System powered reset velocity controller

Claim 2

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct and vice versa and wherein the spring is a leaf spring and the bias adjustment means include a movable end support for one end of the leaf spring for increasing and for decreasing the effective length and the rate of the spring with changes in the location of the end support and including a first point of engagement between the room temperature sensing means and the velocity spring and a second point of engagement between the movable control element means and the velocity spring means and wherein the first and second points of engagement are so located with respect to the end support as to produce an increasing mechanical advantage through the leverage provided by the spring for the temperature force over the flow velocity force as the effective length of the spring is decreased.

Claim 3

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct and vice versa, including force multiplying means constructed to provide a mechanical advantage for the temperature force over the flow velocity force applied to the movable control element means, and wherein the controller includes a main frame and the force multiplying means include a lever having two possible points for pivotal connection to the frame so located that one of which pivot points may be used when a direct acting thermostat is associated with the controller and the other of which pivot points may be used when a reverse acting thermostat is used with the controller so that either type of thermostat can be used interchangeably merely by selecting the proper related pivot point and without changing any other structure or function of the controller and also so that one type of thermostat, either direct or indirect, can be used to provide one type of response for control of a hot duct and the opposite type of response for the control of a cold duct merely by selecting the related one of the two possible pivot points for connection of the lever to the frame of the controller.

Claim 4

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct and vice versa, including force multiplying means constructed to provide a mechanical advantage for the temperature force over the flow velocity force applied to the movable control element means, and wherein the controller includes a main frame and the force multiplying means include a lever having two possible points for pivotal connection to the frame so located that one of which pivot points may be used when a direct acting thermostat is associated with the controller and the other of which pivot points may be used when a reverse acting thermostat is used with the controller so that either type of thermostat can be used interchangeably merely by selecting the proper related pivot point and without changing any other structure or function of the controller and also so that one type of thermostat, either direct or indirect, can be used to provide one type of response for control of a hot duct and the opposite type of response for the control of a cold duct merely by selecting the related one of the two possible pivot points for connection of the lever to the frame of the controller.

Claim 5

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the dust and vice versa, including force multiplying means constructed to provide a mechanical advantage for the temperature force over the flow velocity force applied to the movable control element means, and including a first point of engagement between the force multiplying means and the velocity spring and a second point of engagement between the movable control element means and the velocity spring means and wherein the first and second points of engagement are so located with respect to the end support as to produce an increasing mechanical advantage through the leverage provided by the spring for the temperature force over the flow velocity force as the effective length of the spring is decreased whereby a smaller temperature force can control a higher flow velocity force.

Claim 6

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the dust and vice versa, including force multiplying means constructed to provide a mechanical advantage for the temperature force over the flow velocity force applied to the movable control element means, and including a first point of engagement between the force multiplying means and the velocity spring and a second point of engagement between the movable control element means and the velocity spring means and wherein the first and second points of engagement are so located with respect to the end support as to produce an increasing mechanical advantage through the leverage provided by the spring for the temperature force over the flow velocity force as the effective length of the spring is decreased whereby a smaller temperature force can control a higher flow velocity force.

Claim 7

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct and vice versa, and wherein the spring is a leaf spring and the bias adjustment means include a movable end support for one end of the leaf spring for increasing and decreasing the effective length and the rate of the spring with changes in the location of the end support and wherein the leaf spring includes a separate leaf spring portion within the main body of the leaf spring and having a set which is effective to provide a small additional force for effective modulation at minimum flows during those conditions of operation when the effective length of the velocity spring is made short to provide a high spring rate for controlling at a high maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct.

Claim 8

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct and vice versa, and wherein the spring is a leaf spring and the bias adjustment means include a movable end support for one end of the leaf spring for increasing and decreasing the effective length and the rate of the spring with changes in the location of the end support and wherein the leaf spring includes a separate leaf spring portion within the main body of the leaf spring and having a set which is effective to provide a small additional force for effective modulation at minimum flows during those conditions of operation when the effective length of the velocity spring is made short to provide a high spring rate for controlling at a high maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct.

Claim 9

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct and vice versa, including force multiplying means constructed to provide a mechanical advantage for the temperature force over the flow velocity force applied to the movable control element means, and wherein the force multiplying means are connected to the velocity spring means to provide a constant lift at the point of connection of the force multiplying means to the velocity spring for a given temperature change in the room at each related maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct as set by the bias adjustment means.

Claim 10

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, said controller comprising, movable control element means for regulating the valve in the duct and the volume of air flowing in the duct in response to the positioning of the control element means, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the control element means for applying a flow velocity force to the control element means in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the control element means for applying a spring force to the control element means in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and bias adjustment means operatively associated with the velocity spring means for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct and vice versa, including force multiplying means constructed to provide a mechanical advantage for the temperature force over the flow velocity force applied to the movable control element means, and wherein the force multiplying means are connected to the velocity spring means to provide a constant lift at the point of connection of the force multiplying means to the velocity spring for a given temperature change in the room at each related maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct as set by the bias adjustment means.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the mechanical advantage is in the range of 4 to 1.

Claim 14

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room, a flow control valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, and a fluid powered actuator for positioning the valve, said controller comprising, control orifice means for regulating the pressure of the fluid to the actuator to control the position of the flow control valve, said control orifice means comprising an orifice and a movable valve element for regulating the pressure to the actuator in response to the positioning of the valve element with respect to the orifice, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the valve element for applying a flow velocity force to the valve element in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the valve element for applying a spring force to the valve element in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and orifice adjustment means for moving the orifice toward and away from the valve element to eliminate offset in the controller, and seal means associated with the orifice adjustment means for permitting external adjustment of the orifice adjustment means without disassembly of the controller.

Claim 15

A controller for a variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room, a flow control valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct, and a fluid powered actuator for positioning the valve, said controller comprising, control orifice means for regulating the pressure of the fluid to the actuator to control the position of the flow control valve, said control orifice means comprising an orifice and a movable valve element for regulating the pressure to the actuator in response to the positioning of the valve element with respect to the orifice, velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the duct and connected to the valve element for applying a flow velocity force to the valve element in response to the sensed air flow velocity, velocity spring means connected to the valve element for applying a spring force to the valve element in opposition to the flow velocity force of the air flow velocity sensing means to determine the air flow velocity set point of the controller, room temperature sensing means for sensing the room temperature and for producing a temperature force in response to the sensed temperature and operatively associated with the velocity spring means, and orifice adjustment means for moving the orifice toward and away from the valve element to eliminate offset in the controller, and seal means associated with the orifice adjustment means for permitting external adjustment of the orifice adjustment means without disassembly of the controller.