US6688384B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heating and cooling energy saving device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 2001-07-03
•
Granted: 2004-02-10
•
Expires: 2021-07-03
Abstract
Abstract An energy savings device (ESD) for regulating the temperature of individual rooms or areas within a facility having a central heating and cooling plant. The device includes a fan and thermostats to control the temperature in each room. A first thermostat is located within the energy savings device to activate a fan only when a baseboard-heating element, cooling element or conduit provides a pre-selected sufficient temperature level range to activate a fan. Another thermostat is located remotely in each room and communicates to each ESD to deactivate the fan when the temperature in any room exceeds or is less than the desired temperature level. The desired temperature level may be higher or lower than a main thermostat setting that controls the central heating and cooling plant, in accordance with a heating or cooling mode, respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony B. Eoga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:05
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F11/00; F24F11/30; F24F11/46; F24F11/50; F24F11/56; F24F11/70; F24F11/72; F24F11/74; F24F11/76; F24F11/77; G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/1919; F24F11/54; F24F2110/00; F24F2110/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
An energy savings device for use within a facility heating and cooling plant having conduits that circulate fluid for transferring or removing heat from areas within the facility, said energy savings device comprising: a housing adapted to be secured to the conduits; a first thermostat for sensing the temperature of the fluid within one of the conduits, the fluid attaining a first pre-selected temperature based on the operation of said facility heating and cooling plant; a second thermostat for sensing the temperature within an area of the facility and for comparing the sensed temperature of said area of the facility to a second user-selected temperature; and a fan contained within said housing, said fan being in electrical communication with said first thermostat and with said second thermostat and operational to transfer heat to, or remove heat from, said area of the facility to substantially maintain said area near said second user-selected temperature, wherein said fan is energized when the fluid attains said first pre-selected temperature and is de-energized when said area of the facility attains said second user-selected temperature.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
An energy savings device for use within a facility heating and cooling plant having conduits that circulate fluid for transferring or removing heat from areas within the facility, said energy savings device comprising: a housing adapted to be secured to the conduits; a first thermostat for sensing the temperature of the fluid within one of the conduits, the fluid attaining a first pre-selected temperature based on the operation of said facility heating and cooling plant; a second thermostat for sensing the temperature within an area of the facility and for comparing the sensed temperature of said area of the facility to a second user-selected temperature; and a fan contained within said housing, said fan being in electrical communication with said first thermostat and with said second thermostat and operational to transfer heat to, or remove heat from, said area of the facility to substantially maintain said area near said second user-selected temperature, wherein said fan is energized when the fluid attains said first pre-selected temperature and is de-energized when said area of the facility attains said second user-selected temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The energy savings device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the facility heating and cooling plant is set to a third temperature that is different than said second user-selected temperature of said area of the facility.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The energy savings device as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first pre-selected temperature is higher than said second user-selected temperature.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The energy savings device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said area of the facility is maintained at a higher temperature than said third temperature of said hearing and cooling plant.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The energy savings device as recited in claim 2 , wherein said first pre-selected temperature is lower than said second user-selected temperature.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The energy savings device as recited in claim 5 , wherein said area of the facility is maintained at a lower temperature than said third temperature of said heating and cooling plant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
162 words
A thermal energy transfer device for use within a facility heating and cooling plant having conduits that circulate fluid for transferring or removing heat from areas within the facility, said thermal energy transfer device comprising: a housing adapted to be fastened to the conduits; a first thermostat operative to energize said thermal energy transfer device when the fluid flowing through the conduits attains a first pre-selected temperature, the fluid attaining said first pre-selected temperature based on the operation of said facility heating and cooling plant; and a second thermostat operative to de-energize said thermal energy transfer device when an area of the facility under thermal control of the second thermostat attains a second user-selected temperature as measured by said second thermostat, wherein during periods when said thermal energy transfer device is energized, said thermal energy transfer device assists said facility heating and cooling plant in maintaining the temperature of said area of facility under thermal control substantially near said second user-selected temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
162 words
A thermal energy transfer device for use within a facility heating and cooling plant having conduits that circulate fluid for transferring or removing heat from areas within the facility, said thermal energy transfer device comprising: a housing adapted to be fastened to the conduits; a first thermostat operative to energize said thermal energy transfer device when the fluid flowing through the conduits attains a first pre-selected temperature, the fluid attaining said first pre-selected temperature based on the operation of said facility heating and cooling plant; and a second thermostat operative to de-energize said thermal energy transfer device when an area of the facility under thermal control of the second thermostat attains a second user-selected temperature as measured by said second thermostat, wherein during periods when said thermal energy transfer device is energized, said thermal energy transfer device assists said facility heating and cooling plant in maintaining the temperature of said area of facility under thermal control substantially near said second user-selected temperature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The thermal energy transfer device as recited in claim 7 , wherein the facility heating and cooling plant is set to a third temperature that is different than said second user-selected temperature of said area of the facility under control.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The thermal energy transfer device as recited in claim 8 , wherein said first pre-selected temperature is higher than said second user-selected temperature, and wherein said second user-selected temperature is higher than said third temperature of said heating and cooling plant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The thermal energy transfer device as recited in claim 8 , wherein said first pre-selected temperature is lower than said second user-selected temperature, and said second user-selected temperature is lower than said third temperature of said heating and cooling plant.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of operating an energy savings device to regulate a temperature of an area under thermal control, the energy savings device being located within a facility heating and cooling plant that has conduits that circulate fluid for transferring or removing heat from areas within the facility, said method comprising: energizing said energy savings device when a temperature of the fluid crosses a threshold first pre-selected temperature in a first direction, the fluid attaining said first pre-selected temperature based on the operation of said facility heating and cooling plant; transferring thermal energy from the fluid to an area of the facility under thermal control; regulating said area of the facility to a second user-selected temperature and de-energizing said energy savings device once said second user-selected temperature is attained in said area of the facility; and thereafter, cycling the energy savings device to substantially maintain said area of the facility at said second user-selected temperature until the temperature of the fluid within the conduits crosses said threshold first pre-selected temperature in a second direction opposite said first direction.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of operating an energy savings device to regulate a temperature of an area under thermal control, the energy savings device being located within a facility heating and cooling plant that has conduits that circulate fluid for transferring or removing heat from areas within the facility, said method comprising: energizing said energy savings device when a temperature of the fluid crosses a threshold first pre-selected temperature in a first direction, the fluid attaining said first pre-selected temperature based on the operation of said facility heating and cooling plant; transferring thermal energy from the fluid to an area of the facility under thermal control; regulating said area of the facility to a second user-selected temperature and de-energizing said energy savings device once said second user-selected temperature is attained in said area of the facility; and thereafter, cycling the energy savings device to substantially maintain said area of the facility at said second user-selected temperature until the temperature of the fluid within the conduits crosses said threshold first pre-selected temperature in a second direction opposite said first direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein said heating and cooling plant is set to a heating mode and to a third temperature which is lower than said second user-selected temperature.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein said first pre-selected temperature is higher than said second user-selected temperature and said third temperature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein said thermal energy transfer is performed by a fan that accelerates the thermal energy transfer from said fluid to said area of the facility beyond a nominal thermal energy transfer rate of the heating and cooling plant to heat said area of the facility under thermal control.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein said heating and cooling plant is set so a cooling mode and to a fourth temperature which is higher than said second user-selected temperature.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein said first pre-selected temperature is lower than said second user-selected temperature and said fourth temperature.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein said thermal energy transfer is performed by a fan that accelerates the thermal energy transfer from said fluid to said area of the facility beyond a nominal transfer rate of the heating and cooling plant to cool the area under control.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1778560A
Cited
US2300418A
Cited
US2474369A
Cited
US3018712A
Cited
US4058253A
Cited
US4215408A
Cited
US4244193A
Cited
US4347712A
Cited
US4379483A
Cited
US4718021A
Cited
US4852637A
Cited
US5038851A
Cited
US5024379A
Cited
US5103896A
Cited
US5209073A
Cited
US5211713A
Cited
US5117900A
Cited
US5180102A
Cited
US5400852A
Cited
US6105927A
Cited
US5501268A
Cited
US5407002A
Cited
US5622221A
Cited
US5887651A
Cited
US5927398A
Cited
US6000232A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-02-09 | 2007-08-11 | 2008-02-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-02-09 | 2011-08-11 | 2012-02-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-02-09 | 2015-08-11 | 2016-02-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |