Patent ID: 6978826

Claim:
A heating and cooling apparatus comprising: a generally hollow heating and cooling tower body having a ceiling part for receiving solar heat and a columnar part for storing the solar heat received by the ceiling part, the columnar part having a lower portion adapted to be positioned in the ground for receiving a flow of cool air from the ground and a heat absorbing-and-radiating section for absorbing and radiating heat to heat the heating and cooling tower body using the stored solar heat and to cool the heating and cooling tower body using the flow of cool air from the ground; an upper shutter section mounted at an upper portion of the heat absorbing-and-radiating section for undergoing movement between an open position and a closed position to place the columnar part into and out of communication with the ceiling part, respectively; a lower shutter section mounted at the lower portion of the columnar part for undergoing movement between an open position and a closed position to place the columnar part into and out of communication with the ground, respectively; a downward convection fan disposed at the upper portion of the heat absorbing-and-radiating section; an upward convection fan disposed at the lower portion of the columnar part; and a heater disposed between the lower shutter section and the upward convection fan.