Abstract:
An external air assisted building forced air heating system equipped with or without air conditioning that uses ducted external air to cool or heat a building instead of using other energy resources (like electricity and gas) when the temperature of the external air is less than the desired cooling temperature or greater than the desired heating temperature. If the heating system is not equipped with air conditioning, the building is only cooled when the outside air temperature is less than the desired inside temperature. A controller (normally referred to as a Programmable Thermostat) monitors the indoor and outdoor air temperature in order to control the building&#39;s heating and air conditioning system and the external air duct system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates generally to the use of external air to supplement the functions of building forced air heating systems with and without integrated air conditioning. Building forced air heating systems with or without integrated air conditioning use energy (like electricity and gas) to heat and cool buildings regardless of the outside air temperature. The problem with current forced air heating and cooling systems is that they do not use external air to heat or cool a building when the external air temperature is higher than the desired heating temperature or when the external air temperature is lower than the desired building air conditioning temperature. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention is an external air assisted building forced air heating system equipped with or without integrated air conditioning that uses external air to heat the building when the external air temperature is higher than the desired building temperature and uses external air to cool the building when the external air temperature is lower than the desired building temperature. By using external air when appropriate, the system reduces its use of energy resources and thereby reduces its operations costs. A ducting system is required to provide external air to the forced air heating system equipped with or without air conditioning and to allow release of excessive internal air pressure. A controller (normally referred to as a Programmable Thermostat) is required to control the various parts of the system. 
         [0003]    It is an object of the invention to provide an external air assisted building forced air heating system equipped with or without air conditioning that is less expensive to operate than systems that use exclusively mechanical and electrical energy to heat and cool buildings. Significant savings can be achieved in heating and cooling costs in those areas where the night time temperatures are normally less then the inside desired cooling temperatures and in those areas where the day time temperatures exceed the desired heating temperature for periods of time during the day. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a labeled representation showing an external air assisted forced air heating system equipped with air conditioning including an active duct system for adding external air to the building heating and air conditioning system and a venting system for equalizing the air pressure in the building. A controller is shown that controls the entire configuration. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a labeled representation showing an external air assisted forced air heating system equipped with air conditioning including a passive duct system that adds air to the building heating and air conditioning system and provides a venting system for equalizing the air pressure in the building. A controller is shown that controls the entire configuration. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a labeled representation showing an external air assisted forced air heating system not equipped with air conditioning including an active duct system that adds air to the building heating system and provides a venting system for equalizing the air pressure in the building. A controller is shown that controls the entire configuration. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a labeled representation showing an external air assisted forced air heating system not equipped with air conditioning including a passive duct system that adds air to the building heating system and provides a venting system for equalizing the air pressure in the building. A controller is shown that controls the entire configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a labeled representation is shown which represents an active duct embodiment of an external air assisted forced air building heating and air conditioning system equipped with a fan  2 , a heating element  3 , a cooling element  4 , an air return duct  5 , and an air distribution duct  6 . Direction of air flow is shown by  6 A and  5 A. In this embodiment, a duct  7  equipped with a fan  8 , and a baffle  9  provides access to external air through opening  10 . Opening  10  has a screen  10 A and a spring controlled flap  10 B. Duct  7  is connected to the heating and air conditioning system  1  at duct  6  (or it could be connected to the return duct  5 ). An opening  11  to the external air provides venting of the excess air pressure  11 C in the building and is equipped with a screen  11 A and a spring controlled flap  11 B. Controller  12  controls the heating and air conditioning elements  2 ,  3 , and  4  and controls fan  8  and baffle  9  in order to draw outside air into the heating and air conditioning system when appropriate depending upon the outside air temperature (monitored by a thermometer  12 A) and the desired air temperature (monitored by thermometer  12 B) in the building. When the controller  12  decides outside air  13  should be drawn into the building&#39;s heating and air conditioning system, the controller turns fan  8  on, fan  2  on (if not already on) and opens baffle  9  which due to the flow of air (direction of air flow in this duct is shown by  13 ) opens flap  10 B. At the same time the controller  12  turns the heating element  3  or the air conditioning element  4  off depending upon whether heating or cooling is being provided to the building. The air introduced by fan  8  through duct  7  flows into the building heating and air conditioning system  1  which with the aid of fan  2  distributes the air  6 A throughout the building. Any excess air  11 C introduced into the building then flows out through the opening  11  when flap  11 B is pushed open by the increased air pressure. When external air is not being used the controller  12  turns fan  8  off and closes baffle  9  and the building heating and air conditioning system uses traditional energy sources (like gas and electricity) to heat and cool the building. 
         [0009]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a labeled representation is shown which represents a passive duct embodiment of an external air assisted building forced air heating system  1  equipped with fan  2 , heating elements  3 , and air conditioning  4 . In this embodiment, two ducts  7  and  13  are connected to the air return duct  5  (or ducts  7  and  13  could be connected to the air distribution duct  6 ) to provide external air to the heating and air conditioning system and to provide venting of excess air pressure to the outside environment. Ducts  7 ,  13  and  5  (or it could be duct  6 ) are equipped with electrical baffles  9 ,  13 A, and  5 B which are operated by the controller  12 . Ducts  7  and  13  are equipped with protective screens  10 A and  11 A and spring operated flaps  10 B and  11 B, respectively. Flaps  10 B and  11 B are closed when no external air is being used. When the controller  12  determines by monitoring the external temperature via thermometer  12 A and the internal temperature via thermometer  12 B that external air should be used to heat or cool the building, the controller  12  opens baffles  9  and  13 A, closes baffle  5 B, and turns fan  2  on if not already on, turns fan  8  on when provided, and turns the heating elements  3  off or the cooling element  4  off if these are already on. When this occurs, the heating and air conditioning fan  2  draws external air  7 A in through duct  7  (which could be equipped with an optional fan  8  to assist in drawing in outside air), circulates the air  6 A through out the building via duct  6  and returns the air  13 B to outside via the air return duct  5  and duct  13 . When the controller  12  determines that external air will not be used, the controller closes baffles  9  and  13 A, turns fan  8  off when provided, opens baffle  5 B, and turns on the heating elements  3  or the cooling element  4  when appropriate to heat or cool the building. When external air is not used, the building heating and air conditioning system uses traditional energy sources to heat or cool the building. 
         [0010]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a labeled representation is shown which represents an active duct embodiment of an external air assisted forced air building heating system  1  with a fan  2 , a heating element  3 , a return duct  5 , and an air distribution duct  6 . There is no air conditioning element in this embodiment. Direction of air flow in the system is shown by  6 A and  5 A. In this embodiment, a duct  7  equipped with a fan  8  and baffle  9  provides access to external air through opening  10 . Opening  10  has a screen  10 A and a spring controlled flap  10 B. Duct  7  is connected to the heating system  1  at duct  6  (or it could be connected to the return duct  5 ). An opening  11  to the external air provides venting of the excess air pressure  11 C in the building and is equipped with a screen  11 A and a spring controlled flap  11 B. Controller  12  controls the heating element  3 , fan  2 , and controls fan  8  and baffle  9  in order to draw outside air  13  into the heating system when appropriate depending upon the outside air temperature (monitored by a thermometer  12 A) and the desired air temperature in the building (monitored by thermometer  12 B). When the controller decides outside air should be drawn into the building&#39;s heating system in order to heat or cool the building, the controller turns heating element  3  off if on, turns fan  2  on if not already on, turns fan  8  on, and opens baffle  9  which due to the flow of air (direction of air flow in this duct is shown by  13 ) opens flap  10 B. The air introduced by fan  8  through duct  7  flows into the building heating system  1  which distributes the air throughout the building. Any excess air  11 C introduced into the building then flows out through the opening  11  when flap  11 B is pushed open by the increased air pressure. When external air is not being used, the controller turns fan  8  off and closes baffle  9  and the building heating system uses traditional energy sources (like gas and electricity) to heat the building. In this embodiment, cooling is not provided when the outside air temperature exceeds the desired inside temperature. 
         [0011]    Note that the number “4” is not used in this drawing. 
         [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a labeled representation is shown which represents a passive duct embodiment of an external air assisted building forced air heating system  1  with a fan  2 , heating elements  3 , a return duct  5 , and an air distribution duct  6 . In this embodiment, an air conditioning element is not provided. In this embodiment, two ducts  7  and  13  are connected to the return duct  5  (or ducts  7  and  13  could be connected to the air distribution duct  6 ) to provide external air to the heating system and to provide venting of excess air pressure to the outside environment. Ducts  7 ,  13 , and  5  (or it could be duct  6 ) are equipped with electronically controlled baffles  9 ,  13 A, and  5 B which are operated by the controller  12 . Duct  7  can be equipped with an optional fan  8 . Ducts  7  and  13  are equipped with protective screens  10 A and  11 A and spring operated flaps  10 B and  11 B, respectively. Flaps  10 B and  11 B are closed when no external air is being used. When the controller  12  determines by monitoring the external temperature via thermometer  12 A and the internal temperature via thermometer  12 B that external air should be used to heat or cool the building, the controller opens baffles  9  and  13 A, closes baffle  5 B, turns fan  8  on if provided, turns fan  2  on if not already on and turns heating elements  3  off if already on. When this occurs, the heating system fan  2  draws external air  7 A in through duct  7  (an optional fan  8  is shown in duct  7  to assist in drawing in outside air), circulates the air  6 A through out the building via duct  6  and returns the air  13 B to outside via the return duct  5  and duct  13 . When the controller determines that external air will not be used, it closes baffles  9  and  13 A, opens baffle  5 B, turns fan  8  off if provided, and turns the heating elements  3  on if appropriate. When external air is not used, the building heating system uses traditional energy sources to heat the building. In this embodiment, cooling is not provided when the outside air temperature exceeds the desired inside temperature. 
         [0013]    Note that the number “4” is not used in this drawing. 
         [0014]    The simplicity or complexity of each external air duct system and the features required in the controller will depend on the economics of each specific embodiment.