Modular floor terminal with damper

Abstract

A modular floor terminal mounted in the floor of an occupied space for delivering air from an underfloor air plenum to the occupied space. The modular floor terminal includes a square or rectangular housing with an air inlet at the bottom and an air outlet at the top. A rotating damper is positioned in the housing between the air inlet and the air outlet. The position of the damper is controlled by an actuator which is in turn controlled by a thermostat/controller in the occupied space above the floor.

1 . A modular floor terminal for supplying air from an underfloor air plenum to an occupied space, comprising: 
 a. a housing;    b. an air inlet located adjacent the bottom of the housing and in communication with the underfloor air plenum;    c. an air outlet located adjacent the top of the housing;    d. a rotating damper located within the housing between the air outlet and the air inlet; and    e. an actuator connected to the rotating damper for opening and closing the rotating damper in response to changes in temperature in the occupied space.    
   
   
       2 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two flanges for installing the terminal to a floor of the occupied space, wherein the at least two flanges are located at the top of the housing adjacent the air outlet.  
   
   
       3 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising an interface board for accommodating a signal from a controller to the actuator, wherein the interface board includes an output for communicating with additional terminals.  
   
   
       4 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the damper comprises at least one plate.  
   
   
       5 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the damper comprises: 
 a. two plates; and    b. at least one gasket located between the two plates;    wherein the at least one gasket extends beyond an edge of the two plates and contacts a side of the housing when the damper is in a closed position.    
   
   
       6 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one baffle located adjacent the air inlet.  
   
   
       7 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 6 , wherein the damper comprises at least one plate.  
   
   
       8 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 6 , wherein the damper comprises: 
 a. two plates; and    b. at least one gasket located between the two plates;    wherein the at least one gasket extends beyond an edge of the two plates and contacts the at least one baffle when the damper is in a closed position.    
   
   
       9 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 1  further comprising a perforated plate located between the damper and the air outlet.  
   
   
       10 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 1  further comprising at least one offset for accommodating the terminal for installation in a floor of the occupied space.  
   
   
       11 . A modular floor terminal for supplying a flow of air from an underfloor air plenum to an occupied space, comprising: 
 a. a housing;    b. an air inlet on the housing in communication with the underfloor air plenum;    c. an air outlet on the housing opposite the air inlet;    d. a damper located within the housing between the air outlet and the air inlet; and    e. an actuator connected to the damper for opening and closing the damper in response to changes in temperature in the occupied space;    wherein, upon installing the terminal in a floor of the occupied space, the direction of air flow through the air inlet is generally perpendicular to the direction of air flow in the underfloor plenum.    
   
   
       12 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the opening and closing of the damper includes rotating the damper.  
   
   
       13 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 11 , further comprising at least two flanges for installing the terminal to a floor of the occupied space, wherein the at least two flanges are located at the top of the housing adjacent the air outlet.  
   
   
       14 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 11 , further comprising an interface board for accommodating a signal from a controller to the actuator, wherein the interface board includes an output for communicating with additional terminals.  
   
   
       15 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the damper comprises at least one plate.  
   
   
       16 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the damper comprises: 
 a. two plates; and    b. at least one gasket located between the two plates;    wherein the at least one gasket extends beyond an edge of the two plates and contacts a side of the housing when the damper is in a closed position.    
   
   
       17 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one baffle located adjacent the air inlet.  
   
   
       18 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 17 , wherein the damper comprises at least one plate.  
   
   
       19 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 17 , wherein the damper comprises: 
 a. two plates; and    b. at least one gasket located between the two plates;    wherein the at least one gasket extends beyond an edge of the two plates and contacts the at least one baffle when the damper is in a closed position.    
   
   
       20 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 11  further comprising a perforated plate located between the damper and the air outlet.  
   
   
       21 . The modular floor terminal of  claim 11  further comprising at least one offset for accommodating the terminal for installation in a floor of the occupied space.