Small duct high velocity damper assembly

Abstract

A SDHV damper assembly and methods to assemble and install the SDHV damper assembly are disclosed. The SDHV damper assembly includes a first damper housing half comprising a substantially cylindrical tube having a first open end and a second open end. The SDHV damper assembly further includes a second damper housing half comprising a substantially cylindrical tube having a first open end and a second open end. The first open end of the second damper housing half is joined to the first open end of the first damper housing half to form an assembled damper housing. A substantially elliptical damper blade is pivotally mounted within the assembled damper housing along a minor axis of the damper blade. An actuator member is pivotally connected to a first side of the damper blade near a first end of the actuator member. The actuator member extends through an opening in the assembled damper housing and connects to a driving element of a damper actuator at a second end of the actuator member.

1 . A damper assembly for controlling the flow of fluid through small duct high velocity (SDHV) ductwork, said damper assembly comprising: 
 a first damper housing half comprising a substantially cylindrical tube having a first open end and a second open end;    a second damper housing half comprising a substantially cylindrical tube having a first open end and a second open end wherein said first open end of said second damper housing half is joined to said first open end of said first damper housing half to form an assembled damper housing;    a substantially elliptical damper blade pivotally mounted within said assembled damper housing along a minor axis of said damper blade for movement between opened and closed positions;    an actuator member having a first end and a second end and being pivotally connected to a first side of said damper blade near the first end of said member and extending through an opening in said assembled damper housing toward the second end of said member such that said damper blade pivots about said minor axis when said actuator member is moved along a longitudinal axis of said actuator member, said longitudinal axis being substantially perpendicular to said minor axis; and    a damper actuator mounted to said assembled damper housing such that said second end of said actuator member is connected to a driving element of said damper actuator to move said actuator member longitudinally when said damper actuator is driven by saiddriving element.    
   
   
       2 . The damper assembly of  claim 1  wherein each of said damper housing halves includes integral threads on an outside surface of saidhousing halves.  
   
   
       3 . The damper assembly of  claim 1  wherein each of said damper housing halves includes a joining flange on saidfirst open end of each of said damper housing halves.  
   
   
       4 . The damper assembly of  claim 3  wherein said joining flange includes axle receiver recesses to receive an axle of said damper blade.  
   
   
       5 . The damper assembly of  claim 1  wherein said second damper housing half is substantially identical to said first damper housing half.  
   
   
       6 . The damper assembly of  claim 1  wherein said damper blade includes an axle extending from two opposite edges of said damper blade in line with said minor axis to allow said damper blade to pivotally mount to said assembled damper housing via axle receiver recesses in said assembled damper housing.  
   
   
       7 . The damper assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first side of said damper blade includes at least one bracket extending from saidfirst side of said damper blade such that said actuator member may be pivotally connected to said damper blade via said at least one bracket.  
   
   
       8 . The damper assembly of  claim 7  wherein a pin is used to secure said actuator member to said at least one bracket by insertion of said pin into a first hole through said actuator member and a second hole through said at least one bracket.  
   
   
       9 . The damper assembly of  claim 1  wherein said damper blade includes beveled edges to provide a tight fit between said edges and an interior surface of said assembled damper housing when said damper blade is in said closed position.  
   
   
       10 . The damper assembly of  claim 1  wherein said driving element comprises a movable diaphragm which moves said actuator member longitudinally when said damper actuator is pressure or vacuum activated by an air pump.  
   
   
       11 . A method of assembling a damper assembly used for controlling the flow of fluid through small duct high velocity (SDHV) ductwork, said method comprising: 
 identifying component parts of said damper assembly including a damper actuator having a damper actuator housing and a protruding actuator member, a damper blade having an axle and at least one bracket, a first damper housing half having a first joining flange with first axle receiver recesses, and a second damper housing half having a second joining flange with second axle receiver recesses;    pivotally securing said damper blade to said actuator member via said at least one bracket on a back surface of said damper blade;    loosely securing said first damper housing half to said damper actuator housing;    aligning said axle of said damper blade with said first axle receiver recesses in said first joining flange of said first damper housing half;    tightly securing said second damper housing half to said first damper housing half at said joining flanges such that said axle is also aligned with said second axle receiver recesses in said second joining flange of said second damper housing half;    aligning said loosely secured damper housing halves to said damper actuator housing; and    tightly securing said aligned damper housing halves to said damper actuator housing.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said damper blade is pivotally secured to said actuator member by inserting a pin through a first hole near a first end of said actuator member and through a second hole of said at least one bracket.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said first damper housing half is loosely secured to said damper actuator housing by screwing a first screw through a first hole in a base of said first damper housing half and into a corresponding first hole in said damper actuator housing.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said second damper housing half is secured to said first damper housing half via bolts and nuts, said bolts passing through holes in said joining flanges.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said first damper housing half and said second damper housing half are tightly secured to said damper actuator housing via said first screw and by screwing at least one second screw through a second hole in a base of said second damper housing and into at least one corresponding second hole in said damper actuator housing.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said aligning said loosely secured damper housing halves to said damper actuator housing includes lining up at least one screw hole in a base of said second damper housing half with at least one screw hole in said damper actuator housing.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein each of said damper housing halves includes integral threads on an outside surface of said housing halves.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said second damper housing half is substantially identical to said first damper housing half.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said damper blade includes beveled edges to provide a tight fit between said edges and an interior surface of said damper housing halves when said damper blade is in a closed position within said damper housing halves.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein each of said damper housing halves comprise a substantially cylindrical tube having a first open end and a second open end and wherein said damper blade is substantially elliptical in shape.  
   
   
       21 . A method of installing a damper assembly, comprising a damper housing connected to a damper actuator, and used for controlling the flow of fluid through small duct high velocity (SDHV) flex line duct work, said method comprising: 
 making a cut through a cross-section of said duct work to form two open sections of said duct work;    inserting a first open end of said damper housing into a first open section of said two open sections of said duct work to form a first joint;    inserting a second open end of said damper housing into a second open section of said two open sections of said duct work to form a second joint;    securing said first joint to hold said first open end within said first open section;    securing said second joint to hold said second open end within said second open section;    sealing said first joint to form a first air tight sealed joint; and    sealing said second joint to form a second air tight sealed joint.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising connecting a first end of an air supply line to an air inlet port of said damper actuator.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising wrapping said installed damper assembly.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein standard duct wrap is used to perform said wrapping.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said inserting includes twisting threaded open ends of said damper housing into said two open sections of said duct work.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said securing includes tightening a heavy Nylon cable tie around said joints.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein air tight duct tape is used to perform said sealing.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising routing a second end of said air supply line to a pressure/vacuum air pump and connecting said second end of said air supply line to a port of said pressure/vacuum air pump.  
   
   
       29 . A damper for controlling the flow of a fluidized medium through high velocity ductwork, the damper comprising: 
 a substantially tubular damper housing having first and second ends, wherein each of the first and second ends is adapted for insertion into associated high velocity ductwork respectively;    a substantially elliptical damper blade pivotally mounted within said damper housing along a minor axis of said damper blade for movement between opened and closed positions;    an actuator member having a first end and a second end and being pivotally connected to a first side of said damper blade near the first end of said member and extending through an opening in said damper housing toward the second end of said member such that said damper blade pivots about said minor axis when said actuator member is moved along a longitudinal axis of said actuator member, said longitudinal axis being substantially perpendicular to said minor axis; and    a damper actuator mounted to said damper housing such that said second end of said actuator member is connected to a driving element of said damper actuator to move said actuator member longitudinally when said damper actuator is driven by said driving element.    
   
   
       30 . A damper for controlling the flow of a fluidized medium through high velocity ductwork, the damper comprising: 
 a substantially tubular damper housing having first and second ends, wherein each of the first and second ends is adapted for insertion into associated high velocity ductwork respectively; and    a substantially elliptical damper blade pivotally mounted within said damper housing along a minor axis of said damper blade for movement between opened and closed positions.