Adjustable spring tension clip for external damper agricultural fans

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823182-B2
Application number	US-201816131271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system, comprising: a damper assembly, the damper assembly comprising: a structural member; at least one door pivotably coupled to the structural member; a clip connected to the damper assembly and comprising plural spring end constraining segments; a spring comprising a first end and a second end, wherein at least the first end comprises a hook, the spring coupled at the first end to one of the plural spring end constraining segments and at the second end fixably coupled to the damper assembly, the clip configured to accept a hookable connection to the spring at any one of the plural spring end constraining segments, each of the plural spring end constraining segments constraining movement of the hook, when connected thereto, during opening and closing of the at least one door, wherein the spring is at a first tension when hooked to the one of the plural spring end constraining segments and at a second tension when hooked to another of the plural spring end constraining segments.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a damper assembly, the damper assembly comprising:
a structural member;
a pair of doors pivotably coupled to the structural member;
a pair of clips, each one of the pair of clips comprising plural spring end constraining segments, wherein each of the plural spring end constraining segments consists of a continuous segment that comes to a defined point;
and a pair of springs, each comprising a first end and a second end, wherein at least the first end comprises a hook, wherein for each spring, each clip, and each door:
the spring is hooked at the first end to one of the plural constraining segments and, at the second end, coupled to one of the pair of doors,
the clip is configured to accept a hookable connection to the spring at any one of the plural spring end constraining segments, and
each of the plural spring end constraining segments are designed to constrain movement of the hook, when connected thereto, during opening and closing of the door.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the spring is at a first tension when hooked to the one of the plural spring end constraining segments and at a second tension when hooked to another of the plural spring end constraining segments, the second tension different than the first tension.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each clip is directly connected to the structural member and the second end of each spring is fixably coupled to a respective one of the doors.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each clip is directly connected to a respective one of the doors, and the second end of each spring is fixably coupled to the structural member.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each clip consists of a wire or a bracket.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each clip consists of a metal material, a plastic material, or a composite material.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the point is either rounded or angled.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fan, wherein the pair of doors open upon fan operation and the pair of springs retract the pair of doors when the fan is turned off.

9. A system, comprising:
a damper assembly, the damper assembly comprising:
a structural member;
a pair of doors pivotably coupled to the structural member;
a pair of clips, each one of the pair of clips comprising plural spring end constraining segments, wherein each of the plural spring end constraining segments comprises a linear segment bounded on each end by an interfering structure; and
a pair of springs, each comprising a first end and a second end, wherein at least the first end comprises a hook, wherein for each spring, each clip, and each door:
the spring is hooked at the first end to one of the plural constraining segments and, at the second end, coupled to one of the pair of doors,
the clip is configured to accept a hookable connection to the spring at any one of the plural spring end constraining segments, and
each of the plural spring end constraining segments are designed to constrain movement of the hook, when connected thereto, during opening and closing of the door.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the spring is at a first tension when hooked to the one of the plural spring end constraining segments and at a second tension when hooked to another of the plural spring end constraining segments, the second tension different than the first tension.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein each clip is directly connected to the structural member and the second end of each spring is fixably coupled to a respective one of the doors.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein each clip is directly connected to a respective one of the doors, and the second end of each spring is fixably coupled to the structural member.

13. A system, comprising:
a damper assembly, the damper assembly comprising:
a structural member;
at least one door pivotably coupled to the structural member;
a clip comprising plural spring end constraining segments, wherein each of the plural spring end constraining segments consists of a continuous segment that comes to a defined point, wherein the point is either rounded or angled; and
a spring comprising a first end and a second end, wherein at least the first end comprises a hook, the spring coupled at the first end to one of the plural spring end constraining segments and at the second end fixably coupled to the at least one door, the clip configured to accept a hookable connection to the spring at any one of the plural spring end constraining segments, each of the plural spring end constraining segments constraining movement of the hook, when connected thereto, during opening and closing of the at least one door, wherein the spring is at a first tension when hooked to the one of the plural spring end constraining segments and at a second tension when hooked to another of the plural spring end constraining segments.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the clip is directly connected to the structural member, and the second end of the spring is fixably coupled to the at least one door.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the clip is directly connected to the at least one door, and the second end of the spring is fixably coupled to the structural member.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the clip consists of a wire or a bracket.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the clip consists of a metal material, a plastic material, or a composite material.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the damper assembly comprises an additional door that is pivotably coupled to the structural member, wherein the damper assembly further comprises:
an additional clip comprising plural spring end constraining segments, the additional clip of the same material and construction as the clip; and
an additional spring comprising opposing ends, wherein at least one of the opposing ends comprises a hook, the additional spring coupled at the at least one of the opposing ends to one of the plural spring end constraining segments of the additional clip and at the other opposing end to the additional door, the additional clip configured to accept a hookable connection to the additional spring at any one of the plural spring end constraining segments of the additional clip, each of the plural spring end constraining segments of the additional clip constraining movement of the hook of the additional spring, when connected thereto, during opening and closing of the additional door, wherein the additional clip is either directly connected to the structural member or to the additional door.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a fan, wherein the at least one door and the additional door open upon fan operation and the spring and the additional spring retract the at least one door and the additional door when the fan is turned off.

20. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a fan, wherein the at least one door opens upon fan operation and the spring retracts the door when the fan is turned off.

Assignees

• Gsi Group Llc

Inventors

• Duke Brian Daniel

Classifications

• F04D25/088

  Ceiling fans · CPC title

• F04D29/601

  specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• E05Y2201/48

  Leaf or leg springs · CPC title

• F24F13/1426

  characterised by actuating means · CPC title

• F24F2013/146

  with springs · CPC title