Patent ID: 8500528
Filing Date: 2013-08-06
Classification: F24F

Abstract:
1. A damper, comprising: a frame comprising a first side frame member having a first material thickness and a second side frame member having a second material thickness, the frame defines an inner airflow passageway and an outer area, wherein the inner airflow passageway is between the first side frame member and the second side frame member, the first side frame member includes a journal bearing surface that defines a substantially cylindrical hole, the journal bearing surface has an axial length that is greater than the first material thickness of the first side frame member also includes a fixed thrust bearing surface encircling the substantially cylindrical hole and facing the outer area; a damper blade disposed within the inner airflow passageway between the first side frame member and the second side frame member; a bearing member protruding through the substantially cylindrical hole in the first side member, the bearing member includes a drive side, a driven side, and a radial bearing surface between the drive side and the driven side, and a rotatable thrust bearing surface between the drive side and the driven side, the drive side is affixed to the damper blade, the driven side extends into outer area, the radial bearing surface is radially supported by the journal bearing surface such that the bearing member can rotate relative to the journal bearing surface, and the rotatable thrust bearing surface engages the fixed thrust bearing surface thereby limiting how far the damper blade can move away from the first side frame member; and a drive mechanism disposed within the outer area and being connected to the driven side of the bearing member to impart a rotational moment on the bearing member such that rotation of the bearing member rotates the damper blade, the bearing member including the drive side, the driven side, the rotatable thrust bearing surface, and the radial bearing surface is a unitary piece of a polymeric material; a drive shaft, two crank pins, and a shaft retainer plate all of which are disposed in the outer area, the drive shaft is part of the drive mechanism and is attached to the driven side of the bearing member, the two crank pins extend from the driven side of the bearing member and connect the shaft retainer plate to the bearing member, and the shaft retainer plate is connected to the drive shaft; and the drive mechanism includes a drive link selectively connected to one of the two crank pins at the exclusion of the other, the two crank pins are asymmetrically oriented on the bearing member such that the two crank pins are distinguishable from each other with respect to their orientation, and the two crank pins are included in the unitary piece of the polymeric material.