Energy conservation system
First Claim
1. An energy conservation system for use with a power source which supplies power over premises wiring to utilization equipment such as lighting equipment and the like, said system comprising:
- means independent of the magnitude of the electrical load drawn by the utilization equipment for temporarily interrupting at predetermined times the supplying of power from the power source to at least a portion of the utilization equipment; and
at least one switching circuit connected in series between the power source and said portion of the utilization equipment, said switching circuit being responsive to the temporary interruption of power to open the circuit between the power source and said portion of the utilization equipment and to maintain said circuit open after the temporary interruption of power ceases, thereby automatically deenergizing said portion of the utilization equipment upon interruption of the power.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Conservation system for use with a power source which supplies power over premises wiring to utilization equipment such as lighting equipment. Contactors and a control system are provided to temporarily interrupt the supplying of power from the power source to at least a portion of the utilization equipment. At least one switching circuit is connected in series between the power source and that portion of the utilization equipment. The switching circuit is responsive to the temporary interruption of power to open the circuit between the power source and that portion of the utilization equipment and to maintain that circuit open after the temporary interruption of power ceases, thereby automatically deenergizing that portion of the utilization equipment upon interruption of the power.
17 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An energy conservation system for use with a power source which supplies power over premises wiring to utilization equipment such as lighting equipment and the like, said system comprising:
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means independent of the magnitude of the electrical load drawn by the utilization equipment for temporarily interrupting at predetermined times the supplying of power from the power source to at least a portion of the utilization equipment; and at least one switching circuit connected in series between the power source and said portion of the utilization equipment, said switching circuit being responsive to the temporary interruption of power to open the circuit between the power source and said portion of the utilization equipment and to maintain said circuit open after the temporary interruption of power ceases, thereby automatically deenergizing said portion of the utilization equipment upon interruption of the power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13)
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7. A single pole, two-terminal electronic switching circuit for use in an energy conservation system and adapted to be connected in series in premises wiring between a power source and utilization equipment such as lighting equipment and the like, said switching circuit comprising:
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a first terminal for connection to the utilization equipment; a second terminal for connection to the power source, whereby when so connected the switching circuit is in series between the power source and the utilization equipment; means responsive to a predeterminedly timed temporary interruption of power from the power source to at least a portion of the utilization equipment to open the circuit between the power source and said portion of the utilization equipment, thereby automatically deenergizing said portion of the utilization equipment upon interruption of the power; means for maintaining the circuit between the power source and said portion of the utilization equipment open after the interruption of power, thereby keeping said portion of the utilization equipment deenergized after power is restored; manually operable resetting means for closing the circuit between said portion of the utilization equipment and the power source as desired after power is restored, whereby said portion of the utilization equipment is reenergized only upon manual resetting of the switching circuit; and manually operable means for deenergizing said portion of the utilization equipment in the absence of any interruption of power supplied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An energy conservation method comprising:
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automatically and temporarily interrupting at predetermined times the supplying of power from a power source to at least a portion of utilization equipment such as lighting equipment and the like; automatically opening the circuit between the power source and said portion of the utilization equipment in response to the temporary interruption of power by turning off a semiconducting device; and maintaining the circuit between the power source and said portion of the utilization equipment open and the semiconducting device off after the temporary interruption of power ceases until said semiconducting device is manually caused to be turned on, whereby said portion of the utilization equipment is automatically deenergized upon interruption of the power thereto and remains deenergized until the circuit is manually caused to be closed. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification