Removable vent trap

Abstract

A ventilation device is disclosed for covering duct openings in the floor or wall of a building or other unit containing heating/cooling ductwork. The device includes a ventilation cover member sized and shaped to cover the duct opening of a building heating/cooling ductwork system. The cover member has a peripheral portion overlapping the duct opening, an outer face, an inner face, a central opening to permit airflow through the cover member, and a plurality of depending edge elements that engage the interior periphery of the duct opening. A filtration basket is provided and has a plurality of spaced peripheral side panels, a bottom panel and an open upper end portion. An attachment member is disposed about the peripheral side panels proximate the upper end portion and is adapted for securing the open end portion of the basket to the cover member depending edge elements. The basket is sized and shaped to project into the duct opening. Finally, each of the peripheral side panels and the bottom panel includes a plurality of perforations defined therein which are sized to permit airflow therethrough from the ductwork through the cover central opening, and prevent debris from entering the ductwork through the cover central opening.

1 . A ventilation device for covering duct openings in the floor or wall of a building or other unit containing heating/cooling ductwork, said device comprising:
 a ventilation cover member sized and shaped to cover the duct opening of a building heating/cooling ductwork system, said cover member having a peripheral portion overlapping the duct opening, an outer face, an inner face, a central opening to permit airflow through said cover member, and a plurality of depending edge elements that engage the interior periphery of the duct opening;   a filtration basket having a plurality of spaced peripheral side panels, a bottom panel and an open upper end portion;   an attachment member disposed about said peripheral side panels proximate said upper end portion and adapted for securing the open end portion of said basket to said cover member depending edge elements, said basket sized and shaped to project into said duct opening; and   each said peripheral side panel and said bottom panel having a plurality of perforations defined therein sized to permit airflow therethrough from said ductwork through said cover central opening, and to prevent debris from entering said ductwork through said cover central opening.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said basket is removable, and said attachment member is adjustable to permit removal and emptying of said basket. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said attachment member comprises an elastic band. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said attachment member comprises a length adjustable tie element. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said attachment member is adapted to permanently secure said peripheral side panels to said depending edge members, said ventilation cover member being removable from said duct opening to empty said basket. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said peripheral side and bottom panels comprise flexible sheets adaptable to variably sized duct openings. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said flexible sheets comprise mesh screens. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said peripheral side and bottom panels comprise inflexible sheet panels. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said inflexible sheet panels are selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic. 
     
     
         10 . A debris filtration and trapping device for use with a ventilation cover member sized and shaped to cover the duct opening of a building heating/cooling ductwork system, the cover member having a central opening to permit airflow therethrough and a plurality of depending edge elements that project into the interior of the duct opening, said device comprising:
 a filtration basket having a plurality of connected peripheral side panels, a bottom panel and an open upper end portion, said basket panels being sized and shaped to project into said duct opening;   an attachment member disposed about said peripheral side panels proximate said upper end portion, said attachment member being adapted to secure the open end portion of said basket about said depending edge elements; and   each said peripheral side panel and said bottom panel having a plurality of perforations defined therein sized to prevent debris from entering said ductwork system through said cover central opening while simultaneously permitting airflow therethrough from the ductwork system into and through said cover central opening.   
     
     
         11 . The device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said attachment member is adjustable to permit attachment of said basket to variably sized cover members, and said basket is removable to permit emptying thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The device as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said attachment member is selected from the group consisting of an elastic band and a length adjustable tie element. 
     
     
         13 . The device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said peripheral side panels and bottom panel comprise flexible sheets adaptable for use with variably sized duct openings. 
     
     
         14 . The device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said flexible sheets comprise mesh screens. 
     
     
         15 . The device as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said peripheral side panels and bottom panel comprise inflexible sheet panels interconnected to form said basket. 
     
     
         16 . The device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said inflexible sheet panels are selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic. 
     
     
         17 . A vent trap for capturing debris falling through a vent cover opening into a floor ventilation duct opening to prevent debris from accumulating in the duct work associated therewith, said vent trap comprising:
 a filtration basket having a plurality of peripheral side panels, a bottom panel and an open upper end portion;   an attachment member disposed about said peripheral side panels proximate said upper end portion and adapted for securing the open end portion of said basket to said vent cover, said basket being sized and shaped to project into said ventilation duct opening; and   each said peripheral side panel and said bottom panel having a plurality of apertures defined therein sized to permit airflow therethrough while preventing debris from entering the associated duct work through said vent cover opening.   
     
     
         18 . The device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said attachment member is adjustable to permit attachment of said basket to variably sized vent covers, and said basket being disengageable from said vent cover to permit emptying thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the vent cover includes a plurality of depending edge elements that project into the interior of the duct opening, and wherein attachment member is adapted to be releasably secured to said depending edge elements to attach said basket to said vent cover. 
     
     
         20 . The device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said peripheral side and bottom panels comprise flexible sheets adaptable to depend from said vent cover and having sufficient flexibility to fit variably sized duct openings.