HEATING SYSTEM WITH ADJUSTABLE LOUVER

Abstract

A heating system including at least one louver coupled with the housing of a heater including a blade and end caps on the blade for holding each louver in a fixed position during operation of the heater assembly, but also releasing the louver for adjustment in positioning relative to the axis of rotation of the louver to change air flow direction or other characteristics as desired.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a louver for use with a heater assembly. In particular, the present invention includes a louver including a blade and end caps on the blade for holding each louver in a fixed position during operation of the heater assembly, but also releasing the louver for adjustment in positioning relative to the axis of rotation of the louver to change air flow direction or other characteristics as desired.

SUMMARY

Heater technology includes a variety of devices to heat spaces within an environment. Gas-fired unit heaters offer one option where infrared heating is not practical due to ceiling heights, clearances to combustibles or building use, as a separated combustion unit heater. Gas-fired, tubular exchanger, induced draft, hot air heaters can be used in commercial, industrial and agricultural applications, and may feature durable, powder-coated black enamel exterior and stainless steel louvers for an exceptional aesthetic appeal, and a swept wing impeller with finger-proof fan guards for low noise operation. In the present application, it has been found that the efficiencies of these heaters can be improved with improved air flow over fixed louvers that are adjustable to a selected configuration. The selective adjustment may be available via an easily adjusted manually engageable mechanism to direct heated air to optimum locations within an environmental space at a variety of adjustment locations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heater assembly including a housing and a plurality of louvers supported by in the housing;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the heater assembly including a fan coupled to the housing;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the heater assembly and the fan;

FIG. 4 is an elevated top view of an embodiment of the fan having a swept wing configuration;

FIG. 5 is an elevated side view of the fan having the swept wing configuration;

FIG. 6 is a perspective front view of a louver disposed in a portion of the housing;

FIG. 6A is a perspective rear view of the louver disposed in the portion of the housing;

FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of a louver including a pin and a first shaft disposed in a portion of the housing to hold the louver in position;

FIG. 8 is a perspective side view of the first end cap defining a first blade chamber and a plunger shaft aperture;

FIG. 9 is a perspective side view of a first end cap having a first body and a plunger, a louver and a second end cap;

FIG. 10 is a perspective exploded view of the first end cap including the plunger, a biasing member, the first body, and a first lock washer;

FIG. 11 is an elevated side view of the first end cap of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a perspective side view of the first end cap with the first lock washer disposed about the plunger;

FIG. 13 is a perspective side view of an alternative first end cap having a second body and a locking member;

FIG. 14 is a perspective exploded view the end cap of FIG. 13 including the locking member, the body, and a second lock washer;

FIG. 15 is a perspective side view of the end cap of FIG. 13 defining a lock chamber and a lock shaft aperture with a plurality of teeth extending into the lock chamber about the lock shaft aperture; and

FIG. 16 is a perspective side view of the end cap of FIG. 13 with the lock washer disposed about the locking member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a heater assembly 20 includes a housing 22 defining a chamber 24. As shown in FIG. 1, the heater assembly 20 includes a heater 26 disposed in the chamber 24 for heating an air flow. The heater assembly 20 defines an opening 28 in communication with the chamber 24. The heater assembly 20 includes a plurality of louvers 30 rotatably disposed in the chamber 24 and/or the opening 28. Each of the plurality of louvers 30 is independently adjustable for directing the air flow. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the heater assembly 20 includes a fan 32 coupled to the housing 22 in communication with the chamber 24 for creating the air flow. The fan 32 may have any suitable configuration, such as a swept wing configuration, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for improving the efficiency of the heater assembly 20.

One of the plurality louvers 30 in a portion of the housing 22 is shown for example in FIGS. 6-8. Each of the other louvers 30 has a similar construction. Each louver 30 is rotatably disposed about a louver axis A1. The one of the plurality louvers 30 includes a blade 34 disposed along the louver axis A1. The blade 34 has an arcuate cross-sectional configuration for directing the air flow. The blade 34 can have any suitable alternative cross-sectional configuration, such as, a flat cross-sectional configuration. The arcuate cross-sectional configuration of the blade 34 and a lack of ribs or edges reduce turbulence and drag of air flow around the blade 34. The blade 34 is made of metal, but can be made of any suitable alternative material, such as, plastic.

One of the plurality louvers 30 includes a first end cap 36 and a second end cap 38 spaced from the first end cap 36 along the louver axis A1. The first and second end caps 36, 38 engage opposite sides of the blade 34 for selective rotation of the blade 34 relative to the housing 22. Specifically referring to FIG. 7, the housing 22 defines a first shaft aperture 40 for engaging one of the first and second end caps 36, 38. The housing 22 defines a correlative second shaft aperture and a retaining aperture for engaging the other of the first and second end caps 36 and 38. The second end cap 38 may be either identical with the first end cap (as a mirror image) or can also be an end cap with merely holds the louver rotatable in place without a separate locking mechanism.

The first end cap 36 has first body 42 rotatably disposed in a portion of the housing 22. The first end cap 36 defines a first blade chamber 44 in the first body 42 with a tapered configuration as shown in FIG. 12. The blade 34 is disposed in the first blade chamber 44 for mounting the blade 34 to the portion of the housing 22 along the louver axis A1.

As shown in FIGS. 6-8, the first end cap 36 has a first surface 46 extending along the first body 42 with an arcuate configuration and directs air flow around the first end cap 36 for reducing turbulent air flow and drag around the first end cap 36. The first end cap 36 has a first winglet 48 extending from the first surface 46 transverse to the louver axis A1. The first winglet 48 has an arcuate configuration and directs air flow towards the blade 34 to reduce turbulent air flow between the one of the plurality of louvers 30 and the housing 22 and encourage laminar air flow over the first end cap 36 and the blade 34 to reduce drag. As shown, the blades are designed to have a leading edge, a trailing edge and a uniform thickness throughout the curvature, although an alternative configuration could use a more airplane wing designed configuration as needed or desired.

The second end cap 38 has a second body 50 rotatably disposed in the portion of the housing 22. The second end cap 38 defines a second blade chamber 52 in the second body 50 with a tapered configuration, as shown in FIG. 16. The blade 34 is disposed in the second blade chamber 52 for mounting the blade 34 to the portion of the housing 22 along the louver axis A1.

The second end cap 38 has a second surface 54 extending along the second body 50 with an arcuate configuration for directing air flow around the second end cap 38 for reducing turbulent air flow and drag around the second end cap 38. The second end cap 38 has a second winglet 56 extending from the second surface 54 transverse to the louver axis A1. The second winglet 56 an arcuate configuration to direct the air flow towards the blade 34 to reduce turbulent air flow between the one of the plurality of louvers 30 and the housing 22 and encourage laminar air flow over the second end cap 38 and the blade 34 to reduce drag.

The first and second end caps 36, 38 are configured to selectively lock in a selected rotational position relative to the housing 22. Specifically, one of the first and second end caps 36, 38 includes a pair of locking features 58 and the other of the first and second caps 36, 38 is spring loaded to engage the pair of locking features 58. For example, the first end cap 36 is spring loaded and the second cap 38 includes the pair of locking features 58 in the embodiment in the Figures and as set forth further below.

As shown in FIG. 9, the first body 42 defines a plunger chamber 60 along the louver axis A1. The first end cap 36 includes a plunger 62 movably disposed in the plunger chamber 60 for coupling the first end cap 36 to the housing 22.

The plunger 62 has a plunger shoulder 64 and a first shaft 66 extending along the louver axis A1 away from the plunger shoulder 64. As shown in FIG. 10, the plunger 62 has a plunger shaft 68 extending from the plunger shoulder 64 away from the first shaft 66. The plunger shaft 68 is disposed in the plunger chamber 60. The first end cap 36 includes a biasing member 70 disposed about the plunger shaft 68. The biasing member 70 abuts the plunger shoulder 64 and the first body 42 to bias the plunger 62 to resiliently extend from the plunger chamber 60 towards the housing 22.

As shown in FIG. 11, the first end cap 36 defines a plunger shaft aperture 72 along the louver axis A1 for receiving the plunger shaft 68 of the plunger 62. As shown in FIG. 12, the plunger shaft 68 extends through the plunger shaft aperture 72. The first end cap 36 includes a first lock washer 74 disposed around the plunger shaft 68 and abutting the first body 42 for retaining the plunger 62 in the plunger chamber 60.

As shown in FIG. 13, the second end cap 38 defines a lock chamber 76 in the second body 50 and includes a locking member 78 engageable with lock chamber 76 for coupling the second end cap 38 to the housing 22. The locking member 78 has a lock shoulder 80 and a second shaft 82 extending along the louver axis A1 away from the lock shoulder 80.

The second shaft 82 engages the housing 22 for coupling the first end cap 36 to the housing 22. The locking member 78 has a retaining pin 84 extending relative to the louver axis A1 away from the lock shoulder 80. The retaining pin 84 engages the housing 22 in an aperture 85 for preventing rotation of the locking member 78. Additional apertures 87 and 89 may be provided to perform the same function as aperture 85 but for additional degrees of angulations of the blade.

As shown in FIG. 14, the locking member 78 has a lock shaft 86 extending from the lock shoulder 80 away from the second shaft 82. The locking member 78 includes one of the pair of locking features 58 further defined as a first plurality of teeth 90 extending from the lock shoulder 80 and disposed about the lock shaft 86. In one example, the first plurality of teeth 90 are disposed about the lock shaft 86 in 2.5 degree increments, but it should be appreciated that first plurality of teeth 90 may be disposed about the lock shaft 86 in any degree increments, such as three degree increments.

As shown in FIG. 15, the second body 50 of the second end cap 38 defines a lock shaft aperture 88. The second body 50 includes the other of the pair of lock features 58 further defined as a second plurality of teeth 92 extending into the lock chamber 76 about the lock shaft aperture 88 for engaging the first plurality of teeth 90 of the locking member 78 to preventing rotation of the one of the plurality louvers 30. In one example, the second plurality of teeth 92 are disposed about the lock shaft aperture 88 in 2.5 degree increments, but it should be appreciated that second plurality of teeth 92 may be disposed about the lock shaft aperture 88 in any degree increments as long as the second plurality of teeth 92 are disposed about the same degree increments as the first plurality of teeth 90.

As shown in FIG. 16, the lock shaft 86 extends through the lock shaft aperture 88. The second end cap 38 includes a second lock washer 96 disposed around the lock shaft 86 and abutting the second body 50 for retaining the locking member 78 in the lock chamber 76.

As an operator installs the one of the plurality of louvers 30, the first shaft 66 of the first end cap 36 is disposed in the chamber 24 of the housing 22. The operator moves the one of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in a first direction F1 parallel to A1, as shown in FIG. 13, to compress the biasing member 70 and move the plunger 62 into the plunger chamber 60 of the first end cap 36. The operator aligns the second shaft 82 of the second end cap 38 with the second shaft aperture and aligns the retainer pin 84 with the retainer aperture 85 (or 87 or 89). The operator moves the one of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in a second direction F2 parallel to A1 to dispose the second shaft 82 in the second shaft aperture and dispose the retainer pin 84 in the retainer aperture 85. The biasing member 70 biases the one of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in the second direction F2 to engage the first plurality of teeth 90 of the second body 50 with the second plurality of teeth 92 of the locking member 78 to prevent rotation of the one of the plurality louvers 30 about the louver axis A1. The retainer pin 84 engages the housing 22 in the retainer aperture 85 to prevent rotation of the locking member 78.

To adjust the one of the plurality louvers 30, the operator moves the one of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in the first direction F1 to compress the biasing member 70 and disengage the first plurality of teeth 90 of the second body 50 from the second plurality of teeth 92 of the locking member 78. The operator rotates the one of the plurality louvers 30 about the louver axis A1 to the desired angle of the one of the plurality louvers 30. As the operator rotates the one of the plurality louvers 30, the locking member 78 remains stationary and the second end cap 38 rotates about the locking member 78. The operator moves the one of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in a second direction F2 aided by the biasing member 70 to reengage the first plurality of teeth 90 of the second body 50 with the second plurality of teeth 92 of the locking member 78. The biasing member 70 biases the one of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in the second direction F2 retain the engagement of the first plurality of teeth 90 of the second body 50 with the second plurality of teeth 92 of the locking member 78 to prevent rotation of the one of the plurality louvers 30 about the louver axis A1. It is preferred that this operation be repeated for all of the louvers 30 in the housing 22, but it is not required and can be tailored or selected as desired or needed.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings, and the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. A heating system comprising:

a housing through which air flows through a heating element from an inlet to an outlet;

at least one elongated louver having a first end and a second end and a central axis of rotation;

an element at each end of said louver to engage the housing, with a first element engaging said housing in a fixed position and also adjustable to other fixed positions and a second element engaging said housing in a resilient position to release said first element to be adjusted to a second fixed position;

a blower for continuously forcing air through said compartment; and

a heating element.

2. A heating system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising multiple louvers.

3. A demand radiant heating system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said louvers can be adjusted a various intervals by a disengagement and re-engagement of toothed gears disposed in said first element.

4. A demand radiant heating system as set forth in claim 1 including means disposed adjacent said burner for igniting an air/fuel mixture in said burner and for sensing a predetermined temperature of said burner.

5. A demand radiant heating system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said igniting and sensing means comprises a glow bar ignitor.

6. A louver for a heating system comprising: an elongated blade having a first end and a second end;

a housing in which the louver is disposed, the housing defining a compartment into and out of which air flows and includes an element for heating the air passing by the heating element;

a fan continuously forcing air into said compartment;

said louver including elements to attach the first and the second end to the housing, comprising caps at each of the louver;

One cap having an adjustable element relative to the housing and the other cap having a releasable element relative to the housing to permit the adjustable element to move from a first fixed position to a second fixed position.

7. An invention as set forth in claim 6 further comprising that multiple louvers are engaged with the housing.

8. A heating system comprising:

A housing having a heating element, a fan to continuously blow air over the heating element, and an outlet for the heated air;

At least one louver at the outlet of the housing, said louver having an axis of rotation and a mechanism to adjust the louver to alter the direction of air flow from the heating system flowing past the louver by rotation around the axis of rotation, comprising engagement elements at each end of the louver, with a first element engaging at least a portion of the housing and a second element engaging at least a portion of the housing; and

one of said elements moveable; and

said first element having a lock to engage at least a portion of the housing in place and release to permit the second element to rotate and return the louver to lock engagement when the release is no longer engaged.