Automatic temperature and humidity regulation – Ventilator type – Mechanical linkage actuated
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-21
2001-04-03
McDermott, Corrine (Department: 3744)
Automatic temperature and humidity regulation
Ventilator type
Mechanical linkage actuated
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209792
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air diffusers and more particularly pertains to a new thermally actuated diffuser for diffusing air and controlling room temperature without electrical apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of air diffusers is known in the prior art. More specifically, air diffusers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,513; U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,678; U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,394; U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,850; U.S. Pat. Des. No. 331,102; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,007.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new thermally actuated diffuser. The inventive device includes a housing having a first duct opening and a second duct opening. The second duct opening is diametrically opposed to the first duct opening to produce a substantially linear air path through an interior of the housing. The housing has a third exit opening wherein the third exit opening lies in a plane orientated substantially perpendicular to the first duct opening and the second duct opening. A damper blade for diverting air flow from the air path is positioned in the interior of the housing. The housing contains a first device and a second device which are both responsive to ambient temperature. The first and second devices each have first and second ends. The first end and the second end are adapted to move away from each other when the device is warmed and to move toward each other when the device is cooled. The first device is positioned in the interior of the housing adjacent to the air path so as to be struck by air flowing along the air path. The second device is positioned in the housing adjacent to the third exit opening so as to be surrounded by air entering the interior of the housing through the third exit opening. The first device is on one side of the damper blade and the second device is on the opposite side of the damper blade. A bracket assembly couples the first end of the first device to the first side of the damper blade such that a longitudinal axis of the first device is oriented substantially perpendicular to the air flow. A mounting assembly mounts the first device to the second device. The second device has a longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first device. A hinge couples the second device to the mounting assembly. The damper blade has openings therein adapted to allow the mounting assembly to be movable relative to the pivot shaft, wherein the mounting assembly is movable between a warmed position and a cooled position of the first device.
In these respects, the thermally actuated diffuser according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of diffusing air and room temperature control without electrical apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of air diffusers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new thermally actuated diffuser construction wherein the same can be utilized for diffusing air and controlling room temperature without electrical apparatus.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new thermally actuated diffuser apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the air diffusers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new thermally actuated diffuser which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art air diffusers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing having a first duct opening and a second duct opening. These openings are to be connected to a duct system that will supply a quantity of conditioned air to the first duct opening and remove a substantially similar quantity of air from the second duct opening. The second duct opening is diametrically opposed to the first duct opening to produce a substantially linear air path through an interior of the housing. The housing has a third exit opening wherein the third exit opening lies in a plane orientated substantially perpendicular to the first duct opening and the second duct opening. A damper blade, for diverting air flow from the air path, is positioned in the interior of the housing. The housing contains a first device and a second device which are both responsive to ambient temperature. The first and second devices each have first and second ends. The first end and the second end are adapted to move away from each other when the device is warmed and to move toward each other when the device is cooled. The first device is positioned in the interior of the housing adjacent to the air path so as to be struck by air flowing along the air path. The second device is positioned in the housing adjacent to the third exit opening so as to be surrounded by air entering the interior of the housing through the third exit opening. The first device is on one side of the damper blade and the second device is on the opposite side of the damper blade. A bracket assembly couples the first end of the first device to the first side of the damper blade such that a longitudinal axis of the first device is oriented substantially perpendicular to the air flow. A mounting assembly mounts the first device to the second device. The second device has a longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first device. A hinge couples the second device to the mounting assembly. The damper blade has openings therein adapted to allow the mounting assembly to be movable relative to the pivot shaft, wherein the mounting assembly is movable between a warmed position and a cooled position of the first device.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstr
Ali Mohammad M
McDermott Corrine
LandOfFree
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