Personalized distribution terminal

Abstract

A personal distribution terminal is designed to provide a self-contained free standing or stand-alone enclosure for easy placement wherever office personnel require convenient access to building services. The placement of this enclosure may be in the vicinity of a standard desk or other workstations or where people congregate. The occupant of the nearby workstation has control over personal air flow for personal comfort. The enclosure is so constructed to also provide space control by displacement ventilation for the surrounding area to provide greater indoor air quality and reduce energy consumption. Incorporated into the enclosure are other services in the modem office, such as electric, both constant or interruptible, communication terminals and internet connections. The use of this terminal eliminates floor and wall grilles for better esthetics, and easier, more economical installation and housekeeping. The result of this inventive concept is substantial energy savings based on individual control of personal air supply and displacement ventilation permitting overall higher operating temperatures. The overall result is a simple installation of the terminal for easy and less expensive construction and ease of relocation.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . A personal distribution terminal including an air conditioning/displacement ventilation system, said terminal is incorporated in a stand-alone unit which is placed in the vicinity of one or more workstations but independent there from in an open office layout, said unit is constructed of an upstanding basic chamber, means for moving conditioned air into said chamber at a low speed, said chamber has various controls thereon to control the flow of air either to a front of said chamber or to a lateral side of said chamber into the ambient atmosphere surrounding said chamber and to one or more workstations. 
     
     
         2 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein one of said various controls is an air balance control mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 2 , wherein said air balance control mechanism includes two adjacent metal plates, each having openings therein, whereby, when one of said plates is moved relative to the other, said openings more or less open or close an air flow passing through said plates. 
     
     
         4 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein another one of said various control mechanisms is an air volume damper to adjust an air volume within said chamber, said volume damper includes an upstanding blade which enhances or inhibits a flow of air from said balance control mechanism to a front of said chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 4 , wherein said upstanding blade is rotational around a vertical axis. 
     
     
         6 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said front of said chamber includes grilles to direct air emanating from said grilles into two different directions. 
     
     
         7 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said front of said chamber is located at a right angle relative to a side plane of said chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said front of said chamber is located at an angle relative to a side plane of said chamber. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said terminal is located on a plenum constructed of a floor located above a concrete slab said plenum is charged with conditioned air said chamber having a bottom opening therein. 
     
     
         11 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said means for moving air into said chamber is a ducted fan assembly located in a floor plenum 
     
     
         12 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1  wherein said means for moving air into said chamber is a fan located in said chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1  wherein said means for moving air into said chamber is an air pressure charged plenum. 
     
     
         14 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1 , wherein said means for moving air into said chamber constitutes air being derived from ducting. 
     
     
         15 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1  including a resistant heater placed in the bottom of said chamber. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1  including a motion detector. 
     
     
         18 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1  including a system relay control. 
     
     
         19 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 1  including a smoke or heat detector. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 20 , wherein said communication terminal has connections therein that are selected from the group of connectors consisting of electric outlets, data outlets, telephone outlets and intercom terminals. 
     
     
         22 . The personal distribution terminal of  claim 10  including an adaptor panel located over an opening in said plenum floor, said panel having an opening in the center matched in size and shape to the bottom opening in said chamber