# US 2019/0376707 A1 · Modular retrofit damper system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0376707 A1 - Document ID: US20190376707A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/006,779 - Filed: 2018-06-12 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-12 - Assignees: Ademco Inc. - Applicants: Ademco Inc - Inventors: David J. Emmons; Nathan Carlson; Steven Wolff; Martin Zalesak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376707A1 ## CPC - F24F 11/0001: {for ventilation (F24F11/30 takes precedence)} - F24F 11/56: Remote control - F24F 11/88: Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits - F24F 13/14: built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre - F24F 13/1413: {using more than one tilting member, e.g. with several pivoting blades (F24F13/15 takes precedence)} - F24F 13/1426: {characterised by actuating means} - F24F 2013/1433: {with electric motors} - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) ## Abstract A modular damper system is configured for installation in a ductwork of a building that supplies conditioned air through a register vent of the building and includes a damper unit, a control module and a power module. The damper unit is mountable upstream of the register vent and includes a damper that is movable between a closed position and an open position. The control module includes a controller that provides control commands to the damper unit and includes a housing that is configured to be secured to the ductwork at a position between the register vent and the damper unit. A power module is electrically coupled to the control module to provide power to the control module and includes a housing that is configured to be secured to the ductwork at a position between the register vent and the damper unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modular damper system configured for installation in a ductwork of a building that supplies conditioned air through a register vent of the building, the modular damper system comprising: a damper unit configured to be mounted within the ductwork upstream of the register vent, the damper unit including a damper that is movable between a closed end position in which air moving through the ductwork is restricted from flowing past the damper unit and through the register vent, and an open end position in which air moving through the ductwork is less restricted from flowing past the damper unit and through the register vent; a control module configured to be mounted separately from the damper unit but communicatively coupled to the damper unit, the control module including a controller that provides control commands to the damper unit to regulate a position of the damper of the damper unit, the control module including a housing that is configured to be secured to the ductwork at a position between the register vent and the damper unit; and a power module configured to be mounted separately from the control module but electrically coupled to the control module to provide power to the control module, the power module including a housing that is configured to be secured to the ductwork at a position between the register vent and the damper unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The modular damper system of claim 1, wherein the damper is moveable between a plurality of intermediate positions between the closed end position and the open end position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The modular damper system of claim 1, wherein the ductwork includes a duct that supplies conditioned air through a register boot to the register vent, wherein the damper unit comprises a deployment strap that extends downstream from the damper unit terminating at a downstream end portion, the deployment strap having a length sufficient to permit the damper of the damper unit to be disposed within the duct upstream of the register boot when the downstream end portion of the deployment strap is secured to the register boot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The modular damper system of claim 3, wherein the duct has a circular profile and the register vent has non-circular profile, and wherein the register boot transitions from the circular profile adjacent the duct to the non-circular profile adjacent the register vent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The modular damper system of claim 4, wherein the register boot has an input that faces a direction that is about 90 degrees offset from a direction that a register boot output faces, and wherein the deployment strap is bendable by an installer in at least one dimension to accommodate this transition in direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The modular damper system of claim 4, wherein the control module is configured to be secured within the register boot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The modular damper system of claim 4, wherein the power module is configured to be secured within the register boot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The modular damper system of claim 1, wherein the damper of the damper unit is configured to be located within a duct of the ductwork upstream of the register vent, wherein the duct has a circular profile with a six inch diameter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The modular damper system of claim 1, wherein the control module includes a wireless communications unit that is configured to communicate wirelessly with a wireless building controller within the building in which the modular damper system is deployed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The modular damper system of claim 9, wherein the wireless communications unit includes an antenna that is configured to extend through a sidewall of the ductwork when the control module is secured to the existing ductwork. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The modular damper system of claim 1, wherein the power module is configured to accommodate one or more batteries. ### Claim 12 A modular damper system configured for installation in ductwork of a building, wherein the ductwork includes a duct that supplies conditioned air through a register boot to a register vent, the modular damper system comprising: a damper unit including: a damper frame; a damper blade operatively coupled to the damper frame and configured to be movable between a closed end position in which the damper blade is at least substantially coplanar with the damper frame and an open end position in which the damper blade is substantially perpendicular to the damper frame; a damper blade motor configured to rotate the damper blade, relative to the damper frame, between the closed end position and the open end position; a control module configured to be operably coupled to the damper unit and including a controller that regulates operation of the damper blade motor; and a power module configured to be operably coupled to the control module. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The modular damper system of claim 12, wherein the damper unit further comprises a deployment strap having a first end that is operably coupled to the damper frame and having a length sufficient to permit a second end portion of the deployment strap to be secured to a wall of the register boot while maintaining the damper frame, damper blade and damper blade motor in the duct. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The modular damper system of claim 12, wherein the damper blade is moveable between a plurality of intermediate positions between the closed end position and the open end position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The modular damper system of claim 12, wherein the register boot transitions from a circular profile adjacent the duct to a rectilinear profile adjacent the register vent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The modular damper system of claim 12, wherein the control module includes a wireless communications unit that is configured to communicate wirelessly with a wireless building controller within the building in which the modular damper system is deployed, and wherein the wireless communications unit includes an antenna that is configured to extend through a sidewall of the register boot when the control module is secured within the register boot. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The modular damper system of claim 12, wherein the power module comprises a housing that accommodates one or more batteries, and the housing is configured to enable eventual replacement of the one or more batteries. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The modular damper system of claim 12, wherein the damper blade motor is electrically coupled with the control module via two or more electrical wires extending between the damper blade motor and the control module, and the control module is electrically coupled with the power module via two or more electrical wires extending between the control module and the power module. ### Claim 19 An HVAC control system for use in a building having forced air ducts providing conditioned air to a plurality of vents, each of the plurality of vents coupled to corresponding register boots disposed between the forced air ducts and the plurality of vents, the HVAC control system comprising: a damper unit including: a damper frame; a deployment strap mechanically coupled to the damper frame and configured to permit deployment of the damper frame within a forced air duct, upstream of a corresponding register boot; a damper blade disposed relative to the damper frame and configured to be movable between a closed end position and an open end position; a damper blade motor configured to rotate the damper blade, relative to the damper frame, between the closed end position and the open end position; a control module including a controller that regulates operation of the damper blade motor, the control module configured to be disposed within the corresponding register boot; and a power module configured to be operably coupled to the control module, the power module configured to be disposed within the corresponding register boot. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The HVAC control system of claim 19, further comprising a thermostat configured to operate one or more HVAC components in the building, the thermostat further configured to wirelessly communicate with the control module to control operation of the damper unit.