WO2007118713A1

WO2007118713A1 - Wall box and compressed-air-controlled exhaust air flap

Info

Publication number: WO2007118713A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/003440
Authority: WO
Inventors: Udo Berling
Original assignee: Berbel Ablufttechnik Gmbh
Priority date: 2006-04-19
Filing date: 2007-04-19
Publication date: 2007-10-25
Also published as: EP2008029B1; EP2008029A1; DE202006006327U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a wall box (2) having a ventilation opening (4) which can be closed off by means of a closure (6) which is moveable in a motorized fashion between a closed and an open position. The adjusting movement of the closure (6) can be controlled by an electronic controller, to which is connected a sensor (22), which is arranged in the wall box (2) and/or in an air guiding duct which conducts an air flow to the wall box (2), for measuring air flows and/or air pressures.

Description

WALL BOX AND AIR-PRESSURE-CONTROLLED EXHAUST FLAP

The present invention relates to a wall box with a ventilation opening, which can be closed by a motor displaceable between a closed and open position closure.

A generic wall box is disclosed in document DE 20 2005 010 912.6. With the wall box disclosed therein, it is possible to move the shutter provided with a thermal insulation with an engine between an open and closed position back and forth. For the wall box is provided that this is moved at a switch-on signal of a blower in the open position and when stopping the blower in the closed position. When the fan and the wall box are installed as a unit unit at a site, such a functional coupling of the wall box with the fan connected thereto via an electrical connection line prepares no technical problems.

However, it is more difficult to control the wall box, if this is to be connected to an air duct in which air flows are generated by a fan whose control is not or only at great expense combined with the wall box. So it is to be remembered, an existing extractor hood, a third-party make an extractor hood, a Ablufwäschetrock- ner, a Hausstaubsaugeranlage or an exhaust air outlet of an air conditioner to be provided later with the generic wall box. Also exhaust air systems in industrial or commercial buildings, regardless of their size can be retrofitted with wall or ventilation boxes. With the variety of electrical controls for such blowers, it is difficult to connect the control of the wall box to the control of the blower.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to find for the wall box a technical solution by which the control of the wall box with any devices that have a fan, is functionally combined.

The object is achieved in that the adjustment movement of the closure is controllable by an electronic control, to which a sensor arranged in the wall box and / or in an air duct conveying a flow of air to the wall box for measuring air flows and / or air pressures is connected.

By connecting a sensor to measure air flow to the controller, it is possible to measure airflows generated by any type of blower connected to the wall box. These air currents are evaluated as a signal to move the closure as needed between a closed and open position back and forth. If the sensor detects an air flow, the air flow signal is transmitted to the electronic control and evaluated. As an air duct conveying an air flow to the wall box, in particular also the device generating the air flow, such as For example, a cooker hood, be viewed. The sensor is then attached to a suitable appearing point in the device.

Additionally or alternatively, an air pressure sensor may be arranged in the wall box and / or the air duct, by the current air pressure can be measured and evaluated. Thus, the air pressure in the wall box increases when a fan connected to it is switched on. The air pressure sensor may evaluate an increase in air pressure as a signal to open the wall box when a certain pressure threshold is exceeded and / or the pressure persists at an elevated level over a suitable time interval.

The signals of the air flow and pressure sensor can also be evaluated combined to achieve increased reliability. If the air flow signal is too weak, but the pressure value is clear, the wall box can be opened just as functionally as a weak pressure signal due to insufficient sealing of the air duct, but in which due to the clear draft, the air flow signal is unique.

If the sensor signal allows the conclusion that a blower connected to the wall box has been activated, the shutter can be moved from the closed position to the open position by the electronic control. If the sensor detects that an air flow has stopped, the closure can be moved from the open back to the closed position by means of the electronic control. In this way, the wall box according to the invention depending on whether - A - an air flow has been measured or not, be opened or closed based on the sensor signal by a motorized adjustment of the shutter. In the same way, the opening and closing can be triggered by the sensor signals of the alternatively or additionally provided pressure sensor. It is no longer necessary to connect the electronic control for the closure of the wall box with the electrical or electronic of the air flow triggering blower, but the air flow itself is used to derive a signal for the need-based positioning of the shutter.

The sensor can be arranged either in the wall box itself or in an air duct leading to the wall box air duct, such as the exhaust pipe of a clothes dryer. This makes it possible to arrange the sensor at a location that is particularly suitable for the detection of air currents.

As a sensor for measuring air currents, various devices come into consideration. For example, it is possible to provide a sensor or a fan driven by the air flows flowing through the wall box as a sensor. Instead of such mechanical sensors, electronic sensors can also be used in which different and measurable changes in the resistance of the measuring probes result, for example, as a result of air flow due to the flow of cooling air. Also, the air pressure measurement can be done by one of a variety of different known from the prior art for air pressure measurement known as selected sensor type. Further modifications, advantageous embodiments and improvements of the invention can be taken from the following objective description, the features of the subclaims and the drawings.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to drawings. Show it:

1 is a sectional view of a wall box,

2 shows a view of a sensor for measuring air flows,

3 shows a cross-sectional view through the sensor shown in FIG. 2, and FIG

Fig. 4: an illustration of a solution for the exhaust air duct.

In Fig. 1, a wall box 2 can be seen, which consists essentially of a fan tube 3 with a ventilation opening 4 and a closure, which consists essentially of an insulating body 8 and a lid 10 is constructed. In the longitudinal sectional view to be seen in FIG. 1, the respective components are clearly visible. The fan tube 3 may have such lengths that it can be used in common building walls, or the fan tube 3 is supplied in excess and can be shortened by sawing the protruding part to a suitable length. In a preferred embodiment, the fan tube 3 is made of a PVC material, However, other plastic materials, metal, clay and the like can be used as a material.

In the installed state of the wall box 2 flows in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, an exhaust air flow in the blowing direction B through the fan tube 3 therethrough. At the end at which exits the exhaust air from the fan tube 3 in the embodiment, there is the ventilation opening 4. From the vent 4, the exhaust air can flow past the closure 6, when it is in an open position. Deviating from the exemplary embodiment, a supply air flow through the ventilation opening 4 can be sucked in or blown against the blowing direction B into the fan tube 3.

In Fig. 1 is indicated in dashed lines, where the insulating body 8 is in the closed position of the closure 6. The length of the distance S, by which the shutter 6 is displaced from the open position to the closed position, is greater than the thickness D of the insulator 8. By these length ratios relative to each other ensures that in the open position of the shutter 6, a gap between the gap Ventilation opening 4 and the insulating body 8 results, which has the dimension A. The dimension A should have a minimum value of 50 mm to create a passage gap between the vent 4 and the shutter 6, which does not build up a flow resistance against the flow rate of the connected hood.

In Fig. 1 is clearly visible that the insulating body 8 is immersed as a thermal insulation of the shutter 6 with its entire thickness D in the closed position in the fan tube 3. Between the outside air and the remaining cavity in the fan tube 3 results in a highly effective thermal insulation, through the heat losses over the shutter 6 can be reduced to a minimum. On the other hand, the open position of the closure 6 permits unimpeded outflow of the exhaust air from and unimpeded inflow of supply air into the wall box 2. In this way, an excellent thermal insulation in conjunction with a minimum flow resistance against the respective air flows is realized.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the closure 6 has a cover 10 which protrudes laterally beyond the outer circumference of the insulating body 8 and also over the outer periphery of the end face of the fan tube 3. By the cross-section of the fan tube 3 cross-cover 10, the fan tube 3 can be sealed well in the closed position of the closure 8 to the outside. In a preferred embodiment, the cover 10 is provided on the fan tube 3 side facing with a flexible support 20 such as a foam rubber pad. In the closed position of the closure 6, the cover 10 seals - possibly with the additional flexible support 20 - the fan tube 3 from wind, rainwater, dust, insects and other foreign matter, which can not penetrate into the fan tube 3.

The lid 10 may be provided with an attractive coating or coating, so that the wall box 2 unobtrusively fits into the optical image of the surrounding building wall. The visible in the known wall boxes air vents or slats omitted. Also, the fan tube 3 or the insulating body 8 are no longer visible in the closed position of the closure 6 because of the protruding lid 10. This results in an overall very attractive appearance of such a wall box 2.

The closure 6 is adjustable by means of an adjusting mechanism 12, which in the ventilation 4 and / or arranged in one of the ventilation opening 4 upstream pipe section of the fan tube 3. The adjusting mechanism can be manually or motor-operated, in particular by an electric motor. In the exemplary embodiment, the adjusting mechanism 12 consists of a rotatably driven spindle tube, by the operation of the shutter 6 changes its spatial position. Also Kniehebelmechani- ken, telescopic tubes and the like can be realized as an actuating mechanism 12. Due to the arrangement of the actuating mechanism 12 in the ventilation opening 4 or in another pipe section of the fan tube 3, the installation dimension of the wall box 2 is limited to the cross section of the fan tube 3. There are no separate space for the actuating mechanism 12 is required, which would be expensive to create and also to isolate against thermal losses. Also, seals against pressure losses of the flowing air streams are not required in this embodiment.

By embedding the actuating mechanism 12 in the fan tube 3, these can hardly be damaged during transport and dismantling and is housed very protected. In relation to the total cross-section of the fan tube 3, the adjusting mechanism 12 takes only a small space, so that increased by the adjusting mechanism 12 of the flow resistance against the exhaust air flow not in appreciable extent. However, a drive or an adjusting mechanism can also be arranged outside of the fan tube 3.

In order to transmit the adjusting movement of the actuating mechanism 12 on the closure 6, a linkage 14 is provided in the wall box 2, which is designed so that it on the inner surface of the ventilation opening 4 and / or the vent 4 upstream pipe section 16 of the fan tube 3 at least in sections sliding on. The proposed sliding support the rod 14 and indirectly and the shutter 6 is supported by the inner surfaces of the fan tube 3. at a displacement of the shutter 6 results from this support also a secure guide during the movement. Finally, the closure 6 is held by the support also stable in its open position, in which this may be exposed to high wind forces or a bombardment with a football. With a corresponding design of the linkage 14, the construction of the wall box 2 proves to be extremely reliable and robust against interference from external influences.

The linkage 14 may have a lattice structure 18 in a section through which, in an open position of the closure 6, the penetration of larger foreign bodies into the ventilation opening 4 is made more difficult. The lattice structure 18 is preferably arranged such that the closure effect with respect to the ventilation opening 4 results, in particular in the open position of the closure 6. The grid structure 18 may be formed so as to additionally stabilize the linkage 14.

The linkage 14 and the grid structure 18 should be designed so that they produce only the lowest possible flow resistance against a sweeping air flow. For this reason, the corresponding components should have only the smallest possible material thickness transverse to the flow direction of the air flow. A sufficient stability of the components can still be achieved by the material for the corresponding components is more arranged in a parallel extension to the flow direction of the guided through the fan tube 3 air flow. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the grid of the linkage 14 may be made for example of a galvanized steel or a tough plastic with, for example, only one millimeter material thickness, with the stability of the components of the several millimeters and possibly even centimeters wide webs parallel to Flow direction of the air flow results. In the illustration in Fig. 1, the sensor 22 is placed on one end of the shaft of the actuating mechanism 12. In this installation position, the sensor 22 is located approximately in the middle in the inflow opening of the fan tube 3. Deviating from the sensor 22 may be arranged at another location in the wall box 2 or in the wall box 2 an air flow, not shown drawing air flow channel.

The sensor 22 is shown in more detail in FIG. With the push-on end 24, the sensor 22 can be pinned on a fastening component with a simple clamping or adhesive connection. Under the lid 26 is a cavity in which a in Fig. 2 drawing not shown in detail board 28 may be installed. At the lower edge of the lid 26 there is a feed opening 30 into which air flowing through the wall box 2 can flow into a measuring space 32 arranged downstream of it in the direction of flow. From the measuring chamber 32, the air flow through an outlet opening 34 can get out of the measuring chamber 32 again. Through the opening of the measuring chamber 32 through a feed opening 30 and an outlet opening 34, the measuring space 32 can be flowed through well by an air stream directed in blowing direction B. In this case, the air flow can enter well into the feed opening 30, if it faces counter to the flow direction of the air flow.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the sensor shown in FIG. 2. In this cross-sectional view is clearly visible, as under the cover 26, the board 28 is disposed in the housing 22 of the sensor. The board 28 may carry the complete electronic control for the adjustment movement of the shutter 6, but on the board 28, only one measuring or evaluation electronics available be, which converts the measuring pulses of the sensor element 36 into sensor signals. In the latter case, the sensor signals must be transmitted by radio or cable to the electronic control. The sensor signal evaluation can be done directly by the sensor 22 or the electronic control of the shutter.

In the exemplary embodiment, only one belonging to the sensor 22 sensor element 36 is shown. However, it is also possible to arrange more than one sensor element 36 in a sensor 22, or to connect the electronic control to a plurality of sensors 22 in which one or more sensor elements 36 are arranged and which control the air flow and / or the air pressure in the region of the arrangement of the sensor.

Since at most 6 slight air currents within the wall box 2 occur in a closed closure, it may be advantageous to arrange at least one sensor 22 outside the wall box 2 at a suitable location at which still air currents are measurable. If a sensor 22 detects a pressure drop and / or a smaller or completely absent air flow, this indicates the control command to close the shutter 6.

It is advantageous to use a measuring space 32 for determining the sensor values, because the measuring space 32 can be better shielded against interference such as gusts of wind blowing from the outside in the wall box 2, for example. The measuring chamber 32 is characterized in that it is shielded to the side and down spatially against interference and only one feed opening 30 and an outlet opening 34 has. The opening or closing of doors or windows in the building can also trigger traction air flows, which can have an influence on the determined sensor values. Any fluctuations caused by this can also be 32 are better smoothed.

In particular, when sensors 22 are used for measuring air flows, it may be advantageous to connect an exhaust air line 38 to the outlet opening 34. If the exhaust air line 38 leads out of the interior of the wall box 2, the overpressure which builds up when a fan connected to the wall box 2 is switched on can be reduced again when the accumulating air escapes through the measuring chamber 32. In such an embodiment, a strong air flow arises in the measuring chamber 32, which can be measured by the sensor element 36 in a well-recognizable manner. The air flowing into the measuring chamber 32 can flow laterally on the sensor element 36 visible in FIG. 3 to the outlet opening 34 and is led out of there through the exhaust air line 38 out of the wall box 2 or the ventilator pipe 3. The exhaust pipe 38 may open outside, in an insulating layer of masonry or in the interior of the building to be vented.

The exhaust air line 38 shown in FIG. 3 has, in addition to a first end-side vent opening 40, a plurality of second vent openings 42, which are introduced into the line material in a section of the exhaust air duct 38 as a type of perforation. It has been found that in an exhaust duct 38 with only one vent opening 40 return flows of air from the exhaust duct 38 in the

Measuring chamber 32 may occur, which can be interpreted by the sensor element 36 as a fan caused air currents, although the fan is already turned off and the shutter 6 actually waiting for the sensor signal to be closed. In particular, in unfavorable wind conditions or different air pressures inside and outside the building such currents can occur, which then on the sensor element 36 cause the electronic control to open or keep the shutter open, although at this time no fan connected is in operation. By the second vent openings 42, the air streams entering the exhaust duct 38 are, however, admitted before entering the measuring chamber 32 in the interior of the wall box 2, so that the weather-related fluctuations in pressure and wind conditions inside and outside a building, the measurements in the measuring room 32nd only limited ability to impair. In this way, occurring pressure peaks are compensated, and it is determined a clearer sensor signal, which more clearly detects the presence of conditions for the opening and closing of the shutter 6.

As shown in Fig. 4, a plurality of vents 40, 42 also be created by the exhaust air line 38 is divided into at least two sub-channels 44, 46.

In order to obtain a comparison value for the evaluation of the sensor signal of a sensor 22, it is advantageous if a sensor 22 has at least two sensor elements 36, one of which is arranged in the measuring space 32 and one outside the measuring space 32, and the sensor signal is based on wind currents and / or or pressure values in the wall box 2 or an air flow channel conveying an air flow to the wall box 2 can be derived from a comparison of the measured values of these two sensor elements 36. It can be seen from the comparison that the pressure prevailing in the measuring chamber 32 or the air flow flowing therethrough deviates from the state determined by the sensor element 36 used for comparison. If the difference between the sensor values of the two sensor elements 36 exceeds a defined threshold value, it can be evaluated as a signal for opening or closing the shutter 6. The description of the invention with reference to the embodiment was for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the inventive features in any way to the embodiments shown. Rather, it is the case that the person skilled in the art can modify the features according to the invention differently from the exemplary embodiment in a manner which appears to him suitable, without, therefore, departing from the subject matter of the invention.

Claims

claims

1. wall box (2) with a ventilation opening (4) which is closable by a motor displaceable between a closed and open position closure (6), characterized in that the adjusting movement of the closure (6) is controlled by an electronic control, to in that a sensor (22) arranged in the wall box (2) and / or in an air duct leading to a wall (2) for the flow of air is connected for measuring air flows and / or air pressures.

2. Wall box (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor (22) is arranged in a measuring chamber (32), in the through the wall box (2) by air flowing through a counter to the flow direction facing feed opening (30) and inflow from an outlet opening (34) can be flowed out.

3. Wall box (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at the outlet opening (34) of the measuring chamber (32) is connected to the outgoing air flow from the interior of the wall box (2) outgoing exhaust duct (38).

4. Wall box (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the exhaust air line (38) next to a first end-side vent opening (40) still has at least a second vent opening (42).

5. Wall box (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that the exhaust air line (38) downstream divides into two sub-channels (44, 46).

6. Wall box (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor (22) has at least two sensor elements (36), one of which is arranged in the measuring chamber (32) and one outside the measuring chamber (32), and the sensor signal via wind currents from a comparison of the sensor values of these two sensor elements (36) can be derived.