Ventilation – Having inlet airway – Including specific air distributor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-18
2001-04-24
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Having inlet airway
Including specific air distributor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220958
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to slot diffusers or air bars that control air flow from a ventilation plenum into a room and, in particular, to improvements in bridges which support air control blades within the diffusers.
Air diffusers are used in many different architectural environments for controlling the flow of air form heating and cooling ventilation systems into a room. Because of requirements associated with the geometry of a particular room and because of uneven heating or cooling requirements caused by sunlight or other heating or cooling loads in specific locations, it is often desirable to direct the air flow from the delivery plenum in a particular configuration to best suit the needs of the room.
In some instances it is best to have the air flow be a jet-type flow which comes straight out into the room. In other instances the air flow will be more diffuse and/or dampened. And in still other situations it may be desirable to direct air flow to one side or to the other side of the diffuser so that the air travels along a ceiling or wall adjacent to the diffuser.
Prior art diffusers have included various air flow controlling surfaces for distribution of the air exiting therefrom. For example, the Hungerford patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,967 illustrates a diffuser having air control blades that are adjustable by rotation within the diffuser and act in conjunction with body surfaces of the diffuser in an attempt to control the flow of the air from the diffuser.
Where distribution of air flow to the side is desired or where dampened air flow is desired, air flow is usually diverted in some manner within the diffuser so that it does not pass straight through the diffuser. In the present invention, a pair of air control blades work in cooperation with each other and with other surfaces of the diffuser to control air flow. The air flow control blades are positioned to be generally perpendicular to the air flow passing through the diffuser. The blades are supported by bridges within the diffuser and are preferably slidable along the bridges so that the blades can be moved relative to each other in order to control the amount of overlap of one blade over the other which in turn controls the flow of air through the diffuser. The blades are also movable with respect to the bridges and, in particular the blades can also be moved toward one side or the other of the diffuser to operably control the directional output of the air from the diffuser.
One problem encountered with movement of blades in this manner is that the blades tend to cock or turn slightly out of alignment with slots receiving the blades such that the blade either incurs sufficient drag to become very hard to move or becomes fully wedged and immobilized. It is also desirable to have a constant slight bias against the blades to hold them in position and to reduce the likelihood that the blades will rattle.
Consequently, it is desirable to provide a system for supporting the air control blades in such a manner as to prevent wedging of the blades so as to allow the blades to move smoothly and easily relative to the diffuser and each other, while also holding the blades in place and reducing rattling. In this manner a technician can properly adjust the blades during installation or to modify the position of the blades at a later time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An air diffuser is provided that operates in conjunction with an air delivery plenum to supply heating and ventilation air to a room under directional and volume control of the diffuser. The diffuser includes a pair of slide rails joined by end plates in such a manner as to be operably mountable within a ceiling or a wall surface and to be flow joined with an air delivery plenum. The diffuser also includes at least one pair of bridges which are positioned opposed to each other and a set of air flow control blades which are mounted in and extend between the bridges. The bridges each include a slot for receiving an end of each blade such that the blades may move laterally from side to side within the slot and such that the blades are preferably in overlapping relationship with one another in at least some configurations of the diffuser.
The blades are generally parallel to one another and are slidable relative to each other, as well as the bridges so as to be selectively positionable within the diffuser. In this manner the blades may as a pair be positioned anywhere between being fully to one side of the diffuser or fully to the opposite side of the diffuser. Furthermore, the overlap of the blades may be varied to allow more or less spreading therebetween. That is, as the blades slide relative to each other to a more separated position, the space obstructed by the blades increases, thereby producing a greater obstruction to air, and in this way air flow is dampened. For increased flow the blades are positioned for greater overlap. Moving the blades from side to side changes the directional output of the air from the diffuser. Thus, the blade design allows for a wide variety of directional air flows, as well as volumes of air flow through the diffuser.
Each of the bridges includes a spring arm that is located within the slot that receives the blades and which engages both of the blades. The spring arm provides a constant bias to the blades that maintains the blades in spaced relationship with respect to a rear wall of each slot, so as to reduce the likelihood that a blade will become wedged against the wall. This allows free movement of the blades within the slot for purposes of adjustment. Furthermore, the spring arm provides a constant small amount of bias to each of the blades so as to prevent the blades from rattling within the diffuser as air passes the blades.
The bridges have feet at each end that are slidably mounted in receivers in the side rails to allow movement of the bridges along the side rails, but yet provide support to the bridges.
Each bridge also includes an arcuate cover that slopes from rear to front, preferably with a radius equal to the thickness of the bridge, so as to reduce air turbulence.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the principle objects of the present invention are: to provide an air diffuser that has air control blades which are adjustable within the diffuser to modify both the directional flow of the air and the volume of the air exiting the diffuser; to provide such a diffuser wherein the blades are supported in an overlapping relationship by opposed bridges within the diffuser and wherein the blades slide relative to each other and to the bridges to allow a technician to position the blades for a desired air volume flow, as well as to adjust directional flow of the air before or after installation; to provide such a diffuser wherein the bridges are self supporting and are easily slidably mounted within side rails of the diffuser to provide support to the blades; to provide such a diffuser wherein the blades are easily removable after installation; to provide such a diffuser wherein the blades are mounted in slots in the bridges and the bridges include a spring arm located in the rear of each slot that continuously biases against the blades during use and prevents the blades from becoming cocked or wedged within the bridges and also which reduces vibration and noise associated with the blades as air passes past the blades; to provide such a diffuser that allows easy adjustment of the blades once the diffuser is fully installed, including removal of the blades, if necessary; to provide such a diffuser which includes comparatively few parts, is easy to assemble and highly stable in use; and to provide such a diffuser which is a relatively easy to manufacture, inexpensive to produce and especially well adapted for the intended usage thereof.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention
Cook Gerald
Jones Gordon G.
Air System Components LP
Joyce Harold
Shughart Thomson & Kilroy P.C.
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