Ventilation – Having inlet airway – Including specific air distributor
Utility Patent
1999-04-07
2001-01-02
Ferensic, Denise L. (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Having inlet airway
Including specific air distributor
C454S284000, C454S301000
Utility Patent
active
06168518
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many types of vent structures for distributing air from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts into rooms. In general, a vent structure must connect with the air duct with minimal leakage and change the airflow direction to a particular direction to achieve the desired environmental effect. It is also desirable for a vent structure to fit within a wall structure of a common configuration. A common problem with conventional vent structures is the generation of audible noise by air flowing through the direction changing structure and vent louvers. Airflow noise is generally caused by turbulence resulting from a change of direction or a restriction that is too abrupt. Airflow noise can also result from structural components that are vibrated by the flow of air thereover, by natural resonances within the vent structure, and the like.
In conventional home construction, HVAC ducts are formed of sheet metal and have rectangular cross sections. The ducts and outlet registers have cross sectional areas in the range of tens of square inches. Within conventional stud wall sections, the ducts often occupy most of the space between a pair of adjacent studs. Conventional home environmental systems move heated or cooled air at relatively low velocities.
In some newer ducting designs, cylindrical ducts are used which have much smaller cross sectional areas than more conventional ducts, in the range of less than ten square inches. Airflow through such smaller ducts is at a higher velocity than in conventional ducts to achieve comparable volumetric flow rates and to promote better mixing of conditioned air into the ambient air within a room. The smaller ducts generally have a lower manufacturing cost because less material is used and because manufacturing labor is reduced. Additional advantages include more convenient installation and higher energy efficiency, since there is less surface area through which heat can be transferred. However, because of higher flow velocities, the potential for generating undesirable noise is increased. What is needed, is a type of vent structure to distribute conditioned air from such high velocity ducts without generating noise or decreasing the airflow efficiency of the ducts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a vent structure which connects between a cylindrical airflow duct to a thin rectangular outlet slot by way of a curved, angularly flared transition section. A cylindrical connector section provides for connection to a cylindrical duct. A horizontal airflow axis of a rectangular outlet section is oriented perpendicular to a usually vertical duct axis. The flare section diverges angularly from the connector section to the outlet section and curves to change the direction of airflow from vertical to horizontal. The cross sectional areas of the flare section and outlet section, in combination with the gradual curved shape of the flare section, minimize the introduction of turbulence in air flowing therethrough and, thereby, minimize the generation of airflow noise. Additionally, the vent structure of the present invention is sized and shaped to fit within a section of a stud wall having standard stud width and spacing.
A mounting plate is positioned in surrounding relation to the outlet section and has walls forming a mounting channel on a rear side thereof. An extendible mounting bracket or hanger bar is positioned within the mounting channel and has fastener plates at opposite ends to receive fasteners, such as nails, for attachment to the studs between which the vent structure is mounted. An additional extendible bracket may be extended beneath the outlet section at a middle portion of the flare section to which it is secured to provide additional support for the vent structure. An external trim plate with a slot is positioned about the outlet section on the wallboard behind which the vent structure is mounted. The trim plate has a neck section which is slidably received onto the outer end of the outlet section to facilitate use of the present invention with wall sections employing wall boards of a range of thicknesses. The flare section, and at least a portion of the outlet section, preferably has a layer of foam insulation thereon to inhibit the collection of condensation on the outer surfaces of the flare section when cooled air flows through the system.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide an improved outlet vent structure; to provide such a structure for a relatively high airflow velocity heating and cooling duct of a cylindrical cross section; to provide such a structure including a thin rectangular or slot outlet; to provide such a structure which changes the direction of airflow and transitions from the circular cross section of the duct to the rectangular shape of the outlet with a minimum of turbulence and airflow noise; to provide such a vent structure including a cylindrical connector section to mate with the cylindrical duct, a rectangular outlet section having a thin rectangular outlet slot, and a curved, angularly flared transition section in flow communication between the connector section and the outlet section; to provide such a vent structure which is sized and shaped to fit within a section of a conventional stud wall formed by studs having a standard width and positioned at a standard spacing; to provide such a vent structure including a mounting plate having a mounting channel to receive an extendible mounting bracket with attachment plates at opposite ends for connection to the studs forming the wall section in which the vent structure is mounted; to provide such a vent structure including an outer layer of thermal insulation to inhibit the precipitation of condensation on outer surfaces of the structure when cooled air flows therethrough; and to provide such a vent structure which is economical to manufacture, which is efficient in use, and which is particularly well adapted for its intended purpose.
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.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
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Intagliata Joseph F.
Messmer Craig S.
Ferensic Denise L.
Lu Jiping
Shughart Thomson & Kilroy P.C.
Unico, Inc.
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