• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    A device (100) for obtaining information related to at least one duct (204) of an HVAC system, wherein the device is configured to obtain information regarding dimensions and/or layout of the at least one duct via one or more sensors (102, 104) comprised in the device.
    公开号:FI20185660A1
    申请号:FI20185660
    申请日:2018-07-27
    公开日:2019-02-01
    发明作者:Lars-Eric Lind
    申请人:Ilmastointimittaus Lind Oy；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    DEVICE AND ARRANGEMENT FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION RELATED TO AT LEAST ONE DUCT OF AN HVAC SYSTEM
    TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
    The invention is related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in general. More specifically, the invention is related to a device and arrangement for obtaining information related to at least one duct of an HVAC system.
    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    Most buildings usually incorporate some form of HVAC system involving ducts that require maintenance and adjustment. The ducts should be cleaned and flows and / or pressures within the ducts should be monitored and adjusted regularly in order to ensure that the system is operating as intended.
    While performing testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) of HVAC systems, a TAB technician typically refers to e.g. floor plans of a building to perform the required operations. A drawback that can often be faced with is that floor plans of HVAC systems in a building do not often match the actual layout of the system. The plans may have changed without updating the documents or deviation from the plans may have occurred during the construction. The HVAC system parameters, such as the adjustment parameters of the components comprised in the HVAC system, e.g. dampers, valves, pumps, or fans may be determined according to the erroneous floor plans, leading to errors and difficulties in maintenance. Substantial amounts of time may be wasted through having to perform e.g. calculation of adjustment parameters for components and / or adjustment of components several times before arriving at adjustments that will lead to the desired state for the HVAC system. The desired state may be related to accomplishing the desired or designated flow parameter, such as pressure, at a specific location.
    Also, reporting the work done on HVAC systems to clients, including e.g. cleaning the ducts involves a separate work step that is error-prone. Customers may have no way of confirming that reported work was actually carried out. For someone carrying out a maintenance job, it can be difficult to keep track of the work that has been done. In some cases, it may be reported that cleaning of the entire duct configuration has been executed, while in reality, some of the duct configuration may have been left uncleaned, either on purpose or Accidentally.
    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
    An object of the invention is to alleviate at least some of the problems associated with the known prior art. Especially the object of the invention is to provide a device for obtaining information related to at least one duct of an HVAC system, whereby the device is configured to obtain information regarding dimensions and / or a layout of at least one duct via one or more sensors comprised in the device.
    There is also provided an arrangement for obtaining information related to dimensions and / or layout of at least one duct of an HVAC system, the arrangement comprising a device according to any of claims 1-11 and at least one processor. The processor is configured to receive information from the device and provide the information and / or data determined therefrom in a computer-readable format.
    The layout may refer to lengths of segments of one or more ducts and / or turns, bends, and / or junctions in the duct configuration, i.e., the data that may be provided in the floor plans of the duct configuration.
    The dimensions of the duct may refer to instance to shape, diameter, length, height, or width of the duct.
    The one or more sensors may comprise e.g. a laser scanner sensor for obtaining information regarding dimensions of at least one duct.
    The one or more sensors may comprise a deflection sensor, such as a flex sensor, for obtaining information regarding the layout of the duct.
    Other sensors comprised in a device may be e.g. one or more cameras, an infrared sensor, an RFID scanner, or a barcode scanner.
    In some embodiments, the device may obtain information regarding a component. If the Gathering device maneuvers in the duct, the device may comprise sensors or other means for detecting the component and the arrangement may be configured to identify the component. Additionally or alternatively, the location of one or more components may be determined. Locations may be Absolute locations or relative locations of one or more components with respect to each other or with respect to at least one duct.
    The device may in embodiments be configured to maneuver inside at least one duct or the device may be configured to be attached to an external device that is configured to maneuver inside at least one duct.
    In an embodiment, the device may be configured to maneuver inside at least one duct and additionally configured to clean the duct with for instance a brush coupled thereto and obtain information simultaneously to cleaning the duct.
    In one other embodiment, the device may be configured to be attached to an external device, the external device is configured to maneuver inside at least one duct, and additionally configured to clean the duct, possibly simultaneously to the device to obtain the information regarding at least the duct.
    The information obtained by the device may be used to provide an up-to-date / actual layout of a duct configuration involving at least one duct. The layout can be provided in a computer-readable format such as a DWG file. The resulting layout may then be used and may replace a possibly erroneous layout in a previously provided floor plan for the duct configuration. E.g. preliminary adjustments of components made in connection with the TAB of an HVAC system can then be done using actual floor plans, which can lead to less errors and time saved during the TAB.
    Also, the device and / or arrangement may be used to report work that is done to the client automatically. In some embodiments, the report may be indicative of the parts of the duct configuration that have been cleaned. The client may then be more assured that the cleaning has actually been carried out, the maneuvering of the device in the duct configuration has been verified through the use of the sensors comprised therein, instead of in the case where the technician has only just reported that duct has been cleaned.
    Other information obtained through the device, such as dimensions of the duct and / or location or type of components may also be stored, reported, or provided in a computer-readable format. This may be provided and useful for e.g. TAB technicians and / or their clients. The adjustment parameters of the components may be determined through the information.
    The exemplary embodiments presented in this text are not interpreted to pose the limitations to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used in this text as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of unrecited features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.
    The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set Forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
    The above considerations regarding the various embodiments of the system may be applied flexibly to the embodiments of the method, mutatis mutandis, and vice versa, as being appreciated by a skilled person.
    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    Next, the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to exemplary embodiments in accordance with the accompanying drawings, in which:
    Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary device according to one embodiment of the invention
    Figure 2 shows a different view of an exemplary device according to one embodiment of the invention,
    Figure 3 shows an arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention.
    DETAILED DESCRIPTION
    Figure 1 gives an exemplary device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The device 100 consists of sensors that may be utilized to gather information regarding dimensions and / or layout of at least one duct comprised in an HVAC system. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the device 100 comprises a laser scanner sensor 102 and a deflection sensor 104, which is a flex sensor. Other sensors that may be utilized are instance gyroscope, accelerometer, infrared sensor, and / or a camera.
    In the embodiment of Figure 1, the device 100 comprises a body portion 106. The body portion 106 may e.g. comprise metal or plastic and it may comprise sensors of the device 100 or sensors may be attached / coupled thereto. The body portion 106 may also comprise other elements or part of the device 100, i.e., all parts of the device 100 may be comprised inside the body portion 106 or some or all of the parts may be attached thereto.
    The device 100 may be configured to maneuver (or be maneuvered) inside at least one duct of the HVAC system to obtain information on its dimensions and layout or the device may be configured to be coupled with an external device that may be configured to maneuver or without maneuvered inside at least one duct. The device 100 (or external device) may be configured to traverse through a duct without external force being exerted by a user of the device 100, utilizing e.g. an electric motor.
    In other embodiments, the device 100 or the external device and the device 100 that it is coupled to may be adapted to traverse through a duct by a user exerting force on the device 100. In Figure 1, the device 100 comprises a flexible conduit 108. that may be used for maneuvering the device 100. A user of the device 100 may for instance push the flexible conduit 108 so that the device 100 traverses through the duct. The flexible conduit 108 may be coupled to a body portion 106 of the device 100.
    The deflection sensor 104 may be comprised inside the flexible conduit 108 or be coupled to the flexible conduit 108, e.g. a flex sensor 104 may be attached to the surface of a flexible conduit 108.
    The flexible conduit 108 may be within or attached to it e.g. electrical wires which may possibly be necessary for use with one or more sensors.
    As the device 100 traverses through a duct, the laser scanner sensor 102 may gather information regarding the dimensions of the duct. As a skilled person will comprehend, a laser scanner sensor may detect e.g. the shape, diameter, height and / or with the duct.
    Yet, as the device 100 traverses through the duct, the flex sensor 104 may detect the direction and magnitude of the bending of the flexible conduit 108 which may be used to determine the layout of the duct configuration through the detection of directional changes in the duct.
    The distance that is traversed by the device 108 may for instance be determined through measurement of / by the flexible conduit 108, while this information may additionally be utilized to determine the layout such as in lengths of different ducts or segments of the duct configuration, ie, one or more ducts comprised in an HVAC system. Also some other means for position determination through which distance / length information may be received may be comprised in the device 100, for instance the sensor comprised in the device may be configured to determine such information.
    Layout of one or more ducts may also be determined through sensors comprised in device 100 that may be used to determine position of device 100 and / or movement of device 100. For instance, GPS sensors or accelerometers may be utilized .
    Referring still to Fig. 1, the body portion 106 of the device 100 may comprise the first body portion 106a and the second body portion 106b. The first and second body portions 106a and 106b may be configured to be separated from each other or they may be configured to be separated from each other so that an external device or part of an external device may be inserted into the device or coupled to the device so that part of the external device may reside between the first and second body Portions 106a and 106b which will be show in the following figure. At least one opening 110 may be provided so that an external device may protrude from inside the body portion 106 of the device. A similar opening 110 may be provided on the opposing face of the device which is not shown in the figure. The first and second body portions may be configured to be attached to each other via pins or screws, or they may be configured to have interlocking elements to form a snap-on -type coupling.
    In some embodiments, also the camera is comprised in the device 100. The camera may be used to obtain a photo and / or video material of the duct. The photo and / or video material may be viewed by a user of the device 100 to observe the properties of the duct. The photo and / or video material may additionally or alternatively be utilized e.g. for identification purposes, so that the information obtained through the camera may be used to identify, for instance through pattern recognition, one or more components such as dampers and / or vents that are comprised inside the duct. E.g. the type of a component may be identified, after which it may be possible to determine the properties of the component, such as k-factors. A device 100 may also be utilized for obtaining location information regarding one or more components comprised in the duct. The location information may e.g. indicate the location of a component with respect to the duct and / or the location of a component with respect to another component. As the layout of the duct is obtained, the location information may be determined therefrom when the component is detected via a sensor.
    In the embodiments where the components are identified, the identification may also be achieved through other means, such as barcode technology or RFID technology, with the device 100 comprising sensors for such identification means.
    In one implement, the device 100 may be configured to maneuver inside at least one duct and may comprise means for cleaning the at least one duct. For instance, a device in itself may contain also a brush for cleaning the duct. The brush may e.g. without attached to the body portion 106.
    Figure 2 shows an advantageous implementation of a device 100 that is coupled to an external device. In this case, the device 100 may be similar to that of Fig. 1, while the external device comprises a brush 112 and a cable 114. The external device has been coupled to the device 100 so that the cable 114 is disposed between the first and second body portions 106a and 106b, and protrudes through the opening 110 (also on the other side of the body portion which is not visible in the figure).
    An external device may comprise more parts than the brush 112 and the cable 114.
    In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the device 100 may be configured to maneuver through a duct by a user of the device manipulating, e.g. by exerting a force, as explained also above, on flexible conduit 108 or cable 114.
    The brush 112 may be used for cleaning the duct. Thus, the device 100 can obtain the aforementioned information on the duct while simultaneously cleaning the duct. The brush 110 may e.g. remove dust from the walls of a duct 104 as a device 100 traverses therein.
    The coupling of an external device to a device 100 may be realized as in Figure 2, but as will be appreciated by a skilled person, some other method of coupling may also be adopted. The external device may be coupled e.g. to a body portion 106 via for instance adhesive or other fastening means. E.g. a cable 114 may be attached to a body portion 106 utilizing hooks or the like.
    In one embodiment, the length of the duct may be obtained by measurement of the length of a cable 114 or a flexible conduit 108. Measuring means may be comprised in a device 100 or arranged in a connection or be coupled to a device 100 or an external device so that said length may be measured. E.g. through using one or more reels / cylinders through which the cable 114 or flexible conduit 108 may be passed or reeled while the device 100 traverses through a duct, one may obtain length information of the duct or one or more portions.
    The information that is obtained by the device 100 may be used to generate a file in a computer readable or CAD format such as a DWG file that is indicative of the dimensions and / or layout of the duct configuration. This file may then be used as an updated floor plan for an HVAC system, as the original plans may have been erroneous. These up-to-date plans can then be used e.g. in TAB procedures, making them easier and faster, as e.g. preliminary adjustments of components are no longer done using the erroneous floor plans.
    Figure 3 gives an arrangement 200 according to an embodiment of the invention. The arrangement 200 comprises a device 100 and at least one processor 102 that may be comprised in an electronic device. In the arrangement 200 of Fig. 3, the device 100 is configured to maneuver inside at least one duct 204 of an HVAC system. The device 100 is configured to obtain information regarding the duct 204 as disclosed above. Information regarding one or more components 206 comprised in the duct 204 may also be received by the device 100. At least one processor 202 is configured to receive the information obtained by the device 100.
    The information may be received by the processor 202 in a wired or wireless manner. Wirelessly, the information can be sent via e.g. wireless internet, Bluetooth, or some other applicable wireless connection.
    Some or all of the information received by the processor 202 may be received in a wired method. For instance, if the device 100 comprises a flexible conduit 108 comprising within it electrical wires coupled to one or more sensors, the processor may also be wiredly coupled to e.g. such electrical wires, through which the information obtained by the device 100 may be received.
    The processor 202 may be configured to provide the received information in a computer-readable format. For instance, the information provided in computer-readable format may be indicative of at least one layout of at least one duct. The information may be provided, for instance, in DWG format. The layout is determined through the information obtained by the device 100 and stored e.g. in a DWG file may then be used to replace a possibly erroneous DWG file concerning the duct configuration.
    The arrangement 200 may also comprise at least one display 208. The display 208 may be used to view different data regarding the information received by the device 100. For instance, the video footage taken by a possible camera of the device 100 may be viewed, the layout of the duct configuration may be viewed (eg the layout may be drawn on the display as the device 100 traverses inside the duct and obtains the information regarding the layout), and / or other data that may be determined through the information received from the device 100 may be viewed through display 208.
    In some embodiments, a display 208 may be comprised together with a processor 202 in the same electronic device. In other embodiments, an arrangement 200 may comprise a plurality of electronic devices, each or some of which comprise a corresponding display 208.
    The processor 202 may have access to at least one database 210. The database 210 may be a remote database. The database 210 may be used to store any information that is received and / or produced by the arrangement 200 and may or may not be available, the database 210 may be used to provide the information, e.g. as revealed in the following.
    In the embodiments where the arrangement 200 obtains information regarding one or more components 206, the processor 202 may, using the information received and the additional information available through the database 210 and the instance measure the desired values for the flow parameters such as pressure and / or air volume flow rates, determine for instance adjustment parameters for components 206. The additional information may eg without k-factors for certain components that may relate to the pressure drop over a component to an air volume flow rate.
    The information obtained by a device 100 may also be received by some other external arrangement where e.g. adjustment parameters related to components 206 may be determined and / or which may utilize up-to-date layout information regarding a duct configuration.
    In one embodiment, the device 100 itself may comprise a processor 202 and be configured to provide the aforementioned information in a computer-readable format which may for instance be wirelessly sent to some other electronic device.
    The information obtained by the device 100 may be used to automatically create a report or information that may be utilized to create a report to a client by a TAB technician that is indicative of the portions of the duct configurations that have been cleaned with the device 100. An automatically generated report may also include other information that may have been determined through the information received by the device 100.
    The invention has been explained above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, and several advantages of the invention have been demonstrated. It is clear that the invention is not restricted to these embodiments, but it constitutes all possible embodiments within the spirit and scope of the Inventive Thought and the following patent claims.
    The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.
    权利要求:
    Claims (13)
    [1] 1. A device (100) for obtaining information related to at least one duct (204) of an HVAC system, wherein the device is configured to obtain information regarding dimensions and/or layout of the at least one duct via one or more
    5 sensors (102, 104) comprised in the device.
    [2] 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one laser scanner sensor (102) for obtaining information regarding dimensions of said at least one duct.
    [3] 3. The device of any of the previous claims, wherein the one or more io sensors comprise at least one deflection sensor (104) for obtaining information regarding layout of the at least one duct.
    [4] 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the at least one deflection sensor is a flex sensor.
    [5] 5. The device of any of the previous claims, wherein the one or more is sensors comprise at least one camera.
    [6] 6. The device of any of the previous claims, wherein the device is configured to maneuver inside said at least one duct or the device is configured to be attached to an external device that is configured to maneuver inside said at least one duct.
    20
    [7] 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the device comprises a flexible conduit (108) and the device is configured to maneuver inside said at least one duct via manipulation of the flexible conduit or the device is configured to be attached to an external device and the external device comprises a cable (114) and the device is then adapted to maneuver inside said at least one
    25 duct via manipulation of the cable.
    [8] 8. The device of claim 6 or 7, wherein the device is configured to maneuver inside the duct and is additionally configured to clean the at least one duct or said device is configured to be coupled to an external device that is configured to maneuver inside said duct and the external device is additionally
    30 configured to perform cleaning of the duct.
    [9] 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device comprises a brush (112) and is additionally configured to clean the at least one duct utilizing the brush or
    20185660 prh 27-07- 2018 the device is configured to be attached to an external device and the external device comprises a brush and is additionally configured to clean the at least one duct utilizing the brush.
    [10] 10. The device of any previous claims, wherein the device is configured to,
    5 via the one or more sensors, obtain information related to one or more components (206) comprised in the at least one duct.
    [11] 11. The device of any of the previous claims, wherein the information obtained by the device is usable for generating a computer-readable object, such as a file, that is indicative of at least the layout of the at least one duct.
    io
    [12] 12. An arrangement for obtaining information related to dimensions and/or layout of at least one duct of an HVAC system, wherein the arrangement comprises
    - a device according to any of the claims 1-11 and
    - at least one processor (202), is wherein the processor configured to receive said information from the device and provide the information in a computer-readable format.
    [13] 13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the information provided in computer-readable format is indicative of at least the layout of the at least one duct.
    20 14. The arrangement of claim 12 or 13, wherein the device is additionally configured to obtain information regarding one or more components comprised inside said at least one duct and the at least one processor is configured to receive the information regarding the at least one component and determine the location of the at least one component inside the duct
    25 and/or identify the at least one component.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    EP3662208A1|2020-06-10|
    FI20175706A1|2019-02-01|
    FI128277B|2020-02-28|
    US20200240667A1|2020-07-30|
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    法律状态:
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    FI20175706A|FI128277B|2017-07-31|2017-07-31|Arrangement and method for determination of adjustment parameters of an hvac system|PCT/FI2018/050560| WO2019025662A1|2017-07-31|2018-07-27|Arrangement and method for determination of adjustment parameters of an hvac system|
    US16/635,569| US11280513B2|2017-07-31|2018-07-27|Arrangement and method for determination of adjustment parameters of an HVAC system|
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