Latch assembly for damper
AssigneeGreenheck Fan Corporation
InventorsEugene J. Heil, Terrance Horvat
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A damper assembly is provided having at least one damper blade that operates in a normally open position. A fusible link is connected to the damper blade to maintain the damper blade in the open position against a biasing force tending to close the damper blade. The fusible link fails upon an occurrence of a predetermined condition. A damper mechanism is provided including a locking mechanism linked to the damper blade that resists opening of the damper blade when the blade has closed due to failure of the fusible link.
Claims68
A damper assembly installed in a housing having a pair of side walls connected to a pair of end walls that define a conduit extending therethrough, the damper assembly including at least one damper blade movable from an open position to a closed position to control fluid flow through the conduit, the damper assembly comprising:
- (a) the at least one damper blade operating in a normally open position;
- (b) a biasing member urging the damper blade towards the closed position;
- (c) a retaining member in removable mechanical communication with the damper blade to maintain the damper blade in the open position against the biasing force until an occurrence of a predetermined condition that causes the damper blade to close;
- and
- (d) a latch mechanism disposed outside the conduit, the latch mechanism including a plate connected to the damper blade and further connected to a locking member that pivots relative to the plate to lock the damper blade with respect to blade movement towards the open position once the damper blade has closed.
A damper assembly installed in a housing having a pair of side walls connected to a pair of end walls that define a conduit extending therethrough, wherein the damper is movable from an open position to a closed position to control fluid flow through the conduit, the damper assembly comprising:
- (a) at least one damper blade operating in a normally open position;
- (b) a biasing member applying a force to the damper blade biasing the blade towards the closed position;
- (c) a retaining member in removable mechanical communication with the damper blade to maintain the damper blade in the open position against the biasing force until an occurrence of a predetermined condition;
- and
- (d) a latch mechanism including a plate coupled to the damper blade such that the plate pivots in response to blade rotation, the latch mechanism further including a locking mechanism pivotally connected to the plate that carries a latch member and causes the latch member to engage a catch member to resist movement of the damper blade towards the open position once the damper blade has closed, wherein one of the latch member and the catch member is stationary.
A method for operating a damper assembly of the type having at least one damper blade installed in a housing having a pair of side walls connected to a pair of end walls that define a conduit extending therethrough, wherein the blade is held in an open position by a retaining member:
- (A) causing the retaining member to fail;
- (B) biasing the blade to a closed position to block the conduit with respect to fluid flow;
- and
- (C) pivoting a plate that is connected to the damper blade from a first to a second position along with damper blade movement;
- and
- (D) engaging mating members by pivoting a locking member relative to the plate to which the locking member is connected in order to resist blade movement from the closed position towards the open position.
A latch assembly for a damper of the type that is installed in a housing defining an internal conduit and having a first blade and a second blade that can move in tandem from an open position whereby fluid is permitted to pass through the conduit, to a closed position whereby fluid flow through the conduit is restricted, the latch assembly comprising:
- a first plate supported by the housing and coupled with the first blade;
- and
- a second plate supported by the housing, coupled with the second blade, and further coupled with the first plate via a linkage supported by the housing at a location outside the conduit, the linkage being connected between the first and second plates outside the housing, wherein the second plate moves along with damper blade rotation and carries a locking member that pivots relative to the second plate to lock the damper blade with respect to blade movement towards the open position once the damper blade has closed.
A damper assembly installed in a housing having a pair of side walls connected to a pair of end walls that define a conduit extending therethrough, wherein the damper is movable from an open position to a closed position to control fluid flow through the conduit, the damper assembly comprising:
- (a) at least one damper blade operating in a normally open position;
- (b) a biasing member applying a force to the damper blade biasing the blade towards the closed position;
- (c) a retaining member in removable mechanical communication with the damper blade to maintain the damper blade in the open position against the biasing force until an occurrence of a predetermined condition;
- and
- (d) a latch mechanism movably connected to the blade that causes a latch member and a catch member to engage to resist movement of the damper blade towards the open position once the damper blade has closed, the latch member being carried by the latch mechanism and the catch member being formed in a wall of the housing, wherein one of the latch member and the catch member is stationary.
A damper assembly installed in a housing having a pair of side walls connected to a pair of end walls that define a conduit extending therethrough, wherein the damper is movable from an open position to a closed position to control fluid flow through the conduit, the damper assembly comprising:
- (a) at least one damper blade operating in a normally open position;
- (b) a biasing member applying a force to the damper blade biasing the blade towards the closed position;
- (c) a retaining member in removable mechanical communication with the damper blade to maintain the damper blade in the open position against the biasing force until an occurrence of a predetermined condition;
- and
- (d) a latch mechanism that causes a latch member to engage a catch member, the catch member being formed in a housing wall.
A damper assembly installed in a housing having a pair of side walls connected to a pair of end walls that define a conduit extending therethrough, the damper assembly movable from an open position to a closed position to control fluid flow through the conduit, the damper assembly comprising:
- (a) at least one damper blade operating in a normally open position;
- (b) a biasing member urging the damper blade towards the closed position;
- (c) a retaining member in removable mechanical communication with the damper blade to maintain the damper blade in the open position against the biasing force until an occurrence of a predetermined condition that causes the damper blade to close;
- and
- (d) a latch mechanism including a plate connected to the damper blade and further carrying a locking member that attaches to a catch member formed in a housing wall, the catch member being separate from the plate to resist movement of a damper blade towards the open position once the damper blade has closed, wherein the spring member, connected between the plate and the locking member, biases the locking member towards the engagement member.
A damper assembly installed in a housing having a pair of side walls connected to a pair of end walls that define a conduit extending therethrough, the damper assembly movable from an open position to a closed position to control fluid flow through the conduit, the damper assembly comprising:
- (a) at least one damper blade operating in a normally open position;
- (b) a biasing member urging the damper blade towards the closed position;
- (c) a retaining member in removable mechanical communication with the damper blade to maintain the damper blade in the open position against the biasing force until an occurrence of a predetermined condition that causes the damper blade to close;
- (d) a latch mechanism disposed outside the conduit, the latch mechanism movably connected to the blade that causes mating members to engage and resist movement of the damper blade from the closed position towards the open position;
- and
- (e) a spring member biasing one of the mating members against the other mating member.
A latch assembly for a damper of the type that is installed in a housing and having a blade that can move from an open position whereby fluid is permitted to pass through the housing, to a closed position whereby fluid flow through the housing is restricted, the latch assembly comprising:
- a plate supported by the housing and movably coupled with the blade from a first position to a second position, the plate carrying a first mating member;
- and
- a second mating member fixedly connected to the housing;
- wherein plate movement to the second position interlocks the first and second mating members to resist blade movement from the closed position towards the open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.