US 12,474,081 B2
Damper for HVAC system
Cody Christopher Thompson, Overland Park, KS (US); Brian Gerard Bellerive, Louisburg, KS (US); Jeffrey Scott Beneke, Peculiar, MO (US); and Kent Steven Maune, Independence, MO (US)
Assigned to Air Distribution Technologies IP, LLC, Milwaukee, WI (US)
Filed by Air Distribution Technologies IP, LLC, Milwaukee, WI (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/669,269.
Prior Publication US 2023/0250995 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. F24F 13/14 (2006.01)
CPC F24F 13/1426 (2013.01) [F24F 2013/146 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A damper assembly, comprising:
a frame;
a damper blade coupled to the frame, wherein the damper blade is configured to transition between an open position and a closed position; and
a latch configured to be secured within the damper assembly via a clip portion of the latch, wherein the latch is configured to deform to facilitate transitioning of the damper blade from the open position to the closed position and then to expand to capture and retain the damper blade in the closed position,
wherein the latch comprises
a crown portion configured to compress towards the frame as the damper blade transitions from the open position to the closed position, and
a recess defined by a segment of the crown portion and a segment of the clip portion, the recess configured to capture the damper blade in the closed position, and
wherein the segment of the crown portion is positioned at an acute angle relative to the segment of the clip portion such that when the damper blade is in the closed position, a threshold force exerted on the damper blade on a surface opposite the crown portion releases the damper blade from the latch.