Self-operated air register damper

• US 4,401,260 A
• Filed: 12/09/1981
• Issued: 08/30/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Willie T. Grant
• Original Assignee: Willie T. Grant
• Inventors: Grant, Willie T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/328,814
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 236/9 A, 236/11, 236/74 R, 49/86, 49/334, 98/102, 98/106, 98/107, 251/133, 251/294, 165/25
• US Class Current: 236/9.00A
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/04 in stacks
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/10 power assisted, e.g. using electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 3/085 using electrical or electromechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/1406 characterised by sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/1426 characterised by actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/1433 with electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/1446 with gearings
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/275 with sensing element expanding, contracting, or fusing in response to changes of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A self-operating damper device constructed to be installed in open ended furnace duct boots which terminate in room registers, said device operating in parallel with multiple units as part of a forced air heating and cooling system for the purpose of controlling and regulating the flow of the heating/cooling medium to individual rooms, independently and simultaneously through opening and closing of damper plate. Self-operating damper means include damper housing with rotatable damper plate hving an integral shaft with attached end pulley, said pulley being interconnected with motor means through drive belt which encircles both the damper pulley and motor pulley with drive motor being controlled by switch means operated by rotating cam on motor output shaft, said motor responding to commands of room thermostat which influences both motor means and combustion cycle of combustion means.

Claims

1. A self-operating damper device controlling and regulating the flow of a heating/cooling medium from a heating/cooling device into individual rooms or spaces, said heating/cooling device being part of a central air conditioning system, said damper device combinationally comprising:

(a) an enclosure providing housing means and support means for a closure means and transmission means, said enclosure comprising a damper housing having open top and bottom sections, end panels incorporating and having first and second support means, and motor covering means, said enclosure adapted for mounting on external means adjacent to said damper housing;

(b) said closure means providing open and closed conditions within said enclosure, said closure means being comprised of a damper blade having a damper shaft coincident with a longitudinal axis of said damper blade, compressible sealing means bonding to said damper blade, and plate sealing means attaching to one said end panel of said damper housing;

said damper blade with bonded compressible sealing means comprising movable means of said closure means;

said movable means being pivotally mounted in said damper housing and attaching to and rotatable by said transmission means;

(c) said transmission means rotating said movable means pivotally mounted within said enclosure, said transmission means comprising motor means supported on said damper housing, said motor means having a rotatable motor shaft and a cam attaching to said motor shaft, a first and a second pulley having attachment to said motor shaft and said damper shaft respectively, and a continuous belt rotatably connecting said first and second pulleys;

(d) control means operating and controlling said transmission means, said control means comprising;

thermostatic means electrically interlocking relay means to a fuel control means of said heating/cooling device, and said motor means to said relay means and said fuel control means through a two way switch;

said relay means having a relay coil operating first and second contacts and a time delay device connecting to and being controlled by said second contacts, a manual switch having light means interconnecting said transmission means to said fuel control means and relay means through said two-way switch.

2. The enclosure set forth in claim 1 having said first support means comprising horizontal plates attaching to a top portion of each said end panel of said damper housing, said first support means supporting said damper housing, said motor means and said motor covering means;

said second support means being comprised of holes in said end panels accepting bearing means providing damper blade support.

3. The closure means set forth in claim 1 comprising said damper blade having said damper shaft coincident with said longitudinal axis, said damper shaft having a first extremity adapted to retain a pulley of said transmission means, said first extremity and a second extremity of said damper shaft being adapted for receiving bearing means supporting said damper blade jointly with said second support means;

said damper blade engaging said transmission means and having longitudinal edges retaining said compressible sealing means, said damper blade being pivotally mounted in said enclosure adjacent to said plate sealing means attaching to one said end panel of said enclosure;

said movable means and plate sealing means substantially restricting flow of said heating/cooling medium through said damper housing when said movable means are in a closed position.

4. The transmission means set forth in claim 1 comprising said motor means having said cam and said first pulley engaging said motor shaft, a positional relationship of said first pulley to said second pulley attaching to said damper shaft permitting said first pulley to transmit rotation from said motor means to said second pulley by means of said continuous belt rotatably connecting said first and said second pulleys;

said second pulley being attached to said damper shaft thereby rotating said movable means between open and closed positions within said enclosure.

5. The control means defined in claim 1 wherein said thermostatic means having light means and a first and a second switch position electrically interlocking from said first switch position said relay means to said transmission means and said fuel control means;

said interlocking rotating said movable means to an open position in said enclosure;

said second switch position of said thermostatic means electrically interlocking said two-way switch to said motor means, to said first and second contacts of said relay coil, and to said time delay device;

said second switch position of said thermostatic means in combination with said relay means and said transmission means rotating said movable means of said closure means to a closed position within said enclosure, or in combination with said fuel control means and time delay device permitting said transmission means to hold said movable means in an open position until a blower in said heating/cooling device has completed an operating cycle.

6. The means defined in claim 1 wherein said compressible sealing means comrpising silicon rubber or like compressible material bonded to damper blade edges with compatible bonding agent;

said plate sealing means attaching to said end panel adjacent to location of said transmission means, said plate sealing means occupying a position on each side of said second pulley of said transmission means.

10. The means defined in claim 1 or 7 wherein said manual switch of said control means comprises a three position override switch having light means, said manual switch having a first and a third position connecting to and energizing said light means and said motor means of said transmission means and rotating said movable means;

a second position of said manual being an off position deenergizing said light means and said motor means.

7. Self operating damper means rotating movable means within a damper housing controlling temperatures in individual rooms or spaces of a dwelling having a central heating/cooling device, said damper means comprising in combination:

(a) said damper housing, having first and second support means, open top and bottom sections, and enclosing said movable means rotatably connecting to transmission means;

(b) said movable means being comprised of a damper blade having a longitudinal damper shaft, compressible sealing means bonded to longitudinal edges of said damper blade, said damper shaft rotatably mounted in said damperhousing and engaging said transmission means;

(c) said transmission means, having engagement with said movable means, comprising motor means supported on said damper housing, a cam engaging rotatable shaft of said motor means and operating a two-way switch connecting to a manual switch having light means;

said two-way switch attaching to said damper housing; and

gear means having attachment to said motor shaft and to said damper shaft;

(d) control means providing electrical interlocks between components of said control means permitting said transmission means to rotate said movable means between open and closed positions within said damper housing;

said control means comprising said thermostatic means having light means and a first and a second switch position electrically connecting to and energizing said relay means and said fuel control means simultaneously with said motor means;

said motor means having electrical connections to said thermostatic means and said manual switch by means of said two-way switch operating by said cam engaging said motor shaft;

said manual switch having electrical connection to said transmission means for controlling and operating said transmission means and movable means in conjunction with said two-way switch independently of said thermostatic means.

8. The means defined in claim 7 wherein said transmission means comprise said motor means having said shaft rotatably engaging said cam, a first gear and a second gear of said gear means, said first gear having rotatable engagement with said motor shaft transmitting motor rotation to said second gear;

said second gear being attached to said damper shaft pivotally mounted in said damper housing, said transmission means electrically connecting to said control means and operable by either said thermostatic means or said manual switch.

9. The means defined in claim 7 wherein said relay means comprise a relay coil having first and second contacts and a time delay device being energized by means of said second contacts in combination with said thermostatic means and said fuel control means;

said time delay device being a time delay relay or instrument of like function.