United States Patent [1113530383

[72] Inventor Leo Alamprese, 2,686,943 8/ l 954 Kunkel ....................... .. 49/488

Wood Dale, Illinois 2,805,453 9/1957 Pctronello .................. .. 49/488
[21 ] Appl. No. 790,693 FOREIGN PATENTS
[22] Filed Jan. 13, I969
{45] Patented Sept. 29, 1970 375,014 6/l932 GreatBritain .......... .. 49/92
[73] Assignee Honeywell Inc. Primary Examiner-Meyer Perlin
' Minneapolis, Minnesota A|!0rne_\-s— Lamont B. Koontz, Francis A. Sirr and John S.
in corporation of Delaware Sumners

[54] DAMPER APPARATUS AND MOUNTING CLIP TO

HOLD AN INFLATABLE SEALING MEMBER
ll Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.
ABSTRACT: A damper apparatus and a mounting clip to
[52] U.S.Cl ...................................................... .. 98/110, mount an in?atable sealing member along the edge of a
98/l 2 I , 49/488, 49/493 damper blade, the clip being bent to generally conform to the
[51] Int. Cl ....................................................... .. F24fl3/08 shape of the edge of the blade to facilitate the mounting of the
[50] Field ofSearch .......................................... .. 98/ l 07, clip on the blade by pressure directed toward the edge of the
Ill),121;49/91,92,479,483,485,486,488, blade, with a ?exible sealing member mounted on the clip by
489, 493, 494 means of two grooves which hold the edges of the sealing
member in a manner to cause the sealing member to assume a
[56] References Cited
generally teardrop shape, the sealing member having inlet
UNITED STATES PATENTS openings to cause the sealing member to be in?ated when the
2,070,725 2/1937 Gail ..... ................. .. 49/493 damper is closed.
Patented Sept. 29, 1970 3,530,783

IUVVENTOR.
LEO ALAMPRESE

g’wdiw
ATTORNEY
 3,530,783
1 2
DAMPER APPARATUS AND MOUNTING CLIP TO HOLD edges of the blades, abutment members 40 and 41 are pro
AN INFLATABLE SEALING MEMBER vided for cooperation with blades 15 and 14, respectively. The
abutment members have one portion attached to frame 11 and
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION with another portion extending transverse to the direction of
The present invention is an improvement upon US. Pat. 5 the air ?ow and generally parallel to the plane of the blades
No. 3,366,032 wherein rivets hold an in?atable sealing when they are closed. It will be noted that with the blades in
member directly on the longitudinal edge of a damper blade. their closed position, the outer longitudinal edge thereof lies
Prior art structures are satisfactory. However, structures in in abutting relationship with the cooperating abutment
accordance with the teachings of the present invention reduce member.
the cost of manufacturing, considerably reduce the dif?culty Damper blades 14 and 15 are connected together by an ap
of replacing a worn in?atable sealing member, and allow the propriate linkage and driving means, not shown, for operating
in?atable seal to be selected as an option. the damper assembly. The structure described thus‘iffar is a
Speci?cally, the invention utilizes a resilient mounting clip construction utilized in commerically available dampi‘r assem
which is constructed and arranged to form a pocket to receive blies.
and hold the longitudinal edge of the damper blade. The clip Prior art dampers provide a sealing member to reduce air
conforms generally to the cross-sectional shape of the edge of leakage when the damper apparatus is closed.
the blade and can be mounted on the blade by a force directed Referring to FIG. 3, portions of the two damper blades 14
toward the edge of the blade. The snap-on method of mount and 15 are shown enlarged and in closed position wherein the
ing provides semi-permanent retention of the clip and as 20 blade portions 14b and 15b are in abutting relationship. An
sociated structure on the edge of the damper blade. elongated metallic mounting clip 20 is positioned to cooperate
An elongated ?exible sealing member is mounted on the with the longitudinal edge of blade 15 and to support an elon
clip so that an edge of the sealing member is positioned on gated ?exible rubber-like sealing member 21 such that a por
each side of the blade. Speci?cally, the clip is provided with tion of this sealing member is engaged by the longitudinal edge
two longitudinal grooves, one positioned on each side of the 25 Me of blade 14. The sealing member includes a plurality of air
blade, each of which receives an edge of an elongated ?exible inlet openings 22, located on the upstream side of the closed
sealing member. The sealing member loosely covers the clip damper apparatus. Due to the differential pressure between
and longitudinal edge of the blade in a generally teardrop the downstream side and the upstream side of the damper, the
profile. The two longitudinal grooves are unequally spaced in void 23 between clip 20 and sealing member 21 is in?ated, in
wardly from the edge ofthe blade to force the teardrop pro?le 30 suring a low leakage seal.
toward the side of the blade which mates with a cooperating Clip 20 includes a ?at portion 24 which mates with the ?at '
member when the damper is closed. In the closed position, portion of the damper blade. Extending from portion 24 is a
inlet openings in the sealing member face upstream to cause first portion 25 which terminates in a second arcuate portion
the sealing member to be in?ated. 26. Arcuate portion 26 provides a void or pocket that is
35 adapted to receive portion 15b of the blade as the clip is being
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
mounted on the blade. as seen in FIG. 4. Clip 20 also includes
FIG. I is a broken-away view of a damper apparatus utiliz a third portion 27 which extends along the portion 15b of the
ing the invention, blade. Clip 20 terminates in a re-entrant fourth portion 28.
FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view ofa damper blade, The ?at portion 24 and the fourth portion 28 of the clip are
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken generally as each provided with a longitudinal groove which receives the
indicated in FIG. I, side portions of sealing member 21. The longitudinal grooves
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the mount in clip 20 are displaced inwardly from the longitudinal edge
ing clip and its association with the edge of the damper blade 150 of the blade, the groove in ?at portion 24 being placed
just prior to mounting, and farther from the longitudinal edge of the blade than is the
FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the mounting clip, 45 groove at the portion 28 of the clip. Thus, as can be seen in
sealing member and damper blade. FIG. 4, sealing member 21 takes a generally teardrop pro?le,
the pro?le being forced toward the portion of the damper
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT blade which engages a mating member when the damper ap
Referring to FIG. I, a damper apparatus 10 includes a paratus is closed. The teardrop pro?le can be controlled by
rectangular frame 11 with a central air ?ow passage changing the position of the longitudinal grooves in clip 20.
therethrough. Pivotally mounted within the frame, on axles 12 In FIG. 4, spring clip 20 is shown in separated relationship
and 13, respectively, are a pair of damper blades 14 and 15. to the longitudinal edge of the blade prior to a force being ap
The blades are attached to the axles by appropriate means. plied to the clip in the direction indicated generally by arrow
The damper blades are generally ?at and extend, on opposite 55 30. When this force is applied, the arcuate portion 26 of the
sides ofthe axle. substantially in a single ?at plane. The blades clip receives the portion 15b of the damper blade, the clip
have two longitudinal edges extending generally parallel to deforms slightly, and the clip and sealing member snap into
their axles and adjacent these longitudinal edges, each of the position, as shown in FIG. 3.
blades is reverse bent as illustrated best in FIGS. 2 and 3. A FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the clip, the ?exible sealing
longitudinal portion 15a of blade 15 is bent to form an acute 60 member and the damper blade. In this view, the continuous
angle with the plane of the blade and then a further longitu longitudinal grooves 31 and 32 can be seen. The continuous
dinal portion 15b is bent back ‘toward the plane of the blade. grooves insures a more complete seal ofthe sealing member to
Portion 15h terminates in the edge 15c which lies substantially the clip and facilitates better in?ation of the sealing member
in the plane ofthe blade. This construction results in a longitu when the damper is in the closed position. The longitudinal
dinal groove or recess 15d adjacent portions 150 and 15b. 65 edges of the abutment members 40 and 41 have deformed
Blade 14 is formed in a similar manner, indicated by nu portions as do the edges of the damper blades, and also carry
merals 14a, 14!) and 140. This deformation of the longitudinal the above-described clip and sealing member to facilitate seal
edges of the damper blades as above-described provides, as is ing of portion of the damper apparatus.
well known, both a stiffening function and a straightening I claim:
function and allows adjacent damper blades to properly en I. A mounting clip for use with a movable damper having a
gage each other along their entire length. longitudinal edge, said edge including a deformed portion to
As seen in FIG. 1, damper blades 14 and 15 lie substantially provide a stiffening function, the clip comprising: a resilient
in a single plane with their longitudinal edges lying in over member constructed and arranged to form a pocket which is
lapping abutting relationship when the blades are closed. In adapted to receive and hold the longitudinal edge and
order to provide a seal between the frame 11 and the outer 75 deformed portion of the damper, to mount said member
 3,530,783
3 4
thereon and to form ?rst and second portions of different fourth portion of said clip.
lengths which engage opposite sides of the damper, said 7. The combination as de?ned in claim 6 wherein said ?exi
resilient member being adapted to receive an elongated ?exi ble sealing member includes air inlet openings adjacent said
ble sealing member having one edge adapted to be mounted fourth portion of said clip and is adapted to be in?ated when
on the ?rst portion of said resilient member and another edge said damper is closed.
adapted to be mounted on the second portion of said resilient 8. The combination as de?ned in claim 7 including a further
member whereby said sealing member loosely covers said member cooperating with said blade, said further member
resilient member. having a longitudinal edge to engage said blade in overlapping
2. A mounting clip as de?ned in claim 1 in combination with abutting relationship with the longitudinal edge of said
said ?exible sealing member, said sealing member further hav damper and engaging said sealing member in the vicinity of
ing air inlet openings to facilitate in?ation of said sealing said one edge of said sealing member, to de?ne the closed
member when the damper is closed. position of said damper and to de?ne an upstream side of said
3. A mounting clip as de?ned in claim 2 including a longitu damper adjacent said fourth portion of said clip.
dinal groove formed in each of said ?rst and second portions 9. The combination as de?ned in claim 7 wherein a longitu
of said resilient member to receive said one edge and said 15 dinal groove is formed in each of said ?at portions and said
another edge of said sealing member, wherein one of said lon fourth portion of said clip, said ?exible sealing member being
gitudinal grooves is located at a position which is a further attached to said clip by engagement with said grooves.
distance from the longitudinal edge of the damper than is the 10. The damper apparatus comprising:
other longitudinal groove. a frame having spaced longitudinal frame members de?ning
4. In combination; a generally ?at damper having a blade opposite sides of the damper apparatus, and havin lon
which is adapted to be pivoted about a longitudinal axis, said gitudinal abutment members, each of which as a
blade having a generally ?at portion de?ning the plane of the deformed portion and is adapted to be engaged by the
blade, :1 ?rst portion which extends from said ?at portion a longitudinal edge of the adjacent damper blade, each lon
first distance and is bent to form an obtuse angle with said ?at gitudinal damper blade edge having a deformed portion;
portion, and a second portion which extends from said ?rst 25 plurality of spaced, generally ?at and elongated damper
portion a second distance and bent back toward the plane of blades, each of which is mounted in said frame and is
the blade to form a longitudinal edge of said blade; adapted to be pivoted about a longitudinal axis, each of
a mounting clip having a ?at portion adapted to mate with said damper blades having a ?rst and second longitudinal
said generally ?at portion of said blade; a ?rst portion edge, each edge including a deformed portion to provide
which extends from said ?at portion a distance shorter a stiffening function, the ?rst edge of one damper blade
than the ?rst portion of said blade and bent to form an ob being adapted to be engaged by the second edge of an ad
tuse angle with the ?at portion of said clip; a second por jacent damper blade; and
tion which extends from said ?rst portion in a direction to a plurality of elongated mounting clips of substantially the
receive the second portion of said blade; a third portion same length as said damper blades, one of which is
which extends from said second portion in a direction 35 mounted on only the ?rst longitudinal edge of said plu
toward the second portion of said blade a distance sub rality of damper blades and one of which is mounted on
stantially equal to said second portion of said blade; and a only one of said abutment members which is adapted to
fourth portion which extends from said second portion engage the second longitudinal edge of its adjacent
and mates with the first portion of said blade; and damper blade, each of said mounting clips including a
an elongated ?exible sealing member loosely covering the 40 resilient member constructed and arranged to form a
longitudinal edge of said blade, said sealing member hav pocket to receive and hold the ?rst longitudinal edge and
ing one edge attached to the ?at portion of said clip and deformed portion of a damper blade or said one of said
having another edge attached to the fourth portion of said abutment members, and an elongated ?exible sealing
clip. member having one edge mounted on a ?rst portion of
5. The combination as de?ned in claim 4 wherein said 45 said mounting clip which is on the side of a damper blade
second portion of said spring clip is an arcuate portion which or abutment member which is adapted to be engaged by
receives the second portion of said blade when said clip is the adjacent damper blade, and having another edge
mounted on said blade by a force which is directed toward the mounted on a second portion of said mounting clip which
longitudinal edge of said blade to thereby momentarily deform is on the other side of the damper blade or abutment.
said clip. 11. A damper apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein
6. The combination as de?ned in claim 4 wherein the ?at each of said elongated ?exible sealing members includes
portion of said clip is located at a position which is a further ' openings adjacent said second portion of said mounting clip.
distance from the longitudinal edge of said damper than is the
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