Patent ID: 7487821

Claim:
A heat pump system conformed for deployment between the interior lower end and exterior upper end of a chimney provided in a dwelling, said chimney including an articulated flue damper proximate the interior lower end thereof conformed for manual articulation to close off the passage of air therethrough, comprising in combination; a heating source connected to said chimney for developing an upward draft flow therein between said lower and upper ends thereof, said heating source including an air chamber thereabout conformed for heating air therein and for selectively admitting said heated air into said chimney or said dwelling; a first heat exchange coil deployed around the exterior surface of said chimney proximate said upper end; a second heat exchange coil deployed proximate said lower end of said chimney; conveying means deployed within the interior of said chimney and connected between the ends of said first and second coils for conveying heat exchange fluid therebetween, said conveying means further including reversing means for selective reversal of the connection paths between the ends of said first and second coils and an evaporator restriction for reducing the pressure of the fluid in said conveying means; a second aperture formed in said chimney communicating between the interior of said dwelling and that portion of the chimney interior that is confined below and between said flue damper and said second heat exchange coil; first power means deployed in said chimney above said damper for providing motive power to produce air flow across said first heat exchange coil including power augmentation means rendered operative by the chimney draft formed between said first aperture and said upper end of said chimney; second power means deployed in said chimney subjacent said damper for providing motive power to produce air flow through said second aperture and across said second heat exchange coil; and gate means connected to said air chamber for selecting the portions of said heated air that are respectively divided between said chimney and said dwelling.