U.S. patent application number 17/108477 was filed with the patent office on 2021-03-18 for foldable, boot loadable, insertable air damper device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc.. Invention is credited to Dennis LAUGHLIN, Bill MOLICA, Joseph RAMUNNI, Lenny ROTH, Vladimir SIPERSHTEYN, Mark VOTAW, Al ZELCZER, Howard ZELCZER.
Application Number | 20210080145 17/108477 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005248542 |
Filed Date | 2021-03-18 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210080145 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
VOTAW; Mark ; et
al. |
March 18, 2021 |
FOLDABLE, BOOT LOADABLE, INSERTABLE AIR DAMPER DEVICE
Abstract
A system for controlling the flow of air through ductwork
includes a foldably tensioned boot loadable air damper device and a
method of installing same. The damper device includes an actuator
having a retractable member and a pivoting member, wherein the
pivoting member is operatively connected to the retractable member
of the actuator. The damper device also includes at least one
support base supporting the actuator and the pivoting member with
respect to each other, a foldable damper blade attached to the
pivoting member, and at least one tensioned hinge member
operatively connected to the foldable damper blade for unfolding
the damper blade. The damper device may be inserted through a
register boot and into a ductwork when folded.
Inventors: |
VOTAW; Mark; (North Canton,
OH) ; LAUGHLIN; Dennis; (Chardon, OH) ;
ZELCZER; Al; (University Heights, OH) ; ZELCZER;
Howard; (Brooklyn, NY) ; ROTH; Lenny;
(University Heights, OH) ; SIPERSHTEYN; Vladimir;
(Independence, OH) ; RAMUNNI; Joseph; (Wadsworth,
OH) ; MOLICA; Bill; (Willowick, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc. |
Cleveland |
OH |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005248542 |
Appl. No.: |
17/108477 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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14618249 |
Feb 10, 2015 |
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17108477 |
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|
12913261 |
Oct 27, 2010 |
8951103 |
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14618249 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 2013/1466 20130101;
F24F 2221/36 20130101; Y10T 29/49863 20150115; F24F 13/10 20130101;
F24F 13/1413 20130101; F24F 13/02 20130101; F24F 13/1426 20130101;
Y10T 29/49826 20150115 |
International
Class: |
F24F 13/10 20060101
F24F013/10; F24F 13/14 20060101 F24F013/14; F24F 13/02 20060101
F24F013/02 |
Claims
1. A system for controlling the flow of air comprising ductwork
configured to direct a flow of air; and a boot loadable air damper
device comprising: an actuator having a retractable member; a
pivoting member, wherein said pivoting member is operatively
connected to said retractable member of said actuator; at least one
support base supporting said actuator and said pivoting member with
respect to each other; a magnetic foldable sheet member attached to
the support base, the magnetic foldable sheet member configured to
magnetically secure the damper device to an inner surface of the
ductwork when unfolded; and a foldable damper blade attached to
said pivoting member, the foldable damper blade being foldable at a
tensioned hinge that biases the foldable damper blade towards an
unfolded state and, when fully unfolded into the unfolded state, a
stop member acting against the tensioned hinge restricts further
unfolding of the foldable damper blade; wherein, when fully
unfolded into the unfolded state, the foldable damper blade is
movable between an open position and a closed position by actuating
the retractable member to pivot the pivoting member and thereby
move the foldable damper blade attached to the pivoting member, the
foldable damper blade restricting air flow through the ductwork
when in the closed position and the unfolded state; and wherein
said air damper device is configured to be installed through a
register boot into ductwork when said foldable damper blade and the
magnetic foldable sheet member are each folded to compact the air
damper device.
2. A boot loadable air damper device for controlling the flow of
air through ductwork, the air damper device comprising: an actuator
having a retractable member; a pivoting member, wherein said
pivoting member is operatively connected to said retractable member
of said actuator; at least one support base supporting said
actuator and said pivoting member with respect to each other; a
magnetic foldable sheet member attached to the support base, the
magnetic foldable sheet member is configured to magnetically secure
the damper device to an inner surface of the ductwork when
unfolded; and a foldable damper blade attached to said pivoting
member, the foldable damper blade being foldable at a tensioned
hinge that biases the foldable damper blade towards an unfolded
state and, when fully unfolded into the unfolded state, a stop
member acting against the tensioned hinge restricts further
unfolding of the foldable damper blade; and wherein, when fully
unfolded into the unfolded state, the foldable damper blade is
movable between an open position and a closed position by actuating
the retractable member to pivot the pivoting member and thereby
move the foldable damper blade attached to the pivoting member, the
foldable damper blade restricting air flow through the ductwork
when in the closed position and the unfolded state.
3. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein said air damper device is configured to be installed
through a register boot into ductwork when said foldable damper
blade and the magnetic foldable sheet member are each folded to
compact the air damper device.
4. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein said actuator is an air pressure actuator.
5. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein said actuator is an electro-mechanical actuator.
6. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 5,
wherein said electro-mechanical actuator further comprises a
portable power supply.
7. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein said pivoting member further comprises at least two
pins.
8. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 7,
wherein said at least two pins are nylon pins.
9. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein said foldable damper blade further comprises a sealing
member.
10. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein the tensioned hinge member includes a spring.
11. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein the foldable damper blade includes a first side and a
second side that is opposite from the first side, and the tensioned
hinge is attached to the first side and the stop member is attached
to the second side.
12. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 11,
wherein the pivoting member is attached the first side.
13. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein, when fully unfolded into the unfolded state, the foldable
damper blade is substantially planar.
14. The boot loadable air damper device of claim 2, wherein the
foldable damper blade is a monolithic unit having at least two
blade members that are integrally attached to each other.
15. The boot loadable air damper device of claim 14, wherein the at
least two blade members are joined at a perforation in the
monolithic unit, and wherein the at least two blade members are
angled relative to each other when the foldable damper blade is at
least partially folded into the folded state.
16. The boot loadable air damper device of claim 2, wherein the
foldable damper blade includes at least two blade members that are
not integrally attached to each other and coupled together via the
tensioned hinge, and wherein the at least two blade members are
angled relative to each other when the foldable damper blade is at
least partially folded into the folded state.
17. The boot loadable air damper device of claim 2, wherein the
pivoting member is attached to a central portion of the foldable
damper blade, the foldable damper blade further comprising at least
two blade members rotatably coupled to the central portion of the
foldable damper blade such that, when in the folded position, the
at least two blade members are located on opposing sides of the
pivoting member.
18. The boot loadable air damper device as defined in claim 2,
wherein the magnetic foldable sheet member is a sheet of magnetic
material.
19. A method for inserting a boot loadable air damper device into a
ductwork, the steps comprising: providing a boot loadable air
damper device comprising: an actuator having a retractable member;
a pivoting member, wherein said pivoting member is operatively
connected to said retractable member of said actuator; at least one
support base, supporting said actuator and said pivoting member
with respect to each other; a magnetic foldable sheet member
attached to the support base and adapted to magnetically secure the
damper device to the inner surface of a ductwork; and a foldable
damper blade attached to said pivoting member; folding the foldable
damper blade and the magnetic foldable sheet member together;
inserting the air damper device through a register boot into a
ductwork; and releasing the foldable damper blade and the magnetic
foldable sheet member.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein folding the foldable damper
blade and the foldable sheet member together further comprises
folding the foldable sheet member over the foldable damper
blade.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the foldable damper blade
includes a pair of blade members movable relative to each other
between a folded state and an unfolded state, and releasing the
foldable damper blade further comprises unfolding the pair of blade
members into an unfolded state.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: utilizing the
actuator to position the foldable damper blade when in the unfolded
state, wherein the foldable damper blade is movable between an open
position and a closed position by actuating the retractable member
to pivot the pivoting member and thereby move the foldable damper
blade attached to the pivoting member, the foldable damper blade
restricting air flow through the ductwork when in the closed
position and the unfolded state.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein the magnetic foldable sheet
member is a sheet of magnetic material.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 14/618,249 filed Feb. 10, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S.
application Ser. No. 12/913,261 filed Oct. 27, 2010, the
disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in
their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to air
dampers. More particularly, certain embodiments of the present
invention relate to air dampers that are installed into air
ducts.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Today, airflow control systems are used in retrofit
applications in ductwork, mainly to control a room or area's
temperature and/or climate. An example of a type of control system
that is utilized is a damper, which may generally be a valve or
plate that stops or regulates the flow of air inside a duct,
chimney, variable air volume box, air handler, or other air
handling equipment. A damper can be used to shut off the airflow
into various rooms or to regulate its temperature and climate.
Various damper apparatuses utilize manual and/or automatic
functions to adjust the airflow into the designated room or area,
and thereby control its temperature qualities. However, when
applying airflow control techniques to retrofit applications,
reconfiguring the ductwork is very expensive because of the time
and material required to modify such ductwork and the inability to
access ductwork between floors or above finished ceilings, for
example. Examples of dampers, when there is enough access room
within the ductwork, include installation of either trunk dampers
in the main trunks or branch dampers near the main truck. However,
there are many instances where portions of the ductwork are
inaccessible to these types of dampers, and other methods and
devices are necessary. Louvered dampers, for example, may not
provide a complete shutoff of the airflow.
[0004] Other considerations that may be taken into account are
issues of noise level and damper size. If a damper is too large,
then the damper is unusable because it is not able to fit through
an opening of the ductwork. For example, if the cross section of
the damper is too large, it may not be installed through a standard
register boot. Additionally, damper and blade positioning are
important because as the blades close, they can produce
objectionable whistling due to accelerated air that moves through
small spaces between the edges. Also, register dampers and register
louvers tend to create rattling noises. Therefore, a need exists
for a damper that can easily access existing or new ductwork and
may be adjustable.
[0005] Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional,
traditional, and proposed approaches will become apparent to one of
skill in the art, through comparison of such systems and methods
with embodiments of the present invention as set forth in the
remainder of the present application with reference to the
drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An embodiment of the present invention comprises a boot
loadable air damper device for controlling the flow of air through
ductwork. The damper device is able to be folded and slipped
through a register boot to control airflow. The damper device
includes an actuator having a retractable member. The damper device
further includes a pivoting member, wherein the pivoting member is
operatively connected to the retractable member of the actuator.
The damper device also includes at least one support base
supporting the actuator and the pivoting member with respect to
each other. The damper device further includes a foldable damper
blade attached to the pivoting member, and at least one tensioned
hinge member operatively connected to the foldable damper blade.
The actuator may be a pneumatic (air pressure) actuator or an
electro-mechanical actuator, in accordance with certain embodiments
of the present invention. The electro-mechanical actuator may
include a portable power supply, for example. The pivoting member
may include at least two pins, for example, nylon pins. The
foldable damper blade may include three portions including, for
example, a first portion, a middle portion, and a second portion.
The foldable damper blade may include a sealing member made of, for
example, a flexible material. The tensioned hinge member may
include a spring. In accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention, the damper device may further include a foldable sheet
member, wherein the foldable sheet member is attached to the
support base. The foldable sheet member may be magnetic, for
example. The damper device may also include a stop member for
stopping an unfolding of the foldable damper blade.
[0007] Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a
method of inserting a boot loadable air damper device into a
ductwork. The method includes providing the damper device having an
actuator having a retractable member, a pivoting member, wherein
the pivoting member is operatively connected to the retractable
member of the actuator, at least one support base supporting the
actuator and the pivoting member with respect to each other, and a
foldably tensioned damper blade attached to the pivoting member.
The method further includes folding the foldably tensioned damper
blade of the damper device, and inserting the damper device through
a register boot of the ductwork. The method also includes releasing
the foldably tensioned damper blade of the damper device. The
method may further include securing the damper device within the
ductwork. The method may also include folding a foldable sheet
member of the damper device before inserting the damper device
through a register boot of the ductwork, wherein the foldable sheet
member is attached to the support base. The method may further
include securing the damper device within the ductwork using the
foldable sheet member. The method may also include operatively
connecting an air hose to the actuator before inserting the damper
device through the register boot of the ductwork. The method may
instead include operatively connecting an external power source to
the actuator before inserting the damper device through the
register boot of the ductwork.
[0008] A further embodiment of the present invention comprises a
register boot loadable air damper device for controlling the flow
of air through ductwork. The damper device includes a foldable
damper blade and a means for pivotally actuating the foldable
damper blade. The damper device further includes means for folding
and unfolding the damper blade. The means for pivotally actuating
may be pneumatic or electro-mechanical, for example. An
electro-mechanical means for pivotally actuating may include a
portable power supply (e.g. a battery). The foldable damper blade
may include three portions including, for example, a first portion,
a middle portion, and a second portion. The foldable damper blade
may include a sealing member that is made of, for example, a
flexible material. In accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention, the means for folding and unfolding the damper blade
includes at least one tensioned hinge member. The tensioned hinge
member may include a spring, for example. The damper device may
further include a foldable means for securing the damper device to
an interior of the ductwork. The foldable means for securing the
damper device may be magnetic, in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention. The damper device may also include means for
stopping an unfolding of the foldable damper blade. The damper
device may further include means for supporting the foldable damper
blade and the means for pivotally actuating with respect to each
other.
[0009] These and other features of the claimed invention, as well
as details of illustrated embodiments thereof, will be more fully
understood from the following description and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of an
air damper device of the present invention with the damper blade
unfolded and in a closed position;
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the damper device
of FIG. 1 with the damper blade unfolded and in an open
position;
[0012] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the damper device
of FIG. 1 with the damper blade partially folded;
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the damper device
of FIG. 1 with the damper blade completely folded;
[0014] FIG. 5 illustrates a top perspective view of the damper
device of FIG. 4 with the damper blade completely folded;
[0015] FIG. 6 illustrates a rear perspective view of the damper
device of FIG. 1 with the damper blade completely folded;
[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates a side perspective view of the damper
device of FIG. 1 with the damper blade completely folded;
[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates a side, cross-sectional view of the
damper device of FIG. 1 with the damper blade completely
folded;
[0018] FIG. 9 illustrates the folded damper device of FIGS. 4-8
being inserted through a register boot and into a ductwork, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0019] FIG. 10 illustrates the inserted damper of FIG. 9 installed
and unfolded within a ductwork.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of an
air damper device 10 of the present invention with the damper blade
unfolded and in a closed position. In accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention, the damper device 10 is intended to be
installed through a register boot of a ductwork (see FIG. 9) and is
further intended to operatively interface to an electronic
controller via an air pump device. The damper device 10 includes an
actuator 100 having a retractable member 110, and a pivoting member
120 operatively connected to the retractable member 110 of the
actuator 100. The damper device 10 also includes a support base 130
supporting the actuator 100 and the pivoting member 120 with
respect to one another. The damper device 10 further includes a
foldable damper blade 160 attached to the pivoting member 120, and
a tensioned hinge member 170 operatively connected to the foldable
damper blade 160. The foldable damper blade 160 is intended to be
folded by a user's hand, by squeezing and keeping the blade 160 in
a folded position in preparation for installation. When released by
the user, the damper blade 160 unfolds as is described later
herein.
[0021] The pivoting member 120 may be constructed of a plastic or
metallic material that may be strong enough to withstand pressures
or external forces that may be exerted on the damper device 10.
Moreover, the pivoting member 120 may include pivoting pins 190
that allow the pivoting member 120 to be connected to the
retractable member 110 and the support base 130. FIG. 1 illustrates
two pivoting pins 190, however, one pivoting pin or more than two
pivoting pins may be envisioned and constructed in a manner that
facilitates the pivoting action of the pivoting member 120. The
pivoting pins 190 may provide a smooth "self-lubricating" hinge
that limits the amount of foreign material build-up. An example of
such a pivoting pin may be a nylon pivoting pin, however, other
materials may also be used such as plastics, metals, polymers, or
any other material that may be used to create a pivoting pin that
may be known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
[0022] With continued reference to FIG. 1, the support base 130
supports the actuator 100 and the pivoting member 120 with respect
to one another. The support base 130 may be constructed from a
single, monolithic unit, or the support base 130 may be constructed
of multiple members that may add additional stability, flexibility,
and/or positioning. The support base 130 may be made of a rigid
material such as hard plastics, metals, or polymers. The damper
device 10 may further include a foldable sheet member 140 that may
be attached to the support base 130, for example. The foldable
sheet member 140 may be attached to the support base 130 by
staples, screws, nails, fasteners, wire, or any other method of
attachment known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The foldable
sheet member 140 may be foldable to allow easier access into
particularly narrow ductwork. The foldable sheet member 140 may
also fasten the damper device 10 to the ductwork. For example, the
foldable sheet member 140 may be made of a rubber-type substance
that may have high frictional properties. The high frictional
properties will grip the walls of the ductwork, and in turn,
"fasten" the damper device 10 to the walls of the ductwork. The
foldable sheet member 140 may also be made of a magnetic material
that may allow the damper device 10 to "fasten" onto the walls of
the ductwork. The foldable sheet member 140 may also be made of
materials known to one of ordinary skill in the art that allows the
foldable sheet member 140 to secure itself onto the ductwork.
[0023] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein FIG. 2 illustrates
a perspective view of the damper device of FIG. 1 with the damper
blade unfolded and in an open position, the foldable damper blade
160 may be in the shape of a circle or an ellipse, as shown in FIG.
1. However, the foldable damper blade 160 may also be a square, a
rectangle, or an oblong shape that fits a ductwork passage and
obstructs or reduces the flow of air through the ductwork. The
foldable damper blade 160 may also be constructed from a single,
monolithic unit or from multiple pieces. In an embodiment of the
present invention, the foldable damper blade 160 may be made from a
single, monolithic unit, then the foldable damper blade 160 may
have lines, perforations, slits, path, or any other section that
allows the foldable damper blade 160 to bend, so that the foldable
damper blade 160 may fold, for example, perforation O shown in FIG.
9. In another embodiment of the present invention, the foldable
damper blade 160 may be made from multiple members, wherein the
multiple members are attached to one another to form the foldable
damper blade 160, as shown in FIG. 2. The foldable damper blade 160
may be made of a hard material such as a hard plastic, metal,
polymer, or any other hard material known to one of ordinary skill
in the art.
[0024] Additionally, the foldable damper blade 160 may further
include a sealing member 150 (e.g., a gasket), which may be a
flexible material, such as rubber, that encompasses the periphery
of the foldable damper blade 160. The sealing member 150 may be in
the same shape as the foldable damper blade 160, but may be larger
than the foldable damper blade 160, as shown in FIG. 2. This allows
the sealing member 150 to come into contact with the walls of the
ductwork before the foldable damper blade 160 comes into contact.
The foldable damper blade 160 may be a hard material and may cause
a "rattling" noise if it were to come into contact with the
ductwork since moving air causes vibrations. The sealing member 150
may be a flexible material that may not rattle against the ductwork
and that may conform to the ductwork in order to form a more "air
tight" seal. Moreover, the foldable damper blade 160 may be
attached to the sealing member 150 by tape, glue, rivets, screws,
nails, staples, or any other method of attachment known to one of
ordinary skill in the art. This embodiment of the present invention
may allow the foldable damper blade 160 to be placed upon and
attached to the sealing member 150, which may also allow a multiple
piece, foldable damper blade to retain a desired shape and retain
foldable capabilities.
[0025] With continued reference to FIG. 1, only one hinged tension
member is shown and the tensioned hinge member 170 is shown on the
side of the foldable damper blade 160 facing the actuator 100.
However, various embodiments of the present invention may include
more than one hinged tension members where the tensioned hinge
member 170 is on the side of the foldable damper blade 160, facing
away from the actuator 100. An example of an embodiment of the
present invention may include two hinged tension members on either
or both sides of the foldable damper blade 160. Larger, heavier
foldable damper blades 160 may require larger or more tensioned
hinge members 170 to efficiently "fold" and "unfold" the foldable
damper blade 160. As the foldable damper blade 160 is folded or
retracted, as shown in FIG. 4, the tension force created by the
tensioned hinge member 170 increases, thereby creating a potential
of stored energy. This potential of stored energy may be stored in
a spring or any other component that may store energy known to one
of ordinary skill in the art. When the foldable damper blade 160 is
released, the tensioned hinge member 170 forces the foldable damper
blade 160 to return to an "unfolded state," as shown in FIG. 1, for
example.
[0026] With continued reference to FIG. 2, the damper device 10 may
further include a stop member 200 that may be attached to the
foldable damper blade 160 by a fastener such as a rivet, nail,
staple, glue, tape, screw, or any other fastener known to one of
ordinary skill in the art. The stop member 200 may be made of a
rigid material such as a hard plastic, metal, polymer, or
combination thereof. The rigid material of the stop member 200 may
be strong enough to withstand the force created by the tensioned
hinge member 170 so that the stop member 200 does not bend or
change its shape. The stop member 200 restricts the motion or to
what extent the foldable damper blade 160 may "unfold." As the
tensioned hinge member 170 exerts a force on the foldable damper
blade 160, the stop member 200 exerts an opposing force that
restricts how far the foldable damper blade 160 may extend. Once
the foldable damper blade 160 has extended to its maximum
"unfolded" position, the foldable damper blade 160 may be in a
position to restrict air flow in the duct work. Moreover, FIG. 2
shows the stop member 200 as being rectangular in shape, however,
the shape of the stop member 200 may also be a circle, square,
irregular shape, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill
in the art that may restrict the foldable damper blade's 160
movement.
[0027] With reference to FIGS. 3-7, FIG. 3 illustrates a
perspective view of the damper device 10 of FIG. 1 with the damper
blade 160 partially folded. FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view
of the damper device 10 of FIG. 1 with the damper blade 160
completely folded. FIG. 5 illustrates a top perspective view of the
damper device 10 of FIG. 4 with the damper blade 160 completely
folded. FIG. 6 illustrates a rear perspective view of the damper
device 10 of FIG. 1 with the damper blade 160 completely folded.
FIG. 7 illustrates a side perspective view of the damper device 10
of FIG. 1 with the damper blade 160 completely folded.
[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates a side, cross-sectional view of the
damper device 10 of FIG. 1 with the damper blade 160 completely
folded. The actuator 100 also includes an internal actuator member
210 attached to one end of the retractable member 110. As the
internal actuator member 210 moves from one end of the actuator 100
to the other end, the internal actuator member 210, in turn, moves
the retractable member 110 from a first position to a second
position. This motion gives the retractable member 110 its ability
to retract and to move back and forth. The actuator 100 may further
include an adaptor 180 that may facilitate the actuator's 100
ability to actuate the internal actuator member 210. For example,
in an embodiment of the present invention, the actuator 100 may be
an air pressurized actuator, wherein the adapter 180 facilitates
the passage of air into the actuator 100 in order to become
pressurized. The supply of air may come from an air pump or air
supply, not shown in the figures, which is controlled by an
electronic controller, for example. In another embodiment of the
present invention, the actuator 100 may be driven by
electro/mechanical methods, such as a motor, wherein the adapter
180 may accept electrical lines to power the actuator 100 from, for
example, an electronic controller. Additionally, in the embodiment
where the actuator 100 is an electro/mechanical actuator, its power
source may also include a battery or an external power supply. The
actuator 100 may also be constructed from a material that is strong
enough to withstand constant change in pressure or friction caused
by internal parts. Some examples of such materials may include hard
plastics, metals, polymers, and any other material known to one of
ordinary skill in the art.
[0029] With continued reference to FIGS. 4-6, a user may "fold" the
foldable damper blade 160 and the foldable sheet member 140 to
compact the damper device 10. Once the user has "compacted" the
damper device 10 by folding, the user may then attach an air supply
or electronic controller to the damper device 10 and insert the
damper device 10 into a ductwork through, for example, a register
boot of the ductwork. FIG. 9 illustrates the folded damper device
10 of FIGS. 4-8 being inserted through a register boot 910 and into
a ductwork 920, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. Once the damper device 10 is positioned to its proper
position within the ductwork, the user may then "release" the
damper device 10, thereby "unfolding" the foldable sheet member 140
and the foldable damper blade 160. The foldable sheet member 140
may then grip, fasten, or attach itself to the wall or walls of the
ductwork 920, thereby securing the damper device 10 to the ductwork
920 as shown in FIG. 10. FIGS. 1 and 3 clearly show the sheet
member 140 in a curved or semi-circular configuration as if
conforming to the interior walls of a circular ductwork. In an
embodiment of the present invention where a foldable sheet member
is not present, the support base 130 may grip, fasten, or attach
itself to the wall or walls of the ductwork, thereby securing the
damper device 10 to the ductwork. Releasing the "folded" damper
blade 160 causes the tensioned hinge member 170 to deploy or unfold
the damper blade 160 into an "unfolded" position, as shown in FIGS.
1, 2, and 10.
[0030] Once the damper device 10 is positioned in the ductwork and
the foldable damper blade 160 "unfolded," the user may then
position the foldable damper blade 160 by utilizing the actuator
100. In an embodiment of the present invention wherein the actuator
100 is driven by air pressure, the user may attach an air supply
hose to the adapter 180 before inserting the damper device 10 into
the ductwork, in order to inject air into the actuator 100 from an
air pump. Depending on the amount and/or duration of air added into
the actuator 100, the foldable damper blade's 160 position, with
respect to the actuator 100, may change between a first position
that may allow the most amount of air flow through the ductwork, as
shown in FIG. 2, and a second position that may allow the least
amount of air flow through the ductwork, as shown in FIG. 1. As air
is injected into (or sucked out of) the actuator 100, the internal
actuator member 210 begins to move the retractable member 110,
thereby pivoting the pivoting member 120 and adjusting the foldable
damper blade 160.
[0031] In another embodiment of the present invention wherein the
actuator 100 is powered by electricity, the user may "plug" the
actuator 100 into a power source such as a battery, an electronic
controller providing power, or any other power source known to one
of ordinary skill in the art capable of providing the appropriate
electrical power. Depending on the utilization of a power supplied
actuator that may retract and extend the retractable member 110,
the foldable damper blade's 160 position, with respect to the
actuator 100, may change between a first position that may allow
the most amount of air flow through the ductwork, as shown in FIG.
2, and a second position that may allow the least amount of air
flow through the ductwork, as shown in FIG. 1. As the actuator 100
sets into motion the internal actuator member 210, the internal
actuator member 210 begins to move the retractable member 110,
thereby pivoting the pivoting member 120 and adjusting the foldable
damper blade 160 within the ductwork.
[0032] In summary, a foldably tensioned boot loadable air damper
device for controlling the flow of air through ductwork, and a
method of installing same are disclosed. The damper device includes
an actuator having a retractable member and a pivoting member,
wherein the pivoting member is operatively connected to the
retractable member of the actuator. The damper device also includes
at least one support base supporting the actuator and the pivoting
member with respect to each other, a foldable damper blade attached
to the pivoting member, and at least one tensioned hinge member
operatively connected to the foldable damper blade for unfolding
the damper blade. The damper device may be loaded through a
register boot and into a ductwork when folded.
[0033] While the claimed subject matter of the present application
has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will
be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may
be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from
the scope of the claimed subject matter. In addition, many
modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or
material to the teachings of the claimed subject matter without
departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the
claimed subject matter not be limited to the particular embodiment
disclosed, but that the claimed subject matter will include all
embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
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