Air register

Details Air register Air register

2001-11-13

2003-01-07

Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)

Ventilation

Having inlet airway

Including specific air distributor

C454S325000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06503140

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to a register for controlling air flow into a room from an air duct in a floor, wall or ceiling and, in particular, to a register which has at least one damper and a unique control mechanism and linkage for moving the damper between an open and a closed position.
It has become well known to use air registers to control the flow of heated, cooled or vented air from a duct system into a room. The register is commonly mounted within a duct opening of the duct system and typically includes fixed or adjustable grill openings or louvers on a grill or face plate of the register. Mounted to the grill is a register frame or body which extends into the duct helping to secure the register thereto and directing airflow through to the face plate. Registers typically employ one or more adjustable dampers within the register body to control the direction and volume of air flow. The dampers can typically be moved between a closed position blocking airflow through the register, a partially opened position, and a fully opened position maximizing airflow therethrough.
An example of a prior art register and control mechanism is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,430 to Koppang, incorporated herein by reference. In the register disclosed in Koppang, a pair of vanes or dampers are moved by pivoting a lever having a spur gear attached thereto, which in turn rotates a mating spur gear. One spur gear is mounted on each damper so that the dampers pivot between the open and closed positions as the spur gears are rotated. Another air register vent is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,298 to Myers, incorporated herein by reference. The dampers in Myers are also operated by spur gears. One spur gear is used as a thumb wheel for controlling the unit. The thumb wheel is connected to a pair of mating spur gears that are each mounted on a damper. The dampers rotate with the spur gears.
Another prior art register, generally indicated as
10
, is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. Prior art register
10
includes a grill
12
, a frame
14
, a pair of dampers
16
a
,
16
b
, an operating lever
18
, and a following lever
20
. Frame
14
is substantially rectangular in shape and includes an end
22
having a pair of elongated bosses
24
a
,
24
b
extending towards the interior of the frame. Elongated boss
24
a
has a pair of apertures
26
a
,
26
b
therethrough, and elongated boss
24
b
has a pair of through apertures
27
a
,
27
b
.
Dampers
16
a
and
16
b
both have a generally planer configuration, although, each damper has a longitudinally extending integral axle
28
a
,
28
b
, respectively, that is offset from the major plane of the damper and extends beyond the ends thereof as is well known in the art.
Operating lever
18
extends along a major plane substantially parallel to the plane of the paper in
FIGS. 1 and 2
and includes thumb ridges
30
, an elongated slit
31
and a flared projection
32
for connecting the operating lever to end
22
of frame
14
. Operating lever
18
also includes a pair of fingerlike projections
34
a
,
34
b
extending substantially perpendicular to the major plane and defining a slit
35
located therebetween.
Following lever
20
lies generally along a major plane that is substantially parallel to the major plane of operating lever
18
and includes a tab
37
and pair of fingerlike projections
38
a
,
38
b
, all extending generally perpendicular to the major plane thereof. Fingerlike projections
38
a
,
38
b
define a slit
39
located therebetween. Following lever
20
also has a flared projection
36
for connecting the lever to end
22
of frame
14
.
Air register
10
is assembled with flared projection
32
pivotally connecting operating lever
18
to aperture
26
a
and flared projection
36
pivotally connecting following lever
20
to aperture
27
a
. Following lever
20
is connected to operating lever
18
by tab
37
which is received in and follows the movement of elongated slot
31
. Damper
16
a
is pivotally connected to frame
14
by integral axle
28
a
which is inserted into aperture
26
b
and a corresponding aperture (not shown) on the opposite end of the frame. Likewise, damper
16
b
is pivotally connected to frame
14
by integral axle
28
b
which is received in aperture
27
b
and a corresponding aperture (not shown) at the opposite end of the frame. The dampers are slidingly connected to the levers as damper
16
a
is received in and slides within slit
35
, and damper
16
b
is received in and slides within slit
39
.
To operate the dampers, operating lever
18
is pivoted about flared projection
32
by pushing or pulling on thumb ridges
30
. While moving from the open position of
FIG. 1
to the closed position of
FIG. 2
, projection
34
a
pulls damper
16
a
into the closed position. Simultaneously, lever
20
is pivoted about flared projection
36
as tab
37
follows the movement of and pivots within slot
31
, and projection
38
b
pulls damper
16
b
. Alternately, while moving the dampers to the open position, projection
34
b
pushes on damper
16
a
, and projection
38
a
pushes on damper
16
b
as tab
37
follows slot
31
.
While the foregoing prior art discloses numerous mechanisms for operating dampers in an air register, the need continues for an improved register as many of the prior art control mechanisms tend to be stiff or difficult to move when trying to adjust the position of the dampers. On the other hand, some prior art registers have dampers that are easy to move, but have a tendency to shift from the position in which they are set or to vibrate and rattle as air flows through the register or other vibratory energy is imparted on the register.
It has also been known to provide registers with motorized dampers as is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,417,687 to W. Grant and 5,588,911 to R. Gomez, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Motorized controls, however, may significantly add to the cost of a register and may require maintenance or repair that is not necessary with a manual register.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a cost efficient register with dampers that move smoothly between the open and closed positions and tend to remain in the position set until intentionally moved therefrom. It is also an object of the invention to provide a register wherein the dampers are resistant to rattling. It is another object of the invention that the resistance to rattling is accomplished by a biasing mechanism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objects of the invention have been accomplished by providing a register to be mounted in a vent opening of a wall, floor, or ceiling for regulating the passage of air. The register includes a grill having a plate with grill openings for directing the passage of air therethrough, a frame connected to the bottom of the grill, at least one damper for regulating air flow through the register, a pivotal connection connecting the damper to the frame to allow pivotal movement therebetween, and a control mechanism for moving the damper between an open position permitting air to flow through the register and a closed position wherein air is inhibited from flowing through the register.
Another feature of the invention is to provide first and second connecting ears extending from a major plane of the damper in directions opposite from one another. In the embodiment shown, the connecting ears extend substantially perpendicular from the major plane.
It is also a feature of the invention that the control mechanism is pivotally connected to at least one of the connecting ears.
Another aspect of the invention is that the first and second connecting ears have apertures therethrough and the control mechanism is pivotally connected to at least one of the apertures. The control mechanism may include a control bar pivotally connected to the damper.
An additional feature of the invention is that the control bar includes a spring member biasing the damper towards the frame. The spring member has a finger that is received in an aperture in one of the conn

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