Local conditioning induction-type apparatus employing primary inlet air as a power means for controlling temperature

Abstract

In a conditioning apparatus unit to be used in relation with conditioning systems of the type having four pipes for the secondary water, wherein the temperature is controlled by varying the secondary air flow passing through two heat-exchangers and a by-pass section by means of valve assemblies, the valve assemblies are actuated by the primary air feeding the same apparatus at a pressure value comprised in the range between 15 and 100Kg/m 2 . Each valve assembly relating to a heat-exchanger is operated by an expansion lung fed by the inlet primary air through a valve controlled by a thermostatic device. A linkage mechanically connects the valve assembly of the by-pass section with the valve assemblies of the heat-exchangers in such a manner that when one of the valve assemblies relating to the heat-exchanger is at least partially open, the other valve assembly is locked in the "close" position and only the by-pass valve assembly can be operated by the said one valve assembly. At each position of either of the two heat-exchangers valve assemblies a given position of the by-pass valve assembly is associated and in particular to the "open" position of one of them the by-pass valve is closed.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. An induction-type air conditioning system of the type employing first heat exchanger means for cooling air, second heat exchanger means for heating air and a respective pair of pipes for each heat exchanger means to conduct temperature-treated fluid to and from said heat exchanger means, said system comprising: a housing;   a source of primary air including plenum means located in said housing for conducting said primary air, and nozzle means for issuing a primary air stream from said plenum means;   means defining an air flow passage in said housing, .Iadd.with .Iaddend.said .[.air flow.]. passage being positioned to receive the primary air stream from said nozzle means and to direct said primary air stream externally of said housing;   means defining an aspiration opening into said air flow passage .Iadd.with .Iaddend.said .[.aspiration.]. opening being oriented to permit secondary air to be aspirated therethrough by said primary air stream flowing in said air flow passage;   means defining first, second and third air inlets into said housing, said first heat exchanger means being positioned in the path of said first air inlet to cool air entering said housing via said first air inlet, said second heat exchanger means being positioned in the path of said second air inlet to heat air entering said housing via said second air inlet, said third air inlet serving as a by-pass inlet to permit entry of untreated air into said housing;   first actuable damper means movable between extreme opened and closed positions to proportion air inflow through said first air inlet and having a front surface configured to block air flow through said first air inlet when said first damper means is in its closed position, said first damper means also including a rear surface;   first bias means for continuously urging said first damper means towards .[.its.]. .Iadd.a selected one of said .Iaddend.opened .[.position.]. .Iadd.or closed positions.Iaddend. ;   a first actuator compartment located in said housing and defined on at least one side by the rear surface of said first damper means;   first inflatable and expansible actuator means disposed in said first .Iadd.actuator .Iaddend.compartment for urging said first damper means towards .[.its.]. .Iadd.said other of said .Iaddend.opened .[.position.]. .Iadd.or closed positions .Iaddend.to a degree determined by the degree of inflation of said first actuator means;   second actuable damper means movable between extreme opened and closed positions to proportion air inflow through said second air inlet and having a front surface configured to block air flow through said second air inlet when said second damper means is in its closed position, said second damper means also including a rear surface;   second bias means for continuously urging said second damper means towards .[.its.]. .Iadd.a selected one of said .Iaddend.opened .[.position.]. .Iadd.or closed positions.Iaddend. ;   a second actuator compartment located in said housing and defined on at least one side by the rear surface of said second damper means;   second inflatable and expansible actuator means disposed in said second compartment for urging said second damper means towards .[.its.]. .Iadd.said other of said .Iaddend.opened .[.position.]. .Iadd.or closed positions .Iaddend.to a degree determined by the degree of inflation of said second actuator means;   control means for controllably inflating and deflating said first and second actuator means with primary air, said control means including thermostatic valve means responsive to the temperature in an environment being conditioned by said primary air stream for inflating one and deflating the other of said first and second actuator means with primary air;   third actuable damper means movable to two extreme closed positions through an opened position to proportion air inflow through said third air inlet; .Iadd.and .Iaddend.   linkage means for .[.connecting.]. .Iadd. interconnecting .Iaddend.said first and second damper means to said third damper means .[.such that said third damper means is in its opened position and permits.]..Iadd., including interlocking means for preventing secondary air from passing contemporaneously through said first and second heat exchangers, and for permitting .Iaddend.maximum air flow through said third air inlet when both of said first and second damper means are closed.   
     
     
       2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said thermostatic valve means includes first and second valves connected to receive primary air through a common feeding port, said valves having respective outlet ports connected in parallel and feeding said first and second inflatable actuators, respectively, said valves being arranged so that at least one of said outlet ports is open at any time to feed said primary air to inflate its associated inflatable actuator and thereby .[.close.]. .Iadd.place .Iaddend.the corresponding one of said first and second damper means .Iadd.in its selected other position, .Iaddend.said system further including bias means for maintaining said first and second damper means .[.open.].  .Iadd.in their selected one position .Iaddend.when the associated inflatable actuator is deflated, whereby contemporaneous opening of both said first and second damper means is prevented. 
     
     
       3. The system according to claim 2 wherein said first and second valves each .[.includes.]. .Iadd.include .Iaddend.a vent aperture for discharging primary air from the associated inflatable actuator when said each valve is closed, thereby causing the associated one of said first and second damper means to .[.open.]. .Iadd.be placed in its selected one position..Iaddend. 
     
     
       4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said thermostatic valve means is responsive to a predetermined reference temperature in the environment being conditioned for partially opening both said first and second valves, whereby said first and second actuators maintain said first and second .[.damper means closed.]. .Iadd.dampers in their other of said positions, .Iaddend.the rate of air discharge from said vent apertures being less than the rate of primary air flow through said common feeding port. 
     
     
       5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said thermostatic valve means is responsive to the temperature in said conditioned environment being less than a predetermined reference temperature for .[.blocking.]. .Iadd.controlling .Iaddend.air inflow to said second inflatable actuator, whereby secondary air flows through said second heat exchanger means, and wherein said thermostatic valve means is responsive to the temperature in said conditioned environment being greater than said predetermined reference temperature for .[.blocking.]. .Iadd.controlling .Iaddend.primary air inflow to said first inflatable actuator whereby secondary air flows through said first heat exchanger means. 
     
     
       6. The system according to claim 1 further comprising means for biasing said third actuable damper means in an open rest position, said third actuable damper means being rotatably mounted for rotation between two closed positions which are symmetrically disposed relative to said rest position. 
     
     
       7. A local conditioning induction-type apparatus for conditioning systems with four pipes of secondary water, comprising: first and second heat exchangers, each arranged to have said secondary water flowed therethrough via a respective pair of said four pipes;   a by-pass flow section located between said first and second heat exchangers;   a primary air flow section through which primary air is directed to flow, and including an aspiration opening through which secondary air flow is aspirated by primary air flow;   first and second damper means for controlling the temperature of said primary air flow for controlling secondary air flow to said aspiration opening through said first and second heat exchangers, respectively;   third damper means for controlling the temperature of said primary air flow by controlling secondary air flow to said aspiration opening through said by-pass flow section;   first and second expansion lung actuator means for alternatively opening and closing said first and second damper means, respectively;   thermostatically controlled valve means for conducting primary air to inflate said first and second expansion lung means in response to temperature conditions in an environment being conditioned by said primary air;   connecting means linking said first and second damper means to said third damper means for controlling the position of said third damper means in accordance with the positions of said first and second damper means; and   interlock means for preventing secondary air from passing contemporarily through said first and second heat exchangers;   wherein said third damper means is biased open at a rest position by a return spring and is rotatably mounted on a pivot about which it is rotatable between two closed positions symmetrically disposed relative to said rest position; and   wherein said connecting means comprises a sector gear rigidly mounted on said rotation pivot of said third damper means, which sector gear meshes at the same time with two racks, each rack being connected with one of said first and second damper means, said interlock means being provided for preventing any one of said racks from moving when the other rack is operated by the movement of the associated damper means.   
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said interlock means comprises two identical and symmetric levers .[.pivotedly.]. .Iadd.pivotally .Iaddend.mounted on the same rotation pivot of said sector gear, each lever having a pawl adapted to be engaged by one of said racks and a bracket means adapted to engage an end of the other rack, both said levers being capable of rotating against the action of contrasting spring means as said pawl of one lever is engaged by a tooth of the associated rack, thereby disengaging said bracket means from the other rack. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said racks are connected with said first and second damper means by means of rods having adjustable length and cranks mounted on the rotation pivots of the same damper means.