Environmental air control unit

Claim 2

An air control module for use in an environmental air control unit including an inlet, a pair of coils in the module, one being a heating coil and the other being a cooling coil, one on each side of the inlet, both in unobstructed communication with, on both sides of and disposed generally parallel to the direction of the flow of air from the inlet, two banks of directional controllers in the module disposed in a V formation between the two coils, coming together at a point remote from the inlet, and straddling the inlet at the open end of the V, vanes in each of the directional controllers curved so that the velocity and quantity of air to and through the coils will be uniform along the entire length of the coil, at least one outlet in the module, the inlet, controllers, coils and outlet being in the same general plane, and at least one vortex generator chamber on the downstream side of one of the coils, each such generator being of a coNfiguration such that the air discharge from its coil into the generator chamber will assume a spiral pattern when discharged from the air control unit.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including a target plate positioned generally in the center of the air control module aligned generally with the inlet and at right angles to the flow of air coming from the inlet into the air control module to deflect the incoming air pattern and assist the directional controllers in uniformly distributing the air to and through the coils.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including a pair of filter elements, one on each side of the air control module and positioned generally between one of the directional controllers and a coil, each filter element being disposed generally parallel to the coils.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including a condensate drain pan and a condensate drain under an integral part of the air control module with the drain discharging from the housing.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including two outlets on the housing, each located to one side of and generally parallel to the inlet.

Claim 7

The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the outlet is disposed to exhaust air from the vortex generator chamber in the same general direction as it enters the housing through the inlet.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that each of the outlets is disposed around the housing to exhaust air therefrom in a direction generally 180* from the direction that the air enters the housing through the inlet.

Claim 9

The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including an acoustical lining covered with a thin perforate metal cover inside each of the vortex generator chambers functioning as a sound attenuator.

Claim 10

In an environmental air control unit, a housing, an inlet in the unit adapted to be connected to a fan, and an air control module in the housing in unobstructed communication with the inlet, the module including a pair of coils in the housing, one on each side of the inlet, both in unobstructed communication with, on both sides of and disposed generally parallel to the direction of flow of air from the inlet, two banks of directional controllers in the module disposed in a V formation between the two coils, coming together at a point remote from the inlet, and straddling the inlet at the open end of the V, and vanes in each of the directional controllers curved so that the velocity and quantity of air to and through the coils will be uniform along the entire length of the coil, a vortex generator chamber on each side of the air control module, a side outlet on one of the vortex generator chambers at a position offset and remote from the center of the inlet and adapted to discharge air therefrom in a direction generally at right angles to the direction of entering air in the inlet, a bypass from the other vortex generator extending from the outside of the other vortex generator chamber back across the air control module the full width of the housing and merging into the side outlet so that the air from the two vortex generators will mix in the outlet.

Claim 11

In an environmental air control unit, a housing, an inlet in the unit adapted to be connected to a fan, and an air control module in the housing in unobstructed communication with the inlet, the module including a pair of coils in the housing, one on each side of the inlet, both in unobstructed communication with, on both sides of and disposed generally parallel to the direction of flow of air from the inlet, two banks of directional controllers in the module disposed in a V formation between the two coils, coming together at a point remote from the inlet, and straddling the inlet at the open end of the V, and vanes in each of the directional controllers curved so that the velocity and quantity of air to and through the coils will be uniform along the entire length of the coil, a vortex generator chamber on each side of the air control module, a side outlet on one of the vortex generator chambers at a position offset and remote from the center of the inlet and adapted to discharge air therefrom in a direction generally at right angles to the direction of entering air in the inlet, a bypass from the other vortex generator extending from the outside of the other vortex generator chamber back across the air control module the full width of the housing and merging into the side outlet so that the air from the two vortex generators will mix in the outlet.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the air control module is made up of the inlet, the two directional controllers, the pair of coils with one on one side of the controllers and one on the other side, and further includes a pair of filters one between each of the controllers and the coils, a condensate drain pan as a part of the bottom of the module and a condensate drain attached thereto.

Claim 13

The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that one of the coils is a cooling coil and the other is a heating coil.

Claim 14

The structure of claim 9 further characterized by and including filters located on the downstream side of the coils.

Claim 15

The structure of claim 9 further characterized by and including filters located on the upstream side of the coils.

Claim 16

The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the inlet, outlet, controllers, and coils are all located in the same general plane.

Claim 17

The structure of claim 9 further characterized by and including a damper structure inside the outlet in two sections, one including a series of dampers controlling the discharge from the said one vortex generator chamber and the other set controlling the discharge from the bypass, the dampers in one being set at an angle relative to the dampers in the other so that when one is closed the other is open and vice versa so that a mixing of the air from the two vortex generator chambers will automatically take place depending upon and in proportion to the position of the louvers.

Claim 18

The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the outlet is in two sections, one from the bypass from the other vortex generator and the other from the first mentioned vortex generator with the two merging into a single outlet.

Claim 19

The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the outlet includes a plurality of openings, side by side, and elongated in a direction generally parallel with the inlet, a plurality of dampers controlling the openings, and a control for controlling the dampers to provide a multi-zone unit.

Claim 20

The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the side outlet on the said one vortex generator chamber is directed upwardly so as to merge with the bypass from the other vortex generator.

Claim 21

The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that one of the coils is replaced with a perforated target sheet, the other coil being constructed to operate as a heating coil in th winter and a cooling coil in the summer.

Claim 22

An air control module for use in an environmental air control unit, an inlet adapted to be connected to a fan, two banks in the module, one of them being a coil and the other being a target sheet, the coil being on one side of the inlet and the target sheet being on the other side with the coil and target sheet disposed in symmetrical relationship to the inlet and both being in unobstructed communication with the inlet, two banks of directional controllers in the module disposed in a V formation between the banks, coming together at a point remote from the inlet, and straddling the inlet at the open end of the V, and the vanes in each of the directional controllers being curved with the leading edges thereof generally parallel to the incoming air and the trailing edges elongated and directed generally at 90* to the incoming air so that the air will be deflected against and will enter the coil and target sheet normal to their front surfaces and the velocity and quantity of air to and through the coil and target sheet will be uniform along the entire length thereof.

Claim 23

An air control module for use in an environmental air control unit, an inlet adapted to be connected to a fan, two banks in the module, one of them being a coil and the other being a target sheet, the coil being on one side of the inlet and the target sheet being on the other side with the coil and target sheet disposed in symmetrical relationship to the inlet and both being in unobstructed communication with the inlet, two banks of directional controllers in the module disposed in a V formation between the banks, coming together at a point remote from the inlet, and straddling the inlet at the open end of the V, and the vanes in each of the directional controllers being curved with the leading edges thereof generally parallel to the incoming air and the trailing edges elongated and directed generally at 90* to the incoming air so that the air will be deflected against and will enter the coil and target sheet normal to their front surfaces and the velocity and quantity of air to and through the coil and target sheet will be uniform along the entire length thereof.

Claim 24

The structure of claim 20 further characterized in that the coil is constructed to accept a heating medium in one season and a cooling in another.

Claim 25

An air control module for use in an environmental air control unit, an inlet adapted to be connected to a fan, a pair of coils in the module, one on each side of the inlet, one being a heating coil and the other being a cooling coil, in unobstructed communication with the inlet and in a V formation coming together at a point remote from the inlet, two banks of directional controllers in the module disposed in a V formation between the coils, coming together at a point remote from the inlet, and straddling the inlet at the open end of the V, and vanes in each of the directional controllers curved so that the velocity and quantity of air to and through the coils will be uniform along the entire length of the coils.

Claim 26

An air control module for use in an environmental air control unit, an inlet adapted to be connected to a fan, a pair of coils in the module, one on each side of the inlet, one being a heating coil and the other being a cooling coil, in unobstructed communication with the inlet and in a V formation coming together at a point remote from the inlet, two banks of directional controllers in the module disposed in a V formation between the coils, coming together at a point remote from the inlet, and straddling the inlet at the open end of the V, and vanes in each of the directional controllers curved so that the velocity and quantity of air to and through the coils will be uniform along the entire length of the coils.

Claim 27

The structure of claim 22 further characterized by and including a pair of filters, one between each of the directional controllers and its adjacent coil.

Claim 28

The structure of claim 22 further characterized by and including a condensate drain pan in the base of the module, and a condensate drain conneCted thereto.