Register for air conditioning

Abstract

An air conditioning register including a plurality of adjustable slats coupled to respective pinion gears. The pinion gears may engage with a rack gear so that a linear motion of the rack gear translates into a rotational motion of the pinion gears. A driving gear coupled to a shaft may be used to drive the rack gear. The shaft can be driven by a manual tool of suitable length, or by electrical or electronic methods. The manual tool and/or electronic methods may be so designed that a user can rotate the shaft without being in close proximity to the register.

1 . A register with a mechanism for changing orientation of a slat, the register comprising:
 a slat coupled to a pinion gear;   a rack gear that engages the pinion gear;   a driving gear that drives the rack gear; and   a shaft that couples with the driving gear.   
   
   
       2 . The register of  claim 1 , wherein the rack gear engages the pinion gear via a first set of gear teeth on the rack gear, and further wherein the driving gear drives the rack gear via a second set of gear teeth on the rack gear. 
   
   
       3 . The register of  claim 1 , wherein the pinion gear comprises a semi-circular gear. 
   
   
       4 . The register of  claim 1 , wherein the slat comprises a curved blade. 
   
   
       5 . The register of  claim 1 , wherein a rotation of the shaft translates into a corresponding rotation of the driving gear, which in turn drives the rack gear linearly and rotates the pinion gear. 
   
   
       6 . The register of  claim 5 , wherein the rotation of the pinion gear translates into a corresponding rotary motion of the slat coupled to the pinion gear, and further wherein the rotary motion of the slat changes an orientation of the slat. 
   
   
       7 . The register of  claim 6 , wherein the rotary motion of the slat further changes a direction of air flow through the register. 
   
   
       8 . The register of  claim 1 , wherein an axis of the shaft lies in a plane perpendicular to a plane of the driving gear. 
   
   
       9 . The register of  claim 1 , wherein a free end of the shaft engages with a manual tool via a coupling. 
   
   
       10 . The register of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronically controlled actuator that remotely rotates the shaft. 
   
   
       11 . The register of  claim 1 , further comprising a hollow frame having a lateral frame portion and a transverse frame portion bridging the lateral frame portion, wherein one end of the slat is pivoted towards the transverse frame portion, and another end of the slat is coupled to the pinion gear. 
   
   
       12 . The register of  claim 11 , further comprising a grille frame coupled to the hollow frame. 
   
   
       13 . A register for controlling air flow comprising:
 a hollow frame having lateral frame portions and transverse frame portions bridging the lateral frame portions;   at least one slat, wherein one end of a slat of the plurality of slats is pivoted to one of the transverse frame portions, and another end of the slat is coupled to a pinion gear such that an axis of each slat is parallel to the lateral frame portions;   a rack gear that engages, via a first set of gear teeth, with the pinion gear coupled to the slat and, via a second set of gear teeth, with a driving gear; and   a shaft that couples with the driving gear such that a rotation of the shaft translates into a corresponding rotation of the driving gear, which drives the rack gear linearly to rotate the pinion gear that rotates the slat.   
   
   
       14 . The register of  claim 13 , further comprising a grille frame coupled to the hollow frame. 
   
   
       15 . The register of  claim 13 , wherein a slat comprises a curved blade. 
   
   
       16 . The register of  claim 13 , wherein the register is a ceiling register. 
   
   
       17 . The register of  claim 13 , wherein the axis of the shaft lies in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the driving gear. 
   
   
       18 . The register of  claim 13 , wherein the free end of the shaft engages with a manual tool via a coupling. 
   
   
       19 . The register of  claim 13 , further comprising an electronically controlled actuator that remotely rotates the shaft. 
   
   
       20 . The register of  claim 13 , wherein rotating the shaft in a clockwise direction increases air flow through the register and rotating the shaft in an anti-clockwise direction decreases air flow through the register. 
   
   
       21 . A heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the system comprising:
 a central HVAC unit;   a controller associated with the HVAC unit;   at least one supply register electronically coupled to the controller; and   a thermostat electronically connected to the controller and the at least one supply register,
 wherein the register comprises louvers that adjust depending on a setting of the thermostat. 
   
   
   
       22 . The HVAC system of  claim 21 , wherein the thermostat is operated by remote control. 
   
   
       23 . The HVAC system of  claim 21 , wherein the register louvers are removable. 
   
   
       24 . A heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the system comprising:
 a central HVAC unit;   a controller associated with the HVAC unit;   at least one supply register electronically coupled to the controller;   a master thermostat electronically coupled to the controller; and   a slave thermostat electronically connected to the at least one supply register,
 wherein the at least one register comprises louvers that adjust depending on a setting of the slave thermostat. 
   
   
   
       25 . The HVAC system of  claim 24 , wherein the slave thermostat setting is remotely controlled. 
   
   
       26 . The HVAC system of  claim 24 , wherein the register louvers are removable.