Abstract:
A programmable electronic controller that provides multiple command and control instruction for an air curtain being integrated therewith. The controller includes operational controls for fan speed, time adjustment duration including time delay, start time, stop time with internal selectable timer clock provisions. The temperature imputable parameters for on demand heat and a variety of remote sensing and actuation output and input provisions.

Description:
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/554,547, filed Mar. 18, 2004. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   This device relates to air supply and conditioning devices specifically air curtains that generate a controlled stream of air to separate two distinct environments in a variety of operational venues. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   Prior art devices of this type have been developed to provide air barriers between contrasting temperature conditions such as between conditioned air space and unconditioned air space. 
   Typically, air curtains are used as an effective fluid barrier which will not restrict object transfer while maintaining the desired environmental conditions within the access space. Such prior art air curtains are positioned either above or on the side of a threshold to be controlled utilizing multiple fans and directional airflow nozzles, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,373 as representative of same. 
   Current air curtain design and controls allow for selective heating or cooling of the barrier air stream utilizing a collection of independent control parameters such as air speed, cooling or heating activation and selective on/off controls. Such independent control activation configurations can be seen generally, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,595,429 and 6,619,052. 
   Other electronic control devices for heating and air conditioning controllers are well established within the art such as temperature controls; see for example electronically controlled programmable thermostats; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,298,949 and 4,606,401. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,373 is directed to a basic air curtain device. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,052 claims a variable air curtain velocity control for supermarket refrigeration product display cases b controlling fans to alternate the airflow rate. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,429 if directed towards an operation and method for providing real time condition air curtain utilizing electronic control heating and fan using air characteristic inputs from temperature pressure and flow rate sensors within the control system. 
   Finally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,298,946 and 4,606,401 utilize electronic programmable thermostats with means for selective ambient temperature compared with a pre-programmed set point and activation appropriate heating and/or air cooling equipment controlled by the thermostat. Such thermostats are well known and understood within the art. 
   No known prior art provides for integral digital programmable controller for an air curtain which combines a wide range of control functions in an integrated application to configure air curtain performance to the individual use variant requirements. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A programmable air curtain controller that provides a variety of interdependent demand and control functions using multiple internal and remote sensors in communication with a microprocessor configured to meet specific air curtain control elements. Predetermined and preset operational parameters specify to the operational environment and venues are stored within the controller allowing a single integrated intelligent switch controller to regulate all aspects of air curtain performance by remote control input. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block flow functional diagram outlining the overall control inputs and activation control elements; and 
       FIG. 2  is a block flow diagram illustrating specific operational control function elements. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, an electronic controller  10  of the invention is illustrated in a graphic block flow configuration inclusive of an air curtain  11  indicated by broken lines responsive to control element groupings  12  and  13  as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. 
   A programmable microprocessor  14  of the controller  10  of the invention and proprietary electronic circuits (not shown) which provide for an integrated communication network  15  illustrated by communication lines to control the operation of the air curtain control element groupings  12  and  13 . Such control elements included in this example are multiple fan motor assemblies  16  with adjustable velocities with associated air conditioning elements  17  for heating and cooling of the air curtain  11  air source. The fan motor assembly  16  supply an air velocity disturbance outflow from the air curtain creating an effective “barrier” or air curtain at a threshold between two divergent environmental areas. 
   Information data input element groupings  18  indicated by inclusive broken lines interlinked via the communication network  15  as hereinbefore described to the microprocessor  14  and air curtain control group  13 . Such multiple information data source inputs are defined by a remote thermostat  19 , internal control thermostat  20 , motor fan speed maintaining sensors  21  along with threshold proximity motion sensors  22  and threshold contact sensors  23  such may be required in certain use venue conditions for access threshold indication. 
   An infrared sensor  24  is provided with the data source inputs which will receive coded input data signals from an infrared remote transmitter  25 . The combination of data input element group  18  of the control group  13  and control element group  12  provide the necessary functions for the process controller of the air curtain  11  to assure proper and effective operation in application and installation settings as follows. 
   Application influence would include effective mounting height and size of the air curtain for the air stream required. Additional criteria such as air curtain mounting location and environmental factors including determination of prevailing winds, geographic location of installation site as well as existing conditions, such as structure pressurization, or negative pressure and threshold obstructions will all be determining factors in control requirements, their performance of the air curtain and the requirements of the electronic controller  10  of the invention. 
   Installation settings are defined within the art such as air curtain  11  air speed setting to match application thresholds, automatic operation by interfacing with threshold access elements utilizing motion sensors  22  and threshold access contact sensors  23  as well as the supplemental heating and cooling with operation application optimization enclosure of high speed fan and motor assemblies  16  including start, delay and off cycling therefore the air curtain  11  all of which, as noted, are well known and understood by those skilled in the art and do not require further additional detailed explanation or supplemental illustration within the specification. 
   A visual display unit  14 A is provided for the electronic controller  10  of the invention and is in communication with the microprocessor  14  to provide visual indication of input and preset performance parameters. 
   The air curtain controller  10  of the invention has serial input and output connections at  26 A and  26 B which provide for serial connection to additional controllers (not shown) if needed in multiple unit applications. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, the electronic air curtain controller  10  of the invention manages the proper and effective air curtain  11  operation illustrated by the controllers  10  operational feature function as follows. 
   A speed control function  27  controlling fan motor assembly&#39;s  16  speed directly via auxiliary controls (not shown) if required. A feedback circuit  28  function is provided that monitors and adjusts to maintain a given sent point for the fan motor assemblies  16 . Optionally, such control parameters can also be utilized to manage the fan motor assemblies  16  such as pressure differentials between control spaces as indicated in broken lines graphically at  29 . 
   An air curtain full speed start function  30  is used to initiate maximum fan motor assembly  16  speed to establish the initial air barrier rapidly in structures where the threshold is opened and protection must be rapidly established. The full speed start  30  function then employs a reduction of fan motor assembly&#39;s  16  speed once the air barrier is established to maintain an operational velocity. 
   The time delay function  31  determines how long the air curtain  11  runs after a threshold closure with control mode settings  32  comprising an on setting  33 , auto setting  34  and off setting  35  which in this example is set to auto setting  34 . Given the operational parameters, the on setting  33  manually enables the controller and correspondingly the off setting  35  disables the electronic controller  10 . The auto setting  34  provides for enabilization by external control data input from the information data input element group  18  as hereinbefore described. 
   The functionality management by the internal thermostat  20  as hereinbefore described provides for home base control activation of supplemental heating unit  36  and cooling unit  37  of the air conditioning element  17 . 
   Referring now to a clock function indicator at  38  which provides for an event base control wherein the control mode settings  32  are maintained based on the clock and input setting  38 A via the communication network  15 . 
   A programming lock mode function  39  will prevent non-authorized access to the operator settings imparting a control security oversight of the electronic controller  10 . 
   In applications where multiple electronic controllers are used, the allowance for unlimited master slave inner control between the multiple connected controllers a so-called “daisy chain” functionality  40  is provided wherein a setting on one of the interconnected controllers  10  in such configurations will change the corresponding setting on all of the interconnected controllers  10  of the system via the serial input and output ports  26 A and  26 B as hereinbefore described. 
   As noted, the electronic controller  10  enabled with a remote control function  41  by the hereinbefore described infrared receiver  24  and command and control infrared transmitter  25 . 
   It will thus be seen that a new and novel factory installed digital programmable controller  10  for environmental air curtain  11  applications has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.