Patent Publication Number: US-2007119961-A1

Title: Electromagnetic frequency-controlled zoning and dampering system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Provisional Application No. 60/740,786 filed Nov. 30, 2005 from which priority is claimed. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
      None  
     JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT PARTNER  
      None  
     REFERENCE TO “SEQUENCE LISTING” 
      None  
     BACLGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to methods and technics used to control or damper heating, air-conditioning, or ventilation air flow and distribution in a controlled environment.  
      Due to increasing prices of fossil fuels, notably oil, propane, natural gas, and electricity used for heating or air conditioned controlled environments, in addition to the increasingly harmful effects of global warming, there is an important and immediate need to conserve energy.  
      This method describes a technic capable of controlling or dampening the airflow to a specific diffuser or register supplying conditioned air for an individual&#39;s specific temperature requirement for comfort in his locality.  
      A typical home air-conditioning and/or heating system consists of a forced hot/cold air furnace and/or air handler, condensing unit and ductwork for air distribution in the home. Each branch of this ductwork flows like a river, distributing air to each branch along the way and normally shrinking along its length to maintain static pressure within the designed duct system. Each branch usually has a wall register or ceiling diffuser on the end to further release and distribute the air flow.  
      A major problem in this, the typical design, is the incapability of the system to maintain an equal temperature throughout a dwelling due to several significant and frequently changing factors, the first of which is duct design and distribution. Often, ductulation, or the sizing of the ductwork to maintain proper static pressure, is not performed correctly, leaving the vents closest to the furnace or air handler delivering the most air and the vents farther away with little or no pressure.  
      A second problem is the difficulty maintaining equal temperatures in multilevel dwellings, heating or cooling. Because hot air rises and cold air falls, temperature inequalities occur even with a perfectly designed and delivered duct system. Even if the air flow is constant, in the summertime the second or third floor will be hotter and in the wintertime the first floor colder. Dampers installed in a duct system can help but untrained homeowners rarely adjust the system properly each season and even if they do, it is usually not correct for proper operation or energy efficiency.  
      A third problem with uneven comfort levels in a conditioned area or home is each individual&#39;s response to temperature and humidity levels. This varies widely. One person may be comfortable at 70° F. while another enjoys 68° F., as one example. In such a case, each would be more comfortable if their separate bedrooms were customized to their desired temperature.  
      Over-compensation also decreases the energy efficiency of a heating or cooling system. In an effort to adjust the comfort level of one region of a house, most homeowners set the thermostat of the system higher in the winter and lower in the summer, increasing the air volume to that area to accomplish this goal. This method wastes valuable and expensive energy by overheating or overcooling other areas.  
      Other factors cause uneven temperatures throughout a home or conditioned area on a daily basis, such as sun or wind direction, drafts, rain, humidity, snow-covered roofs, and changing seasons. These can change the temperature ox humidity levels in a dwelling on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. A room cool in the morning may be warm in the afternoon heating. Northern or Southern exposures may affect rooms similarly. Because of these variable and a constantly changing environment, attempting to balance a system is difficult.  
      Combined, these factors could waste, easily, 30% of one&#39;s annual energy cost. Keeping a constant temperature in every room of a house in unnecessarily wasteful, as well. A family may only occupy the living room or kitchen 20% of a typical workday. An average family heats or cools their entire residence all night, instead of concentrating the energy to their bedrooms for the eight hours they are sleeping.  
      While conventional, electrical damper systems may help direct air to desired locations using a series of thermostats, hard wiring, and a complex damper system made of motors, they are not cost-effective. A homeowner paying $1,200 to $4,000 installing such a system typically sees a $400-$800 return for his investment over the life of the system. These type of systems must be installed during the original construction of a home, otherwise installation involves cutting open walls, plumbing, wiring, and additional ductwork. This is unfeasible for a typical homeowner, leaving them a residence with few zoning options.  
      These effects translate to commercial applications, too. Offices in a corporate setting vary between themselves and common area temperatures individuals feel warmer or colder, depending on their tolerances, at the same temperature. Temperatures in a conference room rise suddenly during a meeting due to the increase in staff and their effect on room temperature.  
      This invention essentially resolves these problems, customizes the environment to an individual&#39;s desire, and saves energy without the disadvantage of expense.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The objectives above are achieved by a unique and improved mechanical design, a method of zoning and dampering a controlled environment such as a home or corporate setting. The subject electromagnetic frequency-controlled zoning system is designed by using known and proven engineered parts combined to result in an effective but inobvious invention.  
      The new design is comprised of a diffuser or damper of typical and most common size, a servo, armatures, motors, chargers, thermiostats, transformers, transmitters, receivers, and plastic molded bodies made to hold and conceal these mechanical devices.  
      This system is designed to be extremely affordable, in most cases less than $99.00 USC. This satisfies investment-cost concerns versus energy savings. It is simple enough for a homeowner to install with one screwdriver in approximately three minutes. This dispenses with any need for a technician or the more involved process of opening up walls for wiring, plumbing or ductwork.  
      The system is a diffuser or damper of typical and most common size and design to match existing ones. The diffuser or register of the supply side of the system has a tiny receiver and lithium battery with a servo which opens and closes the plastic damper with foam lining. As it receives the signal to do so, this regulates the airflow to the area through the diffuser or register. The plastic design with the foam lining serves three purposes. It is lightweight, moisture resistant, and forms a tight seal. The light weight facilitates motion. The foam lining prevents leakage. The tight seal prevents noise, associated with dampering airflow, and holds back static pressure.  
      The second part of the system is a small, programmable, square thermostat, about 3″×3″, of common design. This thermostat has a male side receptacle plug, typical to plug into any 110 volt home outlet. Inside the thermostat is a transmitter on the same frequency as the damper(s) that it controls. Inside a tiny compartment of the thermal at is a charger for the small lithium battery within the diffuser. A small, permanent-memory battery charger is within the thermostat for programming and power outages.  
      The technic of using the system: following the arrows on the thermostat, you manually set the LED reading, the time and temperature, to your desired setting or program. Then it is plugged into any outlet in the room. This customizes the area to the temperature-preference of the user. Simply remove the register or damper already supplying the room by unscrewing it from the wall or ceiling and replace it with one of the same size with the damper receiver on it. The installation is complete. You can install as many registers or dampers as you wish on one thermostat transmitter, for large rooms on the same frequency, or have several different thermostats in a home. You could in this way program different rooms to different temperatures, each on its own frequency. In the summertime, for instance, a bedroom could be programmed cooler during the hours of 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM, when it is occupied, but programmed warmer during other hours, when it is not.  
      The same could be done for high traffic areas such as family rooms, kitchens, playrooms, etc. This technic not only regulates the home properly despite outdoor environmental variables, but keeps it more comfortable while saving energy. This solves the problem of deficient or excessive airflow to parts of the house. By closing or opening the diffusers or registers where it is too hot or cold, and forcing the airflow where it is required, it adjusts to the problem of upstairs heat or downstairs cold and solves the over-compensation of the system to realize this goal. As described earlier in the patent, this technic also helps in the daily changes in weather conditions by maintaining a desired temperature in each room and sending excess airflow to areas where it is needed.  
      Up to 40% of a conventional forced hot or cold air system can be dampened without affecting the static pressure within the system. Most furnace and air-handler blower motors work on resistance; they adjust themselves to the zoning technic and maintain proper static pressure within the duct system. This means, in an average home of 20 supply registers, 8 can be dampered automatically. Since there is normally 1 or 2 supply diffusers or registers for every bedroom, this means every bedroom can be zoned and regulated, solving the problem of individuals feeling too hot or cold in their own bedroom.  
      The plug-in thermostat is so small it can be plugged into any outlet, making this feasible in any and every application. It is so small it is virtually unnoticeable. There are no wires or noise.  
      The tiny lithium battery with the diffuser by the servo can be removed once a year and placed inside the thermostat compartment for charging and replaced with the one already charged. This requires wattage comparable to a small radio for receiving and minimal motor abilities due to tile lightweight design. In addition to the leverage of the arm, the lithium battery holds a charge much longer than a conventional lead-acid model, with a long lifespan between charges.  
      The same technic can be used in corporate offices to prevent wasteful energy use, customizing the temperature of each office to each individual.  
      These and other features that characterize the invention are described in more complete detail with respect to the specific embodiment of the invention described below when taken with the figures of the Drawing. The scope of the invention, however, is limited only through the claims appended hereto.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       FIG. 1 : Is a side elevation in full section illustrative of a diffuser in a duct system for use with the invention;  
       FIG. 2 : Depicts a side elevation in full section of a wall register supply vent for use with the invention;  
       FIG. 3 : Shows, in perspective, a plug-in, wireless remote control thermostat and battery charger for use with the invention;  
       FIG. 4 : Is a floor plan for a house during the winter heating season that illustrates principles of the invention; and  
       FIG. 5 : Is a front elevation of a damper vane for use in connection with the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION  
      For a more complete appreciation of the invention, attention is invited to  FIG. 1  which shows a ceiling diffuser  10  in a heating and cooling air flow duct  11 . In accordance with a feature of this invention, the diffuser  10  has a horizontally mounted parallel array of damper vanes  12  that are mounted for pivotal movement in the direction of arrows  13 ,  14 , in an air discharge opening  15  that is formed in the duct  11 . The margin of the duct  11  that forms the opening  15  is provided with a foam seal  18 . A polystyrene foam plastic, for example, is a suitable material for the seal  18 .  
      The individual damper vanes  12 , moreover, are ganged together for selective joint movement in the directions of the arrows  13 ,  14  in order to control air flow through the discharge opening  15 . These damper vanes  12  are formed preferably of plastic material. Plastic vanes  12  in the heating and cooling duct  11  are particularly suited to the practice of the invention because they are light in weight, moisture resistant and, with the foam seal  18 , form a silent, tight seal with each other and with the margin of the air discharge opening  15 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the foam seal  18  is mounted not only on the margin of the discharge opening  15 , but also on the parallel edges of each of the vanes in the array of the damper vanes  12 . In this manner, the seals  18  reduce noise from the diffuser  10  when a servomotor  16  is activated to rotate the damper vanes  12  fully in the direction of either the arrow  13  or the arrow  14  to close the discharge opening and stop air flow through the duct  11 .  
      The electrical servomotor  16  is coupled to a damper vane  17  through a linkage  20  to drive the ganged damper vanes  12  in the direction of the arrows  13 ,  14  as described subsequently in more detail. A battery  21  is coupled to the servomotor  6  to provide a power supply for the diffuser  10 . A rechargeable lithium battery has been found particularly suitable for the purpose of the invention. To replace the battery  21 , an access hatch  22  is provided in the diffuser  10 , which diffuser  10  also accommodates a radio signal receiver and servomotor control  23 . The battery  21  is electrically coupled not only as a power supply for the servomotor  16 , but it also powers the receiver and servomotor control  23  to regulate the width of gaps  24  between the adjoining damper vanes  12  and thus to regulate the air flow through the diffuser  10 . This control is achieved through reception of radio signals by the control  23 . The manner in which these radio signals are generated, moreover, is described later in the text.  
      A wall register  25  for use in connection with the invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . Thus, a heating and cooling duct  26  is mounted behind a vertical wall  27  to direct heating and cooling air flow to a wall diffuser  30 .  
      The wall diffuser  30  has a set of vertically mounted damper vanes  31  that are linked together for ganged movement in the direction of arrows  32 ,  33  in response to selective activation of a servomotor  34  through a linkage  38 . This adjustment is achieved by the wall diffuser  30  in which the ganged damper vanes  31 , turned in the direction of the arrows  32 ,  33 , control air flow through an air discharge opening  36  from the duct  26  into a zone or room  37  through a selective adjustment of gaps  40  between adjoining pairs of the damper vanes  31 . A foam seal  41  also is secured to the parallel edges of each of the damper vanes  31  and to the margin of the duct  26  in the discharge opening  36  to reduce noise on activation of the damper vanes  31  and to reduce air flow seepage from the wall register  25  when the damper vanes  31  are turned fully in the direction of the arrow  32  or the arrow  33 .  
      A specific embodiment of a damper vane  12  ( FIG. 1 ) or  31  ( FIG. 2 ) that characterizes features of the invention is shown in  FIG. 5 .  
      A single damper vane  19  formed from hardened plastic has a perimeter that is covered with a foam plastic seal  29  to reduce noise and air seepage during operation. Pivots  39  are mounted on the centerline, or line of balance for the vane  19 . These pivots enable the vane  19  to be ganged with the other vanes in the array of damper vanes  12  ( FIG. 1 ) or  31  ( FIG. 2 ) in the respective arrays to establish ease of motion and to reduce the load on the servomotor  16 ,  34 .  
      An access hatch  42  ( FIG. 2 ) is formed in the exposed surface of the wall register  25  to enable a rechargeable battery to be inserted in the register  25  when the previously installed battery is electrically depleted. This battery, moreover, powers not only the servomotor  34 , but also powers a radio receiver and servomotor control.  
      Turning now to  FIG. 3 , an illustrative wireless remote thermostat and battery charger  43  for use in connection with the invention is shown. Low power radio control apparatus for transmission of a signal on a predetermined frequency to a remote location for the purpose of a moving structure at that location in a desired direction and distance are well-known. Illustratively, the electrical circuits, both the wireless transmitter and the remote receiver; the servomotor control at that remote location for converting the received signal into a command signal for appropriately activating the servomotor; and the mechanical linkages for converting servomotor movement into the desired motion for the structure that is being controlled are well-known. Radio control apparatus for model aircraft are illustrative of these systems that can be readily adapted to the purposes of this invention.  
      Thus, in accordance with the invention, the remote thermostat and battery charger control  43  has a plug  44  with a ground connection that can be accepted by any three-prong household voltage electrical socket (not shown). The control  43 , moreover, has a thermostat body  45  that houses a remote control transmitter  46 . A light emitting diode (L.E.D.) display  47  or other suitable display usually shows the ambient temperature of the zone or room in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius. To program an increased ambient temperature for the room, a spring biased “up” button or switch  50  is activated to energize the remote control transmitter  46  to send an appropriate signal to a predetermined diffuser that is receptive to signals on the same frequency as those generated by the control transmitter  46  as, for example, the radio receiver and servomotor control  23  ( FIG. 1 ) in the ceiling diffuser  10 . When activated, the button  50  ( FIG. 3 ) also temporarily registers the desired increase in the temperature registered on the display  47 . When the button  50  is released, however, the display  47  reverts to showing the ambient room temperature and the subsequent increases in that temperature as the remote control transmitter  46  regulates air flow from the illustrative ceiling diffuser  10 . If desired, the remote control  43  also can be programmed to activate and deactivate the transmitter  46  at specific times to heat or cool zones within a building as needed.  
      The opposite result of reducing the ambient temperature is attained by depressing a spring biased “down” button or switch  51 . The “down” button  51 , while depressed, temporarily registers the desired decrease in the room temperature registered on the display  47 . Upon releasing the button  51 , the display  47  once more shows the ambient room temperature and the decrease in that temperature as the remote control transmitter regulates air flow from the ceiling diffuser  10  to produce the lower temperature within the zone.  
      A salient feature of the invention is the provision of a battery charger  52  in the thermostat body  45 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , an access door  53  fastened by screws  54  to prevent tampering encloses the structure for mounting a rechargeable battery (not shown). Thus, an electrically depleted battery is mounted in the recharger  52  for restoration to an electrically charged condition. When a need arises to replace a rechargeable battery with a charged battery, the access hatch  22  ( FIG. 1 ) is opened, the depleted battery, e.g. the battery  21 , is removed from its mounting within the access hatch  22  and replaced by a charged battery from the remote control  43  ( FIG. 3 ). The depleted battery  21  is then mounted within the battery charger  52  and the access door  53  is closed by means of the screws  54 .  
      To recharge the battery within the battery charger  52 , and to power the remote thermostat and battery charge control  43 , the plug  44  is inserted into a three prong socket. Electrical power is supplied to the thermostat body  45 , as for example, from a 110 volt, 60 hertz household current supply. Appropriate rectifiers and voltage regulators (not shown) within the thermostat body  45  supply a satisfactory direct current voltage not only to recharge the battery within the battery charger  52 , but also to power the remote thermostat and battery charge control  43 , the latter to enable the ambient room temperature to be adjusted through the damper vanes control signals that regulate the gaps  24  and  40  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) between the respective sets of the damper vanes  12 ,  31  which, in turn, regulate air flow from the diffuser  10  or register  25 .  
      In this way, in accordance with a feature of the invention, a recharged battery always is available for replacement in the diffusers  10 ,  30  and the thermostat body  45  ( FIG. 3 ). Further in this respect, the thermal body  45  with its associated remote thermostat control  43  can be moved to any electrical socket that is convenient to the area within the building in which the temperature is controlled.  
      In operation, attention is invited to  FIG. 4 , an illustrative floor plan for a dwelling that employs significant features of the invention. As shown, vertical wall diffusers  55 ,  56 ,  57 ,  61 , and  62  are mounted in walls of the dwelling  64 . During the heating season, a primary remote wireless thermostat and battery charge control  65  is set to keep an established temperature 2 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit lower in the zone than the ambient temperature of the combination kitchen and living room  66 .  
      In this respect, the remote control  65  is set to the desired temperature by depressing the “down” button  51  ( FIG. 3 ) on the control  43  until the desired lower temperature appears in the display  47 . The “down” button  51  is then released, the ambient temperature reappearing in the display  47 , the displayed temperature then decreases until the desired lower temperature is sensed by the thermostat (not shown) in the body  45 .  
      To so decrease the temperature in the room  66  ( FIG. 4 ), the remote control transmitter  46  ( FIG. 3 ) sends a control signal on a predetermined frequency to the receiver and servomotor control in the wall register  25  ( FIG. 2 ) to adjust the gaps  40  between the damper vanes  31 . This adjustment is accomplished by the servomotor  34  which, through the linkage  35  moves the damper vane  31  through an appropriate angular rotation in the direction of the arrow  32  or  33  in response to the signal from the primary remote control  65  ( FIG. 4 ) as processed through the servomotor control that is tuned to respond to the primary remote control signal frequency.  
      This method allows the air flow to continue to areas of the dwelling  64  ( FIG. 4 ) where it is required.  
      Note in this respect that a bedroom  67  is set in the manner previously described to a temperature of 76° F. on a remote control  70  that transmits control signals on a frequency different from the primary remote control  65  signals. So established the room  67  will heat to the requested temperature by adjustment of the airflow through the vertical wall diffuser  55  in the room  67 , the diffuser  55  being tuned to the frequency of the control  70 . In this way, the room  67  heats to the requested temperature while the kitchen and living room  66  remains at a comfortable desired temperature.  
      Rooms  71 ,  72  are not equipped with respective remote controls. In this circumstance, the rooms  71 ,  72  remain at normal system flow. Only 40% of the system registers need to be remote-dampened to permit relief of the system&#39;s airflow without imposing an overload on the motor for the heating and cooling air fan (not shown) or upsetting the system&#39;s static pressure requirements.  
      For cooling and air conditioning purposes, moreover, the procedure is a reverse of that described above for the heating season. Accordingly, the air heating system (not shown) is deactivated and the air conditioning system (also not shown) is energized to pump cool air through the heating and cooling ducts  11 ,  26  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). As described earlier, the desired temperatures through the dwelling  64  are set through manipulation of either the “down” button  51  ( FIG. 3 ) or the “up” button  50  on the remote control  43  on the wireless controls  65  and  70  ( FIG. 4 ) to establish the predetermined temperatures throughout the dwelling  64 .  
      Thus, through the practice of the invention, a number of unusual and important savings are possible. The remote controls are portable from room-to-room, being activated optionally by inserting the plug  44  ( FIG. 3 ) into an ordinary household socket. Wiring each of the diffusers to a central control system—which usually requires installation during building construction or undertaking a major renovation to an existing building—is thus avoided. Further in this respect, a remote control can be carried from room-to-room, thereby offering the user a great deal of flexibility in room temperature control and considerable savings in heating and cooling costs. All of these features, moreover, are provided through a relatively inexpensive, light-weight and quietly operating diffuser system, in which rechargeable batteries are readily available for replacement in the diffusers, as needed.  
      Note further that the system described herein is applicable not only to residential dwellings, but also can be used in any environment in which temperature regulation is useful. Factories, apartment blocks, warehouses, and the like all can adopt this system to advantage.