HVAC damper
US6435211B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 29, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 20, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 29, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/87491
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A fail-safe HVAC damper apparatus comprises a duct channel with a closure comprising one or more quadri-panel hinged elements, each with four panels connected by four parallel hinge pins. A gear shaft with a toothed gear is controllably rotated to linearly drive a spring-biased plate to move one of the hinge pins of each quadri-panel element between an open and a closed position. A damper may use blades of different sizes and be driven to begin an opening and/or closing action sequentially and/or very gradually. A drive motor may be activated to open or close the closure, e.g. by a smoke detector or other controller. Melting of a fuse in the duct channel serves to disengage a gear from a gear shaft, enabling a spring mounted plate to move the hinged elements to a default closed (or alternative open) safety position. Various gear shaft and gear structures are shown.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.