Louver assembly

Abstract

A louver assembly includes a louver frame and a blade/strut panel attached to the frame, the blade/strut panel includes a plurality of blades and a plurality of struts, wherein the blades are attached to the struts by clinch rivets.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A louver assembly comprising:
 a generally rectangular louver frame comprising four frame members, including a top, bottom, left and right frame member;   a blade/strut panel attached to the frame,   the blade/strut panel having a top and a bottom, and comprising a plurality of blades and a plurality of struts, wherein the blades are attached to the struts by clinch rivets.   
     
     
         2 . The louver assembly of  claim 1 :
 wherein the top and bottom frame members each include a flat portion and a flange, which define a cavity within the louver frame;   and wherein, the blade strut panel is seated within the cavity.   
     
     
         3 . The louver assembly of  claim 1 :
 further comprising a diffuser, the diffuser comprising a strut and blades mounted to the strut;   wherein the diffuser is attached to the flange of the top frame member.   
     
     
         4 . The louver assembly of  claim 3 :
 wherein the diffuser is attached to the flange of the bottom frame member.   
     
     
         5 . The louver assembly of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a retainer and a shoe; 
 the retainer is positioned over at least a portion of the top of the blade/strut panel and attached to the top frame member; 
 wherein one of the struts has a channel; 
 the shoe is positioned at the bottom of the blade/strut panel and at least partly within the channel of the strut having a channel, 
 and wherein the shoe is attached to the lower frame member. 
 
     
     
         6 . The louver assembly of  claim 5  wherein:
 the top frame member also includes an angled wall portion; 
 the retainer includes a generally upwardly extending flange and a blade; 
 wherein when the blade/strut panel is seated within the cavity, the upwardly extending flange of the retainer engages with the angled wall portion of the top frame member. 
 
     
     
         7 . The louver assembly of  claim 6  wherein:
 the upwardly extending flange of the retainer is attached to the angled wall portion of the top frame member with a fastener. 
 
     
     
         8 . The louver assembly of  claim 1  wherein the blade/strut panel is removably attached to the frame. 
     
     
         9 . The louver assembly of  claim 1  wherein the louver frame is attached to a PTAC unit sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . A louver assembly comprising:
 a generally rectangular louver frame comprising four frame members, including a top, bottom, left and right frame member;   a blade/strut panel attached to the frame,   the blade/strut panel having a top and a bottom, and comprising a plurality of blades and a plurality of struts;   wherein the top and bottom frame members each include a flat portion and a flange, which define a cavity within the louver frame;   and wherein, the blade strut panel is seated within the cavity.   
     
     
         11 . The louver assembly of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a retainer and a shoe; 
 the retainer is positioned over at least a portion of the top of the blade/strut panel and attached to the top frame member; 
 wherein one of the struts has a channel; 
 the shoe is positioned at the bottom of the blade/strut panel and at least partly within the channel of the strut having a channel, 
 and wherein the shoe is attached to the lower frame member. 
 
     
     
         12 . The louver assembly of  claim 11  wherein:
 the top frame member also includes an angled wall portion; 
 the retainer includes a generally upwardly extending flange and a blade; 
 wherein when the blade/strut panel is seated within the cavity, the upwardly extending flange of the retainer engages with the angled wall portion of the top frame member. 
 
     
     
         13 . The louver assembly of  claim 12  wherein:
 the upwardly extending flange of the retainer is attached to the angled wall portion of the top frame member with a fastener. 
 
     
     
         14 . The louver assembly of  claim 10  wherein the blades are attached to the struts by clinch rivets. 
     
     
         15 . The louver assembly of  claim 12  wherein:
 one of the blade/strut panel struts includes a channel; and 
 the flange of the lower frame member includes a race; 
 wherein when the blade/strut panel is positioned in the cavity of the frame, the channel fits over the race. 
 
     
     
         16 . The louver assembly of  claim 10 :
 further comprising a diffuser, the diffuser comprising a strut and blades mounted to the strut;   wherein the diffuser is attached to the flange of the top frame member.   
     
     
         17 . The louver assembly of  claim 16 :
 wherein the diffuser is attached to the flange of the bottom frame member.   
     
     
         18 . The louver assembly of  claim 10  wherein the blade/strut panel is removably attached to the frame. 
     
     
         19 . The louver assembly of  claim 1  wherein the louver frame is attached to a PTAC unit sleeve. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a blade/strut panel for a louver frame comprising the steps of:
 providing a first and second strut, and a first and second blade to be attached to the struts;   placing the struts on a table at a desired spacing;   determining a first desired position on the struts to attach the first blade;   moving the table to a first position and attaching the first blade to the first desired position on the struts by clinch riveting the blade to the struts;   determining a second desired position on the struts to attach the second blade;   moving the table to a second position and attaching the second blade to the second desired position on the struts by clinch riveting the blade to the struts; and   wherein the table is moved by digitally controlled equipment.