Damper device

Abstract

To provide a damper device that can make a damper blade transition to a closed state to secure fire prevention performance regardless of the opening area of the damper even when the damper blade gets deformed under high temperature.SOLUTION: A damper blade 20 provided inside a damper body 10 in a tiltable manner is arranged between two projections 11, 12. By setting an appropriate positional relationship between the projections 11, 12 and the damper blade 20, even when deformations due to temperature change occur differently in the damper body 10 and the damper blade 20, the direction of deformation of the damper blade 20 is made relatively closer to the projections 11, 12 at a position of the damper blade 20 after a tilting corresponding to the closed state. This can prevent expansion of a gap between the damper blade 20 and the projections 11, 12 in the closed state after the deformation due to temperature change. The damper blade 20 can be appropriately brought into contact with the projections 11, 12 in the closed state, which can reliably close the inside of the damper body 10 with the damper blade 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

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 a damper structure used in such a conventional fire damper is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-3231. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Publication No. 7-3231 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described in the above-mentioned patent document, the conventional damper device had a mechanism in which an annular ridge that bulged inward was formed around the entire inner surface of a circular duct, and the closed state was achieved by pressing the peripheral edge of a tilted blade against this ridge.

[0005] Fire dampers using this type of damper structure are required to close the duct in dangerous situations such as during a fire when the temperature inside the duct rises, by rotating the shaft to change the blades from an open state to a closed state, thereby preventing flames from heading downstream of the duct.

[0006] Generally, an automatic closing device operated by a thermal fuse is used as the drive mechanism for moving the blades of a fire damper, 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 any problems.

[0007] Regarding the round (cylindrical) fire damper using the damper structure shown in the above-mentioned patent document, when exposed to high temperatures for a certain period of time or more, the influence of deformation due to temperature change increases, and there is a risk of deformation occurring in each part of the damper that may affect the operation. In particular, the annular convex strip on the inside of the circular duct with which the blade abuts is a kind of bulging rib and is not easily deformed, whereas if the blade is stopped in the closed position, the blade will deform with the rise in temperature, and the expansion of each part of the blade will displace it in a direction away from the convex strip, causing a gap.

[0008] Even if such deformation occurs in the blade, if the driving force continues to be applied and the blade continues to tilt during the operation related to the closing of the blade even after part of the blade comes into contact with the ridge, it may be possible to bring the blade into close contact with the ridge. In other words, the blade elastically deforms and bends due to the force applied as the driving force, expanding the area of ​​contact with the ridge and reducing the gap between the blade and the ridge.

[0009] However, when the damper device has a small diameter, the blades become smaller in diameter, which makes the blades relatively more rigid and makes it difficult for the driving force to cause elastic deformation of the blades, so that even if the driving force continues to tilt the blades, the blades may not be able to contact the ridges near the axis, and airtightness may not be maintained. In this case, a gap may occur between the blades and the ridges, making it impossible to maintain a proper closed state, and the fire resistance may not be met.

[0010] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a damper device which can transition the damper blades to a closed state regardless of the opening area of ​​the damper, even in a situation where the damper blades are exposed to high temperatures due to a fire or the like and become deformed, thereby ensuring fire prevention performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] A damper device according to the disclosure of the present invention includes at least a cylindrical damper body disposed in a predetermined duct path through which gas flows, plate-shaped damper blades disposed inside the damper body so as to be tiltable about a predetermined shaft portion, and a drive unit that moves the damper blades from the outside of the damper body via the shaft portion, and when a temperature rises suddenly inside the damper body, the drive unit tilts the damper blades, causing the inside of the damper body that was in an open state to be closed by the damper blades. In this fire damper device, the shaft portion is disposed on an axis that is oriented perpendicular to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body, and the damper body has a predetermined portion near the shaft portion that protrudes inwardly in one of two approximately semi-circumferential regions divided by a plane including the cylindrical central axis of the damper body on its inner circumference. a first semi-annular convex rib portion is formed by projecting inwardly a second predetermined portion of the other side of the approximately semi-circumferential region, near the shaft portion and a predetermined distance away from the first convex rib portion in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body, to form a second semi-annular convex rib portion; the first convex rib portion and the second convex rib portion of the damper body are formed in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body, separated by at least the thickness of the damper blade; and in the closed state, the damper blade abuts against an end portion of the first convex rib portion that is closer to the second convex rib portion among the ends of the first convex rib portion that are parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body, and the other face of the damper blade abuts against an end portion of the other convex rib portion that is closer to the first convex rib portion among the ends of the other convex rib portion that are parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body.

[0012] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the damper blade, which is arranged to be tiltable inside the damper body, is disposed between two convex ribs, and the positional relationship between the convex ribs and the damper blade is appropriately adjusted so that even if deformation due to temperature change does not occur in the same way in the damper body and the damper blade, the direction of deformation of the damper blade is made relatively closer to the convex rib at the position after tilting of the damper blade corresponding to the closed state. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the gap between the damper blade and the convex rib widens in the closed state after deformation due to temperature change, and the damper blade can be appropriately abutted against the convex rib in the closed state, so that the damper blade can reliably close the inside of the damper body, and the safety function as a fire damper can be performed without any problems.

[0013] Furthermore, in the damper device disclosed in the present invention, as necessary, the damper blades are bent near the shaft portion, and a first portion capable of contacting one of the convex ribs and a second portion capable of contacting the other convex rib are formed in an arrangement in which the one face of the first portion and the other face of the second portion are parallel to each other and correspond to the distance between the one convex rib and the other convex rib in a direction parallel to the cylindrical center axis of the damper body.

[0014] Thus, according to the disclosure of the present invention, by providing steps in the damper blades corresponding to the spacing of the convex rib portions and positioning the damper blades so that they can easily come into contact with the convex rib portions in the closed state, when the damper blades are tilted to the closed state in the event of a fire, etc., the damper blades can be brought into contact with the convex rib portions without difficulty to maintain the closed state, even if the damper blades are small in diameter, and there is no need to tilt the damper blades pressed against the convex rib portions with such a strong force that they elastically deform, thereby increasing the contact area of ​​the damper blades with the convex rib portions, and the safety function of the fire damper can be reliably performed.

[0015] In addition, in the damper device according to the disclosure of the present invention, as necessary, the damper blades are integrated with the shaft portion by screwing the shaft portion at a plurality of locations spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of the shaft portion.

[0016] As described above, according to the disclosure of the present invention, by securing the shaft portion to the damper blades by screwing them together at multiple points and achieving an attachment state in which the damper blades do not rotate relative to the shaft portion, a reliable restraint state can be achieved that prevents the damper blades from rotating relative to the shaft portion and becoming displaced, even with simple attachment. The damper blades can be appropriately tilted via the shaft portion, and the force applied to the attachment points can be distributed and borne by multiple parties, which allows the size of each screw, which is the attachment means, to be reduced and pressure loss from the screw, which protrudes partially into the damper body when the damper is open, can be reduced.

[0017] Furthermore, in the damper device disclosed in the present invention, as necessary, the drive unit is housed in a substantially box-shaped housing attached to the outer surface of the damper body and disposed to the side of the damper blades, an opening leading to the inside of the damper body is provided in a portion of the damper body that is covered by the housing unit, at least a portion of the housing unit of the drive unit that faces the opening of the damper body can be opened and closed and, when the portion is open, the housing unit also serves as an inspection port through which the inside of the damper body can be seen through the opening of the damper body, the openable and closable portion of the housing unit is disposed continuously in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body and is sized to cover at least a portion of the end of the housing unit that is parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body.

[0018] According to the disclosure of the present invention, a part of the housing that houses the drive unit is made openable and closable to also serve as an inspection port for the damper body, and this openable part of the housing is made to continue along the cylindrical central axis of the damper body up to the end of the housing unit, and an open part is also created on the end face of the housing unit in the open state, so that the range in which the inside of the damper body can be seen through the opening of the damper body from the outside of the damper body can be expanded to include areas other than the front of the opening, and the damper blades and the parts of the drive unit present inside the damper body can be more easily and appropriately visually confirmed. In addition, the drive unit and the inspection port, which require processing of the damper body when they are installed, are gathered in the part of the damper blade on the side of the damper body, simplifying the structure of the damper body, making it easier to ensure the strength of the damper body and easier to 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] 3 is a rear view of a damper blade in the damper device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a side view of a damper blade in a damper device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a normal open state of the damper blades of the damper device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a closed state of the damper device according to the first embodiment of the present invention with damper blades. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are explanatory views for comparing a closed state of the damper device according to the first embodiment of the present invention with a closed state of a conventional damper device. [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] 11 is an explanatory diagram of a damper device according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a closed state with damper blades. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a rear 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 each of the above figures, the damper device 1 of this embodiment is configured to include a substantially cylindrical damper body 10 disposed in a duct path through which conditioned air circulates, plate-shaped damper blades 20 disposed inside this damper body 10 so as to be tiltable around a predetermined axis 25, and a drive unit 30 that moves the damper blades 20 from the outside of the damper body 10.

[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 20, and the inside of the damper body 10 that was in an open state is closed by the damper blades 20. 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 be horizontal (sideways) in the direction of the continuation of the cylinder central axis of the damper body 10, and the direction in which the gas passes, and the direction corresponding to the continuation of the cylinder of the cylindrical damper body 10 is referred to as the front-rear direction of the damper device 1, the direction parallel to the axial direction of the shaft portion 25 provided on the damper body 10 is referred to as the left-right direction of the damper device 1, and the direction perpendicular to the continuation of the cylinder of the damper body 10 and the axial direction of the shaft portion 25 is referred to as the up-down direction of the damper device 1, regardless of the orientation of each direction in the actual installation state in the ceiling or behind a wall. The upstream side of the damper body 10 in the 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 generally cylindrical body made of metal, and has damper blades 20 disposed therein so as to be tiltable. A drive unit 30 for driving the damper blades 20 is fixedly disposed on the outside of the damper body 10. Like a known round fire damper, the damper body 10 can be connected by inserting a predetermined length of both ends into the end opening of a duct or chamber, and is connected to such a duct or chamber and disposed in a duct path for conditioned air to circulate the conditioned air.

[0025] The metallic, approximately cylindrical body constituting the damper body 10 is, as with known fire dampers, naturally designed with consideration given to deformation (thermal expansion) caused by temperature changes in the event of a fire when temperatures rise rapidly, and is capable of retaining its shape as the damper body even if deformation occurs due to temperature changes, and maintaining the movable function of the movable parts and the ability to prevent air leaking to the outside. The damper body 10 is configured such that convex beads are formed around the openings at both ends of a substantially cylindrical body to indicate the range for insertion into a connected duct or the like and to reinforce the damper body.

[0026] The damper body 10 is provided with bearings 15 at two opposing locations on the inner circumference, which are on an axis perpendicular to the central axis of the cylinder of the damper body 10. The bearings 15 support both ends of a shaft 25 that is integral with the damper blade 20, thereby enabling the damper blade 20 to tilt. In this supported state, the shaft 25 of the damper blade 20 is also disposed on an axis perpendicular to the central axis of the cylinder of the damper body 10.

[0027] The damper body 10 is configured so that one semiannular convex rib portion 11 is formed by protruding inward a predetermined portion close to the shaft portion 25 in one of two approximately semi-circumferential regions formed on the inner circumference by a plane including the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10. Similarly, the damper body 10 is configured so that another semiannular convex rib portion 12 is formed by protruding inward a predetermined portion close to the shaft portion 25 and a predetermined distance away from the one convex rib portion 11 in the cylindrical continuation direction of the damper body in the other of two approximately semi-circumferential regions formed on the inner circumference by a plane including the cylindrical central axis of the damper body. One protruding portion 11 and another protruding portion 12 in the damper body 10 are formed in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10 and spaced apart by at least the thickness of the damper blade 20 or more.

[0028] The damper blades 20 are formed of a thin, approximately circular metal plate-like body with a round rod-shaped shaft portion 25 integrally attached to the center, and are arranged in multiple numbers inside the damper body 10 so as to be tiltable with the shaft portion 25 as the central axis of tilting.

[0029] The damper blade 20 is formed by removing the portions of a circular plate-like body that overlap both ends of the shaft portion 25, leaving two straight edges. The diameter of the circular portion of the damper blade 20 is made slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the damper body 10, i.e., the diameter of the circle that appears as the cross section of the flow path inside the damper body 10. This allows the damper blade 20 to tilt without any problem inside the damper body 10, without coming into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the damper body 10.

[0030] This damper blade 20 is capable of tilting relative to the damper body 10 by having both ends of a shaft portion 25 integrally attached to its center supported by bearing portions 15 provided on the inner surface of the damper body 10.

[0031] The damper vane 20 has screw holes 26 for attaching the shaft portion 25 arranged side by side at multiple locations (for example, two locations) near the center of the plate-like body that constitutes the damper vane. The shaft portion 25 also has holes 25a corresponding to these screw holes 26, and the shaft portion 25 is disposed on the damper vane 20 so that the screw holes 26 and the holes 25a overlap. The shaft portion 25 can be attached to the damper vane 20 by being fixed and integrated with the damper vane 20 by screws at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction of the shaft portion 25.

[0032] The screw hole 26 is provided by integrating a nut with a female screw hole with the plate-like body constituting the damper blade by welding or press-fitting, or by forming a female screw in a through hole with a rise provided by burring the plate-like body constituting the damper blade. By screwing the male thread of a screw 27 passed through a hole 25a provided in the shaft portion 25 into this screw hole 26, the damper blade 20 is restrained in a state in which it cannot rotate relative to the shaft portion 25. Due to this restraint, the damper blade 20 can tilt integrally with the shaft portion 25 with respect to the damper body 10.

[0033] In this way, the shaft portion 25 is screwed to the damper blade 20 at multiple locations to form an integrated unit, thereby suppressing unnecessary movement of the damper blade 20 relative to the shaft portion 25. On the other hand, when there is a difference in the degree of deformation caused by temperature changes between the shaft portion 25 and the damper blades 21, 22, by making the hole 25a in the shaft portion 25 a hole slightly larger in diameter than the screw 27 in the axial direction of the shaft portion 25, the movement of the shaft portion 25 relative to the damper blade 20 relating to expansion and contraction in the axial direction is not completely restricted, so that the relative deformation in the axial direction of the shaft portion 25 relative to the damper blade 20 is permitted and stress generation is suppressed.

[0034] 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.

[0035] Furthermore, by attaching the damper blades 20 to the shaft portion 25 with screws at multiple points and distributing the force applied to the attachment points to multiple locations, the size of each screw 27, which is the attachment means, can be reduced, and pressure loss from the screws 27, which partially protrude into the damper body 10 when the damper is open, can be reduced.

[0036] When the damper body 10 is closed by the damper blades 20, the outer peripheral edge portions of the damper blades 20 come into contact with the upper and lower protruding portions 11, 12 of the damper body 10, respectively, to obtain a closed state.

[0037] In the closed state, one surface 21 of the damper blade 20 abuts against the end portion of one of the convex rib portions 11 of the damper body 10 that is parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10, the end portion being closer to the other convex rib portion 12. Also, the other surface 22 of the damper blade 20 abuts against the end portion of the other convex rib portion 12 of the damper body 10 that is parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10, the end portion being closer to the one convex rib portion 11.

[0038] In detail, the damper blade 20 is bent at two points near the shaft portion 25, and is formed so that a first portion 23 capable of contacting one convex rib portion 11 of the damper body 10 and a second portion 24 capable of contacting the other convex rib portion 12 are arranged such that one surface 21 of the first portion 23 and the other surface 22 of the second portion 24 are parallel to each other and the distance between the one convex rib portion 11 and the other convex rib portion 12 in a direction parallel to the cylindrical center axis of the damper body 10, i.e., a shape with a step between the first portion 23 and the second portion 24.

[0039] When the damper blade 20 tilts to a position where it closes the damper body 10, one surface 21 of the first portion 23 of the damper blade 20 comes into contact with one convex portion 11 of the damper body 10, and the other surface 22 of the second portion 24 of the damper blade 20 comes into contact with the other convex portion 12 of the damper body 10.

[0040] As a result, when the damper body 10 is closed by the damper blades 20, no gap is generated between the damper blades 20 and the damper body 10 (the convex strip portions 11, 12), making it difficult for gas to leak. In other words, when the damper blades 20 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 20.

[0041] Damper blade 20 comes into contact with different surfaces of ridges 11, 12 protruding from the inner circumference of damper body 10. However, when the thickness of the plate-like body constituting damper blade 20 differs from the distance between one ridge 11 and another ridge 12 in the direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of damper body 10, it is not easy to bring each surface of damper blade 20 into surface contact with each ridge 11, 12 over the entire area.

[0042] If the damper blade has a large diameter (for example, a diameter of 150 mm or more), if the damper blade is tilted further after a part of it (the upper and lower ends) comes into contact with the convex rib portion, there is sufficient room for the damper blade to bend due to elastic deformation and increase the contact area with the convex rib portion, so that it can come into contact with the convex rib portion with almost no gap.

[0043] If the damper blade has a small diameter (for example, a diameter of 125 mm or less), assuming that the damper blade is simply plate-shaped, even if the damper blade is tried to tilt further after coming into contact with the convex rib portion, the small diameter of the damper blade makes its rigidity relatively large, so there is little room for the damper blade to bend due to elastic deformation and increase its contact area with the convex rib portion, and the damper blade is unable to come into contact with the convex rib portion at a portion close to the shaft portion, resulting in a gap being created between the convex rib portion.

[0044] In this embodiment, a step corresponding to the distance between one convex rib portion 11 and another convex rib portion 12 in the damper body 10 is formed between the first portion 23 and the second portion 24 of the small-diameter damper blade 20 formed by bending the small-diameter damper blade 20 near the attachment position to the shaft portion 25, thereby making the damper blade 20 in a position where it can easily come into contact with each of the convex rib portions 11, 12 in the closed state. Therefore, even if the damper blade 20 has a small diameter, the damper blade 20 can be brought into contact with each of the convex rib portions 11, 12 without any difficulty to maintain a closed state without any gaps, and it is not necessary to increase the contact area of ​​the damper blade 20 with the convex rib portions 11, 12 by, for example, tilting the damper blade 20 with a strong force to the extent that it is elastically deformed when pressed against the convex rib portions 11, 12.

[0045] The drive unit 30 is disposed on the outside of the damper body 10, to the side of the damper blade 20 located within the damper body 10, and is connected to the shaft portion 25 of the damper blade 20 so as to be capable of driving the damper blade 20.

[0046] This drive unit 30 applies torque to the shaft 25 of the connected damper blade 20 to drive the damper blade 20 when the thermal fuse 35 located inside the damper body 10 melts, thereby tilting the damper blade 20 to the closing side. The mechanism in the drive unit 30 for driving the damper blade 20 is similar to that used in known fire dampers, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] The drive unit 30 is housed in a substantially box-shaped housing unit 31 that is attached to the outer surface of the damper body 10 . An opening 13 leading to the inside of the damper body 10 is provided in a predetermined portion of the damper body 10 covered by the housing part 31. A portion of the housing part 31, including a portion facing the opening 13 of the damper body 10, can be opened and closed. This portion of the housing part 31 consists of a removable cover part 33 and a window part 34 as an open part that appears when the cover part 33 is removed. When the cover part 33 of the housing part 31 is removed, the inside of the damper body 10 can be seen through the open window part 34 and the opening 13 of the damper body 10, and a part of the housing part 31 also serves as an inspection opening.

[0048] The lid portion 33, which opens and closes the window portion 34 in the housing portion 31, is arranged continuously in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10 and is detachable from other parts of the housing portion 31, while preventing gas from flowing between the inside and outside of the damper body when in the closed state.

[0049] During inspection, the lid portion 33 of the housing portion 31 is temporarily removed to open the window portion 34, and the state of the damper blades 20 and the temperature fuse 35 located inside the damper body 10 can be confirmed from outside the damper body 10 through the open window portion 34 and opening 13.

[0050] In this way, the inspection port, which is an opening leading to the inside of the damper body 10, is integrated with the drive unit 30, and the drive unit 30 and the inspection port, which require processing of the damper body 10 when they are installed, are concentrated at a predetermined location on the outside of the damper body 10. This simplifies the structure of the damper body 10, makes it easier to ensure the strength of the damper body 10, and facilitates manufacturing, leading to cost reduction.

[0051] 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.

[0052] The damper device 1, which is installed at the portion where the air conditioning duct penetrates the fire compartment, normally maintains the direction of the damper blades 20 in an open state, approximately parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10, in the same manner as conventional fire dampers, to allow conditioned air to pass through the inside of the damper body 10.

[0053] 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 a 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 portion 25 of the damper blade 20 to rotate it, thereby tilting the damper blade 20 integrated with the shaft portion 25.

[0054] The damper blades 20 are automatically tilted by the driving unit 30 from the initial open state relative to the damper body 10 until they are oriented at a substantially right angle to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10. Then, the tilted damper blades 20 bring their ends into contact with the protruding ridges protruding from the inner surface of the damper body 10.

[0055] As a result, the damper blades 20 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.

[0056] In the damper device 1, as the temperature rises inside the damper body 10, deformation due to temperature change occurs in each part. In the closed state, the damper blade 20 is located between the two protruding portions 11, 12 so as to follow these protruding portions 11, 12, and even if deformation due to temperature change does not occur in the same way in the damper body 10 and the damper blade 20, the direction of deformation of the damper blade 20 is made relatively closer to the protruding portions 11, 12 (see FIG. 7(A)).

[0057] In this way, even if deformation occurs in the damper blades 20 due to temperature changes, the gap between the damper blades and the convex rib portions 11, 12 in the closed state can be prevented from widening, so that the damper blades can be properly abutted against the convex rib portions 11, 12 in the closed state, and the damper blades 20 can reliably close off the inside of the damper body 10.

[0058] In contrast, in the structure of the circular duct 110 and the vanes 120 in the conventional damper device, when a temperature rise caused by a flame or the like causes deformation due to temperature changes in each part, the annular ridges 111 on the inside of the circular duct 110 become a kind of rib and are less likely to deform, with only a small amount of deformation, whereas the vanes 120 undergo elongation deformation at each part of the vanes 120 as the temperature rises. As a result, the vanes 120 are displaced in a direction away from the ridges 111 in the closed position (see FIG. 7(B)), which creates a gap between the vanes 120 and the ridges 111, and there is a risk that the vanes 120 will not be able to properly close the inside of the circular duct 110 in the closed state.

[0059] In this manner, in the damper device according to this embodiment, the damper blade 20, which is disposed so as to be tiltable inside the damper body 10, is disposed between the two convex rib portions 11, 12, and the positional relationship between the convex rib portions 11, 12 and the damper blade 20 is appropriately set. Even if deformation due to temperature change does not occur equally in the damper body 10 and the damper blade 20, the direction of deformation of the damper blade 20 after tilting of the damper blade 20 corresponding to the closed state is made to be relatively close to the convex rib portions 11, 12. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the gap between the damper blade 20 and the convex rib portions 11, 12 in the closed state widens after deformation due to temperature change. The damper blade 20 can be appropriately abutted against the convex rib portions 11, 12 in the closed state, and the damper blade 20 can reliably close the inside of the damper body 10, thereby allowing the safety function as a fire damper to be performed without any problems.

[0060] 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 the above. In order to accommodate a case in which the duct route to be installed is continuous vertically, the damper body can also be configured to be installed vertically with the cylindrical central axis of the damper body facing vertically.

[0061] Furthermore, in the damper device according to the above embodiment, the inspection port leading to the inside of the damper body 10 is integral with the drive unit 30, but this is not limited to this, and it is also possible to provide an inspection port separate from the drive unit at a predetermined position near the drive unit 30 on the outside of the damper body 10.

[0062] In this case, the inspection port is an opening portion that combines the internal space of a cylindrical body that is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the damper body so as to protrude outside the damper body, and a through hole that is provided at a predetermined location on the outer peripheral surface facing the internal space of the cylindrical body.

[0063] A cover portion is provided to cover the inspection port from the outside. The cover portion is removably attached to the outside of the damper body so as to cover the end of the cylindrical body around the inspection port. During inspection, by temporarily removing the cover portion, the condition of the damper blades and other components located within the damper body can be confirmed from outside the damper body through the inspection port.

[0064] (Second embodiment of the present invention) In the damper device according to the first embodiment, the damper blade 20 provided in the damper body 10 is formed by bending a plate-like body constituting the damper blade, so that there is a step between the first portion 23 and the second portion 24, and one surface 21 of the first portion 23 and the other surface 22 of the second portion 24 are parallel to each other. However, as a second embodiment, as shown in Figures 8 to 10, the damper blade 20 can also be formed in a flat plate shape with no bent parts.

[0065] The damper blade 20 has a larger diameter than the damper blade in the first embodiment, and is flat with no bent portions, but is otherwise similar to that in the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] In the closed state, one surface 21 of the damper blade 20 abuts against the end portion of one of the convex rib portions 11 of the damper body 10 that is parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10, the end portion being closer to the other convex rib portion 12. Also, the other surface 22 of the damper blade 20 abuts against the end portion of the other convex rib portion 12 of the damper body 10 that is parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10, the end portion being closer to the one convex rib portion 11.

[0067] 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 a 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 portion 25 of the damper blade 20 to rotate it, thereby tilting the damper blade 20 integrated with the shaft portion 25.

[0068] The damper blades 20 are automatically tilted by the driving unit 30 from the initial open state relative to the damper body 10 until they are oriented at a substantially right angle to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body 10. Then, the tilted damper blades 20 bring their ends into contact with the ridges 11 and 12 protruding from the inner surface of the damper body 10.

[0069] When the damper blade 20 first comes into contact with the ridges 11, 12, only a small portion of the upper and lower ends of the damper blade 20 comes into contact with the ridges 11, 12. However, as the drive unit 30 continues to tilt the damper blade 20 thereafter, the damper blade 20 bends due to elastic deformation and increases the contact area with the ridges 11, 12, until it comes into contact with almost the entirety of the ridges 11, 12 (see FIG. 10).

[0070] As a result, the damper blades 20, as in the first embodiment, are in a closed state with almost no gaps inside the damper body 10, preventing high-temperature gases, flames, etc. from reaching the duct path downstream of the damper device 1.

[0071] (Third embodiment of the present invention) In the damper device according to the first embodiment, the portion of the housing part 31 of the drive unit 30 that is provided with the lid part 33 and the window part 34 and that can be opened and closed is configured to be set only on the side of the housing part 31 that faces the opening 13 of the damper body 10. However, as a third embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the portion of the housing part 31 that can be opened and closed can be configured to be large enough to extend over the end of the housing part 31 that is parallel to the cylindrical center axis of the damper body 10.

[0072] In this case, the lid portion 33 and window portion 34 of the housing portion 31 are arranged not only on the side surface facing the opening 13 of the damper body 10 in the box-shaped housing portion 31, but also to extend to a portion of the end portion of the housing portion 31 that is oriented parallel to the cylindrical center axis of the damper body 10, i.e., to a portion of the end face that is oriented perpendicular to the cylindrical center axis of the damper body 10 located at this end, making it possible to open and close even a portion of this end face.

[0073] During inspection, as in the first embodiment, the cover portion 33 is temporarily removed to open the window portion 34, and the state of the damper blades 20 and the temperature fuse 35 located inside the damper body 10 can be confirmed from outside the damper body 10 through the open window portion 34 and opening 13 of the housing portion 31.

[0074] In this way, when the window portion 34 is in an open state with the cover portion 33 of the housing portion 31 removed, an open portion is also created on the end face of the housing portion 31, so that the range in which the inside of the damper body 10 can be seen from the outside of the damper body 10 through the opening 13 of the damper body 10 can be expanded to include areas other than the front of the opening, making it easier and more appropriate to visually check the parts of the damper blades 10 and the drive portion 30 that are present inside the damper body during inspection. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 Damper device 10 Damper body 11, 12 Convex portion 13 Aperture 15 Bearing section 20 Damper blade 21, 22 sides 23 Part 1 24 Second part 25 Shaft 25a hole 26 Screw hole 27 Screw 30 Drive unit 31 Housing 33 Lid 34 Window section 35 Thermal fuse 60 Duct 110 Circular Duct 111 Convex strip 120 Feather

Claims

1. A fire damper device comprising at least a cylindrical damper body disposed in a predetermined duct path through which gas flows, plate-shaped damper blades disposed inside the damper body so as to be tiltable about a predetermined axis, and a drive unit that moves the damper blades from the outside of the damper body via the axis, 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, The shaft portion is disposed on an axis perpendicular to a cylindrical central axis of the damper body, The damper body is formed such that a predetermined portion near the shaft portion in one of two approximately semi-circumferential regions divided by a plane including the cylindrical central axis of the damper body on the inner circumference thereof is protruded inward to form one semi-annular convex portion, and another predetermined portion near the shaft portion in the other approximately semi-circumferential region and separated by a predetermined distance from the one convex portion in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body is protruded inward to form another semi-annular convex portion, the first and second protrusions of the damper body are formed in a direction parallel to a cylindrical central axis of the damper body and spaced apart by at least the thickness of the damper blade, In the closed state, the damper blade abuts one surface against an end portion of the one protruding portion that is parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body and that is closer to the other protruding portion, and abuts the other surface of the damper blade against an end portion of the other protruding portion that is parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body and that is closer to the one protruding portion. A damper device comprising:

2. The damper device according to claim 1, The damper blade is bent in the vicinity of the shaft portion, and a first portion capable of contacting the one convex rib portion and a second portion capable of contacting the other convex rib portion are formed in such an arrangement that the one surface of the first portion and the other surface of the second portion are parallel to each other and correspond to the interval between the one convex rib portion and the other convex rib portion in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body. A damper device comprising:

3. The damper device according to claim 1, The damper blade is integrated with the shaft portion by screwing the shaft portion at a plurality of points spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of the shaft portion. A damper device comprising:

4. The damper device according to claim 1, the drive unit is accommodated in a substantially box-shaped housing attached to an outer surface of the damper body and disposed to the side of the damper blades, an opening leading to the inside of the damper body is provided in a portion of the damper body that is covered by the housing portion, a housing part of the drive part is configured so that at least a part thereof facing the opening of the damper body can be opened and closed, and in a state where the part is open, the housing part also serves as an inspection opening through which the inside of the damper body can be seen through the opening of the damper body, The openable and closable portion of the housing is disposed continuously in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body, and is sized to cover at least a part of the end of the housing in a direction parallel to the cylindrical central axis of the damper body. A damper device comprising:

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