ADJUSTABLE VALVE FOR AN AIR DUCT IN A VENTILATION SYSTEM

Abstract

 The present invention relates to an adjustable valve for an air duct for forced or unforced ventilation of a home and the like. The valve comprises a stator having an annular stator element adapted to be retained in said air duct, an outer rotor part provided in the space defined by the annular stator element, and an inner rotor part enclosed in the space between, and connected to, the stator and the outer rotor part. The valve is further adapted to adjust the axial position of the inner rotor part relative to the outer rotor part in discrete steps when the outer rotor part is turned.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an adjustable valve assembly suitable for mounting in or to an air duct for forced or unforced ventilation of a home and the like. The present invention further relates to a mechanical ventilation system comprising at least one air duct and a ventilation device connected to said air duct in which such a valve assembly is provided.

Background

[0002] Many buildings have air ducts which provide passages for exchange, ventilation, circulation and/or movement of air through the surfaces (e.g. walls and ceilings) of the building. Buildings may have ventilation systems, which take in "fresh' air from outside of the building and expel "exhaust" air from inside the building. Fresh air may be taken into a building or exhaust air may be expelled from a building through one or more air ducts. Some buildings incorporate other systems and/or apparatus, such as air conditioning systems, heating systems and bathroom fans, which use air ducts to provide routes for the movement of air through building surfaces.

[0003] Typically, an air duct is associated with a valve which connects the air duct with a room of the building. A valve provides a passageway in fluid communication with its associated air duct to provide a means for air flow through a building surface. Some valves comprise flow adjustment mechanisms. Such mechanisms allow the flow of air through the valve to be controlled. The valve may comprise a cover for providing a more aesthetically pleasing view of a user.

Object of the Invention

[0004] An object of the invention is to provide an improved valve, which is manually adjustable when installed in the air duct.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Aspects of the present disclosure are to address at least the abovementioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a valve for mounting in or to an air duct for ventilation of a house, the air duct may for example end in the floor or ceiling of a room of the house. The valve is furthermore suitable for use with an air duct for supplying air to the room or an air duct for extracting air to the room. The valve comprises a stator having an annular stator element adapted to be mounted to, preferably retained in, said air duct, an outer rotor part provided in the space defined by the annular stator element, an inner rotor part enclosed in the space between, and connected to, the stator and the outer rotor part. In particular, the inner and outer rotor part are rigidly connected to each other such that turning the outer rotor part causes the rotation of the inner rotor part. Moreover, the outer rotor part may be retained in the space defined by the annular stator element using complementary retaining means, e.g a screw or the like that extends in a respective recessed surface of the outer rotor element to mechanically retain the outer rotor part, and thereby also the inner rotor part, inside the annular stator element.

[0006] The valve is further adapted to adjust the axial position of the inner rotor part relative to the outer rotor part, preferably in discrete steps, when the outer rotor part is turned, i.e. is rotated around its central axis A. As such the cross-section of an air passage between the outer rotor part and the inner rotor part is changed causing a change in the flow or pressure of air flowing through the valve.
In this manner, an improved valve, which is manually adjustable when installed in the air duct, is provided. In particular, the described valve is compactly and efficiently designed, and does not require the presence of parts, e.g. a cover, in the room connected to the air duct. However, the valve may be provided partially extending out of the air duct.
According to an embodiment, the present invention relates to the valve as described above, wherein the stator comprises at least one inner slot provided on the inner surface of the stator for receiving and guiding at least one protrusion provided on the outer surface of an annular inner rotor element of the inner rotor part. The at least one inner slot is adapted to adjust the axial position of the inner rotor part relative to the stator and the outer rotor part when the inner rotor part is rotated relative to the stator.
According to another embodiment, the present invention relates to the valve as described above, further comprising visual indications, corresponding to the axial position of the inner rotor part, on the side that is arranged to face towards a room of the house when the valve is retained in the air duct.
According to yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to the valve assembly as described above, further comprising removable locking means adapted to prevent turning of the outer rotor part.
In a further aspect the present disclosure is to provide a mechanical ventilation system comprising a ventilation device connected to an air duct in which a valve as described above is provided.
Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Brief description of Drawings

[0007] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to drawings in which illustrative embodiments thereof are shown. They are intended exclusively for illustrative purposes and not to restrict the inventive concept, which is defined by the appended claims.

Figure 1 shows a cross section of a valve assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows in exploded view the valve assembly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows in exploded view of a valve assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4A shows in a perspective view the outer rotor part of the valve shown in Figure 3;

Figure 4B shows in a cross-sectional view the outer rotor part of the valve shown in Figure 4A;

Figure 5A shows in a perspective view the inner rotor part of the valve shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5B shows in a top view the inner rotor part of the valve shown in Figure 5A;

Figure 6A shows in a perspective view the stator of the valve shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6B shows in a cross-sectional view the stator of the valve shown in Figure 6A;

Figure 7A shows a cross section of a valve assembly according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 7B shows a cross section of a valve assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

[0008] Figures 1 and 2 show a valve assembly 1 for use in an air duct of a mechanical or natural ventilation system of a house or the like. The shown valve assembly 1 comprises an annular housing 40 in which an adjustable valve 10 of the valve assembly 1 is mechanically retained via an annular coil spring 140. The valve assembly 1 further comprises a luminaire 20, 23 connected to and extending from a side of the valve 10 which is arranged to face towards a room of the house, in which the air duct debouches, when the housing 40 is attached to an inner wall of the air duct.

[0009] The housing 40 has an outer housing side 41 adapted to be connected to said air duct and an inner housing side 42, opposite the outer housing side 41, which is adapted to be connected to the adjustable valve 10. The valve 10 comprises adjustment means and flow regulating means for regulating the flow or pressure of air flowing through the housing 40 based on the position of the adjustment means.

[0010] The luminaire 20, 23 comprises a luminaire body 20 adapted to be connected to said adjustment means for adjusting the position of the adjustment means thereby regulating the flow or pressure of air flowing through the housing 40, and arranged towards the room when the housing 40 is attached to an inner wall of the air duct. The proximal end 21 of the luminaire body 20 is adapted to be rotationally connected to the adjustment means such that axial rotation of the luminaire body 20 modifies the position of the adjustment means and point rotation of the luminaire body 20 modifies the direction of the luminaire body B relative to the valve 10 without changing the position of the adjustment means, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B. The distal end 21, opposite the proximal end 22, of the luminaire body 20 is adapted to receive and connect to a light source 23, e.g. a LED, via an electrical connection adapted to be connected to a power source.

[0011] Furthermore, when in the flow direction the housing 40 is larger than the valve 10, the valve assembly 1 may comprise an annular guide element 30 to guide the air from the end of the housing facing towards a room to the opening in the end of the valve facing towards a room. Similarly to the valve 10, the guide element 30 may be mechanically retained via an annular coil spring 31.
The annular coil springs 140, 141 are adapted to be provided in an annular slot 31, 134 of the valve 10 or guide element 30 to fasten (latch, lock, and hold) the respective part to the housing 40. For example, the coil springs may be compression springs and/or canted coil springs. Advantageously, the coil spring 140, 141 produces a radial or axial force such that the coil spring 31, 140 remains in contact with the mating surface and may compensate for large mating tolerances, alignment, and surface irregularities.

[0012] Figures 3, 4A-B, 5A-B and 6A-B show an adjustable valve 100 for use in an air duct of a mechanical or natural ventilation system of a house or the like. The adjustable valve 100 comprises a stationary part 130, also called stator, adapted to be stationary connected to said air duct, and a rotatable assembly 110, 120, also called rotor, rotationally connected to said stator 130. The rotatable assembly comprising an inner rotor part 120 and an outer rotor part 110.

[0013] As shown in Figures 4A-B, the outer rotor part 110 is formed by an annular outer rotor element 111 connected to a central bowl-shaped element 113 via a plurality of spacers 115, preferably positioned symmetrically around the bowl-shaped element 113, at the upper end of the outer rotor element 111. The outer rotor element 111 comprises a plurality of parallel slots 112 extending from the lower end of the annular element 111 which is arranged to face towards the stator 130, and said slots 112 are preferably positioned symmetrically around the bowl-shaped element 113. The outer rotor element 111 further comprises a plurality of recessed surfaces 116 on its outer surface extending between the subsequent slots 112 in an angular direction and a plurality of corrugated surfaces 117 on the lower end of its outer surface extending between the subsequent slots 112 in the angular direction. In the bowl-shaped element 113 a connection element 114 may be arranged to connect to an electrical body.

[0014] As shown in Figures 5A-B, the inner rotor part 120 is formed by an annular inner rotor element 121. At upper end of said inner rotor element 124, which is arranged to face towards the outer rotor part 110 and away from the stator 130, the inner rotor part 120 is provided with a ring-shaped element 126 extending inward from the inner surface 122 of the inner rotor element and with a plurality of protrusions 125 on the outer surface 123, opposite the inner surface 122, of the annular element 121. The plurality of protrusions 125 of the inner rotor part 120 and the plurality of parallel slots 112 of the outer rotor part 110 are positioned at corresponding angular positions in the angular direction, preferably arranged symmetrically around the respective annular element. As such, when the inner rotor part 120 is introduced in the outer rotor part 110, each protrusion 125 extends through a respective slot 112 to a widened section of the protrusion 127 provided outside the outer rotor part 110, wherein the width of the widened section of the protrusion 127 is larger than the width of the respective slot 112. Hence, the protrusion 125 will prevent movement of the inner and outer rotor element 111, 121 relative to each other in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction A, e.g. by translation in the radial direction or by rotation in the angular direction.

[0015] As shown in Figures 6A-B, the stator 130 is formed by an annular stator element 131 in which an outer slot 134 is provided on the outer surface 133 of the stator element 131 to receive the annular coil spring 140, shown in Figure 3, to mechanically retain the stator 130 in the air duct, and in which at least one inner slot 135 is provided on the inner surface 132 of the stator element 131 to receive and guide the plurality of protrusions 125 of the inner rotor part 120. The at least one inner slot 135 is adapted to guide the plurality of protrusions 125, and thereby axially move the inner rotor part 120, when the plurality of protrusions 125 are rotated around the central axis A. At the lower end of the stator 130, which is arranged to face towards a room of the house, the stator 130 further comprises a ring-shaped element 136. On a lower side of the ring-shaped element 136, the ring-shaped element 136 is provided with visual indications relating to the axial position of the at least one inner slot 135 at a predetermined angular position, and, at the opposite upper side, the ring-shaped element 136 is adapted to receive the lower end of the outer rotor element 111 in an annular recess 137, as shown in Figure 1.
The stator 130 further comprises openings 138a, 138b, of respectively a locking mechanism and a ratchet mechanism, extending axially from the lower end of the stator element 131 to allow insertion of a complementary element by a user when installed and extending radially the inner surface 132 to allow interaction between the complementary element and the outer surface of the outer rotor element 111.
By introduction of locking means 150 in the opening 138a, the locking means 150 interact with the corrugated surface 117 of the outer rotor part 110 to lock the relative position between the stator 130 and the rotor parts 110, 120. By introduction of ratchet means 160 in the opening 138b, the ratchet means 150 interact with the corrugated surface 117 of the outer rotor part 110 to limit the rotational movement between the stator 130 and the rotor parts 110, 120 to clockwise or counterclockwise movement in the angular direction.
The stator element 131 further comprises a plurality of countersunk or counterbored holes 139 on its outer surface to receive a respective screw or the like 170 that extends in a respective recessed surface 116 of the outer rotor element 111 to mechanically retain the outer rotor part 110, and thereby also the inner rotor part 120, inside the annular stator element 131, i.e. in the space defined by the annular stator element 131 and the lower ring 136. The screw 170 and recesses 116 further limit the rotational movement of the outer rotor part 110 in the angular direction.

[0016] Next, the operating principle of the display device of the present invention will be described. As mentioned above the valve 10, 100 comprises adjustment means and flow regulating means for regulating the flow or pressure of air flowing through the valve 10, 100.
The adjustment means comprises the bowl-shaped element 113, optionally attached to the proximal end 21, that are rigidly connected to the outer rotor element 111. By turning the bowl-shaped element 113, the position of the valve 10, 100 may be changed towards the closed position or towards the open position depending on the direction of rotation. Turning of the bowl-shaped element 113 causes the outer rotor element 111 to turn in the same direction of rotation, and therewith the protrusions 125 of the inner rotor element 121 present in the slots of the outer rotor element 112.
The protrusions 125, extending through the slots of the outer rotor element 112 and received in the at least one inner slot 135 of the stator element 131, are guided by the at least one inner slot 135 when turning the bowl-shaped element 113. Due to the fact that the at least one inner slot 135 extends in the axial direction A, the axial position of the guided protrusions 125 change relative the stator 130 and the outer rotor part 110. Because of that the axial position of the ring-shaped element 126 of the inner rotor part 110 is changed relative to the bowl-shaped element 113. Hence, the flow or pressure of air flowing through the valve 10, 100 is adjusted because the air passage through the valve is defined by the space between the bowl-shaped element 113 and the ring-shaped element 126. The flow rate is increased by turning the bowl-shaped element 113 clockwise and the flow rate is decreased by turning the bowl-shaped element 113 clockwise, or vice versa.
Other alternatives and equivalent embodiments of the present invention are conceivable within the idea of the invention, as will be clear to the person skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

List of reference signs

[0017] 

1.

Valve assembly

10, 100.

Valve

20.

Luminaire Body

21.

Proximal End

22.

Distal End

23.

Lamp

30.

Guide Element

31.

Outer Slot of the Guide Element

40.

Housing

41.

Outer Housing Side

42.

Inner Housing Side

110.

Outer Rotor Part

111.

Outer Rotor Element

112.

Slot of the Outer Rotor Element

113.

Bowl-shaped Element

114.

Connection Element

115.

Spacer

116.

Recesses Surface

117.

Corrugated Surface

120.

Inner Rotor Part

121.

Inner Rotor Element

122.

Inner Surface of the Inner Rotor Element

123.

Outer Surface of the Inner Rotor Element

124.

Upper End of the Inner Rotor Element

125.

Protrusion

126.

Ring-shaped Element

127.

Nut

130.

Stator

131.

Stator Element

132.

Inner Surface of the Outer Rotor Element

133.

Outer Surface of the Outer Rotor Element

134.

Outer Slot

135.

Inner Slot

136.

Ring-shaped Element with Visual Indications

137.

Annular Recess

138A.

Opening of the Locking Mechanism

138B.

Opening of the Ratcheting Mechanism

139.

Countersunk or Counterbored Hole

140, 141.

Canted Coil Spring

150.

Locking Means of the Locking Mechanism

160.

Ratchet Means of the Ratcheting Mechanism

170.

Screw

A.

Central Axis

B.

Luminaire Body Axis

Claims

1. Valve (100) for an air duct for ventilation of a building, comprising:

a stator (130) having an annular stator element (131) adapted to be attached to said air duct;

an outer rotor part (110) provided in the space defined by the annular stator element (131); and

an inner rotor part (120) enclosed in the space between the stator (130) and the outer rotor part (110), and said inner rotor part (120) being connected to the stator (130) and the outer rotor part (110),

wherein the valve (100) is adapted to adjust the axial position of the inner rotor part (120) relative to the outer rotor part (110), such that the cross-section of an air passage between the outer rotor part (110) and the inner rotor part (120) is changed, by turning the outer rotor part (110).

2. Valve (100) according to claim 1,
wherein the stator (130) and the inner rotor part (120) comprise complementary means (135, 125) adapted to adjust the axial position of the inner rotor part (120) relative to the stator (130) and the outer rotor part (110) when the inner rotor part (120) is rotated relative to the stator (130).

3. Valve (100) according to claim 1 or claim 2,
wherein the stator (130) comprises at least one inner slot (135) provided on the inner surface of the stator (132) for receiving and guiding at least one protrusion (125) provided on the outer surface of an annular inner rotor element (121) of the inner rotor part (120), and
wherein the at least one inner slot (135) is adapted to adjust the axial position of the inner rotor part (120) relative to the stator (130) and the outer rotor part (110) when the inner rotor part (120) is rotated relative to the stator (130).

4. Valve (100) according to claim 1 or claim 2,
wherein the inner rotor part comprises at least one outer slot provided on the outer surface of an annular inner rotor element of the inner rotor part (120) for receiving and guiding at least one protrusion provided on the inner surface of the stator (132), and wherein the at least one outer slot is adapted to adjust the axial position of the inner rotor part (120) relative to the stator (130) and the outer rotor part (110) when the inner rotor part (120) is rotated relative to the stator (130).

4. Valve (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the position of the flow regulating means of the valve (100) is manually adjustable in discrete steps.

5. Valve (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising visual indications (136) on the side that is arranged to face towards a room of the house when the valve is retained in the air duct, said visual indications (136) corresponding to the axial position of the inner rotor part.

6. Valve (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising removable locking means (150) adapted to prevent turning of the outer rotor part (110).

7. Valve (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner rotor part (120) comprises a ring-shaped element (126) extending inward from an inner surface (122) of an inner rotor element (121) of the inner rotor part (120),
wherein the ring-shaped element (126) is adapted to adjust the cross-section of an air passage between the outer rotor part (110) and the inner rotor part (120) when the axial position of the inner rotor part (120) is adjusted relative to the outer rotor part (110).

8. Valve (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring-shaped element (126) comprises one or more openings or is perforated.

9. Valve (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the annular stator element (131) is adapted to be attached to said air duct via an annular housing (40) in which the valve (100) is mechanically retained, preferably via an annular coil spring (140).

10. Mechanical ventilation system comprising an air duct and a ventilation device connected to said air duct in which a valve (100) according to any one of the preceding claims is provided.

Drawing