-operated snap cou- plings against dirt/soiling when the ventilation flap/plate is open, the extending parts can comprise end-protection caps which extent between the cover plate and are oriented towards the coupling wells, at least to a level with the retaining lug element, said end-protection caps covering at least the upstanding parts which comprise the track system which at any time extend out over the edge or the channel bush.

The track system of the pressure-operated snap couplings is hereby safeguarded against soiling, which results in long operational reliability and in practice eliminates all maintenance of the pressure-operated snap couplings.

With the object of placing the sealing strip as closely as possible on the outer side of the valve, the lip ring can with advantage be moulded together with the

channel bush by two-component injection moulding. There is hereby achieved the advantage that the necessary open height is reduced with the height of the sealing strip, in that the sealing strip is disposed in the recess in the channel bush. With the two-component moulding, there is also achieved the advantage that one hereby saves the operation which is connected with the adhering/mounting of the sealing strip.

With the object of ensuring optimal flow conditions for the air which passes the insulating casing, and of providing the greatest possible through-flow area through the ventilation flap ^' s insulating casing and the through-flow opening, on the side facing the through-flow opening the insulating casing can have a double concave cross-section between the longitudinal axis and the side edges of the casing.

With the object of ensuring a good seal between the coupling wells and the slot opening in the channel bush, the sides of the coupling wells facing towards the slot opening can have an extent which corresponds to the facing side of the insulating casing, and over which extent the sealing strip extends.

The channel bush in the fresh-air valve is typically made of injection moulded plastic, and is a relatively thin-walled construction which, during the pressing into a window frame or windowsill, can break. With the object of providing the channel bush with adequate stability, a number of transverse bridges can be provided in the slot opening. In the cases where the extent of the bridges in the channel bush is desired to be of maximum breadth, the end parts of the bridges facing towards the ventilation flap can be formed with an extent which corresponds to the facing side of the insulating casing.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, where

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fresh-air valve for building into a slot-shaped opening in walls or frames, for example a window frame, according to the inven- tion.

Fig. 2 shows the same as fig. 1, but as a line drawing where the ventilation flap is half open.

Fig. 3 shows the same as fig. 2, where the ventilation flap is fully open

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the fresh-air valve shown in fig. 1 , fig. 2 and fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective, longitudinal sectional view of the one end of the fresh- air valve shown in fig. 1 - fig. 5, where the ventilation flap is in the open position.

Fig. 7 is a perspective, longitudinal sectional view of the one end of the fresh- air valve shown in fig. 1 - fig. 5, where the ventilation flap is in the closed position.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the fresh-air valve shown in fig. 1-7, along the line A-A in fig. 3, where the ventilation flap is in the open position, and

Fig. 9 shows the same as fig. 8, but where the ventilation flap is in the closed position.

In fig. 1 there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of a fresh-air valve 2 according to the invention. As will immediately appear from fig. 1 , 2, 3, 4 and 5, the fresh-air valve 2 consists of a channel bush 4, a ventilation flap 6 which comprises an insulating casing 76, and a cover plate 88. Oriented In the longitudinal axis 80, the insulating casing 76 comprises a track 82 with protruding lugs 84 intended for engagement, pressing-in and locking of protruding side edges 83, 85 on protruding locking tongues 86 along the centra axis 87 of the cover plate 88, see also fig. 8 and fig. 9. The cover plate 88 can consist of a suitably stiff material, for example aluminium.

As appears more clearly in fig. 8 and fig. 9, the insulation casing 76 also comprises upstanding lobes 95 along with the parallel side edges 94 on the side facing the cover plate 88. The depth of the track 82 is slightly deeper than the extent of the locking tongue 86 on the cover plate 88, which means that there is air between the locking tongue 86 and the insulation casing 76, which is thus only in contact with the locking tongue's protruding side edges 83, 85 at contact points at the spaced lugs 84. Moreover, the effect of the presence of the protruding lobes 95 on the parallel side edges 94 of the insulating casing is that the side of the cover plate 88 facing towards the insulating casing 76 is only in contact with the protruding lobes 95, and further that there is space between the cover plate 88 and the remaining part of the insulating casing 76. These conditions result in an effective insulating effect which counteracts the formation of condensate on the ventilation flap 6 associated with the fresh-air valve, and further that in the closed

position the ventilation flap works in a better insulating manner than the ventilation flaps which are disclosed in said known fresh-air valves.

In each end, the insulating casing 76 comprises extending parts 42, 42 ^' which constitute a part of the pressure-releasable snap couplings 9, 9', which connect the ventilation flap 6 and the channel bush, with the extending parts 42, 42 ^' being disposed in coupling wells 10, 10'at the ends of the channel, bush 4.

In the embodiment shown, the fresh-air valve 2 comprises two end stops 94 for the ventilation flap in its open position, as will appear most clearly in fig. 6 and fig. 9.

In the shown embodiment of the fresh-air valve 2, on the side 90 of the insulating casing 76 facing towards the through-flow opening 22, the end stops 94 consist of a number of pairs of spaced, bluntly extending elements 96 which are oriented in the direction of the through-flow opening 22. The free ends 98 of the bluntly extending elements have barbs in the form of transversely-directed projections 102 on the sides 100 facing away from each other. The projections 102 have a plane side 104 facing towards the insulating casing 76, and an opposing wedge- shaped side surface 106. The bluntly extending elements 96 cooperate with extending parts 108 in the channel bush's through-flow opening 22 for locking and stabilising of the ventilation flap 6 in the open position. The wedge-shaped side surface 106 serves to ease assembly of the fresh-air valve 2 during the placing of the ventilation flap 6, by pressing the insulating casing 76 into the channel bush 4, where the extending parts 42, 42 ^' are inserted in the coupling wells 10, 10, at the same time that the bluntly extending elements are led into the through-flow opening 22. Here, the effect of the wedge-shaped side surfaces will be that the projections 102 can more easily pass the protruding parts 108 in the channel bush 4, so that the plane sides hereof can cooperate with facing side surfaces of the protrud- ing parts 108 for locking and stabilising of the ventilation flap 6 in its open position.

Extending from the outer side 12, the channel bush 4 also comprises toothed locking lobes 14 for the retention of the fresh-air valve 2 in the walls of a relevant slot-shaped opening (not shown) in which the fresh-air valve is placed. The locking lobes 14 are formed by a piece of resilient material, which is secured to the channel bush 4, oriented transversely to the through-flow opening 22, as will appear more clearly from fig. 8 and fig. 9.

As will appear from fig. 4 and fig. 5, the fresh-air valve 2 also consists of an annular sealing strip 16 comprising a lip ring which is placed in a recess 18 along the edge 20 of the through-flow opening 22. As appears more clearly from fig. 4 and fig. 5, cooperating with the protruding parts 42, 42'the fresh-air valve also comprises substantially U-shaped snap elements 24, 24', and cooperating with these spring elements 26, 26 ^' in the form of coil springs.

In the through-flow opening 22 of the channel bush 4 there are also a number of bridges 28 for strengthening of the channel bush.

As appears from fig. 8 and fig. 9, on the side 90 facing towards the through- flow opening 22 the insulating casing 76 has a double concave cross-section between the longitudinal axis 80 of the casing and its side edges 94.

As also appears from fig. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, the side edges of the coupling wells 10, 10' facing towards the through-flow opening 22 have a concave extent which corresponds approximately to the double concave cross-section of the insulating casing, and where the sealing strip 16 extends.

At the ends, the insulating casing 76 comprises extending parts 42, 42'which constitute a part of the pressure-releasable snap couplings for the ventilation flap 6. The extending parts 42, 42 'can be displaced inwards and cooperate with the coupling wells 10, 10,' and the extending parts 42, 42'comprise protruding guide lugs 44 which cooperate with guide tracks 46, 46 ^' (cf. fig. 5) in two opposing and towards the end parts facing sides of the first and the second coupling well 10, 10 ^' respectively. The extending parts 42, 42 ^' further comprise a space 43 for the accommodation of the compression spring (26) and the first leg 47 of the U-shaped snap elements 24, 24 ^' , so that the one end of the spring rests against the bottom 48 of the U.-shaped snap elements 24, 24 ^' . In extension of the bottom 48 of the U- shaped snap elements 24, 24', at the foot of the U-shaped element's second leg 49, there is a protruding retaining lug intended for engagement in a herewith cooperating hole 52 in the side of the coupling wells 10, 10'.

The second leg 49 of the U-shaped snap elements 24, 24 'further comprises a holding element 54 which is oriented towards and accommodated in a track system 56 in the side 58 of the extending parts 42, 42 ^' facing towards the walls of the

coupling wells, cf. fig. 6 and 7. The track system 56 comprises a track 60 which opens out in a labyrinth 62 with a V-shaped track switch point 64, the first track 66 of which is deeper than the second 68, and in the middle of said labyrinth there is an upstanding holding part 77 with a pointed extent oriented towards the track 60. The opposite end of the holding part 70 comprises a stepped seating 72 cooperating with the holding element 54, where the track depth is decreasing between the pointed extent and the stepped seating 72, and in which the holding element 54, by pressing-in of the parts 42, 42'to a bottom position, is guided in to the stepped seating 72, whereby the holding element 54 is locked, as will appear from fig. 7, and under the force of the compression spring 26 is maintained in this position, so that the ventilation flap 6 is provisionally locked in a position where the insulating casing is pressed against the sealing strip, until a repeated pressure on a relevant part 42, 42 ^' , alternatively both parts, will result in the holding element 54 being released and guided out from the stepped seating 72, and by the part(s) 42, 42' under the force of the compression spring 26 is guided out sideways and into the V-shaped switch point ^' s second track 74, the bottom of which is lying lower than the bottom of the stepped seating, and is led by outwards displacement of the part(s) 42, 42', via the second track 64 back to the track 60.

With the introduction of the protruding holding element 50 into the hole 42 in connection with the mounting of the pressure-operated snap couplings, there occurs a locking of the parts 42, 42 ^' so that these, in combination with the holding element 54 and its seating in the track system 56, are retained in the coupling wells 10, 10 ^' .

As will appear from fig. 4,5, 6 and 7, the fresh-air valve 2 according to the invention, in the embodiment shown, comprises end protection caps 110 on the protruding parts 42, 42'which extend between the cover plate 88 and are oriented towards the coupling wells 10, 10', at least to a level with the holding element 54, said end protection caps 110 at least covering upstanding parts of the extending parts 42, 42'which comprise the track system 56 which at any time protrude out over the edge 20 of the channel bush. The end protection caps 110 serve to protect the track system 56 on the extending parts 42, 42 'against soiling with dirt and dust, which results in good operational stability of the pressure releasable snap couplings 9, 9 ^' .

The assembly of the fresh-air valve 2 according to the invention takes place by pressing the locking tongue 86 into the track 82 in the insulating casing 76, so that the protruding side edges 83, 85 of the locking tongue are locked behind the protruding lugs 84 in the track 82. Hereafter, the end protection caps 110 are mounted, after which a spring element 26, 26'is placed on the first leg 47 of each of the U-shaped snap elements 24, 24 ^' , which are then inserted into the spaces provided for this purpose in the extending parts 42, 42 on the insulating casing 76, at the same time that the holding element 54 on the second leg 49 of the U- shaped snap element 24 is placed in the track system 56 on the outer side of the extending parts 42, 42 ^' , after which the end parts are introduced into the coupling wells 10, 10 ^' until the holding elements 50 on the U-shaped snap element 24 are engaged in the holes 53 in the coupling wells, at the same time that the transversely-directed projections 102 on the bluntly extending elements 96 on the insulating casing 76 are pressed in for locking behind the protruding parts 108 in the through-flow opening 22 of the channel bush, after which the fresh-air valve is assembled.

With the invention there is thus provided a fresh-air valve which with its construction counteracts the formation of condensate water on the internal side of the ventilation flap 6 by the introduction of an insulating casing 76 between the ventilation flap ^' s cover plate 88 and the through-flow opening 22 of the fresh-air valve. Moreover, there is provided a fresh-air valve which comprises fewer individual parts than the earlier known fresh-air valves, which means that it becomes easier to assemble.

Finally, with the invention there is also provided a fresh-air valve 2 which continues to permit a reduced building-in depth. Furthermore, there is provided a fresh-air valve which is considerably cheaper to produce, and which has pressure releasable snap couplings which are considerably easier to assemble.

CLAIMS