US20120208447A1

US20120208447A1 - Motorized vav linear diffuser

Info

Publication number: US20120208447A1
Application number: US13/372,092
Authority: US
Inventors: Song Yee Kim
Original assignee: Omnivent Corp
Current assignee: Omnivent Corp
Priority date: 2011-02-14
Filing date: 2012-02-13
Publication date: 2012-08-16
Also published as: KR20120005904U

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a motorized linear diffuser where an exit passage is installed along a ceiling of an interior while being connected to a duct of the interior for heating and air conditioning or ventilation. The present disclosure has been made in an effort to provide a motorized variable air volume (VAV) linear diffuser for heating and air conditioning or ventilation that can vary air volume by using a motor with a simple structure and at low costs, can be simply assembled and disassembled so that the linear diffuser can be installed or maintained and repaired in a simple way, and can maintain a sealing state when a passage is closed as well.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a motorized linear diffuser where an exit passage is installed along a ceiling of an interior while being connected to a duct of the interior for heating and air conditioning or ventilation.

BACKGROUND

A linear diffuser in the related art has an exit passage formed long lengthwise, wherein the exit passage is configured to be single or to be plural such that the plurality of exit passages are adjacent to each other on a cross section. A damper or a blade pivoted for heating and air conditioning or ventilation in various directions may be installed especially to vary the direction of air.
In an example of a variable air volume (VAV) linear diffuser, a temperature detector is embedded in each diffuser itself to be operated without using a separate external signal, compressed air or a power supply. The diffuser and the blade may be manufactured of aluminum through injection molding, and a chamber is manufactured of a zinc plated steel plate with a small thickness (generally, 0.6 mm) A glass wool lining material treated such that spattering thereof is prevented may be provided in the chamber to absorb sounds and retain heat, and an interior air inducing chamber may be provided to detect a temperature of an interior.
However, although the linear diffusers in the related art are inserted into a chamber (duct extending part) connected to a duct to mainly perform an air curtain function and installed at a side of a window to enhance a design of a ceiling, most of the linear diffusers in the related art are configured to manually adjust a blade to regulate air volume, or adjust a blade through a complex mechanism, making the structures complex and expensive and making it difficult to maintain and repair the linear diffusers. In particular, the drawbacks are more serious with a VAV linear diffuser.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure has been made in an effort to provide a motorized VAV linear diffuser for heating and air conditioning or ventilation that can vary air volume by using a motor with a simple structure and at low costs, can be simply assembled and disassembled so that the linear diffuser can be installed or maintained and repaired in a simple way, and can maintain a sealing state when a passage is closed as well.
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a motorized VAV linear diffuser installed in an installing space of a chamber connected to a duct for heating and air conditioning or ventilation and including a frame having an elongated tub-shaped part where a passage for heating and air conditioning or ventilation is formed long lengthwise, the motorized VAV linear diffuser including: a reducer motor unit separably installed at one lengthwise side of the passage of the elongated tub-shaped part; a pivotal blade installed in the passage of the elongated tub-shaped part to be pivotally connected to the reducer motor unit at one side thereof to open and close the passage or regulate an opening degree thereof; a shaft holder installed at another side of the elongated tub-shaped part to pivotally support another side of the pivotal blade; and an installing unit for separably installing the reducer motor unit, the pivotal blade, and the shaft holder within the chamber directly or together with the frame.
In this case, the pivotal blade may include a blade body forming a framework thereof, a pair of side wall sealing members installed at opposite lengthwise ends of the blade body and formed of a resilient material for maintaining a sealing state of opposite sides thereof and reducing friction as well, and a pair of front/rear wall sealing members installed at opposite ends in a short axis direction of the blade body and formed of a resilient material for maintaining a sealing state with opposite side walls of the elongated tub-shaped part, and a pair of bosses formed of a resilient material to maintain a sealing state between the bosses and the pair of front/rear wall sealing members when the passage is closed may be installed on opposite side walls of the elongated tub-shaped part.
The motorized VAV linear motor may further include: a position detection control unit for controlling a position of the pivotal blade to open and close the passage or regulate an opening degree thereof by controlling an angular position of the reducer motor unit and controlling a position of the pivotal blade to maintain a sealing state between the front/rear wall sealing members and the bosses when the passage is closed.
According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the motorized VAV linear diffuser can be constructed simply and inexpensively by directly connecting the reducer motor unit to the pivotal blade, and can be easily assembled, installed, and maintained by separably installing the installing unit within the chamber together with the frame where the reducer motor unit, the pivotal blade, and the shaft holder are directly or separably installed by separably installing the reducer motor unit, the pivotal blade, and the shaft holder within the elongated tub-shaped part. Further, friction can be reduced and a sealing state can be maintained when the passage is closed at the time of constructing the pivotal blade and installing the position detection control unit.
In addition, initial investment costs can be significantly reduced as compared with linear diffusers in the related art, and performance can be remarkably excellent as compared with linear diffusers in the related art, while greatly contributing to saving energy costs of a building.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a motorized VAV linear diffuser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an assembled state of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2 in an opened state.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of FIG. 2 in an opened state.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a closed state corresponding to FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawing, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.
Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a motorized VAV linear diffuser 20 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a front view of an assembled state of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2 in an opened state. FIG. 4 is a bottom view of FIG. 2 in an opened state. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 2. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a closed state corresponding to FIG. 6.
Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the motorized VAV linear diffuser 20 according to the present disclosure includes a chamber 10 when the linear diffuser is configured to have the chamber 10 even if it is described and shown that the linear diffuser does not include the chamber 10.
The chamber 10 is generally fixed before a ceiling finishing material is processed and connected to a duct for heating and air conditioning or ventilation (a duct connecting part is omitted in the drawings), and the motorized VAV linear diffuser 20 is installed in an installing space 11 (also serving as a passage for air) of the chamber 10 by means of an installing unit 60 after a ceiling finishing material is processed as shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 (reference numeral 20 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, and omitted in the other drawings).
The motorized VAV linear diffuser 20 includes a frame 30, a reducer motor unit 50, a pivotal blade 40, a shaft holder 55, and an installing unit 60.
As shown as an example of the construction, the frame 30 includes an elongated tub-shaped part 31 where a passage 32 is formed long lengthwise, and a ceiling finishing part 33 perpendicular to an outer circumference of the elongated tub-shaped part 31. The pivotal blade 40 is pivotally installed in the passage 32 of the elongated tub-shaped part 31 to open and close the passage 32 of the elongated tub-shaped part 31 or adjust an opening degree thereof, and bosses 44 are installed respectively on opposite side surfaces of the elongated tub-shaped part 31 to maintain a sealed state when the passage 32 is closed.
The frame 30 having the above constitution may be variously divided to be assembled. As an example, walls of the elongated tub-shaped part 31 and edges of the ceiling finishing part 33 may be configured to be separated from each other and may be assembled by a well-known means of the related art such as welding or joint brackets. In this case, the frame 30 may be formed of an extruding material to be manufactured easily and inexpensively. The bosses 44 may also be manufactured by machining opposite ends of the elongated tub-shaped part 31 after being extruded at the same time when the walls of the elongated tub-shaped part 31 are extruded, or may be manufactured and assembled after only the bosses 44 are separated.
The reducer motor unit 50 is separably installed at one lengthwise side of the passage 32 of the elongated tub-shaped part 31 by means of screw through-holes 31 a and screws 50 c as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, and the pivotal blade 40 is pivotally connected to the reducer motor unit 50 by means of the reducer motor unit 50. The construction where the pivotal blade 40 is pivotally connected to the reducer motor unit 50 may be variously configured, and in particular, as shown in FIG. 5, may include a separated pivotal connecting shaft 54 and a shaft insertion part 53 a formed in a reduction gear 53 to be described below. The pivotal connecting shaft 54 is inserted into the shaft insertion part 53 a of the reduction gear 53 from one side to be rotated together and is inserted into one side of the pivotal blade 40 on another side.
The shaft holder 55 having the shaft insertion part 55 a so as to pivotally support another side of the pivotal blade 40 is installed at another side of the elongated tub-shaped part 31. As shown in FIG. 5 as an example, the pivotal connecting shaft 54 is pivotally inserted into the shaft insertion part 53 a on one side and then inserted to be rotated together with the pivotal blade 40 on the other side.
Although a pair of pivotal connecting shafts 54 are configured to be separable in this example, the pivotal connecting shaft may also be integrally formed with the pivotal blade 40, the shaft holder 55, or the reduction gear 53 through a simple modification, and may be integrally formed with the elongated tub-shaped part 31 while the shaft holder 55 is fixed to the elongated tub-shaped part 31 by means of a screw 55 c in FIG. 5.
The installing unit 60 is adapted to separably install the frame 30 where the reducer motor unit 50, the pivotal blade 40, and the shaft holder 55 are installed within the chamber 10, and may include catching steps 12, installing brackets 61, and installing screws 63 which are well known in the related art as in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In this case, the catching steps 12 are installed on opposite lengthwise side surfaces of the installing space 11 of the chamber 10, and each of the installing brackets 61 includes a pair of legs 61 b caught by the catching step 12 and a connecting part 61 a connecting the legs 61 b on the upper side and having a screw hole 62. In the construction of the installing unit 60, an installing screw 63 passes through screw the shaft holder 55 and through-holes 55 b and 57 of a motor gear box 50 a while the legs 61 b of the installing bracket 61 being caught by the catching step 12 and is coupled to the screw hole 62 of the connecting part 61 a of the installing bracket 61, so that the motorized VAV linear diffuser 20 (particularly, the shaft holder 55 and the motor gear box 50 a) can be fixed to and installed in the chamber 10.
While the installing unit 60 of the construction has been shown and described as an example, the installing unit 60 may be separably installed by using a screw after simply installing a screw through-hole in the frame 30 and installing a screw hole in the chamber 10 or may be employed in other technologies in the related art. Any well-known construction where the motorized VAV linear diffuser 20 is separably installed in the chamber 10 may be applied to the present disclosure.
Although it is shown and described that the pivotal blade 40 includes a blade body 41 which is an extruding aluminum material, side wall sealing members 42 which are resilient materials such as silicon, and front/rear wall sealing members 43 as an example, the pivotal blade 40 may also be variously configured. The side wall sealing members 42 of the resilient materials can reduce friction between the pivotal blade 40 and both side walls of the shaft holder 55 during rotation of the pivotal blade 40 and secure a sealing state as well. The friction can be further reduced by sharpening ends of the side wall sealing members 42 thin as shown. A sealing state is secured by the front/rear wall sealing members 43 that are a resilient material and the bosses 44 in a closed state. Even though one of the front/rear wall sealing members 43 and the bosses 44 is not a resilient material, a sealing state can be maintained. However, when both of the front/rear wall sealing members 43 and the bosses 44 are resilient materials, a sealing state can be maintained even though a distortion in a lengthwise direction together with flexibility may exist.
The reducer motor unit 50 may include a synchronous motor 51, a pinion 52, and a reduction gear 53 (inner gear) as shown as an example, but is not limited thereto, and various conventional constructions may be employed in the reducer motor unit 50 only if the constructions can linearly controls air volume while maximally reducing RPM. In particular, a construction where a position detection control unit 56 to be described below is employed and angular position can be controlled as well is more desirable.
The position detection control unit 56 is adapted to open and close the passage 32 or regulate an opening degree thereof by controlling an angular position of the reducer motor unit 50 to control a position of the pivotal blade 40. An example of the construction includes a pair of protrusions 56 b installed in the reduction gear 53 to detect an angular position, a pair of limit switches 56 a operated by the protrusions 56 b, and a well-known controller (not shown) for controlling an angular position of the synchronous motor 51 through an operation of the limit switch 56 a. By installing the pair of limit switches 56 a to detect a position at a clockwise or counterclockwise angular interval (in this example, an interval of 156 degrees), the bosses 44 and the resilient material of the front/rear wall sealing members 43 are prevented from being excessively pushed (a position is selected such that the limit switch 56 a is operated while being pushed in some degree), and the pivotal blade 40 may be vertical to maintain the fully opened state of FIG. 6 (the controller calculates a left/right operation time from the operation times of both the limit switches 56 a without using a separate detection unit so that the pivotal blade 40 is located centrally).
Although an example of the position detection control unit 56 having the above constitution has been shown and described, various constructions in the related art may be employed together with the well-known reducer motor unit 50.
The reducer motor unit 50 is installed in the motor gear box 50 a where the motor 51 is sealingly assembled with a cover 50 b to prevent contamination and secure a sealing state, but may be directly installed at one side of the elongated tub-shaped part 31.
Although another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is not illustrated in detail, the elongated tub-shaped part 31 of the frame 30 may be formed by extending the chamber 10 downward. In this case, the number of parts can be further reduced and the present disclosure also includes such a construction. In this case, only the reducer motor unit 50, the pivotal blade 40, and the shaft holder 55 are installed in the camber 10 by interposing the installing unit 60, and the ceiling finishing part 33 of the frame 30 may be separately formed to be installed in the shaft holder 55 and the motor gear box 50 a or at a lower end of the chamber 10.
According to the above-mentioned construction and operation of the present disclosure, the motorized VAV linear diffuser 20 can be constructed simply and inexpensively by directly connecting the reducer motor unit 50 to the pivotal blade 40, and can be easily assembled, installed, and maintained by separably installing the installing unit 60 within the chamber 10 together with the frame 30 where the reducer motor unit 50, the pivotal blade 40, and the shaft holder 55 are directly or separably installed by separably installing the reducer motor unit 50, the pivotal blade 40, and the shaft holder 55 within the elongated tub-shaped part 31.
Accordingly, initial investment costs can be significantly reduced as compared with linear diffusers in the related art, and performance of the present disclosure can be remarkably excellent as compared with linear diffusers in the related art, while greatly contributing to saving energy cost of a building.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A motorized VAV linear diffuser installed in an installing space of a chamber connected to a duct for heating and air conditioning or ventilation and including a frame having an elongated tub-shaped part where a passage for heating and air conditioning or ventilation is formed long lengthwise, the motorized VAV linear diffuser comprising:

a reducer motor unit separably installed at one lengthwise side of the passage of the elongated tub-shaped part;

a pivotal blade installed in the passage of the elongated tub-shaped part to be pivotally connected to the reducer motor unit at one side thereof to open and close the passage or regulate an opening degree thereof;

a shaft holder installed at another side of the elongated tub-shaped part to pivotally support another side of the pivotal blade; and

an installing unit for separably installing the reducer motor unit, the pivotal blade, and the shaft holder within the chamber directly or together with the frame.

2. The motorized VAV linear diffuser of claim 1, wherein the pivotal blade includes a blade body forming a framework thereof, a pair of side wall sealing members installed at opposite lengthwise ends of the blade body and formed of a resilient material for maintaining a sealing state of opposite sides thereof and reducing friction as well, and a pair of front/rear wall sealing members installed at opposite ends in a short axis direction of the blade body and formed of a resilient material for maintaining a sealing state with opposite side walls of the elongated tub-shaped part, and a pair of bosses formed of a resilient material to maintain a sealing state between the bosses and the pair of front/rear wall sealing members when the passage is closed are installed on opposite side walls of the elongated tub-shaped part.

3. The motorized VAV linear diffuser of claim 1, further comprising:

a position detection control unit for controlling a position of the pivotal blade to open and close the passage or regulate an opening degree thereof by controlling an angular position of the reducer motor unit and controlling a position of the pivotal blade to maintain a sealing state between the front/rear wall sealing members and the bosses when the passage is closed.

4. The motorized VAV linear diffuser of claim 2, further comprising: