Air extraction unit and method for installing it

Abstract

Air extraction box and method for installing it Air extraction box (1), comprising: an enclosure (3), with three support faces (10Y, 10Z), adjacent to a first vertex (5A) and three secondary faces (20X, 20Z) adjacent to a second opposite vertex (5G); inlet compartments (51) and outlet compartments (52), delimited by the enclosure and separated by a first partition (30), crossed by an internal diagonal (A6) connecting said vertices (5A, 5G); an inlet opening (11Y), crossing one of the support faces and opening into the inlet compartment; an outlet opening (21Z), crossing one of the secondary faces and opening into the outlet compartment; and a wheel (61), in the outlet compartment, of which an axis of rotation (R61) is parallel or coaxial with the internal diagonal (A6). Figure for the abbreviation: Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Air extraction unit and method for installing it

[0001] The present invention relates to an air extraction box, as well as a method for installing the air extraction box.

[0002] An air extraction unit is known, designed to be installed in a building or on its roof, to extract air from the building or from a kitchen within the building. The air extraction unit is also suitable for smoke control in the building, as it is capable of removing fire smoke to prevent the poisoning of any people present in the building while facilitating the intervention of firefighters. To this end, the known air extraction unit complies with fire regulations, which require it to be capable of extracting smoke at 400°C for a specified period.

[0003] The known air extraction unit comprises a first parallelepiped-shaped casing, one axial face of which has an air inlet opening and one lateral face of which has an air outlet opening. Inside the casing, a centrifugal impeller is housed to draw air from the air inlet opening, thus expelling this air through the air outlet opening. The known smoke extraction unit comprises a motor, mounted on the second axial face of the casing, outside the casing, to drive the centrifugal impeller. The inlet opening, the centrifugal impeller, and the motor are thus coaxial. The inlet opening can then be connected to a smoke extraction duct of the building.

[0004] While the inlet opening of the first housing is oriented coaxially with the centrifugal wheel, which is suitable in certain cases, an adapter housing can be added to achieve a radially oriented air inlet. The adapter housing is coupled to the first housing, covering the first axial face bearing the air inlet opening of the first housing. This second housing has removable radial faces to form an air inlet in a desired radial orientation relative to the outlet, different from the orientation of the axial inlet opening.

[0005] This known smoke extraction unit is therefore relatively versatile, in that it can be installed, as a whole, according to several desired orientations, and in that the relative orientation of its inlet and outlet can be modified to adapt to installation constraints such as the location of pre-existing ventilation or smoke extraction ducts.

[0006] However, this smoke extraction unit has a drawback: in order for the inlets to be radial with respect to the axis of the centrifugal wheel, an adapter box must be added, which alters the overall shape of the smoke extraction unit, giving it an elongated and relatively bulky form. This addition also modifies the aerodynamic characteristics of the smoke extraction unit, since a pressure drop is generated by the addition of the adapter box. The mechanical and aerodynamic characteristics are also modified depending on whether the unit is oriented vertically or horizontally, because the orientation of the centrifugal wheel and the motor is then changed.

[0007] One object of the invention is therefore to propose a new air extraction box which, while offering several installation configurations, is compact and does not undergo variations in size and few variations in characteristics from one installation configuration to another.

[0008] To this end, the invention relates to an air extraction box, comprising: an envelope, including a first vertex, a second vertex, opposite the first vertex, the first vertex and the second vertex being crossed by an internal diagonal of the envelope, three support faces, adjacent to each other and to the first vertex, and three secondary faces, adjacent to each other and to the second vertex, the support faces and the secondary faces being arranged in a parallelepiped; a first partition, crossed by the internal diagonal and including an internal opening; an inlet compartment, delimited by the envelope and the first partition; an inlet opening, formed through one of the support faces and opening into the inlet compartment, to admit an airflow extracted into the inlet compartment via the inlet opening;an outlet compartment, delimited by the casing and the first partition, the first partition being interposed between the inlet compartment and the outlet compartment; an outlet opening, formed through one of the secondary faces and opening into the outlet compartment, to evacuate the airflow extracted from the outlet compartment via the outlet opening; and a wheel, disposed in the outlet compartment, the wheel being rotatable relative to the casing around an axis of rotation, to circulate the airflow extracted from the inlet compartment to the outlet compartment via the internal opening, the axis of rotation being parallel to the internal diagonal, or coaxial with the internal diagonal.

[0009] One idea underlying the invention is that several installation configurations for the air extraction unit are possible, in that the extraction unit can be oriented so that any one of its three support faces can be oriented downwards. This allows the orientation of the inlet opening(s) to be adapted to constraints Installation considerations, such as the layout of a duct to which the inlet opening must be connected, are important. Regardless of the chosen orientation for the extraction unit among the three possible orientations around the internal diagonal, the orientation of the impeller's axis of rotation relative to a horizontal plane remains unchanged. Consequently, the aerodynamic and mechanical characteristics are the same regardless of the orientation, or are easily predictable. Therefore, it is not necessary to oversize certain components, particularly those supporting the impeller, and the actual operating characteristics of the extraction unit are easier to anticipate and have certified.

[0010] In practice, the extraction box of the invention is advantageously supported by means of the downward-facing support face, for example by means of a base, but it is possible alternatively to choose that the extraction box is suspended by means of one or more other faces, while the downward-facing support face does not necessarily serve to support the extraction box.

[0011] In addition, arranging the wheel in this way improves the compactness of the air extraction box, since, the wheel being a relatively bulky part, it is advantageous to arrange it along the internal diagonal, which offers more space than arranging the wheel in the direction of the width of the box.

[0012] Furthermore, since all the support faces are adjacent to the inlet compartment, it is advantageous to add, in addition to the first inlet opening provided on one of the support faces, a second inlet opening provided on another of the support faces. The air extraction unit is then particularly modular.

[0013] Furthermore, the extraction box is easy to manufacture because many identical parts can be used. Indeed, for example, several or each of the support faces and / or several or each of the secondary faces can be made of identical parts or parts of the same shape. This advantage is even more pronounced if the parallelepiped in which the support and secondary faces are arranged is a cube, since this creates numerous symmetries around the internal diagonal for the casing and the air extraction box in general.

[0014] By "vertex," we mean an endpoint of the envelope that is at the point of intersection of three edges of the envelope, where an edge delimits one face of the envelope with respect to another face of the envelope. Each vertex is also the point of intersection of three faces of the envelope, namely three supporting faces for the first vertex and three secondary faces for the second vertex. The vertex may be salient, as is advantageously the case for the first vertex, or truncated, as is advantageously the case for the second vertex. Since the envelope is parallelepiped-shaped, there are a total of eight vertices, including the first vertex and the second vertex.

[0015] By "internal diagonal," we mean a straight line that connects the first vertex to the second vertex through the interior of the parallelepiped described by the envelope. The internal diagonal is a diagonal that connects two opposite vertices that are not connected by the same face. Here, the first vertex is adjacent to the supporting faces but not to any of the secondary faces, while the second vertex is adjacent to the secondary faces but not to any of the supporting faces. The internal diagonal is oblique to all the supporting faces and to all the secondary faces. The internal diagonal is distinguished from a simple diagonal, which extends along one of the supporting or secondary faces, connecting two of the vertices to which that face is adjacent.

[0016] According to other advantageous aspects, the invention comprises one or more of the following features, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations:

[0017] - Each support face has a respective condensate drainage orifice, opening into the exit compartment.

[0018] - The first partition is perpendicular to the internal diagonal.

[0019] - The internal opening is coaxial with the axis of rotation; and the wheel is a wheel centrifugal, which, when set in rotation, draws in the airflow extracted axially through the internal opening and forces the airflow extracted radially into the outlet compartment.

[0020] - The air extraction box includes a second partition, through which the internal diagonal, arranged between the first partition and the second vertex, a technical compartment, delimited by the envelope and the second partition, the second partition being interposed between the technical compartment and the exit compartment, and a motor, disposed in the technical compartment and being linked to the wheel through the second partition to drive the rotating wheel.

[0021] - The second partition includes a support opening, through which the diagonal passes internal; and a motor-fan assembly, comprising the motor, the wheel and a support plate, which is fixed to the second bulkhead by covering the support opening, the motor being fixed to the second bulkhead by being fixed to the support plate, the support plate being detachable from the second bulkhead to permit extraction of the motor-fan assembly out of the envelope through the support opening, while the motor is still fixed to the support plate and is still connected to the wheel.

[0022] - The air extraction box includes a maintenance opening, passing through the envelope and opening into the technical compartment, the maintenance opening being crossed by the internal diagonal and being delimited by the three faces secondary; and the envelope includes a removable hood, covering the maintenance opening in a removable manner and forming the second peak when the hood covers the maintenance opening.

[0023] - The air extraction unit further comprises a base, configured to evolve between a first attachment configuration, in which the base is attached to the envelope by being positioned along a first of the support faces; a second attachment configuration, in which the base is attached to the envelope by being positioned along a second of the support faces; and a third attachment configuration, in which the base is attached to the envelope by being positioned along a third of the support faces.

[0024] - The inlet opening is a first inlet opening; and the extraction box air includes a second inlet opening, formed through a different support face than the support face through which the first inlet opening passes, the second inlet opening opening into the inlet compartment, to admit the extracted airflow into the inlet compartment via the second inlet opening.

[0025] The invention also relates to a method for installing the air extraction box as defined above, the method comprising choosing an installation configuration of the air extraction box, the installation configuration being chosen from: a first installation configuration where a first of the support faces is oriented downwards; a second installation configuration where a second of the support faces is oriented downwards; and a third installation configuration where a third of the support faces is oriented downwards.

[0026] The invention will become clearer upon reading the description below, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0027] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an extraction box according to a mode of the realization of the invention.

[0028] [Fig.2] Fig.2 is a perspective view, from another angle, of the box extraction of the [Fig.l].

[0029] [Fig.3] Fig.3 is a perspective view, from another angle, of the box extraction of the previous figures, where a support face and a secondary face are omitted.

[0030] [Fig.4] Fig.4 is a perspective view, from another angle, of the box extraction from the previous figures, where two support faces are omitted.

[0031] [Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a perspective view, from another angle, of the box extraction from the previous figures, where a hood is omitted.

[0032] Figures 1 to 5 show an air extraction box 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The air extraction box 1 is advantageously a The air extraction unit 1 is designed for smoke extraction, but can also simply be used as a ventilation unit. It is advantageously intended for installation in a building, preferably on a roof, or alternatively, for example, inside the building or on a terrace, to extract an exhaust airflow Fl from inside the building to the outside. The exhaust airflow Fl is preferably supplied to the unit 1 via one or more ducts connecting the unit 1 to one or more rooms in the building, particularly a kitchen. The exhaust airflow Fl is advantageously a stale airflow, containing, in particular, cooking fumes. In the event of a fire in the building, the exhaust airflow Fl is likely to be laden with fire smoke.

[0033] The air extraction box 1 comprises an envelope 3, which forms a rigid external casing of the box 1. A direction X, a direction Y and a direction Z are defined, which are perpendicular to each other and fixed with respect to the envelope 3.

[0034] The envelope 3 comprises eight vertices 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5G and 5H, three support faces 10X, 10Y and 10Z and three secondary faces 20X, 20Y and 20Z, arranged in a parallelepiped, preferably a cube.

[0035] The support face 10X is perpendicular to the X direction and connects vertices 5A, 5B, 5E, and 5F. The support face 10X is advantageously square, otherwise rectangular. The support face 10X is parallel and opposite to the secondary face 20X.

[0036] The support face 10Y is perpendicular to the Y direction and connects vertices 5A, 5D, 5E, and 5H. The support face 10Y is advantageously square, otherwise rectangular. The support face 10Y is parallel and opposite to the secondary face 20Y.

[0037] The support face 10Z is perpendicular to the Z direction and connects vertices 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D. The support face 10Z is advantageously square, otherwise rectangular. The support face 10Z is parallel and opposite to the secondary face 20Z.

[0038] The secondary face 20X is perpendicular to the X direction and connects vertices 5D, 5C, 5G and 5H together. The secondary face 20X is advantageously square, or otherwise rectangular, except for a break at vertex 5G.

[0039] The secondary face 20Y is perpendicular to the Y direction and connects vertices 5B, 5C, 5F and 5G together. The secondary face 20Y is advantageously square, or otherwise rectangular, except for a break at vertex 5G.

[0040] The secondary face 20Z is perpendicular to the Z direction and connects vertices 5B, 5C, 5F and 5G together. The secondary face 20Z is advantageously square, or otherwise rectangular, except for a break at vertex 5G.

[0041] The support faces 10X, 10Y, and 10Z are adjacent to each other, meaning that a first edge of the envelope 3 is common to faces 10X and 10Y, a second edge of the envelope 3 is common to faces 10Y and 10Z, and a third edge of the envelope 3 is common to faces 10Z and 10X. The support faces 10X, 10Y, and 10Z are all adjacent to vertex 5A. Each support face 10X, 10Y, and 10Z is therefore adjacent to two other support faces.

[0042] The secondary faces 20X, 20Y, and 20Z are adjacent to each other, that is, a first edge of the envelope 3 is common to faces 20X and 20Y, a second edge of the envelope 3 is common to faces 20Y and 20Z, and a third edge of the envelope 3 is common to faces 20Z and 20X. The secondary faces 20X, 20Y, and 20Z are all adjacent to vertex 5G.

[0043] Each support face 10X, 10Y and 10Z is also adjacent to two of the secondary faces 20X, 20Y and 20Z, sharing one of the edges of the envelope 3 with each of these two secondary faces 20X, 20Y and 20Z. The support face 10X is adjacent with the secondary faces 20X and 20Z.

[0044] Preferably, the enclosure 3 comprises twelve pillars, each pillar being parallel to one of the directions X, Y, or Z and connecting two of the vertices 5A to 5G, while being adjacent to two of the faces 10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20X, 20Y, and 20Z, each pillar thus constituting an edge of the enclosure 3. Each vertex 5A to 5G is connected to three of the pillars at their point of intersection. Preferably, the pillars provide structural rigidity to the enclosure 3. Each face, bordered by four of the pillars, is preferably removably attached to said four pillars. This allows easy access to the interior of the enclosure 1 and / or easy replacement of one of the faces.

[0045] Among the vertices 5A to 5G, two particular vertices are distinguished, namely vertices 5A and 5G, which are opposite each other. No face among the faces 10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20X, 20Y, and 20Z is adjacent to both vertex 5A and vertex 5G. All the supporting faces 10X, 10Y, and 10Z are adjacent to vertex 5A. All the faces 20X, 20Y, and 20Z are adjacent to vertex 5G. These vertices 5A and 5G are geometrically intersected by an internal diagonal A6 of the envelope. The internal diagonal A6 passes through the interior of the envelope 3, preferably through the center of the envelope 3, unlike a face diagonal which would run along one of the faces 10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20X, 20Y, and 20Z. The internal diagonal A6 is oblique to each of the faces of the envelope 3. In the preferential case where the faces are arranged in a cube, the internal diagonal A6 forms an angle of 35° if the envelope 3 is perfectly cubic.26° with each of the faces 10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20X, 20Y and 20Z, at the vertices 5A and 5E. Of course, in the case where the envelope 3 is not perfectly cubic, for example due to manufacturing tolerances, the angle tends towards 35.26°.

[0046] When one of the vertices 5A and 5G is truncated or rounded, which is the case here for vertex 5G, which is truncated, the internal diagonal A6 passes through the center of the truncated surface of said vertex, and in any case through the geometric center of the envelope 3.

[0047] This construction of the enclosure 3 results in the enclosure exhibiting rotational symmetries about the internal diagonal A6. In this respect, the diagonal A6 can constitute a third-order axis of rotation for the rotational symmetry. The three support faces 10X, 10Y, and 10Z are thus identical, or have common parts and / or are interchangeable. The three secondary faces 20X, 20Y, and 20Z are thus identical, or have common parts and / or are interchangeable. The same advantage applies to other parts of the enclosure, such as the pillars. This facilitates manufacturing and maintenance by reducing the number of different parts required to construct the enclosure 1.By rotating box 1 around the diagonal A6, three different positions of box 1 can be obtained where one of the faces 10X, 10Y and 10Z, different each time, is turned downwards, while one of the faces 20X, 20Y and 20Z, different each time, is turned upwards.

[0048] When installing the casing 1 for use in extracting the airflow Fl from the building, the casing 1 can be installed in one of three configurations: first, with the support face 10Z facing downwards; second, with the support face 10X facing downwards; and third, with the support face 10Y facing downwards. In other words, the orientation of the casing 1 is changed by rotating it around its internal diagonal A6. This offers several advantages, which are described below.

[0049] As shown in [Fig.3] where faces 10X and 20Y are omitted, inside the envelope 3, the box 1 includes a partition 30 and, preferably, a partition 40, which divide the interior of the envelope 3, further delimited by the support faces and the secondary faces, into several separate compartments. These separate compartments comprise an inlet compartment 51, an outlet compartment 52 and, preferably, a technical compartment 53. To this end, preferably, each partition 30 and 40 joins the faces of the enclosure 3, along a respective peripheral edge of said partitions 30 and 40, in order to prevent air circulation via the periphery of the partitions 30 and 40. As shown in [Fig. 4], in which faces 10X and 10Y are omitted, the peripheral edge of the partition 30 preferably has a general hexagonal or triangular shape, so that the partition 30 joins the faces of the enclosure 3.Similarly, the peripheral edge of the partition 40 preferentially has a general hexagonal or triangular shape at its periphery, so that the partition joins the faces of the envelope 3.

[0050] Each partition 30 and 40 is fixed relative to the faces of the envelope 3, being attached to the envelope 3, for example via the respective peripheral edge of each partition 30 and 40. Each partition 30 and 40 is traversed by the internal diagonal A6. The partitions 30 and 40 are separated from each other along the internal diagonal A6, and arranged between vertices 5A and 5G. Partition 30 is arranged between vertex 5A and partition 40. Partition 40 is arranged between vertex 5G and partition 30. Each partition 30 and 40 is preferably planar and perpendicular to the internal diagonal A6. Partition 30 is preferably arranged between a plane defined by vertices 5B, 5D, and 5E and that defined by vertices 5C, 5F, and 5H, parallel to these planes. Partition 40 is preferentially coplanar with, or arranged parallel to and close to, the plane formed by vertices 5C, 5F and 5H.

[0051] The entrance compartment 51 is delimited by the partition 30 and the envelope 3, in particular by the vertex 5A, the vertices 5B, 5E and 5D, by a respective main part of the faces 10X, 10Y and 10Z, as well as, to a lesser extent, by a respective small part of the faces 20X, 20Y and 20Z.

[0052] The exit compartment 52 is delimited by the partition 30, by the partition 40 if it is provided, as well as by the enclosure 3, in particular by a small part of the respective support faces 10X, 10Y and 10Z as well as by a respective part of the secondary faces 20X, 20Y and 20Z. The first partition 30 is therefore interposed between the two compartments 51 and 52, which are adjacent to it.

[0053] If provided, the technical compartment 53 is delimited by the partition 40, as well as by the envelope 3, in particular by a respective part of the secondary faces 20X, 20Y and 20Z and by the apex 5G. The second partition 40 is therefore interposed between the two compartments 52 and 53, which are adjacent to it.

[0054] Alternatively, if the technical compartment 53 is not provided, all or part of the elements it contains are preferably arranged outside the envelope 3, for example by being attached directly to the envelope, without being enclosed in a compartment, possibly covered by a roof attached to the envelope.

[0055] Depending on the application, the air extraction box 1 comprises between one and three inlet openings, each inlet opening being formed through one of the support faces 10X, 10Y, 10Z and opening into the inlet compartment 51, without opening into the outlet compartment 52. Each inlet opening is intended to be traversed by the extracted airflow Fl, for its admission into the enclosure 3. Each inlet opening is intended to be connected to a respective duct, carrying all or part of the extracted airflow Fl from inside the building to the box 1. Here, only one inlet opening 11Y is provided, formed through the support face 10Y, while the other support faces 10X and 10Z do not have inlet openings and are not intended to be The airflow Fl passes through these surfaces upon entering the enclosure 3. Although not equipped with an inlet opening, each face 10X and 10Z can be designed to be removable, allowing for replacement with a corresponding face featuring an inlet opening. Similarly, face 10Y, bearing the inlet opening 11Y, can be designed to be removable, allowing for replacement with a corresponding face without an inlet opening. In particular, faces 10X, 10Y, and 10Z can be designed to be interchangeable, thus enabling easy customization of the enclosure 1 to suit the specific situation, including on-site at the installation location.

[0056] Preferably, just like the inlet opening 11Y, each inlet opening advantageously includes a connection flange 12, so that it can be easily connected to the corresponding duct. Each inlet opening thus constitutes an inlet branch.

[0057] If several inlet openings are provided, they are advantageously arranged according to the rotational symmetry around the internal diagonal A6, so that the aerodynamic characteristics are unchanged from one inlet opening to another.

[0058] In the case of the opening 11Y, when the housing 1 is in the installation configuration shown in the figures where face 10Z is facing downwards, the opening 11Y is oriented horizontally. In the installation configuration where face 10X is facing downwards, the opening 11Y is oriented horizontally, in a different direction. In the installation configuration where face 10Y is facing downwards, the opening 11Y is oriented downwards. The housing 1 is therefore versatile in that different orientations of the inlet opening 11Y can be obtained without modifying the enclosure 3, simply by orienting the housing 1 according to the most suitable installation configuration. This advantage is even more significant when two inlet openings are provided.This makes it easy to respond to installation constraints, such as the location of ducts or the presence of obstacles at the installation site of box 1.

[0059] Depending on the application, the air extraction box 1 comprises between one and three outlet openings, each outlet opening being formed through one of the secondary faces 20X, 20Y, 20Z and opening into the outlet compartment 52, without opening into compartments 51 and 53. Each outlet opening is intended to be traversed by the extracted airflow Fl, for its evacuation from the inside of the enclosure 3 to the outside of the enclosure 3. A duct may be provided to connect the outlet opening with the outside, or an evacuation of the airflow Fl located away from the enclosure 3. However, evacuation directly to the outside of the enclosure 3, without a duct, may be provided. Here, a single exit aperture 21Z is planned, located through the secondary face 20Z, while the other secondary faces 20X and 20Y do not have an exit aperture. and are not designed to be traversed by the airflow Fl as it is discharged from the enclosure 3. Although not equipped with an outlet opening, each face 20X and 20Y can be designed to be removable, so that it can be replaced by a corresponding face with an outlet opening. Similarly, face 20Z, bearing the outlet opening 21Z, can be designed to be removable, so that it can be replaced by a corresponding face without an outlet opening. In particular, faces 20X, 20Y, and 20Z can be designed to be interchangeable, which allows for easy customization of the enclosure 1 according to the situation, including on-site at the installation location.

[0060] Preferably, just like the outlet opening 21Z, each outlet opening advantageously includes a connection flange 12, so that it can be easily connected to a corresponding duct, or to other equipment, such as a silencer. Each outlet opening thus constitutes an outlet branch. As shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5, it is advantageously provided that each outlet opening is covered by a grid to prevent the introduction of foreign bodies into the outlet compartment 52, particularly in the absence of a duct.

[0061] If several outlet openings are provided, they are advantageously arranged according to the rotational symmetry around the internal diagonal A6, so that the aerodynamic characteristics are unchanged from one outlet opening to another.

[0062] In the case of the opening 21Z, when the housing 1 is in the installation configuration shown in the figures where face 10Z is facing downwards, the opening 21Z is directed vertically upwards. In installation configurations where one of the faces 10Y and 10X is directed downwards, the opening 21Z is directed horizontally in two different orientations. The housing 1 is therefore versatile in that different orientations of the outlet opening 21Z can be obtained without modifying the casing 3, simply by orienting the housing 1 according to the most suitable installation configuration. This makes it easy to address installation constraints, such as the need to install a silencer on the outlet opening, the presence of a possible obstacle at the installation site of the housing 1, or whether the installation site of the housing 1 is outdoors, whether sheltered or not, on a roof, or otherwise.

[0063] The partition 30 includes an internal opening 31, visible in Figures 3 and 4, which passes completely through the partition 30. The internal opening 31 is preferably coaxial with the internal diagonal A6. The internal opening 31 is designed for the passage of the extracted airflow Fl, admitted from the inlet opening(s), from the inlet compartment 51 to the outlet compartment 52, where the extracted airflow Fl is discharged via the outlet opening(s).

[0064] The casing 1 includes a wheel 61, disposed in the outlet compartment 52, preferably entirely disposed in the outlet compartment 52. The wheel 61 is rotatable relative to the casing 3 about an axis of rotation R61. When rotated, the wheel 61 forces the extracted airflow Fl from the inlet compartment 51 to the outlet compartment 52 via the internal opening 31. Advantageously, the extracted airflow Fl passes through the wheel 61 to reach compartment 52 from compartment 51.

[0065] Preferably, the wheel 61 is a centrifugal wheel, which, when rotated about the axis R61, draws the extracted airflow Fl axially through the internal opening 31 and discharges the extracted airflow Fl radially, in all directions, directly into the outlet compartment 52. For example, the wheel 61 is a paddle wheel. In the case of a centrifugal wheel, it is advantageously provided that the internal opening 31 is coaxial with the axis of rotation R61 and that a suction end of the wheel 61 covers the internal opening 31, or is connected to the internal opening by a bell to guide all or most of the extracted airflow Fl directly from the opening 31 to the inside of the wheel 61. Preferably, no volute is provided inside the outlet compartment 52, the compartment 52 itself serving as a volute to guide the airflow Fl ejected radially by the wheel 61.This allows the wheel 61 to set the flow Fl in motion regardless of the number of outlet openings and their arrangement relative to the wheel 61.

[0066] The rotation axis R61 of the wheel 61 is intended to be either coaxial with the internal diagonal A6, as is the case here, or parallel to the internal diagonal A6, preferably as close as possible to the internal diagonal A6. When the rotation axis R61 is intended to be coaxial, a slight misalignment due to manufacturing tolerances is permitted. Consequently, the wheel is positioned centered on the internal diagonal A6, so that, regardless of the installation configuration of the casing 1 among the three mentioned above and regardless of the arrangement of the inlet and outlet openings, the aerodynamic characteristics remain unchanged or are easily predictable.Furthermore, regardless of the installation configuration chosen for the box 1 among the three mentioned above, the wheel 61 always takes the same orientation relative to the ground, so that the mechanical and aerodynamic characteristics are unchanged, or easily predictable from one installation configuration to another.

[0067] Preferably, each support face 10X, 10Y, and 10Z has a respective condensate drain port 13X, 13Y, and 13Z. Each condensate drain port is preferably much smaller than the inlet and outlet openings to limit leakage of the extracted airflow Fl through these ports 13X, 13Y, and 13Z. Preferably, the condensate drain ports 13X, 13Y and 13Z open into the outlet compartment 52. During the installation of the unit, the chosen installation configuration determines which condensate drain outlet 13X, 13Y, or 13Z is oriented downwards. During the operation of the unit 1, the downward-facing drain outlet 13X, 13Y, or 13Z is used to drain residual liquid, by gravity, that may be contained in the outlet compartment 52. The residual liquid, or condensate, may include water or grease from the exhaust airflow Fl, particularly when the airflow Fl originates from a kitchen. Only one of the outlets 13X, 13Y, or 13Z at a time is used to drain the condensate, while the other two, located on the vertical support walls, cannot drain the condensate by gravity. So these two other drainage ports can be blocked and / or used as cleaning inlets, for injecting water or cleaner into the envelope 3.The presence of drainage holes 13X, 13Y and 13Z on the three support faces 10X, 10Y and 10Z allows each of them to be turned downwards to obtain one of the three aforementioned installation configurations, depending on the installation constraints.

[0068] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the extraction box 1 further comprises a motor 62, which is advantageously located entirely within the technical compartment 53. The motor 62 is preferably an electric motor. When electrically powered, the motor 62 rotates the wheel 61 around the axis of rotation R61. To this end, a rotor of the motor 62 drives the wheel 61 through the partition 40. Preferably, the wheel 61 is fixed to the rotor of the motor 62, advantageously without a reduction gear, by means of a drive shaft passing through the partition 40. Under the action of the motor 62, the extracted airflow Fl is circulated by the wheel 61. In practice, the rotor of the motor 62 comprises a shaft, called the "output shaft," which protrudes from the stator of the motor 62 and on which the wheel 61 is directly mounted.

[0069] Preferably, the rotor of the motor 62 is coaxial with the axis of rotation R61 and is therefore parallel or coaxial with the internal diagonal A6. The motor 62 is fixed to the partition 40 by means of a stator of the motor 62. The wheel 61 and the motor 62 are therefore aligned along the axis R61.

[0070] Here too, regardless of the installation configuration chosen, the motor 62 always assumes the same orientation relative to the ground, except for rotation around the axis of rotation R61. Consequently, the mechanical properties are identical regardless of the installation configuration chosen. Furthermore, regardless of the installation configuration, the technical compartment 53 is positioned higher than the bottom of the enclosure 3, reducing the risk of water entering the technical compartment 53, for example, in the event of flooding in the vicinity of the casing 1. This configuration is also advantageous for maintenance and after-sales service.

[0071] Other electrical or electronic components may be located in the technical compartment 53, particularly for controlling the motor 62. The fact that the motor 62 and these components are located in the technical compartment 53 means that the extracted airflow Fl, which does not reach the technical compartment 53, does not come into contact with the motor 62 and these components, and is therefore not likely to damage them by overheating or fouling them. This can help ensure the proper functioning of the enclosure 1 even in the event of a fire. In other words, these characteristics can allow the enclosure 1 to be suitable for smoke extraction. Alternatively, other solutions exist to ensure that the enclosure is still suitable for smoke extraction, for example, designing the motor and / or components to be more heat-resistant or providing a particularly efficient cooling system in the event of a fire.

[0072] To provide access to the motor 62 and the contents of the technical compartment 53 for maintenance purposes, the extraction housing 1 advantageously includes a maintenance opening 22, shown open in [Fig. 5]. The maintenance opening 22 passes through the casing 3 from the outside of the housing 1, opening into the technical compartment 53. The maintenance opening 22 is traversed by the internal diagonal A6. The maintenance opening is delimited by the three secondary faces 20X, 20Y, and 20Z. In other words, the maintenance opening 22 is arranged at the apex 5G of the casing 3. The maintenance opening 22 is formed by a closed contour, consisting of the respective edges of the three secondary faces 20X, 20Y, and 20Z, the closed contour being preferably perpendicular to the internal diagonal A6. The closed contour is preferably generally triangular or hexagonal in shape, as shown in [Fig. 5].The maintenance opening 22 is large enough to allow passage through the motor 62 and the wheel 61, in order to insert and extract them into the housing 3 from the outside via the maintenance opening 22.

[0073] The enclosure 3 advantageously includes a removable cover 23, which, as shown in [Fig. 3], covers the maintenance opening 22 during the use of the housing 1. For this purpose, the removable cover 23 is attached to the rest of the enclosure 3, for example, to the pillars. When the removable cover 23 covers the opening 22, the cover 23 forms the apex 5G of the enclosure 3. The removable cover 23 is removable in that it can be taken off, or opened, as shown in [Fig. 5], so as to expose the maintenance opening 22. Then, the interior of the technical compartment 53 can be accessed from outside the enclosure 3, via the maintenance opening 22.

[0074] Preferably, a support opening 41 is provided through the partition 40. The support opening 41 is traversed by the internal diagonal A6, preferably centered on the internal diagonal A6. The support opening 41 is large enough to allow the wheel 61 to pass through the support opening 41.

[0075] The enclosure 1 also includes a support plate 42, which is fixed to the partition 40, covering the support opening 41 so that the partition 40 effectively separates compartments 52 and 53 during the use of the enclosure 1. The support opening 41 is thus closed by the support plate 42. The support plate 42 then delimits compartments 52 and 53 from each other, by being interposed between them. The support plate 42 is removable from the partition 40, so that it can be separated from the partition 40 to expose the support opening 41 for maintenance of the enclosure 1. The support plate 42 is advantageously configured so that it can be removed from the partition 40 and reattached to the partition 40 by a person from the technical compartment 53.

[0076] The motor 62 is provided to be fixed to the partition 40 by fixing the motor 62 to the support plate 42. The motor 62, the wheel 61 and the support plate 42 then constitute a motor-fan assembly, which, by fixing the plate 42 to the partition 40, is fixed to the partition 40, covering the support opening 4L. When the plate 42 is removed from the partition 40, the motor-fan assembly comes as a single unit, including the motor 62, fixed to the support plate 42, and the wheel 61, connected to the rotor of the motor 62 and / or to the support plate 42 by a bearing. In other words, the support plate 42 is detachable from the partition 40 to allow extraction of the motor-fan assembly out of the casing through the support opening 41, then through the maintenance opening 22, when the removable cover 23 does not cover the maintenance opening 22.For the extraction or insertion of the motor-fan assembly via the openings 22 and 41, the motor 62 is always fixed to the support plate 42 and is always connected to the wheel 61. In case of failure, the motor-fan assembly can be easily replaced with another motor-fan assembly, in order to avoid an excessively long interruption in the use of the housing 1. The defective motor-fan assembly can then be repaired in the workshop.

[0077] Furthermore, positioning the maintenance opening 22 and the cover 23 at the top 5G makes it easy to design the housing 1 so that the maintenance opening 22 is very large, providing easy access to the technical compartment 53 and facilitating the removal and insertion of the motor-fan assembly. Regardless of the installation configuration chosen, the cover 23 and the opening 22 are always oriented towards the top of the enclosure 3, so as to be easily accessible, in particular without having to tilt the housing 1 or access the underside of the housing 1.

[0078] Preferably, the partition 40 and / or the support plate 42, if provided, are advantageously insulated to further improve the capacity of the box to ensure smoke extraction, by thermally separating compartments 52 and 53.

[0079] The casing 3 advantageously includes openings 24 for the intake and exhaust of a cooling airflow F2, separate from the exhaust airflow Fl, circulating between the exterior of the casing 3 and the technical compartment 53 via the openings 24. Preferably, the airflow F2 is circulated by a wheel separate from the wheel 61 and located in the technical compartment 53. For example, the wheel for the flow F2 is an axial fan wheel carried by the rotor of the motor 62, constituting a self-ventilating motor. Alternatively or in addition, a motor-fan independent of the movement of the rotor of the motor 62 may be provided inside the technical compartment 53 to circulate the cooling flow F2. An advantage of this is that this independent motor-fan can operate even when the motor 62 is not running, and independently of the rotational speed of the motor 62.

[0080] Preferably, the housing 1 further comprises a base 15 by means of which the housing 1 rests on a horizontal surface, for example a floor, a roof, or a ground. In the figures, the base 15 is in a first attachment configuration, where the base 15 is attached to the casing 3 by being positioned along the support face 10Z. Preferably, to be attached to the casing 3, the base 15 is fixed to the casing 3 via the pillars. In this attachment configuration of the base 15, the air extraction housing 1 can be installed in the installation configuration where the support face 10Z is facing downwards, the housing 1 then resting on the horizontal surface by means of the base 15, interposed between the horizontal face 10Z and the horizontal surface on which the housing 1 rests.If another installation configuration is envisaged, the base 15 can be detached from the envelope 3, in order to be repositioned along another of the support faces 10X or 10Y and reattached to the envelope 3. These are two other attachment configurations of the base 15, which are distinct from the one shown in the figures. In the second attachment configuration, the base 15 is attached to the casing 3 by being arranged along the face 10X, to allow the installation configuration where the face 10X is facing downwards, the casing 1 resting on the horizontal surface via the base 15. In the third attachment configuration, the base 15 is attached to the casing 3 by being arranged along the face 10Y, to allow the installation configuration where the face 10Y is facing downwards, the casing 1 resting on the horizontal surface via the base 15. As seen in [Fig.[2] The base 15 preferably forms a frame extending along a perimeter of the support face along which the base 15 is arranged. Therefore, if this support face, such as face 10Y, has an entry opening, such as opening 11Y, it is still possible to connect this opening 11Y to a conduit, through the base 15, which frames the entry opening.

[0081] Alternatively, the extraction box 1 can be suspended by means of one or more other support faces, while the downward-facing support face does not necessarily receive a base.

[0082] Alternatively, particularly when there is no technical compartment, the motor 62 can be located outside the enclosure 3 and drive the wheel 61 through the enclosure 3. Depending on the application, the location and arrangement of the motor 62 can be modified, as long as the motor 62 drives the wheel 61 in rotation. Alternatively, particularly when there is no technical compartment, the motor 62 can be located within the compartment 52. In this case, an additional cooling system for the motor 62 is advantageously provided.

[0083] Alternatively, rather than linking the wheel 61 directly to the rotor of the motor 62, it may be provided that the motor 62 drives the wheel 61 via a reducer, such as a pulley-belt transmission, which then advantageously belongs to the motor-fan assembly.

Claims

1. Demands Air extraction unit (1), comprising: • an envelope (3), containing: • a first summit (5A), • a second vertex (5G), opposite the first vertex (5A), the first vertex (5A) and the second vertex (5G) being crossed by an internal diagonal (A6) of the envelope (3), • three support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z), adjacent to each other and to the first vertex (5A), and • three secondary faces (20X, 20Y, 20Z), adjacent to each other and to the second vertex (5G), the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z) and the secondary faces (20X, 20Y, 20Z) being arranged according to a parallelepiped; • a first partition (30), crossed by the internal diagonal (A6) and including an internal opening (31); • an entrance compartment (51), delimited by the envelope (3) and the first partition (30); • an inlet opening (11Y), formed through one of the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z) and opening into the inlet compartment (51), to admit an extracted airflow (Fl) into the inlet compartment (51) via the inlet opening (11Y); • an exit compartment (52), delimited by the envelope (3) and the first partition (30), the first partition (30) being interposed between the entry compartment (51) and the exit compartment (52); • an outlet opening (21Z), formed through one of the secondary faces (20X, 20Y, 20Z) and opening into the outlet compartment (52), to evacuate the extracted airflow (Fl) from the outlet compartment (52) via the outlet opening (21Z); and • a wheel (61), arranged in the exit compartment (52); characterized in that the wheel (61) is rotatable relative to the casing (3) around an axis of rotation (R61), to circulate the extracted airflow (Fl) from the inlet compartment (51) to the outlet compartment (52) via the internal opening (31), the axis of rotation (R61) being parallel to the internal diagonal (A6), or coaxial with the internal diagonal (A6).

2. Air extraction box (1) according to claim 1, in which each support face (10X, 10Y, 10Z) has a respective condensate drain orifice (13X, 13Y, 13Z), opening into the outlet compartment (52).

3. Air extraction box (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first partition (30) is perpendicular to the internal diagonal (A6).

4. Air extraction box (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: • the internal opening (31) is coaxial with the axis of rotation (R61); and • the wheel (61) is a centrifugal wheel, which, when rotated, draws the extracted airflow (Fl) axially through the internal opening (31) and discharges the extracted airflow (Fl) radially into the outlet compartment (52).

5. Air extraction box (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air extraction box (1) comprises: • a second partition (40), through which the internal diagonal (A6) passes, arranged between the first partition (30) and the second vertex (5G); • a technical compartment (53), delimited by the casing (3) and the second partition (40), the second partition (40) being interposed between the technical compartment (53) and the outlet compartment (52); and • a motor (62), disposed in the technical compartment (53) and being connected to the wheel (61) through the second partition (40) to drive the wheel (61) into rotation.

6. Air extraction box (1) according to claim 5, wherein: • the second partition (40) includes a support opening (41), crossed by the internal diagonal (A6); and • a motor-fan assembly, comprising the motor (62), the wheel (61) and a support plate (42), which is fixed to the second partition (40) by covering the support opening (41), the motor (62) being fixed to the second partition (40) by being fixed to the support plate (42), the support plate (42) being detachable from the second partition (40) to allow extraction of the motor-fan assembly out of the envelope (3) through the support opening (41), while the motor (62) is still fixed to the support plate (42) and is still connected to the wheel (61).

7. Air extraction box (1) according to any one of claims 5 or 6, wherein: • the air extraction box (1) includes a maintenance opening (22), passing through the casing (3) and opening into the technical compartment (53), the maintenance opening (22) being traversed by the internal diagonal (A6) and being delimited by the three secondary faces (20X, 20Y, 20Z); and • the envelope (3) includes a removable cover (23), covering the maintenance opening (22) in a removable manner and forming the second vertex (5G) when the cover (23) covers the maintenance opening (22).

8. Air extraction unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a base (15), configured to move between: • a first attachment configuration, in which the base (15) is attached to the envelope (3) by being positioned along a first of the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z); • a second attachment configuration, in which the base (15) is attached to the envelope (3) by being positioned along a second of the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z); and • a third attachment configuration, in which the base (15) is attached to the envelope (3) by being positioned along a third of the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z).

9. Air extraction box (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: • the inlet opening (11Y) is a first inlet opening; and • the air extraction box (1) comprises a second inlet opening, formed through another of the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z) than the support face (10X, 10Y, 10Z) through which the first inlet opening passes, the second inlet opening opening into the inlet compartment (51), to admit the extracted airflow (Fl) into the inlet compartment (51) via the second inlet opening.

10. A method for installing the air extraction unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising selecting an installation configuration for the air extraction unit (1), the installation configuration being selected from: a first installation configuration where one of the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z) is oriented downwards; a second installation configuration where a second of the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z) is oriented downwards; and a third installation configuration where a third of the support faces (10X, 10Y, 10Z) is oriented downwards.

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