Patent ID: 7426791

Claim:
An energy savings apparatus configured for use with a clothes dryer, comprising: an air duct having a first end and a second end; a damper assembly including an air duct portion and a damper device mounting on the air duct portion, wherein the air duct portion of the damper assembly is attached at a first end thereof to the first end of the air duct, wherein a second end of the air duct portion of the damper assembly is configured for being attached to an air inlet of a heater assembly of a clothes dryer and for selectively enabling air to be routed to the air inlet of the heater assembly from the second end of the air duct and from an air inlet intermediate said ends of the air duct portion of the damper assembly; and an electrically-powered blower unit having an air outlet attached to the second end of the air duct; and a control system attached to a damper device of the damper assembly and to the blower unit; wherein: the damper assembly includes an adapter configured for enabling the second end of the air duct portion of the damper assembly to be attached to the air inlet of the heater assembly of the clothes dryer; the control system includes a temperature-sensing device attached to the air duct adjacent the second end of the air duct; the control system is configured for moving the damper device to a first position and activating the blower unit when a first temperature condition is sensed and for moving the damper device to a second position and deactivating the blower unit when a second temperature condition is sensed; air is routed to the air inlet of the heater assembly of the clothes dryer from the second end of the air duct when the damper device is in a first position; air is routed to the air inlet of the heater assembly of the clothes dryer from said intermediate air inlet when the damper device is in the second position; the first temperature condition is a temperature at or above a prescribed level; and the second temperature condition is a temperature below the prescribed level.