Heat energy homogenizer

• US 4,152,973 A
• Filed: 09/16/1977
• Issued: 05/08/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fred M. Peterson
• Original Assignee: Fred M. Peterson
• Inventors: Peterson, Fred M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry C.
• Application Number:
  US05/833,969
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 98/33 R, 98/33 A, 98/29, 98/38 R, 98/DIG. 7, 98/38 B-38 F, 138/106
• US Class Current: 454/231
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/065 fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct

Abstract

An air homogenizer for the elevation and equalization of temperature within the occupant zone of a room comprising a vertical air passage with a first air inlet positioned adjacent the room ceiling for the intaking of the warmer air thereat and a second air inlet positioned adjacent the room floor for the intaking of the cooler air thereat. An air outlet is positioned within the occupant zone, generally at approximately mid height therein, and a powered flow of air is effected through the inlets for comingling or homogenizing and discharge through the outlet, providing a zone of relatively stable warmer air wherein there is little tendency for the air to stratify.

Claims

1. For use in a room including a floor and ceiling, and an intermediate occupant zone vertically between the floor and ceiling;

air homogenizer means for equalizing the temperature within said occupant zone, said homogenizer means comprising a single vertical air passage duct having opposite ends constituting upper and lower ends positioned respectively adjacent the ceiling and floor of the room, a first air inlet means located at the upper end of the air passage duct adjacent the room ceiling, second air inlet means located at the lower end of the air passage duct adjacent the room floor, and air outlet means positioned at an intermediate point along said single vertical air passage duct between the upper and lower ends and between the first and second air inlet means and at a height along said air passage duct so as to discharge into the occupant zone of the room, and power means for drawing air through said first and second air inlet means and vertically through said air passage duct toward said air outlet means, comingling the air from the first and second air inlet means at said air outlet means, and discharging the comingled air through the air outlet means into the occupant zone to define an area of stable air.

2. The air homogenizer means of claim 1 wherein said power means comprises a fan mounted within said air passage duct in alignment with said outlet means for a lateral forced discharge of the air therethrough.

3. The air homogenizer means of claim 1 wherein said vertical air passage duct comprises a floor engaging base, the upper end of said duct being open and constituting said first air inlet means.

4. The air homogenizer means of claim 3, wherein said second air inlet means is defined laterally through said duct.

5. The air homogenizer means of claim 4 wherein said duct, above said base, is selectively vertically collapsible and extensible.

6. The air homogenizer means of claim 5 wherein said duct, above said base, comprises a flexible sleeve, and means for selectively suspending the upper end of the sleeve from the ceiling.

7. The air homogenizer means of claim 6 including an air deflector immediately outward of the air outlet means and oriented so as to direct the air to a predetermined level within the occupant zone.

8. The air homogenizer means of claim 1 in combination with a multiple stud partition forming a wall of the room, said vertical air passage duct being defined by said partition between a pair of adjacent studs.

9. The air homogenizer means of claim 8 wherein said partition includes opposed facing panels affixed to and across said studs, each of said first and second air inlet means opening laterally through the opposed facing panels, said air outlet means also opening through said opposed facing panels.

10. The air homogenizer means of claim 1 wherein said air passage duct terminates in open upper and lower ends which respectively constitute the first and second air inlet means.

11. The air homogenizer means of claim 10 wherein an intermediate portion of the duct extends generally horizontally, offsetting the upper and lower portions of the duct relative to each other, said air outlet means being positioned within the generally horizontally extending intermediate portion.

12. The air homogenizer means of claim 11 including for mounting the vertical duct means on a wall of the room with the open upper and lower ends thereof respectively vertically spaced from the ceiling and floor.

13. The air homogenizer means of claim 1 in combination with selectively usable air heating means communicating with the air passage duct between the first air inlet means and the air outlet means, and selectively usable air cooling means communicating with the air passage duct between the second air inlet means and the air outlet means.

14. The air homogenizer means of claim 13 including damper means for selectively closing said air passage duct directly above said air outlet means.