AIR REGULATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE AIR THROW in A VENTLATION REGULATION SYSTEM

Abstract

An apparatus and method of automatically controlling air throw into a destination area in a ventilation regulation system for conducting air forced from an air supply area to the destination area, the ventilation regulation system including a separating wall between air supply area and destination area, and a ventilation opening through the separating wall. An air regulation apparatus includes an air flow trigger reactive to the air flow rate from the air supply area, a damper in the ventilation opening, downstream/distinctly from the air flow trigger, and a coupling member coupling the air flow trigger to the damper, allowing the air flow trigger to control the damper. The damper automatically and continuously controlled by the air flow trigger adjusting at least the size of an effective ventilation opening through which air is injected into the destination area in reaction to the air flow rate in the air supply area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ventilation regulation system for conducting air being forced from an air supply area to a destination area and for automatically controlling the air throw into the destination area, comprising:
 a separating wall between said air supply area and said destination area;   a ventilation opening through said separating wall;   an air regulation apparatus comprising:
 an air flow trigger that is reactive to the air flow rate within the air supply area; 
 a damper for installation in said ventilation opening, downstream and distinctly from said air flow trigger; and 
 a coupling member mechanically coupling said air flow trigger to said damper, allowing said air flow trigger to control said damper; 
   wherein said damper is automatically and continuously controlled by said air flow trigger to adjust at least the size of an effective ventilation opening through which the air is allowed to be injected into the destination area in reaction to the air flow rate in the air supply area.   
     
     
         2 . The ventilation system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein automatically adjusting the size of said effective ventilation opening with said damper in reaction to the air flow rate within the air supply area, is calibrated to allow a substantially constant throw out of said effective ventilation opening even though the air flow rate incoming the air supply area varies. 
     
     
         3 . The ventilation system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said damper includes one of louvers and drum members, that can be moved towards opened and closed positions to correspondingly increase or decrease the size of said effective ventilation opening. 
     
     
         4 . The ventilation system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said damper further allows to adjust the direction, in addition to the throw, of the air flow through said effective ventilation openings. 
     
     
         5 . The ventilation system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said air flow trigger comprises one of vanes and a pressure plate installed for receiving air directly said the air supply area, and a biasing member biasing said one of vanes and a pressure plate towards a first position where said air flow trigger controls said damper such that the size of said effective ventilation opening is decreased, said one of vanes and a pressure plate being movable under the action of the air flowing from air supply area against the action of said biasing member away from said first position to force said damper to increase the size of said effective ventilation opening when the air flow rate increases in said air supply area. 
     
     
         6 . The ventilation system as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a plenum with said separating wall, said ventilation opening and said damper being provided in said plenum, said plenum defining an inner chamber and an inlet collar for connection to said air supply area for allowing air to be supplied from said air supply area, through said inlet collar, into said inner chamber, through said ventilation opening and into said destination area, with said air flow trigger being provided in said inlet collar. 
     
     
         7 . A ventilation regulation system as defined in  claim 1  further comprising additional ventilation openings, with said air regulation apparatus being also provided at least partly within said additional ventilation openings for regulating the air flow through the additional ventilation openings, wherein said damper is installed also in said additional ventilation openings and controls at least the size of said additional effective ventilation openings through though which the air is allowed to be injected into the destination area such that the entire air flow through the first-mentioned said ventilation opening and through said additional ventilation openings is controlled by said damper. 
     
     
         8 . An air regulation apparatus for use with a ventilation regulation system for conducting air being forced from an air supply area to a destination area and for automatically controlling the air throw into the destination area, the ventilation regulation system of the type comprising a separating wall between the air supply area and the destination area and a ventilation opening through the separating wall, said air regulation apparatus for installation at least partly within the ventilation opening, said air regulation apparatus comprising:
 an air flow trigger that is reactive to the air flow rate within the air supply area;   a damper for installation in said ventilation opening, downstream and distinctly from said air flow trigger; and   a coupling member mechanically coupling said air flow trigger to said damper, allowing said air flow trigger to control said damper;   wherein said damper is automatically and continuously controlled by said air flow trigger to adjust at least the size of an effective ventilation opening through which the air is allowed to be injected into the destination area in reaction to the air flow rate in the air supply area.   
     
     
         9 . The air regulation apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein automatically adjusting the size of said effective ventilation opening by said damper in reaction to the air flow rate within the air supply area, is calibrated to allow a substantially constant throw out of said effective ventilation opening even though the air flow rate incoming the air supply area varies. 
     
     
         10 . The air regulation apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said damper includes one of louvers and drum members, that can be moved towards opened and closed positions to correspondingly increase or decrease the size of said effective ventilation opening. 
     
     
         11 . The air regulation apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said damper further allows to adjust the direction, in addition to the throw, of the air flow through said effective ventilation opening. 
     
     
         12 . The air regulation apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said air flow trigger comprises one of vanes and a pressure plate installed for receiving air directly said the air supply area, and a biasing member biasing said one of vanes and a pressure plate towards a first position where said air flow trigger controls said damper such that the size of said effective ventilation opening is decreased, said one of vanes and a pressure plate being movable under the action of the air flowing from air supply area against the action of said biasing member away from said first position to force said damper to increase the size of said effective ventilation opening when the air flow rate increases in said air supply area. 
     
     
         13 . A method of automatically controlling the air throw into a destination area in a ventilation regulation system for conducting air being forced from an air supply area to the destination area, the ventilation regulation system of the type comprising a separating wall between said air supply area and said destination area, and a ventilation opening through said separating wall, said method comprising:
 providing an air regulation apparatus comprising:
 providing an air flow trigger that is reactive to the air flow rate from said air supply area; 
 providing a damper in said ventilation opening, downstream and distinctly from said air flow trigger; and 
 providing a coupling member mechanically coupling said air flow trigger to said damper, allowing the air flow trigger to control said damper; and, 
   automatically and continuously controlling said damper with said air flow trigger to adjust at least the size of an effective ventilation opening through which the air is allowed to be injected into the destination area in reaction to the air flow rate in the air supply area.   
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the step of automatically adjusting the size of said effective ventilation opening with said damper in reaction to the air flow rate within said air supply area, comprises calibrating the action of said air flow trigger through said coupling member on said damper to allow a substantially constant throw out of said effective ventilation opening even though the air flow rate incoming the air supply area varies. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the step of adjusting the size of said effective ventilation opening with said damper comprises moving one of louvers and drum members towards opened and closed positions to correspondingly increase or decrease the size of said effective ventilation opening. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the step of adjusting the size of said effective ventilation opening with said damper comprises further adjusting the direction, in addition to the throw, of the air flow through said effective ventilation opening. 
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the step of providing an air flow trigger that is reactive to the air flow from said air supply area comprises providing one of vanes and a pressure plate installed for receiving air directly said the air supply area, and a biasing member, said method comprising biasing said one of said vanes and said pressure plate with said biasing member towards a first position where said air flow trigger controls said damper such that the size of said effective ventilation opening is decreased, and wherein the step of adjusting the size of said effective ventilation opening with said damper comprises moving said one of said vanes and said pressure plate under the action of the air flowing from air supply area away from said first position against the action of said biasing member to force said damper to increase the size of said effective ventilation opening when the air flow rate increases in said air supply area. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising the step of providing a plenum wherein said separating wall, said ventilation opening and said damper are located, said plenum defining an inner chamber and an inlet collar connected to said air supply area, said method comprising supplying air from said air supply area through said inlet collar, into said inner chamber, through effective ventilation opening and into said destination area, with said air flow trigger being provided in or near said inlet collar. 
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , with said separating wall further comprising additional ventilation openings, the method comprising providing said air regulation apparatus at least partly within said additional ventilation openings for regulating the air flow through the additional ventilation openings, and providing said damper also in said additional ventilation openings, the step of adjusting the size of said effective ventilation opening with said damper comprising controlling at least the size of said additional ventilation openings though which the air is allowed to be injected into the destination area such that the entire air flow through the first-mentioned said ventilation opening and through said additional ventilation openings is controlled by said damper. 
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising providing an air temperature trigger that is reactive to the air temperature in said air supply area, wherein the step of adjusting the size of said effective ventilation opening with said damper is in reaction to both the air flow rate and the temperature within said air supply area.