Air conditioner mister, apparatus and method

• US 10,584,910 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2015
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SmartAC.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mistbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Nachefski, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradford, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/880,888
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 62 91, 62171, 62183, 62305
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 48/00 Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2339/047 Water-cooled condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/19 Refrigerant outlet condenser temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/003 for cooling refrigerating machinery
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2600/04 Controlling heat transfer

Abstract

A mister has an on state and an off state. A sensor detects when an air conditioner turns on. The sensor does not flex with respect to the air conditioner. A driver circuit is coupled to the sensor and the mister. The driver circuit transitions the mister from the off state to the on state when the sensor detects the air conditioner turning on.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a mister having an on state and an off state;

a plurality of sensors to detect when an air conditioner activates, each of the sensors detecting a different condition indicative of air conditioner compressor activation, and

a driver circuit coupled to the plurality of sensors and the mister, the driver circuit configured to transition the mister from the off state to the on state only when all of the plurality of sensors detect the air conditioner compressor activating;

wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is a sensor selected from the group consisting of;

an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detector configured to detect a change in electromagnetic field caused by operation of a motor in an air conditioner, and

an acoustic detector configured to detect sound waves generated by the air conditioner; and

wherein the mister applies water-based cooling to the air conditioner when the mister is in the on state.

2. A method comprising:

detecting activation of an air conditioner with all of a plurality of sensors, each of the sensors detecting a different condition indicative of air conditioner compressor activation, and, as a result, causing a driver circuit configured to transition a mister from an off state to an on state only when all of the plurality of sensors detect the air conditioner compressor activating to transition the mister from the off state to the on state; and

detecting deactivation of the air conditioner compressor with any one of the plurality of sensors, and, as a result, causing the driver circuit to transition the mister from the on state to the off state;

wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is a sensor selected from the group consisting of;

an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detector configured to detect a change in electromagnetic field caused by operation of a motor in an air conditioner, and

an acoustic detector configured to detect sound waves generated by the air conditioner; and

wherein the mister applies water-based cooling to the air conditioner when the mister is in the on state.

3. A system comprising:

an air conditioner;

a mister mechanically coupled to the air conditioner, the mister having an on state and an off state;

a controller coupled to the mister, the controller comprising;

a plurality of sensors to detect when an air conditioner activates, each of the sensors detecting a different condition indicative of air conditioner compressor activation, and

a driver circuit coupled to the plurality of sensors, the driver circuit configured to transition the mister from the off state to the on state only when all of the plurality of sensors detect the air conditioner compressor activating;

wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is a sensor selected from the group consisting of;

an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detector configured to detect a change in electromagnetic field caused by operation of a motor in the air conditioner, and

an acoustic detector configured to detect sound waves generated by the air conditioner; and

wherein the mister applies water-based cooling to the air conditioner when the mister is in the on state.

4. An apparatus comprising:

a mister having an on state and an off state;

a plurality of sensors to detect that water based pre-cooling should be applied to an air conditioner, each of the sensors detecting a different condition generated by operation of an air conditioner compressor, and

a driver circuit coupled to the plurality of sensors and the mister, the driver circuit transitioning the mister from the off state to the on state only when all of the plurality of sensors detect that water based pre-cooling should be applied to the air conditioner;

wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is a sensor selected from the group consisting of;

an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detector configured to detect a change in electromagnetic field caused by operation of a motor in the air conditioner compressor, and

an acoustic detector configured to detect sound waves generated by the air conditioner compressor; and

wherein the mister applies water-based cooling to the air conditioner when the mister is in the on state.

5. A method comprising:

detecting with all of a plurality of sensors coupled to a driver circuit that water based pre- cooling should be applied to an air conditioner, each of the sensors detecting a different condition generated by operation of an air conditioner compressor, and, as a result, the driver circuit transitioning a mister from an off state to an on state; and

detecting with at least one of the plurality of sensors that water based pre-cooling should no longer be applied to the air conditioner, and, as a result, the driver circuit transitioning the mister from the on state to the off state;

wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is a sensor selected from the group consisting of;

an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detector configured to detect a change in electromagnetic field caused by operation of a motor in the air conditioner, and

an acoustic detector configured to detect sound waves generated by the air conditioner; and

wherein the mister applies water-based cooling to the air conditioner when the mister is in the on state.

6. A system comprising:

an air conditioner;

a mister mechanically coupled to the air conditioner, the mister having an on state and an off state;

a controller coupled to the mister, the controller comprising;

a plurality of sensors to detect that water based pre-cooling should be applied to an air conditioner, each of the sensors detecting a different condition generated by operation of an air conditioner compressor, and

a driver circuit coupled to the plurality of sensors, the driver circuit transitioning the mister from the off state to the on state only when all of the plurality of sensors detect that water based pre-cooling should be applied to the air conditioner;

wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is a sensor selected from the group consisting of;

an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) detector configured to detect a change in electromagnetic field caused by operation of a motor in the air conditioner, and

an acoustic detector configured to detect sound waves generated by the air conditioner; and

wherein the mister applies water-based cooling to the air conditioner when the mister is in the on state.