Damper device

Abstract

To provide a damper device capable of actuating each damper blade to shift to a closed state even when exposed to a high temperature, and securing fireproof performance.SOLUTION: A damper device minimizes as much as possible a difference for each of other tamper blades 22 about a force transmission distance from one damper blade 21 to the respective other damper blades 22 by setting the one damper blade 21 located in the center of a damper main body 10 or in a position closest to the center as a driving target by a driving unit 30 among a plurality of damper blades disposed in the damper main body 10 and linking the other damper blades 22 to the one damper blade 21 via a connection mechanism unit 40. This makes it less likely to cause a deformation state difference associated with a temperature change per connection position with each of the other damper blades 22 in the connection mechanism unit 40. The influence of force on the other damper blades 22 by this difference is suppressed, making it possible to correctly actuate the other damper blade 22 at fire to surely close the inside of the damper main body 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fire damper device which is disposed in an air-conditioning duct path and closes the duct in the event of a fire to prevent the spread of fire through the duct. [Background technology]

[0002] Fire dampers are used to prevent the spread of flames through air conditioning ducts in the event of a building fire. Fire dampers are installed at the penetration points of ventilation and air conditioning ducts when these ducts pass through fire compartments. When the temperature inside the fire damper connected to the duct rises suddenly due to flames caused by a fire, the fire damper moves the damper blades to automatically close the duct, thereby preventing the spread of flames through the duct. An example of such a conventional fire damper device is disclosed in JP 2020-109333 A. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-109333 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As shown in the above-mentioned patent document, in the case of a conventional fire damper device, in a dangerous situation where the temperature inside the duct rises, such as during a fire, it is required to close the duct by rotating the damper shaft to change the opening / closing blades from an open state to a closed state, thereby preventing flames from heading toward the downstream side of the duct.

[0005] Generally, an automatic closing device operated by a thermal fuse is used as the drive mechanism for moving the blades of such fire dampers, and the blades move automatically when the fuse's melting temperature (e.g., 72°C) is reached. With such fire dampers, it is unavoidable that there will be a certain amount of time when the blades are open and each part of the damper is exposed to high temperatures close to their operating temperature, but even after such a period, the operation related to closing the blades must be able to be performed without problem.

[0006] However, in many conventional fire dampers, the specifications (materials, structure, etc.) approved in fire performance tests for devices with small opening areas were directly applied to products with large opening areas. In other words, some fire damper products with large opening areas have not been approved as meeting fire performance standards through tests in high-temperature environments.

[0007] For these reasons, when large fire dampers are exposed to high temperatures for a certain period of time, the effect of deformation due to heat increases due to their large dimensions, and there is a risk of large deformation occurring in each part of the damper that could affect its operation, which was not anticipated when the opening area is small. If such deformation occurs, the operation related to closing the blades may not be performed, or even if the blades are able to close, gaps may occur between the blades that have been deformed by heat, making it impossible to maintain a proper closed state, and the fire prevention performance may not be met.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a damper device that can operate each damper blade to transition to a closed state even in situations exposed to high temperatures, regardless of the opening area of ​​the damper, thereby ensuring fire prevention performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The damper device according to the disclosure of the present invention includes at least a square cylindrical damper body disposed in a predetermined duct path through which gas flows, a plurality of plate-shaped damper blades disposed inside the damper body so as to be tiltable, and a drive unit that moves the damper blades from the outside of the damper body, and when a temperature rises suddenly inside the damper body, the drive unit tilts the damper blades, causing the inside of the damper body, which was in an open state, to be closed by the damper blades. In this fire damper device, a connecting mechanism part, in which the central axis of tilting of each of the damper blades is oriented at a right angle to two opposing side surfaces of the damper body and the damper blades are arranged in a line in the opposing direction of two other surfaces of the damper body that intersect with the two side surfaces, the drive part is arranged outside one of the two side surfaces of the damper body and is capable of driving one of the damper blades that is located at the center or closest to the center between the other two surfaces of the damper body, and the other damper blades of the damper blades excluding the one damper blade are linked to the one damper blade via the connecting mechanism part.

[0010] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, of the multiple damper blades arranged on the damper body, one damper blade located at or closest to the center of the damper body is set as the damper blade to be driven by the drive unit, and the other damper blades are linked to this one damper blade via the connecting mechanism, so that the difference in the force transmission distance from the one damper blade to each of the other damper blades is made as small as possible, making it difficult for differences in deformation state due to temperature changes at each connection position with the other damper blades in the connecting mechanism to occur, and the effect of such differences in deformation state on the transmission of force to the other damper blades is minimized, the other damper blades can be operated correctly in linkage with the one damper blade, the inside of the damper body can be reliably closed by each damper blade, and the safety function as a fire damper can be performed without any problems.

[0011] In the damper device according to the disclosure of the present invention, the connecting mechanism is connected to each damper blade at a middle position in the central axial direction of the tilting of each damper blade, as necessary.

[0012] As described above, according to the disclosure of the present invention, a connecting mechanism that transmits the force related to the operation of one damper blade to the other damper blades is connected to each damper blade at an intermediate position in the central axial direction of the tilting, and the force applied to the other damper blade via the connecting mechanism is transmitted from the intermediate position of the other damper blade to the end of that damper blade, moving the entire damper blade uniformly. This makes it possible to minimize the difference in the force transmission distance from the input position on the other damper blade where the force is applied to each part of the same damper blade for each part of the damper blade, and when the other damper blade is tilted to the closed state in the event of a fire, etc., the effect of the difference in the deformation state of each part of the damper blade due to temperature change on the transmission of force within the damper blade can be minimized, making it difficult for the damper blade to deform, such as bending or twisting, when tilting, and allowing the damper blades to close smoothly while maintaining contact between the ends of the damper blades in the closed state, thereby reliably performing its function of ensuring safety as a fire damper.

[0013] Furthermore, in the damper device disclosed in the present invention, as necessary, the connecting mechanism portion may include a first connector having one end fixed to the damper blade and capable of tilting together with the tilting damper blade, a second connector having one end tiltably attached to the other end of the first connector, and a rod portion formed of a roughly rod-shaped body and arranged with its longitudinal direction aligned with the arrangement of the damper blades, to which the other ends of the second connectors are respectively attached, connecting the damper blades via the second connector and the first connector, wherein the cross-section of the rod portion perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is rectangular, and the long side direction of the rectangular cross-section is oriented perpendicular to the central axis of tilting of the damper blade.

[0014] As described above, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the connecting mechanism that links the damper blades comprises a first connecting device, a second connecting device, and a rod portion, and the cross-sectional shape of the approximately rod-shaped rod portion that links the damper blades together via the first connecting device and the second connecting device is rectangular and is short in the direction parallel to the central axis of the tilting of the damper blades, and is a generally rod-shaped body with a thickness that varies depending on the direction. This makes the cross-sectional shape of the rod portion thicker in the direction in which bending stress is applied, and when the damper blades are linked and tilted to the closing side by the connecting mechanism, the rod portion is less likely to deform in response to the bending force applied to the rod portion in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of the tilting of the damper blades, and the driving force is reliably transmitted from one damper blade on the driving side to the other damper blade on the driven side to cause the damper blades to tilt, and each damper blade can be smoothly transitioned to the closed state. On the other hand, by reducing the thickness of the rod in the direction where no force is applied while ensuring the necessary strength of the rod, the weight of the rod can be reduced, and the load of the drive unit moving the connecting mechanism can be reduced. Also, by reducing the dimension of the rod in the direction parallel to the central axis of the tilting of the damper blades, the projected area of ​​the rod in the direction in which the gas inside the duct main body passes can be reduced, making it difficult for the rod to become a resistance when gas is allowed to flow inside the duct main body, and reducing the effect of the connecting mechanism on the gas flow under normal conditions.

[0015] Furthermore, if necessary, the damper device disclosed in the present invention may have a tightening piece at the other end of the second connector of the connecting mechanism part so that the distance between the second connector and the rod part in a direction parallel to the long side direction of the rectangular cross section of the rod part can be adjusted, and the second connector is attached to the rod part by narrowing the distance between the second connector and the tightening piece with respect to the rod part arranged between the other end and the tightening piece, so that the rod part is relatively clamped between the second connector and the tightening piece.

[0016] According to the disclosure of the present invention, a fastening piece, the distance between which is adjustable and the second connector is provided at the other end of the second connector, and the rod section is sandwiched between the second connector and the fastening piece in a direction parallel to the long side direction of the rectangular cross section of the rod section. By narrowing the distance between the second connector and the fastening piece, which are arranged to sandwich the rod section, and obtaining a state in which the rod section is relatively sandwiched between them, the second connector is attached to the rod section. Based on the arrangement of the second connector and the fastening piece relative to the rod section after attachment, when the connecting mechanism tilts each damper blade in conjunction with each other to the closing side, a bending force is applied to the rod section from the damper blade side. This bending force acts as a force in a direction that presses the second connector and the fastening piece relatively against each end face on the long side direction side of the rectangular cross section of the rod section, so that the second connector attached to the rod section is less likely to slip relative to the rod section, and the state in which the driving force is transmitted between the damper blades via the connecting mechanism can be reliably maintained. Furthermore, by adjusting the relative positions of the second connector and the tightening piece so that they clamp the rod portion relative to one another, the second connector can be attached to the rod portion, which enables simple attachment without relying on welding, etc., making manufacturing easier and reducing costs.

[0017] Furthermore, in the damper device disclosed in the present invention, as necessary, the drive unit is disposed to the side of one of the damper blades on one of the side surfaces of the damper body, and an inspection port which is an opening leading to the inside of the damper body is provided on the one of the side surfaces of the damper body near a position which is the center between the other two sides and at a predetermined position which is near the drive unit.

[0018] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, by providing the inspection port of the damper body near the drive unit located to the side of one of the damper blades and near the center of one of the side surfaces of the damper body, and concentrating the drive unit and the inspection port in the center of one of the side surfaces, the drive unit and the inspection port, which require processing of the damper body when they are installed, are concentrated in the center of one of the side surfaces of the damper body, and the structure of the damper body can be simplified. This makes it easier to ensure the strength of the damper body and also facilitates manufacture, leading to cost reduction. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a damper device according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a normally open state. [Diagram 2] 1 is a side view of a damper device according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a normally open state. [Diagram 3] 1 is a side view of a damper device according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. [Figure 4] 2 is a plan view of a main part of a connecting mechanism in the damper device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a side view of a main part of a connecting mechanism in the damper device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 3 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a damper blade is attached to a shaft portion in the damper device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] 5A to 5C are explanatory views of a state in which damper blades are linked by a connecting mechanism in the damper device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a front view of a damper device according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a normally open state. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a side view of a damper device according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a normally open state. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a front view of a damper device according to a third embodiment of the present invention in a normally open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] (First embodiment of the present invention) A damper device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7. In this embodiment, an example of a device that is provided at a penetration part of a fire compartment in an air-conditioning duct path and used as a fire damper will be described.

[0021] In the above figures, the damper device 1 of this embodiment comprises a square cylindrical damper body 10 arranged in a duct path through which conditioned air circulates, a plurality of plate-shaped damper blades 21, 22 arranged inside the damper body 10 so as to be tiltable, a drive unit 30 that moves the damper blades 21, 22 from the outside of the damper body 10, and a connecting mechanism unit 40 that is arranged inside the damper body 10 and connected to each of the damper blades 21, 22 while maintaining the tiltable state of each of the damper blades 21, 22.

[0022] The damper device 1 according to this embodiment is a fire damper that is installed in a duct 60 that penetrates a fire compartment in a space such as above the ceiling or behind a wall, and that automatically closes in conjunction with a thermal fuse when the temperature rises suddenly due to a fire. More specifically, when the temperature inside the damper body 10 connected to the duct 60 rises suddenly due to a flame or the like caused by a fire, and the thermal fuse 35 in the drive unit 30 equipped with the thermal fuse melts, the drive unit 30 tilts the damper blades 21 and 22, and the inside of the damper body 10 that was in an open state is closed by the damper blades 21 and 22. The function of this fire damper is the same as that of a known fire damper that is automatically closed in conjunction with a thermal fuse, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0023] For the sake of convenience, the damper device 1 is assumed to have a cylinder continuous direction in the damper body 10 and a direction in which gas passes horizontally (sideways), and the direction corresponding to the cylinder continuous direction of the damper body 10, which is a substantially rectangular cylinder, is referred to as the front-rear direction of the damper device 1, the direction corresponding to the opposing direction of the two side surfaces of the damper body 10 is referred to as the left-right direction of the damper device 1, and the direction corresponding to the opposing direction of the other two sides of the damper body that intersect with the two side surfaces of the damper body 10 is referred to as the up-down direction of the damper device 1, regardless of the orientation of each direction in an actual installation state in a ceiling or behind a wall. The upstream side of the damper body 10 in a gas passing state is referred to as the front, and the up-down and left-right directions of the damper device 1 correspond to the up-down and left-right directions when the damper body 10 is viewed from the front.

[0024] The damper body 10 is a roughly rectangular cylindrical body made of metal, and when arranged horizontally as shown in Figures 1 to 3, it has two opposing side surfaces 11, 12 and two other surfaces that intersect with these two side surfaces 11, i.e., an upper surface 13 and a lower surface 14.

[0025] This damper body 10 has flanges formed around the openings at both ends to enable connection to a duct, etc., and is connected to a duct, etc., and disposed within a duct path for conditioned air to circulate the conditioned air.

[0026] The damper body 10 has a configuration in which a plurality of damper blades 21, 22 are disposed inside thereof so as to be tiltable, and a connecting mechanism portion 40 connected to each of the damper blades 21, 22 is also disposed therein.

[0027] The damper body 10 is provided with a bearing base portion 15 on the inside of the two side surfaces 11, 12. The bearing base portion 15 is continuous in the vertical direction along the inner surfaces of the two side surfaces 11, 12, and supports a portion of both ends of each of the damper blades 21, 22, thereby allowing each of the damper blades 21, 22 to tilt. Further, a drive unit 30 for moving the damper blades 21, 22 is fixedly disposed on the outer side of one side surface 11 of the two side surfaces of the damper body 10.

[0028] The damper body 10 has an assembled structure in which two side surfaces 11, 12 and the other two plate-like parts that form the other surfaces are mainly screwed together to form a cylindrical shape, but the structure takes into consideration deformation (thermal expansion) due to temperature changes in situations where the temperature rises rapidly during a fire, and even if deformation occurs due to temperature changes, the damper body can maintain its shape and the movable function of the movable parts and the performance of preventing air leakage to the outside.

[0029] In the case where the dimensions of the damper body 10 are small and it is expected that the influence of deformation due to temperature changes during a fire will be small, the damper body 10 and the parts such as the bearing base 15 provided inside the damper body 10 can be joined by screws or swaging to reduce the number of manufacturing steps.

[0030] On the other hand, when the dimensions of the damper body 10 are large and it is expected that the influence of deformation due to temperature changes during a fire will be relatively large, welding such as spot welding is used for the joints between the damper body 10 and the parts installed inside it, so that the joining force is large enough to withstand the stress generated at the joints due to temperature changes and the joined state can be maintained.

[0031] In addition, the damper body 10 is configured to have an inspection port 17, which is an opening leading to the inside of the damper body 10, provided on one of its side surfaces 11, near the center between the upper and lower surfaces as the other two surfaces, i.e., the position corresponding to the center in the vertical direction, and at a predetermined position near the drive unit 30.

[0032] The inspection port 17 is an opening that combines the internal space of a cylindrical body that is attached to one side 11 of the damper body 10 so as to protrude outward from the damper body 10, and a through hole that is provided at a predetermined location on the outer periphery of one side 11 facing the internal space of the cylindrical body. A cover portion 18 that covers the inspection port 17 from the outside is removably attached to the outside of the damper body 10. The cover portion 18 covers the end of the cylindrical body around the inspection port 17.

[0033] During inspection, the cover portion 18 is temporarily removed, and the condition of the damper blades 21, 22 located inside the damper body 10 can be checked from outside the damper body 10 through the inspection port 17.

[0034] The damper blades 21, 22 are formed of a thin rectangular metal plate with a round rod-shaped shaft 25 integrally attached to the center, and are arranged in multiple numbers inside the damper body 10 so that they can tilt with the shaft 25 as the central axis of tilting.

[0035] The central axis of tilt of each damper blade 21, 22 is oriented at a right angle to the two side surfaces 11, 12 of the damper body 10, and the blades are arranged at equal intervals in the opposing directions of the other two surfaces, the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14, of the damper body 11. In other words, the damper blades 21, 22 are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction with the central axis of tilt oriented horizontally relative to the damper body 10.

[0036] Each damper vane 21, 22 is arranged so as to be tiltable relative to the damper body 10 by positioning both longitudinal ends near the two side surfaces 11, 12 of the damper body 10 and supporting both ends of the shaft portion 25 by bearing mount portions 15 provided along the side surfaces 11, 12.

[0037] When the damper body 10 is closed by the damper vanes 21, 22, the damper vanes 21, 22 tilt until they are approximately perpendicular to the cylinder continuing direction of the damper body 10. In this state in which the damper vanes 21, 22 tilt until the inside of the damper body 10 is closed, the ends of the long sides of the rectangular plate-like bodies constituting the damper vanes 21, 22 come into contact with the ends of other damper vanes 21, 22 or the inner surfaces of the upper and lower faces of the damper body 10.

[0038] Among the outer periphery of the damper blades 21 and 22, a predetermined range of the end of the long side parallel to the shaft portion 25 (the central axis of tilting) is bent to increase its strength (see Figs. 2, 3, and 5). When the damper blades 21 and 22 tilt to a position where they close the inside of the damper body 10, the end of the long side comes into contact with the end of the long side of another damper blade. This prevents a gap from being generated between the damper blades 21 and 22 when the damper body 10 is closed by the damper blades 21 and 22, making it difficult for gas to leak between the damper blades 21 and 22. In other words, when the damper blades 21 and 22 are closed in the event of a fire, high-temperature gas, flames, etc. can be prevented from reaching the downstream side of the damper blades 21 and 22.

[0039] The damper blades 21, 22 are provided with plate-shaped blade holders 24 stacked on both ends in the longitudinal direction. The shaft portion 25 is sandwiched between the damper blades 21, 22 and the blade holder 24, and then the blade holder 24 is fixed integrally to the damper blades 21, 22 by screws, so that the shaft portion 25 can be attached to the damper blades 21, 22.

[0040] The blade holder 24 is formed with its central portion protruding in a convex shape, and is fixed to the damper blades 21, 22 with this central portion engaged with a groove 25a provided in the shaft portion 25 (see FIG. 6). As a result, the blade holder 24 and the damper blades 21, 22 are restrained in a state in which they cannot rotate relative to the shaft portion 25. Due to this restraint, the damper blades 21, 22 can tilt integrally with the shaft portion 25 with respect to the damper body 10.

[0041] The damper vanes 21, 22 and the blade holder 24 clamp and restrain the shaft portion 25, not allowing relative rotation of the damper vanes 21, 22 with respect to the shaft portion 25. However, the axial movement of the shaft portion 25 relative to the damper vanes 21, 22 is not completely restrained. Therefore, if there is a difference in the degree of deformation of the shaft portion 25 and the damper vanes 21, 22 due to temperature change, relative deformation in the axial direction of the shaft portion 25 with respect to the damper vanes 21, 22 is permitted, thereby suppressing the generation of stress.

[0042] On the other hand, if the shaft and damper blades are completely integrated by welding or the like, if stress is generated due to temperature changes and leads to damage to the welded points, the damper blades will be released from their restraint on the shaft and will not be able to be in the correct position to close the damper body when they should, preventing the closed state from being achieved, and there is a risk that the fire protection performance will not be properly achieved.

[0043] The total number of the damper blades 21, 22 may be either an odd number or an even number, but it is necessary that the damper blades contact each other and the upper and lower surfaces of the damper body 10 without any gaps when the inside of the damper body 10 is closed. For this reason, the number and size of the damper blades are set appropriately based on the vertical dimension of the damper body 10, and the distances between the upper and lower damper blades and the upper and lower surfaces of the damper body 10, and the distances between the damper blades themselves are determined accordingly. Regardless of whether the total number of the damper blades 21, 22 is an odd number or an even number, the damper blades are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction inside the damper body 10.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, when the total number of damper blades 21, 22 is an even number, one of the damper blades will be located at the center between the other two surfaces, the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14, of the damper body 10, i.e., at a position slightly above or below the center of the damper body 10 in the vertical direction.

[0045] When the total number of damper blades 21, 22 is an even number, the damper blade located above and closest to the center in the vertical direction of the damper body 10 is one damper blade 21 that can be driven by the drive unit 30. The remaining damper blades other than the one damper blade 21 are other damper blades 22.

[0046] Thus, the damper blades are broadly divided into one damper blade 21 which is located near the vertical center of the damper body 10 and is actuated by the driving force of the drive unit 30 to tilt relative to the damper body 10, and the remaining damper blades 22 which are connected to this one damper blade 21 via the connecting mechanism unit 40 and tilt relative to the damper body 10 in conjunction with the operation of the one damper blade 21.

[0047] By arranging this one damper blade 21 and the other damper blade 22 which is linked to it, the entire damper blade can tilt with respect to the damper body 10, thereby closing off the inside of the damper body 10.

[0048] The drive unit 30 for actuating one damper blade 21 is disposed on the outer side of one side surface 11 of the damper body 10 at a location on the side of one damper blade 21 . In detail, when the total number of damper blades arranged inside the damper body 10 is an even number, in response to one damper blade 21 arranged in a position adjacent to and above the midpoint in the vertical direction of the damper body 10, the drive unit 30 that operates it is also arranged in a position adjacent to and above the midpoint in the vertical direction on one side 11.

[0049] By arranging one damper blade 21 near the middle position in the vertical direction of the damper body, the difference in the force transmission path to each of the other damper blades 22 via the connecting mechanism part 40 can be made smaller for each of the other damper blades compared to when one damper blade is provided in a different position.

[0050] Specifically, if one damper blade is located near one of the upper and lower ends of the damper body 10, the relative distance between the first damper blade and the other damper blade located farthest from the first damper blade increases to a value close to the upper and lower dimensions of the damper body. When the relative distance between the first damper blade and the other damper blades increases in this way, the intermediate mechanism (connecting mechanism part) that connects the damper blades to each other so that they can be interlocked also becomes larger, and the degree of deformation due to temperature changes and its influence become larger than in the case of an intermediate mechanism between the first damper blade and the other damper blades located close to it. Due to such a difference, when the first damper blade is activated in the event of a fire, etc., the movement of the other damper blades that should be interlocked will be different, and it may result in a situation where the closing cannot be performed properly.

[0051] In contrast, in the damper device of this embodiment, one of the damper blades 21 to be driven is disposed near the middle position in the vertical direction of the damper body 10, and the difference in the force transmission path from one damper blade 21 to the other damper blades 22 for each of the other damper blades is made as small as possible.

[0052] In particular, the relative distance between the first damper blade 21 and the other damper blades 22 near the upper and lower ends of the damper body 10 does not exceed 1 / 2 of the vertical dimension of the duct body 10, and the difference in the force transmission path between the first damper blade 21 and the other damper blades 22 near the vertical center position is reduced. These points indicate that the difference in the deformation state due to the temperature change at each connection position with the other damper blades 22 in the connection mechanism 40 is less likely to occur, and the influence of such a difference in the deformation state on the transmission of force to the other damper blades 22 via the connection mechanism 40 can be minimized. In this way, the transmission of force from the first damper blade 21 to the other damper blades 22 via the connection mechanism 40 allows the other damper blades 22 to operate correctly in conjunction with the first damper blade 21, and the inside of the damper body 10 can be reliably closed by the damper blades 21 and 22.

[0053] The drive unit 30 is disposed on the outside of one side surface 11 of the damper body 10, to the side of one damper blade 21 that is located at the top and closest to the center between the other two surfaces, the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14, of the damper body 10, and is connected to the shaft portion 25 of the one damper blade 21, so as to be capable of driving the one damper blade 21.

[0054] This drive unit 30 applies torque to the shaft 25 of the connected one damper blade 21 to drive the one damper blade 21 in response to the melting of the thermal fuse 35 located inside the damper body 10, thereby tilting the one damper blade 21 to the closing side. The mechanism in the drive unit 30 for driving the one damper blade 21 is similar to a mechanism used in known fire dampers, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0055] The drive unit 30 is located to the side of one of the damper blades 21 to be driven and is provided near the upper side of the vertical center position of one side 11 of the damper body 10, so that it is also located near the inspection port 17 of the damper body 10.

[0056] In this way, by concentrating the drive unit 30 and the inspection port 17, which require processing of the damper body 10 when they are installed, in the center of one of the sides 11, the structure of the damper body 10 can be simplified, making it easier to ensure the strength of the damper body 10 and facilitating manufacture, leading to cost reduction.

[0057] The connecting mechanism 40 is disposed inside the damper body 10 and is connected to one damper blade 21 and the other damper blade 22, and tilts the one damper blade 21 and the other damper blade 22 driven by the drive unit 30 in conjunction with each other while maintaining each damper blade 21, 22 in a tiltable state and in a predetermined restrained state.

[0058] The connecting mechanism 40 comprises a plurality of first connectors 41 each having one end fixed to the damper blades 21, 22 and capable of tilting together with each of the tilting damper blades 21, 22, a plurality of second connectors 42 each having one end tiltably attached to the other end of the first connectors 41, and a substantially rod-shaped rod portion 43 each having the other end of each second connector 42 attached thereto and connecting each of the damper blades 21, 22 together via the second connectors 42 and the first connectors 41.

[0059] The first connector 41 of the connecting mechanism 40 is connected to each of the damper blades 21, 22 at a middle position in the central axis direction of the tilting of each of the damper blades 21, 22.

[0060] By connecting the connecting mechanism 40 to each damper blade 21, 22 at an intermediate position in the central axis direction of their tilting, the difference in the force transmission distance between each part of the same damper blade 22, starting from the input position where force is applied from the connecting mechanism 40 on the other damper blade 22, is minimized for each part of the damper blade 22. This is to prevent a situation in which the force transmission distance from the input position on the damper blade 22 to one end in the longitudinal direction and the force transmission distance from the input position to the other end in the longitudinal direction differ significantly, as occurs when the connecting mechanism 40 is connected near one end in the longitudinal direction of the damper blade 22, for example.

[0061] In this way, by reducing the difference in the force transmission distance from the connecting mechanism part 40 to each part of the damper blade 22 for each part of the damper blade 22, when other damper blades 22 are tilted to the closed state in the event of a fire, etc., the effect of the difference in the deformation state of each part of the damper blade 22 due to temperature changes on the force transmission within the damper blade 22 is minimized, making it less likely for the damper blade 22 to deform, such as bending or twisting, when tilted, and making it possible for each damper blade 21, 22 to effortlessly achieve the closed state.

[0062] One end of the first connector 41 is attached to a middle position in the central axis direction of the tilting of each damper blade 21, 22, and is fixedly disposed in an upright state relative to the damper blades 21, 22. The other end of the first connector 41 serves as a connection part with one end of the second connector 42, and is disposed away from the damper blades 21, 22.

[0063] The second connector 42 has one end attached to the other end of the first connector 41 so as to be able to tilt relative to the first connector 41, while the other end is attached and fixed to the rod portion 43 so as to move integrally with the rod portion 43 relative to the damper blades 21, 22 and the first connector 41.

[0064] A tightening piece 45 is provided at the other end of the second connector 42, whose relative positional relationship with the second connector 42 can be adjusted, and the rod portion 43 can be relatively clamped between this tightening piece 45 and the other end of the second connector 42.

[0065] The rod portion 43 is formed of an approximately rod-shaped body and is arranged with its longitudinal direction aligned with the arrangement direction of each of the damper blades. The other end of each of the second connectors 42 is attached to the rod portion 43, thereby connecting each of the damper blades 21, 22 via the second connector 42 and the first connector 41.

[0066] The rod portion 43 has a rectangular cross section perpendicular to its longitudinal direction. The long side of the rectangular cross section of the rod portion 43 is perpendicular to the central axis of the tilting of the damper blades 21, 22. The rectangular cross section of the rod portion 43 has a shape in which the length of the long side is significantly longer than the length of the short side, for example, five times or more longer than the length of the short side.

[0067] The fastening piece 45 provided at the other end of the second connector 42 for this rod portion is capable of adjusting the distance between the second connector 42 and the rod portion 43 in a direction parallel to the long side of the rectangular cross section of the rod portion 43.

[0068] The second connector 42 is attached to the rod portion 43 by narrowing the gap between the second connector 42 and the tightening piece 45, with the rod portion 43 being positioned between the other end and the tightening piece 45, so that the second connector 42 and the tightening piece 45 relatively clamp the rod portion 43 in the direction of the long side of its rectangular cross section.

[0069] In the connecting mechanism 40, the distance from the tilting center position at one end of the second connecting device 42 corresponding to a given damper blade to the tilting center of that damper blade is the same regardless of the type or position of the damper blades 21, 22.

[0070] In addition, the distance between the tilting center positions at one end of the corresponding second connector 42 for a given damper blade and another adjacent damper blade is the same as the distance between the tilting centers of the given damper blade and another adjacent damper blade, and the relationship between the tilting center positions of the second connectors 42 and the tilting centers of the damper blades is the same regardless of the type or position of the damper blades 21, 22.

[0071] These points indicate that the connecting mechanism 40 constitutes a parallel crank mechanism in which the damper body 10, on which the tilting center of each damper blade 21, 22 is located, serves as the stationary joint, one damper blade 21 and the first connector 41 integral with it serve as the driving joint, the rod 43 and each second connector 42 integral with it serve as the intermediate joint, and the other damper blades 22 and the first connector 41 integral with it serve as the driven joint.

[0072] As a result, when one damper blade 21 is tilted relative to the damper body 10 by being driven by the drive unit 30, the first connector 41 integral with it also tilts, and this movement is transmitted to the second connector 42 and rod unit 43, and based on the link relationship of the parallel crank mechanism, the second connector 42 and rod unit 43, which are intermediate links, move in parallel without changing their orientation. As the rod unit 43 moves, the second connectors 42 which are integral with it and correspond to the other damper blades 22 also move, and the first connector 41 and the other damper blades 22, which are follower links connected to it, each tilt relative to the damper body 10.

[0073] In this state in which each damper blade 21, 22 is tilted in conjunction with the connecting mechanism 40, due to the arrangement of the second connecting device 42 and the tightening piece 45 located in the long side direction of the rectangular cross section of the rod portion 43, when a force attempting to move the rod portion 43 is transmitted from the second connecting device 42 corresponding to one damper blade 21 to the rod portion 43 on the driving side, a force attempting to bend the rod portion 43 is applied from the second connecting device 42 and the tightening piece 45 side.

[0074] Furthermore, on the driven side, when a force attempting to move the second connector 42 corresponding to the other damper blade 22 is transmitted from the rod portion 43 to the second connector 42, a reaction force attempting to bend the rod portion 43 is relatively applied from the second connector 42 and the tightening piece 45 which attempt to maintain their original state (see Figure 7).

[0075] Such a force tending to bend the rod portion 43 acts as a force in a direction relatively pressing the second connector 42 and the fastening piece 45 against each end face on the long side direction side of the rectangular cross section of the rod portion 43, so that the second connector 42 attached to the rod portion 43 is unlikely to slip off from the rod portion 43, and the state in which the driving force is transmitted between the damper blades 21, 22 via the connecting mechanism portion 40 can be reliably maintained. In addition, by adjusting the relative positional relationship between the second connector 42 and the fastening piece 45 so that the rod portion 43 is relatively sandwiched between them, the second connector 42 can be attached to the rod portion 43, which realizes simple attachment without welding or the like, facilitates manufacturing, and reduces costs.

[0076] Next, the operation state of the damper device based on the above-mentioned configuration will be described. As a premise, the damper device has a structure that automatically closes in conjunction with a thermal fuse, and automatically closes when the temperature rises suddenly due to a fire, which is the same as a known fire damper.

[0077] The damper device 1, which is provided at the portion where the air conditioning duct penetrates the fire compartment, is normally maintained in an open state with the damper vanes 21, 22 oriented approximately parallel to the tube continuing direction of the damper body 10, as in the case of a conventional fire damper, so that conditioned air passes through the inside of the damper body 10.

[0078] In the damper device 1, when the temperature inside the damper body 10 communicating with the duct 60 rises suddenly due to the intrusion of flames caused by a fire or the like and reaches the melting temperature (e.g., 72°C) of the thermal fuse 35 provided inside the damper body 10 as part of the drive unit 30, the thermal fuse 35 melts. When the thermal fuse 35 melts, the drive unit 30 starts up and applies torque to the shaft 25 of one damper blade 21 to rotate it, thereby tilting the one damper blade 21 integrated with the shaft 25.

[0079] When one damper blade 21 is tilted relative to the damper body 10 by the drive unit 30, the other damper blade 22 also tilts in conjunction with the one damper blade 21 via the connecting mechanism unit 40. In this way, the damper blades 21, 22 automatically tilt from the initial open state, and change to a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the cylinder connection direction of the damper body 10. Then, the tilted damper blades 21, 22 bring the ends of their long sides into contact with the ends of other damper blades 21, 22 or the inner surfaces of the upper and lower surfaces of the damper body 10.

[0080] As a result, the damper blades 21, 22 are in a closed state with almost no gaps inside the damper body 10, and high-temperature gas, flames, etc. can be prevented from reaching the duct path downstream of the damper device 1.

[0081] In the damper device 1, as the temperature rises inside the damper body 10, deformation occurs in each part due to temperature change, but by providing appropriate structures for the damper blades 21, 22 and the interlocking mechanism 40, there is no significant difference in the degree of deformation caused by temperature change in each part of the device, and the relationships between the parts are maintained the same as before the temperature change, making it possible to avoid a situation in which differences occur in the movements of the damper blades 21, 22. As a result, the damper blades 21, 22 can be tilted to the closed state without any problems, and the closed state can be appropriately maintained.

[0082] As described above, in the damper device according to this embodiment, among the multiple damper blades 21, 22 arranged in the damper body 10, the one damper blade 21 located closest to the center of the damper body 10 is set as the damper blade to be driven by the drive unit 30, and the other damper blades 22 are linked to this one damper blade 21 via the connecting mechanism unit 40. Therefore, the difference in the force transmission distance from the one damper blade 21 to each of the other damper blades 22 is made as small as possible, making it difficult for differences in deformation state due to temperature changes at each connecting position with the other damper blades 22 in the connecting mechanism unit 40 to occur, and the effect of such differences in deformation state on the transmission of force to the other damper blades 22 is minimized. The other damper blades 22 can be properly operated in conjunction with the one damper blade 21, and the inside of the damper body 10 can be reliably closed by each damper blade 21, so that the fire damper can perform its safety function without any problems.

[0083] In the damper device according to the above embodiment, the damper body 10 is configured to be installed horizontally, but this is not limited to this. In order to accommodate a case in which the duct path to be installed is continuous vertically, the damper body can also be configured to be installed vertically with the cylinder continuation direction of the damper body being the vertical direction.

[0084] In this case, the damper body has four side surfaces surrounding the cylinder space from the front, back, left and right. That is, for each of the two opposing side surfaces of the damper body, the two surfaces that intersect with these two side surfaces are different from the two side surfaces.

[0085] In addition, in the damper device according to the embodiment, the connecting mechanism 40 includes the first connector 41, the second connector 42, and the rod 43, but the present invention is not limited to this and may have another configuration. For example, the connecting mechanism may be one in which the second connector is omitted, specifically, one in which the other end of the first connector is directly attached to the rod so as to be tiltable. In addition, another connecting mechanism may be one in which the first connector is omitted, specifically, one in which one end of the second connector is directly attached to the damper blade so as to be tiltable.

[0086] (Second embodiment of the present invention) In the damper device according to the first embodiment, the total number of damper vanes 21, 22 arranged in a vertical direction within the damper body 10 is set to an even number. Alternatively, as a second embodiment, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the total number of damper vanes 21, 22 can be set to an odd number.

[0087] When the total number of damper blades 21, 22 is an odd number, one of them will be located exactly at the center between the other two surfaces, the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14, of the damper body 10, i.e., at the center of the damper body 10 in the vertical direction.

[0088] The damper blade located at the center of the damper body 10 in the vertical direction is one damper blade 21. Similarly to the first embodiment, the remaining damper blades other than the one damper blade 21 are other damper blades 22.

[0089] In this way, the damper blades are broadly divided into one damper blade 21 that is located in the vertical center of the damper body 10 and is operated by the driving force of the drive unit 30 to tilt relative to the damper body 10, and the remaining damper blades 22 that are connected to this one damper blade 21 via the connecting mechanism unit 40 and tilt relative to the damper body 10 in a linked manner in response to the operation of the one damper blade 21.

[0090] By disposing one damper blade 21 at the vertical middle position of the damper body, it is possible to minimize the difference between the other damper blades 22 in the force transmission path via the connecting mechanism 40 to each of the other damper blades 22, as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the force transmission from one damper blade 21 to the other damper blades 22 via the connecting mechanism 40 can be made less susceptible to the effect of the difference in deformation caused by temperature change between the other damper blades 22, and all of the other damper blades 22 can be tilted in the same way as the one damper blade 21 without difficulty.

[0091] The driving unit 30 is disposed on the outside of one side surface 11 of the damper body 10, to the side of one damper blade 21 located at the center between the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14, which are the other two surfaces of the damper body 10, and is connected to the shaft portion 25 of the one damper blade 21 so as to be capable of driving the one damper blade 21. In other words, the driving unit 30 is disposed at the center in the vertical direction on the outside of the one side surface 11 of the damper body 10, in a shape corresponding to the one damper blade 21 located at the center in the vertical direction of the damper body 10.

[0092] The drive unit 30 is located to the side of one of the damper blades 21 to be driven and is provided at the central position in the vertical direction on one side 11 of the damper body 10, so that it is located in the vicinity of the inspection port 17 of the damper body 10, as in the first embodiment.

[0093] In this way, even when the total number of damper blades 21, 22 arranged in the damper body 10 is an odd number and one damper blade 21 located at the center of the damper body 10 is set as the damper blade to be driven by the drive unit 30, as in the first embodiment, the difference in the force transmission distance from one damper blade 21 to the other damper blades 22 that move following it is made as small as possible for each of the other damper blades 22, and differences in the deformation state due to temperature changes for each damper blade 22 are less likely to occur in the transmission of force from one damper blade 21 to the other damper blades 22 via the connecting mechanism unit 40. This minimizes the effect of deformation of each part of the damper device due to temperature changes on the operation of the damper blades 21, 22, allowing the damper body 10 to be reliably closed and the safety function as a fire damper to be performed without any problems.

[0094] (Third embodiment of the present invention) In the damper device according to the first embodiment, the opening of the damper body 10 is vertically rectangular, and the multiple damper blades 21, 22 are arranged in a row at equal intervals within the damper body 10. However, as a third embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, the opening of the damper body 10 can be horizontally rectangular, and the multiple damper blades 21, 22 can be arranged in multiple rows at equal intervals within the damper body 10.

[0095] When the width dimension of the damper body 10 is increased to accommodate a horizontally elongated duct shape, if the damper blades 21, 22 are also increased horizontally, it is expected that the effect of deformation (thermal expansion) due to temperature changes in the longitudinal direction of the damper blades will become greater.

[0096] In contrast, in the damper device according to this embodiment, intermediate supports 19 are erected parallel to the two side surfaces 11, 12 at one or more locations in the lateral middle part of the damper body 10, and damper vanes 21, 22 are arranged in multiple rows between the side surfaces 11, 12 and the intermediate supports 19. If multiple intermediate supports are provided, damper vanes 21, 22 will also be arranged between two adjacent intermediate supports.

[0097] In this way, by using the intermediate support 19 in combination to arrange the damper blades 21, 22 horizontally into multiple parts inside the damper body 10 and keeping the size of each damper blade within a range in which the degree of deformation due to temperature change is small (for example, less than 800 mm), the effect that deformation of each damper blade 21, 22 due to temperature change has on the operation of each damper blade 21, 22 and their relative positions is minimized, the damper blades 21, 22 can be tilted without difficulty, and the tilted damper blades 21, 22 can reliably close the inside of the damper body 10, allowing the safety function of the fire damper to be performed without any problems.

[0098] In this manner, even when the damper vanes 21, 22 are arranged in multiple rows within the damper body 10, the connecting mechanism part 40 is connected to each damper vane 21, 22 in each row at a midpoint in the central axial direction of the tilting of each damper vane 21, 22, as in the first embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1 Damper device 10 Damper body 11, 12 Side 13 Top side 14 Bottom side 15 Bearing stand 17 Inspection entrance 18 Cover part 19 Intermediate support 21, 22 Damper blade 24 Feather Holder 25 Shaft 25a Groove 30 Drive unit 35 Thermal fuse 40 Connection mechanism section 41 First connector 42 Second connector 43 Rod section 45 Fastening piece 60 Duct

Claims

1. A fire damper device comprising at least a square cylindrical damper body disposed in a predetermined duct path through which gas flows, a plurality of plate-shaped damper blades disposed inside the damper body so as to be tiltable, and a drive unit that moves the damper blades from outside the damper body, wherein when a temperature rises suddenly inside the damper body, the drive unit tilts the damper blades, causing the damper blades to close the inside of the damper body that was in an open state, a connecting mechanism portion that is connected to each damper blade while maintaining the tiltable state of each damper blade and is disposed inside the damper body, The damper blades are arranged such that a central axis of tilt is perpendicular to two opposing side surfaces of the damper body, and are arranged in a line in a direction opposite to the other two surfaces of the damper body that intersect with the two side surfaces, the drive unit is disposed on the outside of one of the two side surfaces of the damper body so as to be capable of driving one of the damper blades that is located at the center or closest to the center between the other two sides of the damper body, Among the damper blades, the other damper blades except for the one damper blade are interlocked with the one damper blade via the connecting mechanism portion. A damper device comprising:

2. The damper device according to claim 1, The connecting mechanism is connected to each damper blade at a middle position in the central axis direction of the tilting of each damper blade. A damper device comprising:

3. The damper device according to claim 1, The connecting mechanism is A first connector having one end fixed to the damper blade and capable of tilting together with the tilting damper blade; A second connector having one end tiltably attached to the other end of the first connector; a rod portion formed of a generally rod-shaped body, arranged such that a longitudinal direction of the rod portion corresponds to a direction in which the damper blades are arranged, and to which the other end portions of the second connectors are attached, thereby connecting the damper blades to each other via the second connectors and the first connectors; The cross section of the rod portion perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is rectangular, and the long side direction of the rectangular cross section is oriented perpendicular to the central axis of tilting of the damper blade. A damper device comprising:

4. The damper device according to claim 3, A tightening piece is provided at the other end of the second connector of the connecting mechanism portion so that the distance between the second connector and the other end of the second connector in a direction parallel to the long side direction of the rectangular cross section of the rod portion can be adjusted. The second connector is attached to the rod portion by narrowing the gap between the second connector and the fastening piece, so that the rod portion is relatively sandwiched between the second connector and the fastening piece. A damper device comprising:

5. The damper device according to claim 1, The drive portion is disposed to the side of the one damper blade on the one side surface of the damper body, An inspection port, which is an opening leading to the inside of the damper body, is provided in the one side surface of the damper body near a position corresponding to the center between the other two surfaces and in a predetermined position near the drive unit. A damper device comprising:

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