Security slot diffuser

#This invention relates to the field of heating, ventilating and air conditioning, and particularly to an application where high security is required.

#To condition the temperature and humidity in a room or enclosure from a central heating and cooling unit, it is typical to mount a vent or distributor for inflow of air from the unit and a return duct to draw air from the room back to the unit. An important factor in designing the inlet vent is to distribute the inflowing air as uniformly as possible throughout the room and in a flow that attempts to minimize drafts.

#Other considerations must be taken into account when the room to be conditioned is in a security area, such as a jail cell. For example, in a jail cell, a concern arises that the prisoner may vandalize units or otherwise alter their normal function. Several attempts have been made to provide ventilation units for security areas such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,189 to Morris et al. which discloses a vandal resistant and tamper-proof plenum vacuum chamber security airflow adjustment device, U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,152 to Schlatter et al. which discloses a portable jail cell and U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,834 to Polson which discloses a detention facility which has a mesh ceiling through which heating and ventilation air passes. A need exists, however, for a better design for a high security area.

#With reference now to the following Detailed Description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diffuser forming a first embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a front view of the diffuser;

#With reference now to FIGS. 1-6, there is illustrated a security slot diffuser 10 forming a first embodiment of the present invention. The diffuser 10 includes a frame 12 and a plenum 14 and defines an inlet passage 16 and a return passage 18 in the same unit. As will be apparent from the description hereafter, the diffuser 10 is particularly suited for use in high security areas, such as a jail cell.

#The diffuser 10 is constructed of a number of metal sheets, preferably of 10 gauge steel for strength, welded together to form the diffuser. A divider plate 20 is formed with a flat portion 22 and a curved deflector portion 24. A grill plate 26 (FIG. 6) has flat portion 28, an edge portion 29 and a grill portion 30 with a plurality of holes 32 therethrough.

#A slotted plate 34 (FIG. 5) has an edge portion 36 and a curved slotted portion 38 which has a plurality of rectangular slots 39 formed therethrough. The slots are distributed along a single row to minimize the height of the diffuser to insure the mounting aperture for diffuser 10 is too small for a prisoner to crawl through. Supply neck plate 40 is flat. Plates 20, 26, 34 and 40 are welded together with edge plates 42 and 44, supporter bars 46 and 47, and end plates 48 and 50 to define the frame 12.