Outlet assembly having a plurality of operating modes for improving air flow in an air distribution system

An outlet assembly having a plurality of different operating modes for improving air flow in an air distribution system, the assembly comprising:

• a housing having an inlet end to receive the air flow and an outlet end to discharge the air flow into an enclosed space within a residential structure, the housing including first and second spaced apart walls which at least partially define a cavity therebetween;
• a first blocking element supported by the first wall for movement between blocking and unblocking positions within the cavity, the first blocking element preventing a first layer of air from flowing immediately adjacent the first wall in its blocking position;
• a second blocking element supported by the second wall for movement between blocking and unblocking positions within the cavity, the second blocking element preventing a second layer of air from flowing immediately adjacent the second wall in its blocking position;
• and
• an actuator subassembly including a selector member supported for movement relative to the housing between a plurality of predefined positions which correspond to the different operating modes which include first and second blocking modes and a nominal unblocking mode, the first blocking element being actuated by the actuator subassembly to move to its blocking position in the first blocking mode without moving the second blocking element out of its unblocking position, the second blocking element being actuated by the actuator subassembly to move to its blocking position in the second blocking mode without moving the first blocking element out of its unblocking position and the first and second blocking elements being actuated by the actuator subassembly to move to their unblocking positions in the nominal unblocking mode wherein only one of the first and second blocking elements is actuated at a time to reduce or eliminate a blow-by condition.