GB2349689A

GB2349689A - Air outlet nozzle

Info

Publication number: GB2349689A
Application number: GB0005827A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pekka Vuorimaa
Original assignee: Halton Oy
Current assignee: Halton Oy
Priority date: 1999-03-10
Filing date: 2000-03-10
Publication date: 2000-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-10
Also published as: GB0005827D0; NO20001223D0; DK200000368A; FI990517A0; NO20001223L; FR2790822A1; GB2349689B; DE10008598B4; SE0000473D0; DK176617B1; NO311382B1; FR2790822B1; SE522305C2; SE0000473L; DE10008598A1; FI105360B

Abstract

An air outlet nozzle 10 comprises a body part 12 having a circular cross section, one edge of the body part having a lid-like lip portion 13 attached thereto, and a partition 14 which divides the bore of the body part 12 into channels A<SB>1</SB> and A<SB>2</SB>. The partition 14 has a curved shape which serves to guide the air flow out from the channels A<SB>1</SB> and A<SB>2</SB> at an oblique angle. The lip portion 13 assists the redirection of the air flow by partially covering the opening of channel A<SB>2</SB>. The nozzle may be fixed to a panel element allowing rotation about its centre axis, and the partition may be made as a bimetallic element or from a memory metal, thereby allowing thermal control of the air flow through the nozzle. The position of the partition 14 may be adjustable with respect to the body part 12.

Description

2349689 AIR OUTLET NOZZLE The invention concerns an air outlet nozzle for

controlling air flow into a room space.

In regard to the prior art, reference is made to the following patent publications: SE 9100975, SE 7402503, NO 169406 and SE 970031.

From these publications is known an air outlet nozzle wherein the air flow is controlled by means of an inlet of circular cross section adjoining a channel, whose cross section tapers in the direction of the air flow and terminates at an air deflector so shaped as to direct the air flow at an oblique angle with or parallel to the ceiling surface into the room space.

1 5 Preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an air outlet nozzle of novel construction comprising a body part of circular cross section and having a baffle-like air-guiding partition mounted therein. The partition divides the bore of circular cross-section body part into two channels: channel A, and A2, With the help of the curved-shape of the air guiding partition, the air flow can be discharged smoothly from the air outlet nozzle structure in a substantially lateral direction. Additionally, the terminating end of channel A2 is provided with a lip portion that serves to facilitate lateral deflection of the air flow.

Without departing from the scope of the invention, modifications of the construction of the air outlet nozzle can be contemplated wherein the air-guiding partition is made from a bimetal sheet,,such that each sheet exhibits a different thermal expansion coefficient. This arrangement can advantageously be utilized to implement a thermally controlled deflection of the air flow.

The invention may advantageously be applied to a wall or ceiling outlet.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an air outlet nozzle for controlling an air flow, said air outlet nozzle comprising a body part having a circular cross section, one edge of said body part having a lid-like lip portion attached thereto, characterised in that said air outlet nozzle is divided in the bore of said body part of the nozzle into channels by means of a partition adjoining the bore of said circular-cross-section body part and that the surfaces of the partition have a curved shape, whereby the surfaces of the partition serve to guide the air flow smoothly out from the channels, and that is said lip portion is adapted to partially cover the discharge opening of one channel.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an air outlet nozzle comprising: (i) a substantially cylindrical tube having a longitudinal axis and terminating in an outlet through which, in use, air is discharged; (ii) a partition which is located within said tube, and extends inwardly from said outlet, or from a location close to said outlet, into the interior of said tube, and serves to divide said tube into two channels; (iii) a lip-portion attached to said tube which serves partially to cover the outlet end of one of said channels; wherein said partition is arcuate in shape and serves to guide the flow of air through the outlet nozzle.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1A illustrates an air outlet nozzle for controlling an air flow in accordance with an embodiment of an axonometric partial view of the present invention; Fig. 1B illustrates the nozzle construction of Fig. 1A in an axonometric, partially cross-sectional view; Fig. 1C illustrates a sectional view of Fig. 1A taken along line I-I; Fig. 1D illustrates the connection of the air outlet nozzle to an outlet opening 16 of a panel R with the help of elastic fixing members of the nozzle; and Fig. 2 illustrates the lip portion of the nozzle in a detailed view.

Referring to Fig. 1A, which illustrates an embodiment of an air outlet nozzle 10 according to the present invention, comprising a nozzle body part 12 of a circular cross section and, at its outlet end, a lid like lip portion 13 partially covering the outlet opening of the nozzle such that the lip portion adjoins the circular-cross-section body part 12. The bore of the circular-cross-section body part 12 of the air outlet nozzle is divided by a partition 14 into channels'Al and A2, whereby the air flow can be suitably divided to pass through channel A, as well as through channel A2, respectively. The partition 14 is a baffle structure, whose curved shape provides smooth air-flow guiding surfaces 14a and 14b to facilitate air flow from channels A, and A.." Furthermore, the terminal edge of the partition 14 is advantageously shaped so as to facilitate air flow 140. In this manner, the baffle structure of the air-flow-guiding partition 14 divides the bore of the circular-cross-section body part 12 into the channels A, and A2. The terminal edge 140 of the air-flow-guiding partition 14 preferably extends up to the level of the lip portion 13, whereby the function of the air-flow-guiding partition 14 is to di-rect the air to flow smoothly out from both channel A, and A2 at a substantially oblique angle with respect to the center axis X of the air outlet nozzle 10. As shown in Fig. 1A, elastic clamp claw members 15 may be disposed on both sides of the circular-cross-section body part 12 in order to fix the air outlet nozzle 10 to, e.g., a panel R having a hole 16 designed to accommodate the nozzle 10. The clamp claws 15 lock the nozzle 10 to the panel R, yet allow the rotation of the nozzle 10 about its center axis X in order to adjust the air flow direction as desired. Advantageously, the nozzle 10 is made of a polymer material.

Fig. 1B shows a partial sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1A. The bore of the tubular body part 12 has a circular cross section and is divided into channels Al and A2 by a means of the curved partition 14 which acts as a dividing baffle and provides air-flow-guiding surfaces 14a and 14b.

-Fig. IC shows a sectional view of Fig. 1A taken along line I-I. As indicated by L1, air flowing through channel A, passes from the nozzle 10 laterally and is deflected in an oblique direction with regard to the center axis X under the guidance of the curved underside surface 14a of the partition 14. As indicated by L2, air flowing through channel A2passes on the other side of the curved partition 14 along its surface 14b, and is similarly deflected sideways in an oblique direction with regard to the center axis X.

The deflection of air flow L2 is also affected by the lip portion 13 partially covering the discharge opening of channel A2 Fig. 1D shows the air outlet nozzle 10 mounted in an opening 16 of a body panel R by means of snap-fit elastic fixing members 15. Said elastic fixing members comprise a "claw" shaped clamp which take a hold at the under-side of the panel R. Thence, the snap-fit fixing member 15 prevents the nozzle 10 from slipping out from the outlet opening 16. The panel R assumes a position resting against the annular collar 12a of the nozzle body part 12 under the compression exerted by the end of the snap-fit fixing member 15. However, the snap-fit hold of the fixing member 15 still permits manual rotation of the air outlet nozzle 10 about its center axis X for controlling the air flow toward a desired direction.

Fig. 2 shows a detailed view of the air-flow guiding partition 14, which may advantageously, be made from a polymer material. Likewise, the entire structure of the air outlet nozzle 10 may advantageously be made from a polymer material. An alternative embodiment of the invention may be contemplated wherein the partition 14 is made from a bimetal sheet, such that each sheet exhibits a different thermal expansion coefficient. The bimetal material is produced by laminating sheets of different metals and the difference in their thermal expansion coefficients causes the partition 14 to assume a curved position that is dependent on the temperature. Thus, the position of the partition 14 can be made self adjusting, and consequently the direction of the air discharge flow L, L? becomes thermally controlled.

Alternatively, the partition 14 can be made from a memory metal. This embodiment can also be used to implement the thermal control of the discharged air flow. Herein, the function of the partition 14 is similar to that described above. A plurality of the present type of air outlet nozzle may further be arranged into a larger assembly forming a complete air diffuser whose air discharge pattern may be adjusted as desired by rotating the individual nozzles into desired directions. OrRfurther modification to the present invention may be achieved by making the vertical position of the partition 14 adjustable with respect to the body part 12 of the air outlet nozzle 10 and the plane of the panel R. This allows the directions of the air discharge f lows L, and L2 to be adjusted. In this embodiment, the adjustment of the partition 14 can be implemented, e.g., by mounting the partition in grooves made to the bore of the nozzle body part 12, whereby said grooves also serve as fasteners for the partition 14.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Air outlet nozzle for controlling an air flow, said air outlet nozzle comprising a body part having a circular cross section, one edge of said body part having a lid-like lip portion attached thereto, characterised in that said air outlet nozzle is divided in the bore of said body part of the nozzle into channels by means of a partition adjoining the bore of said circular-cross-section body part and that the surfaces of the partition have a curved shape, whereby the surfaces of the partition serve to guide the air flow smoothly out from the channels, and that said lip portion is adapted to partially cover the discharge opening of one channel.

is

2. An air.outlet nozzle comprising:

(i) a substantially cylindrical tube having a longitudinal axis and terminating in an outlet through which, in use, air is discharged; (ii) a partition which is located within said tube, and extends inwardly from said outlet, or from a location close to said outlet, into the interior of said tube, and serves to divide said tube into two channels; (iii) a lip-portion attached to said tube which serves partially to cover the outlet end of one of said channels; wherein said partition is arcuate in shape and serves to guide the flow of air through the outlet nozzle.

3. An air outlet nozzle according to claim 1, characterised in that said air outlet nozzle includes on the circumference of the nozzle body part elastic fixing members whose clamp claws are adapted to take a hold on the surface of a panel element that has an opening provided thereon for accommodating the insertion of said air outlet nozzle, whereby said fixing members still facilitate the rotation of said air outlet nozzle about its center axis for controlling the air flow toward a desired direction.

4. An air outlet nozzle according to claim 2, characterised in that elastic fixing members are provided on the circumference of the outlet of said substantially cylindrical tube, wherein said fixing members provide a means of securing said air outlet nozzle to a panel element such that said air outlet nozzle may be rotated about said longitudinal axis.

5. An air outlet nozzle according to any of foregoing claims, characterised in that said partition is made from a bimetal material produced by laminating sheets of two different metals exhibiting different thermal expansion coefficients or, alternatively, the partition is made from a memory metal whereby the curved shape of the partition becomes dependent on the temperature thus accomplishing thermal control of the air flow passed through said air outlet nozzle.

6. An air outlet nozzle according to any of foregoing claims, characterised in that the position of said partition is adjustable with respect to said nozzle body part along mounting means of said partition adapted in said nozzle body part.

7. An air outlet nozzle according to claim 1 or 2 for controlling an air flow, characterised in that said air outlet nozzle is made from a polymer material.

8. An air outlet nozzle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.