Retrofit HVAC zone climate control system

• US 20050116055A1
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emme E2MS, LLC
• Original Assignee: Home Comfort Zones Incorporated
• Inventors: Alles, Harold Gene
• Granted Patent: US 6,997,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/49.100
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/10 movable, e.g. dampers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/087 using inflatable bellows
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/0442 with volume control at a constant temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 With common valve operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A low cost and easy to install zone climate control system for retrofit to an existing forced air HVAC system, that provides independent minute-by-minute, day-by-day, and room-by-room climate control, including easy to use methods for specifying temperature schedules and providing local temperature control, and providing detailed energy use information so occupants can make informed cost versus comfort decisions.

Claims

1. A zone climate control system, for installation in an existing forced air HVAC system in a building, comprising:

1) a plurality of airflow control devices adapted for installation inside respective air vents in rooms of said building;

2) first means for controlling each said airflow control device independently, said first means mounted on a discharge plenum of said HVAC system such that said first means is accessible from an inside of said plenum; and

3) second means for connecting each said airflow control device to said first means such that said second means is entirely inside said plenum and said air ducts, and such that said first means controls each said airflow control device through said second means;

whereby said first means, said second means, and each said airflow control device of said control system are installed by accessing only said plenum and said air vents; and

whereby said air ducts are unmodified in any other way; and

whereby said air ducts remain assembled throughout said installation; and

whereby said installation is simplified.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein said airflow control devices comprise flexible bladders, each said bladder sized and shaped such that when inflated by pressurized air, airflow through a respective said air vent is substantially obstructed, and when deflated by a vacuum, airflow through a respective said air vent is substantially unobstructed, whereby said airflow control devices are controlled and actuated by applying either said pressurized air or said vacuum.

3. The control system of claim 2 wherein said bladders are positioned inside said air vents such that air grills of said HVAC system can cover said air vents without modification to said air grills, said air grills substantially obscuring from view from said rooms said bladders, whereby said airflow control devices are not substantially visible.

4. The control system of claim 1 wherein said second means comprises flexible air tubes with a diameter as small as practical and large enough to inflate and deflate the air bladders in an appropriate amount of time, whereby airflow characteristics of said air ducts are substantially unaffected by said air tubes and whereby said air ducts provide a substantially unobstructed path from said plenum to said air vents for controlling and actuating said airflow control devices.

5. A zone climate control system for retrofitting to an existing forced-air system, the existing forced-air system including a blower, at least one of a heater and a cooler, a conditioned air plenum, and a plurality of air ducts, the zone climate control system comprising:

a plurality of inflatable bladders, each disposed within a respective one of the air ducts;

a plurality of air tubes, each coupled to a respective one of the bladders and extending through a respective one of the air ducts into the conditioned air plenum;

a plurality of valves each coupled to a respective one of the air tubes;

an air pump coupled to the plurality of valves to provide pressure and vacuum; and

a computer-controlled valve actuator coupled to the plurality of valves for selectively coupling each air tube to a respective one of the pressure and the vacuum to accordingly inflate or deflate a respective one of the bladders and thereby block or pass air from the conditioned air plenum through the respective air duct.

6. The zone climate control system of claim 5 wherein:

the plurality of air tubes extends outside the conditioned air plenum.

7. The zone climate control system of claim 6 wherein:

the computer-controlled valve actuator is mounted to the outside of the conditioned air plenum.

8. A forced-air system comprising:

a blower;

at least one of a heater and a cooler coupled to the blower;

a conditioned air plenum coupled to the at least one of a heater and a cooler;

a plurality of air ducts coupled to the conditioned air plenum;

a plurality of air vents each coupled to a respective one of the air ducts;

a plurality of bladders, each disposed within a respective one of the air ducts;

a plurality of air tubes, each coupled to a respective bladder and extending from the respective bladder through the respective air duct into the conditioned air plenum; and

an air pump coupled to the plurality of air tubes to inflate and deflate the bladders.

10. The forced-air system of claim 8 further comprising:

a plurality of valves, each valve coupled between the air pump and a respective air tube.

11. The forced-air system of claim 10 further comprising:

a valve manifold coupled to the air pump and containing the plurality of valves.

12. The forced-air system of claim 8 further comprising:

a mounting strap coupled to the bladder and to the respective air vent.

13. The forced-air system of claim 12 wherein the mounting strap includes:

an air tube clamp coupling the air tube to the mounting strap; and

a mounting clamp coupling the bladder to the mounting strap.

9. (canceled)