Standoff for ductwork damper assembly, ductwork damper assembly incorporating same and method of assembling ductwork damper assembly

Abstract

A standoff for a ductwork damper assembly includes a plate member and first and second leg members extending orthogonally from respective opposing sides of the plate member, the plate member having an aperture for receiving a pivot rod of a damper of the ductwork assembly, wherein the standoff is adapted for mounting on an outer surface of a section of ductwork of the ductwork damper assembly in the absence of fasteners at a site of contact between the first and second leg members and the surface of the section of ductwork.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         7 . A standoff for a ductwork damper assembly, the ductwork damper assembly having a damper plate positioned within a section of ductwork and fixedly attached at a first end of a radially extending pivot rod which is rotatable by a handle or lever connected to a second end of the pivot rod, the second end including a threaded portion, and a threaded fastener for retaining the handle or lever on the pivot rod, said standoff comprising:
 a plate member having a first leg member and a second leg member extending from respective opposing sides of the plate member to form a U-shaped bracket, said plate member having a central aperture for receiving the second end of the pivot rod of the ductwork damper assembly, wherein said first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff have respective free ends which are configured for positioning against and selective retainment on an outer surface of the section of ductwork of the ductwork damper assembly absent fixed attachment at a site of contact between the respective free ends of the first and second leg members of the standoff and the outer surface of the section of ductwork; and   wherein the handle or lever includes a through-opening which is dimensioned to receive the second end of the pivot rod, the handle or lever being secured about the second end of the pivot rod and adjacent to the plate member by the threaded fastener being in a tightened state on the threaded portion of the second end of the pivot rod and, wherein in a mounted state of the standoff, the respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff are biased against the outer surface of the section of ductwork by the threaded fastener applying an axial force onto the plate member in a direction towards the section of ductwork and, in a releasable state of the standoff in which the threaded fastener is untightened and/or removed from the second end of the pivot rod, the axial force applied onto the plate member is diminished or ceases such that the respective free ends of the first and second leg members are subject to separation or are separated away from the outer surface of the section of ductwork.   
     
     
         8 . The standoff for the ductwork damper assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a washer mounted on the second end of the pivot rod, wherein the washer is positioned between the handle or lever and the plate member. 
     
     
         9 . The standoff for the ductwork damper assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the through-opening of the handle or lever conforms to a cross-sectional shape of the pivot rod. 
     
     
         10 . The standoff for the ductwork damper assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member are each formed as a bent foot arranged to interface with the outer surface of the section of ductwork absent fixed attachment by any other fastener and/or other fastening means at the site of contact therebetween. 
     
     
         11 . The standoff for the ductwork damper assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the second end of the pivot rod is C-shaped, and the handle or lever includes a tongue that engages with a concave side of the C-shaped pivot rod. 
     
     
         12 . A ductwork damper assembly, comprising:
 a section of ductwork;   a damper plate attached to a proximal end of a pivot rod, said damper plate pivotably mounted in the section of ductwork via the pivot rod and a distal end of the pivot rod extending radially from the section of ductwork;   a standoff comprising a plate member and a first leg member and a second leg member extending from respective opposing sides of the plate member to define a U-shaped bracket, said plate member having a substantially central aperture, said first leg member and second leg member of the standoff having respective free ends being in contact with an outer surface of the section of ductwork such that the plate member is spaced apart from the section of ductwork by the first and second leg members, and said distal end of the pivot rod extends through the substantially central aperture of the plate member;   a handle having an opening through which the distal end of the pivot rod extends, the opening being configured such that the handle is in rotative fixed relation with the pivot rod; and   a threaded fastener threadedly engaged on threads provided on the distal end of the pivot rod, the threaded fastener threaded sufficiently along the distal end so as to apply an axial force to the plate member and bias and retain the respective free ends of the first and second leg members of the standoff against the outer surface of the section of ductwork, the respective free ends of the first and second leg members being biased and held against the section of ductwork absent fixed attachment by any weld, fastener and/or other fastening means at a site of contact between the respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff and the outer surface of the section of ductwork, and wherein disengagement of the threaded fastener from the distal end of the pivot rod relieves the axial force so as to releases the respective free ends of the standoff from and being retained against the outer surface of the section of ductwork.   
     
     
         13 . The ductwork damper assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the opening of the handle conforms to a cross-sectional shape of the distal end of the pivot rod, such that rotation of the handle controls rotation of the damper plate within the section of ductwork via the pivot rod. 
     
     
         14 . The ductwork damper assembly of  claim 12 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the distal end of the pivot rod is C-shaped and the handle includes a tongue arranged to engage a concave side of the C-shaped pivot rod. 
     
     
         15 . The ductwork damper assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the distal end of the pivot rod includes one or more tongues positioned at a terminus of the distal end of the pivot rod, the one or more tongues being resiliently movable with respect to the distal end of the pivot rod and arranged for preventing disengagement of the threaded fastener from the pivot rod. 
     
     
         16 . A handle assembly for a ductwork damper assembly which includes a section of ductwork having a damper plate that is rotatable therein, and a pivot rod having a proximate end attached to the damper plate and an opposing distal end extending radially outward from the section of ductwork, the distal end of the pivot rod including an externally threaded portion, wherein the distal end of the pivot rod defines a first threaded member, said handle assembly comprising:
 a standoff which comprises a plate member and a first leg member and a second leg member extending from respective opposing sides of the plate member to form a U-shaped bracket, said plate member having a central aperture, wherein respective lengths of the first and second leg members are sufficient to position the central aperture about or in proximity of the externally threaded portion of the pivot rod when the standoff is positioned against the section of ductwork, and wherein respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff are configured to be biased and held against an outer surface of the section of ductwork absent fixed attachment by any weld, fastener and/or other fastening means provided at a site of contact between the respective free ends of first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff and an outer surface of the section of ductwork;   a second threaded member which is rotatably received in the central aperture of the plate member of the standoff, said second threaded member having a threaded portion with external threads, an outwardly extending flange at an end of the threaded portion and configured for placement against a surface area surrounding the central aperture of the plate member, and a through-opening extending axially through the threaded portion of the second threaded member, the through-opening being configured and conforming in shape to receive a portion of the opposing distal end of the pivot rod;   a handle or lever mounted about the threaded portion of the second threaded member, the handle or lever being configured for enabling rotation of the second threaded member and the pivot rod extending through the through-opening of the second threaded member with respect to the standoff, and rotation of the damper plate with respect to the section of ductwork; and   a third threaded member having internal threading and which is dimensioned and shaped for being threadedly received on the external threads of the threaded portion of the second threaded member to retain the handle or lever on the threaded portion of the second threaded member.   
     
     
         17 . The handle assembly for the ductwork damper assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the threaded portion of the second threaded member and the handle or lever include notch and groove portions which are arranged to interface with each other and prevent rotational movement of the handle or lever with respect to the pivot rod. 
     
     
         18 . The handle assembly for the ductwork damper assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the plate member includes a raised portion in which the central aperture of the standoff is formed, the raised portion being further configured to receive the outwardly extending flange of the second threaded member while the threaded portion of the second threaded member extends through the central aperture of the standoff. 
     
     
         19 . The handle assembly for the ductwork damper assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the distal end of the pivot rod is C-shaped and the through-opening extending axially through the threaded portion of the second threaded member is C-shaped and dimensioned to receive the C-shaped distal end of the pivot rod, such that rotation of the handle or lever controls rotation of the damper plate within the section of ductwork via rotation of the pivot rod. 
     
     
         20 . The handle assembly for a ductwork damper assembly of  claim 16  further comprising a fourth threaded member which engages with the externally threaded portion of the distal end of the pivot rod so as to provide a biasing force on the respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member via the plate member of the standoff such that the respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff is retained against the section of ductwork absent fixed attachment by any weld, fastener and/or other fastening means provided at the site of contact between the first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff and the outer surface of the section of ductwork, and wherein disengagement of the fourth threaded member permits separation of the respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff from an outer surface of the section of ductwork. 
     
     
         21 . A method of assembling a ductwork damper assembly including a rotatable pivot rod having (i) a proximal end attached to a damper plate and (ii) a distal end which is externally threaded, wherein the distal end of the pivot rod defines a first threaded member, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a handle assembly, said handle assembly including:
 a handle or lever configured for attachment at the distal end of the rotatable pivot rod; 
 a standoff which comprises a plate member with a first leg member and a second leg member extending from respective opposing sides of the plate member to define a U-shaped bracket, said plate member having a substantially central aperture, 
 a second threaded member having an internal threading for being threadedly received on the threaded distal end of the pivot rod; 
   mounting the standoff and the handle or lever of the handle assembly on the rotatable pivot rod of the damper plate which is arranged in a section of ductwork, such that the distal end of the rotatable pivot rod extends through the substantially central aperture of the standoff, and the distal end of the pivot rod passes through an opening formed in the handle or lever;   moving the standoff along the rotatable pivot rod in a direction such that respective free ends of the first and second leg members abut against or are in close proximity of an outer surface of the section of ductwork; and   threading and tightening the second threaded member to the threaded distal end of the pivot rod so as to retain the handle or lever about the threaded distal end of the pivot rod and apply an axial force onto the plate member of the standoff so that the respective free ends of the first and second leg members of the standoff are biased and abut against the section of ductwork absent fixed attachment at a site of contact between the respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff and the outer surface of the section of ductwork, wherein disengagement of the second threaded member from the threaded distal end of the pivot rod releases the respective free ends of the standoff from the outer surface of the section of ductwork.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising: threading the second threaded member along the distal end of the pivot rod a predetermined length towards the section of ductwork until a resilient tongue engages the second threaded member to prevent disengagement of the second threaded member from the pivot rod and separation of the respective free ends of the first and second leg members of the standoff from the outer surface of the section of ductwork. 
     
     
         23 . A ductwork damper assembly comprising:
 a section of ductwork which houses a rotatable damper plate;   a pivot rod having a proximal end attached to the damper plate and a distal end which is externally threaded, wherein the distal end of the pivot rod defines a first threaded member;   a handle or lever configured for attachment at the distal end of the pivot rod;   a standoff which includes a plate member and a first leg member and a second leg member extending from respective opposing sides of the plate member to define a U-shaped bracket, said plate member having a central aperture;   a second threaded member which is rotatably received in the central aperture of the plate member of the standoff, said second threaded member having a threaded portion with external threads, an outwardly extending flange at an end of the threaded portion, and a through-opening extending axially through the threaded portion of the second threaded member, the through-opening conforming in shape with and being configured to receive a portion of the distal end of the pivot rod such that the second threaded member in the standoff and the pivot rod can rotate contemporaneously;   a third threaded member having internal threading and threadedly received on the external threads of the first threaded member to retain the handle or lever adjacent to the plate member and about the threaded portion of the pivot rod, wherein the handle or lever is configured for rotating the second threaded member and the pivot rod; and   a fourth threaded member having internal threads and threaded about the externally threaded distal end of the pivot rod to apply an axial force onto the plate member of the standoff so that respective free ends of the first and second leg members of the standoff are biased against and held on the section of ductwork absent fixed attachment by a weld, fastener and/or other fastening means provided at a site of contact between the respective free ends of the first leg member and the second leg member of the standoff and an outer surface of the section of ductwork, and disengagement of the fourth threaded member releases the respective free ends of the standoff from the outer surface of the section of ductwork.   
     
     
         24 . The ductwork damper assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the handle or lever is fixedly attached to the distal end of the pivot rod by a complimentarily keyed arrangement therebetween, such that rotation of the handle or lever controls rotation of the damper plate within the section of ductwork via the pivot rod. 
     
     
         25 . The ductwork damper assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the distal end of the pivot rod includes at least one resilient tongue positioned at a terminus of the distal end of the pivot rod and arranged for preventing disengagement of the fourth threaded member from the pivot rod after engagement of the third threaded member on the distal end of the pivot rod. 
     
     
         26 . The ductwork damper assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the distal end of the pivot rod is C-shaped and the through-opening extending axially through the threaded portion of the second threaded member is C-shaped and dimensioned to receive the C-shaped distal end of the pivot rod, such that rotation of the handle or lever controls rotation of the damper plate within the section of ductwork via rotation of pivot rod.