Directional differential pressure detector with improved reliability
AssigneeAirFlow Direction, Inc.
InventorBrian M. Wiseman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for indicating the presence of a threshold directional differential pressure between separated adjacent spaces includes a first conduit and an inclined second conduit containing at least one movable element that indicates a threshold pressure difference between the two spaces. The apparatus may provide a compact arrangement while allowing the movable element to have a suitable travel path length within the second conduit. The travel path may include a first stop and a second stop. An imaginary axis or plane passing through a center of a first conduit may intersect the travel path between the first stop and the second stop.
Claims54
A device for indicating a presence of a directional differential pressure between a first space and a second space separated from the first space by a barrier, the device comprising:
- a baseplate configured to mount the device to a first side of the barrier;
- a first conduit portion configured to be in fluidic connection with the first space, the first conduit portion being configured to reach an opening in the first side of the barrier, wherein at a location where the first conduit portion is configured to reach the first side of the barrier, an imaginary axis passes through a center of the first conduit portion, the imaginary axis being perpendicular to the baseplate;
- a second conduit portion configured to be fluidically connected to the first conduit portion and the second space, wherein the second conduit portion is inclined at an angle relative to a horizontal plane when the baseplate is oriented vertically;
- wherein the second conduit portion includes a movable element travel path section within which a movable element can travel, and the movable element travel path section has a longitudinal direction which is transverse to the imaginary axis;
- and
- a movable element disposed within the movable element travel path section and movable from a first, vertically lower region of the second conduit portion to a second, vertically higher region of the second conduit portion in response to the directional differential pressure between the first space and the second space being greater than a threshold differential pressure;
- wherein the movable element travel path section has a first movable element stop and a second movable element stop, and the imaginary axis intersects the movable element travel path section at a location between the first movable element stop and the second movable element stop, and the imaginary axis does not intersect either of the first movable element stop and the second movable element stop.
A device for indicating a presence of a directional differential pressure between a first space and a second space separated from the first space by a barrier, the device comprising:
- a baseplate configured to mount the device to a first side of the barrier;
- a first conduit portion configured to be in fluidic connection with the first space, the first conduit portion being configured to reach an exterior opening in the first side of the barrier, wherein at a location where the first conduit portion is configured to reach the first side of the barrier, an imaginary plane passes through a center of the first conduit portion, the imaginary plane being perpendicular to the baseplate;
- a second conduit portion configured to be fluidically connected to the first conduit portion and the second space, wherein the second conduit portion is inclined at an angle relative to a horizontal plane when the baseplate is oriented vertically;
- wherein the second conduit portion includes a movable element travel path section within which a movable element can travel, and the movable element travel path section has a longitudinal direction which is transverse to the imaginary plane;
- and
- a movable element disposed within the movable element travel path section and movable from a first, vertically lower region of the second conduit portion to a second, vertically higher region of the second conduit portion in response to the directional differential pressure between the first space and the second space being greater than a threshold differential pressure;
- wherein the movable element travel path section has a first movable element stop and a second movable element stop, the first movable element stop and the second movable element stop being configured such that when the movable element is in contact with the first movable element stop, at least a portion of the movable element is positioned to a first side of the imaginary plane, and when the movable element is in contact with the second movable element stop, at least a portion the movable element is positioned to a second side of the imaginary plane, opposite to the first side of the imaginary plane.
A device for indicating a presence of a directional differential pressure between a first space and a second space separated from the first space by a barrier, the device comprising:
- a baseplate configured to mount the device to the barrier;
- a pivotable conduit connected to the baseplate and configured to be fluidically connected to the first space and the second space, wherein the pivotable conduit is pivotable about a pivot axis to be inclined at a plurality of angles relative to a horizontal plane;
- and
- a ball disposed within the pivotable conduit and movable from a first, vertically lower region of the pivotable conduit to a second, vertically higher region of the pivotable conduit in response to the directional differential pressure between the first space and the second space being greater than a threshold differential pressure;
- wherein the pivotable conduit includes a travel path for the ball, with a proximal end of the travel path being located at a first ball stop and a distal end of the travel path being located at a second ball stop;
- wherein the first ball stop is positioned such that the ball intersects a longitudinal direction of the pivot axis when the ball is contacting the first ball stop;
- and
- wherein the pivotable conduit is parallel to the barrier when the device is mounted to the barrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.