AIR EXHAUST VALVE FOR VENTILATING ROOMS

Abstract

The invention relates to an air exhaust valve (1). The air exhaust valve (1) comprises an inner baffle element (10) located at a radially inside position and an outer baffle element (20) located at a radially outside position and surrounding said inner baffle element (10) for defining an air flow space (70) between said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20). There are provided an inner plurality of slits or grooves in said inner baffle element (10) and/or an outer plurality of slits or grooves (21) in said outer baffle element (20).

Description

The present invention relates to an air exhaust valve for ventilating rooms and to be installed in a ventilation exhaust duct opening in a wall or ceiling of a room.

Typically, such air exhaust valves are used in conjunction with air inlet valves, also known as air diffuser valves.

A common problem found in such air exhaust valves is noise caused by air flow through the devices.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce or modify all sorts of noises caused by air flow through such an air exhaust valve which may be a nuisance to persons in a room provided with such an air exhaust valve.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved by an air exhaust valve for ventilating rooms and to be installed in a ventilation duct opening in a wall or ceiling of a room, said air exhaust valve comprising an inner baffle element located at a radially inside position and an outer baffle element located at a radially outside position and surrounding said inner baffle element for defining an air flow space between said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element, said air flow space having an upstream opening and a downstream opening with respect to the exhaust air flow direction through said exhaust air valve, characterized in that an inner plurality of slits or grooves are provided in said inner baffle element and/or an outer plurality of slits or grooves are provided in said outer baffle element.

It has been surprisingly found that air flowing through such an air diffuser device causes less or even hardly any noise at least in the human audible spectrum.

Preferably, said inner plurality of slits or grooves are provided in a downstream end region of said outer baffle element.

Preferably, said outer plurality of slits or grooves are provided in a downstream end region of said outer baffle element.

Preferably, said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element can be moved relative to each other for changing said air flow space between said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element and thus, the air flow resistance of the air exhaust valve.

This allows the air flow resistance of the air exhaust valve to be adjusted. Typically, any such air exhaust valves installed in a given room may be adjusted together with air inlet valves, also known as air diffuser valves, installed in this room.

Preferably, said inner baffle element is rotationally symmetrical.

More preferably, said inner baffle element is an inner cone element.

Preferably, said outer baffle element is rotationally symmetrical.

More preferably, said outer baffle element is an outer cone element.

With both the inner baffle element and the outer baffle element being a cone element with their cone axes aligned to form a common air exhaust valve axis, the air flow space between the two cone elements has a conical shell shape of a given shell thickness. This shell thickness and thus, the volume of the air flow space and the air flow resistance of the air exhaust valve can be adjusted by moving one of the cone elements with respect to the other cone element along their common air exhaust valve axis.

Preferably, said inner baffle element and/or said outer baffle element is threadably mounted by a thread element having as its thread axis an axis extending across a center point of a central region of said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element.

This allows a fine axial adjustment of the relative axial position of the inner baffle element and the outer baffle element. The lower the pitch of the thread element, the more easily such fine axial adjustment can be achieved.

Preferably, said inner baffle element and/or said outer baffle element has angularly spaced surface markings positioned along a circle having as its center said center point of said central region of said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element.

With such surface markings, repeated axial adjustment of the relative axial positions of the baffle elements can be dealt with easily and reproducibly. Preferably, the surface markings each correspond to an angular engagement position of the thread element.

Preferably, an axial spacing or axial distance between said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element is manually adjustable.

Preferably, the air exhaust valve comprises an adjustment and locking element for locking the adjusted axial spacing between said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element.

Preferably, said air exhaust valve comprises a middle baffle element located at a radially intermediate position between said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element for partially filling said air flow space between said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element.

This middle baffle element can be used to preadjust the air flow resistance of the air exhaust valve. This pre-adjustment can be done by selecting and inserting middle baffle elements of different size and/or shape in a defined position between the inner baffle element and the outer baffle element.

Preferably, as in said inner baffle element and/or said outer baffle element, a middle plurality of slits or grooves are provided in said middle baffle element.

Preferably, said middle plurality of slits or grooves are provided in a downstream end region of said middle baffle element.

Preferably, said middle baffle element can be moved relative to said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element for changing said air flow space between said inner baffle element and said outer baffle element.

Again, this middle baffle element can be used to preadjust the air flow resistance of the air exhaust valve. Now, this pre-adjustment can be done by moving the middle baffle element with respect to the inner baffle element and the outer baffle element.

Preferably, said middle baffle element is rotationally symmetrical.

More preferably, said middle baffle element is a middle cone element.

Preferably, said middle baffle element comprises a plurality of holes at its surface.

Such holes help eliminate resonant frequencies of the air in the audible range within the air flow space.

The middle baffle element may be a solid element having blind holes at its surface.

The middle baffle element may be a hollow element with an inside space and having through holes extending between said inside space and a space surrounding said hollow element.

Preferably, at least a portion of said middle baffle element is porous.

Such porous regions help absorb sound energy of the air within the air flow space.

Preferably, at least a portion of said middle baffle element is made of an elastomeric material.

Again, this middle baffle element can be used to preadjust the air flow resistance of the air exhaust valve. Now, this pre-adjustment can be done by changing the shape of the middle baffle element within the air flow space between the inner baffle element and the outer baffle element.

Further applications, features and advantages provided by the present invention will become more apparent from the following description and the drawings.

FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 show a first embodiment of the exhaust valve according to the invention.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the exhaust valve according to the invention.

FIGS. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 show a third embodiment of the exhaust valve according to the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a first embodiment of an air exhaust valve 1 according to the invention and an exploded view thereof showing some components of the air exhaust valve 1 pulled apart from each other and spaced along an axis of symmetry of the air exhaust valve 1. The air exhaust valve 1 comprises an inner baffle element or inner cone element 10, an outer baffle element or outer cone element 20 and a fan element 40 (better shown in FIG. 3) as main components thereof. In addition, the air exhaust valve 1 comprises an adjustment and locking element 30, a ring element 80 and a bottom plate 90 as auxiliary components.

The locking element 30 comprises an upper fixing element 31, a thread element 32 and a lower fixing element 33. These three elements 31, 32, 33 are arranged sequentially along the axis of symmetry of the air exhaust valve 1. In their assembled state, these three elements 31, 32, 33 hold all the elements of the exhaust valve 1 together.

The upper fixing element 31 comprises a first snap formation 31a at its bottom end.

The thread element 32 is shaped as a circular cylinder or as a cylindrical tube and comprises an outer thread 32a on its outer cylindrical surface. The outer thread 32a as shown is a helical groove in the outer cylindrical surface of the thread element 32. Alternatively, the outer thread may be a helical ridge (not shown) on the outer cylindrical surface of the thread element 32. In addition, the thread element 32 comprises a second snap formation 32b complementary to the first snap formation 31a of the upper fixing element 31.

The lower fixing element 33 is shaped as a partially cylindrical body with an inner partially cylindrical surface and comprises an inner thread (not shown) on its inner partially cylindrical surface. The inner thread is a helical ridge (not shown) on the inner cylindrical surface of the thread element 32. Alternatively, the inner thread may be a helical groove (not shown) in the outer cylindrical surface of the thread element 32. In addition, the lower fixing element 33 has a first locking formation 33a.

In the assembled state, the first snap formation 31a of the upper fixing element 31 engages the second snap formation 32b of the thread element 32 in a snap engagement, the corresponding threads of the thread element 32 engage the bottom fixing element 33 in a thread engagement, and the first locking formation 33a of the lower fixing element 33 engages a second locking formation 90a of the bottom plate 90. The second locking formation 90a is complementary to the first locking formation 33a, thus allowing a locking engagement between the lower fixing element 33 and the bottom plate 90. As a result, the fan element 40, the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20 and the inner baffle element or inner cone element 10 are held together. By rotating the lower subunit comprising the lower fixing element 33, the inner baffle element 10 and the bottom plate 90 with respect to the upper subunit comprising the thread element 32, the outer baffle element 20 and the upper fixing element 31, the axial distance between the outer baffle element 20 and the inner baffle element 10 can be adjusted.

As best seen in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the inner baffle element 10 is located at a radially inside position and the outer baffle element 20 is located at a radially outside position and surrounding the inner baffle element 10, thus defining an air flow space 70 between the inner baffle element 10 and the outer baffle element 20. As a result, by rotating the lower subunit with respect to the upper subunit, the radial width of the air flow space 70 can be adjusted.

The ring element 80 comprises two adjacent flange portions spaced along the axis of symmetry of the ring element 80 and extending in a radially outward direction. The axis of symmetry of the ring element 80 is congruent with the axis of symmetry of the air exhaust valve 1 when the ring element 80 is installed in the air exhaust valve 1. One of the two flange portions comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced indentations 80a.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view from below of the first embodiment of the air exhaust valve 1 according to the invention with the bottom plate 90 removed. The inner baffle element or inner cone element 10, the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20 and the air flow space 70 therebetween are shown. Also shown is the lower fixing element 33 with first locking formations 33a which are better shown in FIG. 1

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a top view of the air exhaust valve 1. There can be seen the upper fixing element 31, the fan element 40 with its first fan blade 41, its second fan blade 42 and its third fan blade 43, the ring element 80 with circumferentially spaced indentations 80a in one of its flanges and the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20. The middle baffle element or middle cone element 60 is not visible in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a longitudinal section of the air exhaust valve 1, the sectional plane comprising the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the air exhaust valve 1. A first type of adjustment or locking element 30 is shown.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a longitudinal section of the air exhaust valve 1, the sectional plane comprising the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the air exhaust valve 1. A second type of adjustment or locking element 30 is shown.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a perspective view from below of a second embodiment of an air exhaust valve 1 according to the invention with the bottom plate 90 removed. As in FIG. 2 with the first embodiment, the inner baffle element or inner cone element 10, the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20 and the air flow space 70 therebetween are shown. Also shown is the lower fixing element 33 with first locking formations 33a which are better shown in FIG. 1. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment by comprising a middle baffle element or middle cone element 60 between the inner baffle element or inner cone element 10 and the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a top perspective view of the air exhaust valve 1. As in FIG. 3, there can be seen the upper fixing element 31, the fan element 40 with its first fan blade 41, its second fan blade 42 and its third fan blade 43, the ring element 80 with circumferentially spaced indentations 80a in one of its flanges and the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20. The middle baffle element or middle cone element 60 is not visible in FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a longitudinal section of the air exhaust valve 1, the sectional plane comprising the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the air exhaust valve 1. There can be seen the adjustment and locking element 30, the inner baffle element or inner cone element 10, the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20, the air flow space 70 therebetween and the middle baffle element or middle cone element 60 between the inner baffle element or inner cone element 10 and the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20. The middle baffle element or middle cone element 60 is located concentrically between the inner cone element 10 and the outer cone element 20. The air flow space is an annular space between the concentrically aligned inner and outer cone elements 10, 20.

Referring to FIG. 9, the middle baffle element or middle cone element 60 to be inserted between the inner baffle element or inner cone element 10 and the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20 is shown. The middle cone element 60 comprises a plurality of slits 61 each extending from a flanged smaller cone end along a generatrix of the inner conical surface of the middle cone element 60. Each of the slits 61 extends across the entire radial width of the flange at the smaller cone end of the middle cone element 60.

Referring to FIGS. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, there is shown a third embodiment of the exhaust valve according to the invention.

The third embodiment is very similar to the first embodiment. However, the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment by having no slits at all, i.e. no slits in the inner baffle element or inner cone element 10 and no slits in the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20.

All elements of the third embodiment, shown in FIGS. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, which are similar or identical to corresponding elements of the first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, are given the same reference numerals.

Referring in particular to FIG. 13 and to FIG. 14, there can be seen how the air flow space 70 between the inner baffle element or inner cone element 10 and the outer baffle element or outer cone element 20 can be adjusted. This adjustment is achieved by threadably displacing the inner cone element 10 with respect to the outer cone element 20 along the axis of symmetry of the air exhaust valve 1 which corresponds to the axis of the engaging threads inside the adjustment and locking element 30.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1 air exhaust valve
• 10 inner baffle element/inner cone element
• 20 outer baffle element/outer cone element
• 21 slots/slits or grooves
• 30 adjustment and locking element
• 31 upper fixing element
• 31 a first snap formation
• 32 thread element
• 32 a outer thread
• 32 b second snap formation (complementary to 31a)
• 33 lower fixing element
• 33 a first locking formation
• 40 fan element
• 41 first fan blade
• 42 second fan blade
• 43 third fan blade
• 50 cover plate
• 60 middle baffle element/middle cone element
• 61 slots/slits or grooves
• S10 contour line of inner cone element 10
• S20 contour line S of outer cone element 20
• S60 contour line of middle cone element 60
• 70 air flow space
• 70 a upstream opening
• 70 b downstream opening
• 80 ring element
• 80 a indentation
• 90 bottom plate
• 90 a second locking formation (complementary to 33a)

Claims

1. An air exhaust valve (1) for ventilating rooms and to be installed in a ventilation duct opening in a wall or ceiling of a room, said air exhaust valve (1) comprising an inner baffle element (10) located at a radially inside position and an outer baffle element (20) located at a radially outside position and surrounding said inner baffle element (10) for defining an air flow space (70) between said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20), said air flow space having an upstream opening (70a) and a downstream opening (70b) with respect to the exhaust air flow direction through said exhaust air valve, characterized in that an inner plurality of slits or grooves are provided in said inner baffle element (10) and/or an outer plurality of slits or grooves (21) are provided in said outer baffle element (20).

2. The air exhaust valve according to claim 1, wherein said inner plurality of slits or grooves are provided in a downstream end region of said inner baffle element (10).

3. The air exhaust valve according to claim 1, wherein said outer plurality of slits or grooves (21) are provided in a downstream end region of said outer baffle element (20).

4. The air exhaust valve according to claim 1, wherein said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20) can be moved relative to each other for changing said air flow space (70) between said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20).

5. The air exhaust valve according to claim 1, wherein said inner baffle element (10) is rotationally symmetrical.

6. The air exhaust valve according to claim 5, wherein said inner baffle element (10) is an inner cone element (10).

7. The air exhaust valve according to claim 1, wherein said outer baffle element (20) is rotationally symmetrical.

8. The air exhaust valve according to claim 7, wherein said outer baffle element (20) is an outer cone element (20).

9. The air exhaust valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20) is threadably mounted by a thread element having as its thread axis an axis extending across a center point of a central region of said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20).

10. The air exhaust valve according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20) has angularly spaced surface markings positioned along a circle having as its center said center point of said central region of said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20).

11. The air exhaust valve according to claim 9, wherein an axial spacing (distance) between said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20) is manually adjustable.

12. The air exhaust valve according to claim 9, wherein the air exhaust valve comprises an adjustment and locking element (30) for locking the adjusted axial spacing (distance) between said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20).

13. The air exhaust valve according to claim 1, wherein said air exhaust valve (1) comprises a middle baffle element (60) located at a radially intermediate position between said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20) for partially filling said air flow space (70) between said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20).

14. The air exhaust valve according to claim 13, wherein a middle plurality of slits or grooves (61) are provided in said middle baffle element (60).

15. The air exhaust valve according to claim 13, wherein said middle plurality of slits or grooves (61) are provided in a downstream end region of said middle baffle element (60).

16. The air exhaust valve according to any one of claim 13, wherein said middle baffle element (60) can be moved relative to said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20) for changing said air flow space (70) between said inner baffle element (10) and said outer baffle element (20).

17. The air exhaust valve according to any one of claim 13, wherein said middle baffle element (60) is rotationally symmetrical.

18. The air exhaust valve according to claim 17, wherein said middle baffle element (60) is a middle cone element (60).

19. The air exhaust valve according to claim 13, wherein said middle baffle element (60) comprises a plurality of holes at its surface.

20. The air exhaust valve according to claim 13, wherein said middle baffle element (60) is a solid element having blind holes at its surface.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)