Louver, Damper and Mesh Screen Module

This invention relates to louver, damper and mesh screen modules for air intake and air exhaust units for data centers and other facilities that require a relatively large quantity of air to be taken into the facility and exhausted from the facility during operation of the facility. In particular, this invention relates to louver, damper and mesh screen modules that are connected to and operated by a central air handling unit or controller that controls the louver, damper and mesh screen modules to regulate air flow through those modules.

Some facilities house a large quantity of equipment that generates a relatively large amount of heat during operation of the equipment. An example of those facilities is a data center, which typically houses a large quantity of computer and other electronic equipment that generates a relatively large amount of heat during operation of that equipment.

Facilities such as data centers are often cooled by air passing through the facilities. That cooling air is often received through air intake louver assemblies and/or damper assemblies in walls, ceilings and/or floors in the facilities and exhausted through air exhaust louver assemblies and/or damper assemblies that are also in the walls, ceilings and/or floors of the facilities. Those air intake and exhaust louver assemblies and/or damper assemblies are often paired with mesh screens.

Typically, the louvers of those air intake louver assemblies and air exhaust louver assemblies have fixed blades, while the dampers of the air intake damper assemblies and air exhaust damper assemblies usually have variable or rotatable blades, i.e., blades that are rotatable around an axis to vary the air flow openings through those blades. Also, typically, the louver assemblies, damper assemblies and mesh screens are combined in modules, sometimes called louver/damper/mesh screen modules or LDM modules. Each LDM module usually includes at least one damper assembly, at least one louver assembly and at least one mesh screen assembly, arranged such that the air passes through them sequentially.

Due to the relatively large size of the some of the facilities in which the LDM modules are utilized, LDM modules often include more than one louver assembly, damper assembly and mesh screen assembly. In fact, it is not unusual for the LDM modules to have as many as eight or more sections, with each section including its own louver assembly, damper assembly and mesh screen assembly. The damper assembly of each section is individually and separately operated or controlled by an actuator dedicated to operate the damper assembly of that section.

The LDM module or modules of a particular facility is/are often controlled by a central air handling unit or controller. The central air handling unit or controller determines which dampers of the damper assemblies of the air intake and air exhaust LDM modules should be open and closed, and, if open, the degree of “openness,” based on the operational and environmental conditions inside the facility. The central air handling unit or controller sends signals to the actuators of the LDM modules for operation of the dampers of the damper assemblies of those modules to the desired positions, so that the desired air flow passes through the various sections of the LDM modules.

Prior to this invention, LDM modules included a junction box for the actuator of each LDM module section. That is, each LDM module section included a junction box that had to be connected to the actuator for that LDM module section.

During installation of those prior LDM modules, cables from the central air handling unit or controller had to be attached to each of the junction boxes, individually, and the individual junction boxes had to be individually connected by cables to the corresponding actuators, i.e., each junction box is connected to its corresponding actuator by a dedicated cable.

That attachment process is often a time-consuming task, which is costly and susceptible to human error. Also, there is a worker injury risk because the process is often performed using an elevated platform and involves numerous hand tools. Moreover, that attachment process uses an unnecessarily large amount of cabling and other raw materials.

In addition, any maintenance work on the prior LDM modules, after installation, requires, usually, turning off the power to the central air handling unit, which may be an inconvenience and costly in certain circumstances.

Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for LDM modules that can be quickly and readily installed and maintained, with increased safety during installation, reduction in the risk of human installation error and reduction of the use of cabling and other materials.

The LDM modules of this invention address those needs, as well as other needs that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The louver and damper modules of some embodiments of this invention include (a) a damper assembly and a louver assembly (i) supported by a main frame and (ii) arranged such that air passes sequentially through the louver assembly and the damper assembly when the louver and damper module is in use, (b) a trunking frame (i) that is attached to the main frame or a part of the main frame and (ii) having an exterior wall and (c) a cabling assembly. The damper assembly may include (a) rotatable blades that are configured such that a position of the rotatable blades determines airflow through the louver and damper module and (b) an actuator that rotates the rotatable blades based on a signal from a controller. The cabling assembly may include a bulkhead connector and an actuator cabling system connecting the bulkhead connector to the actuator. The bulkhead connector may be supported by the trunking frame and configured to removably receive at least one controller cable through which the signal is transmitted from the controller. The actuator cabling system may include a primary actuator cable having a primary actuator cable first end connected to the bulkhead connector, a secondary actuator cable having a secondary actuator cable first end connected to the actuator and a connector connecting a primary actuator cable second end and a secondary actuator cable second end. The primary actuator cable and the connector may be encased in the trunking frame. The secondary actuator cable may pass through the exterior wall. The trunking frame, the actuator and the cabling assembly are configured such that an entirety of the louver and damper module can be solely connected electrically to the controller by connecting the at least controller cable to the bulkhead connector.

In some embodiments of this invention, the trunking frame is positioned on the main frame in a direction of the airflow through the louver and damper module.

In other embodiments of the invention, the exterior wall has an opening, the connector is positioned in the opening and a removable cover plate covers the opening.

In yet other embodiments of the invention, the bulkhead connector passes through the exterior wall.

As stated, an LDM module of one embodiment of this invention, LDM module, is illustrated in.

LDM moduleincludes outer or main frame, louver, damper and mesh screen sections (LDM module sections),,and, trunking frameand cabling assembly.

LDM module sections, such as LDM module sections,,and, are well known in the art and thus are not illustrated or described in detail herein. Typically, each LDM module section includes a damper assembly, a louver assembly, a mesh screen assembly and an actuator. The damper assembly usually includes variable or rotatable damper blades. The louver assembly usually includes fixed louver blades. The mesh screen assembly is optional.

Specifically, as shown schematically in, LDM module section, which is a common LDM module section, includes damper assembly, louver assembly, mesh screen assemblyand actuator. As also shown in, actuatoris attached to junction boxby cableand junction boxis connected to the central air handling unit or controller by cable.

In LDM moduleof this embodiment of the invention, each of LDM module sections,,andincludes a louver assembly, a damper assembly, a mesh screen assembly and an actuator connected to and supported by, at least in part, outer or main frame. Specifically, LDM module sectionincludes damper assemblyA, louver assemblyA, a mesh screen assembly (not shown) and actuatorA, LDM module sectionincludes damper assemblyB, louver assemblyB, a mesh screen assembly (not shown) and actuatorB, LDM module sectionincludes damper assemblyC, louver assemblyC, a mesh screen assembly (not shown) and actuatorC, and LDM module sectionincludes damper assemblyD, louver assemblyD, a mesh screen assembly (not shown) and actuatorD.

ActuatorsA-D operate to determine the positions of the blades of damper assembliesA-D by rotating those blades.

While in this embodiment of the invention, each of LDM module sections,,andincludes its own separate mesh screen assembly, in the LDM modules of other embodiments of the invention, a single mesh screen assembly that covers all of the LDM module sections of those LDM modules can be instead utilized. Also, the LDM modules of yet other embodiments of this invention may not include a mesh screen assembly or assemblies.

As illustrated in, in this embodiment of the invention, LDM module sectionis directly above LDM module sectionand immediately adjacent LDM module section. LDM module sectionis below LDM module sectionand immediately adjacent to LDM module section.

While LDM moduleof this embodiment of the invention has four LDM module sections, LDM module sections,,and, the LDM modules of other embodiments of this invention can have any number of LDM module sections, including only one LDM module section.

Each of the damper assemblies of a particular LDM module of this invention can have either a parallel blade damper or an opposing blade damper, depending on the airflow parameters of the facility in which the LDM module is installed. In the embodiment of this invention illustrated in(LDM module), the dampers of damper assembliesA andB are parallel blade dampers and the dampers of damper assembliesC andD are opposing blade dampers. However, in other embodiments of this invention, the LDM module sections of a particular LDM module may have all parallel blade dampers, all opposing blade dampers or any combination of parallel blade dampers and opposing blade dampers, again, depending on the airflow parameters of the facility.

Trunking frameincludes left side member, top member, right side member, bottom memberand cover plates-.

Top memberis attached at its ends to the upper ends of left side memberand right side member. Bottom memberis attached at its ends to the lower ends of left side memberand right side member.

In this embodiment of the invention, each of left side member, top member, right side memberand bottom memberincludes an inner C channel and an outer C channel. Specifically,is a cross section of right side member. Right side memberincludes inner C channeland outer C channel. Inner C channelincludes web or baseand legs or flangesand. Outer C channelincludes web or baseand legs or flangesand.

Legs or flangesandof inner C channeland web or baseand legs or flangesandof outer C channelform exterior walls of trunking frame.

Left side member, top memberand bottom memberhave similar inner and outer C channels in this embodiment of the invention.

Also in this embodiment of the invention, as shown in, web or baseof inner C channelis attached to outer or main frame. As also shown in, legs or flangesandof outer C channelare connected to legs or flangesandof inner C channel, respectively.

Trunking frameis attached to outer or main framein the direction if air flow through LDM module.

Opening or passagewayis defined by inner C channeland outer C channel. Specifically, opening or passagewayis defined by web or baseand legs or flangesandof inner C channeland web or baseand legs or flangesandof outer C channel. Various components of cabling systemare housed within opening or passagewayin left side member, top memberand right side member, as described below.

While, in this embodiment of the invention, left side member, top member, right side memberand bottom memberare comprised of mating C channels forming an internal opening or passageway, other types of structural members can comprise those members in other embodiments of this invention, as long as the other types of structural members provide an opening or passageway sufficient to receive and retain components of the cabling system.

Also, while in this embodiment of the invention, trunking frameis attached to main frame, in other embodiments of this invention, the trunking frame can be included in the main frame.

Cover platesandcan be removably attached to left side member. Cover platesandcan be removably attached to right side member.

Specifically, as shown in, left side memberand right side membereach include spaced openingsin outer C channelthat are covered by cover plates-when cover plates-are attached to left side memberand right side member.

More specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, each openingis defined, in part, by recessed edgesA andB. Recessed edgesA andB are recessed inward from the outermost surfaces of outer C channelof left side memberand right side member, as shown in. As also shown in the figures, cover plates-are attached to recessed edgesA andB of the corresponding openingsto cover the openings. That is, every openingin left side memberand right side memberis covered by one of cover plates-.

In this embodiment of the invention, cover plates-have an L-shape, as shown in. The cover plates of other embodiments can have other shapes, as long as those cover plates cover the corresponding openings.

As stated, a cabling diagram of an LDM module of another embodiment of this invention, LDM module, is shown in.

In that embodiment of the invention, cabling assemblyincludes bulkhead connector, cable, splitter assembly, cable, cable, splitter assembly, cable, cable, splitter assembly, cable, connector assembly, cable, cable, splitter assembly, cable, cable, splitter assembly, cable, cable, splitter assembly, cable, cable, connector assembly, cableand various cable clips, such as cable clipsandshown inand described below.

Bulkhead connectoris illustrated inand includes nutsandand shaft. Nutsandare threadedly received on shaft.

Bulkhead connectoris connected to trunking frameas described below and as illustrated in. Specifically, bulkhead connectoris connected to trunking framevia bulkhead connector support.

Bulkhead connector supportis illustrated inand includes top flange, side flangesand, bottom flangeand back wall. Back wallhas hole. Top flangeis configured to be attached to top memberof trunking frame. Side flangeand bottom flangeare configured to be attached to left side memberof trunking frame.

Bulkhead connectoris attached to bulkhead connector supportas follows. At least one of nutsandis removed from bulkhead connector. Shaftis inserted through holein back wallof bulkhead connector support. Nutsand/orare then tightened on shaftto wedge back wallbetween nutsand.

Cableis from the central air handling unit and is connectable to one end of bulkhead connector.

While, in this embodiment of the invention, bulkhead connectorand bulkhead connector supporthave the components and shape as described above and illustrated in, the bulkhead connectors and bulkhead connector supports of other embodiments of the invention may have different components and shapes, as long as such other bulkhead connectors provide a simple connection for the cable from the central air handling unit and such other bulkhead connector supports firmly support the bulkhead connectors.

One end of cableis connected to the other end of bulkhead connector. The other end of cableis connected to one end of splitter assembly.

One end of each of cablesandis connected to the other end of splitter assembly. The other end of cableis connected to actuator. The other end of cableis connected to one end of splitter assembly.