Flow Stop Prevention of Air Leakage at Ventilation Registers

Abstract

A flow stop is formed of a sheet of impermeable material shaped as a bag having a closed end and an open end opposed to the closed end. The open end of the impermeable bag fits over the skirt (or diffuser) of a ventilation register and clamps about the skirt using an elastic band fixed about the open end. The flow stop bag has a noise suppressing elastic member secured across a portion of the closed end.

1 . A flow control device for use with a ventilation register comprising:
 a sheet of material that is substantially impermeable to passage of air, and that is formed so as to have a first, closed end and a second, open end;   a peripheral tension structure connected about a peripheral edge of the open end and sized to provide a gripping fit of the open end about a portion of the ventilation register; and   a motion control tension structure connected to the closed end to apply tension force across the sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the ventilation register is a diffuser, the open end being sized to fit about the diffuser and the peripheral tension structure being sized to provide a gripping fit of the open end about the diffuser. 
     
     
         3 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral tension structure comprises one or more elastic bands. 
     
     
         4 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral tension structure comprises one or more pieces of elastic material. 
     
     
         5 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the motion control tension structure comprises one or more pieces of elastic material. 
     
     
         6 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the motion control tension structure comprises two or more pieces of elongated elastic material oriented substantially parallel to one another. 
     
     
         7 . The flow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the motion control tension structure comprises at least one piece of elongated elastic material disposed across the closed end and having opposed ends attached adjacent to the peripheral tension structure. 
     
     
         8 . A flow control device for use with a ventilation register comprising:
 a bag having a first, closed end and a second, open end, the bag being formed of material that is substantially impermeable to passage of air;   a peripheral tension structure connected about a peripheral edge of the open end and sized to provide a gripping fit of the open end about a portion of the ventilation register; and   a motion control tension structure connected to the closed end to apply tension force across the sheet.   
     
     
         9 . The flow control device of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the air register is a diffuser, the open end being sized to fit about the diffuser and the peripheral tension structure being sized to provide a gripping fit of the open end about the diffuser. 
     
     
         10 . The flow control device of  claim 8 , wherein the peripheral tension structure comprises one or more elastic bands. 
     
     
         11 . The flow control device of  claim 8 , wherein the peripheral tension structure comprises one or more pieces of elastic material. 
     
     
         12 . The flow control device of  claim 8 , wherein the motion control tension structure comprises at least one piece of elongated elastic material disposed across the closed end and having opposed ends attached adjacent to the peripheral tension structure. 
     
     
         13 . A flow control device for use with a ventilation register comprising:
 a bag having a first, closed end and a second, open end, the bag being formed of material that is substantially impermeable to passage of air;   a peripheral tension structure connected about a peripheral edge of the open end and sized to provide a gripping fit of the open end about a portion of the air register, the peripheral tension structure comprising one or more elastic bands; and   a motion control tension structure connected to the closed end to apply tension force across the sheet, the motion control tension structure comprising at least one piece of elongated elastic material disposed across the closed end and having opposed ends attached adjacent to the peripheral tension structure.   
     
     
         14 . The flow control device of  claim 13 , wherein the portion of the air register is a diffuser, the open end being sized to fit about the diffuser and the peripheral tension structure being sized to provide a gripping fit of the open end about the diffuser. 
     
     
         15 . The flow control device of  claim 13 , wherein the material comprises a polymer sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The flow control device of  claim 13 , wherein the material comprises a nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         17 . A flow control device for use in combination with a ventilation register having a face plate with a vent and skirt extending outwardly from the face plate for insertion into a forced air duct outlet, the flow control device for disposition about the skirt for blockage of air flow from the duct outlet, wherein the flow control device comprises:
 an impermeable and pliable sheet material,   a clamp structure secured along the periphery of the sheet material to secure the sheet material to the skirt, and   a noise suppression member secured laterally across the sheet material to apply tension force to the sheet material.   
     
     
         18 . The flow control device of  claim 17 , wherein the clamp structure comprises one or more elastic bands. 
     
     
         19 . The flow control device of  claim 17 , wherein the noise suppression member comprises one or more pieces of elastic material. 
     
     
         20 . The flow control device of  claim 17 , wherein the noise suppression member comprises at least one piece of elongated elastic material disposed across the closed end and having opposed ends attached adjacent to the clamp structure.