Control for humidifier of the type used with thermostatically controlled furnace

Claim 2

A control for use with a humidifier, capable of drawing electrical power from an electrical power source, adapted to be coupled to a hot-air furnace controlled by a thermostat so that moisture is added to heated air leaving said furnace at such time as said humidifier is energized, said thermostat controlling energization of said furnace and providing relatively short furnace operation cycles in warm weather and relatively longer furnace operation cycles in colder weather, said control being connected to said humidifier and to said electrical power source for said humidifier to energize said humidifier for a predetermined continuous period of time within said furnace operation cycle.

Claim 3

The control of claim 1 wherein the predetermined continuous period of time is longer than the duration of the shortest furnace operation cycle which occurs when the ambient temperature is above 0 degrees C. and shorter than the duration of the furnace operation cycle that occurs when the ambient temperature is the lowest usually encountered in the geographic area.

Claim 4

The control of claim 1 including means for manual adjustment of said predetermined continuous period of time.

Claim 5

A heating system for an enclosed volume, comprising: a hot-air furnace having an electrically energized blower capable of drawing power from an electrical power source; a thermostat for controlling the energization of said furnace and said blower to maintain a setpoint temperature within said enclosed volume, said thermostat being operative to control said furnace and said blower so as to provide relatively short energization cycles when the ambient temperature is relatively high and longer energization cycles when the ambient temperature is relatively low; an electrically powered humidifier connected to said furnace so that heated air from said furnace passes through said humidifier; and a control connected to said furnace, said humidifier, and said electrical power source, operative to energize said humidifier for a predetermined continuous period of time starting at the beginning of each furnace energization cycle and to de-energize said humidifier at such time as the predetermined continuous period of time terminates or said furnace is de-energized, whichever occurs first.

Claim 6

A heating system for an enclosed volume, comprising: a hot-air furnace having an electrically energized blower capable of drawing power from an electrical power source; a thermostat for controlling the energization of said furnace and said blower to maintain a setpoint temperature within said enclosed volume, said thermostat being operative to control said furnace and said blower so as to provide relatively short energization cycles when the ambient temperature is relatively high and longer energization cycles when the ambient temperature is relatively low; an electrically powered humidifier connected to said furnace so that heated air from said furnace passes through said humidifier; and a control connected to said furnace, said humidifier, and said electrical power source, operative to energize said humidifier for a predetermined continuous period of time starting at the beginning of each furnace energization cycle and to de-energize said humidifier at such time as the predetermined continuous period of time terminates or said furnace is de-energized, whichever occurs first.

Claim 7

The system of claim 4 including manually adjustable means for controlling the length of said predetermined time period.

Claim 8

A control system for an electrically energized humidifier operative to receive the hot air output of a furnace having a blower, comprising: a timer circuit adapted to measure a predetermined period of time, means for initiating said timer circuit each time said blower is energized, and means for providing electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower begins and terminating electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower stops or said predetermined period of time ends, whichever occurs first.

Claim 9

A control system for an electrically energized humidifier operative to receive the hot air output of a furnace having a blower, comprising: a timer circuit adapted to measure a predetermined period of time, means for initiating said timer circuit each time said blower is energized, and means for providing electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower begins and terminating electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower stops or said predetermined period of time ends, whichever occurs first.

Claim 10

The control system of claim 6, wherein said timer circuit is manually adjustable to control the length of said predetermined period of time.

Claim 13

The method of claim 8 including the step of adjusting the predetermined time period to prevent condensation of moisture from humidified air during periods of low ambient temperature.

Claim 14

A control system for an electrically energized humidifier operative to receive the hot air output of a furnace having a blower, comprising: a timer circuit adapted to measure a predetermined period of time, means for initiating said timer circuit each time said blower is energized, and means for providing electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower begins and terminating electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower stops or said predetermined period of time ends, whichever occurs first, said timer circuit and said humidifier being electrically in series, said timer circuit being adapted to selectively interrupt electrical power to the humidifier within said predetermined period of time in order to derive its own operating electrical power.

Claim 15

A control system for an electrically energized humidifier operative to receive the hot air output of a furnace having a blower, comprising: a timer circuit adapted to measure a predetermined period of time, means for initiating said timer circuit each time said blower is energized, and means for providing electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower begins and terminating electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower stops or said predetermined period of time ends, whichever occurs first, said timer circuit and said humidifier being electrically in series, said timer circuit being adapted to selectively interrupt electrical power to the humidifier within said predetermined period of time in order to derive its own operating electrical power.

Claim 16

A heating system for an enclosed volume, comprising: a hot-air furnace having an electrically energized blower capable of drawing power from an electrical power source; a thermostat for controlling the energization of said furnace and said blower to maintain a setpoint temperature within said enclosed volume, said thermostat being operative to control said furnace and said blower so as to provide relatively short energization cycles when the ambient temperature is relatively high and longer energization cycles when the ambient temperature is relatively low; an electrically powered humidifier connected to said furnace so that heated air from said furnace passes through said humidifier; and a control connected to said furnace, said humidifier, and said electrical power source, comprising: a timer circuit adapted to measure a predetermined period of time, means for initiating said timer circuit each time said blower is energized, and means for providing electrical power to said humdifier when said energization of said blower begins and terminating electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower stops or said predetermined period of time ends, whichever occurs first, said timer circuit and said humdifier being electrically in series, said timer circuit being adapted to selectively interrupt electrical power to the humdifier before said predetermined period of time ends in order to derive its own operating electrical power.

Claim 17

A heating system for an enclosed volume, comprising: a hot-air furnace having an electrically energized blower capable of drawing power from an electrical power source; a thermostat for controlling the energization of said furnace and said blower to maintain a setpoint temperature within said enclosed volume, said thermostat being operative to control said furnace and said blower so as to provide relatively short energization cycles when the ambient temperature is relatively high and longer energization cycles when the ambient temperature is relatively low; an electrically powered humidifier connected to said furnace so that heated air from said furnace passes through said humidifier; and a control connected to said furnace, said humidifier, and said electrical power source, comprising: a timer circuit adapted to measure a predetermined period of time, means for initiating said timer circuit each time said blower is energized, and means for providing electrical power to said humdifier when said energization of said blower begins and terminating electrical power to said humidifier when said energization of said blower stops or said predetermined period of time ends, whichever occurs first, said timer circuit and said humdifier being electrically in series, said timer circuit being adapted to selectively interrupt electrical power to the humdifier before said predetermined period of time ends in order to derive its own operating electrical power.