EP1752717B1

EP1752717B1 - Air diffuser for an air conditioner

Info

Publication number: EP1752717B1
Application number: EP20050017326
Authority: EP
Inventors: Enrico Paci
Original assignee: Dometic WTA Srl
Current assignee: Dometic WTA Srl
Priority date: 2005-08-09
Filing date: 2005-08-09
Publication date: 2008-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 2025-08-09
Also published as: EP1752717A1; DE602005008048D1

Description

The present invention refers to an air diffuser according to the description part of claim 1 and an air conditioner according to the description part of claim 11.
Air diffusers are used for directing an air flow provided by an air conditioner, ventilator and the like in a specific direction and for diffusing this air flow to prevent an inconvenient air flow, which may cause malaise or illness of people situated inside the room where the air conditioner, ventilator or the like is used.
A known state of the art air diffuser has a flat, rounded, box-like shape with an inlet for the air flow provided by the air conditioner, ventilator or the like and two air flow outlets, whereby the outlets point at different, preferably opposite directions and the inlet being arranged in a direction perpendicular to the outlet direction. With this design a flat and inconspicuous attachment of the air diffuser inside a room is possible, in particular if the other parts of the air conditioner, ventilator or the like are mounted outside a wall, slab or roof of a room aired by this apparatus and the air diffuser being mounted inside and adjacent to this wall, slab or roof inside the room.
It is a disadvantage of this known air diffuser that it gives no possibility for a direct adjustment of the air flow directed by the air outlets. In particular, there is no possibility for adjusting the air flow of one air outlet different from the air flow of the other air outlet.
Prior art document US 4,182,227 discloses a ventilation diffuser with air outlets in different directions, which is adjustable for rooms with different sizes
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air diffuser and an air conditioner which overcomes the disadvantages of the state-of-the-art air diffuser and air conditioner.
This object is solved with an air diffuser according to claim 1 and an air conditioner according to claim 11. Further and advantageous embodiments of the present invention are an object of the respective dependent claims.
The air diffuser of the present invention comprises at least a first and a second air outlet for directing the air flow in at least two different first and second directions, at least one air inlet and at least one air junction for connecting said at least one air inlet with said at least two air outlets, wherein said air junction is adapted for selective supply of said air outlets with air provided by the air inlet. With this inventive air diffuser it is possible to adjust both air flows, directed through the first and second air outlets, independent from each other and therefore it is possible to adapt the air flow provided by the air diffuser with respect to the shape of an aired room, to the requirements of the people in an aired room and the like with a greater benefit to the convenience of the users than one of the known state-of-the-art air diffusers. Different directions include contrary directions, perpendicular directions and parallel but distanced directions, by way of example only.
In a preferred embodiment, the air junction comprises a connection member and a shutter, wherein said shutter is formed by a movable element, which is movable inside the connection member and across the width of said air inlet. The movable element has two end positions of moving, wherein at a first end position the airflow from the air inlet to the first air outlet is prevented and the airflow from the air inlet to the second air outlet is provided and vice versa at a second end position.
Preferably, the movable element has either continuous or lockable intermediate positions between the two end positions, in which the air flow is provided for both, the first and second air outlet, whereby the nearer the movable element being positioned to the first end position the more air flow is provided for the second air outlet and vice versa the nearer the movable element being positioned to the second end position. With this design, it is possible to adjust the air flow through both air outlets very precisely.
In a preferred embodiment, the air diffuser further comprises at least one, preferably two inlets for used air. In this regard, especially if the air diffuser is mounted on a wall, slab or roof, there is only need for one breakthrough in said wall, slab or roof for air supply and used air is charged.
If the two air outlets and the two inlets for used air are arranged substantially in a common plane with the air outlets and the inlets for used air being disposed opposite to each other on two different axes, respectively, whereby the axes being arranged perpendicular, the air flow conditions are very advantageous because there is no over-crossing of fresh air and used air and whereby no air turbulences occur but laminar air flow is provided.
In a further preferred embodiment, the movable element is fixable in each of the end and intermediate positions, whereby there is no risk of unintended or accidental displacement of the air flow conditions.
If the air outlets comprise one or more flaps or leaves, whereby said flaps or leaves are adjustable, the air flow can be selectively deflected in guiding directions equal or different to the first and second direction of the air flow through the first and second air outlet, respectively. With this feature the air flow conditions are even better adjustable with respect to room conditions and user's needs.
In a most preferred embodiment, the air diffuser further comprises a housing, which comprises lights for illuminating the environment surrounding said air diffuser. Preferably, the housing has a rectangular, preferably square shape, with two covering members extending at opposite sides of the housing, whereby each covering member covers one of the inlets for used air and two corners of the housing and the lights, preferably one or more LEDs, are arranged in the corners covered by the covering members, whereby at least the parts of the covering members covering the corners of the housing are translucent. With those specific features, the air diffuser is usable as illumination or spotlight, thus, special illumination or spot lights can be avoided, which is very advantageous, especially for recreational vehicles, bungalows and the like.
The comfort of using and operating the inventive air diffuser can be enhanced by providing a remote controller for remote controlling of at least one of the following functions light switching on/off, light dimming, selecting of different lights, controlling of total air flow power, adjusting the position of said movable element for directing the air flow to said first and second air outlet, and adjusting said flaps or leaves for deflecting the air flow.
Further features, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following brief specification considered and described in view of the accompanying drawings, wherein

Fig. 1: is a plan view of an air diffuser in a preferred embodiment,
Fig. 2: is a perspective side view of the air diffuser of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3: is a sectional side view of the air diffuser according to Fig. 1 in a first working condition connected with an air conditioner, and
Fig. 4: is a sectional side view of the air diffuser of Fig. 1 in a second working condition in connection with the air conditioner of Fig. 3.

An air diffuser according to the present invention is generally referred to by numeral 1 in the accompanying drawing figures. The air diffuser 1, as schematically shown in Fig. 1 is mounted on a wall 2 of a recreational vehicle, bungalow or the like and comprises a housing 3, in which a first and a second air outlet 4, 5 are embedded, first and second covering elements 6, 7, which are covering first and second inlets 8, 9 for used air, and a sliding switch 10 movable inside a recess 11 for adjusting the air flow through the first and second air outlets 4,5.
The first and second outlets 4, 5 and the first and second inlets 8, 9 for used air are arranged substantially in a common plane. In more detail, the first and second air outlets 4, 5 are disposed opposite to each other on axis A and the first and second inlets 8, 9 for used air are disposed opposite to each other on axis B, whereby axis A is arranged perpendicular to axis B. This arrangement of air outlets 4, 5 and inlets 8, 9 for used air is very useful for providing air flow inside a room with less turbulences and disturbances between supplied air and discharged air. Within the air outlets 4, 5 flaps or leaves 12, 13 are provided for deflecting the air flow. With these flaps or leaves 12, 13 it is possible to deflect the air flow from a direction substantially parallel to axis A to a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by axis A and axis B, wherein the flaps or leaves 12, 13 are adapted to be adjustable in different deflecting angles, as can be better seen in Fig. 2.
The covering elements 6, 7 are formed by translucent plastic of a certain colour, for instance green or orange, and are attached to the housing 3 via a simple clip mechanism (not shown). This clip mechanism provides an easy exchange of covering elements 6, 7 whereby an easy change of colour is possible. This is very useful, because in the corners 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d lights, especially one or more LEDs, are located beneath the covering elements 6, 7. With these lights illumination of the room in which the air diffuser 1 is located is possible.
For easy controlling a remote controller (not shown) with a sensor element and one or more status lights 15 is provided in air diffuser 1. With this remote controller it is possible to control the functions light switching on/off, light dimming, selecting of different lights, controlling of total air flow power and adjusting the flaps or leaves (12, 13) for deflecting the air flow. In this preferred embodiment the sliding switch 10 is adapted to be controlled by hand and has a fixing member (not shown) for fixing the position of the sliding switch 10. For further automation it is also possible to control the sliding switch 10 and the fixing element also by a remote.
The function of the air diffuser 1 of the present invention will now be described in view of the schematic sectional side views given in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, whereby Fig. 3 shows the air diffuser 1 in a first working condition and Fig. 4 shows the air diffuser 1 in a second working condition.
As can be seen in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the air diffuser 1 is mounted on a wall 2 to a breakethrough 16 and is connected with an air conditioner 17, which is mounted outside of wall 2. The air conditioner 17 comprises a fan 18, which is connected with its air outlet 19 to an air inlet 20 of air diffuser 1 for forwarding fresh air from outside the wall 2 via the air junction 21 and the air outlets 4, 5 to the room inside of wall 2. As can be seen in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the width of the outlet 19 of fan 18 is smaller than the width of air inlet 20 of air diffuser 1. Inside the air junction 21 a movable element 22 is provided, which is movable across the width of air inlet 20. Movable element 22 is laterally shaped like a crest and has a triangular cross-sectional shape with curved sides 23, 24 for preventing turbulences in the air flow. Accordingly, air junction 21 has curved sides 25, 26, which are parallel to the curved sides 23, 24 of movable element 21.
In a first working condition (see Fig. 3), movable element 22 is positioned in a middle position within the air junction 21 so that the air flow of fresh air through air outlets 4, 5 is of the same amount as indicated by arrows 27, 28 of the same width. In a second working condition (see Fig. 4), movable element 22 is positioned in the right end position, which means that the tip of movable element 22 is inside air inlet 20 but beside air outlet 19 of fan 18. That means that fresh air is supplied by fan 18 through air inlet 20, touches side wall 23 of movable element 22 and is deflected into first air outlet 4. In this end position, the tip of movable element 22 in connection with the air inlet 20 is sealing the passageway between air inlet 20 and second air outlet 5. Thus, there is no air flow through second air outlet 5 and all air flow supplied by fan 18 is directed through first air outlet 4, which is indicated by big arrow 29.
It becomes easily apparent with the above-given description that the air diffuser 1 of the present invention provides an easy and effective selective adjustment of air flow through different air outlets 4, 5, whereby air flow of air conditioners 17, ventilators and the like is better adaptable to certain demands and applications than of known state-of-the-art air diffusers.

Claims

An air diffuser (1) for an air conditioner (17), ventilator and the like comprising
at least a first (4) and a second air outlet (5) for directing the air flow in at least two different first and second directions,
at least one air inlet (20) and
at least one air junction (21) for connecting said at least one air inlet (20) with said at least two air outlets (4, 5),
characterized in that
said air junction (21) is adapted for selective supply of said air outlets (4, 5) with air provided by said air inlet (20).
An air diffuser (1) according to claim 1, wherein said air junction (21) comprises a connection member and a shutter, said shutter formed by an element (22) movable inside said connection member and across the width of said air inlet (20), with two end positions, wherein at a first end position the airflow from said air inlet (20) to said first air outlet (4) is prevented and the airflow from said air inlet (20) to said second air outlet (5) is provided and at a second end position the airflow from said air inlet (20) to said first air outlet (4) is provided and the airflow from said air inlet (20) to said second air outlet (5) is prevented.
An air diffuser (1) according to claim 2, wherein said movable element (22) has continuous or lockable intermediate positions between said two end positions, in which air flow is provided for both, said first (4) and said second air outlet (5), wherein the nearer said movable element (22) being positioned to said first end position the more air flow is provided for said second air outlet (5) and the nearer said movable element being positioned to said second end position the more air flow is provided for said first air outlet (4).
An air diffuser (1) according to one of the preceding claims wherein said air diffuser (1) further comprises at least one, preferably two, inlets (8, 9) for used air.
An air diffuser (1) according to claim 4, wherein said two air outlets (4, 5) and said two inlets (8, 9) for used air are arranged substantially in a common plane with said air outlets (4, 5) and said inlets (8, 9) for used air being disposed opposite to each other on two different axes (A, B), respectively, wherein said axes (A, B) are arranged perpendicular.
An air diffuser (1) according to one of the claims 2 to 5, wherein said movable element (22) is fixable in each of the end and intermediate positions.
An air diffuser (1) according to any of the proceeding claims, whit said air outlets (4, 5) comprising one or more flaps or leaves (12, 13) for deflecting the air flow in guiding directions equal or different to said first and second direction, respectively, whereby said flaps or leaves (12, 13) are adjustable for selectively deflecting said guiding directions.
An air diffuser (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a housing (3), said housing (3) comprising lights for illuminating the environment surrounding said air diffuser (1).
An air diffuser (1) according to claim 8, wherein said housing (3) has a rectangular, preferably square shape, with two covering members (6, 7) extending at opposite sides of said housing (3), each covering member (6, 7) covering one of said inlets (8, 9) for used air and two corners (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) of said housing, wherein at least the parts of the covering members (6, 7), covering said corners (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) of said housing (3), are translucent and said light, preferably one or more LEDs is arranged in said corners (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) covered by said covering members (6,7).
An air diffuser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a remote controller is provided for remote controlling of at least one of the following functions:
- light switching on/off,

- light dimming,

- selecting of different lights,

- controlling of total air flow power,

- adjusting the position of said movable element (22) for directing the air flow to said first (4) and second air outlet (5), and

- adjusting said flaps or leaves (12, 13) for deflecting the air flow.
An air diffuser (1) according to one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the movable element (22) has a lateral shape of a crest and a triangular cross-sectional shape with curved side-walls (23, 24), and the connection member has curved side-walls (25, 26) parallel to the respective opposite side-walls (23, 24) of moveable element (22).
An air conditioner (17), characterised by an air diffuser (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 11.
An air conditioner (17) according to claim 12, adapted for installation through walls (2), slabs or roofs, in particular of recreational vehicles, bungalows and the like.
An air conditioner (17) according to claim 13, wherein said air diffuser (1) is mounted inside the wall (2), slab or roof and the outer part of said air conditioner (17) is mounted outside the wall (2), slab or both.