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A damper assembly in a heat recovery ventilator, comprising a rotor, a bearing, drive means, and sealing means. The rotor rotates about an axis of rotation and includes a pair of end walls in spaced-apart relation to define a substantially open periphery. The rotor also includes an air-deflecting me

A damper assembly in a heat recovery ventilator, comprising a rotor, a bearing, drive means, and sealing means. The rotor rotates about an axis of rotation and includes a pair of end walls in spaced-apart relation to define a substantially open periphery. The rotor also includes an air-deflecting member connected between the end walls. The bearing is associated with one of the end walls and is located at the axis of rotation, to support rotation of the rotor. The drive means rotates the rotor about the axis of rotation and positions the air-deflecting member in first and second orientations. The sealing means is in slide contact engagement with the rotor and seals between the rotor and a surrounding damper compartment of the ventilator. The sealing means isolates the exhaust airstream from the supply airstream in the damper compartment while the air-deflecting member is in the first or the second orientation.

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1. A heat recovery ventilator for transferring heat energy between an exhaust airstream and a supply airstream of a building that encloses an inside from an outside, the exhaust airstream being received from the inside of the building via an exhaust channel and the supply airstream being delivered t

1. A heat recovery ventilator for transferring heat energy between an exhaust airstream and a supply airstream of a building that encloses an inside from an outside, the exhaust airstream being received from the inside of the building via an exhaust channel and the supply airstream being delivered to the inside of the building via a supply channel, said heat recovery ventilator comprising: first and second regenerative heat exchangers, each having an outside end coupled to the outside and an inside end, each of said heat exchangers allowing air to pass therethrough between the inside and the outside ends;a damper compartment containing an exhaust opening, a supply opening, and first and second heat-exchange openings, said compartment being coupled to the inside ends of said first and said second heat exchangers via the first and the second heat-exchange openings, respectively, and said compartment being coupleable to the exhaust channel and the supply channel of the building via the exhaust and the supply openings, respectively, such that said compartment is coupled to the exhaust and the supply channels, and during operation of said heat recovery ventilator, the exhaust airstream enters said damper compartment through the exhaust opening and the supply airstream exits said damper compartment through the supply opening; anda damper assembly, situated substantially within said damper compartment, including: (i) a rotor, mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation, having— first and second solid end walls disposed in spaced-apart relation along the axis of rotation to define a substantially open, circumferential periphery surrounding the axis of rotation, the periphery being substantially aligned and in fluid communication with the exhaust and the supply openings and with the first and the second heat-exchange openings of said damper compartment, andan air-deflecting member, solidly connected between the first and the second end walls;(ii) drive means, coupled to the rotor, for rotating the rotor about the axis of rotation and positioning the air-deflecting member in a first air-deflecting orientation and in a second air-deflecting orientation, in the first orientation, the air-deflecting member being positioned to deflect the exhaust airstream from the exhaust opening to the first heat-exchange opening and deflect the supply airstream from the second heat-exchange opening to the supply opening, such that the exhaust airstream is pushed through the first heat exchanger and the supply airstream is pulled through the second heat exchanger,in the second orientation, the air-deflecting member being positioned to deflect the exhaust airstream from the exhaust opening to the second heat-exchange opening and deflect the supply airstream from the first heat-exchange opening to the supply opening, such that the exhaust airstream is pushed through the second heat exchanger and the supply airstream is pulled through the first heat exchanger; and(iii) sealing means, in slide contact engagement with the rotor, for sealing between the rotor and said damper compartment and for substantially isolating the exhaust airstream from the supply airstream in said damper compartment while the air-deflecting member is in the first or the second air-deflecting orientation. 2. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 1, wherein the rotor of said damper assembly further includes a substantially cylindrical rotor frame having first and second substantially circular rims fixed in spaced-apart relation by first and second cross members, the substantially open, circumferential periphery of the rotor being further defined by the first and the second rims and the first and the second cross members of the rotor frame, the first and the second end walls of the rotor being substantially circular in shape and mounted within the first and the second rims of the rotor frame, respectively,the air-deflecting member having first, second, third and fourth sides, the first and the second sides being solidly connected to the first and the second end walls, respectively, and the third and the fourth sides being solidly connected to the first and the second cross members, respectively, within the rotor frame. 3. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 2, wherein each of the end walls have a diameter dimension with a midpoint at about the axis of rotation of the rotor, the first and the second side edges of the air-deflecting member being connected to the first and the second end walls, respectively, along the diameters of the end walls, such that when the rotor is rotated the air-deflecting member rotates about the axis of rotation. 4. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 3, wherein the sealing means of said damper assembly includes first, second, third, and fourth sealing members disposed about the rotor and mounted in said damper compartment, the first and the second sealing members flanking the supply opening of said damper compartment and being positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially contain the supply airstream as it passes from the rotor to the supply opening,the third and the fourth sealing members flanking the exhaust opening and being positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially contain the exhaust airstream as it passes from the exhaust opening to the rotor,the fourth and the first sealing members flanking the first heat-exchange opening and being positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially contain the supply or the exhaust airstream as either passes between the rotor and the first heat-exchange opening, andthe second and the third sealing members flanking the second heat-exchange opening and being positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially contain the supply or the exhaust airstream as either passes between the rotor and the second heat-exchange opening. 5. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 4, wherein the first and the third sealing members seal at the cross members of the rotor frame, respectively, when the air-deflecting member is in the first air-deflecting orientation, such that the exhaust airstream flowing between the exhaust opening and the first heat-exchange opening is substantially isolated from the supply airstream flowing between the second heat-exchange opening and the supply opening, and whereinthe second and the fourth sealing members seal at the cross members of the rotor frame, respectively, when the air-deflecting member is in the second air-deflecting orientation, such that the exhaust airstream flowing between the exhaust opening and the second heat-exchange opening is substantially isolated from the supply airstream flowing between the first heat-exchange opening and the supply opening. 6. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 5, wherein each of the sealing members includes a sealing plate with a free edge, andan edge seal mounted across the free edge,the edge seal of each sealing member slidably engaging the rotor across the periphery, from the first rim to the second rim, as the rotor rotates about the axis of rotation. 7. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 2, wherein said damper assembly further includes an outer frame having first and second rotor sleeves solidly mounted to front and rear opposing walls of said damper compartment, respectively, the first sleeve encircling and being substantially coaxial with a portion of the rotor frame at about the first rim and the second sleeve encircling and being substantially coaxial with a portion of the rotor frame at about the second rim. 8. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 7, wherein the sealing means of said damper assembly includes first and second sleeve seals, the first sleeve seal being mounted between the first rotor sleeve and the rotor, such that air from the rotor is substantially prevented from passing between the first rotor sleeve and the rotor and escaping said damper compartment,the second sleeve seal being mounted between the second rotor sleeve and the rotor, such that air from the rotor is substantially prevented from passing between the second rotor sleeve and the rotor and entering said damper compartment. 9. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 1, wherein said damper assembly further includes a bearing, associated with the rotor and said damper compartment, supporting the rotor for rotational movement about the axis of rotation. 10. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 9, wherein the bearing is a journal bearing having a pin and bushing, the pin being connected to the second end wall of the rotor and projecting out from the rotor along the axis of rotation, the bushing being connected to a rear wall of said damper compartment, the pin being in rotational engagement with the bushing. 11. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 9, wherein the drive means of said damper assembly includes an electric motor with a rotatable shaft and a mounting element coupled to the shaft, the mounting element being connected to the first end wall of the rotor at about the axis of rotation, such that when the motor is energized, the shaft rotates, causing the mounting element and rotor to rotate about the axis of rotation. 12. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 11, wherein the damper assembly further includes control means, associated with the rotor and the electric motor, for controlling the operation of the rotor, the control means including— sensing means, coupled to the rotor, for sensing the rotational position of the rotor,first switching means, responsive to the sensing means, for switching off electric power to the electric motor and stopping the rotation of the rotor when the sensing means has sensed a position of the rotor that places the air-deflecting member in either the first or the second air-deflecting orientation,timing means, responsive to the first switching means, for timing a predetermined ventilation period beginning when the electric power is switched off by the first switching means, andsecond switching means, responsive to the timing means, for switching on electric power to the electric motor and resuming the rotation of the rotor, whereby the rotor continues to rotate until the sensing means has again sensed a position of the rotor that places the air-deflecting member in either the first or the second air-deflecting orientation. 13. The heat recovery ventilator of claim 12, wherein the drive means and the control means of said damper assembly cause the rotor to rotate through a 360-degree revolution, in first, second, third and fourth steps of about 90 degrees of rotation each, each step beginning with the rotation of the rotor and ending when the first switching means stops the rotation, the rotor being in first, second, third and fourth rotor positions at the end of the first, second, third and fourth steps, respectively, the air-deflecting member being in the first air-deflecting orientation when the rotor is in the first and third rotor positions and the air-deflecting member being in the second air-deflecting orientation when the rotor is in the second and fourth rotor positions. 14. A heat recovery ventilator for transferring heat energy between an exhaust airstream and a supply airstream of a building that encloses an inside from an outside, said heat recovery ventilator comprising: an exhaust fan for moving the exhaust airstream from the inside of the building to the outside;a supply fan for moving the supply airstream from the outside to the inside of the building;first and second regenerative heat exchangers, each having an outside end coupled to the outside and an inside end, each of said heat exchangers allowing air to pass therethrough between the inside and the outside ends;a damper compartment containing an exhaust opening, a supply opening, and first and second heat-exchange openings, said compartment being coupled to said exhaust fan and said supply fan via the exhaust and the supply openings, respectively, and said compartment being coupled to the inside ends of said first and said second heat exchangers via the first and the second heat-exchange openings, respectively, such that during operation of said heat recovery ventilator the exhaust airstream is moved into said damper compartment through the exhaust opening and the supply airstream is moved out of said damper compartment through the supply opening; anda damper assembly, situated substantially within said damper compartment, including: (i) a rotor, mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation, having— a pair of solid end walls disposed in spaced-apart relation along the axis of rotation to define a substantially open circumferential periphery surrounding the axis of rotation, the periphery being substantially aligned and in fluid communication with the exhaust and the supply openings and with the first and the second heat-exchange openings of said damper compartment, andan air-deflecting member, solidly connected between the pair of end walls;(ii) drive means, coupled to the rotor, for rotating the rotor about the axis of rotation and positioning the air-deflecting member in a first air-deflecting orientation and in a second air-deflecting orientation, in the first orientation, the air-deflecting member being positioned to deflect the exhaust airstream from the exhaust opening to the first heat-exchange opening and deflect the supply airstream from the second heat-exchange opening to the supply opening, such that the exhaust airstream is pushed through the first heat exchanger and the supply airstream is pulled through the second heat exchanger,in the second orientation, the air-deflecting member being positioned to deflect the exhaust airstream from the exhaust opening to the second heat-exchange opening and deflect the supply airstream from the first heat-exchange opening to the supply opening, such that the exhaust airstream is pushed through the second heat exchanger and the supply airstream is pulled through the first heat exchanger; and(iii) sealing means, in slide contact engagement with the rotor, for sealing between the rotor and said damper compartment and for substantially isolating the exhaust airstream from the supply airstream in said damper compartment while the air-deflecting member is in the first or the second air-deflecting orientation. 15. A damper assembly for use with a heat recovery ventilator of the type having first and second regenerative heat exchangers and a damper compartment containing an exhaust opening, a supply opening, and first and second heat-exchange openings, the damper compartment being coupled to the first and the second heat exchangers via the first and the second heat-exchange openings, respectively, said damper assembly comprising: (a) a rotor, configured to rotate about an axis of rotation within the damper compartment, including— (i) a pair of solid end walls disposed in spaced-apart relation along the axis of rotation to define a substantially open circumferential periphery surrounding the axis of rotation, the periphery being configured and dimensioned to substantially align and communicate with the first and the second heat-exchange openings and with the exhaust and the supply openings of the damper compartment, and(ii) an air-deflecting member, solidly connected between the pair of end walls:(b) a bearing element, associated with one of the end walls of said rotor and located at about the axis of rotation, to support rotation of said rotor;(c) drive means, coupleable to the rotor, for rotating the rotor about the axis of rotation and positioning the air-deflecting member in a first air-deflecting orientation and in a second air-deflecting orientation; and(d) sealing means, in slide contact engagement with the rotor, for sealing between said rotor and the damper compartment and for substantially isolating the exhaust airstream from the supply airstream in said damper compartment while the air-deflecting member is in the first or the second air-deflecting orientation. 16. The damper assembly of claim 15, wherein said sealing means includes first, second, third, and fourth sealing members disposed about the rotor, the first and the second sealing members being positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially contain the supply airstream as it passes from the rotor to the supply opening of the damper compartment,the third and the fourth sealing members being positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially contain the exhaust airstream as it passes from the exhaust opening to the rotor,the fourth and the first sealing members being positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially contain the supply or the exhaust airstream as either passes between the rotor and the first heat-exchange opening, andthe second and the third sealing members being positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially contain the supply or the exhaust airstream as either passes between the rotor and the second heat-exchange opening. 17. The damper assembly of claim 16, wherein each of the sealing members includes a sealing plate with a free edge and an edge seal mounted across the free edge, the edge seal of each sealing member slidably engaging the rotor across the periphery as the rotor rotates about the axis of rotation. 18. The damper assembly of claim 15, further comprising an outer frame having first and second rotor sleeves, the first and the second rotor sleeves being adapted to mount to front and rear opposing walls of the damper compartment, respectively, and each being configured and dimensioned to encircle and be substantially coaxial with a portion of said rotor. 19. The damper assembly of claim 18, wherein said sealing means includes first and second sleeve seals, the first sleeve seal being mounted between the first rotor sleeve and said rotor, such that, in operation, air from said rotor is substantially prevented from passing between the first rotor sleeve and said rotor,the second sleeve seal being mounted between the second rotor sleeve and said rotor, such that, in operation, air from the rotor is substantially prevented from passing between the second rotor sleeve and said rotor. 20. A method of operating a heat recovery ventilator which transfers heat energy, in alternating periods, between an exhaust airstream and a supply airstream of a building, the building enclosing an inside from an outside, the heat recovery ventilator being of the type having first and second regenerative heat exchangers, a damper compartment coupled to the first and the second heat exchangers, and a damper assembly situated substantially within the damper compartment, the damper assembly including a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation, the rotor having a pair of solid end walls disposed in spaced-apart relation along the axis of rotation to define a substantially open, circumferential periphery surrounding the axis of rotation, the rotor further having an air-deflecting member solidly connected between the pair of end walls, said method comprising the steps of: (a) rotating the rotor about the axis of rotation to position the air-deflecting member in a first air-deflecting orientation;(b) receiving the exhaust airstream from the inside of the building;(c) moving the exhaust airstream into the damper compartment and in through the periphery of the rotor;(d) deflecting the exhaust airstream with the air-deflecting member, such that the exhaust airstream flows out through the periphery of the rotor, out of the damper compartment, and into the first heat exchanger;(e) exchanging heat energy between the exhaust airstream and the first heat exchanger and expelling the exhaust airstream to the outside;(f) moving the supply airstream from the outside and into the second heat exchanger;(g) exchanging heat energy between the supply airstream and the second heat exchanger to produce a first conditioned airstream;(h) moving the first conditioned airstream into the damper compartment and in through the periphery of the rotor;(i) deflecting the first conditioned airstream with the air-deflecting member, such that the first conditioned airstream flows out through the periphery of the rotor and out of the damper compartment;(j) moving the first conditioned airstream from the damper compartment to the inside of the building;(k) rotating the rotor about the axis of rotation to position the air-deflecting member in a second air-deflecting orientation;(l) repeating steps (b) and (c) and then deflecting the exhaust airstream with the air-deflecting member, such that the exhaust airstream flows out through the periphery of the rotor, out of the damper compartment, and into the second heat exchanger;(m) exchanging heat energy between the exhaust airstream and the second heat exchanger and then expelling the exhaust airstream to the outside;(n) moving the supply airstream from the outside and into the first heat exchanger;(o) exchanging heat energy between the supply airstream and the first heat exchanger to produce a second conditioned airstream;(p) moving the second conditioned airstream into the damper compartment and in through the periphery of the rotor;(q) deflecting the second conditioned airstream with the air-deflecting member, such that the second conditioned airstream flows out through the periphery of the rotor and out of the damper compartment;(r) moving the second conditioned airstream from the damper compartment to the inside of the building; and(s) using a plurality of seals that slidably engage the rotor to seal between the rotor and the damper compartment and to substantially isolate the exhaust airstream from the conditioned airstreams in the damper compartment while the air-deflecting member is in the first or the second air-deflecting orientation. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the rotor is able to rotate through a 360-degree revolution and stop at first, second, third and fourth rotor positions about 90 degrees apart, the air-deflecting member being in the first air-deflecting orientation when the rotor is in the first and third rotor positions and the air-deflecting member being in the second air-deflecting orientation when the rotor is in the second and fourth rotor positions, and wherein step (a) includes rotating the rotor to the first rotor position, and step (k) includes rotating the rotor to the second rotor position,the method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:(t) after step (r), repeating steps (a) through (j) by first rotating the rotor to the third rotor position; and(u) after step (t), repeating steps (k) through (r) by first rotating the rotor to the fourth rotor position.