Ventilator assembly and method of installing same

Abstract

The invention relates to a ventilator assembly and method for removing kitchen exhaust fumes entrained in a moving air stream from an area surrounding a cooking unit. A roof-top blower moves the air stream from the cooking area through an air duct to the atmosphere. An overhanging hood defines a ventilation opening located above the cooking unit. One or more air vents are formed in a top wall of the hood and communicate with the air duct. The hood back panel has upper and lower longitudinal flanges, the lower flanges of which nests in a wall-mounted underlying first bracket securely earlier mounted on the kitchen side wall, while the hood upper flange is overlapped and retained by a second bracket holding the hood in an upright functional position.

1 . A hood-like, ventilator assembly adapted for mounting on a vertical support wall for removing kitchen exhaust fumes entrained in a moving airstream from an area surrounding a cooking unit, including a rooftop blower for moving the airstream through an air duct to the atmosphere, said ventilator assembly comprising: 
 (a) an overhanging hood defining a ventilation opening located above said cooking unit, said hood including a back panel, an outwardly extending top panel, a front panel, and spaced apart side panels;    (b) one or more air vents formed in the top panel of said hood and in communication with the said air duct;    (c) the back panel being provided along the lower and upper substantially linear edges with first and second flanges, respectively, which are integral therewith;    (d) an underlying elongate first bracket member, having an open channel configuration when viewed in vertical cross section, and being fixedly mounted on the vertical support wall, while supporting the lower first flange of the venting hood;    (e) an overlying elongate second bracket member having a wall offset configuration when seen in vertical cross section, with a first longitudinal segment thereof adapted to engage and retain the upper second flange of the back panel in abutment to the support wall, and further having an integral second longitudinal segment thereof being fixedly mounted to the support wall for the ventilation assembly; and,    (f) a fumes filter element positioned transversely within the venting hood and adapted for the removing fumes from the moving air stream during the course of venting hood utilization.    
   
   
       2 . The venting hood of  claim 1  wherein the first bracket member is adapted to nest interruptibly the lower first flanged member and is also having a vertical cross section in a shape of a letter “U” presenting an open channel.  
   
   
       3 . The venting hood of  claim 1  wherein the second bracket member has a cross-configuration adapted to overlap and retain the second upper flange member of the hood upright along a lower first longitudinal segment thereof, and also to fixedly engage the support wall along an upper second longitudinal segment of the second channel member.  
   
   
       4 . The venting hood of  claim 1  wherein both of the first and second bracket members are fabricated from stainless steel.  
   
   
       5 . The venting hood of  claim 1  wherein each of the flange members is secured to the support wall by a number of spaced-apart fasteners which engage vertical studs behind said support wall.  
   
   
       6 . The venting hood of  claim 1  wherein the first flange of the hood is provided with a U-shaped channel which is sized to seat firmly in the trough of the first bracket member.  
   
   
       7 . The venting hood of  claim 1  wherein the first flange is further provide with an outwardly projecting, leading edge which is adapted to contact and retain in place one lowermost longitudinal edge of the filter element.  
   
   
       8 . A method of removing kitchen exhaust fumes entrained in a moving air stream from an area surrounding a cooking unit, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) mounting a blower outside of the cooking area and in communication with the atmosphere for moving air from the cooking area to the atmosphere;    (b) mounting an elongate first linear bracket on a sidewall selected to support an overhanging hood located to just above the cooking area, said first bracket being provided with an open channel adapted to receive an elongate lower flange which is integral with the overlying hood;    (c) mounting the hood adjacent the sidewall along its lower flange which lower flange engages an open channel, first bracket as the initial hood position;    (d) rotating the linearly supported hood into its normal upright second position adjacent the support wall while retaining same by manual means in that second position;    (e) mounting an elongate second linear bracket on the sidewall so as to overlap an upper flange which is integral with the upright hood;    (f) securing the second bracket to the sidewall with conventional fastening means; and, (g) then removing the manual means initially used to retain the hood upright.    
   
   
       9 . The hood assembly installation method of  claim 8  wherein the second bracket means has a partial wall offset configuration along a first longitudinal segment thereof adapted to engage and retain the upper second flange adjacent to the sidewall.  
   
   
       10 . The hood assembly installation method of  claim 8  wherein the first bracket means presents a vertical cross-section in the shape of the letter “U” presenting an open channel.