EP0536132B1

EP0536132B1 - Room ventilator

Info

Publication number: EP0536132B1
Application number: EP91901939A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rudolf Wiklund; Mattias Wiklund
Original assignee: WIRAB SYSTEM AB
Current assignee: WIRAB SYSTEM AB
Priority date: 1989-12-22
Filing date: 1990-12-21
Publication date: 1995-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 2010-12-21
Also published as: DE69018653D1; EP0536132A1; SE8904348D0; SE505990C2; DE69018653T2; WO1991010100A1; JPH05502931A; SE8904348L

Abstract

The invention relates to a room ventilator which is intended to be mounted in a wall of a building for generating simultaneously air contraflows in separate air flow passageways through the ventilator in the wall. The ventilator includes a radial fan whose impeller (30) has an annular inner space which is divided into two chambers by two mutually opposing wall elements (40, 42). These chambers form separate inlet chambers for the air flows delivered to the fan from respective sides of the wall. The fan (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36) and its associated outlet channels are arranged in a box unit (12) which is insertably and withdrawably mounted in a mounting casing (10) in the wall, so as to define therewith separate inlet channels (A1, B1) which extend from the respective sides of the wall to the inlet chambers of the fan.

Description

The present invention relates to a room ventilator according to the preamble of claim 1.
Room ventilators of this kind are known, for instance, from DE-A-2 910 423 and DE-A-1 776 198 and comprise a filter element mounted on the rim of the impeller and functioning as a heat exchange element. When the ventilator is installed in dirty environments, it is necessary to dismantle the ventilator at regular intervals, in order to clean or replace the filter and also to clean the motor, fan and other components and the various air flow passageways and channels in the ventilator. This cannot be effected readily with room ventilators of known construction.
One object of the present invention is to provide a room ventilator which can be dismantled readily and quickly for the purpose of cleaning those ventilator components which come into contact with the air flowing through the ventilator, such as passageways, filter, impeller, etc.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a room ventilator of relatively small dimensions, and particularly of low installation height.
These objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention as defined in claim 1.
Further embodiments of the invention are set forth in the depending claims.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the inventive room ventilator, and Figure 2 is an exploded view of the main components of the room ventilator, i.e. a mounting casing and a box unit which houses the fan and the outlet channels.
Figure 1 illustrates a room ventilator according to the invenvion, comprising a ventilator unit 12 in box form, and a mounting casing 10 into which the box unit 12 can be inserted.
As will be seen from Figure 2, the ventilator unit 12 comprises a box having a bottom wall 14, side walls 16 and 18, a front wall 20 and a back wall 22, and a top wall or lid 24. Mounted in the box 12 is a radial fan which is driven by a motor 26 which includes a vertically extending and externally arranged rotor 28 onto which there is fitted an impeller 30 in the form of an annular grid cage. The impeller 30 has a bottom plate 32 which supports around its perimeter an upstanding grid 34, and an annular inner wall 36 which is fitted over the rotor 28 of the motor and which is in driving or dogging engagement with said components.
An annular filter 38 is fitted in the impeller 30, inwardly of the grid 34, and constitutes a filter and heat-exchange element for filtering inflowing air and outflowing, warmer air and effecting an exchange of heat between said air flows. The space defined between the inner surface of the filter annular 38 and the outer surface of the inner wall 36 is divided into two chambers by two radial, mutually opposing, stationary wall elements 40, 42. These chambers form separate inlet chambers for the air flows delivered to the fan from respective sides of the wall in which the ventilator is mounted. The lid 24 has a circular grid-covered opening 44 which is divided by means of a partition wall 46 into two separate inlet openings 48, 50 which lead to the respective inlet chambers in the fan impeller 30.
The outer rim of the impeller 30 is partially surrounded by two substantially diagonally opposed curved walls 52, 54 which form outlet channels leading to respective outlet openings 56, 58 towards respective sides of the ventilator unit 12.
The ventilator unit 12 may also include a heating element 60 so that the inflowing ambient air can be heated when necessary, prior to entering the ventilated room, and an electronic unit 62 for controlling the fan motor 26 and other functions.
As will be seen from Figure 1, the tubular mounting casing 10 has a cross-sectional shape which conforms with the box-shape of the ventilator unit 12, such that the unit 12 can be fitted in the casing 10 while leaving a space between the upper wall 64 of the casing and the lid 24 of the ventilator unit. This space forms, together with the partition wall 46, separate inlet channels leading from the respective opposite sides of the ventilator to the respective inlet openings 48, 40 leading to the fan inlet chambers.
Provided on the rear side 22 of the ventilator unit 12 is an electric contact device 64 which, as the box 12 is inserted into said casing, is intended to connect to a complementary current-supplying connector 66 mounted on the inside of the casing 10 . Provided on the front side 20 of the box unit is a handle 68 which facilitates insertion and withdrawal of the ventilator unit 12 into and out of the casing 10 respectively, together with other desired and necessary controls.
When installing the inventive room ventilator, the casing 10 is mounted in a cavity intended therefore, for instance a cavity in the external wall of a building, whereafter the electrical contact device 64 is connected to the mains network. The ventilator unit 12 is then inserted into the casing until the electrical connectors 64, 66 are mutually connected. The rear and front openings of the casing can be covered with detachable grids or gratings 70, 72 (Figure 2).
When the room ventilator is in operation, fresh air flows from the outer surroundings of the building into the outer inlet channel between the lid 24 of the box unit 12 and the top wall 64 of the casing, in the direction of the arrow A1 (Figure 2), and is drawn by suction into one inlet chamber of the impeller, through the opening 48. The air then flows radially through the filter 38 and through an associated outlet channel and into the inner room, in accordance with the arrow A4. At the same time, air is drawn by suction from the inner room and into the inner inlet channel, in accordance with the arrow B1, and into the other inlet chamber of the impeller, through the opening 50, whereafter the air leaves the ventilator through its associated outlet channel, in accordance with the arrow B4. As the relatively warm exhaust air passes through the filter 38, the filter is heated by said air such that the colder fresh air will be warmed slightly by the filter as it passes therethrough. The heating element 60 can be switched-on when necessary, in order to heat the ambient air drawn into the ventilator.
The inventive room ventilator thus has a compact construction, a particularly low installation height and can be readily and swiftly inserted in and removed from the tubular mounting casing for cleaning purposes. The box unit 12 can be readily opened and its contents easily reached for cleaning purposes and for the replacement of components when necessary, which makes the ventilator easy to service.

Claims

A room ventilator to be mounted in a wall for the purpose of generating simultaneous air contraflows in mutually separate air flow passageways through the ventilator in the wall, said ventilator comprising a radial fan having a motor-driven impeller (30) with an annular inner space which is divided into two chambers by mutually opposing, stationary and radially positioned wall elements (40, 42), said chambers forming separate inlet chambers for the air flows delivered to the fan from respective sides of the wall when the fan is driven, wherein opposing outlet channels are provided radially outwards of the impeller (30) for conducting the air flows delivered to the fan in opposite directions, characterized in that the fan and its associated outlet channels are arranged in a box unit (12) which is insertably and withdrawably mounted in a mounting casing (10); said casing and box unit defining between themselves separate inlet channels (A1, B1) to the respective fan inlet chambers.
A room ventilator according to Claim 1, characterized in that said separate inlet channels (A1, B1) are defined by an upper side (24) of the box unit (12), inner wall surfaces of the casing (10) and by a partition wall (46); that an inlet opening (48, 50) to the respective fan inlet chamber is provided in the upper side (24) of the box unit (12); and that said partition wall (46) mutually separates the inlet channels (A1, B1) from one another.
A room ventilator according to Claim 2, characterized in that the inlet openings (48, 50) are formed by a common opening (44) provided in the upper side (24) of the box unit (12), said opening (44) being divided into two parts by said partition wall (46).
A room ventilator according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the partition wall (46) is integral with the upper side (24) of the box unit (12).
A room ventilator according to any one of Claims 1-4, characterized in that the leading end (22) of the box unit (12) as seen in its direction of insertion has provided thereon an electrical connector (64) which is intended for connection with a corresponding connector (66) which is mounted on the casing (10) and which is intended to supply voltage to the ventilator, when the box unit (12) is inserted into the casing (10).