Object of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a heat-adjustable diffuser for heating/air conditioning
installations, provided to automatically perform the orientation of the body in which
the finned core of the air diffuser is arranged, which orientation will be performed
depending on the air exiting through said fins.
[0002] The object of the invention is to simply and effectively achieve the pivoting limits
in either direction of the body of the finned core of the diffuser.
[0003] Obviously, the field of application of the invention is comprised within the industrial
sector dedicated to the manufacture and installation of air conditioning apparatuses,
used indistinctly for heating and/or cooling.
Background of the Invention
[0004] The equipment and/or apparatuses used indistinctly for heating and cooling include
a pivoting body in which the finned core of the air diffuser is arranged, which body
is assembled on a casing or frame which is fixed in an opening of the wall or conduit.
Said body with fins allows, in its pivoting, orienting the air flow outlet upwards
or downwards, with a certain inclination, depending on whether the apparatus works
as a cooler or as a heater.
[0005] Said orientation was performed manually with the drawbacks and problems which may
arise and which are not necessary to mention.
[0006] Currently, this pivoting and corresponding adjustment of the body of the diffuser
is performed automatically, depending on the temperature of the air exiting through
the finned core of the diffuser, and in this sense, Spanish utility models
U 200601710 and
U 200800465 of the same applicant can be mentioned. Specifically, utility model
200601710 essentially describes an automatic positioning mechanism for the body with the fins,
according to the outlet temperature, the mechanism being provided to detect the outlet
air temperature and, in combination with a heat-expandable element, to be able to
carry out the impingement of the latter on a lever connected with the body with the
fins to establish the greater or lesser pivoting of the latter and thus cause one
orientation or another of the outlet fins.
[0007] In addition, utility model 200800465 essentially describes a specific and advantageous
embodiment of a stop element for limiting the inclination in either direction of the
mentioned body with fins.
Description of the Invention
[0008] The proposed diffuser, following the structural and conceptual line established in
the two utility models mentioned in the previous section and belonging to the same
applicant, has a series of particularities and innovations which affect the way to
assemble the automatic positioning mechanism and the means for limiting the pivoting
of the finned core corresponding to the diffuser itself.
[0009] Specifically, the diffuser is of the type in which its finned core is pivotably assembled
on a casing or frame fixed to the wall or conduit, and is connected with the automatic
positioning mechanism for said finned core, having as a first novelty feature the
incorporation of a pair of side and rear plates fixed to the frame by means of any
suitable system, between which plates a transverse profile is integrally joined, together
forming a support for the mentioned automatic positioning mechanism.
[0010] Another novelty feature relates to stop means for limiting the pivoting of the body
with fins, said means being formed, for limiting the pivoting in a heating operation,
by a screw with a checknut which is fitted in a groove provided in one of the side
plates of the support, which screw can move along this groove and impinge on the body
with fins to establish the limit of the pivoting of the latter, the definitive position
of the screw being consolidated by means of tightening the checknut provided therein.
[0011] In relation to the means for limiting the pivoting of the finned core in the cooler
function, they are formed by another screw with a checknut, assembled in this case
in a profile belonging to the support of the automatic operation mechanism, which
screw at its free end is opposite a lever belonging to this automatic positioning
mechanism, such that in the pivoting in the cooler function, the end of said screw
will form a stop against the mentioned lever, thus limiting said pivoting of the finned
core.
[0012] Another novelty feature consists of the finned core having in its outer surface,
in correspondence with the upper part of one of its side parts, a scale indicating
the degrees which the body can pivot in either direction, which scale has an intermediate
mark "0" corresponding to the horizontal position of the body with fins, and from
that intermediate mark it has two scales on both sides which will indicate the degrees
which the body with fins can pivot to orient such fins with either inclination, downwards
or upwards, depending on whether the air discharge is hot or cold, respectively. The
angular pivoting movement will preferably be comprised between -20º and +20º, with
the possibility of occupying intermediate positions according to the temperature of
the air exiting through the finned core.
Description of the Drawings
[0013] To complement the description which will be made below and for the purpose of aiding
to better understand the features of the invention according to a preferred practical
embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description,
in which the following has been depicted with an illustrative and non-limiting character:
Figure 1 shows a depiction according to a general front perspective of the diffuser
of the invention on the frame fixed to a wall or conduit. The scale with which the
finned core is provided for the air outlet can be seen in this figure.
Figure 2 shows a perspective depiction of the assembly of the diffuser without the
finned core, allowing the view of the novel essential parts thereof, with the exception,
obviously, of the scale included in the finned core not depicted in this figure.
Figure 3 shows a depiction corresponding to a perspective view of the assembly of
the previous figure anterior with the finned core assembled.
Figure 4 shows a side view of the assembly of the diffuser depicted in the previous
figure.
Preferred Embodiment of the Invention
[0014] As can be seen in the mentioned figures, the heat-adjustable diffuser of the invention
comprises, as is conventional, a frame (1) forming the casing for fixing to the wall
or conduit (5), as depicted in Figures 1 and 2. A core (2) with air outlet diffuser
fins (3) is pivotably assembled on said frame (1), the assembly being performed through
two opposite side screws (4) acting as a pivoting shaft of the actual core (2).
[0015] Respective side plates (6) forming the actual support for the body (2) are integrally
joined in a suitable manner on the frame (1), and in which plates (6) the screws (4)
acting as a pivoting shaft for the body (2) are precisely arranged. These side plates
(6) have a rear notch in a straight or curved dihedron (according to size), determining
an "L" shape of the actual plates (6), being stiffened with one another through the
smaller branches of this considered L-shaped configuration by means of a transverse
profile (7).
[0016] As seen in Figure 1, the upper part of the body (2) includes a scale (8) corresponding
to the pivoting degrees in either direction of the body (2), because as has already
been mentioned, the diffuser is applicable in air conditioning installations for both
hot air and cold air, and depending on whether the function is a heating function
or a cooling function, the body (2) and with it the air outlet diffuser fins (3) must
be oriented downwards or upwards, respectively, since hot air must be directed downwards
so that it later moves upwards, and the cold air must be directed upwards so that
it later moves downwards, due to the different density thereof and to achieve in both
cases leveling and homogenizing the ambient temperature.
[0017] As a novelty feature of the invention, the mentioned scale (8) allows knowing the
pivoting degree of the body (2) and therefore the inclination of the diffuser fins
(3), in either direction, being able to be placed at the necessary inclination according
to the outlet air temperature, between the intermediate point "0" corresponding to
the horizontal and the points of, for example, +20º and -20º corresponding to the
positions of operation as a cooler and as a heater, respectively.
[0018] The diffuser includes the automatic positioning mechanism which has already been
mentioned in the previous section, which is formed by a support (9) fixed to one of
the side plates (6) and to the transverse profile (7), this automatic positioning
mechanism being complemented with a heat-expandable element (10) which, when heated,
expands and impinges on a lever (11) to which a rod (12) acting on the body (2) is
articulated, causing the pivoting of the latter in a downward direction, whereas when
the air is cold, the heat-expandable element (10) contracts and stops acting on the
lever (11), whereby the rod (12) stops acting on the body (2), the pivoting in the
opposite direction of the body (2) being caused, based on a spring associated with
the lever (11).
[0019] In addition to the side plates (6) and the transverse profile (7) as support means
forming part of the novelty features of the diffuser which is being described, and
the actual graduated scale (8), the stop means for limiting the pivoting in either
direction of the core (2) with air outlet diffuser fins (3) are also included as a
novelty.
[0020] Specifically, in the pivoting in the downward direction for the heating function,
the means for limiting said pivoting are formed by a screw (13) with a fixing checknut,
this screw (13) having play on a groove (14) provided to that effect in one of the
side plates (6), such that by moving the screw through this groove, the end of the
former will impinge on the body (2), establishing the pivoting limit, at which time
the checknut of the screw (13) will be tightened to fix the latter in the mentioned
position.
[0021] The pivoting in the opposite direction, for the cooling function, is performed by
means of a screw (15), also with a checknut for locking it, which screw (15) will
impinge on the lever (11) to form the limiting stop in the upward pivoting direction.
1. Heat-adjustable diffuser for heating/air conditioning installations, comprising a
frame for fixing to the wall or conduit on which a finned core of an air diffuser
is assembled such that it can pivot in either direction, by means of which core it
is possible to automatically orient the outlet air flow depending on the temperature
of said air, the automatic orientation being established by means of a positioning
mechanism based on a heat-expandable element capable of impinging on a lever acting
on the body with fins to cause the pivoting in either direction of the latter, depending
on the expansion or contraction of said heat-expandable element and caused by the
heating or cooling of the air, characterized in that on the frame for fixing to the wall there are fixed two L-shaped side plates integrally
joined to one another by means of a transverse profile, together determining a support
for the automatic positioning mechanism; a graduation scale indicating the pivoting
degrees in either direction of the body with fins furthermore having been provided,
also having means for limiting the pivoting in both directions of the actual finned
core, according to its operation as a heater or as a cooler.
2. Heat-adjustable diffuser for heating/air conditioning installations according to claim
1, characterized in that the graduation scale is provided at the upper part of one of the ends of the finned
core.
3. Heat-adjustable diffuser for heating/air conditioning installations according to claim
1, characterized in that the means for limiting the pivoting of the body with fins, in its function as a heater,
are formed by a screw with a fixing checknut, which screw is movable in a groove provided
to that effect in one of the side support plates fixed to the frame of the diffuser,
with the particularity that the free end of said screw is opposite the actual body
with fins, abutting against the latter to establish the corresponding downward pivoting
limiter of such body with fins.
4. Heat-adjustable diffuser for heating/air conditioning installations according to claim
1, characterized in that the means for limiting the pivoting of the body with fins, in its function as a cooler,
are formed by a screw with a fixing checknut, which screw is assembled on the respective
support of the automatic positioning mechanism for the body with fins, having the
opposite free end of such screw on the lever acting as means for pivoting such body
with fins, said end of the screw on the mentioned lever acting as a stop to establish
the upward pivoting limiter of the actual body with fins.