Patent US5277244A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5277244A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Relay contact monitoring system
Assignee: Hunter Fan Co
•
Filing: 1992-10-20
•
Granted: 1994-01-11
•
Expires: 2012-10-20
Abstract
Abstract A switching system for switching on and off heating and air conditioning units in an environmental control system. The switching system includes a thermostat and a relay conductively coupled to the thermostat. The relay has a contact, which is responsive to a change signal for changing its position. The system further includes a programmable monitor having predetermined positions stored in a memory. The monitor is conductively coupled to the contact and to the thermostat for continually determining the position of the contact, and for sending a change signal to the relay for switching the position of the contact, as needed, to be in conformance with a predetermined position stored in the memory.
Inventors
- 👤 Vinay Mehta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 21:03
CPC Classifications
F; F23; F23N; F23N5/00; F23N5/24; F23N5/242; G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/1906; G05D23/1909; F23N2223/00; F23N2223/08; H; H01; H01H; H01H47/00; H01H47/002; H01H2047/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
An air temperature control system comprising: a. a thermostat; b. a relay conductively coupled to the thermostat, the relay having a contact; c. a programmable monitor conductively coupled to the contact and to the thermostat for continually determining the position of the contact, and adjusting the position to be in conformance with a predetermined position stored in the monitor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
59 words
An air temperature control system comprising: a. a thermostat; b. a relay conductively coupled to the thermostat, the relay having a contact; c. a programmable monitor conductively coupled to the contact and to the thermostat for continually determining the position of the contact, and adjusting the position to be in conformance with a predetermined position stored in the monitor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The air temperature control system of claim 1 wherein the thermostat is a microprocessor-controlled programmable thermostat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The air temperature control system of claim 2 wherein the monitor has a memory containing predetermined positions for the contact.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The air temperature control system of claim 3 wherein the relay is a snap action pulse relay.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The air temperature control system of claim 4, further including an air conditioning unit and a heating unit, and wherein the contact makes a connection between the thermostat and one of the units.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A programmable thermostat for use in an environmental control system, the thermostat comprising: a. a relay having a contact; b. a microprocessor conductively coupled to the contact for continually determining the position of the contact, and adjusting the position to be in conformance with a predetermined position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A programmable thermostat for use in an environmental control system, the thermostat comprising: a. a relay having a contact; b. a microprocessor conductively coupled to the contact for continually determining the position of the contact, and adjusting the position to be in conformance with a predetermined position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The thermostat of claim 6 wherein the thermostat is a microprocessor-controlled programmable thermostat.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The thermostat of claim 7 wherein the microprocessor has a memory containing predetermined positions for the contact.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The thermostat of claim 8 wherein the relay is a snap action pulse relay.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The thermostat of claim 9, wherein the environmental control system includes an air conditioning unit and a heating unit, and wherein the contact makes a connection between the thermostat and one of the units.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
110 words
A switching system for switching on and off a heating unit and an air conditioning unit in an environmental control system, the switching system comprising: a. a thermostat; b. a relay conductively coupled to the thermostat, the relay having a contact, the relay responsive to a change signal for changing its position; c. a programmable monitor having predetermined positions stored in a memory, the monitor conductively coupled to the contact and to the thermostat for continually determining the position of the contact, and for sending a change signal to the relay for switching the position of the contact to be in conformance with a predetermined position stored in the memory.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
110 words
A switching system for switching on and off a heating unit and an air conditioning unit in an environmental control system, the switching system comprising: a. a thermostat; b. a relay conductively coupled to the thermostat, the relay having a contact, the relay responsive to a change signal for changing its position; c. a programmable monitor having predetermined positions stored in a memory, the monitor conductively coupled to the contact and to the thermostat for continually determining the position of the contact, and for sending a change signal to the relay for switching the position of the contact to be in conformance with a predetermined position stored in the memory.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The switching system of claim 11 wherein the change signal is a voltage pulse.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The switching system of claim 12 wherein the relay is a snap action relay.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The switching system of claim 13 wherein the thermostat is a microprocessor-controlled programmable thermostat.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for switching on and off heating and air conditioning units in an environmental control system, the system having a microprocessor-controlled programmable thermostat, a snap action relay conductively coupled to the thermostat, the relay having a contact, the relay responsive to a voltage pulse for changing the contact's position, and a programmable monitor conductively coupled to the contact and to the thermostat, the monitor having a memory, the method comprising the steps of: a. storing predetermined contact positions in the memory; b. continually determining the position of the contact; c. comparing the position of the contact with the predetermined contact positions; and d. correcting the position by sending a voltage pulse to the relay for switching the position of the contact to be in conformance with a predetermined position stored in the memory.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for switching on and off heating and air conditioning units in an environmental control system, the system having a microprocessor-controlled programmable thermostat, a snap action relay conductively coupled to the thermostat, the relay having a contact, the relay responsive to a voltage pulse for changing the contact's position, and a programmable monitor conductively coupled to the contact and to the thermostat, the monitor having a memory, the method comprising the steps of: a. storing predetermined contact positions in the memory; b. continually determining the position of the contact; c. comparing the position of the contact with the predetermined contact positions; and d. correcting the position by sending a voltage pulse to the relay for switching the position of the contact to be in conformance with a predetermined position stored in the memory.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1979114A
Cited
US2786989A
Cited
US2825050A
Cited
US3872473A
Cited
US3967180A
Cited
US4236149A
Cited
US4468768A
Cited
US4531198A
Cited
US4456943A
Cited
US4682279A
Cited
US4558227A
Cited
US4534406A
Cited
US4681190A
Cited
US4661766A
Cited
US4899130A
Cited
US4985638A
Cited
US4864285A
Cited
US5008516A
Cited
US4898229A
Cited
US5107918A
Cited
US5127464A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-01-10 | 1997-07-12 | 1998-01-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-01-10 | 2001-07-12 | 2002-01-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-01-10 | 2005-07-12 | 2006-01-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |