RELAY-TYPE CONTROL FOR AIR CONDITIONER

• US 3,599,710 A
• Filed: 10/24/1969
• Issued: 08/17/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald N. Joslin
• Original Assignee: Donald N. Joslin
• Inventors: Joslin, Donald N.
• Application Number:
  US04/869,302
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• US Class Current: 165/259
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/00 Control or safety arrangements
• 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 11/76 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 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/54 Heating and cooling, simultaneously or alternatively
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1912 whose output amplitude can take more than two discrete values
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/275 with sensing element expanding, contracting, or fusing in response to changes of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/20 movable inside coil and substantially lengthwise with respect to axis thereof; movable coaxially with respect to coil

Abstract

An electric plugboard-relay assembly for converting a heating furnace into a combination heating and cooling air conditioner. The plug board is associated with a junction box in the furnace. The relay is provided with prong-type leads which plug into the board to enable the furnace to electrically connect with the compressor of a refrigerating system, thereby adapting the furnace for both heating and cooling.

Claims

1. In a heating-cooling furnace control comprising power supply wiring;

a heating-cooling thermostat energized by the power supply wiring;

a heat producer electrically wired to the heating portion of the thermostat for heating the furnace air when the thermostat senses a demand for heat;

a fan for moving air through the furnace;

an air cooler electrically wired to the cooling portion of the thermostat for cooling the furnace air when the thermostat senses a demand for cooling; and

an air-temperatureresponsive switch wired to the fan for energizing same when the air is heated to a predetermined temperature;

the improvement comprising a fan energizer relay having a control winding wired to the cooling portion of the thermostat for energization when the thermostat senses a demand for cooling, and windingcontrolled switch means wired to the fan in parallel with the aforementioned air-temperature-responsive switch, whereby the fan is controlled by the air-temperature-responsive switch during the heating season and by the relay during the cooling season;

a furnace junction box operably receiving therewithin the power supply wiring, the air-temperature-responsive switch wiring, the relay wiring, and the fan wiring;

a plug-on connector board carried on the junction box for operably mounting the fan energizer relay;

said connector board having individual electrical connector surfaces exposed to the junction box interior and exterior, and the junction box interior wiring having terminal ends attached directly to selected ones of said connector surfaces;

the aforementioned relay having rigid terminals for its winding and its switch means;

said relay terminals being spaced from one another in accordance with the spacing of the board connector surfaces, whereby the relay can be plugged onto the board so that the relay terminals electrically connect with selected ones of the connector surfaces.

2. The furnace control of claim 1 wherein the junction box is provided with a cover, and the plug-on connector board is mounted on the cover, whereby the box interior wiring can be attached to the connector surfaces with the cover partially removed from the box, after which the cover-board assembly can be secured to the box to conceal and shield the box wiring.

3. The furnace control of claim 1 wherein the board connector surfaces consist of electrical sockets, and the junction box wiring terminal ends consist of male prongs insertable into selectable ones of the sockets.

4. The furnace control of claim 1 wherein the board connector surfaces consist of electrical sockets, and the relay terminals consist of male prongs projecting from the relay body for insertion into the sockets.

5. In a heating-cooling furnace control comprising power supply wiring;

a stepdown transformer energized by said power supply wiring;

a heating-cooling thermostat electrically wired to the transformer secondary;

a heat producer electrically wired to the heating portion of the thermostat for heating the furnace air when the thermostat senses a demand for heat and the transformer primary is energized;

a fan electrically wired to the transformer primary for moving air through the furnace;

an air cooler electrically wired to the cooling portion of the thermostat for cooling the furnace air when the thermostat senses a demand for cooling; and

an air-temperature-responsive switch wired to the fan for energizing said fan when the air is heated to a predetermined temperature;

the improvement comprising a fan energizer relay having a control winding wired to the cooling portion of the thermostat for energization thereby when the thermostat senses a demand for cooling, and winding-controlled switch means wired to the fan in parallel with the aforementioned air-temperature-responsive switch, whereby the fan is controlled by the air-temperature-responsive switch during the heating season and by the relay during the cooling season;

a furnace junction box operably receiving therewithin the power supply wiring, the fan wiring, and the transformer primary wiring;

a plug-on connector operably mounting the fan energizer relay;

said transformer, junction box and connector board being physically associated with one another as a centrally located assembly within the furnace;

said connector board having individual connector surfaces exposed to the junction box interior and exterior, and the junction box wiring having terminal ends attached directly to selected ones of said connector surfaces;

the aforementioned relay having rigid terminals for its winding and its switch means;

said relay terminals being spaced from one another in accordance with the spacing of the plug-on board connector surfaces whereby the relay can be plugged ontO the board so that the relay terminals electrically connect with selected one of the connector surfaces.

6. The furnace control of claim 5 wherein the junction box is provided with a cover, and the board and transformer are mounted thereon;

the box wiring being of sufficient length as to be attachable to the board connector surfaces with the cover partially removed from the box;

said cover substantially completely closing the box to conceal and shield the box wiring.

7. The furnace control of claim 6 wherein the transformer is mounted on the outside face of the cover, said transformer having primary lead wiring extending into the box through an opening in the cover, said transformer overlying the cover opening to shield the lead wiring.

8. The furnace control of claim 7 wherein the transformer is provided with an external terminal board for lead wire connections to the thermostat, heat producer, and air cooler;

the transformer secondary being connected to the relay winding via flexible lead wires extending from the terminal board into the box through a second opening in the cover.