Patent US3901310A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3901310A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Multizone environmental control system
Assignee: Johnson Service Co
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Filing: 1973-11-27
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Granted: 1975-08-26
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Expires: 1993-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A multizone environmental control system including a multizone air conditioning unit for supplying warm and cool air to a plurality of zones and a master control circuit for the multizone unit including a heat controller circuit which is responsive to an input signal provided by a zone controller circuit in the coolest zone to effect energization of a heating section of the multizone unit to permit warm air to be supplied to zones requiring heat and a cooling controller which is responsive to an input signal provided by a zone controller circuit in the warmest zone to effect positioning of an outside air damper to permit the entry of outside air into the system in an attempt to meet the cooling demands of zones requiring cooling and to effect energization of a cooling section of the multizone unit to provide additional cooling of the outside air if necessary to satisfy the cooling demands of the zones requiring cooling. The cooling controller circuit includes a switching circuit operable to inhibit operation of the outside air damper whenever the temperature of the outside air exceeds a preselected maximum value and an inhibit circuit operable to inhibit energization of the cooling section of the multizone unit whenever the temperature of the outside air is less than a predetermined minimum value.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles F Strawn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 20:11
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F3/00; F24F3/044; F24F3/048; F24F3/052; F24F3/0527; F24F11/00; F24F11/30; F24F11/46; F24F11/70; F24F11/72; F24F11/74; F24F11/76; F24F11/88; F24F11/50; F24F11/54; F24F11/0001; F24F2011/0002; F24F2011/0006; F24F2110/00; F24F2110/10; F24F2221/00; F24F2221/54; F24F8/00; F24F8/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
433 words
In a multi-zone environmental control system including an air conditioning unit for supplying warm and cool air to a plurality of zones of a building, and an outside air damper means controllable to permit outside air to be introduced into said system, a plurality of zone controller means including an individual zone controller means for each of said zones for regulating the flow of warm and cool air supplied by said air conditioning unit into the corresponding zone to permit the temperature of the zone to be maintained at a preselected level, a control circuit for effecting selective energization of heating apparatus and cooling apparatus of said air conditioning unit in accordance with command signals provided by said zone controller means which are indicative of the heating and cooling demands of said zones, said control circuit comprising heat controller means including heat source control means and heat actuator controller means, said heat source control means including first signal comparator means having a first input connected to receive command signals indicative of the heating demand for the coolest zone, and a second input connected to receive a first reference signal, said first signal comparator means being operable to provide a heat control signal for enabling said heat actuator controller means for energizing the heating apparatus whenever the amplitude of the command signal extended thereto dIffers with the reference signal by a predetermined amount, and cooling controller means including cooling source control means and cooling actuator controller means, said cooling source control means including second signal comparator means having a first input connected to receive a further command signal indicative of the cooling demand of the warmest zone and a second input connected to receive a second reference signal said second signal comparator means being operable to provide a cooling control signal for enabling said cooling actuator controller means for energizing said cooling apparatus whenever the amplitude of the command signal extended thereto differs with the second reference signal by a predetermined amount, outside air monitoring means for providing an output indicative of the temperature of the outside air, first control means enabled by said outside air monitoring means whenever the outside air temperature is less than a predetermined maximum value to enable outside said air damper means to be controlled by said cooling control signal prior to energization of said cooling apparatus and second control means including inhibit means enabled by said outside air monitoring means whenever the temperature of the outside air is below a predetermined minimum value for inhibiting the passage of said cooling control signal to said cooling actuator controller means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
433 words
In a multi-zone environmental control system including an air conditioning unit for supplying warm and cool air to a plurality of zones of a building, and an outside air damper means controllable to permit outside air to be introduced into said system, a plurality of zone controller means including an individual zone controller means for each of said zones for regulating the flow of warm and cool air supplied by said air conditioning unit into the corresponding zone to permit the temperature of the zone to be maintained at a preselected level, a control circuit for effecting selective energization of heating apparatus and cooling apparatus of said air conditioning unit in accordance with command signals provided by said zone controller means which are indicative of the heating and cooling demands of said zones, said control circuit comprising heat controller means including heat source control means and heat actuator controller means, said heat source control means including first signal comparator means having a first input connected to receive command signals indicative of the heating demand for the coolest zone, and a second input connected to receive a first reference signal, said first signal comparator means being operable to provide a heat control signal for enabling said heat actuator controller means for energizing the heating apparatus whenever the amplitude of the command signal extended thereto dIffers with the reference signal by a predetermined amount, and cooling controller means including cooling source control means and cooling actuator controller means, said cooling source control means including second signal comparator means having a first input connected to receive a further command signal indicative of the cooling demand of the warmest zone and a second input connected to receive a second reference signal said second signal comparator means being operable to provide a cooling control signal for enabling said cooling actuator controller means for energizing said cooling apparatus whenever the amplitude of the command signal extended thereto differs with the second reference signal by a predetermined amount, outside air monitoring means for providing an output indicative of the temperature of the outside air, first control means enabled by said outside air monitoring means whenever the outside air temperature is less than a predetermined maximum value to enable outside said air damper means to be controlled by said cooling control signal prior to energization of said cooling apparatus and second control means including inhibit means enabled by said outside air monitoring means whenever the temperature of the outside air is below a predetermined minimum value for inhibiting the passage of said cooling control signal to said cooling actuator controller means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
104 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control circuit further includes input means having a first plurality of diode means, each individually connected in a forward direction between an output of a different one of said zone controller means and the first input of one of said heat controller means and said cooling controller means and a second plurality of diode means, each individually connected in a reverse direction between an output of a different one of said zone controller means and the first input of the other one of said heat controller means and said cooling controller means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
116 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first signal comparator means comprises differential amplifier means having a first input connected to receive command signals provided by said zone controller means and a second input connected to a source of reference potential over variable potentiometer means, said differential amplifier means being operable to provide a heat control signal proportional to the difference between said reference signal and said command signal for effecting energization of said heating apparatus, said potentiometer means being adjustable to preselect an amplitude of the command signal, and correspondingly the low temperature for a zone, at which a heating control signal capable of energizing the heating apparatus is provided.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first signal comparator means includes further potentiometer means for adjusting the gain of said differential amplifier means to permit preselection of the amount of change in the amplitude of a command signal required to effect energization of the heating apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second signal comparator means comprises first differential amplifier means having a first input connected to receive command signals provided by said zone controller means and a second input connected to a source of reference potential over a variable potentiometer means, said differential amplifier means being operable to provide a cooling control signal proportional to the difference between said command signal and said reference signal, said potentiometer means being adjustable to preselect the amplitude of the command signal, and correspondingly the high temperature for a zone, at which a cooling control signal capable of energizing the cooling apparatus is provided.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said second signal comparator means includes further potentiometeR means for adjusting the gain of said differential amplifier means to preselect the amount of change in amplitude of a command signal required to provide a cooling control signal of sufficient amplitude to effect energization of the cooling apparatus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said outside air monitoring means comprises a bridge circuit having a first leg including an outside air temperature sensing means for providing said an output signal indicative of the temperature of the outside air, a second leg for providing a third reference signal indicative of said predetermined maximum value for the temperature of the outside air, and a third leg for providing a fourth reference signal indicative of said predetermined minimum for the temperature of the outside air.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said second control means comprises inhibit means interposed between the output of said second differential amplifier means and said cooling actuator controller means and fourth differential amplifier means having a first input connected to said first leg of said bridge circuit to receive said output signal and a second input connected to said third leg of said bridge circuit to receive said fourth reference signal, said fourth differential amplifier means being operable to normally enable said inhibit means whenever the difference between said output signal and said fourth reference signal exceeds a predetermined amount to permit said cooling signal to be extended to said cooling actuator controller means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
118 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first control means comprises gating means interposed between the output of said second differential amplifier means and said outside air damper means, third differential amplifier means having a first input connected to said first leg of said bridge circuit to receive said output signal and a second input connected to said second leg of said bridge circuit to receive said third reference signal, said third differential amplifier means being operable to enable said gating means whenever the difference between said third reference signal and said output signal exceeds a predetermined amount to permit said cooling control signal to be extended to said outside air damper means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
105 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cooling apparatus includes a plurality of cooling stages each having an associated cooling actuator controller means, said cooling actuator controller means being responsive to a cooling signal in excess of a threshold setting for the actuator cooling controller means to effect energization of an associated cooling stage, different cooling actuator controller means having different threshold settings to enable energization of said cooling stages in a predetermined sequence as the amplitude of said cooling control signal increases, said cooling stages being deenergized in the reverse sequence as the amplitude of the cooling signal decreases.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
106 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said heating apparatus includes a plurality of heating stages each having an associated heating actuator controller means, said heating actuator controller means being responsive to a heating control signal in excess of a threshold setting for the heating actuator controller means to effect energization of an associated heating stage, different heating actuator controller means having different threshold settings to enable energization of said heating stages in a predetermined sequence as the amplitude of said heating control signal increases, said heating stages being deenergized in the reverse sequence as the amplitude of the heating signal decreases.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
300 words
In a multizone environmental control system including an air conditioning unit for supplying at least cool air to a plurality of zones of a building, and outside air damper means controllable to permit outside air tO be introduced into said system, a plurality of zone controller means including an individual zone controller means for each of said zones, each of said zone controller means being operable to provide a command signal of an amplitude indicative of the air temperature of the corresponding zone, control means including cooling actuator means for effecting selective energization of cooling apparatus of said air conditioning unit in accordance with command signals provided by said zone controller means, and cooling source control means responsive to the command signals provided by the zone controller means to provide a cooling control signal indicative of the amplitude of the command signal provided by the warmest zone for controlling said cooling actuator means, said cooling actuator means being enabled by a cooling control signal of a first predetermined amplitude to normally effect energization of the cooling apparatus to enable cool air to be supplied to the zones requiring cooling, said cooling actuator means being disabled to deenergize the cooling apparatus when the cooling control signal reaches a second predetermined amplitude, said cooling source control means including first control means normally enabled whenever the temperature of the outside air is less than a first value to control said outside air damper means to permit a preselected amount of outside air to be introduced into a cooling section of said air conditioning unit prior to energization of said cooling apparatus, and a second control means enabled whenever the temperature of the outside air is below a second value to inhibit the passage of said cooling control signal to said cooling actuator means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
300 words
In a multizone environmental control system including an air conditioning unit for supplying at least cool air to a plurality of zones of a building, and outside air damper means controllable to permit outside air tO be introduced into said system, a plurality of zone controller means including an individual zone controller means for each of said zones, each of said zone controller means being operable to provide a command signal of an amplitude indicative of the air temperature of the corresponding zone, control means including cooling actuator means for effecting selective energization of cooling apparatus of said air conditioning unit in accordance with command signals provided by said zone controller means, and cooling source control means responsive to the command signals provided by the zone controller means to provide a cooling control signal indicative of the amplitude of the command signal provided by the warmest zone for controlling said cooling actuator means, said cooling actuator means being enabled by a cooling control signal of a first predetermined amplitude to normally effect energization of the cooling apparatus to enable cool air to be supplied to the zones requiring cooling, said cooling actuator means being disabled to deenergize the cooling apparatus when the cooling control signal reaches a second predetermined amplitude, said cooling source control means including first control means normally enabled whenever the temperature of the outside air is less than a first value to control said outside air damper means to permit a preselected amount of outside air to be introduced into a cooling section of said air conditioning unit prior to energization of said cooling apparatus, and a second control means enabled whenever the temperature of the outside air is below a second value to inhibit the passage of said cooling control signal to said cooling actuator means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
91 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said cooling source control means includes outside air temperature sensing means operable to provide an output signal proportional to the temperature of the outside air, said first control means including gating means and signal comparator means for comparing said output signal with a reference signal and operable to enable said gating means whenever the temperature of the outside air is less than said first value to permit said cooling control signal to be extended to said outside air damper means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
65 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said control means includes inhibit means having further signal comparator means for comparing said output signal with a further reference signal and operable to enable said inhibit means whenever the temperature of the outside air is below said second value to prevent said cooling control signal from being extended to said cooling actuator means
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 12 which includes input means having means for individually connecting outputs of said zone controller means to an input of said cooling source control means over a set of unidirectional circuit paths to enable command signals greater than a predetermined value to be extended to said cooling source control means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
361 words
In a multizone environmental control system including an air conditioning unit having heating and cooling apparatus for supplying warm and cool air to a plurality of zones of a building, a plurality of zone controller means including an individual zone controller means for each of said zones, each of said zone controller means being operable to provide a command signal which varies in amplitude in accordance with changes in the temperature in the corresponding zone, a control circuit including heat source control means and cooling source control means, input means for extending the command signal provided by the zone controller means of the coolest zone to said heat source control means and the command signal provided by the zone controller means of the warmest zone to said cooling source control means, said heat source control means including first signal comparator means for comparing the command signal extended thereto with a first reference signal and for prOviding a heat control signal related in amplitude to the difference in amplitude between said command signal and said first reference signal, and heat actuator means enabled whenever the heat control signal exceeds a predetermined amplitude for effecting energization of the heating apparatus to enable warm air to be supplied to zones requiring heating, said first signal comparator means including means for permitting the preselection of the amount of change in the amplitude of a command signal relative to said first reference signal required to enable said heat actuator means, said cooling source control means including second signal comparator means for comparing the command signal extended thereto with a second reference signal of a predetermined amplitude and for providing a cooling control signal related in amplitude to the difference between said command signal and said second reference signal, and cooling actuator means enabled whenever the cooling control signal exceeds a predetermined amplitude for effecting energization of the cooling apparatus to enable cool air to be supplied to zones requiring cooling, said second signal comparator means including means for permitting preselection of the amount of change in the amplitude of said second command signal relative to said second reference signal required to enable said cooling actuator means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
361 words
In a multizone environmental control system including an air conditioning unit having heating and cooling apparatus for supplying warm and cool air to a plurality of zones of a building, a plurality of zone controller means including an individual zone controller means for each of said zones, each of said zone controller means being operable to provide a command signal which varies in amplitude in accordance with changes in the temperature in the corresponding zone, a control circuit including heat source control means and cooling source control means, input means for extending the command signal provided by the zone controller means of the coolest zone to said heat source control means and the command signal provided by the zone controller means of the warmest zone to said cooling source control means, said heat source control means including first signal comparator means for comparing the command signal extended thereto with a first reference signal and for prOviding a heat control signal related in amplitude to the difference in amplitude between said command signal and said first reference signal, and heat actuator means enabled whenever the heat control signal exceeds a predetermined amplitude for effecting energization of the heating apparatus to enable warm air to be supplied to zones requiring heating, said first signal comparator means including means for permitting the preselection of the amount of change in the amplitude of a command signal relative to said first reference signal required to enable said heat actuator means, said cooling source control means including second signal comparator means for comparing the command signal extended thereto with a second reference signal of a predetermined amplitude and for providing a cooling control signal related in amplitude to the difference between said command signal and said second reference signal, and cooling actuator means enabled whenever the cooling control signal exceeds a predetermined amplitude for effecting energization of the cooling apparatus to enable cool air to be supplied to zones requiring cooling, said second signal comparator means including means for permitting preselection of the amount of change in the amplitude of said second command signal relative to said second reference signal required to enable said cooling actuator means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first signal comparator means includes means for preselecting the amplitude of said first reference signal to thereby establish a zone temperature at which the heat actuator means is enabled to energize the heating apparatus.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
An environmental control system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second signal comparator means includes means for preselecting the amplitude of said second reference signal to thereby establish a zone temperature at which the cooling actuator means is enabled to energize the cooling apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |