U.S. patent number 3,680,468 [Application Number 05/044,210] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-01 for air flow control device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Cummins Engine Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Carl A. Schueler.
United States Patent |
3,680,468 |
Schueler |
August 1, 1972 |
AIR FLOW CONTROL DEVICE
Abstract
A flow control device for directing air being delivered into a
chamber in either of two different directions or to selectively
direct part of the air being delivered in one direction and the
other part in another direction. The flow control device may also
include passage means through which air may be drawn from the
chamber into a conditioning device, such as the evaporator of an
air conditioning apparatus mounted on the roof of a vehicle, and
then delivered back in cooled condition back into the chamber.
Inventors: |
Schueler; Carl A. (Austin,
TX) |
Assignee: |
Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
(Columbus, IN)
|
Family
ID: |
21931093 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/044,210 |
Filed: |
June 8, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/324; 138/44;
137/872; 454/136 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F
13/10 (20130101); B60P 3/36 (20130101); F24F
13/12 (20130101); B60H 1/00364 (20130101); F24F
13/06 (20130101); B60H 2001/00721 (20130101); Y10T
137/87788 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
B60H
1/00 (20060101); F24F 13/06 (20060101); B60P
3/32 (20060101); B60P 3/36 (20060101); F24F
13/10 (20060101); F24f 013/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;98/41,4C,4D,4DL,13,14,2,14,2.15,9 ;138/44,45 ;137/610 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wayner; William E.
Claims
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
1. An air flow control device connected to the roof of a structure
for closing an opening through the roof, said control device
including: a housing connected to the roof extending about the roof
opening and having a bottom substantially horizontal wall spaced
below the bottom of the roof, spaced side walls and spaced end
walls extending upwardly from said bottom walls, each of said end
walls having an outlet, said housing having passage means defining
therewith a longitudinal passage extending between said outlets,
said passage means having inlet means intermediate said outlets
providing an inlet opening downwardly into said passage through
which air may be moved downwardly from exteriorly of the roof; and
an air splitter mounted on said housing and positioned in said
passage having oppositely facing curved air deflector surfaces
extending convergently upwardly toward said inlet from adjacent
said bottom wall for deflecting air moved downwardly through said
inlet in opposite directions to said outlets, said air splitter
being movable in said housing and cooperable with said passage
means for selectively preventing flow of air from said inlet to one
of said outlets and allowing flow of air to the other of said
outlets when in one extreme position in said housing and for
allowing flow of air to said one of said outlets and preventing
flow of air to other of said outlets when in a second extreme
position.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said air splitter is positionable
in adjustable intermediate positions between said extreme positions
for adjusting relative rates of simultaneous flow of air through
said outlets.
3. The device of claim 2, and air flow directing means operatively
associated with said outlets for varying the direction of flow of
air from said outlets.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein said housing has an outlet
opening spaced from said passage through which air may be withdrawn
upwardly from said structure and through the roof aperture.
Description
This invention relates to air flow control devices and more
particularly to an air flow control device for controlling the
directions and rates of flow of air in different directions.
An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved air
flow control device for selectively and adjustably directing air
delivered to an inlet of the device to either of two spaced outlets
thereof.
Another object is to provide an air flow controlling device,
securable to a structure, such as the roof of a vehicle, camper,
boat or the like, for directing air into a chamber of the structure
in either of two opposite directions.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an air flow
control device of the type described which is of simple economical
construction and which will protrude downwardly into a chamber a
minumum distance from the roof.
A further object is to provide an air flow control device having an
outlet passage through which air may be drawn from a chamber and
directed to a conditioning device, such as the evaporator of an air
conditioning apparatus, and an inlet passage to which the
conditioned air from said conditioning apparatus may be delivered,
the control device selectively and adjustably directing the flow of
air to two spaced outlets of the device.
A still further object is to provide an air flow control device
having a housing providing an inlet passage and a pair of spaced
oppositely opening outlets, and an air splitter or divider slidably
movable in the housing for directing the air to either of the two
outlets and for adjusting the rates of simultaneous flow of the air
through the two outlets.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily
apparent from the reading of the following description of a device
constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the
accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle provided with an air
conditioning apparatus and the flow control device embodying the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, with some parts broken away and with
some parts in section, of the flow control device showing it
mounted to the roof of the vehicle;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the flow control device with some parts
broken away;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a partly sectional front end view of the flow control
device;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 4;
and,
FIG. 8 is a view similar to the FIG. 5 showing a modified form of
the flow control device.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 7 of the drawings, the air flow
control device 10 embodying the invention is shown mounted on the
roof R of a vehicle V and used to control circulation of air from
the interior or passenger chamber of the vehicle to an air
conditioning device 12, also mounted on the roof, and back to the
vehicle chamber after being cooled by the air conditioning device
12. The flow control device 10 is secured to the roof at the
location of a substantially rectangular aperture 14 thereof. The
roof of the vehicle as illustrated may include outer and inner
metal plates 15 and 16 and heat and a vibration and heat insulation
substance 17 interposed between the plates. The roof is reinforced
about the aperture opening 14 by a reinforcing frame F formed of a
channel shaped member 19 having upper and lower horizontal flanges
20 and 21 which abut the inner surfaces of the top and bottom
plates, respectively, and the vertical web 22. The outer plate 15
of the roof extends inwardly over the frame F and has a
substantially rectangular aperture 25 formed therein through which
extends an outer rectangular duct 26 of the air conditioning
housing 27 of the apparatus 12. The housing is, of course,
supported on the roof by suitable fastening means, not shown. The
duct 26 has a horizontal external flange 28 which abuts the bottom
wall 29 of the housing 27 and is secured thereto by any suitable
means, as by self-tapping screws 30. The bottom wall of the air
conditioning apparatus has a rectangular inlet opening 31, defined
by a suitable vertical flange 32 of the bottom wall, which opens to
the outer duct through which air is drawn into the air conditioning
device for movement through the evaporator, not shown, and returned
to an outlet duct 33 thereof which extends downwardly through an
aperture of the bottom wall of the housing defined by the vertical
flange 37 of the bottom wall.
The flow control device 10 includes a housing 40 having a bottom
section 41 of substantially rectangular shape whose peripheral
continuous horizontal outwardly extending flange 42 overlaps the
inner portions of the inner plate 16 of the roof about the roof
opening 14. The bottom housing section is secured to the roof by
means of screws 44 which extend through suitable apertures in the
flange 42, the lower roof plate and the lower horizontal flange 21
of the reinforcing frame F. The horizontal flange 42 is also
provided with a vertical continuous peripheral flange 45 whose top
edge abuts the bottom surface of the inner roof plate about the
roof opening 14.
The bottom housing section has front and rear vertical rear walls
51 and 52 which are provided with oppositely opening front and rear
outlets 53 and 54, respectively, which open to the longitudinal
passage 56 of the housing defined by its bottom and top sections 41
and 55, respectively.
The top housing section includes a front transverse horizontal
portion 59 which extends over the front portion 42a of the
horizontal flange 42 of the bottom housing section and a rear
transverse horizontal section 60 which extends over the rear
portion 42b of the flange 42. The top housing section also has
vertical side walls 61 and 62, side portions 63 and 64 which slope
upwardly from the side walls 61 and 62 to an upwardly and forwardly
extending rear portion 65 thereof and to the portions 66 and 61
thereof which define the sides 68 and 69 of a rectangular inlet
duct 70. The rear top portion 65 and a front top portion 71 extend
convergently upwardly from the rear and front horizontal portions
61 and 59, respectively, to the rear and front sides 72 and 73,
respectively, of the inlet duct 70. It will be apparent that the
top section is moulded of a suitable plastic substance.
A U-shaped seal member or grommet 75 is positioned about the upper
edges of the portions of the top section defining the inlet duct 70
and is interposed between the walls of the rectangular outlet or
delivery duct 33 of the air conditioning apparatus and the vertical
flange 37 of the bottom wall of the housing 27.
A flow directing assembly 80 mounted in the rear aperture 54 of the
rear wall of the housing includes a rectangular frame 81 whose end
walls 82 are provided with pins 83 which extend rotatably in
suitable apertures in the bottom housing section flanges 84 and 85
defining opposite ends of the aperture 54. The frame is pivotal
about the horizontal axis of the shafts 83.
The frame also includes top and bottom members 86 and 87 and an
intermediate member 88 which extend between the end walls and are
integral therewith. A plurality of vertical spaced louvers are
mounted on the frame by means of top and bottom pivot pins 92 and
93 which are received in suitable slots of the top and bottom frame
members 86 and 87, respectively. The louvers are provided with
slots 96 in which the middle reinforcing member 88 of the frame is
received and inner extensions 98 which have lugs 99 received in
suitable apertures of a connector bar 100 mounted on the lugs. When
anyone of the louvers is pivoted about the axis of its pins 92 and
93, the coaction of the pins of the other louvers with the
connector bars causes the other louvers to pivot accordingly.
The particular louver assembly 80 illustrated and described forms
no part of this invention and has been illustrated merely to show a
suitable flow directing means in the opening 54 which may serve to
direct the air flowing through the outlet 54, either upwardly or
downwardly into the vehicle chamber by tilting the frame either
upwardly or downwardly about an axis of its shafts 83 or laterally
in one direction or the other by pivoting the louvers about their
pins 92 and 93.
A similar louver assembly 80 is mounted in the front opening 53 of
the housing 40 and, accordingly, its elements have been provided
with the same reference numerals, to which the subscript a has been
added, as the corresponding elements of the flow directing assembly
80.
The vertical side walls 61 and 62 of the top housing section extend
downwardly to the bottom wall 105 of the bottom housing section
inwardly of the upwardly extending rectangular flanges 106 and 107.
The rectangular walls are provided at their top portions with
inwardly extending continuous flanges 108 and 109, respectively,
and central transverse reinforcing portions 110 and 111,
respectively. The abutting portions of the side walls 61 and 62 of
the top housing section and the walls 106 and 107 may be secured to
one another by self tapping screws 114. Porous filter pads 115 and
116 are disposed between the flanges 108 and 109 and the grills 118
and 119, respectively, which are telescoped within the rectangular
walls 106 and 107 and secured therein by any suitable retaining
means, such as (FIG. 7) rectangular inserts 121 which are secured
in any one of the square openings of the grills by bolts 122 which
extend through the apertures of the inserts, strip 110 or 111, and
clip 124 which are telescoped over the central strips 110 and
111.
Air may move from the interior of the vehicle through the openings
of the grills 118 and 119 and the filter pads into an outlet
passage 130 defined by the housing 40 and the roof and thence
through the ducts 26 and 31 into the air conditioning apparatus
12.
Suitable insulating means, such as a sheet 133 of plastic foam may
be disposed about the top housing section and also along the bottom
wall 105 of the bottom housing section to minimize or prevent
condensation of moisture thereon.
The bottom housing section also has an upwardly extending
substantially rectangular wall 136 and a raised horizontal portion
137 which is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 138
which opens to the longitudinal passage 56. The raised portion 138
provides a support or slide surface for an air splitter or divider
139 which, as shown in FIG. 6, may be formed of a metal member
having a rear horizontal portion 141 which rests on and is secured,
as by an adhesive, to a slide plate 143 which rests on the raised
portion 137 of the bottom housing section, and a raised horizontal
portion 144 to which a bolt 145 is secured in any suitable manner.
The bolt extends through a suitable aperture in the slide plate and
the longitudinal aligned slots 138 and 147 in the raised portion
and a plate 148 secured to the bottom surface of the portion 137. A
knob 150 is screwed on the bottom end portion of the screw. The
splitter member 149 also has a rear portion 152 which extends
anglarly and upwardly and forwardly from the front edge of the
portion 144 to a top curved or bight portion 154, downwardly and
forwardly extending front portions 155 and 156, and a front
horizontal portion 157 which abuts the slide plate and is rigidly
secured thereto by an adhesive or the like. A layer 159 of a
resilient plastic foam is disposed over the surfaces of the metal
body 140 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by an
adhesive.
The air splitter 139 extends transversely across the longitudinal
passage 56 and upwardly into the inlet duct 27 with its side edges
being disposed closely adjacent to the side walls 61 and 62, the
curved portions 63 and 64 and the sides of the inlet duct 70.
It will be apparent that if the air splitter is moved to the
rearmost position A indicated by broken lines in FIG. 5, the top
portion of the air splitter will move into close engagement with
the portion 65 of the top housing section and will effectively
prevent any air from flowing rearwardly through the longitudinal
passage 56 to the rear opening or outlet 54 of the housing. The
downwardly and forwardly sloping front surfaces of the air splitter
will now direct the air downwardly to the front opening 53 with a
minimum of turbulance and noise. As a result all of the air being
moved into the passage 56 from the apparatus 12 will flow into the
vehicle through the front opening or outlet 53.
If the air splitter is moved to an intermediate position, as the
full line position illustrated in FIG. 5, some of the air will be
directed by the outwardly and rearwardly sloping air surfaces of
the divider to the rear opening 54 and the rest of the air will be
directed by the forwardly and downwardly sloping surfaces of the
air splitter to the front opening 53.
Finally, if the air divider or splitter is moved to the extreme
forward position B, illustrated by the broken lines in FIG. 5, the
front surfaces of the splitter will engage the portion 73 of the
top housing section and will thus prevent any air from flowing
through the front opening 153 while the downwardly and rearwardly
sloping surfaces of the splitter will direct all of the air being
delivered to the rear opening 54. The air splitter is held by
friction and its own weight in any position to which it is
moved.
It will now be seen that a new and improved air flow control device
has been illustrated which is of very simple structure and which
selectively and adjustably directs air to front and rear outlets or
openings of the housing.
It will further be seen that the flow control device projects
downwardly a very short distance into the interior of the vehicle
to which it is mounted which is of importance in vehicles, boats,
campers and the like which may have relatively little head
room.
The control members 190 and 191 for controlling the upper portion
of the air conditioning may of course be mounted on a upwardly
displaced portion 192 of the bottom housing section. One of such
controls may control the operation of the air moving means of the
air conditioner, which is a fan or squirrel cage blower, and the
other knob may control the degree of cooling to be imparted to the
air as it flows through the evaporator by regulating the rate of
flow of the refrigerant fluid through the coils of the evaporator
thereof.
Referring now particularly to FIG. 8 of the drawing the flow
control 10a is similar in all respects to the flow control device
10 and, accordingly, its elements have been provided with the same
reference numeral, to which the subscript a has been added, as the
corresponding elements of the flow control device 10.
The flow control device 10a differs from the flow control device 10
merely in that its air splitter or divider 200 is a solid piece of
expanded plastic material which is secured to the slide plate 143a
in any suitable manner, as by an adhesive and has a forwardly and
downwardly sloping front surface 201 and a downwardly and
rearwardly sloping rear surface 202 which extend divergently
downwardly to the curved surfaces 203 and 204 thereof to provide a
smooth path of flow to the air flowing thereover. It will be
apparent that the divider 200 functions in the same manner as the
divider 139.
It will now be apparent that the air flow control device is
especially adapted for use to control the circulation of air within
a confined space such as the interior or passenger compartment of a
vehicle, camper, boat or the like. As illustrated in the drawings,
the air flow control device is shown as used to selectively control
the flow of circulation of cooled air either to the front or driver
portion of the vehicle passenger compartment as when the vehicle is
being driven over the road and no passengers are present in the
rear portion of the compartment; or to circulate the cooled air
both forwardly to the driver portion and rearwardly to the rear
portion of the passenger compartment at the same or different rates
of flow through two outlets 53 and 54 as determined by the adjusted
position of the air splitter or divider; or if the vehicle is at
rest and all occupants are in the rear portion of the vehicle
compartment, the air splitter may be moved to its forward portion
to close the front outlet 53 and prevent any flow of air
therethrough and thus direct all of the air to the rear opening 54
to the rear portions of the compartment.
It will thus be apparent that the air flow control device may be
used to maintain the temperature in a desired portion of the
chamber or compartment at a lower temperature than another portion
by circulating the cool air to such desired portion of the
compartment.
The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and
changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made
by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended
claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
* * * * *