Air conditioning monitoring device

• US 4,583,682 A
• Filed: 03/22/1984
• Issued: 04/22/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Florida Energy Control Corporation
• Original Assignee: Florida Energy Control Corporation
• Inventors: Hernandez, Orlando
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Jr., Albert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Randolph A.
• Application Number:
  US06/592,106
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 165/11 R, 165/12, 165/22, 236/46 R, 236/94
• US Class Current: 236/46.00R
• 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 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits

Abstract

An electric device for monitoring the usage of equipment that is being shared by one or more entities or individuals during a predetermined schedule and that needs to be made available to any one of these entities or individuals outside that schedule. The device includes timing means programmable for any schedule and capable of activating complementary relays, one of them a normally open and the other one a normally closed. The contacts of one of these relays being connected to a suitable point in the equipment being shared so that its operation may be interrupted or turned on. A plurality of second relay means, one associated with each one of the entities, are also connected to that point in the equipment so that each entity may be able to connect the equipment. Also, there is an elapsed time meter associated with each one of those second relay means so that the time that the equipment is used, outside the predetermined schedule, by a particular entity may be measured.

Claims

1. An electric device for monitoring the usage of shared equipment, by each user, during a period of time selected by the user and outside a predetermined schedule, comprising, in operative combination:

a. electric power source means having at least two output poles connected to said device;

b. timing means including complementary normally closed and open relay means, said normally closed relay means having one relay contact connected to one pole of said source means and said normally open relay means having relay contacts connected to a suitable place on the circuit of said equipment to achieve equipment switching on and off, and both of said relay means being activated by said timing means;

c. a plurality of normally open relay means including two contacts having one of their contacts commonly connected to the contacts of said normally open relay means and each of said normally open relay means including an activating coil including two ends having one of said ends connected to one of the poles of said source means;

d. a plurality of elapsed time meters connected in parallel with said corresponding activating coils; and

e. a plurality of switch means connected in series with the other end of said coil and elapsed time meter combination and the other end of said switch means being connected to the other contact of said normally closed relay means so that when any of said switch means is closed said corresponding elapsed time meter connected to said switch means is activated thereby measuring the time said equipment is used outside said predetermined schedule.

2. The device set forth in claim 1 further comprising circuit breaker means to protect said device from overloading.