Systems and methods for vent protection enclosures

Abstract

A generally planar blank made, for example, from sheet metal can be formed into a vent protector that can be mounted to an outer wall of a structure over the exhaust aperture of a vent to inhibit vertebrate wildlife from entering the vent. The vent protector forms an enclosure for receiving vent flaps that may extend outwardly from the wall of the structure.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for making a vent protector, the method comprising:
 providing a blank, the blank comprising:
 a main ventilation portion having a first plurality of ventilation apertures for permitting fluid flow past the main ventilation portion and inhibiting ingress of vertebrate wildlife past the main ventilation portion; 
 a plurality of spacer portions extending from the main ventilation portion; and 
 mounting portions extending from at least two of the spacer portions for mounting the vent protector to a surface; 
   wherein the blank is made from a monolithic metal sheet; and   the main ventilation portion, the spacer portions, and the mounting portions are separated by bend lines;   the method further comprising:
 hand bending the blank along the bend lines separating the main ventilation portion from the spacer portions to place adjacent edges of the spacer portions substantially in registration with one another to form an enclosure with an opening opposite the main ventilation portion; 
 hand bending the blank along the bend lines separating the mounting portions from the respective spacer portions so that the mounting portions are substantially parallel to the main ventilation portion; and 
 securing adjacent spacer portions to one another. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein hand bending the blank along the bend lines separating the main ventilation portion from the spacer portions and hand bending the blank along the bend lines separating the mounting portions from the respective spacer portions comprises bending along the bend lines with energy of less than about 12 inch-pounds. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein hand bending the blank along the bend lines separating the main ventilation portion from the spacer portions and hand bending the blank along the bend lines separating the mounting portions from the respective spacer portions omits use of any brake. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the bend lines comprise a series of substantially linearly arranged bend apertures to reduce resistance to bending along the bend line, relative to resistance to bending of the main ventilation portion, the spacer portions, and the mounting portions. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein securing adjacent spacer portions to one another comprises securing respective tabs extending from at least some of the spacer portions to adjacent spacer portions to secure each spacer portion to each adjacent spacer portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising powder coating the vent protector after hand bending the blank. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein hand bending the blank takes less than about 10 seconds.