Air diffusers

Automatic temperature and humidity regulation – Ventilator type – Mechanical linkage actuated

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C454S258000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06254010

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
THIS INVENTION relates to diffusers.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
The term “diffuser” is used to designate those devices which, in air conditioning systems, are employed for the purpose of regulating flow of air, which may be heated air or cooled air, from air conditioning ducting into a room.
Various conditions occur in an air conditioned room depending on whether the outside temperature is above that at which the room is to be maintained or below that at which the room is to be maintained.
In “Summer” conditions cooled air is fed from the air conditioning plant to the diffuser. If the room temperature is below that at which it is desired to maintain it, because cooled air has previously been fed in, then the diffuser must remain closed to prevent further cooled air entering the room.
As the room heats up a room temperature sensing element must detect this and open the diffuser to allow more cooled air into the room. The diffuser thus opens and closes as the room temperature varies.
In “Winter” conditions heated air is fed to the diffuser. If the room is above the requisite temperature, because heated air has previously been fed into the room, the diffuser must remain closed to prevent further heated air entering. As the room cools down, the room temperature sensing element must detect this and open the diffuser to allow more heated air in. The diffuser consequently opens and closes as the room temperature varies.
In the specification of our South African patent 96/4791 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,532 and Australian Patent No. 700908) there is disclosed a diffuser which has a single room temperature sensing element which closes a diffuser when the room is too cold (in Summer conditions) and close the diffuser when the room is too hot (in Winter conditions). This avoids the use of complex constructions involving two or more room temperature sensing elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a diffuser for controlling flow of air in an air conditioning system, the diffuser including an air flow control baffle, a first temperature sensitive element for sensing room temperature and having a first part which moves in response to changes in room temperature, first and second operating members connected to said first part for movement therewith in response to changes in room temperature, said members serving to move said baffle in opening and closing movements when they are themselves displaced by said first part of said first element, and a second temperature sensitive element for sensing the temperature in ducting through which heated and cooled air flows and having a second part which moves in response to ducting temperature variations, movements of said second part displacing said members between a first position in which one of them is effective to move the baffle in said opening and closing movements when cooled air is supplied to the ducting and a second position in which the other of said members is effective to move said baffle in said opening and closing movements when heated air is supplied to the ducting, there being means for adjusting the positions of said members with respect to said parts of said temperature sensitive elements.
The diffuser can include a framework on which said second temperature sensitive element is mounted, said framework being secured to and moving with said part of said first temperature sensitive element.
In the preferred form the diffuser includes a link, one end portion of which is pivotally mounted and the other end portion of which is connected to the baffle, said one end portion of the link including a first surface which is on the side of its pivotal mounting remote from its connection to the baffle and a second surface which is on the same side of its pivotal mounting as its connection to the baffle, said members being spaced apart with said link surfaces between them, said first surface being positioned to contact said first member and said second surface being positioned to contact said second member, forces exerted by said first and second members on said first and second surfaces pivoting the link in the direction which moves the baffle towards its closed position.
In this form there can be a unit having first and second spaced discs which are secured together so that they move rectilinearly along an axis, said first and second discs constituting said first and second members, said one end portion of said link being between said first and second discs whereby said first and second surfaces contact said first and second discs respectively, said link extending radially with respect to said axis, said first and second surfaces being one radially inwardly of the pivotal mounting of the link and the other radially outwardly of the pivotal mounting of the link.
Said unit can further include a third disc which moves in unison with said first and second discs, there being a lever pivotally mounted between its ends, said part of said second element displacing a first end of said lever in response to temperature variations in the ducting and a second end of said lever being between said second and third discs and serving to displace said unit and hence said first and second discs with respect to said one end portion of the link thereby selectively to bring said first disc and said first surface, or said second disc and said second surface, into co-operation with one another.
To provide a diffuser which is adapted to be mounted on a ceiling, said part of said first temperature sensitive element is connected, to and is co-axial with, a rod which, in use, is vertical and co-incident with said axis, said first disc being above the second disc and the third disc being below the second disc and said unit being moved upwardly with increasing room temperature and downwardly with decreasing room temperature, said second temperature sensitive element being orientated so that said first end of said lever is pushed down when heated air is flowing in the ducting whereby the second end of the lever lifts said unit upwardly with respect to said one end portion of said link.
The adjusting means is preferably an adjuster for moving said first end of said lever relatively to said part of said second element. In this constructional form said part of said second element is in the form of a threaded rod and said adjuster is screwed onto said rod, said adjuster including first and second axially spaced collars joined to one another by a sleeve, said first end of the lever being between said collars for movement thereby when the adjuster is displaced along said rod.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a diffuser for controlling flow of air in an air conditioning system, the diffuser including an air flow control baffle, a first temperature sensitive element for sensing room temperature and having a first part which moves in response to changes in room temperature, first and second operating members connected to said first part for movement therewith in response to changes in room temperature, said members serving to move said baffle in opening and closing movements when they are themselves displaced by said first part of said first element, and a second temperature sensitive element for sensing the temperature in ducting through which heated and cooled air flows and having a second part which moves in response to ducting temperature variations, movements of said second part displacing said members between a first position in which one of them is effective to move the baffle in said opening and closing movements when cooled air is supplied to the ducting and a second position in which the other of said members is effective to move said baffle in said opening and closing movements when heated air is supplied to the ducting, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends and forming the means for displacing said members between their first and second positions upon movement of said second part and an adjuster for displacing said lever so that the lever m

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