Patent Description:
Air supply devices are designed for and assembled into buildings which have exhaust air ducts, for removing exhaust air out of the building, and supply air ducts, for conducting fresh supply air into the building, in certain order. Previously this order is needed to know before a supply air device has been ordered or bought. The order of the ducts inside the building is important for the air supply device because the air supply device may comprise different kind of heat exchangers and filters inside its air channels. Therefore, it is important to connect right duct of the building to the right inlet of the air supply device. Known air supply devices are disclosed for example in documents <CIT> and <CIT>.

The objective of the present invention is to provide an air supply device which may be connected to different kinds of duct systems of buildings without knowing the order of the ducts beforehand.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an air supply device according to claim <NUM>.

In an embodiment of the device, the air supply device comprises an exhaust air channel and a supply air channel arranged inside the body.

In an embodiment of the device, the frame comprises an exhaust air inlet and an exhaust air outlet connected to the exhaust air channel, and a supply air inlet and a supply air outlet connected to the supply air channel. The order of the inlets and outlets may differ in some embodiments.

In an embodiment of the device, the exhaust air inlet, the exhaust air outlet, and the supply air inlet and the supply air outlet are facing upwards.

In an embodiment of the device, the exhaust air inlet, the exhaust air outlet, and the supply air inlet and the supply air outlet extend through the casing.

In an embodiment of the device, the internal part comprises a first half and a second half arranged side by side in horizontal plane, wherein the first half is connected to the supply air outlet and the exhaust air inlet, and the second half is connected to the supply air inlet and the exhaust air outlet. By rotating the internal part <NUM>° in horizontal plane, the first half and the second half change places inside the frame. Because of the rotation, the order of the corresponding inlets and outlets in the frame changes also.

In an embodiment of the device, the cooker hood air channel comprises a cooker hood air opening.

In an embodiment of the device, the cooker hood air channel is arranged between the first half and the second half.

In an embodiment of the device, the cooker hood channel is connected to the exhaust air channel.

In an embodiment of the device, the cooker hood air channel comprises removable lid.

In an embodiment of the device, the removable lid is arranged to be installed in the same position regardless the position of the internal part.

In an embodiment of the device, in the first position the cooker hood air inlet is between the supply air inlet and the supply air outlet, and in the second position the cooker hood air inlet is between the exhaust air inlet and the exhaust air outlet. The internal part may be first rotated in the first position or in the second position and then the removable lid is put in place to cover the cooker hood air channel. This way the cooker hood air inlet may be always in same location in the air supply device.

In an embodiment of the device, the air supply device comprises at least one heat exchanger arranged inside the exhaust air channel or the supply air channel. The heat exchanger may be used for heating or cooling the air flowing inside supply air channel or the exhaust air channel.

In an embodiment of the device, the air supply device comprises heat exchangers arranged inside the exhaust air channel and the supply air channel.

In an embodiment of the device, the air supply device comprises a supply air fan inside the supply air channel. The supply air fan may be used for boosting the supply air flow inside the supply air channel.

In an embodiment of the device, the air supply device comprises an exhaust air fan inside the exhaust air channel. The exhaust air fan may be used for boosting the exhaust air flow inside the exhaust air channel.

In an embodiment of the invention, the frame and the internal part are made of the same elastic material as the body.

In an embodiment of the device, the elastic material is expanded polypropylene (EPP). EPP has good thermal insulation properties and its elasticity is suitable for squeezing parts made of EPP together. It is also light material and, therefore, the weight of the body parts is lower than in air supply devices with metal parts. The elastic material of the body may also be expanded polystyrene (EPS) but EPP is more elastic and less brittle.

In an embodiment of the device, a heat transfer unit is arranged inside the lower part of the body, and within the exhaust air channel and the supply air channel to transfer thermal energy between exhaust air flowing in the exhaust air channel, and supply air flowing in the supply air channel. By such arrangement the heat transfer unit may be fixed or replaced by removing the lower part only from the air supply device. Also the heat transfer unit may be installed inside the lower part before the lower part is brought to the installation plant.

In an embodiment of the device, the heat transfer unit comprises a rotating heat transfer element.

Various aspects and embodiments of the air supply device described above may be used in any combination with each other.

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the air supply device and which constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the air supply device and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:.

<FIG> shows an air supply device <NUM> having components ready to be assembled together. The air supply unit comprises a casing <NUM> further comprising a separate bottom sheet <NUM>. Inside the casing <NUM>, the air supply device <NUM> comprises a body which comprises two parts, an upper part <NUM> and a lower part <NUM> where the body and thus both of the upper part <NUM> and the lower part <NUM> are made of elastic material. The body further comprises an exhaust air channel <NUM> and a supply air channel <NUM>. The exhaust air channel <NUM> is arranged to receive exhaust air from a room into the air supply device and conduct the exhaust air out of the air supply device and further out of the building, and the supply air channel is arranged to receive fresh supply air into the air supply device and conduct the supply air further out of the air supply device into the room. The exhaust air channel <NUM> and the supply air channel <NUM> run inside the air supply device <NUM> in parallel and forms a shape of U so that the each exhaust air channel <NUM> and the supply air channel <NUM> comprise two vertical portions and a horizontal portion between the vertical portions. The exhaust air and the supply air inside the respective channels flow in opposite directions.

The upper part <NUM> comprises a frame <NUM> and an internal part <NUM>, which internal part <NUM> is arranged to be installed inside the frame <NUM>. In <FIG> the internal part <NUM> is in first position and ready to be installed inside the frame <NUM>. However, it is possible to rotate the internal part <NUM><NUM>° in horizontal plane before installing it inside the frame <NUM>. This rotated position is a second position in which the internal part is possible to be installed inside the frame <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the lower part <NUM> comprises a heat transfer unit <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>.

According to one embodiment, the heat transfer unit <NUM> comprises a rotating heat transfer element <NUM>. <FIG> the rotating heat transfer element <NUM> is arranged to rotate in vertical position around a horizontal axis, and to transfer thermal energy from one air flow into the other.

According to one embodiment, the rotating heat transfer element <NUM> is arranged to rotate in horizontal position around a vertical axis and to transfer thermal energy from one air flow into the other.

According to one embodiment, the heat transfer unit <NUM> is arranged within the horizontal portions of the exhaust air channel <NUM> and the supply air channel <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the upper part <NUM> (with all the components inside) is installed on top of the lower part <NUM>. Thereafter the body with the upper and lower part on top of each other is installed inside the casing <NUM> e.g. by sliding the body into the casing <NUM> through a front door opening of the casing <NUM>. Alternatively the lower part <NUM> is slid into the casing <NUM> first and the upper part <NUM> is thereafter carefully slid onto the lower part <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the inner part <NUM> is made of the same elastic material as the body. The inner part <NUM> forms the exhaust air channel <NUM> and the supply air channel <NUM> inside the upper part.

According to one embodiment, the frame <NUM> is made of the same elastic material as the body.

According to one embodiment, the inner part <NUM> comprises vertical sealing surfaces <NUM> which seal the inner part <NUM> against side walls of the upper part <NUM>. The vertical sealing surfaces <NUM> may comprise seals e.g. weather stripes.

<FIG> shows an exploded view of the upper part <NUM> of the air supply device <NUM> according to one embodiment. The exhaust air channel <NUM> comprises an exhaust air inlet <NUM> and an exhaust air outlet <NUM>, and the supply air channel <NUM> comprises a supply air inlet <NUM> and a supply air outlet <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the internal part <NUM> comprises a first half <NUM> and a second half <NUM> which are arranged side by side in horizontal plane. The first half <NUM> and the second half <NUM> may be connected together by squeezing them against each other or they may be connected by using glue or some adhesive compound. The supply air outlet <NUM> and the exhaust air inlet <NUM> are located in the first half <NUM>, and the supply air inlet <NUM> and the exhaust air outlet <NUM> are located second half <NUM>. If the internal part <NUM> is rotated <NUM>° in horizontal plane, the position of the inlets and outlets changes as illustrated in <FIG> later.

The exhaust air channel <NUM> and the supply air channel <NUM> may have larger chambers near the outlets or inlets. These chambers may comprise an air fan or fans for accelerating the air flows inside the air channels. It is possible that only one air channel exhaust air channel <NUM> or the supply air channel <NUM> comprise said air fan.

According to one embodiment, the internal part <NUM> comprises a cooker hood air channel <NUM> arranged inside the frame <NUM>. Buildings may have a separate cooker hood air duct for removing cooker hood air out of the rooms and further out of the building.

According to one embodiment, the cooker hood air channel <NUM> is a separate component which may be installed to the air supply device <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the cooker hood air channel <NUM> comprises a cooker hood air opening <NUM>. The cooker hood air opening <NUM> is connected to the cooker hood air inlet <NUM>, which is further connected to the cooker hood air duct of the building. The cooker hood air is extracted from the building into the air supply device <NUM> through the cooker hood air inlet <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the cooker hood air channel <NUM> is arranged between the first half <NUM> and the second half <NUM>. The cooker hood air channel <NUM> may be connected to the first half <NUM> and the second half <NUM> by squeezing it between the first half <NUM> and the second half <NUM> or it may be glued or connected by some adhesive compound.

According to one embodiment, the cooker hood channel <NUM> is connected to the exhaust air channel <NUM>. The cooker hood channel <NUM> comprises an opening <NUM>, through which the cooker hood air is conducted from the cooker hood air channel <NUM> into the exhaust air channel <NUM>, which comprises another opening in the corresponding location. The extracted cooker hood air is further conducted into the exhaust air channel <NUM> and further outside of the building.

According to one embodiment, the cooker hood air channel <NUM> comprises removable lid <NUM> having a cooker hood air opening <NUM> connected to the cooker hood air inlet <NUM>. The cooker hood air opening <NUM> is arranged at one end of the removable lid <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the removable lid <NUM> comprises electrical components which are used to operate the air supply device <NUM>. The electrical components are arranged on top of the removable lid and at the opposite end than the cooker hood air opening <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the removable lid <NUM> is arranged to be installed in the same position regardless the position of the internal part <NUM>. Therefore, the electrical components and the cooker hood air opening <NUM> are always in the same location inside the air supply device <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, in the first position the cooker hood air inlet <NUM> is between the supply air inlet <NUM> and the supply air outlet <NUM>, and in the second position the cooker hood air inlet <NUM> is between the exhaust air inlet <NUM> and the exhaust air outlet <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the air supply device comprises at least one heat exchanger <NUM> arranged inside the exhaust air channel <NUM> or the supply air channel <NUM>. The heat exchanger may be used for heating or cooling the air flow inside the air channel.

According to one embodiment, the air supply device comprises heat exchangers <NUM> arranged inside the exhaust air channel <NUM> and the supply air channel <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the elastic material is expanded polypropylene (EPP).

<FIG> shows a detailed view of the air supply device <NUM> from above wherein the internal part <NUM> is installed in a first position. As seen in <FIG>, when the internal part <NUM> is installed in the first position, the supply air inlet <NUM> is located in the top right corner and the supply air outlet <NUM> is located in the top left corner. The exhaust air inlet <NUM> is located in the bottom left corner and the exhaust air outlet <NUM> is located in the bottom right corner. However, the supply air inlet <NUM> and the supply air outlet <NUM> may change places, and at the same time, the exhaust air inlet <NUM> and the exhaust air outlet <NUM> change places also.

<FIG> shows a detailed view of the air supply device from above wherein the internal part is installed in a second position. As seen in <FIG>, when the internal part <NUM> is installed in the second position, the supply air inlet <NUM> is located in the bottom left corner and the supply air outlet <NUM> is located in the bottom right corner. The exhaust air inlet <NUM> is located in the top right corner and the exhaust air outlet <NUM> is located in the top left corner. However, the supply air inlet <NUM> and the supply air outlet <NUM> may change places, and at the same time, the exhaust air inlet <NUM> and the exhaust air outlet <NUM> change places also.

Claim 1:
An air supply device (<NUM>) for extracting exhaust air from a room and leading fresh supply air into the room comprising
- a casing (<NUM>), forming an outer layer of the air supply device (<NUM>), and
- a body, made of elastic material, arranged inside the casing (<NUM>), wherein
- the body is divided in at least an upper part (<NUM>) and a lower part (<NUM>) which are arranged on top of each other,
- the upper part (<NUM>) comprises an internal part (<NUM>) and a frame (<NUM>), wherein the internal part (<NUM>) is arranged inside the frame (<NUM>), and
- the internal part (<NUM>) is arranged to be installed inside the frame (<NUM>) in a first position or in a second position, wherein in the second position the internal part (<NUM>) has been rotated <NUM>° in horizontal plane compared to the first position,
the internal part (<NUM>) comprises a cooker hood air channel (<NUM>) arranged inside the frame (<NUM>).