Abstract:
A modular floor terminal basket with a damper is mounted in the floor of an occupied space for delivering air from an under floor air plenum to the occupied space above. The modular floor terminal basket with a damper includes a generally cylindrical basket with air inlet openings on the basket side and an air outlet at the top of the basket. A damper is positioned in the basket for movement from a lower opened position to an upper closed position. The position of the damper is controlled by an actuator which in turn is controlled by a thermostat/controller in the occupied space above the floor. The damper is slideably mounted on a damper guide extending from the bottom of the basket toward the air outlet at the top of the basket. The actuator rotates a threaded shaft that engages a threaded collar attached to the damper so that the damper slides up and down along the damper guide.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/676698, filed Apr. 29, 2005, which is relied on and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a modular floor terminal basket with a vertically movable damper for use with an HVAC system having an under floor air plenum.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In an HVAC system having an under floor air plenum, cool or warm air is supplied to the plenum below the floor of an occupied space to be cooled or heated. In order to cool or heat the occupied space above the floor, terminals with diffuser grilles are mounted in the floor at predetermined locations to allow the cool or warm air in the plenum to flow into the occupied space above the floor. The terminals are located and oriented to accommodate the configuration of the occupied space to be cooled or heated.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The modular floor terminal basket of the present invention is mounted in the floor of an occupied space for delivering air from an under floor air plenum to the occupied space above the floor through a diffuser grille. The modular floor terminal basket includes a round basket and a disk shaped damper. The basket has air inlet openings on the side circumference, an air outlet at the top of the basket, and a closed bottom. The diffuser grille covers the basket outlet and diffuses the air, in a predetermined flow pattern, into the occupied space above the floor. The disk shaped damper is positioned in the basket for vertical movement from a lower opened position to an upper closed position. The damper is slideably mounted on a damper guide within the basket. The vertical position of the damper along the damper guide is controlled by an electric motor which in turn is controlled by a thermostat/controller usually located in the occupied space above the floor. The motor is connected directly to and rotates a threaded screw drive. The threaded screw drive engages a threaded collar attached to the damper so that the damper slides up and down along the damper guide as the motor turns the threaded screw drive. As the damper slides up along the damper guide, the damper progressively closes off the side air inlet openings from communication with the air outlet at the top of the basket. As the damper slides down along the damper guide, the damper progressively opens the side air inlet openings for communication with the air outlet at the top of the basket.  
         [0005]     A thermostat/controller control signal is supplied from the thermostat/controller to a signal converter that allows for convenient and easy plug and play installation. A modular control cable can be plugged into the signal converter. The signal controller also includes an output for the signal to be carried to the next terminal if installed in a daisy-chain manner.  
         [0006]     A perforated plate may be located in the air outlet of the basket and serve as an equalization baffle, ensuring consistent flow from the air outlet to the diffuser grille. This plate also serves to catch debris that may fall into the basket from the occupied space through the diffuser grille.  
         [0007]     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a modular floor terminal basket with a damper that will control the airflow from the under floor air plenum, through the diffuser grille, to the occupied space above the floor.  
         [0008]     Further objects, features and advantages will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawing and the appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a first embodiment of a modular floor terminal basket with a damper in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the first embodiment of the modular floor terminal basket with a damper in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a sectional side elevation view of the first embodiment of the modular floor terminal basket with a damper in accordance with the present invention as seen along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the modular floor terminal basket with a damper in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a sectional side elevation view of the alternative embodiment of the modular floor terminal basket with a damper in accordance with the present invention as seen along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]      FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3  illustrate a first embodiment of a modular floor terminal basket  8  mounted in an opening  19  of a floor  11 . An air plenum  13  is located below the floor  11 , and an occupied space  15  is located above the floor  11  ( FIG. 3 ). The modular floor terminal basket  8  comprises a basket  10  and a damper  12 . The basket  10  is generally cylindrical and has a closed bottom  14 , a peripheral side  16  with columns  27  that define air inlet openings  18 , and an upper rim  20  defining an air outlet opening  22 .  
         [0015]     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the damper  12  is disk shaped and is dimensioned to fit within the cylindrical basket  10 . The damper  12  has guide holes  44 ,  46 , and  48 . The damper  12  also has a threaded collar  50  attached to the damper  12  at its center.  
         [0016]     A damper guide  25  comprises three support rods  24 ,  26 , and  28  that are fixed to the bottom  14  of the basket  10  and extend upwardly. The support rods  24 ,  26 , and  28  are connected at their top ends  34 ,  36 , and  38  respectively by means of a bracket  30 . The support rods  24 ,  26 , and  28  engage the guide holes  44 ,  46 , and  48  in the damper  12 .  
         [0017]     A diffuser grille  17  is mounted in the air outlet opening  22  and is supported by the upper rim  20  of the basket  10 . The diffuser grille  17 , mounted over the air outlet opening  22 , creates an air diffusion pattern as conditioned air flows out of the air outlet opening  22  into the occupied space  15  above the floor  11 . A perforated plate (not shown) may be located in the air outlet opening  22  of the basket  10  and may serve as an equalization baffle, ensuring consistent air flow from the air outlet opening  22  to the diffuser grille  17 . The perforated plate also may serve to catch debris that might fall into the basket  10  from the occupied space  15  through the diffuser grille  17 .  
         [0018]     An electric motor of  52  is mounted to the underside of the bottom  14  of the basket  10 . The motor  52  has a drive shaft  54  that extends through the bottom  14  of the basket  10 . The drive shaft  54  is attached directly to a threaded screw drive  56  that engages the threaded collar  50  attached to the damper  12 . As the drive shaft  54  of the motor  52  rotates, the threaded screw drive  56  engages the threaded collar  50  and causes the damper  12  to move up and down along the support rods  24 ,  26 , and  28 . The support rods  24 ,  26 , and  28  and the guide holes  44 ,  46 , and  48  keep the damper  12  from rotating.  
         [0019]     As the damper  12  slides up along the support rods  24 ,  26 , and  28 , the damper  12  progressively closes off the side air inlet openings  18  from communication with the air outlet opening  22  at the top of the basket  10 . In its full upper position, the damper  12  engages a gasket  57  located around the upper rim  20  of the basket  10 . With the gasket  57  engaged by the damper  12 , virtually all the air is shut off to the occupied space  15  above the floor  11 .  
         [0020]     As the damper  12  slides down along the support rods  24 ,  26 , and  28 , the damper  12  progressively opens the side air inlet openings  18  for communication with the air outlet opening  22  at the top of the basket  10 . Because of the orientation of the damper  12  within the basket  10 , the airflow through the diffuser above the basket  10  will occur over the entire air outlet opening  22  and therefore over the entire area of the diffuser grille  17 . Because the electric motor  52  is directly coupled to the threaded screw drive  56 , the damper operation will be quiet, will be precise, and will have an extended life expectancy.  
         [0021]     The basket  10  with the rim  20  is designed to integrate into the existing round floor diffuser opening  19 . The rim  20  allows easy installation from the room side  15  of the raised floor  11  by simply dropping the basket  10  into the round opening  19  in the floor  11 .  
         [0022]     A signal converter  60  controls the operation of the electric motor  52 . The signal converter  60  receives a control signal through a control cable  62  with a plug  68  that is plugged into a receptacle  64  on the converter  60 . The control cable  62  with the plug  68  and the receptacle  64  allow for convenient and easy plug and play installation. The signal converter  60  also includes an output receptacle  66  for the signal to be carried to the next terminal if installed in a daisy-chain manner.  
         [0023]      FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate an alternative embodiment of a modular floor terminal basket  108  mounted in the opening  19  of the floor  11  ( FIG. 3 ). The modular floor terminal basket  108  comprises a basket  110  and a damper  112 . The basket  110  is generally cylindrical and has a closed bottom  114 , a peripheral side  116  with columns  127  that define air inlet openings  118  with tops  130 , and an upper rim  120  defining an air outlet opening  122 .  
         [0024]     With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the damper  112  is pan shaped with a bottom  113  and a circumferential side  126  extending upward from the bottom  113  of the damper  112 . The damper  112  is dimensioned to fit within the cylindrical basket  110 . A damper guide  125  comprises the columns  127  and rectangular protrusions  124  spaced around the circumferential side  126  of the damper  112 . The rectangular protrusions  124  extend into the air inlet openings  118  and engage the columns  127  of the peripheral side  116 . The damper  112  also has a threaded collar  150  attached to the bottom  113  of the damper  112  at its center. The threaded collar  150  extends upwardly from the bottom  113  of the damper  112  to a height at least equal to the height of the circumferential side  126 .  
         [0025]     A diffuser grille  117  is mounted in the opening  122  and is supported by the upper rim  120  of the basket  110 . The diffuser grille  117 , mounted over the air outlet opening  122 , creates an air diffusion pattern as conditioned air flows out of the air outlet opening  122  into the occupied space  15  above the floor  11 . A perforated plate (not shown) may be located in the air outlet opening  122  of the basket  110  and may serve as an equalization baffle, ensuring consistent air flow from the air outlet opening  122  to the diffuser grille  117 . The perforated plate also may serve to catch debris that might fall into the basket  110  from the occupied space  15  through the diffuser grille  117 . An electric motor of  152  is mounted to the underside of the bottom  114  of the basket  110 . The motor  152  has a drive shaft  154  that extends through the bottom  114  of the basket  110 . The drive shaft  154  is attached directly to a threaded screw drive  156 . The threaded screw drive  156  extends through an upwardly extending sleeve  151  that keeps the threaded screw drive  156  perpendicular to the bottom  113  of the basket  110  so that the damper  112  does not become misaligned with the basket  110  and bind on the columns  127  of the basket  110 . The threaded screw drive  156  engages the threaded collar  150  attached to the damper  112 . As the drive shaft  154  of the motor  152  rotates, the threaded screw drive  156  engages the threaded collar  150  and causes the damper  112  to move up and down along the damper guide  125 . The engagement of the rectangular protrusions  124  with the air inlet openings  118  of the damper guide  125  keeps the damper  112  from rotating.  
         [0026]     As the damper  112  slides up along the damper guide  125 , the damper  112  progressively closes off the side air inlet openings  118  from communication with the air outlet opening  122  at the top of the basket  10 . When the damper  112  is in its full upper position, the rectangular protrusions  124  within the air inlet openings  118  engage the tops  130  of the air inlet openings  118 . With the protrusions  124  engaging the tops  130  of the air inlet openings  118 , virtually all the air is shut off to the occupied space  15  above the floor  11 .  
         [0027]     As the damper  112  slides down along the damper guide  125 , the damper  112  progressively opens the side air inlet openings  118  for communication with the air outlet opening  122  at the top of the basket  110 . Because of the orientation of the damper  112  within the basket  110 , the airflow through the diffuser above the basket  110  will occur over the entire outlet opening  122  and therefore over the entire area of the diffuser grille  117  thus assuring that the diffuser grille  117  produces its intended diffusion pattern. Because the electric motor  152  is directly coupled to the threaded screw drive  156 , the damper operation will be quiet, will be precise, and will have an extended life expectancy.  
         [0028]     The basket  110  with the rim  120  is designed to integrate into the existing round floor diffuser opening  19 . The rim  120  allows easy installation from the room side  15  of the raised floor  11  by simply dropping the basket  110  into the round opening  19  in the floor  11 . In addition, the pan shape of the damper  112  along with the threaded collar  150  allows the damper  112  to catch and hold liquid and other debris spilled through the diffuser grille  117 . The circumferential side  126  keeps spilled liquid from running out of the basket  110  into the air plenum  13  through the air inlet openings  118 , and the threaded collar  150  keeps spilled liquid from running out of the basket  110  into the air plenum  13  around the threaded screw drive  156 . The capacity of the damper  112  to hold liquid and debris is established by the height of the circumferential side  126  and the height of the threaded collar  150 .  
         [0029]     A signal converter  160  controls the operation of the electric motor  152 . The signal converter  160  receives a control signal through a control cable  162  with a plug  168  that is plugged into a receptacle  164  on the converter  160 . The control cable  162  with the plug  168  and the receptacle  164  allow for convenient and easy plug and play installation. The signal converter  160  also includes an output receptacle  166  for the signal to be carried to the next terminal if installed in a daisy-chain manner.  
         [0030]     While this invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be affected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein and as described in the appended claims.