| 主权项 |
1. A louver system (100) for controlling airflow in a duct (110) from a forced air heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
(a) a housing (200) having a housing perimeter wall (210), a housing front edge (220), a housing rear edge (230), and a mounting fascia (240) disposed on the housing front edge (220); (b) a positionable louver (300) rotatably disposed on the mounting fascia (240); (c) a longitudinal slat (400), wherein the slat (400) comprises a slat first end (410), a slat second end (420), a slat first side edge (430), a second side edge, a slat first surface (450), a slat second surface (460), and a slat positioning wheel (480) disposed on the slat first end (410), wherein the slat first end (410) is rotatably disposed in the housing perimeter wall (210), wherein the slat second end (420) is rotatably disposed in the housing perimeter wall (210), wherein, in a fully open position, the slat first side edge (430) is disposed toward the housing front edge (220) and the slat second side edge (440) is disposed toward the housing rear edge (230) or the slat second side edge (440) is disposed toward the housing front edge (220) and the slat first side edge (430) is disposed toward the housing rear edge (230), wherein the slat (400) is positioned fully in-line with a direction of airflow from a duct (110), whereby in the fully open position the slat (400) does not impede the airflow in the duct, wherein, in a fully closed position, the slat first side edge (430) is disposed toward the housing perimeter wall (210) and the slat second side edge (440) is disposed toward the housing perimeter wall (210), wherein the slat (400) is positioned fully perpendicular to the direction of airflow from the duct (110), wherein the slat first surface (450) or the slat second surface (460) faces the direction of airflow from the duct (110), whereby in the fully closed position the slat (400) impedes the airflow in the duct, wherein, the slat (400) is rotatable in a single continuous direction, wherein the slat (400) is infinitely positionable between the fully open position and the fully closed position; (d) a slat positioning assembly (500) disposed in the housing (200) comprising a centrally located main shaft (530) having a main shaft positioning wheel (540) disposed on the main shaft (530) proximal to a main shaft first end (532), wherein the main shaft (530) is disposed parallel to the slat (400), wherein a drive belt (550) is disposed on and engages the main shaft positioning wheel (540) and the slat positioning wheel (480), wherein a positioning gear (560) is disposed on the main shaft (530) proximal to the main shaft first end (532), wherein a solenoid actuator (570) is disposed in the housing (200), wherein the solenoid actuator (570) comprises an engagement tip (580) for engaging the positioning gear (560); (e) a mainspring assembly (600) disposed in the housing (200), wherein the mainspring assembly (600) comprises a ratcheting mechanism (610) operatively coupled to the main shaft (530), wherein a spring coil (620) is operatively coupled to the ratcheting mechanism (610); (f) a winding assembly (650) disposed in the housing (200) operatively coupled to the mainspring assembly (600) comprising a hand crank (660), wherein the hand crank (660) projects through an aperture disposed on the mounting fascia (240), wherein upon actuation of the hand crank, the mainspring assembly is rewound; (g) a motor (700) disposed in the housing (200) operatively coupled to the winding assembly (650), wherein upon actuation of the motor, the mainspring assembly is rewound; (h) a local control system (750) disposed in the housing (200) having a microprocessor (760), a transmitter (770), and a receiver (780), wherein the local control system (750) is operatively connected to the slat positioning assembly (500), wherein the local control system (750) is operatively connected to the motor (700), wherein the local control system (750) is operatively connected to the solenoid actuator (570); (i) a power supply (800) disposed in the housing (200) operatively connected to the motor (700) and the local control system (750); and (j) an electricity generator (850) rotatably disposed in the housing (200) comprising a turbine (860), wherein the electricity generator (850) is operatively connected to the power supply (800), wherein when airflow is present, the turbine (860) rotates the electricity generator (850) thereby producing a current, wherein the current charges the power supply (800);wherein upon receiving an activation signal, the local control system (750) sends a positioning signal via the microprocessor (760) to the solenoid actuator (570), wherein the solenoid actuator (570) releases the stored energy from the mainspring assembly (600) to actuate the slot positioning assembly (500) via the positioning gear (560) and the engagement tip (580), wherein the slat positioning assembly (500) rotates the slat (400) to a specified position, wherein in the fully open position, the slat (400) allows airflow, wherein the fully closed position, the slat (400) inhibits airflow, wherein in a position between the fully open position and the fully closed position (partially open), the slat (400) allows an inhibited rate of airflow, wherein the mainspring assembly (600) is wound via the winding assembly (650), wherein the winding assembly (650) is actuated via the hand crank (660) or the motor (700). |
