US 11,808,479 B2
Adjustable automatic airflow control damper system
David J Forman, Coralville, IA (US); and Eric Langstengel, Iowa City, IA (US)
Assigned to Suncourt, Inc., Durant, IA (US)
Filed by Suncourt, Inc., Durant, IA (US)
Filed on Jun. 6, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/433,785.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/736,224, filed on Sep. 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0096223 A1, Mar. 26, 2020
Int. Cl. F24F 13/14 (2006.01); F24F 11/56 (2018.01)
CPC F24F 13/1426 (2013.01) [F24F 11/56 (2018.01); F24F 13/1486 (2013.01); F24F 2013/1433 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A remote controlled adjustable duct damper comprising:
a duct, having an interior and an exterior;
a damper plate, disposed within said duct and configured to move so as to regulate a fluid flow through said duct;
a damper plate elongated member, extending from said interior to said exterior and coupled to said damper plate, configured to move said damper plate, through an infinite number of positions, when said damper plate elongated member is moved;
a spring configured to move said damper plate in only one direction;
an adjustable means, disposed in said exterior, for regulating permissible positions of said damper plate, to variably control one of a maximum fluid flow and a minimum fluid flow through said duct;
wherein said adjustable means comprises:
a first member which adjustably limits rotation of said elongated member, wherein said first member can be adjusted to an infinite number of configurations which result in fluid flow rates between said maximum fluid flow and said minimum fluid flow;
a second member; where both of said first member and said second member are configured to rotate around a central axis of said elongated member;
a first screw, and
a second screw; where said first screw selectively couples one of said first member and said second member to said elongated member and said second screw selectively couples said first member and said second member to each other;
wherein said first member and said second member are positioned and configured so that contact with any portion of said first member or said second member with a portion of a motor bracket disposed on said exterior, necessarily results in limiting rotation of said damper plate elongated member and therefore limits rotation of said damper plate;
said damper plate elongated member being configured for a 90 degree relative adjustment with respect to one of said damper plate and said adjustable means, so that said spring can be used to cause said damper plate to be in a different one of each of a normally fully open and a normally fully closed configuration before and after said 90 degree relative adjustment is made;
wherein said damper plate is substantially circular and said elongated member is transversely disposed across said damper plate along a line through a center of said damper plate; and
wherein said adjustable means has an ability to electrically drive movement of the damper plate through an infinite number of positions in a first direction; but lacks an ability to electrically drive movement of the damper plate in opposing directions.