US 5,289,094 AGranted

Light responsive airflow register

OwnerCharles C. Younginventor

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Abstract

An airflow register for an air conditioning system for an enclosure such as room within a house or an office within a building. The register includes a series of louvers which can be located in either an open position or a closed position. The open position permits air to flow through the register and the closed position prevents air from flowing through the register. Louvers are to be movable by a motor with this motor being operated by a light sensor mounted on the exterior surface of the register. Upon an observable lightened environment being detected by the light sensor, the motor is activated which will locate the louvers in the open position. Upon an observable darkened condition being sensed by the light sensor, the motor is activated which will locate the louvers in the closed position. A flow limiter may be used to keep the louvers slightly open when in the closed position to have some heated air enter the room when the ambient temperature is severely cold.

Claims7

Dependent claims

In combination with an airflow register for an enclosure, said airflow register having control means to vary the volume of air being conducted through said register, said control means being movable between an open position and a closed position, with said control means in said open position air is to flow through said airflow register, with said control means in said closed position air is being prevented from flowing through said airflow register, said control means being connected to a first lever, said first lever being manually operable to move said control means between said open position and said closed position, the improvement comprising:

light sensor means mounted within said enclosure, a motor, said light sensor means to cause operation of said motor, said control means being connected to a second lever, said second lever being operable separate from said first lever to move said control means between said open position and said closed position, said motor being connected to said second lever, said motor to move said control means through said second lever to said open position upon observable light being detected by said light sensor, said motor to move said control means through said second lever to said closed position upon an observable darkened environment being detected by said light sensor within said enclosure;
and
a flow limiter in the form of a plug insertable within a slot to prevent movement of said first lever completely to said one end of said slot thereby locating said control means in a partially open position permitting some flow of air through said register face panel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.