VENTILATOR SYSTEM FOR RECIRCULATION OF AIR AND REGULATING INDOOR AIR TEMPERATURE

• US 20120052786A1
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mark Clawsey
• Original Assignee: Mark Clawsey
• Inventors: Clawsey, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/318,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20120052786A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/229
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/125 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/065 fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/108 using dry filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

An air circulator for amplifying and manipulating high volumes of low velocity air in order to circulate and regulate indoor air temperature within a commercial or an industrial environment. The air circulator includes a housing and a support member. The housing has an airflow passageway with a bottom end defining an air intake and a top end defining an air outlet. The air circulator further includes a fan positioned within the airflow passageway of the housing substantially adjacent to the top end of the housing. The support member supports the housing so as to dispose the air intake above the ground. The fan and the air outlet are configured to discharge air having a significant vertical component and a significant lateral component.

Claims

1. An apparatus for circulating air comprising:

a) a housing having an airflow passageway with a bottom end defining an air intake and a top end defining an air outlet;

b) a support member for supporting the housing and for disposing the air intake above a support surface;

c) a fan positioned within the airflow passageway of the housing substantially adjacent to the top end of the housing; and

d) a drive coupled to the fan for operating the fan so as to blow air from the air intake to the air outlet;

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan and the air outlet are configured such that the air exiting the air outlet has a flow direction with a significant vertical component and a significant lateral component.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vertical component is between about 40% to 80% of the total airflow, and the lateral component is between about 60% to 20% of the total flow.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vertical component is about 60% of the total airflow, and the lateral component is about 40% of the total airflow.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a first height is defined between the fan and the top end of the housing;

a second height is defined between the bottom end of the housing and the top end of the housing; and

the first height is less than half of the second height.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a first height is defined between the fan and the top end of the housing;

a second height is defined between the bottom end of the housing and the top end of the housing; and

the first height is less than one third of the second height.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a first height is defined between the fan and the top end of the housing;

a second height is defined between the bottom end of the housing and the top end of the housing; and

the first height is about one tenth of the second height.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan is positioned between about 0 inches and about 10 inches below the top end of the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one air filter for filtering air passing through the airflow passageway of the housing, the air filter positioned at least 20 inches below the fan.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one air filter for filtering air passing through the airflow passageway of the housing, and wherein a second height is defined between the bottom end of the housing and the top end of the housing, and wherein a third height is defined between the at least one filter and the fan such that the third height is more than about half of the second height.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one air filter for filtering air passing through the airflow passageway of the housing, and wherein a second height is defined between the bottom end of the housing and the top end of the housing, and wherein a third height is defined between the at least one filter and the fan such that the third height is more than about two thirds of the second height.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one air filter having a rectangular shape for filtering air passing through the airflow passageway of the housing.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one air filter defining a filtration surface area for filtering air passing through the airflow passageway of the housing, and wherein the airflow passageway of the housing has a cross-sectional area less than the filtration surface area.

14. An apparatus for circulating air comprising:

a) a housing having an airflow passageway with a bottom end defining an air intake and a top end defining an air outlet;

b) a support member for supporting the housing and for disposing the air intake above a support surface;

c) a fan positioned within the airflow passageway of the housing; and

d) a drive coupled to the fan for operating the fan so as to blow air from the air intake to the air outlet

e) wherein the fan and the air outlet are configured such that the air exiting the air outlet has a flow direction with a significant vertical component and a significant lateral component.

15. A system for circulating air comprising:

a) an air circulator comprising;

i) a housing having airflow passageway with a bottom end defining an air intake and a top end defining an air outlet;

ii) a support member for supporting the housing and for disposing the air intake above a support surface;

iii) a fan positioned within the airflow passageway of the housing; and

iv) a drive coupled to the fan for operating the fan so as to blow air from the air intake to the air outlet;

b) a first temperature sensor for measuring air temperature in a lower portion of a building;

c) a second temperature sensor for measuring air temperature in an upper portion of the building;

d) a controller for determining a temperature differential based on measurements from the first and second temperature sensors, wherein the controller operates the fan based on the temperature differential.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller adjusts a fan speed for the fan based on the temperature differential.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller outputs an AC electrical signal having a frequency for operating the fan, and wherein the controller adjusts the frequency to control the fan speed.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the AC electrical signal output by the controller has a substantially constant voltage.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the fan is positioned substantially adjacent to the top end of the housing.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the fan and the air outlet are configured such that the air exiting the air outlet has a flow direction with a significant vertical component and a significant lateral component.