[0001] This invention relates to a supply air device. More specifically, it concerns a supply
air device, having an elongated body and being at least partially perforated over
its external surface.
[0002] For the ventilation of high-ceilinged spaces, in which the overheated air is brought
down, exist a wide range of supply air devices. Typical applications include slot
diffusers, tray diffusers, swirl diffusers, and diffusers provided with jet nozzles.
Supply air devices of the above type can be used for bringing overheated air down
to the public area, for example in shopping malls, indoor sports arenas, and industrial
facilities.
[0003] The shortcomings of swirl diffusers and tray diffusers include the breadth of a blow
pattern generated by the diffusers and the inability to redirect the blow pattern
during the life cycle of a ventilation system. Such a need to modify ventilation may
come up for example in the process of redoing a shop layout. The slot diffuser establishes
a narrow blow pattern and a long casting distance. The narrow blow pattern is particularly
important when overheated air is delivered for example into a space between chest
freezers in a shop. In the event that the blow pattern of a supply air device spreads
out, the warm air flow falls on chest freezers, resulting in frosting, ice-forming,
and unnecessary energy consumption. The blow pattern of slot diffusers involves the
same problem as swirl and tray diffusers, i.e. the blow patterns thereof cannot be
changed. The shop layout undergoes several changes during its life cycle, and a situation
is often encountered in which the supply air devices are located unfavorably, for
example with respect to the location of chest freezers. A solution to the problem
has been sought by outfitting the premises with jet diffusers, whereby the blow pattern
can be redirected as desired. A drawback with jet diffusers is, however, the inability
thereof to provide a long casting distance or a narrow blow pattern.
[0004] It is an object of the invention to bring forth an improvement for the foregoing
drawbacks and to provide a versatile supply air device, having in combination a narrow
blow pattern and a capability of redirecting the blow pattern. This object can be
achieved according to the invention by means of a supply air device, having an elongated
body and having its bottom perforated and at least some of the apertures fitted with
jet nozzles. The supply air device according to the invention is characterized by
what is defined in the characterizing clause of the appended independent claim 1.
[0005] The invention will now be described more precisely with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
fig. 1 shows an elongated supply air device in a simplified side view,
fig. 2 shows a perforated end of the elongated supply air device, and
fig. 3 shows a more detailed side view of the supply air device.
[0006] Fig. 1 shows an elongated supply air device 1 in a side view. The supply air device
1 consists of an elongated body 2, whose first end 3 is attachable to a ventilation
duct (not shown in the figure) by way of a joint 4. A second end 5 of the supply air
device 1 is perforated and thereby the ventilation duct air is delivered into a space
surrounding the supply air device.
[0007] Fig. 2 shows the perforated second end 5 of the supply air device 1. In order to
direct the supply air coming from a ventilation duct, at least some of apertures 6
are provided with guide nozzles 7. The guide nozzles 7 can be stationary, but from
the standpoint of adjustability and versatility it is preferred that at least some
of the guide nozzles 7 be adjustable for enabling their blowing direction to be changed.
Positioning the adjustable guide nozzles 7 along or in the vicinity of a periphery
of the end 5 enables influencing, by changing their blow direction, also the direction
of an air flow coming through the ordinary apertures 6. Thus, the entire air flow
coming out of the end surface can be pointed in a desired direction and the blow pattern
shaped as desired. The air flow discharges from the guide nozzles 7 in the direction
of arrows 8. In fig. 2, the aperture system 6 is only sketched over a segment of the
end surface, but the extent of aperture system is arbitrarily optional and so is the
disposition and number of the guide nozzles 7.
[0008] The direction of an air flow coming from the guide nozzles 7 can be adjusted freely
both by rotating the guide nozzle in the plane of a mounting surface and by a relative
change of alignment in the direction of a mounting surface diagonal. This enables
pointing the air flow in any direction from the plane of the surface. The guide nozzles
7 shown in fig. 2 are only designed to be mutable in the mounting plane, whereby the
direction of a flow pattern established by one guide nozzle changes as determined
by the lateral face of a cone. The diverse guide nozzles 7 according to the prior
art are always capable of establishing a desired direction of flow. The guide nozzles
are preferably made in plastics, thus being easy to press with their engagement tabs
into the apertures 6 provided therefor and to pivot in a desired direction. The directionally
adjustable guide nozzles 7 can be installed directly as such in the aperture 6 of
the supply air device 1 or are installed in a separate adapter element (not shown
in the figure) made of an elastic material, which also seals the resulting joint.
[0009] The blow pattern can be changed and adjusted as desired also by covering some of
the apertures 6 or the guide nozzles 7 by fitting the same with plugs 9. Thereby,
even during a ventilation cycle working at a reduced performance, it is possible to
obtain a sufficiently extensive and effective blow pattern in a ventilated space.
By plugging some of the apertures 6 or the guide nozzles 7, it is also possible to
make a difference in the obtained blow pattern. Likewise, varying the size and shape
of the apertures 6 and the guide nozzles 7 enables obtaining a versatile blow pattern.
If desired, the guide nozzles 7 can be replaced for example with another model for
influencing the amount of air coming through the guide nozzles. Likewise, the ordinary
apertures 6 can be fitted with discs 10 of a washer type, which reduce the size of
an original aperture and diminish the throughput of air.
[0010] As described above, there is provided quite a versatile ventilation terminal 1, which
lends itself particularly well to the controlled ventilation of high-ceilinged spaces.
The terminal 1 can have its blow pattern adjusted precisely to a desired size and
length by changing the ventilation performance or by opening/closing some of the apertures
6 by means of the plugs 9, as well as by directing and shaping the blow pattern by
means of the guide nozzles 7.
[0011] Fig. 2 shows an elongated supply air device 1 circular in cross-section, but it should
be appreciated that the supply air device can have an arbitrarily optional cross-section,
being for example a square, a rectangle, a triangle, an ellipse, or any other such
geometric shape. Likewise, the apertures 6 may come in various shapes and even the
guide nozzles 7 can be shaped for example like polygons, thus being directed in a
stepwise manner.
[0012] Fig. 3 shows the supply air device 1 more precisely in a side view. According to
one embodiment of the invention, the supply air device 1 has also a side surface 11
of its body 2 at least partially covered with apertures. Identically to the end 5,
at least some of the apertures 6 can be equipped with air directing fixed or mutable
guide nozzles 7. Likewise, the air flow regulation can be conducted by means of plugging
both some of the apertures 6 and some of the guide nozzles 7 or by downsizing the
aperture system. The side aperture system can also be closed completely, whereby the
entire air flow can be delivered out of the end 5 of a supply air device. The same
way, it is possible to close the aperture system 6 and the guide nozzles 7 at the
end 5 of a supply air device, thus developing a blow pattern solely by way of the
aperture system and/or guide nozzles of the side surface 11. By closing some of the
apertures in the side surface 11 and by redirecting some of the guide nozzles 7 in
the side surface, a desired type of blow pattern and blow strength are obtained in
lateral direction. Of course, the power of blow can also be influenced by changing
the performances of a ventilation machine.
[0013] Fig. 3 shows an aperture 6 and guide nozzles 7 for visualizing the same in just a
specific area of the side surface 11, but the number of disposition thereof can be
selected freely as required by necessary ventilation.
[0014] The air flow discharging from the end 5 of the supply air device 1 can also be influenced
by the guide nozzles 7 mounted on the side surface 11 of the supply air device, which
are capable of controlling the direction of a flow coming by way of the end.
[0015] Described above are just a few preferred embodiments for a ventilation terminal of
the invention. It is nevertheless understood that the presented examples are by no
means limitative to the invention, but the scope of protection shall be determined
in accordance with a scope of protection as defined by the appended claims.
1. A supply air device (1), comprising an elongated body (2), said body (2) having its
first end (3) connected to a supply air duct, characterized in that the body (2) has its second end (5) provided with apertures (6), and that at least
some of the apertures (6) are fitted with guide nozzles (7).
2. A supply air device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least some of guide nozzles (7) are mutable.
3. A supply air device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the elongated body (2) has at least a section of its side surface (11) provided with
apertures (6)
4. A supply air device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the body (2) has at least some of the apertures (6) in its side surface (11) fitted
with guide nozzles (7).
5. A supply air device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that at least some of the guide nozzles (7) in the side surface (11) of the body (2) are
mutable.
6. A supply air device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply air device (1) is connected to a ventilation duct terminating in a ceiling
or wall.
7. A supply air device (1) according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the guide nozzles (7) are replaceable.
8. A supply air device (1) according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the apertures (6) are coverable either completely with plugs (9) or partially with
washer type elements (10).