Extractor Hood Outlet Closure for Recirculation and Exhaust Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extractor hoods face inefficiencies in air circulation and mixed operation modes due to the lack of effective closure mechanisms, leading to turbulence and reduced airflow, especially when switching between recirculation and exhaust modes.
Innovation Solution
A closure mechanism with pivotable plates driven by an electric motor and adjustable spindle, allowing for automatic or manual control based on temperature and humidity to seamlessly switch between recirculation and exhaust modes, ensuring efficient airflow and preventing window misting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If closure plates are used to switch between recirculation and exhaust modes, then operating mode switching is enabled, but airflow turbulence increases and efficiency decreases in mixed operation
Solution Approach 1:
The closure plates are designed to be pivotable about parallel axes, allowing dynamic adjustment between different operating modes (recirculation, exhaust, and mixed). The plates can rotate from a horizontal position (blocking air outlet openings) to a vertical position (opening them), enabling flexible mode switching while optimizing airflow patterns for each mode to reduce turbulence and improve efficiency.
2Device complexity
If a single air outlet opening is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to implement both pure recirculation and pure exhaust modes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The air outlet system is segmented into two separate openings: one for recirculation and one for exhaust. Each opening can be independently controlled by its own closure plate, allowing the system to achieve pure recirculation mode (exhaust opening closed), pure exhaust mode (recirculation opening closed), or mixed mode (both openings partially open). This segmentation enables full operational flexibility without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient air circulation and mixed operation modes by ensuring all outlet openings can be closed or opened as needed, optimizing airflow and reducing turbulence, while automatically adjusting to environmental conditions to conserve heat and prevent window misting.
Implementation Method 1
The drive has a motor and an adjusting spindle driven in rotation by this, the adjusting spindle having an external thread on the outside, on which an adjusting element is held, which is provided with a corresponding internal thread
Implementation Method 2
The closure means comprise two closure plates which are jointly arranged in the housing so as to be pivotable about parallel axes in such a way that they close the air outlet openings in the exhaust air operating position and together close the air outlet opening in the recirculating air operating position
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an extractor hood (1) with a housing (2) in which an air duct (9) is formed, which is located between an air intake opening (4) and an air outlet opening (7), which is connected to an exhaust air pipe (8 ) can be connected, at least one air outlet opening (10) being provided on the outlet-side end region of the air duct (9), through which air can escape from the housing (2) for recirculation mode, and with closing means (13) through which the air outlet opening (7) can be closed, so that the air flowing through the air duct (9) can only leave the housing (2) through the at least one air outlet opening (10), with closure means (13) being provided, through which the at least one air outlet opening (10) can be closed is.