US6986708B2 — Method and apparatus for delivering conditioned a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 152 words

A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a space located above a ceiling overlying the room, said method comprising: separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum, said supply and return plenums together occupying a substantial portion of the volume of said space and being located generally one above the other; delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into said return plenum; and discharging the return air from said return plenum; wherein said supply plenum is above and adjacent to said ceiling and said return plenum is above and adjacent to said supply plenum, and wherein said step of separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum comprises suspending a substantially horizontal partition in said space at a location above and generally parallel to said ceiling.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 152 words

A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a space located above a ceiling overlying the room, said method comprising: separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum, said supply and return plenums together occupying a substantial portion of the volume of said space and being located generally one above the other; delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into said return plenum; and discharging the return air from said return plenum; wherein said supply plenum is above and adjacent to said ceiling and said return plenum is above and adjacent to said supply plenum, and wherein said step of separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum comprises suspending a substantially horizontal partition in said space at a location above and generally parallel to said ceiling.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as set in claim 1 , wherein said step of delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum comprises delivering conditioned air thereto at a pressure less than about 0.1 inches wg above a pressure of the room.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

A method as set in claim 2 , wherein said step of delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum comprises delivering conditioned air thereto at a pressure of approximately 0.05 inches wg above the pressure of the room.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as set in claim 3 , including the step of maintaining said return plenum at a pressure of approximately 0.02 inches wg below the pressure of the room.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 71 words

A method as set in claim 1 , wherein: said step of discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room comprises discharging the air into the room at a selected location on the ceiling; and said step of directing return air from the room into said return plenum comprises directing the return air out of the room through the ceiling at a location adjacent to said selected location.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 54 words

A method as set in claim 1 , wherein said step of discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room comprises: sensing a temperature condition in the room; and varying the volume rate of flow from the supply plenum into the room in a manner that depends on said temperature condition.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as set in claim 1 , wherein said step of discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room is carried out at a substantially constant volume rate of air flow.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method as set in claim 1 , including the steps of providing a bypass path from said return plenum to said supply plenums; and forcing a selected amount of air from the return plenum into the supply plenum through said bypass path.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 68 words

A method as set in claim 1 , wherein said supply plenum and said return plenum are normally maintained at a pressure of approximately zero and said step of discharging conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room comprises arranging an intake side of a fan in communication with said supply plenum and selectively activating said fan to direct air from said supply plenum into the room.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as set forth in claim 9 , including the step of heating the air at a location downstream from said fan before the air enters the room.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 180 words

A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a space located above a ceiling overlying the room, said method comprising: separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum, said supply and return plenums together occupying a substantial portion of the volume of said space and being located generally one above the other; delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into said return plenum; discharging the return air from said return plenum; providing a bypass path from said return plenum to said supply plenum; closing said bypass path when conditioned air is being discharged from said supply plenum into the room; stopping the discharge of conditioned air from the supply plenum into the room at selected times; opening said bypass path at selected times when the discharge of conditioned air from the supply plenum into the room is stopped; and forcing air through said bypass path from the return plenum into the room when said bypass path is open.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 180 words

A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a space located above a ceiling overlying the room, said method comprising: separating said space into a supply plenum and a return plenum, said supply and return plenums together occupying a substantial portion of the volume of said space and being located generally one above the other; delivering conditioned air to said supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from said supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into said return plenum; discharging the return air from said return plenum; providing a bypass path from said return plenum to said supply plenum; closing said bypass path when conditioned air is being discharged from said supply plenum into the room; stopping the discharge of conditioned air from the supply plenum into the room at selected times; opening said bypass path at selected times when the discharge of conditioned air from the supply plenum into the room is stopped; and forcing air through said bypass path from the return plenum into the room when said bypass path is open.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as set in claim 11 , including the step of heating the air flowing through said bypass path.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 125 words

Apparatus for delivering conditioned air to a room having a ceiling and a space above the ceiling, said apparatus comprising: a supply plenum in said space; a return plenum in said space, said supply plenum and said return plenum together occupying a substantial portion of said space; a source of conditioned air connected with said supply plenum to deliver conditioner air thereto; an air register in the ceiling arranged to direct conditioned air into the room from said supply plenum; a return air path extending from the room to said return plenum to direct return air to said return plenum; said supply plenum immediately overlies said ceiling; and said return plenum immediately overlies said supply plenum and is separated therefrom by a substantially horizontal partition.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 125 words

Apparatus for delivering conditioned air to a room having a ceiling and a space above the ceiling, said apparatus comprising: a supply plenum in said space; a return plenum in said space, said supply plenum and said return plenum together occupying a substantial portion of said space; a source of conditioned air connected with said supply plenum to deliver conditioner air thereto; an air register in the ceiling arranged to direct conditioned air into the room from said supply plenum; a return air path extending from the room to said return plenum to direct return air to said return plenum; said supply plenum immediately overlies said ceiling; and said return plenum immediately overlies said supply plenum and is separated therefrom by a substantially horizontal partition.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 44 words

Apparatus as set in claim 13 , wherein said return air path includes: a return register in the ceiling; and a generally vertical conduit extending from said return register to said return plenum, said conduit extending through and being sealed from said supply plenum.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus as set in claim 14 , wherein said air register and said return register are adjacent to one another.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus as set in claim 15 , wherein said air register is arranged to direct air generally away from said return register.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as set in claim 13 , including a control for said air register arranged to control the volume rate of air flow through said air register into the room.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 137 words

Apparatus for delivering conditioned air to a room having a ceiling and a space above the ceiling, said apparatus comprising: a supply plenum in said space; a return plenum in said space, said supply plenum and said return plenum together occupying a substantial portion of said space; a source of conditioned air connected with said supply plenum to deliver conditioner air thereto; an air register in the ceiling arranged to direct conditioned air into the room from said supply plenum; a return air path extending from the room to said return plenum to direct return air to said return plenum; a bypass path from said return plenum to said supply plenum; and a fan having an active condition wherein air is forced by said fan through said bypass path from said return plenum to said supply plenum.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 137 words

Apparatus for delivering conditioned air to a room having a ceiling and a space above the ceiling, said apparatus comprising: a supply plenum in said space; a return plenum in said space, said supply plenum and said return plenum together occupying a substantial portion of said space; a source of conditioned air connected with said supply plenum to deliver conditioner air thereto; an air register in the ceiling arranged to direct conditioned air into the room from said supply plenum; a return air path extending from the room to said return plenum to direct return air to said return plenum; a bypass path from said return plenum to said supply plenum; and a fan having an active condition wherein air is forced by said fan through said bypass path from said return plenum to said supply plenum.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 119 words

A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a space located above a ceiling overlying the room, the method comprising: separating the space into a supply plenum and a return plenum, wherein separating the space includes suspending a substantially horizontal partition in the space at a location above and generally parallel to the ceiling, and wherein the supply and return plenums together occupy a substantial portion of the volume of the space and are located generally one above the other; delivering conditioned air to the supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from the supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into the return plenum; and discharging the return air from the return plenum.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 119 words

A method for delivering conditioned air to a room having a space located above a ceiling overlying the room, the method comprising: separating the space into a supply plenum and a return plenum, wherein separating the space includes suspending a substantially horizontal partition in the space at a location above and generally parallel to the ceiling, and wherein the supply and return plenums together occupy a substantial portion of the volume of the space and are located generally one above the other; delivering conditioned air to the supply plenum; discharging the conditioned air from the supply plenum into the room; directing return air from the room into the return plenum; and discharging the return air from the return plenum.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein the supply plenum is above and adjacent to the ceiling and the return plenum is above and adjacent to the supply plenum.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 20 , wherein the supply plenum abuts the ceiling and wherein the return plenum abuts the partition.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein the supply plenum further abuts the partition.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein one of the plenums is at least partially bounded by the ceiling.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein one of the plenums is at least partially bounded by the partition.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein one of the plenums is at least partially bounded by both the ceiling and the partition and wherein the other plenum is at least partially bounded by the partition.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein the conditioned air is delivered to the supply plenum at a pressure less than about 0.1 inches wg above a pressure of the room.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 19 , further comprising: providing a bypass path from the return plenum to the supply plenum; and forcing a selected amount of air from the return plenum into the supply plenum through the bypass path.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2009-01-16	2009-07-18	2010-01-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2013-01-16	2013-07-18	2014-01-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2017-01-16	2017-07-18	2018-01-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for delivering conditioned air using dual plenums

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