Dwelling heating and air conditioning system

• US 5,449,319 A
• Filed: 06/10/1994
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steven D. Dushane
• Original Assignee: Steven D. Dushane
• Inventors: Anderson, Kenneth K., Bohm, Grant E., Dushane, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/227,121
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 454/315, 454/335, 454/319, 454/330, 454/331, 236/49.3
• US Class Current: 454/319
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/22 of not identical elements of the same category, e.g. combinations of not identical springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/044 Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

A retrofittable heating and air conditioning system for a single family dwelling including a heater and air conditioning furnace system connected to individual zones of a building by a series of output ducts. Each opening of a duct to an individual zone may have a unique, fully sealing, controllable output register assembly. Also, in each zone is a thermostat for sensing the zone temperature and for providing a means for the user to control the temperature of that zone. The system further includes a master controller with such temperature controlling features as a universal zone controller, individual zone controllers, and a timer. Finally, the system includes a central controller for controlling the register assemblies and the air conditioning, heating, and fan with respect to instructions set by the individual zone registers and the master controller.

Claims

1. A fully sealing, air conditioning/heating register assembly, comprising:

an exterior wall-adapting register frame, including extruded L-shaped side members and four corner members mechanically interfitting with said side members to form a rectangular exterior frame;

said exterior frame being provided with resilient strips for sealing to walls of a building in which said register assembly is to be mounted;

an inner register unit having a sealable outer frame which mates with the inner sides of said exterior frame;

said inner register unit including a first array of outer snap-in blades for directing the flow of air into the room with which the register assembly is associated, said outer blades pivotally connected to said outer frame of the inner register unit;

said inner register unit including a second array of inner vanes for selectively shutting off the flow of air through the register assembly, said vanes or blades being rotatable into fully sealing engagement with the adjacent blades; and

means for actuating said inner vanes or blades from an open configuration wherein said blades are spaced apart and parallel with one another, to the fully sealed configuration.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for actuating said inner vanes is a manual lever.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for actuating said inner vanes is electrical.

4. An assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said electrical means for actuating said inner vanes is a servo driven unit.

5. An assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said servo driven unit is powered by a self-contained power source, said power source including batteries and a generator and impeller used to recharge said batteries.

6. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer frame of said inner register unit includes walls defining an opening, said walls having a perpendicular inner blade ridge or shoulder, the perimeter of said inner blade ridge facing the inner vanes or blades having additional sealing means.

7. A fully sealing register assembly, comprising:

an exterior register frame construction for adapting to different sized duct openings;

an inner register unit having an outer frame which mates with the inner sides of said exterior frame;

said inner register unit including an array of inner vanes or blades for selectively shutting off the flow of air through the register assembly, said inner vanes pivotally attached at each end to the inner facing sides of said outer frame of the inner register unit, said inner vanes being pivoted into fully sealing engagement with the adjacent inner vanes; and

means for actuating said inner vanes from an open configuration wherein said inner vanes are spaced apart and parallel with one another, to the fully sealed configuration.

8. An assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said inner register unit includes an array of outer blades or vanes for directing the flow of air into the room with which the register assembly is associated, said outer blades pivotally attached at each end to the inner facing sides of said outer frame of the inner register unit.

9. An assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said means for actuating said inner vanes is a servo driven unit.

10. An assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said exterior register frame has side members having a substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration and corner members which mechanically interfit with said side members.

11. An assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said means for actuating said inner vanes is positioned inside said assembly, whereby when said assembly is mounted in a register, said means for actuating said inner vanes is not visible from the room.

12. A sealing register assembly, comprising:

an exterior register frame construction for adapting to different sized duct openings;

an inner register unit which fits within said exterior register frame;

said inner register unit including an array of inner vanes or blades for selectively shutting off the flow of air through the register assembly, said inner vanes pivotally attached at each end to the inner facing sides of said outer frame of the inner register unit, said inner vanes being pivoted into sealing engagement with the adjacent inner vanes; and

means for actuating said inner vanes from an open configuration wherein said inner vanes are spaced apart and parallel with one another, to the sealed configuration.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said exterior register frame is a molded frame.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means for actuating said inner vanes is a servo driven unit powered by a rechargeable battery maintained by an impeller and a motor generator.

15. A fully sealing register assembly, comprising:

an exterior register frame having means for adapting to duct openings, said means comprising;

extruded L-shaped side members; and

four corner members;

said corner members mechanically interfitting with said side members to form a rectangular exterior frame, and said exterior frame being provided with resilient strips for sealing to walls of a building in which said register assembly is to be mounted;

an inner register unit having an outer frame which mates with the inner side of said exterior frame;

said inner register unit including an array of inner vanes or blades for selectively shutting off the flow of air through the register assembly, said inner vanes pivotally attached at each end to the inner facing sides of said outer frame of said inner register unit, said inner vanes being pivoted into fully sealing engagement with the adjacent inner vanes; and

means for actuating said inner vanes from an open configuration, where said inner vanes are spaced apart and parallel with one another, to the fully sealed configuration.

16. A fully sealing register assembly, comprising:

an exterior register frame;

an inner register unit including an array of inner vanes or blades for selectively shutting off the flow of air through the register assembly, said inner vanes pivotally attached at each end to the inner facing sides of said outer frame of the inner register unit, said inner vanes being pivoted into fully sealing engagement with adjacent inner vanes; and

means for actuating said inner vanes from an open configuration, where said inner vanes are spaced apart and parallel with one another, to a fully closed configuration;

said means for actuating said inner vanes being a servo driven unit powered by a self-contained power source, said power source including batteries and a generator and an impeller to recharge said batteries.

17. A fully sealing register assembly, comprising:

an exterior register frame; and

an interior register unit having an outer frame which mates with the inner side of said exterior frame;

said inner register unit including an array of inner vanes or blades for selectively shutting off the flow of air through the register assembly, said inner vanes pivotally attached at each end to the inner facing side of said outer frame of said inner register unit, said inner vanes being pivoted into fully sealing engagement with adjacent inner vanes;

said outer frame of said inner register unit including walls defining an opening, said walls having a perpendicular inner blade ridge or shoulder, the perimeter of said inner blade ridge facing the inner vanes having additional sealing means.

18. An assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein said additional sealing means is a compliant strip of foam rubber.