Clean room air system

• US 5,207,614 A
• Filed: 11/07/1991
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pace, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BROD & Mcclung--Pace Company
• Inventors: Passadore, Albert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US07/789,091
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 454/298, 454/324, 251/193, 137/625.3, 137/625.33
• US Class Current: 454/298
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/12 built up of sliding members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86734 With metering feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86759 Reciprocating

Abstract

A clean room is supplied with air at a controllable velocity from a blower with a variable damper mechanism. The ceiling of the clean room is comprised of a plurality of panels of particulate filter material Associated with at least some of the panels are air dampers comprised of first, second, and third adjacent perforated plates. The first plate is fixed and the second plate is mounted for translational movement relative to the first. The third plate is interposed between the first and second plates as a gasket to reduce air flow between the plates. By moving the second plate relative to the first, the perforations therein are selectably opened or occluded, permitting the air passing through each panel to be regulated. Air flow through the room as a whole is controlled by the variable air flow feature of the blower.

Claims

1. A damper for a clean room ventilation system comprising:

a first plate provided with a plurality of perforations;

a second plate provided with a plurality of perforations, the second plate mounted to the first plate and movable between a first positions in which the perforations of the first plate are aligned with the perforations of the second plate and a second position in which the perforations of the first plate are not aligned with the perforations of the second plate; and

a gasket plate provided with a plurality of perforation, the gasket plate interposed between the first and second plates to restrict the flow of air between the first and second plates.

2. The damper of claim 1 wherein the gasket plate is made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

3. The damper of claim 1 further comprising tension means for creating a bow in the second plate.

4. A damper for ventilation system comprising:

a first plate having a hole;

a second plate mounted to the first plate and movable between a first position and a second position, the second plate obstructing the hole when in the first position;

a gasket plate interposed between the first plate and the second plate to limit the flow of air between the first and second plates; and

a rod under tension which extends across one dimension of the second plate causing the second plate to bow in the direction of the first plate for biasing the second plate toward the first plate.

5. The damper of claim 4 wherein the gasket is formed from a resilient material.

6. The damper of claim 5 wherein the resilient material is ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

7. A damper for a clean room ventilation system comprising:

a first plate having a plurality of apertures arranged in a predetermined pattern;

a second plate having a plurality of apertures arranged in the same predetermined pattern, the second plate mounted to the first plate and movable between a first position in which the apertures of the first plate and the second plate are aligned and a second position in which the apertures of the first plate are obstructed by the second plate;

a gasket plate formed of a resilient material interposed between the first plate and the second plate; and

a rod extending across one dimension of the second plate, the rod being under tension so as to introduce a bow in the second plate and bias the second plate and the gasket plate toward the first plate.

8. A damper for a ventilation system comprising:

a first plate having a plurality of perforations;

a second plate mounted to the first plate and linearly movable between a first position and a second position, the second plate obstructing the plurality of perforations when in the first position;

a gasket plate interposed between the first plate and the second plate to limit the flow of air between the first and second plates;

biasing means for biasing the second plate toward the first plate; and

means for moving the second plate linearly with respect to the first plate from the first position to the second position.