Self balancing air fixture
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An air flow and illumination apparatus comprising:
- A. a top troffer plate extending along a principal axis;
B. a front troffer plate extending along the principal axis,C. a rear troffer plate extending along the principal axis;
D. a first side troffer plate extending between the front troffer plate and the rear troffer plate; and
E. a second side troffer plate opposite the first side troffer plate and extending between the front troffer plate and the rear troffer plate; and
wherein the top troffer plate, the front troffer plate, the rear troffer plate, the first side troffer plate, and the second side troffer plate, form housing that extends along the principal axis and defines a plenum space therein, and wherein the housing has an open face opposite the top troffer plate; and
wherein a fluid exit port is disposed in and passes through the housing, andfurther comprising;
F. a light source disposed within the housing and extending along the principal axis, wherein the light source is adapted to generate light and direct the generated light through the open face and away from the housing; and
G. a return fluid flow guide defining a return fluid flow path from the open face, and past the light source and to and through the return port to points external to the housing.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air distribution apparatus that serves as a single sensing device for both lighting, LiFi, and HVAC functions that are operable on a single platform by building automation systems. The building automation system may be controllable by a single software system or network accessible locally on site or remotely off site. The air distribution apparatus can operate in a single zone or coupled with multiple like apparatuses for multi-zone operation. It is a high turndown, self-balancing system which allows for continuous commissioning with built-in fault diagnostic systems and that may be used as a supply, return, or exhaust system, or a combination thereof.
33 Citations
48 Claims
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1. An air flow and illumination apparatus comprising:
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A. a top troffer plate extending along a principal axis; B. a front troffer plate extending along the principal axis, C. a rear troffer plate extending along the principal axis; D. a first side troffer plate extending between the front troffer plate and the rear troffer plate; and E. a second side troffer plate opposite the first side troffer plate and extending between the front troffer plate and the rear troffer plate; and wherein the top troffer plate, the front troffer plate, the rear troffer plate, the first side troffer plate, and the second side troffer plate, form housing that extends along the principal axis and defines a plenum space therein, and wherein the housing has an open face opposite the top troffer plate; and wherein a fluid exit port is disposed in and passes through the housing, and further comprising; F. a light source disposed within the housing and extending along the principal axis, wherein the light source is adapted to generate light and direct the generated light through the open face and away from the housing; and G. a return fluid flow guide defining a return fluid flow path from the open face, and past the light source and to and through the return port to points external to the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An air flow and illumination apparatus comprising:
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A. a housing including a base portion and sidewalls extending from the base portion at least in part in the direction of a first principal axis, and defining an open-faced interior region with an open face extending transverse to and about the first principal axis and opposite to and spaced apart from the base portion, wherein the housing includes at least one output port passing therethrough, and establishing an outbound air flow path from points in the interior region, and through the at least one output port and to points exterior to the housing, B. at least one return plenum disposed in the interior region and extending at least in part in the direction of a second principal axis transverse to the first principal axis, wherein the at least one return plenum is pneumatically coupled to the outbound air flow path and to the open face of the housing, C. a light source assembly disposed within the interior region and affixed to the housing, including a substrate element affixed to the housing, and an optical reflector element, and further including an array of one or more light sources affixed to the substrate element opposite the optical reflector and extending at least in part in the direction of the second principal axis, and wherein the light sources face the optical reflector element whereby light emitted by the light sources is reflected by the optical reflector element and directed to exit the interior region through the open face in a direction away from the base portion, D. an electrical coupling assembly affixed to the housing and adapted to couple electrical energy to the light sources in a form adapted to cause the light sources to emit light, E. an outlet air guide assembly disposed in the housing adapted to receive air from points exterior to the housing through the open face, and into the return plenum and past and adjacent to the heat exchanger assembly, and through the at least one output port to points exterior to the housing, and whereby an outbound return flow path is established from the open face of the interior region, through the return plenum past and adjacent to the L-light sources and the substrate element, and through the at least one output port in a direction away from the housing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
where C≈
0.61/(1−
0.39 (% open)2), Δ
p is representative of a pressure drop across the orifice plate along the upstream flow path, ρ
is representative of the density of air along the inbound fluid flow path, and A0 is representative of the area of the variable opening transverse to the direction of flow therethrough.
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35. An air flow and illumination apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the inlet air guide assembly is adapted to direct air flowing al006Fng the inbound air flow path through the open face of the base portion in a direction away from the base portion to points exterior to the housing to be in an output angular range disposed about an output axis transverse to the first principal axis.
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36. The air flow and illumination apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the output angular range and output axis are determined by the position of the damper between the first position and the second position thereof.
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37. The air flow and illumination apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the housing is adapted for ceiling-mount in a zone with the first principal axis being parallel to a local vertical.
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38. The air flow and illumination apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the inlet air guide assembly is adapted to direct air flowing along the inbound air flow path through the open face of the base portion in a direction away from the base portion to points exterior to the housing to be in a direction transverse to the first principal axis.
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39. The air flow and illumination apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the output angular range and output axis are determined by the position of the damper between the first position and the second position thereof.
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40. The air flow and illumination apparatus as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a fan assembly characterized by a controlled variable output rate air flow to the upstream flow path, wherein the upstream flow path is contiguous with the inbound fluid flow path, and
wherein one or more of input port controller and the upstream controller are adapted to control fluid flow along the inbound fluid flow path in accordance with: -
Flow=C·
A0√
{square root over (2Δ
p/ρ
)}where C≈
0.61/(1−
0.39 (% open)2), Δ
p is representative of a pressure drop across the orifice plate along the upstream flow path, ρ
is representative of the density of air along the inbound fluid flow path, and A0 is representative of the area of the variable opening transverse to the direction of flow therethrough.
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41. The air flow and illumination apparatus as claimed in claim 33, further comprising an orifice plate having a variable opening traverse to an upstream flow path therethrough, and characterized by a variable opening A0, wherein the upstream flow path is contiguous with the inbound fluid flow path, and
wherein the controller is adapted to control fluid flow along the inbound fluid flow path to be at a fixed flow velocity and to adjustably control the fluid volumetric flow rate whereby a predetermined set point is attained. -
42. An air flow and illumination apparatus as claimed in claim 41, wherein the predetermined set point is a function of time.
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43. The air flow and illumination apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the light sources comprise an array of one or more LEDs.
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44. Air flow apparatus comprising:
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A. a housing including a base portion and sidewalls extending from the base portion at least in part in the direction of a first principal axis, and defining an open-faced interior region with an open face extending transverse to and about the first principal axis and opposite to and spaced apart from the base portion, B. in the housing, at least one input port passing therethrough, and establishing an inbound air flow path from points external to the housing and through the at least one input port to points in the interior region, C. at least one supply plenum disposed in the interior region and extending at least in part in the direction of a second principal axis transverse to the first principal axis, wherein the at least one supply plenum is pneumatically coupled to the inbound air flow path and to the open face of the base portion, D. an inlet air guide assembly disposed in the housing and adapted to receive air along the inbound air flow path from at least one input port, and pass the received air though the supply plenum and through the open face of the base portion in a direction away from the base portion to points exterior to the housing, E. a damper assembly disposed along the inbound air flow path between the supply plenum and the open face of the base portion, including a damper and an associated actuator coupled to the damper, wherein the damper is operably coupled to the actuator whereby, in response to the actuator, the damper is selectively movable between a first position fully blocking air flow along the inbound air flow path, and a second position displaced therefrom and allowing air flow along the inbound air flow path from points exterior to the housing and through the at least one supply plenum and inlet air guide assembly and the open face of the base portion, whereby an inbound supply flow path is established from and through the at least one input port, the at least one supply plenum, the damper, and by way of the inlet air guide assembly, through the open face of the interior region in a direction away from the base portion, and further comprising a controller in operative communication an upstream variable air source to adjust; airflow along an upstream flow path, wherein the upstream flow path is contiguous with the inbound supply flow path, and wherein the controller is adapted to control fluid flow along the inbound supply flow path to be at a fixed flow velocity and to adjustably control the fluid volumetric flow rate whereby a predetermined set point is attained. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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47. The air flow apparatus as claimed in claim 46, further comprising:
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a heat exchanger assembly coupled to the light sources, thereby establishing a relatively high thermal conductivity path between the heat exchanger assembly and the light sources relative to thermal conductivity of ambient air, and wherein the outbound return flow path extends from the open face, and past the light source assembly and adjacent to and in contact with the heat exchanger assembly, and to and through the output port to points external to the housing.
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48. The air flow apparatus as claimed in claim 46, wherein the light sources comprise an array of one or more LEDs.
Specification