Sliding Cover Plates for Multi-Directional Air Terminal Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air terminal devices, particularly those with outlet openings in multiple directions, face challenges in accurately controlling air flow due to the need for precise adjustment of outlet opening areas and reliable actuator arrangements, leading to inefficiencies in energy-efficient ventilation systems.
Innovation Solution
The air terminal device employs a pressure box with adjustable outlet openings and a system of sliding cover plates, actuated by rotating rods, allowing for non-linear motion to control the open area of outlet openings in multiple directions, ensuring uniform air flow patterns and reducing noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If outlet openings are provided in all four directions to enable multi-directional air flow control, then the versatility of the air terminal device is improved, but the manufacturing precision and mounting tolerance requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The air terminal device divides the outlet openings into four separate groups, each group located on a different side of the pressure box. Each group can be independently controlled by its own cover plate and actuator mechanism, allowing precise control of air flow in each direction without requiring perfect uniformity across all openings simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different control mechanisms to different sides of the pressure box. Each side has its own cover plate that can be independently positioned, allowing local adjustment of air flow characteristics for each direction based on specific room requirements, rather than requiring all openings to have identical control characteristics.
2Ease of operation
If separate cover plates are moved by actuators to control outlet openings, then the air flow control capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control mechanisms by using a common actuator system that can control multiple cover plates. The actuators are integrated into the pressure box structure, and the cover plates are designed to work together as a coordinated system rather than entirely separate mechanisms, reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator system is designed with universal functionality to control all four cover plates through a standardized interface. The same basic actuator design can be used for each side, and the system can operate in various modes (controlling one side, two sides, or all four sides simultaneously), reducing the need for multiple specialized components.
3Stability of the object's composition
If cover plates are arranged to control outlet openings in multiple directions, then the air flow distribution uniformity is improved, but the actuator arrangement becomes less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The actuators and their mounting structures are nested within the pressure box volume. The actuator mechanisms are positioned inside the pressure box, utilizing the internal space efficiently, rather than requiring external mounting space that would increase the overall device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent arranges the actuators and cover plates in a three-dimensional configuration within the pressure box. The actuators can move in multiple dimensions (linear and rotational motion) to position the cover plates correctly, allowing compact arrangement by utilizing spatial dimensions rather than requiring linear extension in one direction.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An air terminal device (1) for a ventilation system, e.g. a Heating and Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, for a building. The air terminal device (1) comprises a pressure box (2), provided with at least one inlet (3) for admitting supply air into the pressure box and a plurality of outlet openings (4) for admitting supply air out of the pressure box (2). The air terminal device (1) further comprises a first cover plate (6a) and a second cover plate (6b) whereof each cover plate (6a, 6b) is arranged to control and change the open area of a plurality of the outlet openings (4, 4a, 4b, 4'). The outlet openings (4, 4a, 4b, 4') are arranged in a wall of the pressure box (2) forming an outlet surface (5) of the pressure box (2). The cover plate or cover plates (6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) are arranged to be in contact with and slide relative the outlet surface (5) while changing the open area of the outlet openings (4, 4a, 4b, 4'). The first cover plate (6a) and the second cover plate (6b) are arranged to slide relative each other and to be in contact with and slide relative the outlet surface (5) while changing the open area of the outlet openings.