Fan one way air valve

• US 6,554,698 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Marconi Communications, Inc. (Marconi Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Tang, Lan, Kranzdorf, Sorin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Jiping
• Application Number:
  US09/730,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20020068523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 454/187, 454/353, 454/184, 361/695, 137/849, 137/845, 137/512.15
• US Class Current: 454/184
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2019 Fan safe systems, e.g. mechanical devices for non stop cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7885 Multiple slit

Abstract

A valve for a vent. The valve includes an inner leaf having a closed state which covers the vent and blocks gas flow through the vent in a first direction, and an open state which opens the vent and allows gas flow through the vent in a second direction. The valve includes an outer leaf opposing the inner leaf. A method for controlling gas flow through a vent. The method includes the steps of moving an inner leaf and an outer leaf opposing the inner leaf on the vent from a closed state which covers the vent and blocks gas flow through the vent in a first direction to an open state which opens the vent and allows gas flow through the vent in a second direction with gas flow moving in the second direction through the vent. Then there is the step of stopping the gas flow in the second direction allowing the inner leaf and the outer leaf to each move to the closed state.

Claims

1. A valve for a vent comprising:

an inner leaf having a closed state which covers the vent and blocks gas flow through the vent in a first direction, and an open state which opens the vent and allows gas flow through the vent in a second direction; and

an outer leaf having an open state and a closed state, the outer leaf in alignment with the inner leaf and defining a plane when they are in the closed state.

2. A valve as described in claim 1 wherein when the inner leaf and the outer leaf are in the open state, a 100% open area for gas flow in the second direction is created.

3. A valve as described in claim 2 wherein the inner leaf includes inner lobes that align with the gas flow in the second direction when the inner leaf is in the open state;

and the outer leaf includes outer lobes that align with the gas flow in the second direction when the outer leaf is in the open state.

4. A valve as described in claim 3 wherein inner lobes oppose associated outer lobes and move away from each other when the inner leaf and the outer leaf go from the closed state to the open state.

5. A valve as described in claim 4 wherein the inner leaf has an inner portion that fixes to the vent.

6. A valve as described in claim 5 wherein the outer leaf has an outer portion that fixes to the vent.

7. A valve as described in claim 6 wherein the inner lobes extend outward from the inner portion.

8. A valve as described in claim 7 wherein the outer lobes extend inward from the outer portion.

9. A valve as described in claim 8 wherein the inner leaf is made from a first sheet of thin flexible material, the outer leaf is made from a second sheet of thin flexible material, both sheets of which are centric to each other and are cut into a specific pattern.

10. A valve as described in claim 9 including inner bolts which secure the inner portion to the vent;

and including outer bolts which secure the outer portion to the vent.

11. A method for controlling gas flow through a vent comprising the steps of:

moving an inner leaf and an outer leaf in alignment with the inner leaf on the vent from a closed state which covers the vent and blocks gas flow through the vent in a first direction to an open state which opens the vent and allows gas flow through the vent in a second direction with gas flow moving in the second direction through the vent, the inner leaf and the outer leaf defining a plane when they are in the closed state; and

stopping the gas flow in the second direction allowing the inner leaf and the outer leaf to each move to the closed state.

12. A method as described in claim 11 wherein the moving step includes the step of moving the inner and outer leafs to create a 100% open area.

13. A method as described in claim 12 wherein the moving step includes the step of moving inner lobes of the inner leaf into alignment with the gas flow in the second direction when the inner leaf is in the open state and outer lobes of the outer leaf in the second direction when the outer leaf is in the open state.

14. A method as described in claim 13 wherein the moving step includes the step of moving the inner lobes and outer lobes associated with the inner lobes away from each other when the inner leaf and the outer leaf go from the closed state to the open state.

15. A valve for a vent comprising:

an inner leaf having a closed state which covers the vent and blocks gas flow through the vent in a first direction, and an open state which opens the vent and allows gas flow through the vent in a second direction, the inner leaf includes inner lobes that align with the gas flow in the second direction when the inner leaf is in the open state; and

an outer leaf having a closed state and an open state, the outer leaf opposing the inner leaf, the outer leaf includes outer lobes that align with the gas flow in the second direction when the outer leaf is in the open state, the inner lobes oppose associated outer lobes and move away from each other when the inner leaf and the outer leaf go from the closed state to the open state.

16. A valve as described in claim 15 wherein when the inner leaf and the outer leaf are in the open state, a 100% open area for gas flow in the second direction is created.

17. A valve as described in claim 16 wherein the inner leaf has an inner portion that fixes to the vent.

18. A valve as described in claim 17 wherein the outer leaf has an outer portion that fixes to the vent.

19. A valve as described in claim 18 wherein the inner lobes extend outward from the inner portion.

20. A method for controlling gas flow through a vent comprising the steps of:

moving inner lobes of an inner leaf and outer lobes of an outer leaf opposing the inner leaf on the vent from a closed state which covers the vent and blocks gas flow through the vent in a first direction to an open state which opens the vent and allows gas flow through the vent in a second direction with gas flow moving in the second direction through the vent by moving the inner lobes and outer lobes associated with the inner lobes away from each other when the inner leaf and the outer leaf go from the closed state to the open state; and

stopping the gas flow in the second direction allowing the inner leaf and the outer leaf to each move to the closed state.