CA1168503A - Air dampers - Google Patents
Air dampersInfo
- Publication number
- CA1168503A CA1168503A CA000402668A CA402668A CA1168503A CA 1168503 A CA1168503 A CA 1168503A CA 000402668 A CA000402668 A CA 000402668A CA 402668 A CA402668 A CA 402668A CA 1168503 A CA1168503 A CA 1168503A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- extrusion
- damper blade
- walls
- face
- edge
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Air-Flow Control Members (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
There is provided, for use as a damper blade, an extrusion which includes two spaced-apart face walls and two spaced-apart edge walls, with two ridges projecting toward each other form the face wall but having their inner edges space apart. The extrusion is adapted for use with a control shaft which has opposed slots adapted to slidingly receive the ridge members.
With this construction, heat transfer across the opposed face walls is minimized. When used as a damper blade, the extrusion can be filled with heat-insulative material such as expanded polystyrene.
There is provided, for use as a damper blade, an extrusion which includes two spaced-apart face walls and two spaced-apart edge walls, with two ridges projecting toward each other form the face wall but having their inner edges space apart. The extrusion is adapted for use with a control shaft which has opposed slots adapted to slidingly receive the ridge members.
With this construction, heat transfer across the opposed face walls is minimized. When used as a damper blade, the extrusion can be filled with heat-insulative material such as expanded polystyrene.
Description
1 ~68~
- IMPROVEMENTS_OF AIR DAMPERS
This inventions relates generally to dampers for air systems, and has to do particularly with an improved damper design utilizing an aluminum or other light-metal extrusion for the damper blade itself. Even more particularly, this invention relates to an extruded damper design having high heat insulative properties.
BACKGROUND OF THIS INVENTION
-Exemplary of the prior art is U.S. Patent No.
3,312,242, Kahn et al, issued April 4, 1967. In the Kahn construction, individual damper blades are in the shape of an air foil, with pointed edges, and designed to be mounted on a central shaft having four longitudinal slots at 90 intervals, into which four fingers internally of the air foil construction are adapted to slide.
The prior art, however, contains numerous examples, Kahn among them, of damper blade constructions in which no or only minor heat insulative capacity is present. In the case of Kahn et al, considerable heat is lost directly from one side of the air foil shape to the other, due to the large surface area of contact between the extrusion and the central control shaft.
In view of the shortcomings of the prior art in terms of providing adequate heat insulative capacity, it is an aspect of this invention to provide an extrusion adapted for use as a damper blade, which lends itself to installations where heat insulative capacity is required.
. ~
~ 1685~3 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION
_ Accordingly, this invention provides, for use as a damper blade, an extrusion which comprises two spaced-apart face walls and two spaced-apart edge walls, and two ridges projecting towards each other from the face walls but having their inner edges spaced apart.
In another asp~ct, this invention provides an insulated damper blade comprlsing a length of a ` light-metal extrusion having two parallel face walls and two parallel edge walls in a parallelogram configuration.
Each face wall defines an obtuse angle with one edge wall and an acute angle with the other edge wall. Two ridge members project toward each other from the face walls but have their inner edges spaced from each other. The length of extrusion contains a heat-insulative material.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
~ . . . _ . _ . .
One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
Figure 1 is a sectional view of an extrusion suitable for forming the damper blade of this invention;
and Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through a damper assembly utilizing a plurality of dampers made with extrusions of the kind shown in Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TH~ DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a suitable extrusion of aluminum or other suitable material, particularly adapted for use with this inven-tion. As seen in Figure 1, the extrusion generally shown at 10 includes two parallel face walls 12 and 13 and two parallel edge walls 15 and 17 in a parallelogram configuration. Each face wall 12, 13 defines an obtuse angle with one edge wall and an acute angle with the other edge wall. More specifically, the upper face wall 12 defines an acute angle ~ with -the edge wall 15, and defines an obtuse angle ~ with the other edge wall 17.
Likewise the bottom face wall 13 defines an acute angle l 3 6~03 o~ with the edge wall 17 and defines an obtuse angle with the edge wall 15. In Figure l the point 20 designates the center of gravity of the cross-section of the extrusion 10, and it can be seen that each of the face walls 12 and 13 has a ridge member 22 and 24, respectively, each of which it is arranged perpendicularly with respect to its respective face wall.
The two ridge members 22 and 24 are in alignment and the central plane of the two ridge members substantially intersects the center of gravity location 20.
Each face wall 12 and 13 has an extended portion, numbered 25 and 27 respectively, each extended portion projecting beyond the edge wall with which its particular face wall defines an acute angle.
As further seen in Figure l, the edge wall 15 has, on its outside surface, integral track~defining means for receiving two resilient sealing strips. More particularly, the edge wall 15 defines two upstanding C-shaped structures 30 which define T-shaped slots adapted to receive resilient extrusions, such as the extrusion 32 shown in Figure 1. It is to be understood that a similar extrusion would be provided in the upper track-defining means ~0 as well. The resilient sealing member 32 may advantageously be made of PVC or similar soft plastic material.
Attention is now directed to Figure 2, showing a damper installation generally at the numeral 33. The installation 33 includes a frame 34 which need not be described in detail as the construction of the frame per se does not form a part of this invention. The frame 34, however, does include upright frame members 36 (of which one is seen in Figure 2), top and bottom frame members 38 and 39, respectively, and two horizontally extending damper blade stops, one extending downwardly from the top frame member 38 and numbered 40 t the other extending upwardly from the bottom frame member 39 and numbered 42.
As can be seen in the Figure, each damper blade stop 40 and 42 is welded or otherwise secured to a flange 44 extending from the mid-point of the respective horizontal I 1 6g5~
frame member 38 and 39. The upper damper blade stop 40 is provlded with track-defining means 47 similar in construction to the track-defining means 30 shown in Figure 1, and adapted to receive similar or identical resilient sealing members 48.
In the construction shown in Figure 2 three control shafts 50a, 50b and 50c are shown, extending horizontally between the side frame members 36. As can be seen in both of thèse Figures, each control shaft has two opposed slots 52 and 53 which are adapted to slidingly receive the ridge members 22 and 24, respectively, in order to mount the individual damper blades.
In Figure 2, there are three damper blades lOa, lOb and lOc mounted on the control shafts 50b and 50c.
All of the damper blades are identical, and between the damper blades lOa and lOb has been drawn the configuration of those two damper blades when each has been rotated in the clockwise direction to approximately 90, in order to bring the sealing members 32 of the damper blade lOa into contact with the edge wall 17 of the damper blade lOb.
In order to rotate all three damper blades in tandem, a conventional parallelogram linkage is provided, this incorporating a vertical shaft 53, having adjustable connectors 54 mounted at intervals therealong, each connector 54 being pivoted to one end of a bracket 56 which is affixed near one end of the respective damper blade lOa, lOb and lOc. As is customary and evident from Figure 2, each pair of adjacent damper blades, along with the frame 34 and the shaft 53, constitutes a swivelling parallelogram. By raising the shaft 53, the damper blades can be made to move in the clockwise direction to close the opening defined within the frame 34. ~n the closed position, the edge face 17a of the upper damper lOa seals against the sealing members 48 supported on the damper blade stop 40, while the sealing members 32c on the lower damper blade lOc seal against the lower damper blade stop 42.
~ :~ 6~350 3 The internal cavity within each of the extruded damper blades is filled with a suitable heat-insulative material 58, which may conveniently be styrofoam (expanded polys-tyrene) or the like.
At the ends of the aluminum extrusions constituting each damper blade, the extrusion is conveniently "closed in" by applying a sealing compound against the exposed insulative material. A suitable material is the duct sealant sold under the name "tough-bond" by Trans Continental Equipment Ltd.
It will be evident that in the damper blade construction provided herein, the transfer of heat from one face wall to the opposite face wall of each damper blade is minimized, due to the presence of the heat-insulative material within the damper blade, and due to the minimization of the area of metal along which heat can be transferred. It is well known that aluminum is a good heat conductor. It is therefore important to restrict the cross-sectional area of the aluminum available for heat transfer to the least possible, consistant with sufficient strength. By spacing the face walls of the extrusion away from the control shaft, and by mounting the extrusion to the control shaft by the use of flanges 22 and 24, any heat transfer is forced to follow a restricted path, and therefore is minimized.
The extended portions 25 and 27 of the extrusion permit the resilient sealing members 32 to be protected from adverse weather effects, for example snow and rain, when the damper is in the closed positlon.
Also, if the damper where to be used as a combination louvre-damper, the extended portions 25 and 27 would act as a dripsill, allowing water and melting snow to drip off each blade in such a way that the sealing members 32 do not contact moisture. It will be understood that any build-up of snow or ice on a PVC seal could affect adversely the tight closing characteristics of the damper.
While a specific embodiment of this invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and 1 ~ 68 ~ ~ ~
described hereinabove, those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
- IMPROVEMENTS_OF AIR DAMPERS
This inventions relates generally to dampers for air systems, and has to do particularly with an improved damper design utilizing an aluminum or other light-metal extrusion for the damper blade itself. Even more particularly, this invention relates to an extruded damper design having high heat insulative properties.
BACKGROUND OF THIS INVENTION
-Exemplary of the prior art is U.S. Patent No.
3,312,242, Kahn et al, issued April 4, 1967. In the Kahn construction, individual damper blades are in the shape of an air foil, with pointed edges, and designed to be mounted on a central shaft having four longitudinal slots at 90 intervals, into which four fingers internally of the air foil construction are adapted to slide.
The prior art, however, contains numerous examples, Kahn among them, of damper blade constructions in which no or only minor heat insulative capacity is present. In the case of Kahn et al, considerable heat is lost directly from one side of the air foil shape to the other, due to the large surface area of contact between the extrusion and the central control shaft.
In view of the shortcomings of the prior art in terms of providing adequate heat insulative capacity, it is an aspect of this invention to provide an extrusion adapted for use as a damper blade, which lends itself to installations where heat insulative capacity is required.
. ~
~ 1685~3 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION
_ Accordingly, this invention provides, for use as a damper blade, an extrusion which comprises two spaced-apart face walls and two spaced-apart edge walls, and two ridges projecting towards each other from the face walls but having their inner edges spaced apart.
In another asp~ct, this invention provides an insulated damper blade comprlsing a length of a ` light-metal extrusion having two parallel face walls and two parallel edge walls in a parallelogram configuration.
Each face wall defines an obtuse angle with one edge wall and an acute angle with the other edge wall. Two ridge members project toward each other from the face walls but have their inner edges spaced from each other. The length of extrusion contains a heat-insulative material.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
~ . . . _ . _ . .
One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
Figure 1 is a sectional view of an extrusion suitable for forming the damper blade of this invention;
and Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through a damper assembly utilizing a plurality of dampers made with extrusions of the kind shown in Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TH~ DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a suitable extrusion of aluminum or other suitable material, particularly adapted for use with this inven-tion. As seen in Figure 1, the extrusion generally shown at 10 includes two parallel face walls 12 and 13 and two parallel edge walls 15 and 17 in a parallelogram configuration. Each face wall 12, 13 defines an obtuse angle with one edge wall and an acute angle with the other edge wall. More specifically, the upper face wall 12 defines an acute angle ~ with -the edge wall 15, and defines an obtuse angle ~ with the other edge wall 17.
Likewise the bottom face wall 13 defines an acute angle l 3 6~03 o~ with the edge wall 17 and defines an obtuse angle with the edge wall 15. In Figure l the point 20 designates the center of gravity of the cross-section of the extrusion 10, and it can be seen that each of the face walls 12 and 13 has a ridge member 22 and 24, respectively, each of which it is arranged perpendicularly with respect to its respective face wall.
The two ridge members 22 and 24 are in alignment and the central plane of the two ridge members substantially intersects the center of gravity location 20.
Each face wall 12 and 13 has an extended portion, numbered 25 and 27 respectively, each extended portion projecting beyond the edge wall with which its particular face wall defines an acute angle.
As further seen in Figure l, the edge wall 15 has, on its outside surface, integral track~defining means for receiving two resilient sealing strips. More particularly, the edge wall 15 defines two upstanding C-shaped structures 30 which define T-shaped slots adapted to receive resilient extrusions, such as the extrusion 32 shown in Figure 1. It is to be understood that a similar extrusion would be provided in the upper track-defining means ~0 as well. The resilient sealing member 32 may advantageously be made of PVC or similar soft plastic material.
Attention is now directed to Figure 2, showing a damper installation generally at the numeral 33. The installation 33 includes a frame 34 which need not be described in detail as the construction of the frame per se does not form a part of this invention. The frame 34, however, does include upright frame members 36 (of which one is seen in Figure 2), top and bottom frame members 38 and 39, respectively, and two horizontally extending damper blade stops, one extending downwardly from the top frame member 38 and numbered 40 t the other extending upwardly from the bottom frame member 39 and numbered 42.
As can be seen in the Figure, each damper blade stop 40 and 42 is welded or otherwise secured to a flange 44 extending from the mid-point of the respective horizontal I 1 6g5~
frame member 38 and 39. The upper damper blade stop 40 is provlded with track-defining means 47 similar in construction to the track-defining means 30 shown in Figure 1, and adapted to receive similar or identical resilient sealing members 48.
In the construction shown in Figure 2 three control shafts 50a, 50b and 50c are shown, extending horizontally between the side frame members 36. As can be seen in both of thèse Figures, each control shaft has two opposed slots 52 and 53 which are adapted to slidingly receive the ridge members 22 and 24, respectively, in order to mount the individual damper blades.
In Figure 2, there are three damper blades lOa, lOb and lOc mounted on the control shafts 50b and 50c.
All of the damper blades are identical, and between the damper blades lOa and lOb has been drawn the configuration of those two damper blades when each has been rotated in the clockwise direction to approximately 90, in order to bring the sealing members 32 of the damper blade lOa into contact with the edge wall 17 of the damper blade lOb.
In order to rotate all three damper blades in tandem, a conventional parallelogram linkage is provided, this incorporating a vertical shaft 53, having adjustable connectors 54 mounted at intervals therealong, each connector 54 being pivoted to one end of a bracket 56 which is affixed near one end of the respective damper blade lOa, lOb and lOc. As is customary and evident from Figure 2, each pair of adjacent damper blades, along with the frame 34 and the shaft 53, constitutes a swivelling parallelogram. By raising the shaft 53, the damper blades can be made to move in the clockwise direction to close the opening defined within the frame 34. ~n the closed position, the edge face 17a of the upper damper lOa seals against the sealing members 48 supported on the damper blade stop 40, while the sealing members 32c on the lower damper blade lOc seal against the lower damper blade stop 42.
~ :~ 6~350 3 The internal cavity within each of the extruded damper blades is filled with a suitable heat-insulative material 58, which may conveniently be styrofoam (expanded polys-tyrene) or the like.
At the ends of the aluminum extrusions constituting each damper blade, the extrusion is conveniently "closed in" by applying a sealing compound against the exposed insulative material. A suitable material is the duct sealant sold under the name "tough-bond" by Trans Continental Equipment Ltd.
It will be evident that in the damper blade construction provided herein, the transfer of heat from one face wall to the opposite face wall of each damper blade is minimized, due to the presence of the heat-insulative material within the damper blade, and due to the minimization of the area of metal along which heat can be transferred. It is well known that aluminum is a good heat conductor. It is therefore important to restrict the cross-sectional area of the aluminum available for heat transfer to the least possible, consistant with sufficient strength. By spacing the face walls of the extrusion away from the control shaft, and by mounting the extrusion to the control shaft by the use of flanges 22 and 24, any heat transfer is forced to follow a restricted path, and therefore is minimized.
The extended portions 25 and 27 of the extrusion permit the resilient sealing members 32 to be protected from adverse weather effects, for example snow and rain, when the damper is in the closed positlon.
Also, if the damper where to be used as a combination louvre-damper, the extended portions 25 and 27 would act as a dripsill, allowing water and melting snow to drip off each blade in such a way that the sealing members 32 do not contact moisture. It will be understood that any build-up of snow or ice on a PVC seal could affect adversely the tight closing characteristics of the damper.
While a specific embodiment of this invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and 1 ~ 68 ~ ~ ~
described hereinabove, those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims (12)
1. For use as a damper blade, an extrusion comprising:
two spaced-apart face walls and two spaced-apart edge walls, and two ridges projecting toward each other from the face walls but having their inner edges spaced apart.
two spaced-apart face walls and two spaced-apart edge walls, and two ridges projecting toward each other from the face walls but having their inner edges spaced apart.
2. For use as a damper blade, a light-metal extrusion which comprises:
two parallel face walls and two parallel edge walls in a parallelogram configuration, each face wall defining an obtuse angle with one edge wall and an acute angle with the other edge wall, and two ridge members projecting toward each other from the face walls but having their inner edges spaced from each other.
two parallel face walls and two parallel edge walls in a parallelogram configuration, each face wall defining an obtuse angle with one edge wall and an acute angle with the other edge wall, and two ridge members projecting toward each other from the face walls but having their inner edges spaced from each other.
3. The extrusion claimed in claim 2, in which the ridge members are in the plane of the center of gravity of the extrusion.
4. The extrusion claimed in claim 2, in which each face wall has an extended portion projecting beyond the edge wall with which it defines an acute angle.
5. The extrusion claimed in claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, in which one of the edge walls has, on its outside surface, track-defining means by which the extrusion can seal against another like extrusion, when both are employed as damper blades.
6. The extrusion claimed in claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, in which said acute angle is substantially 47°.
7. An insulated damper blade comprising a length of a light-metal extrusion having two parallel face walls and two parallel edge walls in a parallelogram configuration, each face wall defining an obtuse angle with one edge wall and an acute angle with the other edge wall, and two ridge members projecting toward each other from the face walls but having their inner edges spaced from each other, said length of extrusion containing heat-insulative material.
8. The damper blade claimed in claim 7, in combination with a control shaft which has opposed slots adapted to slidingly receive said two ridge members, thereby to mount the damper blade.
9. The damper blade claimed in claim 7, in which the ridge members are in the plane of the center of gravity of the extrusion, and in which each face wall has an extended portion projecting beyond the edge wall with which it defines an acute angle.
10. The damper blade claimed in claim 7, claim 8 or claim 9, in which one of the edge walls has, on its outside surface, track-defining means in which is mounted at least one resilient sealing strip by which the damper blade can seal against another like damper blade.
11. The damper blade claimed in claim 7, claim 8 or claim 9, in which said acute angle is substantially 47°.
12. The damper blade claimed in claim 7, claim 8 or claim 9, in which the heat-insulative material is polystyrene, and in which the ends of the length of extrusion are sealed in an air-tight manner.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US36888982A | 1982-04-16 | 1982-04-16 | |
| US368,889 | 1982-04-16 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1168503A true CA1168503A (en) | 1984-06-05 |
Family
ID=23453181
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000402668A Expired CA1168503A (en) | 1982-04-16 | 1982-05-11 | Air dampers |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1168503A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0447000A1 (en) * | 1990-03-12 | 1991-09-18 | COFIMCO S.r.l. | System for fastening a hollow extruded blade for an axial-flow fan to the inserted shank of the blade |
-
1982
- 1982-05-11 CA CA000402668A patent/CA1168503A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0447000A1 (en) * | 1990-03-12 | 1991-09-18 | COFIMCO S.r.l. | System for fastening a hollow extruded blade for an axial-flow fan to the inserted shank of the blade |
| US5401138A (en) * | 1990-03-12 | 1995-03-28 | Cofimco S.R.L. | System for fastening a hollow extruded blade for an axial-flow fan to the inserted shank of the blade |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |