Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner has an air conditioning unit. The unit has a blower unit and an heat exchanger. The unit has a defroster outlet opening and an outside air inlet opening. The unit also has a switching door. The unit has a first passage between the defroster opening and an upstream side of the blower unit, and a second passage between the defroster outlet opening and a downstream side of the heat exchanger. During an inside air suction mode, the outside air inlet opening is closed, and the first passage is opened and the second passage is closed by the switching door. Thus, inside air is sucked through the defroster outlet opening during the inside air suction mode.

Abstract: An air flow producer mounted at the ceiling of a room generates an air flow toward the floor, reducing temperature gradients and improving heating and cooling efficiency. A housing defines a circular cylindrical, vertical flow passage that receives the air flow. A discharge chamber discharges the air flow through a grill toward the floor. The discharge chamber has a cross-section that expands progressively from the outlet of the flow passage to the outlet of the discharge chamber. The air flow through the housing is produced by a fan with a rotary blade assembly, and the blade assembly extends partially into the discharge chamber. The position of the blade assembly and the expanding cross-section of the discharge chamber cooperate to increase air flows through the housing. Optionally, an air intake chamber of generally inverted frustoconical shape may be mounted at the upper inlet end of the cylindrical flow passage to smooth flows further.

Abstract: A pluming vent cover is described herein which is easily manufactured and adapted to a roof on or off-site. A roof's pluming vent pipe requires a cover for both aesthetics and improved operation. In the preferred embodiment the pluming vent cover comprises an upper pyramidal cap, two rounded metal straps and a cone-shaped base. The operator can trim the lower ovoid continuous edge of the cone-shaped base to conform to the slope and pitch of the roof, shingles, or both. A method for producing this pluming vent cover is also described.

Abstract: A mine door of the present invention is adapted for installation in a mine passageway and includes a leaf adapted for swinging between a closed position and an open position. The leaf may be mounted in a frame, and a stopping wall may surround the frame. When closed, the leaf is subject to a differential in air pressure involving higher pressure on one of the faces of the leaf than on the other of the faces of the leaf. The leaf, the frame, or the stopping has an opening therein for passage of air therethrough from adjacent the one of the faces of the leaf to adjacent the other of the faces to more nearly equalize the pressure on the faces and thereby facilitate opening the leaf.

Abstract: A protection system for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system including one or more of a base, a shield and a deflector. The protection system is generally designed for preventing water and debris from flowing into the HVAC system.

Abstract: A ventilation fan assembly (10) having a fan (22) mounted in a housing (12) and a shutter assembly (60). The housing has a square inlet portion (12C), a circular center portion (12E) and a conical outlet portion (12D) having rifling grooves (20). The shoulder (16) formed between the inlet portion and the center portion is radiused to reduce disruption of air flowing from the inlet portion to the center portion. The shape of the blades (32) of the propeller (28) is such that the axial velocity produced as the propeller rotates is essentially constant along the length of the blades. The shutter assembly has a large, radiused entrance and airfoil shaped blades which reduce air disruption. The blades have a flexible flap (68) along the trailing edges (64D) which form a seal between adjacent blades to prevent air from leaking from the housing through the shutter assembly.

Abstract: A ventilation system for an underground structure which can internally supply fresh outdoor air by individually sucking and discharging air through fans of underground shafts in the underground structure such as an underground parking lot, underground warehouse, subway space, underground sporting place and underground hangar. The ventilation system for the underground structure includes air supply side fixed frames installed in air supply holes of each floor of the underground structure along one side shaft of the underground structure, air supply fans installed on the air supply side fixed frames toward the air supply holes, air exhaust rooms for forming air exhaust spaces on each floor of the underground structure, air exhaust holes being formed therein toward the other side shaft of the underground structure, air exhaust side fixed frames installed in the air exhaust rooms, and air exhaust fans installed on the air exhaust side fixed frames toward the air exhaust holes.

Abstract: A fabric flow restriction and method for conveying a volume of air through a fabric duct prevents the violet popping that may occur with a fabric duct upon start-up. The fabric ducts are air permeable and/or include discharge openings that evenly disperse supply air from within the duct to a room being heated, cooled, ventilated, or otherwise conditioned by the air. The ducts are typically in a collapsed positioned prior to blower start-up. With the initial airflow, the ducts quickly fill with air and may make a popping sound at their distal ends as the airflow fills the entire fabric duct. The flow restrictions disclosed may be formed of a flexible fabric that has an airflow resistance that varies with radius across the flexible fabric. The flow restrictions may have a first region and a second region each with different resistances, for example. Varying the resistance across the fabric flow restriction reduces or eliminates the popping condition.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, a non-contact temperature sensor is used as an inside air temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in a passenger compartment. Based on infrared rays radiated from a predetermined area of the passenger compartment, the non-contact temperature sensor detects a surface temperature in the predetermined area in non-contact. Therefore, it is not necessary to blow air from the passenger compartment to the inside air temperature sensor in order to detect the temperature in the passenger compartment. Thus, energy consumption can be reduced while the temperature in the passenger compartment can be accurately detected. Accordingly, while the vehicle stops, the vehicle air conditioner can accurately determine whether air conditioning control by an air conditioning unit needs be started while energy consumption can be reduced.

Abstract: An improved air return bulkhead for mounting on the wall of a refrigeration vehicle that carried a refrigeration unit, comprising a synthetic plastic unitary body including a generally rectangular vertical first wall having top, bottom and side edges to which are connected top, bottom and side walls that cooperate with the internal surface of the vehicle wall to define a plenum chamber. Air is drawn into the plenum chamber via apertures contained in the bottom wall for communication with the inlet of the refrigeration unit. The bottom wall of the air return bulkhead is arranged at an obtuse internal angle relative to the first wall, at least one support being provided on the interior surface of the bottom wall in downwardly spaced relation relative to the bottom edge of the first wall, the support being arranged to engage the interior surface of the vehicle wall, thereby to support the bottom wall of the air return bulkhead.

Abstract: A camouflaged outdoor fan system includes a housing, a fan inserted into the housing, and a camouflaged lid removably connected to the housing. The housing is buried in the ground, or in alternative embodiment, mounted to the underside of a deck, the fan is inserted into the housing, and the camouflaged lid is placed over the fan to hide the fan and housing from view. The fan is operable to generate and propel an air stream out of the housing that can be used for cooling purposes. The system also may include optional features, such as a water-misting device, a heater, motion detectors, an evaporative cooling assembly, a temperature switch, a humidity switch, a rain gauge switch, a wind sensor switch, a dc power source, solar cells, or a remote control system.

Abstract: An HVAC assembly including an HVAC case disposed in a passenger compartment of a vehicle for delivering air at a passenger side foot well includes a duct coupled to an opening on the HVAC case. The duct is configured to deliver air from the HVAC case to the passenger foot well. The passenger foot well is defined by a front boundary, a lower boundary and two side boundaries. The duct includes an input coupled to the opening on the HVAC case and accepting air into an upstream portion having a single passage. The upstream portion directs air in a generally upward direction away from the lower boundary of the passenger side foot well. The duct further includes an intermediate portion whereby the single passage divides into a first and second passage. A first and second outlet is coupled to and downstream of the first and second passage and dispense air at the passenger side foot well.

Abstract: A fan device a frame includes a frame and a fan blade part. The fan blade part is composed of a fan hub and fan blades. The frame is provided with a driving part being rotationally attached to the fan blade part. The driving part is fixed to the frame with locating parts such that a difference of distance is formed between a facial side of the frame and the joining surface of the driving part. The fan hub is shorter than the fan blade part in height so that air current generated by the fan blades can flow fast without being stagnated under the joining surface of the driving part.

Abstract: A septum for chemical containers comprises a body, a first port through the body having a first interior diameter sufficient to permit a flow of a fluid through the first port, and a second bore through the body having a second interior diameter less than the first interior diameter. The second interior diameter is sufficiently small as to restrict passage of vapors evaporated from within the container. In this configuration, vapors are safely exhausted outside a work facility, and a chemical container that would be classified as Use-Open under applicable fire codes is converted to Use-Closed, enabling the work facility to increase the volume of chemicals that may be contained or used in the facility under the code, without upgrade to Hazardous Occupancy standards, or building new facilities that qualify as Hazardous Occupancy and that can use Use-Open chemical containers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a fume hood. A containment condition, i.e., a condition that may affect containment of potentially harmful substances in the hood, may be detected, and information regarding the detected condition sent by wireless signal. A fume hood controller may control at least airflow in the hood based on the information contained in the wireless signal.

Abstract: A vehicle with an air system for directing a flow of air at the rear of a head and/or neck of a person occupying the vehicle and/or for directing a flow of air to a space under a roof or canopy of the vehicle to dissipate hot air beneath the roof or canopy.

Abstract: An adjustable roof ventilator jack for operationally coupling a roof ventilator to a venting aperture extending through a sloped roof. The jack includes a base section having base section front, rear and side walls. The base section is configured so as to be angled in a direction opposite the slope of the roof. The jack also includes a pivotable section having pivotable section front and side walls. The pivotable section front wall is pivotally attached to the base section for pivotal movement between an extended configuration wherein the pivotable and base section front walls are in a substantially parallel relationship relative to each other and a retracted configuration wherein the inner surface of the pivotable and base section front walls form an obtuse angle. The jack further includes a position lock for selectively locking the base and pivotable sections in a predetermined angular relationship relative to each other.

Abstract: A film valve for an air conditioning system is of the type having two spaced-apart coupling ends, and a plurality of vent holes disposed between the coupling ends. The film valve includes a base layer made of glass fiber and having two opposite side surfaces, and two wear-resistant coating layers applied respectively to the side surfaces of the base layer. Each of the coating layers is made of a material that is selected from the group consisting of silicon, polyurethane, and Teflon.

Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus 1 for a vehicle has an air supply duct 6 for supplying air and a vent 40 communicating with the air supply duct 6 for blowing the air into a compartment of the vehicle. The direction of the air blown from the vent 40 is adjustable. The air supply duct 6 includes a branch chamber 14, 16 for reducing flow speed of the air flowing through the air supply duct 6 so that the speed-reduced air in the branch chamber 14, 16 is blown from the vent 40.

Abstract: A cooling system including redundant fan controllers. The cooling system includes a first fan controller coupled to control a first plurality of fans and a second fan controller coupled to control a second plurality of fans. During operation, the first plurality of fans and the second plurality of fans operate concurrently. The first fan controller and the second fan controller are each configured to monitor the first and the second plurality of fans and to detect a failure in any of the first and the second plurality of fans. Further, in response to detecting a failure of a fan of the first plurality of fans, the second fan controller is configured to increase an operating speed of a corresponding fan of the second plurality of fans.