Abstract:
This is a heating and cooling system, and method that utilizes the roof of a home or building as a solar collector. A heat barrier material is secured to the inside free edges of the roof rafters to reflect radiant heat into air flow passage ways formed between the rafters, the attic side of the roof and the heat barrier materials. A loft or upper attic floor is built in the upper portion of the attic and is also covered with the heat barrier material. The attic is divided into separate areas that are connected by a ducting system that includes a filter, an evaporator and a blower. The blower produces airflow through the filter and over the evaporator coil and into a separated portion of the attic. Airflow moves through selected formed channels between rafters, barrier material and inside roof to the blower for re-circulation. This closed loop system is usable with conventional air-to-air heat pump systems, with portions of such systems or with other well-known devices such as heat exchangers and heat engines.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to improvements in heating and cooling systems and more particularly to a system using up to the entire roof of a home or building as a solar collector by isolating a portion of the attic and utilizing a blower, evaporator and filter to draw heated air over the evaporator coil, exhausting the heat in various ways and returning it to be recycled. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Numerous attempts have been made to utilize the heat that builds in the attic of a home or building in a meaningful way to improve heating and cooling efficiency or produce power for other uses. A common approach has been to utilize solar panels for the generation of heat and energy from the sun, but usually these panels must be placed on the roof of the structure in order to operate in the most efficient manner possible. Solar panels are very expensive, and the placement of numerous panels on the roof of a structure detracts from the structure&#39;s appearance to a considerable degree. 
     Other attempts to utilize the heat normally building in the attic of a home involve costly additions to the home or significant modification to existing structure, in order to attempt to improve the heating and cooling capacity. Even then increased efficiencies are not significant. Numerous other attempts to improve certain features of the heating or cooling portions of a heat pump unit have been attempted. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,005,583; 4,030,312 and 4,163,369. These dwell on the improvement of certain features to provide, for example, increased efficiency in the heating capacity of an air-to-air heat pump system in cold weather. No significant improvements have been yet found that will utilize the high temperatures normally experienced in the attics of homes during hot weather or other energy saving activities that can be associated therewith. It is to this critical need that the present invention is directed. 
     OBJECTIVES AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     From the foregoing, it is apparent that a primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improvement in heating and cooling systems that include all of the advantages of prior art devices and more and none of the disadvantages. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a system for improved heating and cooling capabilities that can be retrofitted to existing heating and cooling systems. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved heating and cooling system that will advantageously utilize the accumulated heat energy normally found in the attics of homes and buildings particularly during the hot summer months and especially in the space between roof rafters, the roof inside surface and a barrier material attached to the free inside edges of the roof rafters. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a system of the type described which is less expensive than the utilization of solar panels to convert heat energy into other usable energy forms. 
     Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide an improvement in a heating and cooling system of the type described which can be used to bring the temperature of air in the attic of a residence or building near the temperature of the outside air thereby making the attic a more user friendly location throughout the year. 
     Still another further objective of the present invention is to provide a heating and cooling system of the type described which can be used with a heat exchanger to pre-heat water for household needs and swimming pools. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a heating and cooling system of the type described that can be used in conjunction with a heat engine to drive a compressor or a generator and produce electric current for residential or other use. 
     From these objectives it can be seen that the present invention includes a heating and cooling system that utilizes the roof of a home or building as a solar collector. A heat barrier is secured to the free inside edges of the roof rafters to reflect radiant heat into air spaces formed between the rafters, the attic side of the roof and the heat barrier materials. A loft or upper attic floor is built in the upper portion of the attic that is also covered with the heat barrier material. Thus airflow channels are formed between the rafters of the roof, the heat barrier materials and the inside surface of the roof. A liquid refrigerant is moved under pressure through a heated evaporated coil where it becomes a heated vapor under pressure that can be used in various ways. 
     In one embodiment, the loft is separated transversely into two sections, and the sections are connected by a ducting system that includes a filter, an evaporator and a blower. The blower produces airflow through the filter and through the evaporator coil through the balance of the duct system and into the second separated portion of the loft. Airflow continues down selected formed channels between rafters, barrier material and inside roof to the boxed in eave where it moves to the other end and flows up the selected formed channels between rafters, barrier material and inside roof to the first separated portion of the loft to be re-circulated by the blower. This closed loop system can be used in conjunction with a conventional air-to-air heat pump system, with portions of such a system or with other well known devices such as heat exchangers and heat engines. 
     In a second embodiment, the attic loft is divided longitudinally, and two separate systems like the first embodiment are installed. The system on the hotter roof slope in this embodiment runs until the other roof slope temperature reaches a higher temperature. The first system then shuts down, and the second system commences. 
     The present invention is easily applied to existing heat pump installations where it can supplement or replace the existing heat pump system when conditions are appropriate, or it can be bypassed to let the conventional system operate in its usual way. 
     Thus there has been outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In that respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its arrangement of the components set forth in the following description and illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. 
     It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting in any respect. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of this development. It is important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent methods and products resulting therefrom that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The application is neither intended to define the invention, which is measured by its claims, nor to limit its scope in any way. 
     Thus, the objects of the invention set forth above, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are noted with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific results obtained by its use, reference should be made to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like Characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views. 
    
    
     The drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. They illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational cut away view of the attic portion of a residential structure showing the loft section above the upper attic floor divided transversely into two separate portions, the installed filter, evaporator, blower and duct circuit and the formed air flow channels between the roof rafters, the barrier materials and the inside roof. 
     FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the attic portion shown in FIG. 1 showing the application of the heat barrier materials within the attic for a residence having substantially North and South roof slopes. 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the structure shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the attic of a residence having substantially East and West roof slopes in which two systems of the present invention are installed. 
     FIG. 5 is a pressure-enthalpy diagram for refrigerant Freon- 22 . 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the present invention in combination with a conventional air-to-air heat pump with only the conventional heat pump being operated in the cooling mode. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the system of the present invention in combination with a conventional air-to-air heat pump with only the conventional heat pump being operated in the heating mode. 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the system of the present invention in an activated condition with the outside condenser and fan being bypassed. 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic view like that shown in FIG. 8 with the compressor heating water. 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram like that shown in FIG. 8 with the compressor bypassed and a pump being used in its stead. 
     FIG. 11 is schematic diagram like that shown in FIG. 10 with the system of the present invention being used to heat water. 
     FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the system of the present invention being used to drive a heat engine/compressor with an assisting motor capable of supplying all power needed by the compressor in the cooling mode. 
     FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram like that shown in FIG. 12 with the system used in the heating mode. 
     FIG. 14 is, a schematic diagram like that shown in FIG. 13 with the system in the heat water mode. 
     FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of the system of the present invention being used to heat water or another medium only. 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of the system of the present invention being used to power a generator. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, an attic of a house or building is provided with a closed loft  8  in a small area at the very peak of the roof and extending throughout the entire attic area. An upper attic floor  5  is formed in the loft to isolate it from the rest of the attic and is subsequently covered with a heat barrier material  7  (FIG.  2 ). Heat barrier material  7  is also applied to the interior side of the rafters  12  as shown. 
     The loft or area above floor  5  is separated by baffle  1  so that it becomes divided transversely into separate and isolated areas  10 ,  11 . The placement of heat barrier sheet material  7  on the interior side of roof rafters  12  effectively forms airflow channels  3  between roof  13  and the heat barrier material  7  to accommodate airflow. 
     A connecting duct way joins the two separated areas  10 ,  11  of the loft, and in one separated area  11  is positioned a filter  4  and an evaporator coil  6  followed by a blower  2  as shown. The outside end of blower  2  opens into area  10 . 
     When blower  2  is actuated, airflow is induced from one separated area  11  through filter  4  across evaporator coil  6  and through duct way in baffle  1  into the other separated area  10 . The airflow in this arrangement is a closed loop with flow induced across filter  4  and evaporator coil  6 , the air coming upward in the channels  3  formed between roof rafters  12  from the passageway  9  formed where the roof  13  intersects the attic floor and sidewalls of the house through channels  3  and into area  11  and then downwardly through the formed airflow channels  3  between roof rafters  12  and back into passageway  9 . Thus, there is a continuous flow of air through airflow channels  3  coming upwardly into area  11  through filter  4  and evaporator coil  6  and then on into area  10  and then down through airflow channels  3  and back to air passageway  9 . 
     The unique structure of the attic as described provides the basis for a number of embellishments to existing heating and cooling systems for houses and buildings. For example, the present system can be combined with a conventional air-to-air heating and cooling system. Slight modifications are made in the conventional air-to-air heat pump configuration such as providing a modified reversing valve, a normally closed solenoid valve and a normally open solenoid valve. Other novel applications of the system of the present invention will be described hereinafter. 
     As an example of the system&#39;s value and efficiency, reference is made to the pressure-enthalpy diagram of FIG.  5 . With the system connected in combination with a conventional air-to-air heat pump but with only the heat pump running, assume the heat pick-up by the outside evaporator coil is 30 degrees F. (outside temperature) and shown as the blue line and the condenser is condensing at 110 degrees F. to achieve the desired temperature inside and shown as the red line. The compressor work is shown as the longer green line. When the system of the present invention is activated with the heat pump, the attic evaporator heat pick-up is 80 degrees F. and shown as the orange line. The shorter green line represents the compressor work required of the conventional heat pump. Thus the compressor work required in the heat pump is significantly less when the system of the present invention is acting in concert with it. 
     In the system shown in FIG. 6, the system of the present invention is connected with a conventional air-to-air heat pump, but only the heat pump is activated to operate in a conventional manner. Here a thermostat energizes reversing valve  22  that shifts the heat pump to a cooling mode, turns on fan  32 , blower  46  and through sensor  75  compressor  18 . Compressor  18  compresses vapor to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  24  through reversing valve  26  to line  28  through condenser  30  where heat is removed by fan  32  and exits as a liquid and travels through pressure control valve  34  through one-way valve  36  to line  38  to line  40  through expansion valve  42  and Through the evaporator coil  44  where heat is picked up by blower  46  to line  48  through reversing valve  50  to line  52  through reversing valve  22  to line  54  through valve  77  to compressor  18  to be recycled. 
     In FIG. 7, the heat pump is activated in a normal heating cycle with the system of the present invention installed but inactive. Here the thermostat energizes the water heater thermostat isolation switch, turns on fan  32 , blower  46  and through sensor  75  compressor  18 . Compressor  18  compresses vapor to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  52  through reversing valve  50  to line  48  through condenser  44  where heat is removed by blower  46  and as a liquid travels through one-way valve  66  to line  40  to line  38  through valve  58  through expansion valve  60  through evaporator coil  30  where heat is picked up by fan  32  and exits as a vapor to line  28  through reversing valve  26  to line  24  through reversing valve  22  to line  54  through valve  77  to compressor  18  to be recycled. 
     FIG. 8 shows the system of the present invention utilizing a part of the conventional heat pump. Here sensor  56  senses attic evaporator coil  6  to be a higher temperature than outside evaporator coil  30 , shifts reversing valve  26  to attic mode, closes valve  58 , opens valve  68 , and turns off fan  32 . The thermostat energizes the water heater thermostat isolation switch, turns on blower  2 , blower  46 , and through sensor  75  turns on compressor  18 . Compressor  18  compresses hot vapor to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  52  through reversing valve  50  to line  48  through condenser  44  where heat is removed by blower  46  and exits as a liquid through one-way valve  66  to line  40  through bypass valve  62  through valve  68  to line  70  through expansion valve  72  through evaporator coil  6  where it picks up heat by blower  2  and exits as a hot vapor to line  74  through reversing valve  26  to line  24  through reversing valve  22  to line  54  through valve  77  to compressor  18 , which is cooled through line  76  and temperature sensor  78 , to be recycled. 
     FIG. 9 shows the system of the present invention used with the conventional heat pump during the heat cycle to heat water. Here sensor  56  senses attic evaporator coil  6  to be a higher temperature than outside evaporator coil  30 , shifts reversing valve  26  to attic mode, closes valve  58 , opens valve  68 , and turns off fan  32 . The water heater thermostat shifts reversing valve  50  to water heat mode, and through sensor  56  turns on blower  2 , and through sensor  75  turns on compressor  18 . Compressor  18  compresses hot vapor to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  52  through reversing valve  50  to line  80  through normal heat pump water heater through valve  82  through one-way valve  84  to line  86  to line  40  through bypass  62  through valve  68 , to line  70  through expansion valve  72  through evaporator coil  6  where it picks up heat by blower  2 , exits as a hot vapor to line  74  through reversing valve  26  to line  24  through reversing valve  22  to line  54  through valve  77  to compressor  18 , which is cooled through line  76  and temperature sensor  78 , to be recycled until vapor sensor  82  or water heater thermostat is satisfied or building thermostat calls for heat. 
     FIG. 10 shows the system of the present invention operating with the conventional heat pump compressor bypassed. Sensor  56  senses attic evaporator coil  6  to be a higher temperature than outside evaporator coil  30 , shifts reversing valve  26  to attic mode, closes valve  58 , opens valve  68 , and turns off fan  32 . The thermostat energizes water heater thermostat isolation switch, turns on blower  46  and through sensor  56  turns on blower  2 , and through sensor  75  closes compressor bypass valve  77  and turns on pump  64 . Pump  64  pumps liquid refrigerant through valve  68  to line  70  through expansion valve  72  through evaporator coil  6  where heat is picked up by blower  2  and exits as a hot vapor to line  74  through reversing valve  26  to line  24  through reversing valve  22  to line  54  through compressor bypass line  79  through one-way valve  81  to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  52  through reversing valve  50  to line  48  through condenser  44  where heat is removed by blower  46  and exits as a liquid through one-way valve  66  to line  40  to pump  64  to be recycled. 
     FIG. 11 shows the system of the present invention operating with the conventional heat pump compressor bypassed and being used to heat water. Sensor  56  senses attic evaporator coil  6  to be a higher temperature than outside evaporator coil  30 , shifts reversing valve  26  to attic mode, closes valve  58 , opens valve  68  and turns off fan  32 . The hot.water heater thermostat shifts reversing valve  50  to water heat mode, and through sensor  56  turns on blower  2  and through sensor  75  turns on pump  64 , and closes compressor bypass valve  77 . Pump  64  pumps liquid refrigerant through valve  68  to line  70  through expansion valve  72  through evaporator coil  6  where heat is picked up by blower  2  and exits as a hot vapor to line  74  through reversing valve  26  to line  24  through reversing valve  22  to line  54  through compressor bypass line  79  through one-way valve  81  to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  52  through reversing valve  50  to line  80  through normal heat pump water heater through valve  82  through one-way valve  84  to line  86  to line  40  to pump  64  to be recycled. 
     FIG. 12 shows the system of the present invention being used to power a heat engine that will drive a compressor of the heat pump in the cooling mode with a back-up electric motor. Heat sensor  56  senses that attic heat is adequate to supply energy to heat engine  19  shifts reversing valve  26 . When energy is sufficient, the assist motor  23  isolation switch is activated. The thermostat turns on blower  2  through sensor  56 , energizes heat cool reversing valve  22 , water heating reversing valve  50 , starts fan  32 , blower  46 , pump  64 , closes valve  58  and opens valve  68 . Liquid refrigerant is pumped by pump  64  to line  70  through expansion valve  72  through evaporator coil  6  where heat is picked up by blower  2  and exits as a hot vapor to line  74  to line  25  through heat engine ( 19 ) to line  27  to line  28  through condenser  30  where heat is removed by fan  32  and exits.as a liquid through one-way valve  36  to line  38  to pump  64  to be recycled. Pump  64  also pumps liquid refrigerant through valve  68  to line  40  through expansion valve  42  through evaporator coil  44  where heat is removed by blower  46  and exits as a vapor to line  48  through reversing valve  50  to line  52  through reversing valve  22  to line  54  through compressor  18  to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  24  through reversing valve  26  to line  28  through condenser  30  where heat is removed by fan  32  and exits as a liquid through one-way valve  36  to line  38  to pump  64  to be recycled. Unit is cooled by line  76  and temperature sensor  78 . 
     FIG. 13 shows the system of the present invention being used to power a heat engine that will drive the compressor of the heat pump in the heating mode with a back-up electric motor. Heat Sensor  56  senses that attic heat is adequate to supply energy to heat engine  19  shifts reversing valve  26 . When energy supply is adequate the assist-motor  23  isolation-switch is energized. The thermostat turns on fan  32 , blower  46 , and through heat sensor  56  energizes water heater reversing valve  50 , turns on blower  2 , and starts pump  64 . Liquid refrigerant is pumped by pump  64  to line  70  through expansion valve  72  through evaporator coil  6  where heat is picked up by blower  2  and exits as a vapor to line  74  through reversing valve  26  to line  24  through valve  22  to line  54  through compressor  18  to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  52  through reversing valve  50  to line  48  through condenser coil  44  where heat is removed by blower  46  and exits as a liquid through one-way valve  66  to line  40  through valve, 58  to pump  64  to be recycled. Line  74  also supplies line  25  through heat engine  19  to line  27  to line  28  through condenser  30  where heat is removed by fan  32  and exits as a liquid through one-way valve  36  to line  38  through pump  64  to be recycled. Unit is cooled by line  76  and temperature sensor  78 . 
     FIG. 14 shows the system of the present invention used in a water heat mode. Heat sensor  56  senses attic heat adequate to supply all energy requirements to heat engine  19 , energizes the assist-motor  23 , isolation-switch. The water heater thermostat starts fan  32 , pump  64  and blower  2  through sensor  56 . Pump  64  pumps liquid refrigerant to line  70  through expansion valve  72  and through evaporator coil  6  where heat is picked by blower.  2  and refrigerant exits as a vapor to line  74  through reversing valve  26  to line  24  through reversing valve  22  to line  54  through compressor  18  to line  20  through reversing valve  22  to line  52  through reversing valve  50  to line  80  through normal heat pump water heater through valve  82  through one-way valve  84  to line  86  to line  40  through valve  58  to pump  64  to be recycled. Line  74  also supplies line  25  through heat engine  19  to line  27  to line  28  through condenser  30  where heat is removed by fan  32  and exits as a liquid through one-way valve  36  to line  38  to pump  64  to be recycled. Unit is cooled by line  76  and temperature sensor  78 . 
     FIG. 15 shows the system of the present invention being used to heat water or another medium. Heat sensor  56 , senses attic temperature is adequate to supply energy to heat exchanger  99  and turns on pump  64 , and blower  2 . Liquid refrigerant is pumped by pump  64  to line  70  through expansion valve  72  through evaporator coil  6  where heat is picked up by blower  2  and exits as a hot vapor to line  74  through vapor water heat exchanger condenser  99  and exits line  38  to pump  64  to be recycled. Water is pumped in line  104  through heat exchanger  99  and out line  106  as heated water. 
     FIG. 16 shows the system of the present invention being used to power a generator. Heat sensor  56 , senses attic temperature is adequate to supply energy to heat engine  100  and turns on pump  64 , blower  2  and fan  32 . Liquid refrigerant is pumped through pump  64  to line  70  through expansion valve  72  through evaporator  6  where heat is picked up by blower  2  and exits as a hot vapor to line  74  through heat engine  100  to line  28  through condenser  30  where heat is removed by fan  32  and exits as a liquid to line  38  to pump  64  to be recycled. Generator  102  generates ac or dc power. 
     Compressor  201  draws vapor through line  202  from reversing valve  203  and line  204  from tank  205  and compresses this vapor through line  206  to reversing valve  203  and out through line  207 . This places desired head pressure on liquid at the bottom of tank  205  allowing liquid refrigerant to flow from condenser to fill tank  205 , by way of line  209  and check valve  210 . Liquid refrigerant flows under pressure from bottom of tank  208  through check valve  211  to line  212  through check valve  213  and pressure tank  214  to line  70  to expansion valve  72 . When liquid in tank  208  becomes low, float valve  211  sends a signal to reversing valve  203  causing reversing valve  203  to shift. Now compressor  201  draws vapor through line  202  to reversing valve  203  and line  207  from tank  208  and compresses this vapor through line  206  to reversing valve  203  and out line  204  to tank  205  placing desired head pressure on liquid at the bottom of tank  205  at the same time reducing the pressure on the liquid at the bottom of tank  208 , allowing liquid refrigerant to flow from condenser to tank  208  by way of line  209  and line  215  and check valve  216 . Liquid refrigerant under pressure flows from bottom of tank  205  through check valve  217 , line  212  through check valve  213  and pressure tank  214  to line  70  and expansion valve  72 . When liquid in tank  205  becomes low, float valve  218  in tank  204  sends a signal to reversing valve  203  causing the reversing valve to shift, which starts a new cycle. Compressor  201  may be turned off after the system is up to full system pressure. 
     Thus it can be seen that an improvement to heating and cooling system for houses and buildings has been provided that will meet all of the advantages of prior art devices and offer additional advantages not heretofore achievable. With respect to the present invention, the optimum dimensional relationship to the parts of the invention including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, use and assembly are deemed readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships illustrated in the drawings and used and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed herein. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, and it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. All suitable modifications and equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims are deemed within the present inventive concept.