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A method and apparatus for delivering conditioned air using short duty cycles during which a damper is fully open for a time and fully closed for the remaining time. Conditioned air is continuously supplied to a plenum at low pressure and is applied to the space when the damper is open and blocked w

A method and apparatus for delivering conditioned air using short duty cycles during which a damper is fully open for a time and fully closed for the remaining time. Conditioned air is continuously supplied to a plenum at low pressure and is applied to the space when the damper is open and blocked when the damper is closed. The proportion of on to off time during each duty cycle is adjusted to meet the load. When several supply terminals serve a space, their duty cycles are staggered to avoid fan instability. A special motor is coupled directly to the damper shaft for fast opening and closing of the damper. A magnetic latch holds the damper open or closed until the motor moves it again.

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1. A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a first ceiling overlying the room, an upper ceiling located above the first ceiling and an interstitial space above the room at least partially defined by the upper ceiling and the first ceiling, said method comprising:separating said spac

1. A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a first ceiling overlying the room, an upper ceiling located above the first ceiling and an interstitial space above the room at least partially defined by the upper ceiling and the first ceiling, said method comprising:separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum via a second ceiling positioned intermediate the first and upper ceilings, said supply and return plenums together occupying a substantial portion of the volume of said interstitial space and being located generally one above the other; delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into said return plenum; and discharging the return air from said return plenum. 2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum comprises delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum at a pressure of less than about 0.10 inch wg.3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum comprises delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum at a pressure of approximately 0.05 inch wg.4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of directing return air from the room into said return plenum comprises maintaining said return plenum at a lower pressure than said supply plenum.5. A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having an overlying ceiling and a substantially open space above the ceiling, said method comprising:seperating said space into a supply plenum immediately overlying said ceiling and adjacent thereto and a return plenum immediately overlying said supply plenum; applying conditioned air to said supply plenum to maintain said supply plenum at a low positive pressure; selectively discharging conditioned air through said ceiling into the room; maintining said return plenum at a lower pressure than said supply plenum; and providing a return air path from the room through said ceiling and supply plenum to said return plenum to accommodate flow of return air from the room to said return plenum. 6. Apparatus for delivering conditioned air to a room having a first ceiling and a space above the first ceiling, said apparatus comprising:an upper ceiling positioned above the first ceiling, said space above the first ceiling being at least partially defined by the upper ceiling and the first ceiling; a supply plenum in said space; a return plenum in said space, said supply plenum and said return plenum together occupying substantially the entirety of said space; a source of conditioned air connected with said supply plenum to deliver conditioned air thereto; an air register in the ceiling arranged to direct conditioned air into the room from said supply plenum; and a return air path extending from the room to said return plenum to direct return air to said return plenum. 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein:said supply plenum immediately overlies said ceiling; and said return plenum immediately overlies said supply plenum and is separated therefrom. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the supply plenum immediately overlies the first ceiling and is at least partially defined by the first ceiling and the second ceiling and wherein the return plenum immediately overlies the second ceiling and is at least partially defined by the second ceiling and the upper ceiling.9. The method of claim 8, wherein the return air that is directed from the room into the return plenum passes through a passage between the room and return plenum and wherein the passage passes through the supply plenum.10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ceiling is a suspended ceiling.11. The method of claim 5, wherein the conditioned air applied to the supply plenum is applied at a pressure of less than about 0.10 inch wg.12. The method of claim 5, wherein the room further includes an upper ceiling positioned above the overlying ceiling and wherein the substantially open space is at least partially defined by the upper ceiling and the overlying ceiling.13. The method of claim 12, wherein the substantially open space is separated into the supply and return plenums via an intermediate ceiling, wherein the intermediate ceiling is positioned between the upper and overlying ceilings.14. The method of claim 6, wherein the source of conditioned air connected with the supply plenum has a pressure of less than about 0.10 inch wg.15. The method of claim 7, wherein the room further includes a second ceiling positioned above the first ceiling, wherein the supply plenum is at least partially defined by the first ceiling and the second ceiling, and wherein the return plenum is at least partially defined by the second ceiling and the upper ceiling.16. Apparatus for delivering conditioned air to a room having a ceiling and a space above the ceiling, said apparatus comprising:a supply plenum in said space; a return plenum in said space, said supply plenum and said return plenum together occupying substantially the entirety of said space and bordering a majority of the ceiling surface; a source of conditioned air connected with said supply plenum to deliver conditioned air thereto; an air register in the ceiling arranged to direct conditioned air into the room from said supply plenum; and a return air path extending from the room to said return plenum to direct air to said return plenum. 17. A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a first ceiling overlying the room, an upper ceiling located above the first ceiling and an interstitial space above the room at least partially defined by the upper ceiling and the first ceiling, said method comprising:separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum said supply and return plenums together occupying a substantial portion of the volume of said interstitial space and wherein a portion of at least one of said plenums is partially bound by said first ceiling, and wherein at least some of the conditioned air in the supply plenum abuts the first ceiling; delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into said return plenum; and discharging the return air from said return plenum. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein a portion of at least one of said plenums is partially bound by said upper ceiling.19. The method of claim 18, wherein a portion of the supply plenum is below a portion of the return plenum, wherein the supply plenum is partially bound by said first ceiling, and wherein return plenum is partially bound by the upper ceiling.20. A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a first ceiling overlying the room, an upper ceiling located above the first ceiling and an interstitial space above the room at least partially defined by the upper ceiling and the first ceiling, said method comprising:separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum, said supply and return plenums together occupying a substantial portion of the volume of said interstitial space and wherein a portion of at least one of said plunums is partially bound by said first ceiling, and wherein at least some of the conditioned air in the return plenum abuts the upper ceiling; delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into said return plenum; and discharging the return air from said return plenum. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least some of the conditioned air in the supply plenum abuts the first ceiling.22. A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a first ceiling overlying the room, an upper ceiling located above the first ceiling and an interstitial space above the room at least partially defined by the upper ceiling and the first ceiling, said method comprising:separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum,said supply and return plenums together occupying a substantial portion of the volume of said interstitial space and wherein a portion of at least one of said plenums is partially bound by first ceiling, and wherein the space is separated into the supply and return plenums via a second ceiling positioned intermediate the first and upper ceilings; delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into said return plenum; and discharging the return air from said return plenum. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein a portion of the supply plenum is below a portion of the return plenum, wherein the supply plenum is partially bound by said first and second ceilings, and wherein return plenum is partially bound by said second and upper ceilings.