Pest guard vent cover

Abstract

A pest guard vent cover may prevent the entry of large insects and animals into, but not obstruct the flow out of, the exhaust vent. A frame may have a rain guard, which terminates in pivot slots. A guard basket is pivotally and removably mounted within the pivot slots, so that it may pivot out and away from the frame for easy cleaning of dryer fluff. It may also be pivoted down towards the frame and attached to the frame by means of latches having angled flanges, which flanges catch the basket and releasably hold it against the frame.

1 . A pest guard cover for an external wall vent, arranged to be mounted over an existing exhaust vent cover and vent louvers comprising:
 a rectangular frame;   a rain shield projecting from the frame, in a downward-sloping inclination;   a guard basket having a plurality of perforations forming a grid, providing sufficient clearance for the vent louvers to open; and   a hinge between the rain shield and said guard basket so as to permit the guard basket to be pivoted between the frame and rain shield;   
       wherein the frame is affixed over the exhaust vent cover, and the guard basket pivotally hangs from the rain shield by said hinge. 
     
     
         2 . The pest guard cover of  claim 1 , wherein said hinge further comprises one or more pivot members; and
 one or more pivot slots   
       wherein the pivot members are inserted into the pivot slots so as to be capable of pivoting. 
     
     
         3 . The pest guard vent cover of  claim 2 , further comprising
 a first latch and a second latch projecting from the frame; and   one or more perforations in said guard basket   
       wherein said first and second latches with and releasably lock within said perforations. 
     
     
         4 . The pest guard cover of  claim 1  wherein the guard basket has one or more alignment tabs. 
     
     
         5 . The pest guard cover of  claim 1  wherein the guard basket has a pull handle. 
     
     
         6 . The pest guard cover of  claim 1  wherein the rectangular frame has apertures to allow for the rectangular frame to be attached to a building.