Louver rotating ratchet assembly

• US 5,538,470 A
• Filed: 04/07/1995
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cary Products
• Original Assignee: Cary Products
• Inventors: Norbury, Raymond L. Jr., Simonsen, Roger H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US08/418,386
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 454/152, 454/155, 454/202, 454/313, 454/316
• US Class Current: 454/152
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3414 with means for adjusting the air stream direction B60H1/345 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3464 Details of hinges
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3471 Details of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/075 having parallel rods or lamellae directing the outflow, e.g. the rods or lamellae being individually adjustable F24F13/072 takes precedence

Abstract

An air directional louver device, which incorporates one or more multi-grooved ratchet style notches to cooperate with corresponding mating fixed pointer to mesh together. Once the rotating ratchet grooves on the louver'"'"'s axles and one or more fixed knife-edge pointer are meshed, the louver can be held better in the last desired air direction set position than without the ratchet and pointer. The rotating ratchet will help prevent also vibration and/or the forced air to the louver or to the fixed knife-edge pointer area from moving the louver frame to another undesirable position. The fixed knife edge pointer, in another embodiment, will be rounded at its point for smoother operation and applied into the louver'"'"'s corresponding holding area. Further change in the friction to change the louver position from one notch to another is attained by rounding the point and deepening the notches if desired.

Claims

1. A louver assembly, having a louver frame, and a bezel, comprising, in combination:

a. a spring member extending in cantilever fashion in at least one end of said louver frame,

b. an axle and ratchet at the free end of said spring member,

c. said axle being aligned with an axle hole in said bezel,

d. said ratchet including a quantity of ratchet grooves and teeth therein,

e. a pointer extending from said bezel into engagement with one of said grooves and preventing undesired movement of said louver frame.

2. A louver assembly as in claim 1, wherein said grooves are positioned radially in said ratchet.

3. A louver assembly as in claim 1, wherein said pointer has a knife-edge for engagement with said grooves.

4. A louver assembly as in claim 1, wherein said bezel includes axle holes and louver frame axles in alignment with said axle holes, and wherein said spring member is substantially depressed by said bezel to permit said axles to engage said axle holes.

5. A louver assembly as in claim 1, wherein said bezel includes axle holes and louver frame axles, and wherein said spring member is slightly depressed to permit said ratchet wheel grooves to selectively engage said pointer when said louver frame is rotated by the user to obtain a desired position of air flow direction.

6. A louver assembly comprising a louver frame and a panel in cooperation therewith,

a. a U-shaped spring member extending in cantilever fashion from at least one end of said louver frame,

b. an axle and a ratchet wheel at the free end of said spring member,

c. said axle being concentric within said ratchet wheel,

d. said ratchet wheel including a quantity of ratchet grooves and teeth therein,

e. a pointer extending from said panel into engagement with one of said grooves and preventing undesired movement of said frame.

7. A louver as in claim 6, wherein said pointer has a rounded edge for smoother movement from one groove to another.

8. A louver assembly, as in claim 6, wherein said pointer and ratchet grooves are made of differing length and depth, respectively, to cause differing degrees of friction in their relative movement and thereby cause differing degrees of resistance to undesired movement of said louver from its user set position.

9. A louver assembly comprising a louver frame and a louver holder in cooperation therewith,

a. a spring member extending in cantilever fashion in at least one end of said louver frame,

b. an axle and a ratchet at the free end of said spring member,

c. said ratchet including a plurality of ratchet grooves and teeth therein,

d. a pointer extending from said louver holder into engagement with at least one of said grooves and preventing undesired movement of said louver frame.

10. A louver assembly as in claim 9, comprising separate members of a frame, and a louver holder having relative movement therebetween,

a. a spring member extending from at least one of said members,

b. a pointer and a cooperating ratchet on different members,

c. means to manually move said frame, relative to said louver holder to change the direction of air flow through said assembly when desired, and

d. said spring member, said pointer and said ratchet acting to prevent undesired relative movement between said frame and said louver holder.

11. A louver assembly as in claim 10, wherein said ratchet comprises a wheel.

12. A louver assembly as in claim 11, wherein said ratchet wheel is stationary with regard to said louver frame.

13. A louver assembly as in claim 11, wherein said ratchet is an integral part of said spring member.

14. A louver assembly as in claim 9, wherein said axle and said ratchet are integral with said spring member and with each other.