On-off time proportioning summer-winter thermostat and control system employing same

Claim 2

A reversible controller for on-off time proportioning current through an external circuit in response to a sensed variable condition and comprising first and second supports, one of said supports movable in response to the condition, first and second heat deformable elements having respective first and second free portions and portions affixed to said first support, a first set of contacts mounted in fixed spaced opposed relation on said second support, first and second contacts movable by the respective first and second free portions forming a second set of contacts and normally engaging said first set to form respective first and second normally closed pairs of contacts, and heating means adapted in response to completion of the external circuit through one of said pairs of contacts to generate heat deforming a respective one of the elements to separate the contacts of said one pair and break the circuit, whereby said current may be onoff time proportioned as a substantially linear function of a selected one of an increase and a decrease in deviation of the sensed condition from a reference.

Claim 3

A controller according to claim 1 wherein said heating means comprises first and second heaters in heat transfer relation to the first and second elements respectively.

Claim 4

A controller according to claim 1 wherein said heat deformable elements comprise bimetals.

Claim 5

A controller according to claim 1 wherein said one of the supports comprises a thermostatic bimetal.

Claim 6

A controller according to claim 1 additionally comprising means for connecting said pairs of contacts alternatively to the external circuit.

Claim 7

A controller according to claim 5 wherein said connecting means comprises a switch having first and second positions for coupling said respective first and second contacts to the external circuit.

Claim 8

A controller according to claim 1 additionally comprising switching means in series with said heating means and controllable by the connected one of the pairs of contacts.

Claim 9

A controller according to claim 7 wherein said switching means has load, control and common terminals, said control and common terminals connecting the switching means in series with the connected one of said pairs of contacts, and said load and common terminals connecting the switching means in series with said heating means.

Claim 10

A controller according to claim 7 wherein said heating means comprises first and second heaters in heat transfer relation to the respective first and second elements.

Claim 11

A heating-cooling control system comprising a conduit delivering to a conditioned space alternatively hot and cold temperature changing fluid, a fluid flow regulator in said conduit, an electric actuator energizable to operate said regulator, a power supply for energizing said actuator, a sensor subjected to ambient temperature in said space, a first set of contacts mounted in fixed spaced opposed relation and movable by the sensor, first and second thermal sensitive bimetals having respective first and second free ends and ends mounted in fixed spaced relation, first and second contacts movable by the respective first and second free ends forming a second set of contacts normally engaging said first set to form respective heating and cooling normally closed pairs of contacts, a control voltage source, means alternatively connecting said first and second contacts to the control voltage source as dictated by the temperature of the fluid being delivered, heating means in heat transfer relation to said bimetals, a current supply for energizing the heating means, and means responsive to engagement of said alternatively connected one of said pairs of contacts for closing a control circuit from the voltage source to energize a power circuit between said actuator and the power supply and to complete a heater circuit between said heating means and the current supply, whereby heat generated by the current through said heating means deflects one of the bimetals to separate said one pair of contacts to open the control circuit, deenergize said power circuit and break the heater circuit, thus providing a pulsing on-off energization of said actuator, said sensor deformable in response to temperature change in the space to modify the on-off ratio substantially in proportion to the deviation of the sensed temperature from a reference.

Claim 12

A heating-cooling control system comprising a conduit delivering to a conditioned space alternatively hot and cold temperature changing fluid, a fluid flow regulator in said conduit, an electric actuator energizable to operate said regulator, a power supply for energizing said actuator, a sensor subjected to ambient temperature in said space, a first set of contacts mounted in fixed spaced opposed relation and movable by the sensor, first and second thermal sensitive bimetals having respective first and second free ends and ends mounted in fixed spaced relation, first and second contacts movable by the respective first and second free ends forming a second set of contacts normally engaging said first set to form respective heating and cooling normally closed pairs of contacts, a control voltage source, means alternatively connecting said first and second contacts to the control voltage source as dictated by the temperature of the fluid being delivered, heating means in heat transfer relation to said bimetals, a current supply for energizing the heating means, and means responsive to engagement of said alternatively connected one of said pairs of contacts for closing a control circuit from the voltage source to energize a power circuit between said actuator and the power supply and to complete a heater circuit between said heating means and the current supply, whereby heat generated by the current through said heating means deflects one of the bimetals to separate said one pair of contacts to open the control circuit, deenergize said power circuit and break the heater circuit, thus providing a pulsing on-off energization of said actuator, said sensor deformable in response to temperature change in the space to modify the on-off ratio substantially in proportion to the deviation of the sensed temperature from a reference.

Claim 13

A heating-cooling control system according to claim 10 additionally comprising a switching means in series with said heating means and controllable by each of the alternatively connectable pairs of contacts.

Claim 14

A heating-cooling control system according to claim 10 wherein said heating means comprises first and second heaters in heat transfer relation to the respective first and second bimetals.