Linear air diffuser

Abstract

A linear air diffuser apparatus has two parallel longitudinal rails maintained spaced by two or more transverse connectors. Two or more blade-like adjustable air flow control members extend longitudinally between the connectors. Each flow control member has a planar blade end portion at each longitudinally outer end. Each connector has an upper block and a lower block with the blade end portions received between them. One or both of the blocks has on a side facing the end portions a polymeric resiliently compressible piece that is compressed between the blocks and exerts a resilient reaction urging and gripping the end portions stably between blocks so that they are not prone to vibrate.

I claim:  
     
       1. Linear air diffuser apparatus comprising two longitudinal rails maintained in laterally spaced parallel condition by at least two transverse connector members each connected at its opposite ends to a respective one of said parallel rails, at least two adjustable air flow control members extending longitudinally between said connector members, each flow control member having a planar blade end portion at each longitudinally outer end, and wherein each connector member comprises an upper block and a lower block with said blade end portions received between said upper and lower blocks and at least one of said blocks provided on a side facing said end potions with a polymeric resiliently compressible engagement member compressed between the blocks and exerting a resilient reaction urging and gripping said end portions against the other of said blocks. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said engagement member extends continuously substantially the entire length of the distance between the rails. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each engagement member is captured in a transversely extending recess in said at least one block. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the recess is C shaped and the engagement member has on one side a pair of longitudinally outwardly directed ears received in said C shaped recess. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the engagement member is tubular. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each rail has on an inner face a downwardly open channel recess at an upper region and an upwardly open channel recess at a lower region and each block having an upstanding portion adjacent each end, and a resilient reaction exerted by said engagement member lodges each said upstanding portion in a respective adjacent channel recess. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein each said upstanding portion is defined between a longitudinally extending groove formed in a vertically outer face of the block and an adjacent end surface of the block. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each block comprises a length severed from an extrusion. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each one of said blocks has a transversely extending recess in an intermediate region, said recesses each receiving a vertically extending plate member secured non-rotatably relative to the other block. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein each block is formed with an integral vertically outwardly extending tongue constituting said plate member. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein an upper side of each upper block is formed with a pair of transversely extending channels. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  wherein a side of each transversely extending channel is provided with a re-entrant lip flange that retains a hook-in hanger member. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said re-entrant lip flange is on a longitudinally outer side of each channel and said hanger member comprises a pair of hanger elements each having an upper portion offset from an intermediate portion, a laterally extending recess and a transition portion between said upper and intermediate portions, each upper portion having an opening therethrough, and said elements sliding from a spaced condition to an aligned condition wherein the openings are in register and the upper portion of each element is disposed on a side of the other element opposite a side that said intermediate portion is disposed on, with a transition portion of each element received in the recess of the other element. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  comprising a separate inverted T-section piece connected to a lower end of each said longitudinal rail. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  wherein each T-section piece comprises an upper clinch-locked to each said longitudinal rail. 
     
     
       16. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  wherein each said longitudinal rail is finished black and each T-section piece is finished a lighter color. 
     
     
       17. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each said longitudinal rail has on an outer side a C-shaped recess receiving at least one connection plate. 
     
     
       18. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said connection plate includes a portion extending laterally outwardly and upwardly beyond an upper edge of said longitudinal rail. 
     
     
       19. Linear air diffuser apparatus comprising: 
       
         two longitudinal rails maintained in laterally spaced parallel condition by at least two transverse connector members each connected at its opposite ends to a respective one of said parallel rails; and  
       
       
         at least two adjustable air flow control members extending longitudinally between said connector members, each flow control member having a planar blade end portion at each longitudinally outer end,  
       
       
         wherein each connector member comprises an upper block and a lower block with said blade end portions received between said upper and lower blocks and at least one of said blocks provided on a side facing said end portions with a resiliently compressible engagement member compressed between the blocks and exerting a resilient reaction urging and gripping said end portions against the other of said blocks. 
       
     
     
       20. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said engagement member extends continuously substantially the entire length of the distance between the rails. 
     
     
       21. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein each engagement member is captured in a transversely extending recess in said at least one block. 
     
     
       22. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the recess is C shaped and the engagement member has on one side a pair of longitudinally outwardly directed ears received in said C shaped recess. 
     
     
       23. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein each rail has on an inner face a downwardly open channel recess at an upper region and an upwardly open channel recess at a lower region and each block having an upstanding portion adjacent each end, and a resilient reaction exerted by said engagement member lodges each said upstanding portion in a respective adjacent channel recess. 
     
     
       24. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 23  wherein each said upstanding portion is defined between a longitudinally extending groove formed in a vertically outer face of the block and an adjacent end surface of the block. 
     
     
       25. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein each block comprises a length severed from an extrusion. 
     
     
       26. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein an upper side of each upper block is formed with a pair of transversely extending channels. 
     
     
       27. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 26  wherein a side of each transversely extending channel is provided with a re- entrant lip flange that retains a hook - in hanger member.   
     
     
       28. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 27  wherein said re- entrant lip flange is on a longitudinally outer side of each channel and said hanger member comprises a pair of hanger elements each having an upper portion offset from an intermediate portion, a laterally extending recess and a transition portion between said upper and intermediate portions, each upper portion having an opening therethrough, and said elements sliding from a spaced condition to an aligned condition wherein the openings are in register and the upper portion of each element is disposed on a side of the other element opposite a side that said intermediate portion is disposed on, with a transition portion of each element received in the recess of the other element.   
     
     
       29. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  comprising a separate inverted T- section piece connected to a lower end of each said longitudinal rail.   
     
     
       30. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 29  wherein each T- section piece comprises an upright clinch - locked to each said longitudinal rail.   
     
     
       31. A linear air diffuser as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein each said longitudinal rail is finished black and each T- section piece is finished a lighter color.   
     
     
       32. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein each said longitudinal rail has on an outer side a C- shaped recess receiving at least one connection plate.   
     
     
       33. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 32  wherein said connection plate includes a portion extending laterally outwardly and upwardly beyond an upper edge of said longitudinal rail. 
     
     
       34. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein each connector member has a uniform cross- section.   
     
     
       35. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein one of the upper and lower blocks includes a tongue and the other of the upper and lower blocks includes a recess such that the tongue of the one block is received in the recess of the other block. 
     
     
       36. Apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein each of the upper and lower blocks includes a tongue and a transversely extending recess such that the tongue of each block is received in the recess of the other block.