Abstract:
A mounting flange for attaching an HVAC air diffuser terminal in an opening in a floor or other mounting surface. The mounting flange includes a trim ring and a flange clip. The flange clip is adjustably and movably received in a slot defined a side of the trim ring. A pawl on the flange clip engages with ratchets defined in a surface of the trim ring adjacent to the slot to maintain the flange clip in selected position relative the underside of a floor. The air diffuser terminal is secured in the floor opening between gripping surfaces on the flange clip and the trim ring. An optional screw operably connects the flange clip with the trim ring so that the diffuser may be securely tightened in the floor opening.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of prior U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/940,842, filed May 30, 2007. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to air diffuser terminals utilized with HVAC distribution systems. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved mounting flange and method for installing an air diffuser terminal, especially in a floor opening. With greater particularity, the invention relates to a mounting flange with a ratchet and a pawl for securing the air diffuser terminal in a floor opening. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Under floor HVAC systems carry conditioned air through a plenum located beneath the floor of an occupied space. The conditioned air flows into the occupied space via one or more air diffuser terminals mounted in openings in the floor. The air diffuser terminals are located at various positions in the floor to distribute the conditioned air evenly within the occupied space. In modular floor configurations, the air diffuser terminals may be relocated to accommodate changes in the work layout of the room, increased or decreased worker capacity, or changes in the intended utilization of the occupied space. Accordingly, it is useful in the art to have an HVAC air diffuser terminal that may be readily relocated within the occupied space. Because such air diffuser terminals are floor mounted, the air diffuser terminals must be securely mounted in the floor to ensure the safety of the occupants. 
         [0004]    Typical floor mounted HVAC air diffuser terminals include a basket, a diffuser grille, and a mounting flange. The mounting flange secures the air diffuser terminal in the opening in the floor or other support structure. Conditioned air from the under floor air plenum is delivered to the occupied space above the floor through the basket and the diffuser grille. In some installations, the modular terminal basket includes a stationary round basket and rotatable internal round basket. Both the stationary basket and the rotatable basket have openings in their sides and bottoms, such that rotation of the internal basket relative to the stationary basket opens and closes the openings to control the amount of air that flows through the terminal basket, the diffuser grille, and into the occupied space. The internal rotatable basket is connected to the diffuser grille so that rotation of the diffuser grille opens and closes the openings and thereby controls the amount of air flowing through the floor terminal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,596 issued to Birdsong, discloses a modular floor terminal with a stationary basket and a rotatable basket connected to the diffuser grille. 
         [0005]    The air diffuser terminal disclosed in Birdsong &#39;596 is secured the floor opening by gripping engagement of the upper floor surface and the lower floor surface between a trim ring extending around the periphery of the diffuser grille and a retaining ring, respectively. The retaining ring is rotated with respect to the trim ring such that cammed grooves urge the retaining ring against the lower floor surface while drawing the trim ring downwardly against the upper floor surface. A latching mechanism on the retaining ring engages with latching teeth of the trim ring to prevent rotation and thereby disengagement of the retaining ring. 
         [0006]    While the Birdsong &#39;596 air diffuser terminal may be installed and secured in the floor opening by a worker position above the floor, the design of the retaining ring and trim ring interface is unnecessarily complicated. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a modular air diffuser terminal having a simplified low cost mounting flange for securing the HVAC air diffuser terminal in a floor opening. 
         [0008]    In accordance with the present invention, an air diffuser terminal is mounted in an opening in a floor or other support structure. The air diffuser terminal includes an air diffuser grille, a basket, and a mounting flange. The mounting flange secures the air diffuser terminal to the floor. The mounting flange comprises a trim ring and a flange clip slideably attached to the trim ring. 
         [0009]    The trim ring is dimensioned to fit the floor opening and has a downward gripping surface or lip to engage the top of the floor. The trim ring also has a plurality of vertical slide tracks, each in the form of a vertical slot, extending downwardly from the lip. Each vertical slot has at least one ratchet located on the trim ring adjacent the vertical slot. The ratchet defines a range of adjustment corresponding to the thickness of the floor or other support structure in which the air diffuser terminal will be mounted. 
         [0010]    The flange clip includes an attachment portion and an outwardly extending arm with an upward gripping surface. The attachment portion of the flange clip has grooves that engage the edges of the vertical slot. The flange clip also has a pawl that engages the ratchet to lock the flange clip at a vertical position so that the floor is captured between the lip of trim ring and the outwardly extending arm of the flange clip. The flange clip also includes a tab for disengaging the pawl from the ratchet so that the flange clip may be lowered relative the floor and may also be removed from the trim ring. 
         [0011]    The mounting flange may also include one or more screws connected between the trim ring and the flange clip to draw the flange clip against the underside of the floor so that the floor is captured between the outwardly extending arm of the flange clip and the lip of the trim ring. The mounting flange of the present invention permits installation of the diffuser by an operator located above the surface of the floor, such that installation may be readily accomplished by simply reaching through the trim ring and into the diffuser basket. The mounting flange of the present invention thereby provides a cost effective method of installing an HVAC terminal in a floor opening. 
         [0012]    Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when viewed in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a conventional air diffuser terminal installed in an opening in a floor. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of a mounting flange for an air diffuser terminal in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the mounting flange for an air diffuser terminal in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is an inside perspective view of the diffuser mounting flange for an air diffuser terminal in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an inside perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the mounting flange for an air diffuser terminal in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a detailed side perspective view of the mounting flange for an air diffuser terminal in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a detailed a front perspective view of the mounting flange for an air diffuser terminal in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a mounting flange for an air diffuser terminal in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an air diffuser terminal having the mounting flange of  FIG. 8  in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is perspective view of the flange clip of  FIG. 8  in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Turning to  FIG. 1 , a conventional basket type, air diffuser terminal  110  comprises a diffuser grille  111 , a basket  108 , and a mounting flange  116 . Such a conventional air diffuser terminal  110  is mounted in an opening (or bore)  106  in a floor or other support structure  112  and is retained by the mounting flange  116 . The mounting flange  116  comprises a trim ring  114  and a retaining ring  120  that respectively grip the upper and lower surfaces of the floor  112 . The trim ring  114  has a lip  143  that bears against the top surface of the floor  112 . The retaining ring  120  is threadingly engaged with the trim ring  114  to secure the air diffuser terminal  110  to the top and bottom surfaces of the floor  112 . Particularly, the retaining ring  120  is rotated into engagement with the bottom of the floor  112  and the lip  143  engages the top surface of the floor  112 . An air plenum below the floor  112  delivers heating and cooling air produced by the HVAC system to the air diffuser terminal  110 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the air diffuser terminal  110  further comprises an outer stationary basket  108  that includes a plurality of vertically aligned openings  118 . The air in the plenum passes through the openings  118 , into the basket  108 , and through the diffuser grille  111  to the heated and cooled space (or room) above the floor  112 . A rotatable basket (not shown), having corresponding openings  118 , is nested within the stationary basket  108  for relative rotation such that rotating basket within stationary basket  108  opens and closes the circumferential openings  118 , to regulate the flow of conditioned air through the air diffuser terminal  110 . A similar prior art air diffuser terminal is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,596 issued to Birdsong. 
         [0024]    In accordance with the present invention, an air diffuser terminal  10  is shown in  FIG. 9 . The air diffuser terminal  10  is mounted in the opening of a floor or other support structure  12 . The air diffuser terminal  10  comprises a diffuser grille  11 , a basket  8 , and a mounting flange  16 . The mounting flange and  16  secures the air diffuser terminal  10  within the opening in the floor  12 . One embodiment of the mounting flange  16  in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 2-4  and comprises a trim ring  14  and a flange clip  24 . 
         [0025]    The trim ring  14  is dimensioned fit within the opening in the floor  12 . The trim ring  14  has a downward gripping surface or lip  43  extending around its periphery for engaging the top surface of the floor  12 . The trim ring  14  has a plurality of vertical tracks on which the flange clip  24  is slidably mounted. As shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , each vertical track is in the form of a vertical slot  20 . Alternatively, the vertical track could be in the form of a rail or other configuration that captures and allows for sliding movement between the ring track  14  and the flange clip  24 . The vertical slots  20  extend downwardly from the lip  43  for at least a distance equal to the maximum thickness dimension of the floor  12 . The vertical slots  20  have slot edges  21 . A series of stepped surfaces, or ratchets  22  are formed along the slot edges  21  of the vertical slots  20  of the trim ring  14 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , the ratchets  22  are formed on the outer surface  27  of trim ring  14  adjacent the vertical slots  20 , but the ratchets  22  could be formed on the inner surface  29  of trim ring  14  adjacent the vertical slots  20  with similar effectiveness. The length of the ratchets  22  span the range of thickness for the floor  12 . 
         [0026]    In order to engage the vertical slot  20 , the flange clip  24  has an attachment structure  25 , which in the illustrated embodiment comprises vertical channels or grooves  30  formed between an inside attachment portion  26  and an outside attachment portion  28 . The slot edges  21  of the slot  20  are received in the grooves  30  formed in the flange clip  24  so that flange clip  24  may be raised and lowered within slot  20 . Pawls  32  on each side of the flange clip  24  extend inwardly from the outside attachment portion  28  and engage ratchets  22  on both sides of the slot  20  to maintain flange clip  24  in a selected vertical position within slot  20 . Preferably, ratchets  22  are formed such that flange clip  24  may slide upwardly with the pawls  32  overriding the ratchets  22 , while downward movement is prevented by engagement of the pawls  32  with the ratchets  22 . 
         [0027]    The slot  20  has a receiving opening  23  positioned at the end of the slot  20  thereby permitting insertion of the flange clip  24  into the slot  20  from the inside of the basket  8  or the inside of the trim ring  14 . The slot  20  extends downwardly for a distance from the lip  43  corresponding to the maximum thickness of the floor  12 , but not necessarily for the entire height of the basket  8 . By leaving the slot  20  open by means of receiving opening  23 , the flange clip  24  may be inserted into the slot  20  from within the trim ring  14 , facilitating ready installation of the air diffuser terminal  10  by an installer working above the floor  12 . 
         [0028]    The flange clip  24  comprises an outwardly extending arm  33  having an upward gripping surface  34  that is substantially parallel to the plane of the floor  12  in which the air diffuser terminal  10  is mounted. The upward gripping surface  34  of the outwardly extending arm  33  is urged into engagement with the underside of the floor  12  by sliding the flange clip  24  vertically in the slot  20 , while the downward gripping surface and let  43  ( FIG. 9 ) of the trim ring  14  engages an upper surface of the floor  12 . The engagement of the pawls  32  with the ratchets  22  maintains each flange clip  24  in engagement with the underside of the floor  12 . 
         [0029]    Releasing the flange clip  24  from engagement with the trim ring  14  is accomplished by withdrawing the pawls  32  from engagement with ratchets  22 . With reference to  FIG. 2 , an aperture  36  in the outside attachment portion  28  proximal to the pawls  32  improves flexure of the outside attachment portion  28  thereby assisting in the disengagement of the pawls  32  from the ratchets  22 . With reference to  FIG. 4 , which depicts a view of the inner surface  29  of the trim ring  14 , a tab  36  extends inwardly from the outside attachment portion  28  and towards the axis of the trim ring  14  or basket  8 . A tool, such as a screwdriver, may be pressed against the tab  36 , thereby flexing the outside attachment portion  28  of the flange clip  24  and releasing the pawls  32  from the ratchets  22 . Flange clip  24  can then be retracted from the floor  12  and moved to an intermediate position or removed entirely. 
         [0030]    In another embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , wherein like parts are numbered the same as the previously described embodiment, the flange clip  24  may further comprise an adjustment screw  40  to draw the flange clip  24  into engagement with the floor  12 . The adjustment screw  40  extends from a ledge  42  in the trim ring  14  and engages the flange clip  24  at an angle to the vertical. The screw  40  engages the flange clip  24  by means of a threaded cylinder  44 , a trunion  45 , and flange clip arms  46  and  48 . Rotation of the adjustment screw  40  in a first direction draws the flange clip  24  upwardly in the slot  20  toward the ledge  42  so that a flange clip  24  with its upward gripping surface  34  engages the underside of the floor  12 . 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIG. 5 , a bore  50  extends through the ledge  42  of the trim ring flange  14  above the vertical slot  20 . The threaded portion of the screw  40  passes through the bore  50  and is threaded into the threaded cylinder  44 . Preferably, the bore  50  is counter sunk to receive the head of the screw  40  so that the surface of the ledge  42  remains substantially flat to support and to permit rotation of the diffuser grille  11 . The trunion mounting of the threaded cylinder  44  on the flange clip  24  by means of the trunion  45  and the flange clip arms  46  and  48  enables continuous alignment of the screw  40  with the threaded cylinder  44  as the flange clip  24  is drawn upwardly in the slot  20 . Alternatively, the screw  40  may be threadingly received through a bore in the flange clip  24  and aligned substantially parallel to a plane defined by the vertical slot  20 . 
         [0032]    In another embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 8-10 , the ratchets  22  are formed in the slot edges  21  of the vertical slots  20 . The ratchets  22  face inwardly within the vertical slots  20 . As with the other embodiments, the flange clip  24  is received in the vertical slot  20  via the receiving opening  23 . 
         [0033]    As best seen in reference to  FIG. 10 , the flange clip  24  has vertical grooves  30  formed between the inside attachment portion  26  and the outside attachment portion  28 . The slot edges  21  of the slot  20  are received in the grooves  30  so that flange clip  24  may be raised and lowered within slot  20 . In this embodiment the pawls  32  extend from the inner surface of the grooves  30  and engage the ratchets  22  on the inwardly facing edges  21  of the slot  20 . The pawls  32  and the ratchets  22  maintain the flange clip  24  in its selected position within the slot  20 . 
         [0034]    The flange clip  24  comprises an outwardly extending arm  33  having an upward gripping surface  34  that is substantially parallel to the plane of the floor  12  in which the air diffuser terminal  10  is mounted. The upward gripping surface  34  is urged into supporting engagement with the floor  12  by sliding the flange clip  24  vertically in the slot  20 , while a downward gripping surface or lip  43  of the trim ring flange  14  engages an upper surface of the floor  12 . The engagement of the pawls  32  with the ratchets  22  maintains the flange clip  24  in engagement with the underside of the floor  12 . 
         [0035]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8-10 , tabs  36  are coupled with pawls  32  on each side of the flange clip  24 . The tabs  36  extend inwardly toward the axis of the trim ring  14 . The pawls  32  may be released from their engagement with the ratchets  22  by simply squeezing the tabs  36  toward one another, either by hand or with a tool, such as pliers. 
         [0036]    The diffuser mounting flange  16  contemplated by the present invention, permits installation and securement of the diffuser without requiring access to the underside of the floor  12 . The flange clip  24  may be installed and secured entirely from above the floor  12  by simply reaching through the interior of the trim ring  14  and into the diffuser basket  8 . 
         [0037]    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.