Ventilation – Having protecting air current
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-11
2001-05-22
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3744)
Ventilation
Having protecting air current
C454S195000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234892
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the device for producing air currents at door openings, in particular of local transit vehicles, wherein the air curtain which forms a barrier against the penetration of cold air into the space disposed behind the door opening covers an area disposed between the bottom end of the door opening and a region disposed above this bottom end.
It is generally known that air curtains are used to prevent the penetration of cold air into heated or air-conditioned spaces. This kind of air curtains are generally found in public buildings, which include warehouses, for example. A disadvantage with the previous devices lies in the fact that they place an air curtain over the entire height of the door opening. Very large quantities of air are thus required which are difficult or impossible to produce on vehicles. It is also disadvantageous that the necessary high flow speeds cause annoyances for the people passing through the door opening. With a device of this kind, it would also be disadvantageous in vehicles that due to the available installation space, the air flow produced could only be directed from top to bottom, which could create annoyances because it might stir up dust from the street. Another disadvantage with the previously conventional devices is its inevitable noise nuisance due to the large quantities of air transported.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to embody a device of this generic type with a view to the lowest possible structural cost and the limited installation space currently available in vehicles so that a penetration of cold air through the door opening that is found to be unpleasant is reliably prevented, wherein the device should function with smaller air quantities and to the greatest extent possible, should be noise-free and should not stir up dust.
This object is attained according to the invention by virtue of the fact that the air curtain above the bottom end of the door opening is limited to a height between at least one third and at most half the total height of the door opening.
In contrast to previous embodiments in which an air curtain is placed over the entire height of the door opening, according to the invention, only an air current of up to a maximal height of approximately half the door opening height is necessary. Trials using a vehicle with a door opening 200 cm high have confirmed that an air curtain of approximately 80 cm high inside the door opening comprises an effective dividing line for the penetration of cold air. A primary possibility for using the invention lies in local transit vehicles such as suburban rail cars and buses, whose doors are open more frequently and often for relatively long periods of time, wherein a comfortable interior climate is nevertheless maintained.
The air curtain is preferably produced by means of nozzle systems disposed laterally next to the door opening and therefore has a horizontal course, which for example prevents dust from being stirred up. Depending on the spatial installation conditions and the width of the door opening, the air curtain can be produced by means of a nozzle system disposed on the left and/or right next to the door opening. It is also advisable to produce the air curtain only when the door is open, i.e. in a vehicle, only when it is stopped. In order to be able to produce the air curtain in a simple manner without additional units, the proposal is made to use an already existing air conditioning device inside of building or vehicle. This air conditioning device should be equipped in a practical manner with a remote controllable air deflection, for example a louver, which is functionally coupled to the door control. Particularly for the case in which a building or vehicle does not already half the air conditioning device, a compact air current generator is provided to produce the air curtain, e.g. a small recirculatory blower, which is either turned on only when the doors open or continuously produces a hot air mass flow directed at the lower section of the door opening.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3777648 (1973-12-01), McGowan et al.
patent: 4581988 (1986-04-01), Mattei
patent: 4896829 (1990-01-01), Kawamura
Geyer Karl-Eberhard
Henatsch Alfred
Boles Derek S.
Joyce Harold
Siemens Duewag Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
Striker Michael J.
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