Wall vent screen

Abstract

A small screen is used for blocking insects from entry into vent holes provided in brick walls. The screen has a frame with an aperture. A mesh of screen material is located over the aperture. A retainer is connected with the screen for retaining the screen over the vent hole. The retainer has resilient fingers that extend forward from the screen for frictionally engaging opposite sides of the vent hole.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A screen for covering a hole, comprising: 
 a frame having an aperture;    a mesh of screen material located over the aperture; and    a retainer carried by the screen for retaining the screen over a hole, the retainer having at least two resilient fingers that extend from the screen, the fingers having ends that are biased apart from each other for frictionally engaging opposing sides of the hole.    
     
     
         2 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the screen has two side edges, and the retainer further comprises a base from which the fingers extend, the fingers joining the base in a central area between the two side edges.  
     
     
         3 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the screen has two side edges and top and bottom edges, and the retainer further comprises abase from which the fingers extend, the fingers joining the base in a central area between the two side edges and between the top and bottom edges.  
     
     
         4 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance from the ends of the fingers to the mesh material is more than one-fourth a distance from a top edge of the frame to a bottom edge of the frame.  
     
     
         5 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame has oppositely facing side edges, and the retainer is secured to the side edges.  
     
     
         6 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the retainer comprises: 
 a base having first and second lateral ends that are secured to the frame; and    wherein the fingers extend from a central portion of the base located between the first and second lateral ends.    
     
     
         7 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the retainer comprises: 
 a base having first and second lateral ends, each lateral end having a clip portion formed thereon that releasably engages a side edge of the frame; and    a plate extending generally orthogonally from the base, the plate having at least one slit formed therein that defines the fingers.    
     
     
         8 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the retainer is formed of a single piece of metal and comprises: 
 a plate having a forward portion with at least one slit formed therein that defines the fingers, the fingers being bent out-of-plane from the plate in opposite directions and one of the fingers being lower than the other of the fingers;    the plate having a rearward portion with a slit formed therein that defines a pair of base portions, each base portion being bent out-of-plane with the plate in opposite directions, with one of the base portions being located lower than the other of the base portions; and    a clip member bent on each end of each base portion that releasably engages a side edge of the frame.    
     
     
         9 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame is rectangular.  
     
     
         10 . The screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is rectangular.  
     
     
         11 . In a brick wall having a vent hole defined by opposing side surfaces of adjacent bricks, a screen for blocking entry of insects into the vent hole, comprising: 
 a frame having an aperture;    a mesh of screen material located over the aperture and secured to the frame; and    a retainer carried by the screen and having at least two resilient fingers that extend into the vent hole from the screen and frictionally engage the opposing side surfaces of the adjacent bricks.    
     
     
         12 . The screen according to  claim 11 , wherein the frame has a top, a bottom and two side edges, and the retainer is secured to the side edges substantially midway between the top and the bottom of the frame.  
     
     
         13 . The screen according to  claim 11 , wherein the retainer comprises: 
 a base having first and second lateral ends that are secured to the frame; and    wherein the fingers extend from a central portion of the base located between the first and second lateral ends.    
     
     
         14 . The screen according to  claim 11 , wherein the retainer comprises: 
 a base having first and second lateral ends, each lateral end having a clip portion formed thereon that releasably engages a side edge of the frame; and    a plate extending generally orthogonally from the base, the plate having at least one slit formed therein that define the fingers.    
     
     
         15 . The screen according to  claim 11 , wherein the retainer is formed of a single piece of metal and comprises: 
 a plate having a forward portion with at least one slit formed therein that defines the fingers, the fingers being bent out-of-plane from the plate in opposite directions, and one of the fingers being lower than the other of the fingers;    the plate having a rearward portion with a slit formed therein that defines a pair of base portions, each base portion being bent out-of-plane with the plate in opposite directions, with one of the base portions being located lower than the other of the base portions; and    a clip member bent on each end of each base portion that releasably engages a side edge of the frame.    
     
     
         16 . The screen according to  claim 11 , wherein the frame is rectangular.  
     
     
         17 . The screen according to  claim 11 , wherein the aperture is rectangular.  
     
     
         18 . A method of blocking entry of insects to a vent hole, comprising: 
 providing a frame having an aperture, a mesh of screen material located over the aperture, and a retainer carried by the screen, the retainer having at least two resilient fingers that extend from the screen; then    inserting the fingers into the vent hole and pressing the frame against the wall, causing ends of the fingers to move apart from each other to frictionally grip opposing sides of the vent hole to retain the screen material over the vent hole.    
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 prior to inserting the fingers in the vent hole, initially forming ends of the fingers apart from each other by permanent deformation a greater distance that a width of the vent hole, then pressing the ends of the fingers toward each other with elastic deformation while inserting the fingers into the vent hole.