Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a connecting device
for conveying and regulating a thermal carrier for an area
air conditioning system.
The expression "area air conditioning system" and
"thermal carrier" are here understood to be in their broadest
sense, in which regard the thermal carrier can be used for the
supply and removal of heat. Accordingly, the area air con-
ditioning system can be used for either heating or cooling.
In area air conditioning systems, for example, floor
heaters or ceiling heaters, it is usual that a distributor case
is disposed in the vicinity of a riser line in a building, the
supply and return lines for the air conditioning systems in var-
ious rooms being connected to this distributor case. Such a
distribu-tor case contains regulator valves which are used to
switch on and switch off the individual air conditioning systems.
In such an air conditioning system it is a disadvantage that on
each occasion a supply line and a return line must pass through
the distributor case, this requiring the use of long lines.
In addition, the individual rooms can only be heated as a whole,
wherein it is only possible to provide thermostatic control of
the air conditioning systems at ~onsiderable expense.
The present invention provides a connector device
for the supply and regulation of a thermal carrier for an area
air conditioning system, in which the aforesaid disadvantages
are not present.
According to the present invention there is provided
a connecting device for conveying and regulating a thermal
carrier for an area air conditioning system, having a supply
and a return connector for the supply and return of the air
conditioning system, an inlet and an outlet connector for the
thermal carrier and the regulating device, a transfer unit on
which on the outlet side the supply connec-tor and the return
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connector for the air conditioning system, and on the input
side a regulating device in the form of a combination regulator
are arranged, the inlet line connector and the outlet line
connector for the thermal carrier being arranged on the
combination regulator and the combination regulator controlling
a by-pass between the lnlet line connector and the outlet line
connector depending on the flow regulation.
Because the connector has a transfer unit to which
a combination regulator is connected and on which the feed
connector and the return connector for the thermal carrier are
connected, the combination regulator controlling
a by-pass between the feed connector and the outlet connector
depending on the regulation of the supply, fresh possibilities
for the control of an area air conditioning system result.
The connector allows the regulation of each individual area
air conditioning system, for example, in aroom. In addition,
the connector allows the series connection of several area air
conditioning systems, for example, the series connection of the
area air conditioning system of one or several rooms. It is
also possible to divide the area air conditioning system into
individual sectors, these being connected to each other in a
series, each of which can be individually controlled. More-
over, it is also possible, in a very simple manner, to provide
the combined regulating device with a -thermostat so that
individual control of each area air conditioning system is
possible. Furthermore, there is the advantage that the series
connection of several area air conditioning systems results in
a considerable economy in line, since not every area air
conditioning system must be provided with a double line to a
central distributor. Finally, this connector allows completely
new conditions when laying out area air conditioning systems,
for example, in various rooms of a dwelling, in which regard,
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for example, the rooms that have to be heated less, such as the
bedrooms, and have area air conditioning systems that are con-
nected in series, whereas rooms that require more heat, for
example, living rooms, may be connected directly to the riser
line. Since the connector is independent of central distribu-
tors with regulating devices, the connec-ting device allows in
particular the subse~uent incorporation of such area air condi-
tioning systems in existing buildings, something which was impos-
sible with area air conditioning systems up to this time.
According to one embodiment of the present invention,
the combination regulator is a single tube valve. Desirably the
single tube valve is connected to the transfer unit by a connec-
tor piece which has coaxially arranged flow and return channels,
the transfer unit having a flow chamber and a return chamber,
which chambers have coaxial connecting pieces for the connec-
tor piece of the single tube valve. Again the single tube valve
may be connected to the transfer unit by a connector piece, this
having a tube that is divided into a flow channel and a re-
turn channel, the transfer unit having a flow chamber and a re-
turn chamber, said chambers being connected by a divided connec-
tor piece with the connector piece of the single tube valve.
Suitably, the single tube valve is connected to the transfer
unit by the connector piece with a flow channel and a return
channel, the return channel having a flow chamber and a return
chamber, the flow channel or the return channel being in the form
of an immersion pipe passing through a chamber to another cham-
ber.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the
combination regulator has a regulator valve connected above to
the transfer unit which unit is connected with the feed connec-
tor and has a branch piece belleath, said branch piece being con-
nected with the return connector and in which both the input
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line connector and the outlet line connector for the thermal
carrier are arranged, and a branch line connected to the branch
piece which is connected with the inlet of the regulator valve.
Suitably the input line connector is connected to the side of
the branch piece that faces away from the transfer unit and the
return connector is connected to the side of the branch piece
that faces the transfer unit, the branch line being connected
between the outlet line connector and the input line connector.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the
combination regulator is provided with a thermostat.
In a still further embodiment of the present inven-
tion there is provided for the control of the connector by pro-
viding the connector with a throttle valve which is preferably
connected to the transfer unit at the flow connector.
The connector is suitably provided with a simple air
bleed system. According to a further embodiment of the present
invention therefore the -transfer unit has an air bleed, a
flow chamber and a return chamber each being connected through
an air bleed channel to a common air bleed screw that shuts
off the air bleed channels. Thus, the air bleed channels can,
for example, be arranged on both sides of a partition wall of
the chambers in an outer wall, and closed off by means of a com-
mon air bleed screw. In a further advantageous embodiment the
air bleed tube screw is a spindle having a closing cone seating
in a conical recess, arranged between the chambers which opens
out into the air bleeder channels.
A particularly advantageous use of the connectors are,
in which at least two area air conditioning systems, each of
which is provided with a connector, are connected in series.
The present invention will be further illustrated by
way of the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a cross-section through a connector device,
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according to one embodiment of the present invention,
Fig. 2 is a cross-section through a connector device,
according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a connector device,
accordlng to a still further embodiment of the present inven-
tion;
Fig. 4 is a cross-section through an air bleed device
of the connector of Figure 2; and
Fig. 5 is a plan view of an arrangement of several
area air conditioning systems used in a single room.
The connector shown in Fig. 1 comprises a transfer
unit 2 which on the outlet side is connected through a throttie
valve 4 to a supply connector 6 and a return connector 8. To
this is connected an area air conditioning device that is not
shown in greater detail than is shown subsequently in Fig. 5.
On the inlet side a combination regulator 10 is connected to the
transfer unit 2, an input line connector 12 and an output line
connector 14 for the thermal carrier being provided on this unit
12.
The combination regulator 10 is a so-called single
tube valve and contains a connector piece 16, and is divided by
a longitudinal wall 18 in to a flow channel 20 and a return chan-
nel 22. These open into a flow chamber 24 and into a return
chamber 26 of the transfer unit 2. Within the combination regu-
lator 10 the flow channel 20 passes through a feed valve 28 to
the input line connector 12. The return channel 22isconnected
directly to the outlet line connector 14. Between the outlet
line connector 14 and the input line connecter 12 there is a
by-pass 32 which can he controlled by means of a by-pass valve
30. The flow valve 28 and the by-pass valve 30 are connected
to each other and can be controlled by means of a common valve
33 such that when the by-pass valve 30 is ciosed the flow valve
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2$ is open and the by-pass valve 30 opens to the extent that
the flow valve 28 closes. When the flow valve 28 is closed the
by-pass valve is completely open so that the thermal carrier is
passed directly into the outlet line connector 14 from the in-
let line connector 12.
Fig. 2 shows another connector in which once again an
input line connector 12 and an outlet line connector 14 are con-
nected to a transfer unit 36 through a combination regulator 34,
a flow connector 6 and a return connector 8 for the area air
conditioning system being connected to this transfer unit 36.
The combination regulator 34 which is once again a single tube
valve, is connected to the transfer unit 36 by a connector
piece 38, the connector piece 38 having an axial return channel
40, a flow channel 42 being arranged coaxially around channel
40. The latter opens into a flow chamber 44 of the transfer
unit 36. The return channel 40 is formed by means of an extend-
ed tube, i.e., a submersion tube 46, this extending through a
partition wall 48 of the transfer unit 36 into the return cham-
ber 50. The submersion tube 46 reaches into the combination
re~ulator 34 through a valve element 52 and is connected through
a transverse channel 54 to the outlet line connector 14. ~e-
tween the input line connector 12 and the outlet line connector
14 there is once again a by-pass 56, the valve element 52 being
so structured that on the one hand it opens up the feed there-
upon closing the by-pass 36 and on the other hand as it is closed
opens up the by-pass 36 to the feed channel 42. A hand control
58 serves to adjust the valve element 52.
Fig. 3 shows a further connector device in which once
again an input line connector 12 and an output line connector 14
are connected through a combination regulator 60 with a trans-
fer unit 62 on which the flow connector 6 and the return con-
nector 8 are arranged. The combination of regulator 60 has
36
above a regulator valve on the transfer unit 62, this being
eonnected through a flow chamber 66 of the transfer unit 62 to
the flow eonneetor 6. On the lower portion of the transfer unit
62 there is a braneh pieee 68 on whieh on the side that faees
the transfer unit 62 the outlet line eonneetor 14 is arranged~
On the side that faees away from the transfer unit 62 the braneh
pieee ~8 is arranged and is connected to the input line connee-
tor 12. In the area between the input line eonnector 12 and
the output line conneetor 14 there is a braneh line 70 that is
oriented upwards and -this opens out into the inlet of the
regulating valve 64. The branch pieee 68 forms a by-pass 72 into
whieh thermal earrier ean flow from the input line eonnector 12
direetly into the output line conneetor 14 according to the ex-
tent to whieh the regulator valve 64 is opened. The branch
pieee 68 is eonneeted through the return ehamber 74 to the return
eonneetor 8.
Fig. 4 shows an air bleed system 76 as is used, for
example, for the eonneetor deviee shown in Fig. 2. The flow
ehamber 44 and the re-turn ehamber 50 of the transfer unit 36
are on each occasion connected through an air bleed channel 78,
80 to a common air bleed screw 82 that closes off the air bleed
ehannels. The latter is shaped as a spindle having a elosing
cone 84 that seats in a conical reeessed portion 86 -that is
arranged between the ehambers 44, 50 in the partition wall 48
and whieh open out into the air bleed ehannel 78, 80.
Many various eonfigurations are conceivable. In par-
tieular features of the above described exemplary versions can
be interchanged. Thus, for example, the eonneetor shown in
Fig. 1 can be structured in a manner similar to that shown in
Fig. 2, i.e., the feed channel 20 or the return channel 22 can
be a submersion tube, this passing through a chamber in the
transfer unit. In plaee of the arrangement of the throttle
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valve 4 in the feed connector ~ or on the return connector of
the secondary circuit it is also possible to have an arrangement
in the inpu-t iine connector 12 or the ou-tput line connector
14 of the primary circuit. The connector devices can be pro-
vided with means of attachment to be used to secure them to a
wall or to a rail of a distributor system. It is also possible
to structure the connector devices directly with a casing or
with service doors in order to make up a prefabricated unit.
Fig. 5 shows the area of a room which can, if neces-
sary, be so divided by the use of partition walls, in which in
the opposite corners there is a riser line S or a return line
R. On each occasion between the riser pipe S and the return
pipe R there are connecting lines V connecting devices Al to
A8, connected in series. Area air conditioning systems F can be
connected to the connecting devices Al to A8 as is shown in the
case of the connecting device Al. Such an area air condition-
ing system F contains, for example, a line 88 that is connected
in the continuous line as shown, this being installed on the
heat distributor plates 90 in order to achieve an even dis-
tribution of heat. Identical or similar area air conditioningsystems can be connected to the remaining connecting devices.
Such an area air conditioning system can also be configured
without thermal transfer plates with doubled lines in which re-
yard the lines can be laid out in a helical pattern.
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