Unsheathed cable activated damper control system

• US 5,702,298 A
• Filed: 09/29/1995
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metropolitan Air Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Stephen J. Conkling
• Inventors: Conkling, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US08/536,549
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 454/290, 454/322, 454/324, 454/333, 454/334, 454/335, 454/336, 251/294
• US Class Current: 454/322
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 1/02 for conveying rotary movements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/1413 using more than one tilting member, e.g. with several pivoting blades F24F13/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/142 using pivoting blades with intersecting axles
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/1426 characterised by actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/15 with parallel simultaneously tiltable lamellae
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/1453 with cables, e.g. bowden cables

Abstract

A damper control system which employs an unsheathed cable to transmit torque from a torque inducing tool to a damper regulator for regulating a damper of an air processing system. The damper control system has a first cable bracket with a first bracket passage through which the unsheathed cable passes. The first cable bracket is designed to be affixed to a surface accessible to the torque inducing tool. Longitudinal motion of the unsheathed cable with respect to the first cable bracket is limited by a pair of first bracket clips attached to the unsheathed cable and positioned such that the first bracket passage is interposed therebetween. The unsheathed cable is provided with a first cable end which can be engaged by the torque inducing tool and a second cable end which is either permanently affixed to or can be maintained slidable engaged with the damper regulator. Such engagement can be maintained by a set screw in the damper regulator or by a second cable bracket which is fixed with respect to the damper regulator. The second cable bracket has a second bracket passage through which the unsheathed cable passes and a second bracket clip positioned on the unsheathed cable between the second cable end and the second bracket passage.

Claims

1. An unsheathed cable activated damper control system for an air processing system adjusted by a torque inducing tool, the air processing system having a damper controlled by a damper regulator, the unsheathed cable activated damper control system comprising:

a first cable bracket having a first cable bracket passage therethrough;

means for mounting said first cable bracket with respect to the air processing system;

an unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable having a first cable end and a second cable end,

said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable passing through said first cable bracket passage;

means for coupling said first cable end to the torque inducing tool;

means for limiting axial motion of said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable with respect to said first cable bracket; and

means for grippably engaging said second cable end engaged with the damper regulator of the air processing system.

2. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 1 wherein said means for mounting said first cable bracket with respect to the air processing system further comprises:

a planar mating surface on said first cable bracket; and

an adhesive layer applied to said planar mating surface.

3. The unsheathed cable activating damper control system of claim 2 wherein said mounting means further comprises:

at least one fastener passage normal to said planar mating surface; and

at least one expandable fastener passing through said at least one fastener passage.

4. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 1 wherein said means for limiting axial motion of said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable with respect to said first cable bracket further comprises:

a pair of first bracket clips, said first bracket clips being attached to said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable, said pair of first bracket clips being so positioned that said first cable bracket passage is interposed therebetween.

5. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 4 wherein said means for grippably engaging said second cable end engaged with the damper regulator further comprises;

a second cable bracket fixably mounted with respect to the damper regulator, said second cable bracket having a second cable bracket passage therethrough,

said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable passing through said second cable bracket passage;

a damper regulator recess in the damper regulator into which said second cable end slidably engages;

means for preventing rotation between said damper regulator recess and said second cable end; and

a second bracket clip attached to said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable and positioned between said second cable end and said second cable bracket, said second bracket clip being positioned such that, when in close proximity to said second cable bracket, said second cable end is engaged to said damper regulator recess.

6. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 5 wherein said means for preventing rotation between said damper regulator recess and said second cable end is provided by said damper regulator recess and said second cable end having square cross sections such that said second cable end slidably engages said damper regulator recess.

7. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 6 further comprising:

a first bracket bearing residing in said first cable bracket passage; and

a second bracket bearing residing in said second cable bracket passage.

8. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 7 further comprising:

at least one tie down clip, each of said at least one tie down clips having a tie down passage through which said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable passes and engaging said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable between said first cable bracket and said second cable bracket; and

means for affixing said at least one tie down clip with respect to the air processing system.

9. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 7 wherein said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable has a cable diameter D and said first bracket bearing has a thickness T of at least about equal to said cable diameter D.

10. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 1 wherein the damper is a radial blade damper and the damper regulator is a hub.

11. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 1 wherein the damper is a parallel axis array of blades driven by a rack and pinion mechanism and the damper regulator is the pinion gear.

12. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 1 wherein the damper is a parallel axis array of blades driven by a worm gear assembly where the damper regulator is the worm gear.

13. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 1 wherein said means for grippably engaging said second cable end engaged with the damper regulator of the air processing system is provided by bonding said second cable end to the damper regulator.

14. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 1 wherein said means for grippably engaging said second cable end engaged with the damper regulator of the air processing system further comprises:

a damper regulator recess in the damper regulator into which said second cable end slidably engages; and

a set screw which passes into said damper regulator recess.

15. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 4 wherein said means for grippably engaging said second cable end engaged with the damper regulator further comprises;

a damper regulator recess in the damper regulator into which said second cable end slidably engages;

means for preventing rotation between said damper regulator recess and said second cable end.

16. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 15 further comprising:

a first bracket bearing residing in said first cable bracket passage.

17. The unsheathed cable activated damper control system of claim 16 wherein said unsheathed flexible torque transmitting cable has a cable diameter D and said first bracket bearing has a thickness T of at least about equal to said cable diameter D.