Recirculating air mixer and fan with lateral air flow

• US 6,168,517 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: E. F. Cook
• Original Assignee: E. F. Cook
• Inventors: Cook, E. F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US09/429,793
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 454/228, 454/230, 454/231, 454/233, 454/234, 454/236, 454/269, 454/292, 454/302, 454/303, 454/324, 454/338, 553/852, 554/67, 554/71
• US Class Current: 454/269
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/04 Air-mixing units F24F13/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/14 mounted on the ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/007 with forced flow using ducting systems F24F7/06
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/108 using dry filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

An air circulation and mixing device is disclosed which can cover a ceiling air ventilation duct, taking air discharged from the duct and drawing air at the room'"'"'s ceiling, mixing the two, and redirecting the mixed air so that it is discharged radially and parallel to the ceiling, rather than directly downwardly. The device has an open frame whose sides may be covered with removable air filtration media and which forms a primary interior having a lower aperture and normally an upper aperture. An open-sided grille below the lower aperture forms a secondary space. A fan is mounted within the primary space and turns blades within the lower aperture and a disk at the bottom of the secondary space. An annular plate surrounding the fan housing blocks downward flow of incoming air and forces the air to flow radially outwardly around the edge of the plate, thus also insuring good mixing with the incoming ceiling air. The rotating disk receives air blown downwardly through the lower aperture and redirects it radially outwardly through the openings in the side of the grille, such that airflow becomes horizontal and parallel to the ceiling, so that the air flow slows and the air becomes gradually dispersed throughout the entire room. The device can also be mounted over a through-wall air duct outlet by using a duct extension.

Claims

1. An air circulation device comprising:

an open frame defining a first open space having a top, an open side and a bottom and a second open space below said bottom and having an open side and a bottom, and an aperture through said bottom between said first and said second open spaces;

a fan motor disposed in said first open space, a motor shaft of said fan motor extending outwardly from said motor through said aperture into said second open space; and

fan blades mounted on said shaft at a point intermediate thereof and a disk mounted on said shaft and an end thereof distal to said fan motor;

such that when said motor is activated, said blades and said disk rotate, said blades draw air into said first open space through at least said open side of said first open space and discharge said air through said aperture into said second open space, and said disk in said second open space causes said air to discharge radially from said second space through said side thereof, said discharged air thereby flowing parallel to said air being drawn into said first open space through said side thereof, but in a direction opposite thereto, said device thereby causing mixing and dispersion of said air into ambient space surrounding said device without downdrafts.

2. A device as in claim 1 further comprising a second aperture in said top of said first open space, for entry of air into said first open space other than through said side of said first open space.

3. A device as in claim 2 further comprising said fan blades causing mixing of air entering said first open space through said aperture in said top thereof with said air entering said first open space through said side thereof, and discharging a mixed air stream to said disk for radial discharge through said side of said second open space.

4. A device as in claim 1 further comprising porous air filtration medium removably disposed over at least a portion of said frame, such that said air drawn into said first open space through said side thereof passes through said medium and contaminants are filtered therefrom during passage therethrough.

5. A device as in claim 1 further comprising fastening means for attaching said device to a surface with said top of said first open space adjacent said surface.

6. A device as in claim 5 wherein said surface comprises a ceiling of a room.

7. A device as in claim 2 further comprising fastening means for attaching said device to a surface with said top of said first open space adjacent said surface, said surface having an outlet of an air duct extending therethrough, and wherein said second aperture in said top is aligned with said outlet of said air duct, such that said air entering said first open space through said second aperture comprises air discharged from said outlet of said air duct.

8. A device as in claim 1 further comprising electrical switch means for controlling the operation of said fan motor.

9. An air circulation device for use with an air flow ventilation system, said device comprising:

a frame comprising at least one surrounding side and a bottom, each of said side and said bottom having at least one respective aperture therein for air flow, said side and bottom together defining a first interior;

a grille attached to said bottom around said opening therein and projecting from said bottom outwardly from said first interior, said projection defining a second interior, said grille having at least one aperture in a side thereof for air flow;

a fan disposed in said first interior and supported by said frame, said fan comprising a motor having a motor shaft projecting through said aperture in said bottom and into said second interior, fan blades mounted on said shaft and a solid disk mounted at an end of said shaft distal from said motor;

an airflow diverter disposed across a portion of said first interior; and

a top of said frame comprising securing means for securing said device across an outlet of an air ventilation duct, said top having an opening therein for alignment with said outlet of said duct and providing air passage from said duct into said first interior;

whereby when said motor is operated to rotate said shaft, fan blades and disk, said fan blades draw air from ambient surrounding space through said side of said frame into said first interior, said diverter causes air discharged from said vent and entering said first interior through said aperture in said top to diverge from a straight flow path, said fan blades and diverter thus causing ambient and vent air to intermix, said blades project intermixed air through said aperture in said bottom and against said plate, and rotation of said plate causes substantially all of said intermixed air to be projected radially through said aperture in said side of said grille.

10. An air circulation device as in claim 9 further comprising an air filtration medium covering at least one opening in said side of said frame, such that said air drawn into said first interior by said fan blades passes through said air filtration medium for filtration of contaminants therefrom.

11. An air circulation device as in claim 10 wherein all openings in said side of said frame are covered by said air filtration medium.

12. An air circulation device as in claim 10 wherein said air filtration medium is removably secured to said frame over said at least one opening in said frame, such that said medium can be removed for cleaning or replacement.

13. An air circulation device as in claim 9 further comprising said top of said frame also comprising a projecting collar for projection into said outlet of said duct.

14. An air circulation device as in claim 9 further comprising a plurality of mounting members attached to said frame and disposed within said first interior, and mounting means on said fan cooperating with said mounting members to support said fan within said device.

15. An air circulation device as in claim 14 wherein said mounting members comprising projections, said mounting means comprises a flange members projecting from said motor and having apertures therein through which said projections can project, said projections and said apertures cooperating to support said fan within said first interior.

16. An air circulation device as in claim 15 wherein said projections are resilient and act to dampen vibration of said fan during operation.

17. An air circulation device as in claim 14 wherein said mounting members further comprise means for electrical grounding of said fan.

18. An air circulation device as in claim 9 further comprising means for securing said fan in position across said outlet of said duct.

19. An air circulation device as in claim 18 where said outlet of said duct projects through an opening in a ceiling and said means for securing comprises means for securing said frame to said ceiling surrounding projection of said duct through said ceiling.

20. An air circulation device as in claim 18 where said outlet of said duct projects through an opening in a ceiling and said means for securing comprises means for securing said frame directly to said duct.

21. A device as in claim 9 further comprising electrical switch means for controlling the operation of said fan motor.

22. A device as in claim 21 wherein said electrical switch means is selectable for starting or stopping said fan motor or running said fan motor at a selected one of a plurality of speeds.